Aryavartha
21-07-2006, 01:56
The shias of India - historically benign and relatively more mainstream, law-abiding and progressive are making the right noises.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200607202181.htm
Muslims urged to observe Friday as 'Anti-terrorism Day'
Mumbai, July. 20 (PTI): World Islamic Network, an international organisation, along with city-based Khoja Shia Isnaashari Jammat today urged the Muslim community in the country to observe tomorrow as 'anti-terrorism day' and offer prayers for those killed in last week's serial blasts here.
Condemning the blasts, the organisations said in a joint statement that the country could not afford terror acts and urged the Muslims to raise their voice against terrorism.
Imran Rasool, managing trustee of World Islamic Network, said there was no place for terrorism in Islam and no religion tolerated terrorism.
Safdar Karmali, President of Shia Isnnashari Jammat, said acts of terror against innocent people are against Islam and exhorted the Muslim community to raise their voice against the menace.
The religious leaders urged Muslims across the country to offer prayers at mosques to pay homage to those killed in the serial explosions.
They also appealed to the community members to take a vow to fight terrorism after the Friday prayers and demanded that the perpetrators of the blasts be brought to book.
Marked contrast to reactions from sunni sections..
a sunni dominated media spreading conspiracy theories
http://www.indianmuslims.info/articles/special_reports/urdu_press_roundup/2006_july/articles/hindu_extremists_disguised_as_muslims_behind_mumbai_blasts.html
Hindu extremists disguised as Muslims behind Mumbai blasts?:rolleyes:
And the response from Shahi Imam Bukhari, the Imam of India's largest and grandest mosque - The Jama Masjid
http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20060718/394446.html
Shahi Imam ''absolves'' LeT, blames RSS for Mumbai blasts
New Delhi | July 18, 2006 12:44:10 AM IST
Using a rostrum overlooking the majestic Red Fort, the Shahi Imam of Delhi's grand old Jama Masjid today hit out at the principal political rivals of the United Democratic Front (UDF) he has floated ahead of Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh while challenging the charge that Islam breeds terrorists.
''I can say with authority that it is not any Muslim but the Shiv Sena, the RSS and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad who are responsible for the serial blasts in Mumbai,'' Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari told a gathering inside the historic mosque.:rolleyes:
He cited the recent Sena backlash against the defilement of a statue of the late wife of the party chief as evidence that the Saffron forces were desperate to politically revive themselves in Maharashtra.
The Imam was of the opinion that Muslim men were being blamed for ''every'' terrorist outrage as part of a deep rooted conspiracy.
Community members were being harassed by law enforcing agencies in Mumbai in the wake of the serial blasts even though they had ''no role in the anti-Islamic outrages'', he said, slamming the Congress Governments in Maharashtra and at the Centre.
''Why is it that security forces blame the Lashkar-e-Toiba within ten minutes of a blast. If they already know who did it, why don't they go ahead and arrest the culprits well before the crime is done,'' he asked.
He said he was willing to visit Pakistan and ''talk'' to the LeT commanders if he was given proof of its involvement in terrorist incidents in India. ''If they are responsible then we will talk to them, tell them that they do more harm to the cause of Islam and to Muslims in India through their actions''.
Imam Bukhari said he was worried that while real culprits went scot free and trigerred more blasts, ordinary Muslims were becoming terror suspects in the eyes of the people and the police. ''Every bearded man becomes a suspect'', he said.
Charging the security forces with perpetrating excesses on Muslims, he said terrorism could not be wiped out in such a manner.
''If you want to end terrorism, then you would also have to end State terrorism''.
''The Government should handle the issue of terrorism tactfully.
We want equality before the law'', he said, alleging that the ''yardstick'' was different when it concerned violence perpetrated by Maoists and insurgent groups in the North-East.
He hit out at the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, saying these ''so-called secular parties'' were to blame for all the ills afflicting Muslims today.
''When Muslims get targeted under these so called secular parties, it is time we teach them a lesson. It is time Shias, Sunnis, Ansaris, Saifis, Barelvis, Qureshis and all else stand up as one -- as Muslims -- and snatch back our collective rights and dignity,'' the Imam said, asking the community to stand up to the political challenge.
''We were rulers here for 800 years. Inshaallah, we shall return to power here once again'', he said to loud approval by the nearly 200 assembled men.
An elected sunni Muslim leader thus spake...
http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=71125
"Muslims are made to feel as if all of them are terrorists. I would like to tell the government that if 20 lakh Muslims pour onto the streets, it will be very difficult to control the situation," Azmi said. [the contradiction in that statement knocked me out...]
