An extraordinary voice

“Allah has created us in such a country in which people of different faiths live; the majority of countrymen is also justice-loving and are in search of truth. If something is presented sincerely, they have the nerve to accept it. Therefore, being an Ummah enjoined to do Dawah, it is our duty to reach the pristine teachings of Islam out to them, acquaint them with the concept of monotheism and the humane attitude of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) and explain to them the importance and benefits of the way of life presented by Islam and its concord with human wisdom and nature. If we perform this enjoined duty, our identification in this country will be that of a group that has not only the receiving hands but giving hands as well, whose members are the merchants of love and a source of mercy to humanity. The problems the Muslims in India are confronting with are the result of their indifference to this duty. There is still time for us to realise our responsibility and make concerted efforts to acquaint the people with the real teachings of their Creator and Master.”

Yes, this is our enjoined dutyThe above-mentioned statement is an extract from the Declaration All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat released during its 22nd session. This session was held in Mumbai from 20th to 22nd April. During the session the Mushawarat discussed many issues and took many decisions, the details of which appeared in Urdu newspapers. But this Declaration was of utmost importance because besides bringing the Ummah closer to Shari’ah requirements, and drawing their attention to protect the symbols of Islam as well as the Islamic Shari’ah and creating unity in their ranks, it also pinpointed an important need, and that need is of doing Dawah, which is not a need but a duty as has been said in the Declaration. “We are an Ummah enjoined to do Dawah and it is our duty to convey the teachings of Islam to the countrymen.” (Dawat Sehroza, May 1) This is perhaps the first time in the 40-year history of Personal Law Board that the issue of Islamic Dawah has been raised in such a powerful voice while emphasis on removing the misunderstandings of countrymen has been always laid.

Do this duty forthwith
What planning Personal Law Board has done in this regard is not known. If not, it should do this duty forthwith as this is the most important work to do today. Praise be to Allah, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has been busy doing this duty since the very first day of its inception. Although some individuals and institutions have been also doing this service for the last few years yet only the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind is active in this field all over the country in an organised and planned manner. But it is obvious that it is not possible for one single organisation or institution to do justice with this task in such a large country; all organisations and institutions should strive to do this duty collectively, or at least extend every possible cooperation to the Jamaat that is active to perform this duty of Islamic Dawah in a planned and well-organised manner and help remove the obstacles in its way. And, if the Muslims in India start this work properly, its result will come God willing into light. Now when Muslim Personal Law Board has drawn the attention of Ummah formally, let its voice does not prove ineffective; it must find expression in a definite manner.

28// 06/12 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Abu Yusuf

Egypt – the biggest question

If we analyse the situation unfolding in Egypt right from the Tahrir Square protests last year till date and ask the question as to which is the single question, the answer of which should be sought on preferential basis, to most of people that question would be: How did Ahmad Shafiq get so many votes? The Tahrir Square Movement was against the 30-year despotism of Hosni Mubarak and all the institutions and individuals associated with it. In this view, any person of that government should not have dared to come before the public, not to say of an important part of that oppressive regime being the candidate for the topmost position in the country and his reaching almost the level of Ikhwan candidate in both the rounds of election. Were the Egyptian people so foolish to get the same filth imposed upon them after it was annulled by their struggle against it? This is indeed a big question rather the biggest question. But one question is bigger than this. And that is about the silence of so-called lovers of democracy, advocates of democracy and banner-holders of democracy against the attempts being taken one after another to kill the new-born democracy in Egypt.

It’s already apprehendedIt was already apprehended that this democracy emerging from the western methods would not be liked by the westerners themselves and their Asian followers because they knew that the emergence of democracy in Egypt meant the emergence of Islamists, which they cannot bear at any cost. Even then it was thought that just out of shame and out of requirement of their being pro-democracy they would voice against the despotic measures of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Armed Forces. But it didn’t happen. First of all the military despots disqualified on petty excuses the Ikhwan candidate Khairat al-Shater and the candidate of Al-Noor; no one reacted; and then much against their own devised principle that no one from the Mubarak cabinet can be a candidate (for presidential poll), they allowed Ahmad Shafiq to fight the election (rather they fielded him), but it didn’t affect the western world even a bit. Then they most brazenly dissolved the elected parliament in the broad-day light; but America and all its democratic allies kept mum. And seeing the signs of Morsi win on June 17 issued the orders that the powers of president would be limited, and real power will rest with the Supreme Council of Armed Forces. The banner-holders of democracy did not feel perturbed save and except the Pentagon expressed customary sorrow.

