Something good is happening in the Muslim world.

Don’t give in to pretenders

Sadia Dehlvi

Something good is happening in the Muslim world. A man with a half-Muslim parentage will soon take oath as the American President. The Malegaon blasts are being fairly investigated. Recently, Muslim scholars, activists and clerics got together and issued fatwas delinking Islam with terror. An 18-coach Sheikh-ul-Hind Express from Deoband carrying 2,000 clerics set out on a journey with a message of peace and integration. Some 6,000 clerics from 21 states met in Hyderabad to issue more fatwas against terror activities. From shock and denial modes, the Indian Muslim community has begun to introspect and take positive steps.

Now, a collective body of Muslim clerics has taken another commendable step by denouncing televangelist Zakir Naik’s speeches and demanding a ban on them. Popular Muslim resentment against Naik became evident last December when he used the phrase, “May God be pleased with him”, for Yezid, the debauch ruler and murderer of Imam Hussain; the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson who was martyred at the battle of Kerbala. Throughout Islamic history, these particular words have been used only for the Prophet’s trusted companions. Anger has now peaked with Naik declaring that praying to Prophet Mohammed and seeking his intercession with God is heresy.

I have been particularly disturbed by the growing popularity of Naik, founder of Peace TV and president of the Islamic Research Foundation. Naik is not an Islamic scholar or a cleric and can best be described as a preacher famous for his computer-like memory of almost all religious scriptures like the Bible, the Vedas and the Quran.

A doctor by training and inspired by the late India-born South African evangelist Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, Naik loves to debate with Hindus on the Vedas, with Jains about vegetarianism and atheists on religion and science. In the garb of inter-faith dialogues, he not only runs down all major religions, but also rubbishes as haraam (sinful) all Muslim devotional aspects that differ from his viewpoint.

In the subcontinent, Islam is the legacy of the Sufis who gave us traditions of syncretism and communal harmony. By condemning Sufi followers as “grave worshippers”, Salafi and Wahabi ideology-inspired speakers such as Naik reject an entire historical body of Islamic scholarship, jurisprudence and almost 80 per cent of Islamic literature. Naik is on record saying, “If Osama bin Laden is terrorising America or the enemies of Islam, every Muslim should become a terrorist.” Excerpts of this video are circulating on the internet, damaging the already wounded perception of Islam and its followers. read it all

Hindus praise Jamaat Islami for flood relief in Bihar

Submitted by mumtaz on 20 October 2008 - 6:29am. Indian Muslim
By Andalib Akhter, IANS

Araria (Bihar): Hardev Dom and Chandara Bishnor had to literally rummage for food to stay alive after this district was hit by floods in the Kosi River. But thanks to the yeoman service rendered by the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, a Muslim organisation, they were not only given relief but also participated in Dussehra festivities.

"Forget Dussehra, we did not have enough food to eat. We can never forget the work Jamaat did in our village," says Chandara Bishnor.
At a time when distrust and suspicion among communities is running high, many Hindus in Bihar have only words of love and praise for the Jamaat that has been working to bring succour to those rendered homeless by the floods that began in August and went on till September.
Even Misri Lal, the village head, fondly recounts the Jamaat's help. Thousands of gift packets were distributed among the flood victims which included new clothes, sweets and 'tuhari' (a small amount given to children during festivals). And most of these were distributed in Purnea, Araria, Saharsa, Supaul and Madhepura districts.

"While Hindus were celebrating the Dussehra festival across the country, thousands here suffered as their houses were destroyed or they had lost all their belongings. We distributed these kits to over 1,000 Hindu families so that they could celebrate the festival with happiness," said Ejaz Ahmad Aslam, secretary of the Jamaat.

A central team of the Jamaat headed by its vice-president, Siddique Hassan, and Aslam along with doctors and relief workers conducted an extensive tour of the flood-devastated districts.

A relief team headed by Qamarul Hoda, Bihar Jamaat president and Haji Nayaruzaman, his assistant, was set up and was specifically told not to discriminate among people on religious or caste lines while distributing relief.

"During Eid we also distributed kits among Muslim families that contained new clothes and food items just like we gave these packets to Hindus for Dussehra, particularly children staying in relief camps," says Hoda.

The Jamaat began its relief work on the second day after the Kosi wrought havoc on the state. It set up a dozen relief camps with facilities for food, medical help and clothing. Around 3,000 flood victims are still living in these camps.

(Andalib Akhter can be reached at andalib2001@yahoo.com) source