The Reaction was Natural

There was anger and grief among Muslim community, after reading the news on 31st of March in News Papers about India’s Supreme Court Judge remarks. Justice Katju rejected the plea of a muslim student to allow him not to shave beard, and passed a remark saying, "We don't want to have Talibans in the country.” There were debates condemning the judge’s remarks. Reaction was quite natural. Justice Katju not only said the beard is ‘Talibans Symbol’ but also passed comments saying ‘Tomorrow a girl student may come and say that she wants to wear a burqa (veil), can we allow it ? " , He further said “ We should not expand Secularism that much, we can’t afford Talibanizing the country.” The remarks were not only sorrowful but also heartrending and provoking. The question is not of beard or veil (Burqa), it is the question about the mentality which is growing in high level government officials about muslims. Justice Katju’s remarks were the example of the effect of World Powers propaganda and presenting Taliban as a symbol of evil and in the name of Taliban targeting Islam and Islamic values.

During the Reaction and Anxiety
Muslims reaction was quite natural. And muslims respect supreme court’s decision that, ‘The plea is rejected.’ Objection is on Judge’s unnecessary remarks. Muslims anxiety was legitimate. Reaction was rational, somewhere emotional too. Also at some corners lack of wisdom too was felt. Meanwhile there was a very wise act. India’s famous Law scholar Professor Tahir Mehmood met Justice Katju on 3rd April, and informed about the reaction and anxiety among muslims. During his meeting with Justice Katju, it was revealed that the remarks were not part of the written verdict. (Rashtriya Sahara / 4th April). Justice Katju said, He respects Islam and its values. He said, he defended Islamic values many times earlier in his judgements, and wrote articles defending muslims rights. Justice Katju expressed grief over the crisis saying his words were misinterpreted and presented negatively.

And That’s the right way
Regarding beard and veil, Justice Katju’s remarks were distressful and unexpected. But his explanation is desirable and likely. Because Justice Markandey Katju is a Kashmiri Pandit and is a civilized personality. He is well aware of Urdu Language and culture. Likewise he might be knowing about Muslims civilization and values too. More over his negative remarks were not seen earlier in any of his Judgements, writings or speech. Thus, Muslim Personal Law Board chief Moulana Rabey Husni Nadwi’s advise is timely and appropriate that the reaction against Justice Katju should come to an end now. Dr Tahir Mehmood should also be appreciated for his act that he met and spoke with Honourable Judge. And that’s the right thing to do in this type of situation. It is worth less with those elements who criticize Islamic values unfairly, but if it comes from any personality or Institution, unexpectedly, this way the true picture can be brought into light. This will be fruitful, and proved to be, in earlier experiments.

10/04/09 khabar-o-nazar by Parvaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Ibrahim Shaikh

