By Malise Ruthven –
It may be ironic, but it is not entirely surprising that the YouTube clip of what appears to be a badly made film satirizing the Prophet Muhammad appeared, causing mayhem and destruction—coinciding with the death of US ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens—in the same week of September that the novelist Salman Rushdie published Joseph Anton. The memoir recounts Rushdie’s life as a “celebrity victim” after Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa calling for his death for offending Islam in his novel The Satanic Verses. Not to be outgunned by the late Ayatollah, the Pakistani railroad minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour has now personally offered a $100,000 reward to anyone who murders the maker of Innocence of Muslims, the crude new film.
Read more in The New York Review of Books
Muslim / October 13, 2012
Constructive criticism of Muslims and Islam is accepted. Civilised religous debate is accepted. The red line as far as muslims are concerned is physical desecration of the Quran and the abuse and insult of the Prophet PBUH.
As stated in this article it is important to differentiate between criticism and insult. The right of freedom of expression needs to be exercised with due care and responsibility.
/
AYMAN / October 15, 2012
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS ACCEPTABLE DEPENDING ON THE INTENTION OF THE
ONE MAKING IT.OVER THE CENTURIES WESTERN ORIENTALISTS HAVE DONE IT
INSULT,CERTAINLY NOT SINCE IT IS DONE TO PROVOKE, AND ALL THAT FOLLOWS FROM IT.THIS IS OF RECENT ORIGIN SINCE CHRISTIANITY WAS HIJACKED BY
ZIONISTS.GEORGE BUSH BELONGS TO THIS DENOMINATION.
ISLAM AS A RELIGION IS VERY CLEAR AND UNAMBIGUOUS. AND THERE IS NO
COMPULSION. NO ONE FORCES ANY ONE TO ACCEPT OR AGREE.
WHATEVER WAS DONE- IN BURNING QURANS, VIDEOS AND CARTOONS WAS DELIBERATELY DONE TO MALIGN ISLAM AND THE PROPHET.
WE WITNESSED WHAT FOLLOWED AND THEN EVERYONE POINTED THE FINGER
AT MUSLIMS,AS TROUBLE MAKERS AND TERRORISTS. MUSLIMS DO NOT INSULT OTHER RELIGIONS AND THEY EXPECT THE SAME FROM OTHERS. IS IT ASKING TOO MUCH???
/
mohamed ali / October 15, 2012
Before criticizing Islam try to under stand and you will end up as a Muslim
The problem with most so called critics of Islam are they know nothing about Islam.
/
AYMAN / October 16, 2012
MANY CHRISTIANS, LEARNT ARABIC TO READ THE QURAN IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM
WITH THE IDEA OF CRITICISM, SINCE THEY ACCUSED THE PROPHET OF HAVING”CRIBBED” THE OLD TESTAMENT. IT WAS THE REASON THAT ALLAH CHOSE
“ILLITERATE” PROPHET, SO THIS ACCUSATION FELL FLAT.AND MANY LATER ON
BECAME MUSLIMS.AS TIME WENT ON AND THEY FOUND THAT THE QURAN SPOKE OF MATTERS, THAT SCIENCE DISCOVERED IN THE LAST CENTURY WAS REVEALED FOURTEEN CENTURIES AGO.JUST READ ON:
George Bernard Shaw:
“I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving the problems in a way that would bring the much needed peace and happiness. Europe is beginning to be enamored of the creed of Muhammad. In the next century it may go further in recognizing the utility of that creed in solving its problems.”
(A Collection of writing of some of the eminent scholars, 1935).
Lamartine’s tribute to the Prophet:
“If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could claim to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad?”
(Histoire de la Turquie, 1855).
Gandhi:
“I become more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers and his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle”.
(Young India, 1922).
/
Senguttuvan / October 16, 2012
There is a sea of difference between Gandhi’s inter-action with Islam in 1922 and today’s Fundamentalists, Wahabists, Salafists who want everyone and group that does not agree with them to be put to death.
If Gandhi, GBS were alive today they would have been shocked at the savage Fatwa on the Muslim Salman Rushdie and the extreme radicalisation of what was once a tolerant religion of relative peace.
