America need to Define Islam
By Dr Razahaider • Apr 24th, 2008 • Category: Misc • 10 Comments •Billions of remarks, millions of opinion, thousands of abstract and hundred of issues, America need to define Islam.Same context, similar theme, Provocable perceptions, irrational interpretation, disregard, threats, expression of grievances, continuous interceptions ,engagement and dictations, have inadvertently supported and shifted the graph of balance Muslim community toward ,stubborn and unbearable mode, breaching and breaking the silence of withdrawal ,regards ,oblige and curtsy .What’s the point of igniting, expressing, stimulating, criticizing and dictating, the desired motive at the cost and terms of mandatory clauses?Mishandling, maneuvering, gabbing and gibing, has all created a mess out in almost, every opinion and platform of community.
Targeting the whole Muslim community in the contest of reservation as threat has unanimously revolted the thoughts and ethics of even the most rational individual towards a dictum contradicting even the matter of no importance.Believing, calculating, interrelating and interpreting the nation, with capacity ,profile and existence as the most advanced country with extensive work on and in the run of forecast ,management ,planning , precautions ,researches, horizons ,future policies, encountered threats ,development and tendencies ,I have no option, but to believe that the said attitude has been keenly taken as a bias , malicious and deliberate act and is not motive less.No Muslim, I repeat! No Muslim, is and against the sovereignty, integrity and people of America and its existence, as we believe in our sovereignty and integrity.But the policy that is in run, in my opinion, is the sole element that has caused and opened the mayhem of opinion and reservations.
America being, the state of art and advancement, can not be expected to show its incapabilities over defining Islam and its various components, as the nation has inborn scholars and departments on the subject with extensive over view and horizon, and well mannered interpretations .However, the present trend and ideas, as we can perceive, in the light of policies defies the capability as the state of art, which in my opinion will be illogical and away from ground realities and factual circumstantial evidences.In my opinion, regardless of any, grievance, the policy maker can not just get away by saying that they have a limited knowledge of practices of Islam, and its constituent jihad.Here, at this point, the motto of my article is that, why these terminologies as terrorism and militancy are interchangeably being utilized on the platform of global issues?
What’s the point of intermingling and using the two as, synonyms? In my opinion any one with a little back up knowledge of religion and its practices would hardly perceive the terms on such equilibrium.Tagging and attaching the element of terrorism with beliefs, belonging and religion is a real preconceived notion, and can not be accepted or oblige ,and is the root cause that has created such vocal and disgruntle reflections in the form of displeasures.Islam neither is alQaeeda nor is alQaeeda Islam. What’s the point of relating every move of subject organization to Islamic threat and al Qaeda’s opinions as standard verdicts against America in the form and format, as Muslim opinion? These seeding are creating a manner of bad taste and desire. The trend to utilize commentators for discussion and commentary, from all origin of concepts, less, scholars with standing, affiliations and belongings in world, from Islamic platform, on subject issue, are the factual root cause of the reversion of accepting concepts.
This is my opinion and I have no hesitation to assist the same by looking at a glance to the past chapter of verses and voices delivered as speeches, recommendations and documentaries by different commentators of the world with no affiliation to the Muslim community. This trespassing of the Islamic version, by esteemed religious scholar over the subject, is the mainstay of reservation among the community and in my opinion due regard to be honored so to express in a legitimate perception on the subject, before citing it as policies and new world order.
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Sir Haider,
Brilliant article and analysis as there is this much needed debate as to why all these connotions they use to misrepresent Islam and in doing creating a wave of confusion and false perceptions through media for its prorogation.
BUT to expect American policy makers to understand the intricacies of Islam or its simplicity will be asking an elephant to crawl through the ant’s hideout. Its just never gonna happen as there is more to be made over there and on global scales to misrepresent rather than to understand and become humble. This Utopian model exists only in libraries, books and papers and in minds who have spent their life times understanding…Just to give you an example the best example to bring the truth in Middle east current and past in the West is people like Robert Fisk, Jason Burke, Chomsky, Hourani etc. But will they ever get an appearance on their mainstream channels like CNN, FOX, ABC…I dont think so.