The benefit of this dualism
Then the biggest question about Egypt must be nothing but this. But the problem is that who will discuss it; international media is in the service of these killers and forces of exploitation and Indian media follows the suit. None has the moral strength to stop the killers of democracy in Egypt. It is so because if anyone does so, he would have to face the charge of supporting Ikhwan. – However there is one benefit of this situation that all the drum-beaters of western democracy stood revealed before at least those persons who are gentle by nature and feel hurt by this mockery with the people’s aspirations in Egypt. Such persons are silent and not active while the entire media is in the hands of liars and perjurers – and as for Ikhwan al-Muslimoon, this situation is not unexpected for them. They have been bearing such excesses of Egyptian army and its western masters; their physique is by the grace of Allah very strong; their faith is unshaken. They will come out with flying colours, if Allah so wills.

25// 06/12 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Abu Yusuf

That 23-year old Israeli soldier

He was 13 years old when he along with his family reached Israel from Tajikistan. This was his new native land. When he was 18, he had to undergo mandatory military training and do military service as per Israeli law. Now he is 23 and hates the state of Israel. He has renounced his new native land and wants to adopt Palestinian citizenship and settle down over there. Not only this, he wants to be part of the Palestinian Resistance Movement. “I hate Zionism ... I call for other Israelis who support the existence of a state of Palestine to do the same, to come live in the West Bank or Gaza as Palestinians.” (The Indian Express, June 15, with reference to A.P.) Releasing this news, the agency has said that the incident of Andre Pshenichnikov is one of the incredibly rare ones that take place. There are only a few known cases of Jewish Israelis who have done so, mostly ones who have married Palestinians.
 The news that is killedBut this is not wholly true. The fact remains that such incidents take place in a considerable number if not at large scale. This is another matter that they are not reported. Israel is a prison not only for the Palestinians but for its own citizens as well. There is strict censorship on media; everyone cannot report every incident. There has been news that common citizens especially aged Jewish citizens support the Palestinian cause; some of them live with Palestinian Muslims while some others support them from their own places. The most important fact in this regard is that certain Jewish citizens turn back to their real faith viz. Islam after getting influenced with the behaviour of Palestinian Muslims, their sense of service and their solid arguments about their faith. And this is the fact that the government of Israel keeps unreported. Two departments of Hamas, Dawah and Social Service, play a very important role in this regard and this is what the government of Israel fears most.
 The headache of the occupying governmentYes, this is a big headache of the Tel Aviv administration. This is why it does not want the Jewish citizens to meet the Palestinians especially Hamas people and maintain contact with them. It is for this purpose that they put embankments on the Palestinian borders and from time to time seal the borders, sometimes in the name of preventing stone-pelting and some other times to stop without-permit Palestinian labourers. This is one of the causes of Gaza siege. – The Department of Social Service of Hamas is perhaps the most active among the Departments of Social Service of Islamic Movements, which renders service to the needy despite its limited resources irrespective of religion and faith. The aged Jewish citizens, who have none to look after them, are especially in contact with Hamas. Besides the needy, those who are not in need also maintain contact with Hamas and talk to them on faith issues and on the history of Prophets. – It is not known yet what the source of inspiration for the change of heart of Andre Pshenichnikov, who migrated from Tajikistan to Israel, is. If probed, a new story of the mischief of the Zionist state would come to light.

22// 06/12 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Abu Yusuf

The feeling of Goa Church

The feeling of Catholic Church in Goa is that “Israeli tourists visiting the State ‘were devoid of human emotions’, do not care for the feelings and emotions of other people, do very immodest and obscene acts among themselves, get intoxicated every time, their nights here never end, do not hesitate in switching partners.... Their dominating nature and other monkey business drives away other tourists....” Goa Catholic Church has expressed these feelings in an open letter to the Jerusalem Inter-Church Centre (The Asian Age, Jun 12). Deccan Herald and IANS reports say that these feelings of the Church functionaries are the result of their observations and surveys of many years. A book has also been published on this subject. Besides Goa, information has been sought from Israel and Palestine. It is to be mentioned here that it is mandatory for every citizen of Israel to get military training. The Government of Israel sends those getting this 3-year training to Bangkok, Goa and Bali on tour to get entertainment and “relaxed”.