What more, the bigotry has become so pronounced even Shiites, Muslims to boot, are attacked and killed for doctrinaire differences. Certainly, the Islam we knew – and our own Muslims decades ago were peaceful, tolerant and pluralistic in their approach, behaviour and inter-action with other religions. It looks more like in this age of Commodification the religion too has been subverted making its adherents merely robotic products. Islamisation is so aggressive those of other religions are preparing to protect themselves. When Dr. Karan Singh of the Kashmir Royal family and former Indian Union Minister was asked his views years ago on the rise of islamic fundamentalism he said something along these lines “while most major religions remain peaceful and the more vocal of them somewhat dormant, this new phenomena of sweeping Islamic fundamentalism is bound to wake them up”
Senguttuvan
/
Muslim / October 16, 2012
Dont forget that Mahatma Ghandi was killed by a Hindu extremist. Hindu extremism has propogated in his home state of Gujrat with the infamous massacres of 2002 resulting in 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus killed and 223 more people were reported missing. 523 places of worship were damaged: 298 dargahs, 205 mosques, 17 temples, and 3 churches destroyed. Muslim-owned businesses suffered the bulk of the damage. 61,000 Muslims and 10,000 Hindus fled their homes. Preventive arrests of 17,947 Hindus and 3,616 Muslims were made. In total 27,901 Hindus and 7,651 Muslims were arrested.
Even today India is in trumoil with violence in many states against insurgents (not muslim). We have the extremism and noises emenating from Tamil Nadu and attacks on Sinhalese visiting that state. Now threats of attacks on stupas etc.
Then we have had our own pograms and home made terrorists the LTTE.So making statements targeting only Muslims and Islam cannot be justified.
/
Native Vedda / October 16, 2012
Senguttuvan
“today’s Fundamentalists, Wahabists, Salafists who want everyone and group that does not agree with them to be put to death.”
It sounds like Fundamentalists are becoming Sinhala/Buddhists. Are they being coached by the clan?
/
AYMAN / October 18, 2012
SENGUTTUVAN
COULD YOU DEFINE THE FOLLOWING WORDS WHICH YOU HAVE USED
1. FUNDAMENTALIST
2. WAHABIST
3. SALAFIST
I BET YOU WILL NOT AND CANNOT.
NATHURAM VINAYAK GODSE- WHAS HE A FUNDAMENTALIST, WAHABIST, SALAFIST.
YOU I PRESUME ARE A BULLSHIT!!!!!
/
Senguttuvan / October 16, 2012
Godse wrote he respected Gandhiji but said the Mahathma was giving far too much to Pakisdtani Muslims who had not only divided India along religious lines but are planning to subvert India. He was not wrong as we see in decades since then. It must be said at the sametime the multiple millions of Muslims in India are peaceful and patriotic except the smaller radicalists and religious zealots, engineered from Pakistan by the ISI and religious madmen, whose only goal is to destroy fastly developing India and its prospering millions. Islamic Pakistan,sadly, on the other hand, is in ruins and fastly disintegrating. The Malala incident in which this lovely 14 year old child was only asking for the right for girls to go to school for basic education was savagely shot at point blank range by a religious mad-man from the Taliban, planning to convert the region and all its people to medieval barbarity a.k.a. Sharia. The demos that you see in Karachi, Pindi and elsewhere said to be in sympathy more to Malala is State-inspired more to salvage some respect in the eyes of the world for Pakiatan now identified as a lawless medieval kingdom.
It was these religous haters who were behind the Dogra incident where hundreds of Hindu sevaks were roasted by pre-planned action in locked railway cabins roasted by hundreds of gallons of petrol brought to the vicinity of the Rail station the previous night. That set off the Gujarat riots where, unfortunately, many innocent Muslims died – and that included thousands of Hindus as well. That is India’s fate.It is unlikely to end there. The Dogra incident was planned to discredit Hindus and India – and they succeeded to some extent. Gujarat – which has a very large Muslim population – is one of the fastest developing and professionally run States drawing billions of FDI billions. Gujarati Muslims benefit from the industrial and services industry’s success. Many MLAs in the Gujarat State Assembly are distinguished Muslim men and women – cannot be denied.
