Ostrich Syndrome!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Beheading Islam in Peshawar

The news of beheading of two Sikh youth in the Peshawar region of Pakistan has not come as a surprise to the world. What more can we expect from a rabid race of Talibanis, born and brought up on the fodder of hate and violence. The news in fact brings to light the hollow rhetoric of the Pakistani establishment when they claim to have contained the menace of Taliban.
What surprises me is the eerie silence of the Muslim ulema in the subcontinent (particularly in India) in their condemnation of this cowardly act of appalling brutality. Where are those who leave no opportunity to condemn what is inconvenient to them, no matter how comfortable it might be to Islam in general and Muslims in particular? What happens to all those voices which grow louder at times of trivial issues which they think place Islam in danger? What more danger can await a religion than accusation of the kind which we see after such heinous atrocities? When can the Islamic ulemas realize that acts such as these are the ones which actually put Islam in danger.
The blood of innocents in Palestine is mourned. The brutalities of Narender Modi’s pogrom in Gujarat were mercilessly damned. Then what happens when it’s time to condemn the most bigoted and rabid of Muslims? By being mum to the brutalities of Taliban the Muslim ulemas are giving voice to those who perpetrate violence. What justification can we give to the condemnation of the likes of Modi and Sharon in future? What message is passed on to those who stand and fight for the cause of underprivileged and minorities in this country? Shouldn’t this usual tale of the ‘victim becoming the perpetrator’ be put to rest once and for all?
The threat from Taliban is not confined to Sikhs, Jews or Hindus. They are running amok with a real danger to the spirit of Islam. Non Muslims across the globe can secure themselves against any Talibani attack. They can build fences, walls and iron shields. But what happens to the global Muslim community? What fence can stop the condemnation of Islam in global drawing rooms? What wall can prevent the filtration of pure hate against Islam and its proponents amongst Sikhs? Where do we buy an iron shield to repel the cutting suspicious look against a bearded Muslim at an airport?
There are many who argue that Taliban does not represent true Islam. Definitely yes, they do not represent the common Muslim of the subcontinent. But unfortunately they have been made to appear as the face of real Islam in this polarized world. They are the ones who get the media attention and most unfortunately they are the ones who think that THEY represent Islam in their own brutal way. How much we may argue, for an innocent Westerner, Taliban is the face of Islam.
There is a war between moderation and fanaticism, between love and hate. The esoteric Islam of the subcontinent faces a monster in the new, cruel definition of the religion. It’s time we realize this danger before the monster grows too large to restrain. The means to contain this ogre are many. Physical force, debate, condemnation, every weapon in the armamentarium should be used. We are already fighting a losing battle. The tacit support of the Pakistani and American establishment at one time has fed the Taliban strong. It requires real commitment of the moderate Muslim forces in the region to come out and take the bull by its horns.
My heart aches for Jaspal Singh, who was murdered by a group of thugs who are the so called torch bearers of Islam. Can we imagine his pain and fear as he would have been finally dragged to the altar amidst a sea of drolly dressed men chanting “Allah-o-Akbar”? What all might have gone through his head in his final moments? How detestable he would have been to Islam and its followers? His pain, his trepidation, his final gasps for breath, all for perpetrating the cause of Islam? I am sure that day, it wasn’t Jaspal Singh who was beheaded, it was Islam beheaded in Peshawar and we all should mourn this death.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dr Shah Alam,

You have spoken like a true doctor!

I hope many of us could see right from wrong the way you do.

Best wishes,
Anjali

shrip said...

absolutely correct Dr. Shah...

rajatnarain said...

Dr. Shah Alam,

Your post comes as a breath of long-awaited fresh air in the toxic atmosphere that is choking this blessed country.

If only more educated and enlightened Indians like you could speak up against the forces of obscurantism and reach a critical mass , there would be hope yet.

All power to you.

Best regards,

Rajat Narain

Nagendra said...

Yes as mentioned by several others its an very bold demonstration of true and genuine secularism. Some time back very irritating a certain Mr. Anonymous used to make this place noisy saying Dr. Shah Alam only publishes articles of certain interest and orientation. If he is still visiting this place he might have got the answer by now.

I am also pasting below one of the email response received on this topic to keep the log intacts and open:
================
Dear Dr Shah Alam,
Please allow me to be communal/non-secular, for a while.

In my opinion, it is easier for anyone to take on, condemn or expose the Hindu clergy or the historical ills inherent in the Hindu society but the degree of difficulty is very high for exposing the misdeeds of Islamic clergy. And there is a communal divide here. A Hindu can make radically progressive noises or a frivolous Hindu youth can pose as heretic (just for the heck of it) – even during charged periods of Hindu fundamentalism, with great level of comfort and safety but when a rational Muslim stands up against the nonsense of Islamic establishment, s/he puts a lot (even himself) at stake. The cost of courage is much higher and scary for her/him.

I am not oblivious of the glorious trail of champions of courage within Islam – and I will not go back to Mansoor, Sarmad, Yaas Yaghana or the wave of Urdu poets of undivided communist party. Yet, in the recent past, I can’t recall a spontaneous and honest protest against Islamic fundamentalism, coming from someone carrying a Muslim identity - with such force, courage, and rustic simplicity. And I am using the word ‘rustic’ with immense respect.

Being with the victims,
and being with you in this moment.

Sanjay Chaturvedi
===============

Anonymous said...

Dr. Alam

http://indianmuslims.in/enforcing-the-shariah-some-critical-considerations/

I want you to either write on this or comment on the same.

