Online Islamist Radicalisation Mechanisms: Impact of the Internet on the Radicalization of Lone Actor Terrorists

By Grace Mubashir, New Age Islam 19 January 2024 Islamist Radicalisation Is Not Exclusively An Online Process, As Offline Detachment And Vulnerabilities Played A Crucial Role In All Three Cases. This Aligns With The Existing Research Consensus That The Internet Alone Cannot Drive Individual Radicalization. Main Points: 1. The utilization of the Internet for terrorist recruitment and operations has witnessed a substantial increase in recent years. 2. The path to radicalization is rarely linear, often paved with pre-existing vulnerabilities that make individuals susceptible to extremist ideologies. These vulnerabilities encompass a vast spectrum, weaving together personal struggles, social factors, and psychological experiences. 3. While the acknowledgement of the internet as a platform for radicalization is widely accepted by policymakers, researchers, and the media, the underlying mechanisms of online radicalization have remained unclear. ------ (File Photo) ------ This study explores the scope and severity of the threat associated with online radicalization in the context of terrorist activities and related offences. The influence of online platforms is widely acknowledged as a significant factor driving the dissemination and adoption of extremist ideologies, often rooted in collective grievances, leading to subsequent acts of violence. While the focus is particularly evident in discussions around lone actor terrorism, it extends to various forms of extremist offences and beyond. The present research contextualizes the phenomenon of online radicalization that culminates in terrorist acts within the broader landscape of grievance-based beliefs and attitudes. It also delves into existing perspectives and debates regarding the relevance and mechanisms of online radicalization in the context of terrorist offences. The ensuing discussion explores diverse interpretations of the presented estimates, acknowledging that while online radicalization is indeed a reality, both with and without ties to offline processes, the current threat level is disproportionately high. It is important to note, however, that this evaluation pertains to the present, and the landscape may evolve in the future given the continual growth and acceleration of online activities among terrorist actors. Mechanisms Of Online Radicalization The utilization of the Internet for terrorist recruitment and operations has witnessed a substantial increase in recent years. This growth includes the adoption of Western social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. While the prevalence of this phenomenon is well-documented, the intricacies of the mechanisms and power dynamics underlying the use of online media for promoting radicalization, which can escalate into terrorism, remain challenging to ascertain due to limited research. Presently, more conventional models are employed, focusing on concepts such as psychological warfare, propaganda, indoctrination, and data mining. Additionally, narratives are recognized as a significant element in the allure of radicalization. Major online mechanisms of online radicalisation are described below along with strategies to counter it. 1. Compensation In the pre-radicalization phase, compensation primarily emerges as individuals strive to address offline vulnerabilities by creating an alternative online presence. This concept establishes a connection between offline vulnerabilities and the dynamics of online radicalization. The underlying assumption is that easily accessible online content provides vulnerable individuals with alternative worldviews that align with shared ideologies. Opting to seek affiliation in an alternative social environment with a low inclusion threshold becomes an appealing choice. Importantly, the accessibility for unmoored and vulnerable individuals distinguishes online compensation from seeking compensation through joining radical networks offline. The path to radicalization is rarely linear, often paved with pre-existing vulnerabilities that make individuals susceptible to extremist ideologies. These vulnerabilities encompass a vast spectrum, weaving together personal struggles, social factors, and psychological experiences. On a personal level, life crises, mental health challenges, and past trauma can create a sense of isolation and despair. Individuals grappling with such burdens may be more likely to seek solace and belonging, making them susceptible to the promises of a seemingly stable and purpose-driven community offered by extremist groups. A history of violence can also be a factor, as it indicates a potential propensity for conflict and a desensitization to violence. Similarly, negative familial experiences and socio-economic hardships can foster alienation and disillusionment with existing social structures, pushing individuals towards alternative ideologies that promise radical change. 2. Isolation Isolation acts as a potent magnet for radicalization, drawing individuals in through both offline alienation and online immersion. This process unfolds over different stages, playing a pivotal role in both pre-radicalization and the radicalization phase itself. The journey towards radicalization often begins with a sense of social disconnection and detachment. Feeling marginalized by their communities or society at large, individuals experience a weakening of offline ties and relationships. This sense of isolation disrupts their sense of belonging and can leave them vulnerable to alternative narratives, particularly those offered by online extremist groups. The internet emerges as a seductive escape hatch for these individuals. Drawn to online forums and communities that validate their feelings and echo their frustrations, they find a virtual haven for belonging. Engaging with like-minded individuals online can further exacerbate their offline isolation, leading to a withdrawal from real-world relationships and a deepening immersion in the virtual world. This dynamic is particularly relevant for lone actors, who often lack strong real-world connections and find their sense of community entirely within online forums and platforms. They operate within a virtual echo chamber, constantly bombarded with extremist narratives that solidify their convictions and fuel their isolation. During the pre-radicalization phase, this offline alienation acts as a priming factor. Feeling ostracized and misunderstood, individuals become more receptive to radical narratives that promise acceptance and a sense of belonging. Online forums offer a ready platform for these narratives, providing a fertile ground for their seeds to germinate. As the radicalization phase progresses, isolation transforms into a more dynamic force. It manifests as a confrontational dance between real-world relationships and online integration. While not entirely severing ties with the offline world, radicalized individuals often exhibit a gradual withdrawal, prioritizing their online communities over real-world interactions. Fierce clashes with family and friends become commonplace as the online ideology takes precedence over established bonds. Understanding the complex interplay between offline alienation and online immersion is crucial for designing effective counter-radicalization strategies. Addressing the root causes of social isolation, promoting online literacy and healthy online communities, and offering alternative narratives of belonging can help break the cycle. By fostering social inclusivity and providing support systems that address vulnerabilities, we can shield individuals from the alluring grip of isolation and offer a brighter path forward. 3. Facilitation Facilitation encompasses the elements within the online sphere that enhance and simplify exposure to and interaction with extremist content. Researchers widely agree that the Internet serves as a facilitative tool, offering opportunities for both ideological development and operational planning. Scholars analysing data from interviews with extreme-right and jihadi offenders, asserted that the internet plays a crucial role in radicalization by serving as a "key source of information, communication, and propaganda for their extremist beliefs," providing a "greater opportunity than offline interactions to confirm existing beliefs." Similarly, in a quantitative study examining the role of the Internet in the terrorist activities of 227 convicted extremists, scholars found that the internet facilitates radicalization by enabling it rather than driving it. In the unfortunate trajectory of radicalization, facilitation plays a crucial role, acting as a catalyst for both solidifying extremist ideologies and enabling their translation into harmful actions. This support can take various forms, evolving as the individual progresses through different stages. Shaping Ideological Foundations: During the radicalization phase, facilitators act as architects of extremist thought. They employ various tactics to inform and develop the target's ideology, including: Sharing Propaganda: Disseminating extremist materials like online guides, videos, or speeches can shape the individual's worldview, normalizing violent narratives and demonizing opposing perspectives. Mentoring And Guidance: Experienced facilitators engage in one-on-one interactions, providing personalized advice and bolstering the individual's sense of belonging within the extremist community. Debates and discussions: Online forums and closed communities offer platforms for controlled discussions, where facilitators steer conversations towards reinforcing extremist beliefs and silencing dissenting voices. Enabling Operationalization: As the individual becomes more entrenched in their ideology, facilitation shifts towards enabling them to translate their beliefs into action. This support may involve: Logistical assistance: Facilitators may help acquire materials like weapons or explosives, provide secure communication channels, or offer training in operational tactics. Financial support: Funds may be provided to cover expenses related to travel, equipment, or living arrangements, removing logistical obstacles to planned attacks. Network connections: Facilitators may introduce the individual to other operatives or provide access to secure channels for communication and coordination within the extremist network. Combating Facilitation: Disrupting the Cycle of Harm Understanding the multifaceted nature of facilitation is crucial for developing effective counter-terrorism strategies. By identifying and disrupting these support networks, we can hinder the spread of extremist ideologies and prevent their translation into harmful actions. This requires a multi-pronged approach that: Counters online propaganda: Disrupting the dissemination of extremist content online by identifying and reporting harmful materials, promoting media literacy, and supporting alternative narratives. Identifies and monitors facilitators: Building robust intelligence networks to track the movements and activities of known facilitators and disrupt their ability to connect with potential recruits. Offers alternative pathways: Providing support systems and resources for individuals at risk of radicalization, offering them positive alternatives to the allure of extremism. 4. Echoing In the intricate realm of online extremism, a troubling phenomenon looms large - the echo chamber. Here, instead of reverberating with echoes of laughter and conversation, the chamber amplifies and solidifies extremist views. Surrounded by like-minded individuals who mirror their radical perspectives, people find a distorted form of validation, a twisted sense of belonging that can cement their beliefs and legitimize even the most violent ideologies. The internet's most perilous potential may not lie solely in exposure to extremist rhetoric, but rather in its capacity to forge communities where such rhetoric gains acceptance and affirmation. Envision a closed room, bereft of windows and dissenting voices, where extreme messages reverberate, gaining strength and distorting perceptions with each repetition. This is the disconcerting reality of the echo chamber, aptly characterized by scholars as "insulation from pervasive outside influence". Within these virtual walls, alternative perspectives are stifled, providing fertile ground for the unchallenged amplification of radical narratives. Over time, this internal echo can transform into a deafening roar, drowning out reason and potentially paving the way for the unthinkable. Breaking the cycle of the echo chamber requires a multi-pronged approach. Individuals must be equipped with the tools of media literacy, enabling them to critically evaluate information and discern the insidious whispers of extremism amid the cacophony of online voices. By promoting platforms for alternative narratives, glimpses of hope and inclusivity can be offered, presenting visions for a future that stand in stark contrast to the darkness propagated by extremist communities. Finally, disrupting these closed networks, introducing dissenting voices, and fostering critical thinking within their confines are crucial steps in dismantling the walls of the echo chamber and allowing sunlight to penetrate the shadows. The echo chamber effect is not an unavoidable aspect of the online world. By nurturing open dialogue, promoting critical thinking, and creating spaces for diverse voices to be heard, we can shape a digital landscape where reason regains its rightful place, and the echoes of hate and violence fade into a distant memory. In the realm of online extremism, the echo chamber emerges as a disturbing space where extreme voices resonate without restraint, cultivating not only intensified beliefs but also a chilling transformation in one's worldview. Within these confined walls, a perilous polarization takes hold. The "in-group," a close-knit community of like-minded extremists, becomes a refuge, offering a sense of belonging and validation. However, this newfound identity comes at a sinister cost – the "out-group," those beyond the echo chamber, ceases to be merely different and is instead fundamentally other. Dehumanization infiltrates, casting the external world in the darkest hues of animosity. The process, termed "echoing" by scholars, extends beyond legitimizing violent discourse; it erodes the internal barriers that might have once deterred violence as a means of change. Surrounded by voices endorsing or celebrating violence, the individual's internal resistance weakens. What was once inconceivable becomes, within the distorted reality of the echo chamber, a conceivable tool for achieving the group's perceived righteous goals. This transformation transcends the embrace of radical ideas; it entails a complete reconstruction of the self. The individual discards their former identity, constructing a new one based on the echo chamber's distorted values and worldview. The online community becomes not just a source of validation but the very cornerstone of their new existence. Liberating oneself from this self-constructed extremist prison necessitates more than exposing the lies and distortions propagated within. It requires an understanding of the echo chamber's insidious impact on identity and perception. Offering alternative narratives, spaces for constructive dialogue, and opportunities to rebuild connections with the "out-group" – friends, family, and the broader community obscured by the echo chamber – becomes imperative. The polarizing effect of the echo chamber serves as a chilling reminder that the online world, with its potential for good, can also serve as a breeding ground for intolerance and violence. By acknowledging its dangers and actively fostering empathy and understanding, we can combat the distortions of the echo chamber and build a digital landscape where diverse voices coexist without dehumanization or the allure of violence. 5. Action Triggering Action triggering marks the pivotal moment that propels individuals toward committing acts of political violence. It's essential to differentiate between the decision to engage in violence and the willingness to participate in radical networks and discourse. Many scholars emphasize the necessity of an action trigger to connect preexisting grievances with a defined adversary. The factors that trigger violent actions are highly subjective, varying for each individual. These triggers may encompass personal challenges, societal occurrences, inspiration drawn from a previous successful terrorist attack, experiences provoking "moral outrage," or a perception that one's community is under threat. Crucially, scholars concur that action triggering can occur exclusively in the online realm, such as through video or written messages from an organization's leadership, online chat forums, emails, or social media posts. Conclusion While the acknowledgement of the internet as a platform for radicalization is widely accepted by policymakers, researchers, and the media, the underlying mechanisms of online radicalization have remained unclear. This article reveals that distinct mechanisms were at play in each case, with no single mechanism fully active across all instances. Isolation, echoing, and (ideological) facilitation were, to some extent, present in all three cases, suggesting their significant relevance in explaining online radicalization. Thus, the study both supports and challenges prevailing theories. It emphasizes that online radicalization is not exclusively an online process, as offline detachment and vulnerabilities played a crucial role in all three cases. This aligns with the existing research consensus that the internet alone cannot drive individual radicalization. Additionally, the study dispels the notion that face-to-face interactions with other extremists are universally necessary, indicating that online communication with like-minded individuals is sufficient for radicalization to occur. Ultimately, it is evident that the internet influences lone actor radicalization through various channels, serving as one among several probable causes of radicalization. In practice, online radicalization involves individuals whose actions cannot be comprehended without taking into account the social contexts that shape their beliefs and influence their behaviours, both within the online realm and beyond it. References: Anderson, R. A. (2020). Online utilization for terrorist self-radicalization purposes. In J.R. Vacca (Ed.), Online terrorist propaganda, recruitment, and radicalization (pp. 3–33). CRC Press. Retrieved from https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781315170251/chapters/10. 1201/9781315170251-1 Beadle, S. (2017). How does the internet facilitate radicalization. Homegrown radicalization and counter-radicalization. War Studies Department, King’s College London. Crenshaw, M. (1981). The causes of terrorism. Comparative Politics, 13(4), 379–399. https://doi.org/10.2307/421717 Feldman, M. (2018). Terrorist ‘radicalising networks’: A qualitative case study on radical right lone-wolf terrorism. In K. Steiner & A. Önnerfors (Eds.), Expressions of radicalization (pp. 39–60). Palgrave Macmillan. Spaaij, R. (2010). The enigma of lone wolf terrorism: An assessment. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 33(9), 854–870. https://doi.org/10.1080/1057610X.2010.501426 ----- A regular columnist for NewAgeIslam.com, Mubashir V.P is a PhD scholar in Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia and freelance journalist. URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-terrorism-jihad/online-islamist-radicalisation-lone-terrorists/d/131544 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Those Whom God Wishes To Destroy, He First Deprives Of Reason

