The nearer the approach to the general election in Bangladesh, desto louder are the fundamentalist cacophony. In stead of restraining this evil influence through constitutional meanss, the care taker government is paying court to this foul menace. Recently, one more step of the caretaker government emboldened the evildoers. The roundabout at the Dhaka airport building was being ornamented with a five Baul sculpture, which was removed at the insistence of a section of muslim fundamentalists and their fatwa, declaring the Baul sculpture as Un-islamic and insisting that, in a muslim state such un-islamic abomination will not be tolerated. The Bangladeshi haj aspirants' viewing such a sculpture will have deleterious effect on their pilgrimage. Simultaneously, their further demand was for the erection of a haj-minar at the round about.The care taker government of Bangladesh had bowed to the ugly fatwa and removed the sculpture from the site.
In march 2008 also, the care taker government had allowed itself to be trampled by the fundamentalist crowd. The then government had announced a 'women emancipation charter'. This charter provided for a historic statement of equal inheritance without gender bias, of property. This, also, expectedly, attracted the wrath of the muslim fundamentalists, and they dutifully took resort to fatwa declaring the chater as un-islamic and demanded evacuation. They went to the extent of threatening taking to the streets and begin a civil war from 14th March, if the charter is not withdrawn forthwith.The care taker government did not tarry in conceding this demand too. On 11th March, three interlocutors were despatched to the non-state activists and announced the repeal of the charter.
Elimination of the sculpture under commission, the muslim extremists are holding out further threats of demolishing ALL sculptures in Bangladesh. They hold out two other threats. Their tantrums are about (a) the “SHIKHA ANIRBAN”- [the flame unquenched] at the Dhaka cantonment, commemorating the freedom struggle; and (b) the “SHIKHA CHIRANTAN”- [the flame eternal] at the Suhrawardy Garden to commemorate independence; since they consider this as equivalent to fire-worship and needs be extinguished. Further, the Bengali New Year celebration at the “BATAMOOL” at Ramna, Dhaka, will also be disallowed, according to the follow up action of these fundamentalists. Celebrating the Bengali New Year is a cultural heritage and tradition of Bangladesh. The celebration of Bangla new year, the cultural follow through and at Ramna-Batamool was initiated by the cultural community 'Chhyanot' during the Pakistani rule as a movement in defiance of the then State aggression against Bengali tradition and culture, at the Ramna Batamool. That is the reason, why, this celebration and the site has found its identity with safeguarding the Bengali entity and rights and a secular manifestation. Muslim fundamentalists have tried their hand, on numerous failed occasions, to name the celebration as 'Hindu cultural manifestation' and prohibit the same. Now, they have erected a signboard, on an abandoned burial site at the batamool, calling the same as the last resting place of Hajrat Shah Sufi Akbar Shah, in an attempt to occupy the site and dislodge the new year celebration and relevant celebrations. They have not exhausted their fatwa wielding, yet. The Bait'ul Muquarrum Masjid abbuts on a road, which is named after Mani Singh, a communist leader, a well known leader of the freedom struggle. The latest tantrum is to insist that the vicinity of the mosque cannot be allowed to bear the name of a “MALAUN”. Their demand consists of replacing the name of Mani Singh by a former Khetib of the Bait'ul Muquarrum, the late Maulana Obeidul Huq. It may be recalled, that, the Maulana had expressed Fatwa about the freedom struggle callin it “un-islamic”.
There has been a tradition in Pakistan and Bangladesh, wherein, the armed forces do not enjoy civilian government and they like to perpetuate ruling the country by remaining in power. These countries find themselves under military rule, frequently. The present dispensation, at Bangladesh, is not in a hurry to disabuse this trend.The alacrity, with which the military care taker government are complying with the demands of the lunatic fundamentalist fringe, makes one wonder, as to whether the whole scheme is being engineered by themselves. And they are inspiring the movement.Many do believe, that, by strengthening the muslim fundamentalists' hand, the military are conspiring to influence the ensuing election. The creative elements of Bangladesh, writers,artists, literateurs, and intelligentia have emerged on the streets to protest removal of Baul sculpture, and they have named the round-about in front of the Dhaka airport as “Lalan Chattwar”.They have roundly condemned all fatwas and threats held out by the fundamentalist olema. They have demanded re-erection of the Baul sculptures at the round-about. They have also vowed to prevent the founding of a “Mazar-Sharif” at Ramna Batamool, at any sacrifice. They have characterised the foul misdeeds of the muslim fundamentalists, as a prelude to the conspiracy to establish so called 'Shariat state' and have called upon the countrymen to prevent perpetration of such a conspiracy.