Taliban and Pakistan

“Terrorists were turning to other parts of the country; we now have two choices: to hand over the country to the Taliban, or to fight them.” Said Mr Rahman Malik, head of Interior Ministry of Pakistan, while speaking to newsmen after the attack on Lahore Police Academy. (Hindu, 31 March, 2009). The Minister thus admitted that the attack on the Police Academy was the handiwork of Taliban. The world media including the Indian news agencies had already spread this fact at a speed that it was almost impossible to think of any other possibility. Rahman Malik only confirmed this and it was in line with the American strategy. The USA has found an enemy in the name of Taliban. Having completely devastated Iraq it has now amassed its forces on the Pak-Afghan border so that it can control the whole of South Asia after the two countries are recognized as the centre of international conspiracies. The world was fed up with Osama bin Laden, alQaeda and watching their fake tapes and needed a change. So now it is Taliban.
The Loyalty is Understandable
The Pakistani loyalty with the US is neither sudden nor unexpected. It is in tune with the larger policy. Pakistan became an ally when the US blew its bugle of War on Terror after the 9/11 New York twin towers incident, knowing fully what the call meant and what ideology the US was targeting. Pakistan also surrendered its territorial integrity, sovereignty as well as national pride against a flimsy undertaking from the US that her atomic facilities will be protected. Ever since that moment they continue to obey the Americans accepting their military intrusions, supporting their claims and following their commands. The presence of Mossad agents among the thousands of US troops stationed at the Pak-Afghan border is beyond any doubts. They can easily use the local miscreants in any of their operations.
Who are the Taliban
The Taliban were students of Afghani religious seminaries who took over the reigns of the country after the prolonged in-fighting among the parties there in the wake of Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. They being students of religious schools could not tolerate the immoral and free-for-all liberalism of the US and western culture being imported in the country. American enmity against them was only natural and it toughened still further when they refused to hand over Osama bin Laden to the US without providing any proofs against him. First the Americans used to couple Taliban with Al Qaeda in their cry against terror and bigotry but then replaced al Qaeda with Taliban and waged a comprehensive drive against all practicing and conscientious Muslims the world over. The propaganda is bearing fruit. It is no more common people with little knowledge who are getting influenced by this misinformation campaign but also the educated and elite. The latest example is the remarks by an Indian Supreme court judge Mr Markandeya Katju, rejecting the petition of a secondary school student seeking to sport a beard as his religious right. He wouldn’t like ‘Talibisation of India’, announced the judge. Pakistani officials should be happy that their case against the Taliban is gaining listeners.
07/04/09 khabar-o-nazar by Parvaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: M H Zulqarnain

Sehroza Dawat goes online

The veteran Urdu newspaper of Jamaat, after 56 years of service in Journalism, has now acquired a new avatar. It has been digitised and readers across the globe can read it online. Launchig its website http://www.dawatonline.com Amir Jamaat e Islami Hind, Maulana Syed Jalauddin Umari“ said "Media is supposed to be engaged in mind building of the society on positive values. But today it hardly cares and seldom raises its voice against the violation of ethical and moral standards. In addition, the mainstream media also shows its bias against Muslims”, He called the gathering to ponder over the ways of getting our due share in the media. He also stressed upon the necessity of having our own media apart from our close interaction with the mainstream one.

Earlier, Sheikh Manzoor Ahmad, the head of UNI, released the special issue of Dawat entitled “Sixty Years of Jamaat e Islamic Hind: In the Eyes of its Elders”. He said the Jamaat was the most serious organization of India, but few people knew about it. Muslim in the country have continuously been marginalized throughout the last three decades, he lamented highlighting the inevitability of documentation.

In the beginning of the simple ceremony a brief history of the newspaper was presented by its Editor in chief, Mr Parvaz Rahmani.
"Sehroza Dawat (Urdu Biweekly Newspaper) is the only Urdu newspaper in India which is striving to propagate Islam in true sense. It was started in 1953. Later in 1960 it became a daily newspaper. During the period of 1980-1985 a weekly supplement was also added. Again in 1982 Dawat became biweekly. Since its very inception, Dawat has been a popular choice of Muslims in India. Its current readership is more than one lac twenty five thousand and it is read across the length and breadth of the country. It has been progressing year after year, with it’s the free and frank analysis of events, lucid criticism and candid comments and informative and instructive features and articles on Islamic ideology.
The Sehroza Dawat has now come to be regarded as the representative organ of Indian Muslims."

The Secretary of Dawat Trust, Mr Rafiq Ahmad presented the vote of thanks at the conclusion of the programme. It was attended by a large gathering of people including a sizeable number of media persons.
Dawatonline design & maintain by Mohamed irfan, from Jeddah.The website has digitised the print edition of the newspaper and also has different e-columns to read for the benifit of the user.

