To Dhimmi: Auditis an me ludit amabilis; Insania?

Submitted by Mahfooz-ur Rahman (Bangladesh), Oct 11, 2007 at 15:12

I just returned from a two week sojourn to India, visiting among other places, the shrines of great Sufi saints of India, namely Nizam al Din (RA) of Delhi and Khwaja Muin al Din (RA) of Ajmer who spread the eternal message of Islam centuries ago. Their memories are still revered and respected, and their shrines visited not only by the Muslims but by people of all faiths of India.

This evening, upon return, I heard the terrible news of a bomb attack on the Muslim devotees praying peacefully after breaking their fast of Ramadan at the nearby mosque built by the Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan, who is most remembered for building the noble mausoleum of Taj Mahal at Agra near Delhi. At the last report, 3 devotees were killed and dozens seriously injured by this dastardly attack. It is most poignant that I too prayed at the same mosque scarcely 3 days ago, and could have been a victim of this attack such that are perpetrated all over the world on peaceful Muslims, as was the bomb attack on people praying at a mosque in Hyderabad in India a few weeks ago, killing and maiming dozens of the praying people.

I pray for the salvation of the departed souls, offer my condolences to the bereaved families and take spiritual solace from the fact that the subsequent nightly prayers went on time. The assassins' bomb could not stop the prayers of the faithful, as this had been the practice at this mosque every day and every night for the last 500 years, as even the cowardly attackers and their sympathizers surely rejoice at the blood-shed and deaths of the peaceful devotees.

But they are following a wrong tactics, for, any number of bombs or any kind of attack will not prevent people from praying at the Mosque at the Dargah of Sufi Muin Al Din (RA), nor will insulting blogs weaken the faith of the faithful on their way of Allah, for they know that this life is temporary, all things material must end in dust, and all worldly power, including that of the assassin is but a naught against the power of Faith. But, the Muslims are the usual victims of such attacks, especially at the prayers, as it happens now, as it happened before, and will surely happen again.

But these attacks will never stop the Muslims from praying, as also the verbal attacks, taunts, insults, and abuses that we are subjected to by the missionaries, protagonists and defenders of the ‘Western Civilisation' such that you claim to be, dear Dhimmi.

In reply, I offer you not counter insults or taunts or abuses or personal attacks or even ‘shame!' that you are so fond of inflicting on me, and on many others... I offer you peace, brotherhood and understanding, knowing fully well from history, that such tactics that you ceaselessly apply has been applied before; such attacks have been perpetrated before; with results that were contrary to the attackers' intentions. For, instead of weakening the faith of the Muslims, or subduing the zeal and passion for Truth that burn in their hearts, they are strengthened and multiplied.

Islam, if you know its history, expanded and proliferated when at most times, its political and temporal powers were weakened. At these times of trials and tribulations, the spiritual powers that do not rely upon forces of arms or on the political will of Emperors, Kings, Princes and Plenipotentiaries, but upon the truth of their Faith and strength of their Iman upon Allah and the Prophet of Islam(SM), who brought about happy tidings for all mankind to live in peace and amity, stability and prosperity, were strengthened and thus attracted newer members to their peaceful rank and file.

Thus I quote from a short excerpt from a neutral and impeccable authoritative source:

" ..the political powers of the Muslims diminished, still its spiritual conquests went on uninterruptedly. When the Mongol hordes sacked Baghdad (AD 1258) and drowned in blood the faded glory of the Abbasid dynasty, - when the Muslims were expelled from Cordova by Ferdinand of Leon and Castile (AD 1236), and Granada, the last stronghold of Islam in Spain, paid tribute to the Christian King, - Islam had just gained a foothold in the island of Sumatra [and independent Muslim Sultanates came into maturation in the distant Eastern regions of Bengal and Assam in Hindustan] and was just about to commence on its triumphant progress through the islands of Malay Archipelago [currently the modern and most prosperous Islamic state of Malaysia]. In the hours of its political degradation, Islam achieved some of its most brilliant spiritual conquests: on two great historical occasions, infidel barbarians have set their feet on the necks of the followers of the Prophet- the Saljuq Turks in the eleventh, and the Mongols in the thirteenth century, and in each case the conquerors had accepted the religion of the conquered. Unaided also by temporal powers, Muslim missionaries have carried their faith into Central Africa, China, and the East Indian Islands." Pp 2, The Preaching of Islam, T.W. Arnold, London, 1913." So much for the blatant untruth that Islam was propagated by sword, for, never in human history, the conquerors took on the faith of the conquered where the sword was on the wrong hands so to say.. The sword indeed triumphed against the Muslims but only temporarily but subsequently subdued by spiritual strength of faith and truth alone. Sir Mohammad Iqbal, the great philosopher and Urdu and Persian poet of the Sub Continent, concluded poetically: " .. Islam zinda hota hai har Karbala ke baad.." - Islam renews its life after each Karbala. So, it will at this hour, if the prophesies are to be believed, or even empirical facts are ascertained from the annals of history.

I see, however, that during my absence, you have addressed a number of posts to me on your favourite topics, all expressed in your usual uncivil, taunting and insulting manner. Of course, I expected nothing less, as taunts, insults and frequent exhortations of ‘Shame!' are your usual means of addressing me and others. Reason, scholarship and credence to historical facts are not to be found in your communications.

Yet I shall answer as best as I am able, in totally civil [per the edicts of the Western Civilization!] manner, at a later time, to all your half baked insinuations, when I gather my thoughts after the long tiresome journeys that I undertook in this holy month of Ramadan, and recover from the shock and dismay of the bomb attack and loss of life at the shrine at Ajmer from which I returned only 2 days before to Delhi, on my way home.

At this time, I only say this to you: you have addressed the wrong person with your usual tiresome, tedious and uncalled for lessons of transliterations and translations, all in your own merry ‘I alone know it all' and ‘You know nothing', ‘I am the supreme authority on anything I speak of!', ‘Shame [on you]!' attitude. I can only take pity at this infantile and naive attitude that are the hallmarks of a childish bully at a primary school, those that may even indicate some deep psychological deficiency of the subject. I postulate without much possibility of refutation that in any civilized and scholarly environment, Western or otherwise, calm thoughts, measured expressions and references to the source materials on which one bases ones premises and propositions [contrary to dogmas and slogans, for, those are propaganda toots at best and poor ones at that], are prerequisite to any debate or discourse.

Such expressions and such attitudes that you routinely exhibit and remorselessly pursue will never be entertained in any civilised society, let alone be paid any heed to by anyone who wishes to pursue an issue or a subject seriously and not burl senseless abuses at each other to no purpose and to no possible end other than creating enmity and mutual hatred . In such a zero sum game, I may assure you, dear Dhimmi, there is no winner, only losers, not the least is the one who insults another.

'Peace is upon you': I say to yoy, in all sincerity in response to all your taunts and insults, for, that is the way of the Muslims, and I AM ONE.

To conclude, I only quote Horace, a great exponent of Western Civilization, when I say: Vis consili expers mole ruit sua.

Greetings of the Ramadan and the coming Eid.

Mahfooz

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