Fighting bigotry
ISLAM is a religion of peace. By no mean does it promote violence or hatred, rather it promotes pluralism, human rights and peaceful co- existence in a society. Moreover, Islam promotes democratic values in governing systems since establishing Adl (justice) in a society by engaging in dialogue is a very important part of Quranic teaching.
It is sad to see that various groups of extremist and radicals in Bangladesh are promoting exclusion and violence in the name of Islam through activities that are against the beautiful values of Islam.
What is more alarming is that, according to various reports, these organisations have successfully managed to recruit some educated young people through their propaganda campaign. As a result, a number of university students have turned into activists, whom I call "Islamists" here, of such parties.
They are, unfortunately, acting against our democracy by demanding the establishment of Sharia law (without any proper outline or understanding of what they really mean by this) or a Caliphate system, which was a system installed by Muslims rulers before the concept of nation states had evolved (who were not exclusive or violent towards the citizens, including non-Muslims) and dissolved after the fall of the Ottoman Caliphate in the 1920s.
The government was right in banning such parties, and should promote an information dissemination campaign that can counter the intellectual corruption of the bigots. The government must curb the recruitment of the youth in the banned Islamist parties since many young educated Bangladeshis are sympathetic to Islam without having proper understanding of the religion. This is because of the cultural orientation in the family and society, which developed the Muslim identity within them.
The siege of Kaba Sharif by young Muslim gunmen who stormed into the Muslims' holiest shrine on November 20, 1979 is an example of how "Islamists" can use propaganda for a wrong cause in the name of Islam. They had propagated for years before the bloody siege that the world was coming to an end and they found the Mahadi who could save it.
Based on this, they claimed that the regime of Saudi King Khaled was illegal and un-Islamic. That long siege of the Kaba Sharif resulted in hundreds of deaths, and also prompted an international diplomatic crisis.
Therefore, in this globalised world, where the role of mass media is critical in promoting democracy, the government as well as civil society members who believe that development of Bangladesh lies in the successful establishment of a democratic government must engage in information warfare against these bigots
The democratic views of Islam should be promoted through TV and radio channels, as well websites and newspaper editorials.
For example, concerned authorities can explain that shura is the source of democratic values in Islam, and is mentioned in at least nine Qur'ânic verses -- 21: 23; 2:256; 42: 38;22:41;3:104,110;2:233;31:17 and 3:159. Shura, in general, refers to mutual consultation. The Qur'an makes shura -- participation with others in making decisions that concern them -- subsequent to faith in God, and next to prayer.
Therefore, it should be made clear that those who do not want to engage in consultation or in dialogue by participating in appropriate political culture, but prefer to blow up fellow countrymen, can by no mean be seen as ambassadors of Islam.
Moreover, to refute the claim of extremists or radicals when they say that every non-Muslim is the enemy of Islam, the example of Prophet Muhammad (sm), who established the first Islamic state of Medina in the seventh century, should be cited. Through Articles 16 and 17 of the Medina Charter, Prophet Muhammad made it clear that non-Muslims residing in Medina were to be treated equally. According to the Quranic verse 10:19, the whole of humankind was not but one community (ummatun wahidatan) since God created the whole earth.
Therefore, it should be mentioned clearly in the proposed information war against violent "Islamists" that it is a hideous sin to promote violence and exclusion in the name of Islam since it contradicts the Quran's and the Prophet's teachings. In that way perhaps the young and educated Muslim minds in the country will stop being sympathisers of these bigots.
Mubashar Hasan is Manager, Administration & Communications Secretariat, South Asia Network of Economic Research Institutes (SANEI), Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies. His views by no mean reflect the views of SANEI or BIDS.
Comments