The attempts to create divisions and disharmony between Hindus and Muslims will continue in India but good sense and decency will continue to prevail lead by Muslims themselves. These Muslims have nothing to do with the lunatic trouble makers in religious garb. Noted analysts believe Narendra Modi will manage to overcome the engineered prejudice against him and perhaps lay claim to the mantle of PM in the next General Election.
Desperate and failed societies in the region unable to provide peace, a good standard of living, industrial development etc to their own people will continue to waste their energy and resources to destroy India – not excluding risking a nuclear war where the use of AQ Khan’s Muslim Bomb is a regular threat. But as always we believe the world will be spared from evil – again.
Senguttuvan
/
Muslim / October 17, 2012
It is not possible to justify the criminal act of an extremist by saying that his views may be correct. The same type of logic is used to justify the actions of Islamic Terrorist. Even the LTTE justify there actions for the greater good of their community. The taking of life and killing for whatever purpose outside the due process of law cannot be condoned.
The incidents of Gujrat cannot be attributed to an islolated incident just as the events in our country in 1983 Black July cannot be attributed to a single event or trigger. They must be viewed against a wider backdrop of communal feeling and racial incitement by politicians and fanatics. Just as the Taliban are extremist in Pakistan The Rashriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) or National Volunteer Service is the Hindu community extremist organization in India. The targets for the RSS are three groups: Muslims, Christians, and Dalits. In the view of Hindutva, Muslims and Christians are foreigners and should either leave the country or remain in India without any fundamental rights.
The point I want to make is that these types of extremism, terrorism exist in all races, religons and non-religons. Right wing facist organisations in Europe as exemplfied by the actions of Anders Brevik do not subscribe to religon but to race. All are equally dangerous and challenge the basis of civilised society.
/
Jamal / October 17, 2012
Whilst I agree that the greatest tragedy for Pakistan was its secession from India, and that Pakistan is anything but an Islamic State, I disagree with Senguttuvan when he equivates medieval barbarity with Sharia. In fact Sengu reveals his abhorrence of whatever is Islamic by the use of invective language when referring to Islam or whatever is Islamic often mixing the actions of terrorists, extremists and branding them Islamic. This is the agenda of the Zionists for whom Sengu shares his sympathy. Just for your reference I will recall what a late Lawyer friend of mine told me. He was present when the Court met at a ceremonial sitting on the demise of Sir Alan Rose a former Chief Justice. The Chief Justice, Justice Tennekoon presided. I believe it was Nihal W who happened to be Felix Dias’ (Minister of Justice) permanent secretary, had the nasty habit (quite a common habit these days) of flouting tradition and disregarding protocol and sitting beside MOJ on such occasions. The Court Registrar (I am not sure which official though) informed Justice Tennekoon about this. He told him that he will solve the matter. At the sitting, Justice Tennakoon instructed the Secretary to take his appropriate seat. Nihal W looked at Felix Dias for help. Felix ordered him to go! During this period of time, Felix really terrorized the Legal fraternity with his brash behavior. Recounting his junior days when he worked with Sir Alan, Justice Tennekoon stated how they laughed at the system of Justice in the middle east. Sir Alan then cautioned them and stated that one of the best legal systems that exist came from that region citing the ‘Sharia’. He mentioned how the second Caliph Omar walked into a Court and the Judge stood up. He reprimanded the Judge and stated that in that court, after God the Judge remains supreme. If he stood up at the presence of the ruler then in the eyes of the people Justice will not seem to prevail. Coming back to Sengu please try and do your research and point out specifics when you jump to conclusions and do not generalize blindfolded.
/
Jamal / October 17, 2012
As regards the Gujarat incident Sengu is covering his head like an ostrich because of the embarrassment to the Gujuratis. It was not the Muslims but the RSS inspired Gujaratis who engineered this and put the blame on the Muslims to spark the massacre. Various commissions have ruled that Modi’s ( and most of the Police and other Hindu officials) hands were not free from Muslim blood. This is another example of Sengu’s attempt to fiendish efforts to blacken Muslims and put a halo over the Hindus’ heads.