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 19 January 2024 “Nationalism is our form of incest, is our idolatry, is our insanity. 'Patriotism’ is its cult. In less educated and enlightened societies, religion and nationalism are entwined and they create divisions." Erich Fromm, quoted by Anthony Grayling in The Good Book: A Humanist Bible What Erich Fromm observed in 1946, is very much obvious. The proponents of this toxic faith are asserting that those who're against Ram Mandir are against India! In other words, if one refrains from saying Jai Sri Ram, he/she is a Deshdrohi (traitor). The intensity of your Ram Bhakti decides your love for the country. In a city like Poona, which is considered to be a 'cultured' city, Hindus, even Jains, are greeting each other saying Jai Sri Ram. Good morning, good afternoon and good evening have disappeared. Now Ram Naam is all-pervading. In his book, "Religion Within The Bounds Of Bare Reason," Immanuel Kant wrote that, "When a religion is systematically promoted, it influences an individual's reasoning. Then it influences the reasoning of a larger group. Gradually, all people get influenced by it." Hindus, though they believed in Ram, were least bothered about the Phenomenon of Ram as late as 2018. But now the situation is different. Entire country is chanting Jai Sri Ram. Now, the name of Ram is an electoral tool and a metaphor for social mobilization. Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius warned two millenniums ago that a king who dwelt too much upon gods , would sooner or later realize his blunder. Will this megalomaniac leader at the helm learn even a semblance from Marcus Aurelius's advice? But the question is, has he ever heard the name of Marcus Aurelius, let alone, read him? I seriously doubt it. At the moment, the whole nation is in the throes of Ram and if you say anything against the ongoing madness, you may jeopardise your life or limbs. People are mad about Ram and it reminds me of the famous Latin adage, "Quos Deus Vult Perdere, Prius Dementat " (literally: Those whom god wishes to destroy, he first deprives of reason). A German newspaper recently wrote in its editorial that it's indeed strange as to how almost all Hindus of a huge country like India are collectively convinced in the name of a religion and its particularly revered character. This is not a compliment. This is criticism in disguise. January 22 is being projected as a Golden-Letter-Day in the modern history of India. But to me, it's the birthday of my favourite English poet Lord Byron who said, " God and religion are for those who're cerebrally deficient." By the way, Poona has a Byron Appreciation Club comprising the lovers and connoisseurs of Byron's sublime poetry. They meet on Jan 22 and April 19 (the day he passed away) and discuss his great poetry. Let's hope they don't talk on Ram Mandir when they meet on Jan 22! ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/god-wishes-destroy-deprives-reason/d/131548 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

