I don’t know if I am angry or sad
about what happened in Peshawar and now in Paris. One was violation of freedom
to live and the other violation of freedom of speech/expression. But the common
denominator remains the same. Religious Extremism. I won’t go on to say Islam
is the religion of terrorists, but I would definitely say that the Muslim world
is significantly more intolerant than other religions.
I understand the angst in killing
in Paris, for the victims were ‘infidels’. The term, for those who are not
Muslims or don’t believe in Islam, popularized by religious clerics at madrasas
and by terrorists in camps. For the perpetrators believed that the cartoonists
had desecrated the prophet. But what about Peshawar, the victims practiced the
same religion, didn’t desecrate the prophet, probably prayed 5 times a day, loved
their parents and most importantly were innocent. Why them? They weren’t
‘infidels’.
Paris
Though the act in Paris was
carried out by terrorists, but it surely didn’t cringe most Muslims, for they too
believed that the cartoonists erred and deserved to be punished. An Indian
Muslim leader announced a reward to whoever killed the cartoonists. An Iranian
cleric issued a fatwa against these cartoonists. But the entire Muslim world
was cast in a pall of gloom after what happened in Peshawar. Because their own
brethren had been massacred? Did the same Muslim leader or cleric offer any
reward or issue a fatwa against the perpetrators of Peshawar? Because the
perpetrators this time were of their own brethren and they were killing in the
name of prophet and the fighting for a sharia law.
Is Islam so fundamentally
unstable that couple of cartoons can destroy the status of their deity? Is it
so unstable that it cannot brush aside these insults and move on with their 5
times a day prayer? Is it so unstable that to prove its point, it kills a
Muslim security guard in cold blood and kills over a hundred innocent children?
I sure believe it wasn’t, but the interpretations are so fatalist and hard
lined. And there lies the problem. The self-proclaimed messengers of prophet’s
diktat are killing a religion which probably was only created for prosperity of
a certain section and instill discipline.
Even though west may have been
insensitive to Islam, but the fact remains they have let Muslims live and
prosper in their country and even offered refuge. There could be racist flavors
in the west and that exists in every country, but the state has given them
equal rights. They have let their land be used for masjids and madrassas. Be it
Europe or the Americas. But demanding respect for their religion and
specifically Allah is a matter of choice for people from other religion. If the
Muslim community places their religious beliefs over quality of life, they
should go to an absolute Islamic country and live a religious life, than demand
respect for their religion in a Christian or Hindu state.
Would Saudi Arabia let
non-Muslims carry religious texts into their country or even let a Church or Hindu
temple be built on its land? I don’t think so. Then why do the Muslims demand
such things on other’s land. The Muslim community creates a ruckus for the
right to wear a hijab in schools in Europe but does object to a woman, from
west, wearing a skirt in Saudi Arabia? So it goes on to say” you come to my
country and you play by my draconian beliefs, but when I come to yours, I will
throw all of your rules out of the window and practice my beliefs”. Classic,
isn’t it?
Peshawar
Peshawar was a case of a state
failing its citizen and snatching their right to live. For long Pakistan had
harbored the fundamentalists, first for the mujahedeen war, then the 1996
toppling of Afghanistan by Taliban and then sheltering them after 9/11. And the
same jihadis now targeted what was supposed to be the future of Pakistan. It
was too late for Pakistan to differentiate between the good and bad terrorists
after the attack. Apart from condemning, there was nothing done as terrorists
in Pakistan still enjoy a safe haven.
In November, Adviser to the Prime
Minister of Pakistan on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz said
that Pakistan should not target militants who do not threaten the country's
security." Why should America's
enemies unnecessarily become our enemies," Sartaj Aziz said during an
interview with BBC Urdu. I feel sad for any country that has leaders such as
this one. This man is okay with militants using his country to launch attacks
on other countries, but hates the tradeoff that comes with it. He begs for
money from US, but does not want the trouble that the money was supposed to
take care of.
Salman Taseer, who vehemently
opposed the blasphemy law and pleaded for reforms, was killed in 2011 for his
views. And the killer was not only showered with praise but his trial was
obstructed too by clerics and their supporters. They don’t spare their own, for
religion has the highest pedestal possible in Pakistan or in most Islamic countries.
Pakistan would need to dismantle all types of terrorist infrastructure in their
country if it hopes to keep its sovereignty intact and not be dictated by
clerics and madrassas.
