[Reader-list] A time for introspection and soul-searching - Tazeen - A Pakistani Blogger

[Pawan Durani]

http://tazeen-tazeen.blogspot.com/2010/06/time-for-introspection-and-soul.html

A time for introspection and
soul-searching<http://tazeen-tazeen.blogspot.com/2010/06/time-for-introspection-and-soul.html>
.

After every major incident of violence that is perpetuated in name of Islam,
religious leaders, politicians and common man of the streets repeat that
those who kill and maim others are not Muslims and Islam is not a violent
religion. In past few years, too many Pakistanis, no matter what their faith
and sect is, have died because someone killed them in the name of religion.
The rhetoric that Islam is a peaceful religion will not cut it anymore. We
need to introspect why as a society we tolerate violence in general and
condone it when it is perpetuated in name of religion.

We bemoan the horrific crimes against Muslims under Israeli and US
occupation in Palestine and Iraq and try to justify violence in our society
because of those crimes but that is not true. We, as a society, condone
torture and violence against weaker sections of the society in name of
religion even before the invasion of Iraq and have legislation to support
this violence. Both Blasphemy Laws, which can and have discriminated against
minorities, and gender biased Hudood Ordinance use religion to maintain the
status quo in which a powerful Muslim male is the sole source of authority
and there is no room for personal liberty and individual thought. These laws
make it very easy for anyone to score against either the non Muslims or
women.

We glorify attackers and mass murderers such as Ahmed Shah Abdali, Nadir
Shah and Mehmood Ghaznavi in our text books and popular media. We deify them
and their acts of barbarism because they were Muslims and those who were
killed by them were not Muslims. None of them fought in the name of Islam as
we are led to believe. They were kings with colonial mindset who wanted to
expand their kingdoms and annex the fertile heartland of river Indus, Ganga
and Jamuna. Attaching any exalted and noble intentions to the expansion of
their kingdom is factually and historically incorrect.

Shah Waliullah, who is venerated by most South Asian religious scholars,
wrote a letter to Ahmed Shah Abdaali to invite him to attack the Marhattas.
Shah Waliullah instigated this violent attack, which killed thousands of
soldiers on both sides, because he did not like the declining clout of
Muslims scholars in the court and hoped that the war would to restore
Ulema's former power and influence. How can a society that lionizes people
like him ever hope to achieve peace?

Tackling individual incidents of violence and terrorism can never bring the
desired result. Unless the philosophy and ideology behind violence prompted
in name of religion is challenged, there won’t be much point in expressing
indignation over it. The Jamia Hafsa fiasco is a case in point. The
administration of Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa violated many laws and started
war against the state which is considered treason by the constitution of
Pakistan but most Pakistanis including the politicians and highest level of
judiciary voiced their opinion against government operation because it was
against a group of people who were using religion to support their violent
stance.

When religion becomes a source of income and a point of politics for people
then people will use it to further their interests and foster violence in
name of religion when it hurts their interest. Unless we decide to look
inward and deal with such demons, peace will remain elusive.