The Pakistan Affairs: The Enemies of the People

By Saeed A. Malik, New Age Islam 19 January 2024 On Jan 8, 2024, when Qazi Isa, assisted by two of his sucklings, divested PTI of its electoral symbol, for all practical purposes he ruled the most popular political party in Pakistan, out of the electoral contest to be held on Feb 8, 2024. This was a body blow to Pakistan. He is one of the lesser touts in a galaxy of more glittering ones, but his stamp and signatures were essential to the delegitimisation of the only force capable of holding the country together in times of great strains pulling it apart. By doing what he has done, he has pushed Pakistan to the same brink where it stood in 1971, before it shattered. The difference between 1971 and today is that in 1971 the intelligence assessment went wrong. They did not expect any party to win an outright majority, which would throw up a fractured parliament. And a fractured parliament would allow Yahya Khan's boozing party to continue uninterrupted. But this was not what happened. So this time, when it is so clear that Imran Khan shall wipe the others out, no intelligence assessment was considered necessary. To ensure therefore, that there wont be any risk of interference with the "Fauji" party, they have decided to bastardize the entire electoral process BEFORE the elections, rather than wait for the catastrophe and begin applying stitches after the results are in. And towards this end, they have put the most popular party out of the contest. This is what happens when people who have never peeped out of the box, begin thinking out of it. I wonder if they have thought how they will sell such a brazenly illegitimate election abroad, and to a highly charged and resentful population at home. Nothing less than a rise in civil unrest, on the one side, and the ongoing insurgency on the other, should be expected from the path they have taken. This will eventually take a lurching country to its second and final break-up. Only idiots should expect different results from the administration of the same poison to different victims. After the dismemberment of Pakistan, the feelings among younger officers varied from anger to rage. Those gripped with rage fell into the Attock Conspiracy. Though their meetings often fell into cacophony, they were very clear about one thing: that if the generals who created the conditions for the 1971 War thought themselves deserving of their privileges, they were surely also deserving of being indicted for the defeat and surrender which came in its wake. Therefore a general who could not prove that he raised an objection against being pushed into that disastrous war, ought to be held guilty of complicity in taking the country into the disaster. But there was the other view as well; that planning to overthrow the government and then moving to trials of the generals was a conceit based on the assumption of success. Qazi Faiz Isa is an enemy of the people moved by malice. That this is malice aforethought is beyond question. Thus being a cog in a conspiracy against the state makes his judgments invaluable because they open a window into the thinking in GHQ, which we have no way of scrutinizing. Intimately connected with Qazi is Sikander Sultan Raja. A cog in a different end of this machine is Lt Gen Nazir Butt of NAB, who orchestrated Imran's arrest, which led to the May 9 False Flag. And then there is Justice Amir Farooq and Judges Humayun Dullavar and Abul Hasat Zulqarnain. And coordinating terror in the whole of Punjab is Mohsin R. Naqvi, its infamous Chief Minister and his IG Police, Usman Anwar [remember Zille Shah?] in partnership with IG Islamabad, Akbar Nasir Khan. These are enemies of the people and the state. And there are more. They must never be forgotten. They are responsible for debauching Pakistan's present and ruining its future. They rule the roost today. But time changes. We cannot talk about tomorrow. But the least even the most helpless Pakistani must keep doing is to keep updating lists of the enemies of the people. Their day of atonement should not be found wanting of charges when it dawns, as it certainly will. At long last the blackguards should pay for their crimes against the people. ---- URL: https://newageislam.com/the-war-within-islam/pakistan-affairs-enemies-people/d/131543 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Malicious Remarks About Lord Ram And Promotion of 'Love Jihad’: Hindutva Apologists Stop Viewing Tamil Film 'Annapoorani'

By Syed Ali Mujtaba, New Age Islam 18 January 2024 Annapoorani' a Tamil film starring Kollywood heartthrob, Nayanthara, is removed from the theatres and OTT platforms like Netflix, following uproar by the Hindutva group of hurting the religious feelings of the Hindus. The film explores the titular character Annapoorani’s (essayed by Nayanthara) childhood dream of becoming the best chef in India. However, Annapoorani is a Hindu Brahmin girl who has to deal with non-vegetarian food if she wants to pursue her passion to become the best Chef. In the process, she alleged to have shown some disrespect to lord Ram, as she has reportedly said that the Hindu has also eaten meat during his 14 years of exile. Further, Annapoorani is shown as a rebel from the Hindu traditional values and is alleged to have a friendship with a Muslim boy, a fellow chef who encourages her dream of cooking meat but leaves the choice of eating it to her discretion. Well, these thoughts are enough to light the communal flames of the Hindutva folks who rose, up in arms complaining that the movie is hurting the religious sentiments of the Hindus. Police have filed complaints against eight persons, including the actor and the film's producer, over allegations that certain scenes in the film have outraged the religious sentiments of the Hindus. The complaints allege that the film made deliberate and malicious remarks about Lord Ram and has also promoted the forbidden act of 'love jihad.' Tamil Director Vetrimaaran who is known for creating politically relevant movies has lent his support to the film. Vetrimaaran in an interaction with the media, stated that there is no genuine uncensored creative freedom for films in India, including those released on the OTT platforms. He argued that even after a film receives approval from the censor board, external pressures can lead to its removal from theaters and streaming services. He raised concerns about the credibility of the censor board's decisions when external influences interfere with the release of a previously approved film. 'Annapoorani' was released on December 1, 2023, in theaters. After the religious uproar, the movie team apologized to the public and removed it from public viewing. Annapoorani is not the first Tamil film to ‘offend' Hindu or Brahmin sentiments. The history of Tamil cinema is littered with films that have anti-Brahmin and anti-Hindu overtones. Now the Hindutva force's strident campaign in India for Hindus, and Hindi- – Hindu – Hindustan, has changed the outlook of the people and they now refuse to entertain any contrarian viewpoint. In the process, the creativity of cinematic art is being sacrificed in the country. ---- Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/malicious-lord-ram-love-jihad-hindutva-annapoorani/d/131542 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Impending Demise Of Myanmar Military Junta: Democratic Transition Can Be Resumed

By Nava Thakuria, New Age Islam 18 January 2024 The ongoing confrontation between the Myanmar military regime and ethnic rebels supported by civilian armed forces carries the potential to change the political history of the southeast Asian nation forever. A country of 55 million population with varied ethnicity has witnessed almost a civil war in the last few months where the military rulers have indulged in brutal crackdown against the pro-democracy activists and they are responded by public forces in various shape and sizes resulting in the death of thousands and displacement of millions of families to escape the violence erupted in various localities. Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hliang and National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi before the February 2021 coup in Myanmar. ------ Lately, the Arakan Army (AA), a powerful ethnic insurgent group remained active in western Myanmar, has declared their control of Paletwa, the capital of Chin State, which is adjacent to India’s north-eastern State of Mizoram). Quoting the responsible AA leaders, the media reported that the AA fighter had seized the important port town on the bank of river Kaladan near the international border with India and Bangladesh. Significantly Paletwa is an essential component of New Delhi’s ambitious Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project aiming to connect Arakan’s Sittwe port (in the Bay of Bengal) to the landlocked north-eastern region. There were at least 29,440 armed clashes and attacks against civilians since the military coup that took place on 1 February 2021. The number of displaced people in Burma (Myanmar) reached 2.6 million, 660,000 were newly displaced since 27 October (the day the Three Brotherhood Alliance launched its combined offensive against the military regime in Naypyidaw) as the junta soldiers continued their violent actions. As the resistance forces are gaining more areas, the frustrated junta’s retaliation may only grow and thus more people will be displaced, said Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma, a regional network engaged in advocacy, campaigns and capacity building to establish a free and democratic Myanmar, in its latest report. It also added that the alliance of three ethnic armed groups (Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and Ta'ang National Liberation Army) had already taken over 400 junta bases (spread over 30 towns in five States and regions) since it launched ‘Operation 1027’ on 27 October 2023. The military regime led by Min Aung Hlaing engaged in 86 mass killings last year (which is up from 44 in 2022) causing the death of 1,342 anti-junta activists, asserted the forum adding that the junta lately broke the China-sponsored temporary ceasefire (following the 23 December Kunming agreement) with the Three Brotherhood Alliance members by launching air & artillery strikes on civilian population. Even the junta soldiers bombed a museum (also a proposed UNESCO world heritage site) in the Arakan (Rakhine) region As the new year brings more news on victories by the pro-people armed forces, the junta continues to lose its control rapidly and now the soldiers have been lashing out in retaliation with large numbers of indiscriminate airstrikes, massacres and other atrocities inflicted upon the people of Myanmar, said Progressive Voice, a participatory rights-based policy research and advocacy organization, adding that Myanmar people have had enough of this violent, illegitimate military junta, and have made immense sacrifices in the nearly three years since the failed coup attempt to dismantle the military and build a new federal democracy. But, going into 2024, there is a sense of optimism among the Myanmar public catalyzed by the successes of Operation 1027 and complementary activities, it stated in a weekly briefing. In the bygone year, a new level of coordination was seen politically and militarily in Myanmar, which is exemplified by the combined offensive against the military regime that dethroned the Aung San Suu Kyi led elected government. Massive gains in terms of territory, the loss of military junta bases, and control of key trade routes and towns mark significant steps forward for the people’s revolution. However, these are not just military victories, but political victories as the cooperation between various groups, including Ethnic Resistance Organizations (ERO), People's Defense Forces (PDF), and National Unity Government (NUG) was established and it reveals a level of political coordination and strategy that many in the international community have yet to acknowledge. Moving into the new year, one can expect that the momentum built by the Myanmar people with nearly three years of brave and courageous work, determination and a dignified struggle would be visible globally, commented a pro-democracy Burmese political activist, who wanted anonymity, while talking to this writer from Yangon, where he expressed hope that the international community will come forward supporting the democratic will of Myanmar people. With more meaningful and substantial support from international actors, and with legitimate cooperation and coordination among revolutionary organizations, not only can the atrocious military regime be dismantled, but also preparations for transitional arrangements for their common political agenda of genuine federal democracy can be achieved, added the activist concluding that this momentum can translate into liberation, systemic change, and the establishment of an inclusive federal democracy with a genuine and sustained peace. ------ Nava Thakuria is a northeast India-based professional journalist who is an engineering graduate. URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/myanmar-military-junta-democratic-transition/d/131541 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