So what we have is an ultimate responsibility on us as Muslims wherever we are to repel this theory of misconceptions and the rest. And for us to do this, we will have to do a lot…Which means we go back to your previous article where the concept of fear has to be removed and also we need to get out of this self-patronizing mode of comfort to assume that the responsibility lies with someone else but not me as an individual. Until we get to see this, all these interesting questions will be asked repeatedly…
But once again, many thanks for opening this debate as I say, its important that we understand the implications of living in a society where we let misconceptions become norm of the day.
Dr. Raza Haider, please do forgive my hesitation in accepting your opinion at least partially. As a muslim and reasonably interested in my belief I have grown up observing in our society as well as in other muslim societies a strong denial of all the wonderful ideas that you attribute to ourselves. My observation is that we are obsessed with our sense of self-importance with practically zero proof of any glorious achievement or contributions past or present. You talk about our recognising the sovereignty and independence of other nations and states; where as I find most of my fellow believers almost overwhelmed by the fantasy of our superiority, again, without any genuine contribution to the common good of the human society. I am afraid we lack the basic confidence to believe even in our own sovereignty. We have grown up without the courage to call a spade a spade, so to speak. Here I am referring to intermingling of our faith and our system of government. For me my religion is to meditate and to practice the feeling of love to concentrate on the concept of my maker and try to see the world and all His creature as a proof of Him being the most perfect creater. I would leave my sins and yours as well for our God to judge, where as we allow ourselves the audacity of calling eachother a “kafir”. For me religion is a separate and independent entity and governing of state is separate matter. We as a nation are a nation of fatalists, and we have grown so negative about the products of our fate that we are frustrated. We have let our teachers and preachers tell us that our stay here in this world is merely in waiting to die and get to a better place, thus life and all the wonderful things that is associated with it is not for us. Where as except us the muslim masses and the rest of the world (including those who are supposedly our leaders) have access and enjoy all that life has to offer. When your own life looses all its charms then what do you care who else is destroyed. I think that we, by our attitudes and actions, have provided the rest of the world ample reasons to suspect our motives. We blame others for not understanding Islam or muslims. Let me ask an honest question. How do we really see the others? Kaafirs, Waajib ul Qatl. Right or wrong? We have become so dangerous that even we ourselves are not safe among our own selves. For the sake of honesty, between two believers - do we really consider a Shia, sunni, wahabi, barelvi, and, and, and, really worth our compassion - I hate to say no and not ever. It is just ME who is right and has the right to live because that’s what I have been raised on.
I am sorry it got bit long. However, hope you will forgive me for this outburst. I will be looking forward to your and Asim’s feedback. I think Asim does have useful and practical points, we’ll talk about it a little later, say if you care.
I agree that we have to break the shackles, but for that we have to do a lot and we have to change ourselves just above the core, as our core is as solid and firm as ever, because it was built by Hazrat Mohammad (PBUH). It was only latter that we got impure and despite of intermittent resurgences we yet to dominate the world, but if we return to basic elements of our core and embrace the modern technologies and scientific thrusts, we could rock the world and could lead it, but that will take effort if not long time.
Americans have developed a unique norm of defining and then redefining and carry on with this vicious never ending cycle of redefining everything from politics to religion to technology to everything.
Isn’t what knowledge is all about - to question and to challenge, to provoke thoughts and minds? I would think that’s what is called searching for truth or ?
Professor Sahab, how much later it was do you think that “we got impure” ? You might like to enlighten me, please. Moreover, why do you think we must “rock the world”? And if that’s what our perception is then why do you think that the west should not be wary of our designs, who in his right mind want is world to be rocked?
Aftab Sahab, I am not implying that we start colliding with West, or by rocking I dont mean that we “ROCK” the world, it means that we should try to compete with full might to lead the world and that is healthy and justified and the right of everybody.
