In Footsteps of the Prophet...

Submitted by Rakshas 10 Anan (India), Nov 16, 2005 at 11:11

Okay guys, point taken. End of reason.... So it is in Islam. Dr Daniel Pipes posted seven comments. Obviously he is right. No argument. Lisa's latest post under Islamophobia in an extended reply to the alleged Scholar casts considerable light on the governing principles not just for the Arabs but the entire Ummah, following in holy footsteps.

At another level though, you don't need to be a Dr. Bruno Bettelheim, himself a concentration camp survivor, to see how Islam dehumanises its followers. Nearly half the Ummah, being female, is already consigned to the netherworld according to holy dictat. Why bother about them?

The world has transformed in major ways, humanity has evolved so much in perspective, wisdom and compassion, and the Muslims remain mere observers, locked into psychic ghettos, afraid and in enmity, without understanding? 'Surely it can't be that bad', some will react spontaneously. But what about all the mayhem and killing in the name of Islam? The terrorists have been killing the Muslims too, but so long as it is done in the holy garb, no one dares oppose! The Afghan women shouted out to the world against Taliban brutalisation, but nobody in the Ummah responded. God, no conscientious objectors at all, barring a Rushdie here or a Warraq there?

Like programmed automatons they must assemble to shout 'Death to America' or the women in their shrouds, protesting avenues of liberty! Are you surprised to see how Islam's followers are isolated and fast segregating from the rest of concerned humanity?

There's socioeconomic and political injustice all around us, and some of us have really been badly victimised through medieval history down to modern times. We fight in our own ways, and struggle hard every inch of the way to see the larger picture, the bright side, the silver lining to dark clouds, without giving up hope. Building bridges rather than casting asunder! Our highest God-given faculty lies in our intellectual equipment, with a sense of freedom that is not stopped by prison bars, to develop a refined sense of discernment. To understand the world as it is, and our place in it, and how every personal decision of ours can make a positive difference out there.

The sophistication of a website like this helps, in compassion even while seeking to clarify extreme issues. As I see it, nobody is denied entry; come with your own baggage, and help us understand the complexities. Takes courage too, because one question leads to another. You have to be patient and persistent. There are many deep wounds and scars in all of us. But how does stonewalling help?

Because we are all connected to each other as human beings. Every act of senseless violence creates deep scars within each one of us. We need to understand that to defend the horrors being committed in the name of Islam is not a human option. It is much better to say, 'Yes, this is wrong. I don't want to subscribe to such a horrific ideology'. Just a small beginning can turn into a groundswell of opposition to the perpetrators of abominable violence. There is no cause on earth that can justify it, and no God who can sanction it! And see how they're killing Muslims too; perhaps as many Muslims have been killed by the Islamists as non-Muslims, including innocent women and children, like in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, or Kashmir, ever since this unholy war began. There were many Muslims among the school children in Beslan too. You think any God could sponsor such violence and abuse?

Is it too much to ask that people rise to their highest human capacity, even at the cost of life and death, to assert what is universally right, rather than to die like sheep for the wrong cause? One thing is certain, that the Islamists cannot win. If you only study history, victory belongs to the brave, the compassionate and the intelligent, in the long run, and never to mindless mobs, however strong! Time to wake up friends, for all is not lost yet.

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