You Can Be A 'Slave' To Allah; Others Aren't

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 18 January 2024 "I want to add a point to your comment that all the people of the world are slaves to Allah Almighty." By Intikhab Raza While I respect the piety and universality of Mr Raza, I simply don't approve of the 'slavish' term 'slaves to Allah.' First of all, this is an Islamic perception of devoutness. You find this servile devotion in all Semitic faiths, esp. in Islam because all three Semitic faiths not just approved of slavery, but also institutionalized it. Islam is Numero Uno on this count. The Quran legitimises slavery and that cannot be denied, however hard you may try or gloss over. So, the term slavery is an institutionalized linguistic reality for the Muslims. An average Muslim will look up to Allah as a draconian and punitive master and himself as Allah's bondsman. This is not piety. This is unflinching obedience based on abject fear. Remember, a slave has no free will or volition. His existence has no value. The very word 'slave' is disgustingly demeaning and an insult to an individual. That's why, nowadays you come across words such as 'black', 'nigger', 'negro' and 'slave' with a note that these are offensive words in evolving social milieu. But religion, esp. Islam, is hell-bent on remaining unchanged in every sphere. So, Muslims still proudly, nay foolishly, call themselves 'slaves to Allah.' Agreed, if you want to stay a slave to Allah, it's your choice. Please don't include others and call themselves 'slaves to Allah.' Furthermore, people like yours truly, having no faith in any damn god, Allah or Bhagwan, will never like to be called 'slaves to Allah' or for that matter, any fictional entity eternally hidden in an obscure nook of the Universe. If you continuously call yourself a 'slave' to Allah, where's your RIGHTEOUS EGO? You're just crawling and genuflecting before a concocted entity. Is this the objective of a worshipper? Didn't Ghalib say, "Bandagi Mein Bhi Woh Aazaad-O-Khudbeen Hain Ke Hum/ Ulte Phir Aayein Dar-E-Kaaba Agar Wa Na Hua" (Though I worship, yet I retain my individuality/ I shall return home if the doors of Kaaba don't open for me!). At the same time, Eastern faiths have a different kind of relation with the so-called almighty. It doesn't stem from fear but from love. Eastern belief systems don't like the term god-fearing because believers are god-loving. If you believe in the concept of An-al-Haq or Aham Brahmasmi (I'm the Truth), there's no disparity between the god and the worshipper. Both are on an even keel. Don't you have a very strange and sadistic god who perversely feels good when IT enslaves you and treats you like ITS perennial slave or factotum? And what kind of pathological pleasure do you draw by prostrating forever before this 'divine' martinet? You can jolly well be a spineless slave to Allah. That's your decision and I fully respect it. But please, don't include others. ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/slave-allah-others/d/131538 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Was America Discovered by Columbus?

By V.A. Mohamad Ashrof, New Age Islam 17 January 2024 Christopher Columbus (1451 – 1506) is reputed to have ‘discovered America’ as if there were no people in America at that time. This is a historical blunder. There were so many native people, especially Red Indians, residing there. No doubt he was instrumental in the colonization of North America leading to what our country is today. Christopher Columbus (1451-1506): portrait by Jose Roldan, monastery of La Rabida, Andalusia. Photograph: Alamy ----- In Spain, October 12 is the country’s appointed national day, celebrated annually as Hispanic Day. In Italy, October 12 is National Christopher Columbus Day. President Benjamin Harrison established a celebration of Columbus Day on the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ landing in 1892. October 11 in America has been Columbus Day -- a federal holiday -- since 1937. His name and likeness exist all over the nation’s public landscape: on the names of street signs, cities, and universities, as well as on monuments in public squares. The District of Columbia is named after Christopher Columbus. Several cities, rivers, and other landmarks in America have also been named after Columbus. However, the historical Columbus - borne from research and an examination of evidence - can sometimes contrast with America’s collective memory of Columbus as a brave and intrepid explorer, worthy of praise and admiration. In this alternate reading, special focus was laid especially for his treatment of the indigenous communities he encountered and for his role in the violent colonization at their expense. In recent years, America’s collective memory of Columbus has been more heavily scrutinized. The question is should we honour a man who symbolizes European colonialism, who ushered in an era of conquering indigenous people? As racial reckoning occurs across the country following the death of George Floyd during 2020, many Confederate statues – which some consider racist symbols of America’s dark legacy of slavery – have been removed. In recent years, many cities and states have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, in recognition of the pain and terror caused by Columbus and other European explorers. Some historians have criticized Columbus for initiating the widespread colonization of the Americas and for abusing its native population. (Howard Zinn, A People's History of the United States, New York: HarperCollins, 2003, pp. 1–22) According to scholars of Native American history, George Tinker and Mark Freedman, Columbus was responsible for creating a cycle of "murder, violence, and slavery" to maximize exploitation of the Caribbean islands' resources, and that Native deaths on the scale at which they occurred would not have been caused by new diseases alone. Further, they describe the proposition that disease and not genocide caused these deaths as "American holocaust denial". (George E. Tinker, Mark Freeland, Thief, Slave Trader, Murderer: Christopher Columbus and Caribbean Population Decline, Wicazo Sa Review, Volume 23, Number 1, Spring 2008, pp. 25-50) ---- V.A. Mohamad Ashrof is an independent Islamic humanist scholar from India who regularly publishers articles and papers in Islam and contemporary affairs. URL: https://newageislam.com/books-documents/america-discovered-columbus/d/131531 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Courtesy, Like A Woman's Saree And Her Long Hair, Is Never Out Of Fashion

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 17 January 2024 Adab Se Baat Keejiye, Nafasat Se Pesh Aiye / Shakhsiyat Mein Chaar Chaand Laga Deti Hai Shaistagi (Speak courteously, behave in a refined way/ Etiquettes add to your persona). I always quote Mohsin Naqvi's famous Sher whenever I feel that the other person could have been more courteous or when my own behaviour towards someone lacks courtesy and refinement. 'Always speak politely to an enraged dragon,' is a Cantonese proverb that will always remain relevant. Once at a swanky restaurant in Poona's Koregaon Park, I saw an obscenely rich man treat a waiter: 'Ae Sun, Do Roti Laa.' I was flabbergasted. How could a person treat someone so disparagingly? Wasn't a waiter an individual with a sense of self-respect and dignity? How could that uncouth rich man treat him (waiter) so pejoratively? This was sacrilegious to me. So disturbed by this type of unrefined behaviour, I couldn't finish my dinner and left the restaurant. Ralph Waldo Emerson summed it up: Just two words, 'Speak Politely' can transform human civilization. They sure can. We often quote Turkish poet Nazim Hikmat's famous line on good manners: Kenale Aft Weir En Done' Epnoi Heraqat, De Epla Shin Ebareen (My soft words are not just meant for my beloved, but they're for all creatures). The eccentric genius Raghupati Sahay 'Firaq' Gorakhpuri would use 'Aap' even for his dog! Though extremely short-tempered, he'd call a person Sang-e-Benoon (Persian way of calling an individual, a dog/ Sag: Kutta / Dog; So, a Sang sans Noon is a SAG: Dog). Pristine Persian, a language of etiquette, had no cuss words and imprecations. Its way of addressing a person is ultra-refined: Faqat Zabaan-e-Huma-Shuma (Only a language of Aap and Hum). Readers may have noticed that one who speaks impeccable Urdu, always uses HUM for himself or herself and AAP (never Tu/Tum) for others. To quote Urdu poet Nawab Shefta of Rampur Riyasat (he patronised Mirza Ghalib): Apni Zauq-e-Nazar Ko Bhi Kabhi Tum Na Kaha/ Nafast Ke Alag Hi Usool Hua Karte Hain (I never used Tum even for my beloved/ Refined behaviour has its own rules and principles). So very true! But in these unrefined times living with riffraff, courtesy, like non-violence, is often mistaken for timidity and cowardice. It's not. Politeness is always a sign of dignity, not subservience. Mark my words, courtesy, like a woman's saree and her Rapunzel-like hair, will never be out of fashion. ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/courtesy-woman-saree-hair-fashion/d/131532 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