/
Senguttuvan / October 17, 2012
I do not expect dinner invitations for stating the reality with regard to excesses of religions out for undue global conquest. Readeer Jamal is probaly a senior lawyer though he errs in referring to Nihal Jayawickrema. I see little connection with the Nihal J analogy and the story here. Any justification of Sharia as s set of civilised codes of law is hardly likely to succeed considering the barbarity committed under its name today. There are dozens of cases where Sharia Courts have asked young women raped by their older relatives to marry them against the offended woman’s wishes. Many of these women have committed suicide. What will Jamal chose between the system of the free and civilised Roman Dutch Legal process and the troglodyte Islamic system the extremists are trying to foist on the world. Jamal’s ignorant comment the Godra carnage was RSS inspired is a comment that belongs to the realm of comedy.
Muslim’s comments trying to demonize the RSS will fail on audiences who know the subject. I cannot recalls instances where the RSS committed grave anti-religious crimes against other faiths in recent times compared to the Mumbai/Bombay Pakistan-ISI pogrom where Ajmal Kasab and his colleagues massacred a nursery of infants/young children – only because they were Jewish. This was done after Ajmal phoned his Controller in Pakistan what he sees before him are children and unarmed nurses. And the human and humane Controller merely ordered “do your job, insha allah, you will be rewarded in heaven” By the way RSS has a large number of Sevaks from the Dalit community, whose numbers are growing in the caste dominated Party.
There is reference here to the the twisted Dane Anders Brevik. Besides the individual factor, the Brevik incident is a sign of Europe coming together to protect itself against the alarming growth of Islamic fundamentalist violence as part of its world conquest program which he said was an ungrateful response to needy and unemployed Muslims from different countries Denmark had allowed to live and work in the Scandinavian country. Surely, you do not accept the world to remain silent in the face of such savages.
I want to emphasise our reluctant criticism is against extremist Islamic Fundamentalist out for violence and create mass disorder generally against holders of other faiths. Here and elsewhere, I have referred to the large number of peaceful and decent Islamic adherents here and elsewhere – who are just as worried and helpless as others in today’s world who were shocked by the Malala savagery at the hands of a Taliban killer out to impose their will violently on others.
Senguttuvan
/
Jamal / October 17, 2012
Firstly I must make a correction. Senguttuvan is correct it was Nihal Jayawickrema who was Felix’s secretary. However I am not a lawyer. It doesn’t take much intelligence to understand that one cannot condemn a system of law due to its mis-application by its misguided adherents. Of course the actions of radicals and extremists provide ample fodder to Senguttuvan and his ilk to do their Islam bashing! He does a perfect ‘Mark Antony’ stunt by mentioning that there are innocent Muslims too. To Senguttuvan RSS HAS NOT COMMITTED GRAVE RELIGIOUS CRIMES. The demolition of the Babri Masjid Mosque and the burning alive of the Christian Pastor and his children were child’s play I presume then. Do not get me wrong I condemn all the atrocities of the fanatic fringe elements who call themselves Muslim. What happened in Bombay is wrong and Ajmal Kasab and his colleagues must pay the ultimate punishment for their heinous crimes cannotl be sanctioned by Sharia as practiced by the Wahabis or the Salafis. So please do not go by hearsay alone and do your research independently to establish your facts!
/
Muslim / October 17, 2012
The doctrines of Brevik, RSS, Godse all strike a common chord.
Godse had been an activist in Rashtriya Swayansevak Sangh (National Volunteers Association, or R.S.S.), which was found in the central Indian city of Nagpur in 1925 and was devoted to the creation of a militant Hindu State.
According to the Christian Science Monitor http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2011/0725/Norway-massacre-Breivik-manifesto-attempts-to-woo-India-s-Hindu-nationalists
‘Mr. Breivik’s primary goal is to remove Muslims from Europe. But his manifesto invites the possibility for cooperation with Jewish groups in Israel, Buddhists in China, and Hindu nationalist groups in India to contain Islam.