“Mind building and presenting true picture of events are two main tasks of media”, Ameer Jamat-e-Islami Hind

Seh-roza Dawat website ‘dawatonline.com’ inaugurated

“Media is supposed to be engaged in mind building of the society on positive values. But today it hardly cares and seldom raises its voice against the violation of ethical and moral standards. In addition, the mainstream media also shows its bias against Muslims”, said Amir Jamaat e Islami Hind, Maulana Syed Jalauddin Umari, while inaugurating the Dawat website, www.dawatonline.com in New Delhi on 4 April, 2009. He called the gathering to ponder over the ways of getting our due share in the media. He also stressed upon the necessity of having our own media apart from our close interaction with the mainstream one.
Earlier, Sheikh Manzoor Ahmad, the head of UNI, released the special issue of Dawat entitled “Sixty Years of Jamaat e Islami Hind: In the Eyes of its Elders”. He said the Jamaat was the most serious organization of India, but few people knew about it. Muslim in the country have continuously been marginalized throughout the last three decades, he lamented highlighting the inevitability of documentation.
In the beginning of the simple ceremony a brief history of the newspaper was presented by its Editor in chief, Mr Parvaz Rahmani. The Secretary of Dawat Trust, Mr Rafiq Ahmad presented the vote of thanks at the conclusion of the programme. It was attended by a large gathering of people including a sizeable number of media persons.

The Debate on the Belief in God

A debate is going on in some circles of the Christian community as to who is better, the one who believes in God or the one who does not and which of the two is politically acceptable. It started with a remark by Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, the President of Catholic Bishop Conference of India (CBCI), that BJP was a lesser evil than the communist parties. He made this remark in reply to a question during a book release ceremony of his biography in Kerala. His remark was strongly criticized by the Mumbai Catholic Sabha and some other catholic circles while there were others who agreed with the remark. Those who supported the Cardinal said that it was an intellectual debate about the superiority of a believer over an atheist. The Cardinal had also praised the communists for their service to poor. The Cardinal’s supporters emphasized that the rule of believers in God will always be better than the rule of unbelievers.
The Remark and Its Implications
One wishes that the Cardinal stopped short of mentioning the BJP by name. If he thinks that that BJP is a party of believers in god, he will also have to admit that the god of BJP endorses demolishing a mosque in Ayodhya, burning alive innocent children of the Christian missionaries in Orissa, staging a carnage in Gujarat and burning the churches in Kandhmal. The renowned cardinal Dr John Dayal aptly pointed out that “the Bharatiya Janata party, the political face of the poisonous Sangh Parivar, has soiled its hands with the blood of innocents – be they Muslims or Christians or others. And it remains unapologetic. How can anyone be worse than them in the Indian situation?” However, it would be wrong to form an opinion about the Hindu beliefs on the basis of BJP’s words and deeds. The party has in fact been exploiting the sentiments of Hindus simply to advance its political agenda. Its belief in Hindu religion is limited to Varan wyawstha (discrimination on the basis of castes).
Another Aspect of the Cardinal’s Remark
Analysing the bishop’s remark, one would think that to him the concept of god is the same in which the Christians largely believe; the One Who is Kind, Merciful and Compassionate. But what about the conduct of America, the leader of the largest chunk of Christian believers in the world? Why did it kill hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and ruined their lands? Why did it occupy Afghanistan? Why is it supporting Israel’s oppression of Palestinians? Why has it waged a campaign of character assassination against the practicing Muslims all over the world using all sorts of lies, deceit, mockery and injustice? Who wrote the scripts of Abu Ghuraib, Guantanamo and Bagram camps? The Keralite cardinal may argue that Americans are not Catholic but Protestants. But what about Pope Benedict? He is the leader of the Catholics. Why does he keep silent on all these wrongs? Can one conclude that if BJP is exploiting Hindu religion in India, America is exploiting the Christianity in the world? Or does the Cardinal think that BJP can’t be faulted for exploiting the religion because the Catholic leader does not fault America for exploiting Christianity?
01/04/09 khabar-o-nazar by Parvaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: M H Zulqarnain