Referring to the recent violence in Bhiwandi in Thane district over the construction of a police station near a mosque, Azmi said police were committing ‘excesses’ in the wake of the lynching of two policemen there. [basically what happened was that the admin was building a new police station near a mosque and muslims protested and an unruly mob formed in no time and lynched and killed two cops on guard there and cops had to resort to firing nd impose curfew...u know...the usual...oh btw...bhiwandi is sunni muslim majority]
"People in Bhiwandi have started leaving the place and are afraid. If these things continue, I will defy the ban on my entry into Bhiwandi and over 50,000 people there will court arrest under my leadership," he warned.
But what do muslims of Mumbai think?
http://cybernoon.com/DisplayArticle.asp?section=fromthepress&subsection=inbombay&xfile=July2006_inbombay_standard10289
Who is Abu Asim Azmi?
Tuesday, July 18, 2006 10:38:8 IST
He is not our leader, say Mumbai’s Muslims
Masood Akhtar
Civil Engineer
I emphatically disagree with the Samajwadi Party's stand. I would never heed Abu Azmi's call.
..
Ismail Darbar, Music Director
Who is Abu Azmi? I think people should stay away from the politician.
..
Iqbal Ahmed, Businessman
Politics is a dirty business. No sane and honest man would want to have anything to do with it. I don't even know who Abu Azmi is. If Pakistani Muslims are behind the attacks then what have the police investigations got to do with Indian Muslims? The call for a protest march seems stupid. Is this Abu Azmi going to pay me for an honest day's work? No matter which religion anybody might belong to, it is the highest truth that we all want peace and unity. During the Zaveri Bazar blasts we all ran, but we ran together. We helped the injured together. Nobody raised irrelevant points like this.
..
Taher Diya, Optician
We are busy with our business. It is better to keep away from political matters. Abu Azmi is not authorised to talk on our behalf.
..
There are more such responses there. Which proves (or atleast indicates) that the problem of islamic radicalism and jihadi terrorism is with sunni leadership (mullahs, leaders, politicians etc) and the vast majority of ordinary people just want to get on with their lives.
Kneejerk "OMG Quran says kill infidels....muslims are teh evil" type of irrational paranoia on one side and "all religions are evil..look what torah says, look at what christians did in 1342 AD december 14, 2.30 AM" type of apologism and pointless moral-equivalency games won't lead us in understanding or approaching the problem much less solving it. Unfortunately that is what makes most of the debates on the subject in this forum.
Just my thoughts.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200607202181.htm
Muslims urged to observe Friday as 'Anti-terrorism Day'
Mumbai, July. 20 (PTI): World Islamic Network, an international organisation, along with city-based Khoja Shia Isnaashari Jammat today urged the Muslim community in the country to observe tomorrow as 'anti-terrorism day' and offer prayers for those killed in last week's serial blasts here.
Condemning the blasts, the organisations said in a joint statement that the country could not afford terror acts and urged the Muslims to raise their voice against terrorism.
Imran Rasool, managing trustee of World Islamic Network, said there was no place for terrorism in Islam and no religion tolerated terrorism.
Safdar Karmali, President of Shia Isnnashari Jammat, said acts of terror against innocent people are against Islam and exhorted the Muslim community to raise their voice against the menace.
The religious leaders urged Muslims across the country to offer prayers at mosques to pay homage to those killed in the serial explosions.
They also appealed to the community members to take a vow to fight terrorism after the Friday prayers and demanded that the perpetrators of the blasts be brought to book.
Marked contrast to reactions from sunni sections..
a sunni dominated media spreading conspiracy theories
http://www.indianmuslims.info/articles/special_reports/urdu_press_roundup/2006_july/articles/hindu_extremists_disguised_as_muslims_behind_mumbai_blasts.html
Hindu extremists disguised as Muslims behind Mumbai blasts?:rolleyes:
And the response from Shahi Imam Bukhari, the Imam of India's largest and grandest mosque - The Jama Masjid
http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20060718/394446.html
Shahi Imam ''absolves'' LeT, blames RSS for Mumbai blasts
New Delhi | July 18, 2006 12:44:10 AM IST
Using a rostrum overlooking the majestic Red Fort, the Shahi Imam of Delhi's grand old Jama Masjid today hit out at the principal political rivals of the United Democratic Front (UDF) he has floated ahead of Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh while challenging the charge that Islam breeds terrorists.
''I can say with authority that it is not any Muslim but the Shiv Sena, the RSS and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad who are responsible for the serial blasts in Mumbai,'' Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari told a gathering inside the historic mosque.:rolleyes:
He cited the recent Sena backlash against the defilement of a statue of the late wife of the party chief as evidence that the Saffron forces were desperate to politically revive themselves in Maharashtra.