A Reprint of a Muslim Social Activist's Old Writings Fits Right Into Present Day Hindutva Thinking

By Talmiz Ahmad 15 January 2024 Hamid Dalwai was a journalist and social activist, who, in the early 1970s, led a one-man crusade to reform contemporary Muslim society. He sharply criticised the community for its backwardness and hoped that the spirit of critical introspection would suffuse Indian Muslims and strengthen the country’s secular and national order and defuse the nascent Hindu chauvinism. Hamid Dalwai, Muslim Politics in India, Penguin Random House (2023) ------ Dalwai’s presence in Indian affairs (though largely confined to Maharashtra) was comet-like. Born in 1932, he passed away in 1977, at the age of 44 years. His writings have had a chequered history. A few articles by him were published in 1968; a slightly larger collection came out in 1972. The additional material in the latter was largely derived from conversations Dalwai had with the Marathi poet and critic, Dilip Chitre, which the latter transcribed and then rendered into English. Thus, the text in this book is over 50 years old. From an early age, Dalwai was a social reformer. He joined the Socialist Party, but disagreed with it strongly for its failure to “take up a clear, hard line on Muslim communalism”. Dalwai frequently denied he was an intellectual or an academic, making up in fervour what he lacked in learning. His short foray in public life was consistently controversial as he asserted his views on Muslim obscurantism with vigour and self-confidence. Dalwai’s Thinking Dalwai’s views were simple and clear. Indian Muslims were clinging to outdated traditions and had failed to obtain modern education. They, thus, had failed to integrate with the broad stream of national life; they in fact saw the Hindu and Muslim communities as autonomous and parallel societies. Hindus, on the other hand, had opted for modern education, with leaders like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, and had, over time, developed a healthy liberal humanist tradition. It was Muslim separateness and obduracy that had led to Partition, with Muslim leaders conniving with British officials to obtain the vivisection of the country. But Partition was only the first step in the Muslim agenda: their ultimate goal was to make the entire sub-continent Muslim. Hindu communalism was never very strong and was entirely a response to Muslim communalism. In any case, Hindu obscurantism was tempered by its liberals, however few they might be, but the Muslims had no-one to moderate their beliefs. The root cause of the Muslim malaise, Dalwai believed, was Islam itself: Muslims believed that theirs was the perfect faith, and hence they clung to its medieval and obsolete traditions. In fact, Muslim backwardness was inherent in “the make-up of the Muslim mind”, which could be traced to their conviction that theirs was a perfect society and they were “superior to all other communities in India”. Dalwai deeply disliked most contemporary Muslim movements and organisations, blaming them for keeping the community backward. Thus, he asserted that the seminary at Deoband had forced Muslims to reject modern education; that the Jamaat-e-Islami, described as “an anti-Hindu Wahhabi organization”, was the dominant influence on Muslims all across north India; and the Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind, earlier associated with the Congress and the freedom movement, “gradually adopted an obscurantist and communal posture”. Enigmatic Personality Half a century later, Dalwai remains an enigmatic figure. His forceful pronouncements date back to the early 1970s, a decade before the Vishwa Hindu Parishad took up the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and heralded the inauguration of the nationwide Hindutva project. But, despite this, it is surprising that he completely missed the powerful and influential presence of Hindu nationalism, as exemplified by the RSS, headquartered at Nagpur, and the Hindu Mahasabha, at one time led by Veer Savarkar, in Mumbai. Illustration: Pariplab Chakraborty. ------ He also shows no knowledge of assertions of a separate Hindu identity that had been shaped over the previous century by Swami Dayanand Saraswati and his Arya Sabha movement, and the substantial ideological contributions of ideologues such as Savarkar, Golwarkar and Hedgewar. Their writings viewed Hindu identity as having distinct cultural and ethnic moorings and saw the Muslim as the “Other”. As early as 1909, Lala Lajpat Rai had described the Hindus as a “nation in themselves, because they represent a type of civilisation all their own”. Even if we were to excuse Dalwai’s lack of knowledge about the century-old wellsprings of Hindu nationalism in India on account of his lack of formal education, it is astonishing that Dalwai makes only a fleeting reference to the communal riots in Bhiwandi and neighbouring towns in May 1970. The riots caused the deaths of over 250 people. The Justice Madon commission, which investigated the riots, stated that 142 Muslims and 20 Hindus had been killed in Bhiwandi alone. The enquiry commission criticiseded the police for anti-Muslim bias in the aftermath of the violence, and also criticised the Shiv Sena, then in its early days, for its role in the riots. Limited Intellectual Foundations Dalwai spouted his self-assured views on a wide variety of subjects, but on most of them he was ill-informed – obviously, he had little knowledge of Islam the faith; Muslim history; debates in India in the 19th and early 20th centuries on the shape of the national order after independence; communal politics that led to Partition, or even the wellsprings of communalism in India after independence. His unifocal lens, pointed at Muslim follies and shortcomings, blinded him to the broader national scenario in which large sections of the majority community solely blamed Muslims for Partition, rejected the national secular order, engineered communal riots regularly to cow down Muslim minorities, and, over time, had sought to marginalise Muslims in the national political, economic and social order. During his active period, Dalwai was vilified by Muslims for his one-sided castigation of the Muslim, with few and feeble references to Hindu communalism. Many then thought he was the mouthpiece of Hindu extremist groups. This might not have been the case; while today, a decade of Modi-raj has encouraged some Muslims to join the Hindutva bandwagon, largely for personal advantage, 50 years ago this was unusual – most Muslims, liberal and traditional, basked in the national secular order that gave them security, opportunity and dignity. Explaining This Publication It is likely that Dalwai was a stand-alone maverick who truly believed what he said and desperately wanted his community to shed its obscurantism, become introspective about its shortcomings, and grasp the values of liberalism and secularism. A more interesting area of enquiry is: why has a leading publishing house, Penguin Random House, felt the need to reprint the 50-year old fulminations of this obscure activist who made hardly any mark in his short life and remains unremembered over the last several decades. (Notably, the word “secular” before “India” has been removed from the publication of 1972.) It is again surprising that this reprint has no fresh ‘Foreword’ or ‘Introduction’ that would place the publication in a contemporary context and explain the need to revisit Dalwai’s writings after five decades. Dalwai’s thinking on most matters that he agitated in public was puerile, crude and rudimentary. The issues he addressed, particularly those pertaining to Muslim politics, Partition, communalism in India, and Hindu nationalism, have over the years been explored in depth by several far better scholars, exposing most of his observations as both uninformed and cringe-worthy. The only explanation for this publication that makes sense is that Dalwai’s simplistic views are fully in accord with the foundational thinking of present-day Hindutva acolytes. You can’t do better than restate them through the five-decade old writings of a Muslim, however shallow and ignorant he might have been. Surprisingly, Penguin have made themselves complicit in this sordid project. ------ Talmiz Ahmad, a former diplomat, holds the Ram Sathe Chair for International Studies, Symbiosis International University, Pune. Source: A Reprint of a Muslim Social Activist's Old Writings Fits Right Into Present Day Hindutva Thinking URL: https://newageislam.com/books-documents/muslim-social-activist-hindutva-thinking/d/131524 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Human Rights—Justice, Respect, And Fraternity, Are Fundamental to Islam But Why Do Muslims Fail to Uphold Them?

