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ShareModerate Muslims need to come forward to combat the jihadi trend
Ahmedabad and Bangalore, like many others, are global cities and the terror that struck these on consecutive days too is a global phenomenon. As a human being and an Indian Muslim, I literally wept over those who died or were maimed.
In the last decade, a significant number of moderate Hindus have started supporting anti-secular and anti-minority groups that want to transform India into a theocratic Hindu nation. This bodes ill for the nation.
The situation calls for introspection by Muslims, India's largest minority community. Owing to the ghastly deeds of the jihadis, the majority of peace-loving Muslims who believe in unity and integrity of India becomes the target of much hatred.
Muslims should put themselves in the shoes of these newly converted Hindutva forces. They should put themselves in their minds and souls. From that vantage point, they should look at happenings in India and their community. They should understand why moderate Hindus have changed.
Terrorism in the heartland has left many Hindus insecure and angry.
The Students Islamic Movement of India, Shahi Imam Bukhari, fanatics in Coimbatore and Maharashtra, the calls for jihad and the distribution of inflammatory posters have enraged middle class Hindus. Further, issues like a few Muslim leaders opposing the singing of 'Vande Mataram' on national occasions, only adds fuel to fire.
Even though the instances are less than one per cent of what happens in the Muslim community, Hindutva forces blow them out of proportion. The situation gets aggravated because moderate and secular Muslims, who are in a majority, do not get involved in their community's civic affairs.
The jihadis have been slaughtering innocent lives at railway stations, bus stops, temples and markets. They are part of an intricate web of insurgent groups that act autonomously and are difficult to track down. From 9/11 in New York to 29/10 in Delhi, theirs is a bloody tale of hate and kill.
Many of the terrorists acting in the name of Islam cite Palestine, Chechnya, Iraq and Afghanistan to justify the killing of innocents. They have lost their moral compass.
Anyone who does not agree with their point of view is an infidel and should be eliminated. They are able to misinterpret verses from the Koran to justify their heinous designs. Those who kill innocents have nothing to do with Islam. Sura Al-Baqr (Verse: 114) in the Koran states that Allah dislikes those who indulge in arson, loot and killings. Sura Al-Kafirun (Chapter: 30) mentions: Lakum dinokum waley yadeen (You follow your religion; let them follow theirs).
Jihadis take the terror path without bothering about the impact it can have on a common Muslim by making him the suspect. They don't read those verses that declare that taking the life of even one innocent individual means killing the whole humanity.
There are verses in the Koran that are 'contextual', in the sense that they are the verses used during a war. Take the verse, 'Slay the pagans wherever you find them, seize them, beleaguer them, lie in wait for them with every stratagem' (Chapter: 9, Verse: 5).
No doubt these verses call upon the believers to fight with determination against perpetrators and all odds, and these are not necessarily against non-Muslims. If taken out of context, they might appear to advocate violence; misguided Muslims are doing exactly that.
According to the US-based Islamic scholar Mirza Faisal Beg, what isabominable is that the extremists select these (some 20) verses only to express 'righteousness' to act 'righteously'. To a common Muslim, it is abhorrent to attach such acts to the teachings of Prophet Mohammed, who is known to be merciful not only to Muslims but to the whole of humanity. The so-called jihadis have no right to misinterpret the verses to suit their dastardly machinations.
Ahmedabadis and Bangaloreans with characteristic calm have got on with life despite the blasts. There was no backlash. Now it becomes imperative for all Muslims to keep a strict vigil in their areas, and watch out for suspicious characters. The police must be informed about them without delay.
It is also important that the Muslim community develop a broad range of tactics, from traditional counter-terrorism methods to more sophisticated strategies, to destroy the jihadi trend. Muslim voices of sanity are not heard loudly. Even the London Muslims while condemning the July 7 killings added a 'but' (root cause) to it, as if they were justifying the murders. We have to agree in principle that killing of innocents cannot be justified irrespective of race, religion or ethnicity.
The role of civil society and religious communities in the fight against terror should not be underestimated as it would be foolhardy to think that the police machinery would be able to reach out to the entire country to create a safe and secure environment.
The writer is a commentator on social and political issues
