'London bombings, violence and Islam'

Mr Asghar Ali Engineer's article London bombings, violence and Islam (DS -21.07.05)is very shocking . His credential as chief of Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, does not accord with his viewsÊ justifying London bombing overtly and covertly. Though he said, "Why do they resort to such operations in which, more often than not, they lose their lives in the prime of their youth? Is it because of their religious fanaticism? Can such operations be explained as mere acts of religious fanaticism? I think not. No psychologist will agree with such oversimplified explanation."

So, what has inspired the London bombers who are British citizen of Pakistani origin, to inflict heavy causalities upon their co-citizens for their Govt's misdeed in Iraq and Afghanistan? How they are concerned? Is it sheer humanitarianism? Or the sorrow for their Muslim brothers of Iraq and Afghanistan? (but again, are not some Iraqis and Afghanis supporting UK and USA?) It is indeed for their Muslim brothers, for the glory of Islam and Ummah. If they are not brainwashed to fight with the enemies of Islam and promised heavenly pleasure by the religious bigots (it is reveled that they had stayed in a Madrasa in Pakistan for nearly 3 months before they executed the plan which by any means cannot be called bravery but a nefarious act of cowardice), they would demonstrate peacefully, voice their opinion for the unjust engagement of their government in Iraq and elsewhere.

If they (the misguided Islamists) have guts why do not they attack Tony Blair or George Bush, why they plant bomb in buses or in trains? Is it anger or hate?Taliban had destroyed more than 2000 year old world's tallest Buddha statue of Bamiyan. What was it? Anger, hatred or fanaticism? Again, Mr. Engineer advocated "In our globalised world all countries are multi-religious and multi-cultural. If few members of one community use violence against another community it can inflame situation and destroy the very spirit of multi-culturalism. This is precisely what has happened in U.K. and earlier in the US when on 9/11 New York towers were attacked. Thus it is very important for protecting multiculturalism to maintain inter-religious and inter-cultural peace." Very true. The world should be multipolar, multicultural, and mul-tireligious. Why do then the Muslim leaders across the globe talk about Muslim solidarity, Islamic world, Islamic solidarity, 57 countries' OIC? Is it not unilateralism?Ê Only Muslim co-operation or prosperity?

In a televised address on 21st July President Musharraf had condemned London terrorist attack. He said it is giving bad name to Pakistan and Islam. Lot of other things he has said including sincere concern for the downward trend of Muslims world over. He strongly advocated grater co-operation of Ummah, re-organising of OIC. But did not say that Muslims should co-operate with peoples of other faiths. This sense of belonging with other community irrespective of cast and creed, nation and language, shall definitely improve the position of Muslims where they are in minority and reduce the tension, bitterness to a great extent.

Today the fantasy of imaginary Islamic solidarity and Islamic unity is poisoning the young minds. In the name of Islam they are doing all sorts of heinous acts. (Killing of more than 200 school children in Boslam, 9/11, Madrid train blast, bombing in Bali and 7/7.)

Then Mr. Engineer wrote, "These youths acting as suicide bombers or planting car bombs etc. are not so much 'fanatics as angry young men boiling with anger at these western countries destroying their countries and killing and raining death and destruction.' In UK we see today that how British people are expressing their anger at Muslims of UK, by attacking their mosques because some suspected Muslims planted bombs in central London which resulted in loss of 55 innocent lives. Do we call them 'fanatics'?

No. They are simply expressing their anger at loss of innocent lives. Just imagine how angry would they have been if UK had been attacked by Iraq or any other Muslim country and it had rained death and destruction on innocent civilians in addition to military targets."

Again Mr. Engineer has failed to understand that, the 7/7 bombers are not Iraqis, they are British citizen of Pakistani origin. If the bombers were of Iraq, then we could understand it. It is not anger, but fanaticism, which has been overwhelmingly induced in the young minds by constantly talking about Muslim, Islam, and Ummah. I then ask Mr. Engineer, what should he call the massacre of innocent Gujarati Muslims by the Hindu goons? Is it the expression of anger by the Gujarati Hindus for the Godhra train burning? Or is it a Hindu fanaticism conspired by the Sangh Pariver, VHP and Bajrang Dal?

Time has come that we should accept the reality. Today's Islam has been hijacked by the Al-Qaeda, Taliban brand of Islam. It is time for Muslim leaders to oppose this brand of Islam jointly and aggressively and declare that, whatever the cause, violence against innocent unsuspecting people should be stopped.ÊAs M. Engineer has rightly said, "Everyone knows that hatred begets hatred and violence begets violence."

But what he failed to mention is what Buddha had said more than 2500 years ago, "Win hatred by friendship, violence by compassion."

Lastly, I fully agree with Mr. Engineer, that, there is a need for a reformer in Muslim societies, true preacher of religion, a religion which does not discriminate against people, a religion which forbids violence in any form, a religion which should not propagate human beingsÊas Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist but human beings as from a single fraternity.

M K Barua sent it on e-mail