And this chain of information
During the last few days there were many news items on Israel and Zionists. On Jun 11, an inscription was found written on the wall of Holocaust Museum: “Thank you Hitler [for the Holocaust]... Only because of the Holocaust did we receive a state....” On the wall there were also some slogans criticising the state of Israel and Zionism. Professor Shlomo Sand of Tel Aviv University, in his Hebrew book, has proved that that the term ‘Land of Israel’ or ‘Land of Maud’ is the invention of Zionists that has nothing to do with reality. The establishment of the state of Israel is wrong, illegal, immoral and irreligious in every respect. Israel’s state comptroller, in his report, has severely criticised the decision of Benjamin dispensation, whereby the Turkish flotilla was attacked on May 31, 2010. This flotilla was bound to Gaza and 600 persons were aboard it. Nine persons were done to death in the Israeli attack. The comptroller has said that this decision was totally wrong; for this Israel has earned worldwide criticism. (The Indian Express, Jun 14) The Vatican has clarified that the recent financial agreement with Israel does not mean acceptance of East Jerusalem as part of Israel.

Details of these contentsIf you browse the Internet, you will find hundreds of pages on details of the conspiracies for the establishment of the Zionist state, the atrocities it has committed against humanity during the last 64 years, the dangerous moral evils it has been spreading all over the world, how Americans have been using it to server their interests, and the dangers it has posed to world peace and human morality. But for the time being the voice coming from Goa deserves our immediate attention. Though the Government of Goa and its Department of Tourism do not believe in high moral order and obscenity is being promoted at its coasts under state patronage yet its Department of Tourism is perturbed with the highly immoral activities of Israelis. Ten thousand Israeli citizens visit Goa every year. The Catholic Church there that represents four lakh Christians, has raised its voice against their sexual anarchy and waywardness. This voice cannot be neglected. The Union Government ought to take serious notice of it before this moral depravity affect the social fabric of the country.
19//06/12 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Abu Yusuf

These contents of textbooks

No sooner had the hoo-hah on the cartoons of Dr. Ambedkar in a book of government publication wing NCERT cooled down than one more cartoon related to the anti-Hindi movement of South India published in another book came to light. DMK and some other groups said that the anti-Hindi agitation has been presented erroneously in the cartoon. The issue was still hot when the leaders of Tamil Nadu raised one more question. PMK party leader S Ramdas and MDMK leader Vaiko on Jun 9 revealed in Madras that in the Social Science textbooks of state government syllabus for Classes VIII and X Devanagri Hindi has been mentioned as Selected National Language and teachers have been teaching this subject all over the state. They said this is a historical mistake. Hindi is not the national language; it is simply a government language. Ramdas has demanded that this lesson should be immediately deleted and a criminal case be initiated against those responsible for preparing the text. Had it not been done, a state level agitation will be launched. (The Asian Age, Jun 10) According to reports, anti-Hindi campaign in Tamil Nadu is hotting up once again.

Why the element of hatred?

These three kinds of agitation are for one cause, but the element of ‘hatred’ has been included therein to put weight in it and make it popular. This is human weakness and also the Indian tradition. No agitation succeeds without violent hatred. While there should be no need of hateful agitation for proper demands, but people do this as without it attention is not paid to a demand. Kanshi Ram and his successor made their debut in the political field with the slogan “Tilak, Tarazoo aur Talwar, inko maro joote chaar”. This movement of theirs against Brahmins and so-called high classes proved successful. They made Dr. Ambedkar enjoy a high place in Indian politics or got his due place restored; however now the situation is that no one dares to speak against the doctor. – The history of anti-Hindi sentiment in South India is very old. Big protests against Hindi were staged for the first time in Madras state in 1938. When Hindi was declared as State language of the country in 1965, the entire Tamil Nadu witnessed violent protests and a precedent of self-immolation was established. Thereafter the power of Dravid parties in the state was recognised.

Social scientists should take notice of it

There is some semblance between the demands of Dalit castes and the Dravid cause though their violent strategies cannot be supported. But some people exploit this formula just to divide human beings and to make their respective castes popular. Forty-five years ago, Balasaheb Thackeray started his campaign in Maharashtra by making speeches, writing articles and sketching cartoons against the people of South India living in Bombay; he got popularity in no time. Later on, he made some other experiments with this formula. And today he is considered the uncrowned king of Mumbai. Twenty years ago Uma Bharati attained popularity by making incessant speeches against Muslims and targeting Babri Masjid. Some more people got fame by getting that historical structure demolished. Ten years ago chief minister of Gujarat led a hateful campaign against one section of his own public; as a result thousands of people were done to death. And even today he is “popular” due to this very “achievement” of his (this is sheer absurdity that he is popular due to developmental work in the state). During the general elections in 2009 a young leader in UP got “popularity” in no times by abusing Muslims right from the stage. – This is a very typical situation of Indian electoral politics. Social scientists should take notice of it.

16//06/12 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Abu Yusuf