The Imam was of the opinion that Muslim men were being blamed for ''every'' terrorist outrage as part of a deep rooted conspiracy.
Community members were being harassed by law enforcing agencies in Mumbai in the wake of the serial blasts even though they had ''no role in the anti-Islamic outrages'', he said, slamming the Congress Governments in Maharashtra and at the Centre.
''Why is it that security forces blame the Lashkar-e-Toiba within ten minutes of a blast. If they already know who did it, why don't they go ahead and arrest the culprits well before the crime is done,'' he asked.
He said he was willing to visit Pakistan and ''talk'' to the LeT commanders if he was given proof of its involvement in terrorist incidents in India. ''If they are responsible then we will talk to them, tell them that they do more harm to the cause of Islam and to Muslims in India through their actions''.
Imam Bukhari said he was worried that while real culprits went scot free and trigerred more blasts, ordinary Muslims were becoming terror suspects in the eyes of the people and the police. ''Every bearded man becomes a suspect'', he said.
Charging the security forces with perpetrating excesses on Muslims, he said terrorism could not be wiped out in such a manner.
''If you want to end terrorism, then you would also have to end State terrorism''.
''The Government should handle the issue of terrorism tactfully.
We want equality before the law'', he said, alleging that the ''yardstick'' was different when it concerned violence perpetrated by Maoists and insurgent groups in the North-East.
He hit out at the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, saying these ''so-called secular parties'' were to blame for all the ills afflicting Muslims today.
''When Muslims get targeted under these so called secular parties, it is time we teach them a lesson. It is time Shias, Sunnis, Ansaris, Saifis, Barelvis, Qureshis and all else stand up as one -- as Muslims -- and snatch back our collective rights and dignity,'' the Imam said, asking the community to stand up to the political challenge.
''We were rulers here for 800 years. Inshaallah, we shall return to power here once again'', he said to loud approval by the nearly 200 assembled men.
An elected sunni Muslim leader thus spake...
http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=71125
"Muslims are made to feel as if all of them are terrorists. I would like to tell the government that if 20 lakh Muslims pour onto the streets, it will be very difficult to control the situation," Azmi said. [the contradiction in that statement knocked me out...]
Referring to the recent violence in Bhiwandi in Thane district over the construction of a police station near a mosque, Azmi said police were committing ‘excesses’ in the wake of the lynching of two policemen there. [basically what happened was that the admin was building a new police station near a mosque and muslims protested and an unruly mob formed in no time and lynched and killed two cops on guard there and cops had to resort to firing nd impose curfew...u know...the usual...oh btw...bhiwandi is sunni muslim majority]
"People in Bhiwandi have started leaving the place and are afraid. If these things continue, I will defy the ban on my entry into Bhiwandi and over 50,000 people there will court arrest under my leadership," he warned.
But what do muslims of Mumbai think?
http://cybernoon.com/DisplayArticle.asp?section=fromthepress&subsection=inbombay&xfile=July2006_inbombay_standard10289
Who is Abu Asim Azmi?
Tuesday, July 18, 2006 10:38:8 IST
He is not our leader, say Mumbai’s Muslims
Masood Akhtar
Civil Engineer
I emphatically disagree with the Samajwadi Party's stand. I would never heed Abu Azmi's call.
..
Ismail Darbar, Music Director
Who is Abu Azmi? I think people should stay away from the politician.
..
Iqbal Ahmed, Businessman
Politics is a dirty business. No sane and honest man would want to have anything to do with it. I don't even know who Abu Azmi is. If Pakistani Muslims are behind the attacks then what have the police investigations got to do with Indian Muslims? The call for a protest march seems stupid. Is this Abu Azmi going to pay me for an honest day's work? No matter which religion anybody might belong to, it is the highest truth that we all want peace and unity. During the Zaveri Bazar blasts we all ran, but we ran together. We helped the injured together. Nobody raised irrelevant points like this.
..
Taher Diya, Optician
We are busy with our business. It is better to keep away from political matters. Abu Azmi is not authorised to talk on our behalf.
..
There are more such responses there. Which proves (or atleast indicates) that the problem of islamic radicalism and jihadi terrorism is with sunni leadership (mullahs, leaders, politicians etc) and the vast majority of ordinary people just want to get on with their lives.
Kneejerk "OMG Quran says kill infidels....muslims are teh evil" type of irrational paranoia on one side and "all religions are evil..look what torah says, look at what christians did in 1342 AD december 14, 2.30 AM" type of apologism and pointless moral-equivalency games won't lead us in understanding or approaching the problem much less solving it. Unfortunately that is what makes most of the debates on the subject in this forum.
Just my thoughts.