“It is essential that the European and Indian resistance movements learn from each other and cooperate as much as possible. Our goals are more or less identical,” he wrote.
In the case of India, there is significant overlap between Breivik’s rhetoric and strains of Hindu nationalism – or Hindutva – on the question of coexistence with Muslims. Human rights monitors have long decried such rhetoric in India for creating a milieu for communal violence, and the Norway incidents are prompting calls here to confront the issue.’
RSS has been condemned by leading Indian Politicians
Home Minister of India, P. Chidambaram urged Indians to beware of “Saffron terror” on August 25, 2010 at a meeting of state police chiefs in New Delhi. This was the first time the word was “officially” used by the Government of India.
Rahul Gandhi, told the American ambassador that Hindu extremist groups could pose a greater threat to his country than Muslim militants.
The 40-year-old son of the Congress party president, Sonia Gandhi, said that “the risk of a ‘home-grown’ extremist front, reacting to terror attacks coming from Pakistan or from Islamist groups in India, was a growing concern and one that demanded constant attention”.
His words were revealed in one of 4,000 leaked U.S. diplomatic cables sent from Delhi.
RSS has been resposible for numerous attacks on minorities in India. Claiming to be breakaway factions of the RSS, new groups with even more extreme ideology are surfacing. The Abhinav Bharat (Pride of India), the Rashtriya Jagran Manch (National Revival Forum), the Sri Ram Sene (Army of god Rama), the Hindu Dharam Sena (Army for Hindu Religion) and the Sanatan Sanstha (Eternal Organization) have launched numerous violent attacks on Christian and Muslim minorities.
The Sri Ram Sene was one of the most active groups that launched a series of attacks on Christians and their property in and around Mangalore city in the southern state of Karnataka in August-September 2008, according to a report, “The Ugly Face of Sangh Parivar,” published by the People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), in March 2009. In Jabalpur city in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, suspected extremists from the Abhinav Bharat attacked the Rhema Gospel Church on Sept. 28, according to the Global Council of Indian Christians. They had earlier attacked Pastor Sam Oommen and his family in the same city on Aug. 3.
The Hindu Dharam Sena has become especially terrifying for Christians in Jabalpur. Between 2006 and 2008, Jabalpur was plagued by at least three anti-Christian attacks every month, according to The Caravan magazine. In the western state of Gujarat and other parts of the country, the Rashtriya Jagran Manch has also violently attacked Christians, according to news website Counter Currents.
At an ecumenical meeting held in New Delhi , the secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes, said the rise of fundamentalism was “seriously worrying” the church in India. The meeting was held to discuss prospects for immediate enactment of federal legislation to counter religious extremism with the proposed Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill.
Hindu extremist organisations have been accused of involvement in terrorist attacks including 2006 Malegaon blasts, Mecca Masjid bombing (Hyderabad), Samjhauta Express bombings and the Ajmer Sharif Dargah Blast.
Bottom line is Islam and Muslims are not the only people afflicted by this dangerous trend of terrorism. People who subscribe to hate and xenophobia of other religons and communities are themselves guilty of fanning the flames of Terrorism.
/
Senguttuvan / October 17, 2012
In the Babri Masjid incident the RSS did not kill Muslims. I do not entirely agree with their action but many believe they are not wrong when they maintain the Masjid was built in what was for many millenia a temple honouring Shri Ram – that was ransacked by the Moguls who built the Masjid in its place. I agree today’s Muslims cannot be held responsible for the sins of their forefathers in a different period of history and context. Those who insisted on the restoration of the Shri Ram Temple, as a compromise, offered the Moslems a place for their mosque in the immediate vicinity methinks is a fair concession.
The Australian Pastor was killed by Hindu higher caste men in the Indian hinterland and not under the RSS flag – a poor effort to mislead by our friend Jamal.