By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam 16 January 2024 Human Rights Are Fundamental To Islam, But The Issue Lies In Why Muslim Nations Fail To Uphold Them. The Failure Of The Muslim Community To Advance Human Rights Is Equally The Fault Of All Muslims, Not Just Preachers, Ulema, Imams, Or Modern Muslim Intellectuals. Main Points: 1. Islam upholds justice, peace, and safety, implementing strict measures to prevent oppression and prevent individuals from falling into its depths. 2. Mercy is a divine gift from Allah, and treating Earth's inhabitants with kindness will result in His mercy. 3. Allah does not grant mercy to a person who does not show mercy to others. 4. The Prophet's hadiths, along with Qur'anic verses, offer profound lessons against injustice and persecution, urging individuals to refrain from engaging in such practices. ------ The fact that human rights are essential to Islam is not the problem. Everyone is aware of that. The question is why any Muslim nation does not uphold human rights. Muslims disregard human rights, even on an individual basis. It is possible that they are unaware of what human rights are. In this regard, who are the worst offenders? Is it the preachers, Ulema, imams, or modern Muslim intellectuals? I don't hold any particular Muslim group only accountable because the failure of the Muslim community to progress human rights is equally the fault of all Muslims. It also comes up why governments, clergy, people, and societies, have failed to practice Islamic guidelines on human rights, values and principles. Of course, there are honourable outliers in every class—possibly with the exception of governments—but that is unimportant. Although some Muslims proudly claim that Islam is the source of the greatest human rights paradigm, some of us regularly abuse these rights in the course of their daily life. This indicates that although Muslims are required by Islam to uphold human rights and principles, they do not do so. We need to think about these things, educate our Muslim brothers about human rights, and encourage them to practise them. Islam places a strong emphasis on the fundamental human values of love, respect, fraternity, and tolerance. It links these values to social, religious, political, and economic interactions, establishing precise rules and regulations for the well-being and happiness of mankind. Islamic belief holds that everyone has a responsibility to treat everyone with kindness, compassion, love, affection, and support while they are suffering, as Allah Almighty states in the Holy Qur'an: “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.” (5:2) “so, fear Allah and maintain friendship among yourselves…” (8:1) “Indeed, Allah decrees the commands of justice and kindness, and of giving to relatives, and forbids from the shameful and evil and rebellion; He advises you so that you may pay heed.” (16:90) The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Those who extend mercy receive mercy from the Most Merciful (Allah). The Lord of Heaven will treat you with mercy if you treat the inhabitants of Earth with mercy.” (Sunan Tirmidhi) "He is not one of us who does not respect our elders and extend kindness to our younger ones." (Ahmad Musnad) "Allah does not provide mercy to a person who does not show mercy to people." (Sahih Bukhari; Kitab al-Tawheed) "All creations are the family of Allah, and the one who best serves his family is the most beloved creation to Allah." (Tabarani, Mu’jam Kabeer) Islam forbids injustice and suffering for any creature that exists, and it encourages safety and peace. Islam necessarily takes strict steps to stop oppression and keep individuals from slipping into the depths of oppression. The Almighty Allah condemns the oppressors and says: “And had Allah willed, He could have made them all upon one religion, but He admits whomever He wills into His mercy, and the unjust do not have any friend nor any supporter.” (42:8) “neither you cause harm to someone, nor you be harmed.” (2:279) The Holy Qur'an places such a high value on human life that killing a person is considered a crime equivalent to the annihilation of all of humanity. This alone should give you an idea of how serious sin cruelty is. This sin is regarded as the Major sin in Islam. The Almighty Allah says: “Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.” (5:32) This brings us to the important question: Given that Allah Almighty is the Creator, Owner, and Ruler and that He detests oppression and does not tolerate it, how can governments, rulers, and other human leaders justify mistreating people? Along with the Qur'anic verses, the Prophet's hadiths are replete with illuminating and thought-provoking lessons against injustice and persecution. People are strongly discouraged from participating in oppression or transgression by these lessons. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) is reported to have said, "Oppression will be a darkness on the Day of Resurrection." (Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 43, Number 627) The Prophet (peace be upon him) sent Mu'adh to Yemen and said, "Be afraid, from the curse of the oppressed as there is no screen between his invocation and Allah." (Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 43, Number 628) The Prophet (peace be upon him), "Whoever has oppressed another person concerning his reputation or anything else, he should beg him to forgive him before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money (to compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him according to his oppression which he has done, and if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him." (Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 43, Number 629) Hazrat 'Aisha, the Mother of Believers, narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "The most hated person in the sight of Allah is the most quarrelsome person." (Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 43, Number 637) On the authority of Abu Dharr al-Ghifaree (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) from his Lord, that He said: “O, My servants! I have forbidden dhulm (oppression) for Myself, and I have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another…” [Collections of Forty » Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi » Hadith 24] The Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said, “Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one”. People asked, “O Allah’s Messenger! It is all right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?” The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, “By preventing him from oppressing others”. (Bukhari, Hadith 2444) Islam also urges Muslims to emulate the Prophet (peace be upon him), who was well known for his compassion and generosity. To do this, Muslims must give up all behaviours that damage Islam's reputation, such as extremism and violence, and embrace moderation and tolerance as a way of life. The Almighty Allah says, “There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful”. (9:128) There is truly nothing better than following the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and preventing oppression, violence, extremism, and accepting the ideas of justice and moderation because these are the routes to safety and righteousness. Shirk and Kufr are serious faults in Islam, but those who commit them are not deprived of human rights, decent treatment, or compassion in this life. They are eligible for special benefits, such as financial assistance for the impoverished and needy. It is recommended that everyone show the same kindness to everyone, regardless of religion, caste, culture and race. Islam forbids Muslims from harming or harbouring animosity against others under their care, either verbally or physically. Islam considers it essential to defend its inhabitants from injustice occurring within its borders. In the Hereafter, Allah Almighty either permits oppressors to undergo double punishment or exacts revenge upon them in this life. He does not love or guide oppressors. Many verses in the Quran and Hadiths emphasise how destructive, offensive, and prohibited oppression is in all of its forms. A multitude of Ahadith expressly forbids abuse or persecution of any non-Muslim who is under Muslim protection or who has a peace accord in place. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "On the Day of Judgement, I am that person's enemy, who wrongs someone with whom the Muslims have a treaty, denies them their rights, and burdens them beyond what they can bear, or takes something from them against their will." The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said about the dhimmis (the non-Muslim citizens of the Muslim State): "One who kills a man under covenant (i.e. a dhimmi) will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise" (Bukhari and Abu Dawud). In summary, Islam has treated all people equally, regardless of their religion, and has upheld their human rights without showing any bias or discrimination. They have all been deemed honourable, and just like Muslims, they now enjoy the same rights concerning equality in social, political, and private spheres. While keeping these human rights and values, we must consider why Muslims disobey them. We also need to come up with strategies for educating Muslims about these ideas so that they will adhere to them. ----- Kaniz Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam. URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-human-rights/human-rights-justice-fraternity-muslims/d/131527 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Life Is Not Only Newton, It's Also Milton

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 16 January 2024 “Life is not only Newton, it is also Milton.” ― Wasif Ali Wasif Urdu literature also has a tradition of Maqoola or Masal (Qaul-e-Hakim in Arabic, aphorisms in English and Subhashit in Sanskrit), though it's not very common or popular. The man who popularised this genre in Urdu through his prolific writings was Wasif Ali Wasif whose 95th Birth Anniversary falls on January 15. By the way, he shares his birthday as well as birth year with the redoubtable Dr Martin Luther King Jr. whose quotes, speeches and aphorisms are read and quoted across the world and whose non-violence and pacifism got him the sobriquet of American Gandhi. Coming back to Wasif Ali Wasif's famous adage, "Life is not only Newton, it's also Milton," is an example of quasi-word play using Newton and Milton as a rhyme and contrast in approaches and outlooks. The famous mathematician and man of science Newton is pitted against the great John Milton who wrote Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. Mathematics and Calculus are rather dry subjects, whereas poetry appeals to the heart and makes us humane. While it's good, even great, to be interested in scientific pursuits, one must also take interest in artistic and aesthetic subjects. That strikes a balance and lends a meaning as well as purpose to life. Life is a combination of contrasts and contradictions. Even a great scientific mind like Albert Einstein had profound interest in the western classical music. He loved to listen to Sebastian Bach, Beethoven and Chopin's compositions. He'd immerse himself into the bowels of Theory of Relativity listening to the ethereal symphonies of Beethoven. "Science and symphonies are the same," Einstein would always say. The great man also took genuine interest in women and called them 'crystallized poetry'! He indulged in extra-marital affairs. The mathematician Ada Lovelace and the physicist James Clerk Maxwell were both accomplished poets who wrote rhymes about rainbows and verse about scientific societies. By the way, Ada Lovelace was the estranged daughter of the Romantic poet Lord Byron, who, shortly after his daughter’s birth, was exiled to Greece amid rumours of incest. Conversely, the poet John Keats was a licensed surgeon! The point is: Life must be enjoyed in totality. Enjoy all its shades, hues and colours. Life has myriad facets. Don't be a nerd and live like a monk. Only the muddle-headed morons become monks. ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/life-newton-milton/d/131525 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

