Muslims
Demand An Apology
From MIM
By Mike Ghouse
11 August, 2007
Countercurrents.org
“We
were all set to kill her”, said Majidullah Khan about Taslima
Nasrin. It is an atrocious condemnable statement. it is time to reflect
and figure out how to prevent this from happening now and in future.
The incident happened in
Hyderabad, India on August 9th. The Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (MIM)
has warned that it will not allow Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin
to go back alive if she dared to come back to the city while the Majlis
Bachao Tehreek claimed that their plan to kill her was foiled by the
MIM attack.
"We are very proud of
our MLAs and activists who assaulted her," said MIM leader and
Member of the State Legislature Akbaruddin Owaisi. "We will implement
the fatwa issued against Taslima if she comes to the city again."
Killing or threatening to
kill is a crime in India, punishable by a life sentence to life itself.
The above named men in their misplaced fervor claim to represent Islam
while Islam forbids killing an individual. Qur’aan 5:32, “Because
of this did We ordain unto the children of Israel that if anyone slays
a human being-unless it be [in punishment] for murder or for spreading
corruption on earth-it shall be as though he had slain all mankind;
whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved
the lives of all mankind.”
As Muslims of India and the
Muslims around the globe, we urge Mr. Owaisi and Mr. Farhat apologize
to not only Ms Nasrin but the Muslims of the world for the audacity
of insulting them by speaking in their behalf without their permission.
These misguided individuals should be indicted for threatening to kill,
under the Indian penal code.
As Muslims of India and Muslims
around the globe, we urge Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy and Home
Minister K. Janardhana Reddy to ask the MLA to resign from the Legislature
for violating the spirit and the word of the constitution of the Republic
of India.
Taslima Nasrin is a rebellious
writer and raises her voice when something appears unjust to her. We
do not condone many of her provocative statements. However much we may
disagree with her; her right to speak must be defended. We are a democracy
and in a true functioning democracy, criticism ought to be cherished,
as it keeps the leaders on their toes. Islam has a built-in system to
incorporate new ideas through discussion and consensus called Ijtihad.
She is in essence calling for Ijtihad, whether some consider her to
be a Muslim or not, does not matter, the issues do matter.
Hecklers, all over the world
are unwelcome, however, the test of decency and civilization is to allow
free speech. Often they indulge in cat calls of stupidest statements,
no matter what race, nation, or status they have including some presidents,
but occasionally they do bring in important points to the dialogue,
where many voices are not being heard.
When the Movie, ‘Passion
of the Christ” was released, members of the Jewish community were
wary of the release, fearing an increase in anti-Semitism. A Danish
newspaper printed cartoons that were disparaging of the Prophet Muhammad,
causing a disruptive few to create havoc around the globe in the name
of Islam. When the movie Water was released, Deepa Mehta was castigated
by many Hindus for the portrayal of widowed girls being forced into
prostitution, the cast and crew was vandalized by a few in the name
of Hinduism. President Carter released a book about the apartheid treatment
of Palestinians (both Christian and Muslim Palestinians) in Israel,
he is being harassed, even in the model American democracy, a few are
intolerant.
US Congressman Tancredo called
for Nuking Mecca, The Rev. Pat Robertson called for assassination of
Hugo Chavez the President of Venezuela because he is a severe critic
of Bush Policies. Intolerance is on the rise all over the world, Muslims
have their own share, no single group has monopoly on intolerance. No
society or a culture is ever perfect.
These are the dynamic values
constantly changing with interaction within and without the various
societies and sub-cultures. Screaming at Taslima, Deepa, Mel, President
Carter or Tancredo will not make the problem go away. The right of free
speech protects all of us, but it is not free speech to incite murder
to suppress free speech.
There are a lot of injustices
in the world; Free speech allows us to have our say to struggle against
the perceived injustices. Justice is the key to peace for a nation or
a community, without which peace is in peril.
Whether it is coming from
Salahuddin Owaisi, Bal Thackeray or any one else, they should be answerable
in the court of justice, file a law suit for a public threat or disturbing
the peace. Let's take a principled stand on all the issues; if it is
good for one, it has got to be good for others. Let justice be the corner
stone of our democracy.
Solution:
File a law suit against Mr.
Owaisi and Mr. Farhat for inciting and threatening to kill another human
being. Let’s put the blame squarely on the wrong doer and not
his family, town, culture or his religion. If we make the mistake of
giving them a religious label, that in itself is inciting hatred. The
mistakes were made by those men and not their religion.
Mike Ghouse is a Speaker, Thinker, Writer and a Moderator.
He is president of the Foundation for Pluralism and is a frequent guest
on talk radio and local television network discussing interfaith, political
and civic issues. He is the founding president of the World Muslim Congress
with a simple theme: "Good for Muslims and good for the world."
His personal Website is www.MikeGhouse.net and his articles can be found
on the Websites mentioned above and in his Blogs: http://MikeGhouseforAmerica.Blogspot.com
and http://MikeGhouse.Sulekha.com
. He can be reached at [email protected].
Mike is a Dallasite for nearly three decades and Carrollton is his home
town
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