Try to go slow on usage of the word “ilk” because what I may be forced to retort will expose you and your lot – now caught with your sarongs down all over the world. Be assured, as far as possible I do my research before I go into print. Trying to defend the untenable for those advocating weak cases is always a difficult task is what you may have learnt by now. As to the poor choice of the Mark Antony reference is the Dutch politician Girt Wilders – who brooks no nonsenseand calls a spade a spade. To him “Islam is not a religion but a virulent mental condition” In fairness to the large number of good and peaceful Muslims here, we do not want to go that far but, assuredly, the debate is well out in the open now in many multi-religious countries.
Senguttuvan
/
Muslim / October 17, 2012
The attacks on Dalits in India is very high and well documented.For this month alone.
Monday, 15 October 2012 Four women raped every day in A.P, says data
Monday, 15 October 2012 Some people continue to feel they can get away with attacking Dalits’
Monday, 15 October 2012 Miscreants set on fire 5 dalit houses in Bihar
Friday, 12 October 2012 MP: Dalit girl commits suicide after gang rape
Friday, 12 October 2012 Odisha: Police atrocity against dalit youth alleged
Thursday, 11 October 2012 Minor raped in Kanpur Dehat
Thursday, 11 October 2012 Pregnant Dalit woman raped in Kaithal
Thursday, 11 October 2012 Another Dalit girl alleges rape in Haryana
Wednesday, 10 October 2012 Dalit girls death stirs up row
Wednesday, 10 October 2012 Dalit woman burnt alive in Bihar for demanding her due
Wednesday, 03 October 2012 Dalit woman sarpanch assaulted in Haryana
http://indianchristians.in/news/content/category/6/23/52/
/
Jamal / October 18, 2012
Senguttuvan don’t be a coward . Come out and be honest and say that you despise the Muslims in toto. When you say you do not entirely agree with their action( the thugs who damaged the Babri Masjid ) but there are many who believe their action is correct, why do you have reservations? Is it because they did not complete their mission and exterminate the Muslims with their Mosque? The Hindu fanatics whatever their caste are inspired by that racist Thackeray and the RSS. Again you expose your nakedness when you quote your idol Girt Wilders, another racist and islamaphobist.
/
Senguttuvan / October 18, 2012
Jamal – You write in extreme anger, which Gandhiji describes as “temporary madness” As I have declared many a times, there are many
decent, peaceful, educated Muslims in the country. I owe my early education to one. My friend from age 10 is a Muslim, who comes from an old Muslim legal family of 3 generations. I am opposed to the contemporary Fundamentalist Islam now subverting many decent Islamic societies. It is these adherest that disgraced the religion when Lebbes went after each other in the EP on a shooting spree. Similar scenes were repeated even in the Beruwela area. The feature is now dominant in many Colombo Mosques (Colpetty, Pettah, Maraddana) Do you honestly call this religion or gangsterism after filthy lucre? On the other hand, the Borahs and Memons mind their own business in their devoted Friday prayers.
Girt Wilders – my idol? In which part of your anatomy is what goes as your brain? But let me add, Wilders represents that consiousness that is gaining ground in the West insisted by Muslim extremists the 2nd Crusade has begun. This claim is maintained by many radical Islamist scholars/clerics in the Arab land – one of whom recently called for the destruction of all Churches in the Middle East (not that they have left room for many) Why, only yesterday a 21-year old Bangladeshi Muslim was caught in NYC, allegedly, for conspiring to blow up a Federal Bank (holding USA’s bullion reserves) with 1,000lbs of explosives.
The fraud and gangster Bal Thackeray is rejected by most Indian Hindus. Shiv Sena has been on the decline for many years now. Thackeray has failed in his dream to win the Maharasthra State – after many years of racial-religious politics.
Ayman – If you do not know the difference between Fundamentalists, Wahabists and Salafists you should not be writing here. You should concentrate only on reading. As to your imbecile question if Godse was Wahabist or Salafist even a nitwit like you should know a confirmed Hindu like him could not have been either. At any rate, he left the world long ago before this sheer madness, ridiculed and laughed at by the civilised world, became part of the global political discourse.
Senguttuvan
/
Jey / March 7, 2015
Hello Mr.Senguttuvan,
Are you a Doctor in Chennai by any chance?