HOwever, i have the following suggestion for all muslim who wants to practce shariah. Why deny, give them the full.

http://secular-hindu.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/05/enforcing-the-shariah.htm

Following is the sharisah practices which can be implemented and be a true muslim state for the muslim :

http://www.mongabay.com/history/saudi_arabia/saudi_arabia-crime_and_punishment.html

1. Execution by beheading : murder, apostasy from Islam, adultery, drug smuggling,
and sabotage rape and armed robbery
2. Amputation of limb : repeated theft, Highway crime
3. Public flogging : offenses against religion and public morality, such as drunkenness and gambling and the neglect of prayer requirements and fasting.

What would be your honest comment on the above proposal.

Anonymous said...

>Some time back very irritating a certain Mr. Anonymous used to make this place noisy saying Dr. Shah Alam only publishes articles of certain interest and orientation. If he is still visiting this place he might have got the answer by now.

I cannot believe so many people just fall for these crocodile tears of this great Dr.

Just because more sane among other insane muslims, so you are going to praise him ?

The standards are so low, so i will not question your praise.

Nagendra said...

Mr. Anonymous, this is not a question of muslim vs hindu or good muslim vs bad muslim, please do not bring religion and other personnel attribute in this forum. If you have any constructive criticism you are most welcome. Otherwise just polluting this space because gentlemen are involved here, will not be good. Hope sanity persists to you!!

Anonymous said...

We want to expose this "crocodile tears". At best this Dr is an educated muslim with his own biases.

If that is pollution for you, you could be believing "Emperor has no clothes story".

Can you show which comments I made are incorrect.

Nagendra said...

Mr. Anonymous,
Your language is highly objectionable. Many of us, including me, love him because of his work. He doesn't see the color of blood from religious perspective while operating on patients, as you are trying to project here. And beyond that nothing matter. In your wordings you are being personnel and abusive on religious and other highly objectionable and condemnable parameters. What is the region for being so is totally not understandable. Are you a secular person or a bajrang dal/rss activist? It seems you are of later type. The kind of hatred shown by makes it amply clear you are one of those pity character looking for all nonsensical and non-existing reason to terrorize the civilization. Hope sanity persists to you.

NAgendra

Anonymous said...

>Many of us, including me, love him because of his work. He doesn't see the color of blood from religious perspective while operating on patients, as you are trying to project here.

Do not confuse skill of being a good doctor with political philosophy.

I thought we are debating political philosophies, not about his capabilities as a doctor.

The comments are nothing personal, trying to discuss a person has of biases when it comes to islam, Hindu and secular Vs theocratic states.

Anonymous said...

Nagendra says: Some time back very irritating a certain Mr. Anonymous used to make this place noisy saying Dr. Shah Alam only publishes articles of certain interest and orientation.

Maybe Dr Alam wrote this article only after getting criticism ?

Nagendra said...

Mr. Anonymous,
At least in last two posts you are little sensible. Thats a good sign. We want healthy discussion, debate. Even on topic selections. You may suggest your topics, if time permits, and it is of general interest and secular in nature, we will request Dr. Alam to take it.
I think all his articles are on this blog, you may see his topic selection, to me it is quite diverse, suitable to larger audience and mostly related with current events in society at large. So I do not need to urge why when and how Dr. Alam has chosen these topics. I think he is alright in choosing them as per his wisdom.

Thanks,
nagendra

Anonymous said...

This blog is DrKhan's blog.
It is his choice and privilege to write whatever he wants to.

It is also a privilege for me to be allowed to comment.
He could have disabled the comments.

Everyone can have opinion about anything in the world.
It is upto the reader to decide what quality the article is.

On the quality of articles, at best they are average at worst totally miss the perspective of why Islam encourages violence ? We do not need arm chair intellectual analysis with intention to brainwash all the atrocities committed in the past and committed right now like 26/11..

Just watch this live recordings of pakistani islamic handlers who promise heaven and why they have to kill the Kufr..

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/articles/terror-in-mumbai

Listen the live phone intercepts (directly from islamic thugs), not from arm chair apologists..

Nagendra said...

You have all the right to comment sir, but be in gentleman limits, critically commented posts are most welcome, but not the craps as you had been making all these times.

Anonymous said...

Is nagendra the pen name of the Dr ?

Point out what statements are not "gentlemanly" ?

A harsh criticism, need not necessarily be un-gentlemanly.

Please note the difference.

For example on the religion:
I should be able to say Islam is a false religion and Allah is not a true god and Mohd is not someone to follow.

Islam criticizes other religions in the same manner.

If I make those statements in some islamic countries, I can be put in jail and executed.

I want a right to criticize any idea. If the other person thinks it is un-gentlemanly, it is their problem, not my problem.

Nagendra said...

We are different sir. I follow this blog quite regularly, what more can I say. You yourself go through your posts and see how many of them are good enough to be in gentlemen limits.

Shah Alam Khan said...

Dear Nagendra,
Well, I thought I would ignore Mr Anonymous as honestly he wasn't worth the effort. If he is the same guy with whom I have once tried to reason, well he hasn't seen the light of the day. In fact on a second thought he is right to think what he thinks.....just like we have the right to thnk what we think. Anyway, I came across an interesting article on people his breed. Have a look whenever you have time:
http://blogs.hindustantimes.com/medium-term/2010/07/20/shrug-and-move-on/#respond


Truly,
Shah Alam Khan

Nagendra said...

Respected Sir,
Yes, you correctly pointed it is useless to spend time on such entities. The link in nice in describing why we shouldn't block such entities as well as how not to give attention they are trying for otherwise. Definetly, we should ignore such comments.

Regards,
nagendra

Anonymous said...

Dr Alam,

You puzzle me and I admire your stance in MOST of the issues. God speed and hope that there would be more people like you in India, especially from Islamic community.

I do not get it: India and Bharat are the same, why do you refer to them as separate?

Keep blogging..