The Lingering Costs of Violence

By Adis Duderija, New Age Islam 15 January 2024 Violence May Defeat Enemies In The Present, It Sows The Seeds Of Radicalization, Social Disintegration, And Deep Polarization That Gestate Over Time Into Renewed Instability. By Examining Three “Second-Order Effects” - The Radicalizing Impact On Political Factions, Erosion Of Social Cohesion, And Closing Of The Policy Space - We Can Better Understand How War Perpetuates Itself By Weakening Societal Structures Crucial For Durable Peace. ------- (From File) ----- Armed conflicts can ,at times, be justified as necessary means to resolve immediate conflicts and threats, but it is important to recognize that their impacts ripple well beyond the formal cessation of hostilities, undermining future peace in subtle yet profound ways. While violence may defeat enemies in the present, it sows the seeds of radicalization, social disintegration, and deep polarization that gestate over time into renewed instability. By examining three “second-order effects” - the radicalizing impact on political factions, erosion of social cohesion, and closing of the policy space - we can better understand how war perpetuates itself by weakening societal structures crucial for durable peace. Nonviolence, though riskier initially, may disrupt this generational embedding of conflict and rejectionism by obstructing violence from corrupting community ties and the political sphere. One pernicious second-order effect is the tendency of war to empower radical elements while sidelining moderates who advocate compromise and diplomacy. As fighting persists without resolution, wavering segments of communities lose faith in the possibility of nonviolent solutions and see militancy as the only “realism” left. Gradually, extremists come to dominate discourse by framing alternatives as cowardice or betrayal rather than thoughtful attempts to reconcile all sides. Branding moderates this way allows radicals to consolidate support from those despairing of change through lawful participation. This dynamic transforms fringe movements into entrenched forces commanding devoted followings that persist far beyond initial triggers through multi-generational indoctrination of the disaffected young. Socially isolated youth traumatized by loss and hopelessness during conflict’s longevity find radical groups offer purpose, empowerment and clear answers amid turmoil that disrupted their coming-of-age. Not yet settled into permanent roles and still grappling with identity, these volatile ages develop formative political worldviews during upheavals that violence exacerbates. For them, uncompromising militant ideologies supplant fractured communities as sources of belonging and guidance. Thus does war intergenerationally perpetuate radicalism by redirecting socialization of successive youth cohorts toward radicalization and away from modes of community and cooperation necessary for stable societies. It transforms a cohort now too into a generational wellspring for rejectionist doctrines. At a deeper structural level, conflict devastates the very social fabric on which communities depend by destroying personal bonds of trust between neighbors who were once interdependent. Lingering fears and fractured relations born of sudden estrangement poison reconciliation even long after direct fighting ends. This fragmentation of what Robert Putnam terms “social capital” - the dense weave of rapport and reciprocal goodwill vital for cooperation - occurs at a microscopic scale between individuals as well as macroscopic levels. At both, the wreckage of intra-communal networks weakens the relational infrastructure crucial to reconstituting stable, cooperative relations when animosity ebbs. Conflict polarized populations grow too estranged psychologically and politically to rebuild on bases of shared citizenship through inclusive programs. Societal trauma lingers psychologically through experiences that corrode willingness to compromise. Similarly, as strategic calculations polarize amid fighting, participants find less space for cooperative solutions addressing roots of marginalization fueling violence in the first place. Moderation loses platforms while militancy dominates fragmented political spaces. This closing of cooperative avenues for preventive approaches precludes mutually satisfactory postwar transitions emphasizing inclusion and joint problem-solving. Societies polarized internally as well as externally vis-à-vis international actors become too divided - psychologically traumatized as well as politically polarized - to reconstitute on foundations of shared prosperity and citizenship when violence displaces diplomacy. Postwar assistance models promoting peace through cooperation find barren ground. While force resolves near-term battles, its impacts gestate over time through a generational radicalizing of successive cohorts, corrosion of social cohesion, and preclusion of reconciliation-centered politics. By embedding conflict psychologically within populations as well as structurally across political systems, war breeds future conflict itself through second-order deformations of the very social fabric that makes peace possible. A holistic, preventive model prioritizing societal resilience through cooperative diplomacy merits support over temporary victories that generate deeply detrimental consequences impeding stability once guns fall silent. Thus while force conquers present foes, nonviolence may obstruct destructive radicalization, social fissuring and closed policy spaces from taking root, preempting wars by preventing their generational perpetuation through corrosive second-order effects. ---- A decades old patron of New Age Islam, Dr Adis Duderija is a Senior Lecturer in the Study of Islam and Society, School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science; Senior Fellow Centre for Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue, Griffith University | Nathan | Queensland | Australia. His forthcoming books are ( co-edited)- Shame, Modesty, and Honor in Islam and Interfaith Engagement Beyond the Divide (Springer) URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/lingering-costs-violence/d/131517 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

The Quran Burning Incidents And Questions To Muslims Regarding Their Violations Of The Quran

By Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam 15 January 2024 Following The Incident Involving The Burning Of The Quran, Muslims Congregate To Express Their Pain And Outrage. Okay, Given Their Religious Beliefs, This Behaviour Makes Sense. However, When They Violate The Guidelines Of The Holy Qur'an, The Essential Requirement Of Muslim Religious Sensibility Is Gone. ------ The Swedish foreign ministry said that burning of any holy text is "disrespectful and offensive." ---- The Holy Qur'an is the speech of Allah Almighty. The Quran is more precious and holy to a believer than their own lives. Since it is so sacred and blessed, touching it without first making an ablution is prohibited. Allah the Exalted states in the Holy Qur'an that only the pure and those who have performed religious ablution (Wuzu) are permitted to touch this sacred book. Given how sacred and majestic the Holy Quran is, imagine the suffering a believer will endure if it is burnt or insulted. Words cannot express the depth of this agony. However, the antisocial elements are fully aware of how simple it is for them to cause trouble in the nation and city by disparaging this sacred text. But as the latest incident near the Fatehpur Bazar Mosque in the Jamtara region of Jharkhand demonstrates, people have become aware of motives underlying antisocial behaviour these days. Subsequently, word got out that the event was a ploy to stir up religious unrest before the state elections. There was a disturbance in the Muslim community after anonymous suspects allegedly set pages of the Holy Quran on fire in a field close to the mosque. However, the miscreants were reportedly unsuccessful in their endeavour because, when word of the incident spread quickly, people from the Muslim and Hindu communities united to denounce the action. To foil any attempt to disturb communal harmony, the masses, both Muslim and non-Muslim, showed their strong feeling of solidarity and harmony. The press reports that this is the first instance of its like in the neighbourhood, where neighbours live in harmony with one another. According to media reports, a large number of people arrived at the scene after learning that residents close to the mosque had found burning pages of the Holy Quran. The police acted quickly to contain the issue as well, telling the public to maintain law and order and to be on guard in case anti-social groups attempted to stir up unrest. Concerned, Maulana Zulfiqar Nizami of the Fatehpur Bazar Mosque stated that he believed this occurrence was an intentional attempt by anti-social groups to undermine the current social harmony and togetherness in the area. He did, however, stress that the community is united and condemns the incident. The local police station's chief, Alok Kumar, however, reassured the populace that attempts are on to apprehend individuals accountable for the crime. He declared that the police are dedicated to upholding law and order in the community and that anyone found guilty of upsetting the tranquillity of the community would face swift consequences. As we mentioned earlier, Muslims value the Holy Quran more than their own life. The Quran burning incident is terrible and miserable. It's important to keep in mind, though, that the criminals committing such crimes aim at weakening the law and order of the country. These people are enemies of not only the Muslim community but also of our own country since they work to erode national unity and incite hatred to achieve their nefarious goals. That said, it is praiseworthy that both Muslims and non-Muslims succeeded in thwarting the antisocial objective. The Quran burning incidents are unpleasant occurrences. They also require the accused to face legal consequences. This should lead people to think that they shouldn't take the law into their own hands because doing so jeopardises the integrity of the country and the city. What I observed, however, also gives a different image of these incidents: in certain places, Muslims become quite enraged when such an incident occurs since it is a natural demand of their faith; a crowd develops, and cries of denunciation start to ring. However, another concern that frequently comes up is: Where does the natural demand of Muslim religious sentiment go when they violate the teachings of the Holy Qur'an? History attests to the Khawarij's rebellion against Hazrat Maula Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), during which they brandished the Holy Quran on their swords and carried out a massive deadly massacre. The current state of the Muslim population is rarely a mystery. Some Muslims have disregarded the distinction between haram and halal and have, whether intentionally or unintentionally, disobeyed the Holy Qur'an despite the text's unequivocal teaching on the subject. What kind of bad behaviour have Muslims ceased doing? The following are examples of violations of the Quran: lying, drinking, gambling, stealing, lowering the weight of goods, adultery, usurping land, illicit trade, dishonesty, and immorality; mosques empty of worshippers; avoiding obligatory prayer; abusing Zakat and Sadaqat funds; leading an ignorant and careless life; etc. If you look at the current status of Muslims, you can see just how much they are violating the precepts of the Holy Quran. In a case such as this, one wonders if the Muslims involved have ever tried to correct themselves. If they attempted, how successful were they? So why is there not a success story? Having a spirit of faith is vital, but where does that faith reside when we commit these evil deeds? When will we be able to comprehend the guidelines contained in the Holy Quran? If we are aware of the directives in the Holy Quran, when will we begin to follow them? We become quite sensitive and express our pain when someone insults or burns the Qur'an. In the same spirit, though, why don't we grow sensitive to our moral sins so that we can acknowledge them to the Almighty Allah, express our remorse, seek forgiveness from Him and start behaving morally? ------ A regular Columnist with NewAgeIslam.com, Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi Dehlvi is an Alim and Fazil (Classical Islamic scholar), with a Sufi-Sunni background and English-Arabic-Urdu Translator. He has also done B. A (Hons.) in Arabic, M.A. in Arabic and M.A. in English from JMI, New Delhi. He is interested in Islamic Sciences; Theology, Jurisprudence, Tafsir, Hadith and Islamic mysticism (Tasawwuf). URL: https://newageislam.com/the-war-within-islam/quran-burning-muslims-violations/d/131519 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Dr Martin Luther King Jr: Our Lives Begin To End The Day We Become Silent About Things That Matter