/
NISHTHAR IDROOS / October 18, 2012
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is a right-wing, nationalist paramilitary volunteer Hindu nationalist organization in India. Its ideology is anti-minority and its history is festooned with huge blobs of red, depicting its self initiated violence and a macabre aftermath. Godra carnage is just the tip of the iceberg. Here we have a well organised body with a clear agenda. In the case of extremism perpetrated by Islamic radicals it’s due to their disjointed and superficial understanding of Islam .Every sensible Muslim condemns and must condemn whole-heartedly acts of terror unleashed in the name of Islam, let’s not mince words. As for RSS its entire ethos is entrenched in violence, the very existence of Pakistan would suffice for it to perpetuate its genocidal posturing and proclivities. Their memberships are not those of the lower strata but those with a plethora of qualifications and obscene wealth, hell bent on destroying the minorities and especially the Muslims.
/
Senguttuvan / October 18, 2012
RSS was formed to protect the wider Hindu interest at a time when Gandhi and Nehru’s roles were suspected, in many quarters, as trying to appease the Muslims disproportionately. Many readers will know that the Nehrus were widely believed to be connected by familial ties to Muslims, which I must, add is not a bad thing at all. It is only a highly jaundiced and prejudiced mind that will expect the intelligent reader to believe “its (RSS) ideology is anti-minority…its entire ethos is entrenched in violence…” Any discerning reader of substance will concede if RSS wanted, with its numbers, reach and influence, it would have harmed Muslims to hitherto unheard levels. That will not happen in secular India ruled by law and order. Even the BJP, often identified with the RSS, has many leading members – including Union Ministers, State Ministers and MLAs from the Muslim community.
As to Pakistan – while the country, its powerful army, its Spy Agency the ISI, its election platforms and political leaders are totally obsessed with India, Pakistan hardly features in Indian election platforms. Indians sadly share the popular view Pakistan is destroying itself and is in the process of disintegration. Readers interested in the subject should try to access the article “Why myfather hated India” written by Attish Tasheer -son of the Punjabi Governor assassinated recently that centers around what I am trying to state here. Attish lives in the UK having escaped the sheer disorder in
lawless Pakistan. CT will do a tremendous favour to its confused readership in the Muslim community if this article is reproduced in these popular columns. I will be pleased to assist.
As to the comment India (or for that matter Sri Lanka or the non-Muslim world) “trying to destroy the minorities and Muslims” – as other readers point out here and elsewhere – Muslims do not need outside effort for this globally. They are doing it all by themselves.
The situation can still be salvaged if the leadership of our Muslim leadership get together and publicly distance themselves from action from their side that creates doubt, suspicion and fear in the majority
communities. Poet Iqbal’s unrealistic dream in 1930 of an anti-Hindu
religious State (cottoned on by the Bombay lawyer Jinnah for his own
poloitical upward mobility) has miserably failed as Aatish Tamseer concedes. The Pakistani army has hijacked the State and holds the people at ransom. If the region is thrown into a nuclear crisis it will be because of the unreliable Pakistani army, which we all remember, cheated the USA/world offering secret (and paid for) reefuge to Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad for years, only a few hundred years away from the Pak Army HQ. Throughout, the Pakistani Govt and the army
maintained they know nothing of OBL until the Navy Seal exposed their
massive trickery and lie.