With the trans-border fellow bengalis' culture, independence is threatened and is under concerted attack, we their sympathisers are complacently quiet and unconcerned and indifferent. This complacency of Indian bengalis, this inaction, indifference pinches my belief and also covers me with a feeling of shame.
Again, here, the antiques of a section of muslim intellectuals, heightens my shame and discomfort.They grudgingly exhibit disapproval at the deeds of the muslim fundamentalist crowd of Bangladesh, and heap admiration at the non-existent culture of tolerance in Islam and Muhammad. Their principal thrust is to defend the facade created on Islam and Muhammad, and faintly reproach the foul misdeeds of the votaries of fundamentalism. They seem to mean, that, the acts of these hooligans are not true Islam. Islam, they Goeblise, is a religion of Peace, Tolerance,forgiveness and what have you.
This charlatanry of feeble reproach to perpetrators of mayhem, violence and magnifying islamic virtues is nothing novel. This role of this section of muslim intellectuals, in self appointed role of protecting the image of Islam, is designed to create a space for assuming the leadership of the muslim masses, and, in that, they have failed, because this space is safely occupied by the fatwa toting, Arabic sprouting muslim fundamentalist olema, who still command grass root respect and honour, because of the illiteracy and backwardness of the community. The reason is not far to seek- the olema refer to Quran and Hadis and quote from them, they are living close to the populace, and they do not read newspaper, The fatwas, to these populace appear relevant to their rudimentary acquaintance with the scriptures.
The 'intellectuals' claim, that the fatwa about the sculptures and the road naming to commemorate Mani Singh, is not Islamic. There is no conflict in building a sculpture and naming roads after non-muslim names. These progressives even sermonised, that in watching idol worship, there is no conflict with islam and it is not forbidden. But, is that factual ? These intellectuals' assertion do not find support of Quran and Hadis.Quran has reiterated several times, that idol worshippers are never pardoned by Allah. Painting pictures also incur hard prohibition. There is a hadis, which reads thus: Muhammad once stated to his youngest wife Ayesha, inter-alia, “ are you not aware, that Farishta does not enter the room that contains pictures. The persons who build pictures will be punished at Quyamat.(Bokhari Sharif). If pictures invite such adverse attention, the severity of disapproval could be well preconceived on sculpture! There are several Ayats and hadis, and these are well known, it will be inadvertent to enumerate them now. Reference is however made to one Ayat, to indicate the severity, with which sculpture, idolatry and idol worshippers are said to be viewed by Allah: “Indeed, you and what you worship other than Allah are the firewood of Hell. You will be coming to [enter] it” (Al-Anbiya-21:98). Does one need further assert, that sculpting of human or any living form, watching idol approbation or commemorating a hindu name are capable of being accepted by islam? Comrade mani Singh, his name and fame is certainly enjoys large admiration from the well meaning population of the country, but to a hadis exponent and mass leadership aspirant, in possession of quranic knowledge, will not professionally admit it. Mani Singh is only a “Kafir”to such. Quran is replete and quite outspoken and assertive, as to how a Mussalman should react to a kafir- who is required to earn only hate, unreliability, disrespect and enmity. There are numerous such Ayats, out of which two are reproduced herein: “ O you who have believed, do not take any disbelievers as allies instead of believers (An Nisa. 4:144). “ O you who have believed, do not take as intimates those other than yourselves[ i.e. Believers], for they will not spare you [any] ruin.(Ali Imran. 3:118). A Mussalman is considered to have irrefutable belief in the truth and sanctity in every iota of Quran, how can he be considered to be able to tolerate a kafir?
Those misguided persons, who tend to outperform the muslim fundamentalists in securing leadership in unlettered, innocent of modern education muslim masses are chasing a chimera.Main armoury of the muslim fundamentalists are Quran and Hadis. This struggle against the entrenched muslim fundamentalists is a long and arduous one.This cannot be won by parroting an imaginery version of Islam to educate the unlettered. The flag needs be one of secularism, humanism, progress, education-modern and scientific and development. Religious fundamentalism can be conquered, not by compromising with religion, but by laying bear the real face of “Religion”.
No comments:
Post a Comment