Muslim nations
This refers to the article “The problems facing Muslim nations.” I do not fully agree with the article. It is right that rational thinking is a must for the progress of a nation. The writer rightly points out that the Holy Qur’an repeatedly asks: Do they not reflect? Do they not ponder? Do they not understand? This certainly encourages thinking and contemplation, rather than blind unquestioning obedience to religious dogma. But how can we change this paradigm? However, I feel the writer has slightly deviated from the right path. Whatever progress is to be achieved should be under the purview of the Islamic teachings. The writer says: “Finally, we can see that Islamic nations have used lame and illogical excuses to push art aside and intentionally hide it from their people. All kinds of art such as music, theater, painting, and sculpture have been de-emphasized or completely disregarded and buried alive.
“This has led to creating shaken and disturbed personalities and spirits, stifling talents that could add to the enjoyment of life. Art is a means to satisfy our soul and feed our emotions, producing a more confident, balanced and spiritual humanity and motivating people to live and work, and even more, to create, innovate and give of themselves to others. Art protects humanity from all that can bring it down and allows spirits and hearts to soar high into a sky filled with optimism and hope and to move steadily down the road of innovation, creation and discovery. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught us to cheer up our hearts from time to time, because grieved hearts live in darkness.”
I think this part of the article does not have any substance and the writer has transgressed his limit and boundary. It has been observed that people who have love for film, theater and music have not achieved any remarkable things or career. For example, children fond of watching lots of movies and TV are not good at studies. Also, music causes wandering thoughts about illegal love and amusement. A Hadith says: “Songs creates hypocrisy in the hearts.” In this light, the writer must understand that the Muslim Ummah cannot excel by negating or transgressing the path of Sunnah. For refreshment, there are a lot of Halal means, such as, enjoying the beauty of the nature, reading good books, watching scientific programs, exercising, helping out people in need, etc. — Anees Lokhande, Alkhobar
Gujarat riots verdict
Although, it took over 12 years for the Indian judiciary to arrive at the verdict in one of the several cases related to indiscriminate killings during 2002 riots in Gujarat, it has convicted several people, most notably, Maya Kodnani, a former minister in Narendra Modi›s government and sitting member of the State Assembly. The ghastly massacre at Naroda Patiya, one of the neighborhoods of Ahmedabad, had resulted in 97 innocent deaths, most of them either burned alive or cut into pieces. One of the victims, Hina Kauser, a 22 years old woman, who was 9 months pregnant was first gang raped and the fetus was brought out of the womb and she was burned alive together with many other members of her family. The brutality of this horrific extent is not even portrayed in horror movies. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party which was in power when that maddening frenzy and naked barbarism was being carried out open in the streets with the full connivance of the government machinery, is trying now to distance itself from Kodnani stating that she was not a minister in the government. It is to be noted that she was not only the president of the party for Ahmedabad city when that massacre took place, but continued to rise in positions thereafter and became minister in 2009.
It may sound amazing to note that there were some political leaders of BJP including who did sympathize with the culprits and wanted to share their grief. Didn›t they realize what traumatic time the families of the victims must have gone through all these years waiting and praying that the judiciary prevailed over the political influence. In fact, the politicians and bureaucrats would have succeeded in shielding the guilty if the Supreme Court had not appointed Special Investigation Committee in 2009. — Safi H. Jannaty, Dammam
Letters: Muslim nations