Senguttuvan
/
Jamal / October 20, 2012
Senguttuvan you try to convince the reader that you are very knowledgeable. Actually as regards Islam you do not seem to know your bottom ( you know what i mean) from your elbow as they say. You use the term Wahabist and Salafist in the sense that Islamaphobists use. Salaf refers to our pious predecessors and they are of the generation of the Holy Prophet (S) and the two generations that followed. The authority to use this nomenclature indirectly comes from the Holy Prophet (S) himself. Wahhabism actually is a misnomer because Abdul Wahab was the name of the father of Sheik Mohamed. Sheik Mohamed practised and preached Islaam in its pristine purity and was a great reformer and brought back into the fold the deviant people. In the case of Sheik Mohamed, as it was in times prior to his, misguided elements tried to blacken his character and those with vested interests hung on to the false propaganda. Hence the loose use of the terms Salafist and Wahabists gained popularity. As I said before this was succulent fodder for Islamaphobists ( Zionists and their sympathizers) who have added this to their vituperative armory. Sadly we note that you have gulped their feed and identified yourself as one of them. Unfortunately for Muslims as predicted by the Holy Prophet (S) schism arose a short period of time after the demise of the Holy Prophet (S). In later years they hijacked Islam and today they have even hijacked the nomenclature “Salafi”. Islam comes from root words connoting PEACE AND SUBMISSION. How then can the pseudo Salafis create havoc with murder, desecrate the places of worship of other religions, and impose their creed on others and claim to be Salafis? THIS IS NOT ISLAAM AND THIS HAS NO SUPPORT IN THE SHARIA. Hence it is wrong to comment on any matter without an in depth knowledge of the issues. Criticism per se is not frowned upon if it is backed by a sincere search for truth. No religious order is free of this type of aberration. In the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible you will find many examples of men of God fighting evil forces. Contemporary times match those evil periods and the pseudo Salafis are wearing the mantle of those evil forces of yore. The terrorists are not singular to Islaam but unfortunately other religious extremists have ridden piggy back with those inimical forces who are bent on sullying the good name of Islam. They have the good fortune of not being identified as such in the obsession of the Islamaphobists to destroy the Muslims and Islam. I hope you now realize that Ayman’s question was not imbecile at it appeared! In conclusion your faulty diagnosis of temporary madness for me was seemingly due to your petulant rage at the tone of my mail. I would say it was righteous anger at you misleading people due to lack of knowledge.
/
Muslim / October 20, 2012
Mr S continues to justify the existance and activities of the RSS while maintaining a facade of tolerance and secularism. He even has the audacity to suggest that a statesman of the calibre of Sri Jawarharlal Nehru was pandering to Muslims due to familial ties. Small minds?
When it comes to Islam and Muslims Mr S is most verbose in his criticism but the racist RSS is in his mind a sublime entity bent on representing Hindu interest while the LTTE and Zionist are not even within his convoluted vision.
Mahatma Gandhi said
‘My claim to Hinduism has been rejected by some because I believe [in] and advocate non-violence in its extreme form. They say that I am a Christian in disguise. I have been even seriously told that I am distorting the meaning of the Gita when I ascribe to that great poem the teaching of unadulterated non-violence.
My religion is a matter solely between my Maker and myself. If I am a Hindu, I cannot cease to be one even though I may be disowned by the whole of the Hindu population.
I still hold the view that I cannot conceive politics as divorced from religion. Indeed, religion should pervade everyone one of our actions. Here religion does not mean sectarianism. It means a belief in ordered moral government of the universe.’
Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar a past leader of the RSS once said
‘To keep up the purity of the Race and its culture, Germany shocked the world by her purging the country of the Semitic races – the Jews. Race pride at its highest has been manifested here. Germany has also shown how well-nigh impossible it is for Races and cultures, having differences going to the root, to be assimilated into one united whole, a good lesson for us in Hindusthan to learn and profit by.
The ultimate vision of our work … is a perfectly organised state of society wherein each individual has been moulded into a model of ideal Hindu manhood and made into a living limb of the corporate personality of society.’
In other words RSS emulatess the Nazis of Hitlers Germany. Kuldip Nayar veteran Indian journalist and human right activist writes
‘In fact, the RSS resembles the Taliban in thinking and working. Both do not want liberalism. Both believe that religion is the beginning and end of all. They are a bigoted lot and have no place for tolerance in their methods. India is fortunate in having a stable democratic system. The RSS, unfortunately, executes the Gujarat-like ethnic cleansing of Muslims or on a limited scale victimise the Christians in Orissa. Yet the system is able to prevail, although it weakens every time it is hit. Were India’s pluralistic society to give in, the RSS would convert the entire country into a theocratic, intolerant polity. The example of Pakistan is before us. It is in the midst of a fierce battle against fanaticism and parochialism. Due to a weak system, it is facing great difficulties.’
/