P.S. I hope you pipe down and stop deciding who is in his right mind and who is not. That is no way of talking. You insult others and keep insulting them till they retaliate you. I request you to control you words. You may disagree with others but you dont have any right to insult others. You have your own views and others have their own.
respects and regards.
Sir,
Why should America should define Islam? I am unable to understand it? OIC should define or Saudi arabia should define but why America? America as a nation has prejudices like against Blacks and Obama, a poitician who is black is facing. It has prejudices against anyone wearing beard and harassed even Sikhs think,ing them as Arabs? It has prejudice against veils. It has prejudice against woman leaders that so far not a single woman president is elected. It has even prejudice against jews,catholics etc that kennedy was the first catholic.But then it is the problem of AMERICANS or may be americans of islamic faith but not that of PAKISTANIES.
Listen Mr Khan Sahab, I am sorry if you felt insulted. I have no reason to insult you and I don’t much care about these petty notions like insulting and feeling insulted. Let me remind you when I used the “..who in his right mind wants his world rocked?” I am talking about those who perceive a threat of their world being rocked and that is most definitely not your person. Agree?
Having said that let me just remind you that you are not conducting some First Year Arts class of some juvenile bunch. We are grown up people with our ideas and opinions and style of conversation. I refuse to be addressed by you in this patronising manner, and if you like then listen to this. I can imagine how you must be conducting your class. Students must accept and say “Ameen” to whatever your 15 years old lecture notes conveyed. No wonder that in our society we are not able to do any conversation. You tend to have an attitude about education. The way I understand it, education must stimulate arguments, it must provoke thoughts, incusitiveness. Don’t you think that democracy is basically a conversation an argument, a debate, where people must have differences of opinion and approach. But you are trying to demonise me for having different views. But I guess it is true eveyone has his own sense of importance.
I still respect you and want to apologize for hurting your feelings and causing anguish.
Friends,
In my personal and most humble opinion, no one really needs to define Islam as it has been defined already. When we talk of “defining” something, it means that we need to incorporate all inherent elements known or unknown in a manner which can set stage for initiation of concept to the next levels i.e analysis, planning, design and implementation. This has all been done.
What we do need is to defend ourselves….as an individual, as a society and as a nation from misconceptions, from our own weaknesses, from lack of knowledge..How this can be done is through investment in our own beings by reflection and thinking “out of the box” and appreciation that we alone are not soley responsible for all the good or bad in this world. Our approach needs to be scrutinised and our behaviors needs to be altered by ourselves in the hope of acheiving something better and solid.
Therefore, what we do need is an understanding that we must avoid confrontation for its sake, yes definitely fight for injustice and for our rights, whether it america or anyone but with wisdom and at the right time. And for it to happen, we must make ourselves more open and logically more challenging. Education alone cannot serve its purpose if we do not have the wisdom either learnt from our past and of the history of the world, and also an appreciation of what we are.
To create something is always challenging, requires time, intensive effort and it changes the nations and to destroy is easier, takes less time and effort and it too changes the nation forever. We just have to make those decisions which direction we need to follow.
WHAT ?
America should DEFINE Islam?
Pardon me my friend? but why should America define Islam?
the name of your article does not do justice with your article?
If there should be someone to define Islam; why should it be anybody else other than muslims? having said that…who to trust then?
Well the best person to have defined Islam is Our Holy Prophet (SW)… the need is for us to follow His way?
Not to define it; *to practice it* ….that my friend is the need of the day
Dr. Saab….
Not to ask a 3rd party to describe and define who we are ?
Its like saying, the Lion needs to define a deer?
Amazing article, though; has the title of “America needs to define Islam”
& then suddenly your motto becomes
“why these terminologies as terrorism and militancy are interchangeably being utilized on the platform of global issues”
All I can call it is amazing…
Sir, I am being critical, I hope you don’t mind
-peace