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 15 January 2024 "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter," Dr Martin Luther King Jr's famous quote is ever-relevant. By the way, today (Jan 15) is American Gandhi's 95th Birth Anniversary. This quote is always explained in a broader context in Dr King's own words, "Silence is often good, even desirable, but when silence is observed because of fear and apprehension of dire consequences, it becomes silence out of cowardice." Today's Dr Martin Luther King Jr's 95th Birth Anniversary. ----- Extremely calculated and measured silence fosters evil forces to grow and raise their ugly hands. When something is going wrong, turning a Nelson's eye and choosing to remain silent is a sign of timidity and apathy. It's an insult to conscience, provided, one still feels the pricks of conscience because Dr King said, "A conscientious person is never silent." This is the crux of meaningful human existence: Conscience and protest always go hand in hand. Look at today's India and the silence of most of its citizens. Agreed, majority of Indians are foolishly happy that a grand temple is being built as if there's a wedding in everyone's family. But there're people like yours truly and many others who're angry and unhappy but are still silent. When will they speak out and break their vow of silence? Isn't it an impotent anger (Napunsak Aakrosh / Mukhannas Narazagi)? When will sane people come out of their comfort zones of silence and inaction and ruffle a few feathers. In Mahabharata, the erudite Vidur admonished Dhritrashtra when he lost his 100th son: Maunam Na Kriyanti Paritapt Kim Aapraan (When there was time to protest and intervene, you kept quiet). In fact, it was Dhritrashtra, Bhishma and Drona's exasperating silence that paved the way for Kurukshetra, swallowing innumerable lives. Dr King elsewhere said in one of his speeches, "Today's terrified silence will give birth to tomorrow's chaos and that will engulf not only you but all those associated with you." So, speak even if attempts are made to muzzle and muffle your voice, for, your silence will have far-reaching negative ramifications. To quote Allama Iqbal from Baang-e-Dara (The Call of the Marching Bell), "Ye Dastoor-E-Zubaan Bandi Hai Kaisa Teri Mahfil Mein/ Yahan Toh Baat Karne Ko Tarasti Hai Zubaan Meri" (Why does this custom of silencing exist in your court ? My tongue is tantalized to talk in this assembly). Silence is all the more undesirable in these volatile times. Sukoot Se Ab Kuchh Kaam Na Hoga/ Kar Aawaaz Buland Ke Duniya Ko Badalna Hai (Silence will not work any longer/ Raise your voice to change the status quo). ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/silent-matter-martin-luther-jr/d/131518 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Chief Justice, Dr. DY Chandrachud Is Wrong, Supreme Court Judgments Cannot Be ‘Public Property Of The Nation’

By Nizamuddin Ahmad Siddiqui, New Age Islam 13 January 2024 The Supreme Court In Recent Times Has Behaved In An Unconvincing Manner. Its Methodology In Arriving At The Ayodhya And The Kashmir Verdicts Has Raised Many Eyebrows. In This Context, It Becomes Essential To Understand And Estimate The Contours Of Judicial Function, More Importantly Judicial Discretion, And Ethics. ------ Chief Justice of India, Dr. DY Chandrachud ----- In his latest interview, the Chief Justice, Dr. DY Chandrachud, makes interesting observations on the function of the apex court. In the context of the abrogation of article 370 his observation that a judgment delivered by the Court becomes ‘public property of the nation’ stands out. What does it mean when the CJI equates judgment of the Court with ‘public property’? Strange as it might seem, the phrase does not carry any substantive meaning in either legal or political theory. There exists no understanding of what could be called ‘public property’, except that criminal law protects it as state-owned property. Our understanding of judgment as public property thus leads us nowhere. The CJI might instead have used ‘public property’ symbolically. However, to understand this we must attach it with the latter part of the phrase – ‘of the nation’. It is interesting that the CJI gives meaning to public property by attaching it with nation, and not people. What is a nation and how is it different from a state? While a nation is a product of culture fed by the psychology of belonging (with its social, political, and economic implications), the state is a formal entity that confers authority, distributes it, and accepts safeguards against it. In a strictly legal sense, the courts are concerned with the formal institutions of the state, how they function and in what ways they can help flourish the lives of the subjects of the state. In this exercise the courts are guided by a formal document called the Constitution whose interpretation is guided by legal and not political tools of understanding. The legal tools, while aiding the Court in interpreting the constitution, do not engage in value judgment over a certain way of life as a citizen. The Courts in their everyday function seldom venture into the idea of nationhood. When they do, the exercise is guided by constitutional values and the history of constitution-making. For instance, the preamble to the Indian constitution situates nationhood in the ideal of fraternity. How does the CJI define this nationhood? In the interview, he does not. But then his recent remarks on how certain cultural traditions and ideals populate our understanding of the constitution do give us an understanding of what he might have meant. While outside the Court the CJI is a citizen of this country who enjoys the freedom of personal thought and expression, it cannot be denied that his personality still carries the weight of justice. His behaviour informs the image of the court, and his words inspire the call for justice. If nationhood, defined in a certain way, indeed informs our understanding of the constitution, it becomes difficult to detach the legality of statehood from the culture of nationhood in the longer run. The constitution becomes a historical document and culture dominates its interpretation over and above the commitment to legality. If judicial function is guided by history, justice gets historicised as well. The CJI might have engaged in oratory, but it cannot be devoid of any meaning. The Supreme Court in recent times has behaved in an unconvincing manner. Its methodology in arriving at the Ayodhya and the Kashmir verdicts has raised many eyebrows. In this context, it becomes essential to understand and estimate the contours of judicial function, more importantly judicial discretion, and ethics. The Supreme Court is a court of justice. This is what allowed it to go beyond the usual rules of constitutional interpretation and foreground a basic structure to the constitution. The purpose of basic structure is to seek protection from transgressions by other organs of the state. It does not regulate the behaviour of the judiciary. It is assumed that this aspect is guided through an inherent approximation of the role of judiciary with the delivery of justice. This is a function in hope and consideration – the fundamental aspect of judicial role in a constitutional democracy. This role does not seek justification through any additional values. What sort of arguments could be labeled as legal arguments is an interesting enterprise. Every other argument must pass the filter of the legal language to gain validity in the judicial discourse. For instance, every endeavour to seek constitutional protection of citizens must attract the legal category of fundamental rights, and every such invocation must be tested against the existing jurisprudence on the subject. Similarly, the questions of belongingness are discussed through citizenship, and the values that allow such scrutiny exist in the language of the provisions, their constitutional history and in the previous judicial pronouncements. Any additional element routed through judicial discretion is read with strict observance. There exists no other value nor any other motivation for the constitutional courts in deciding the disputes before them. Where the judicial psyche is guided by the culture of nationhood, the legality of statehood gets threatened. If culture attains the justification of law, the line separating the nation from the state gets blurred, and judicial decision becomes a tool to homogenise the subjects of the state. If indeed judgments are public property, they belong to the people. If people in constitutional terms are to be equated with nation, the ideal of fraternity must inform such interpretation, and not any other identification. The emerging trend demonstrating this substantive shift from law to culture in the judicial psyche sounds dangerous. It threatens the existence of constitutional secularism as much as the interpretative tradition of the positive law. ------- Nizamuddin Ahmad Siddiqui teaches at Jindal Global Law School, OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat. URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/cji-chandrachud-judgments-property-nation/d/131506 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Leapfrogging Back To The Times Of Religious Obscurantism

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 13 January 2024 Religiously Intolerant People Are Often Those Ignorant Fools Who Know Nothing About Their Religions And Concomitant Traditions And Rituals. We've A Plethora Of Such Mutton-Headed, Sorry, Cauliflower-Headed (Because Analogy Should Also Be Veg For Sanatanis!) Fanatics ------ Tamil-language film “Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food,” headlined by “Jawan” actor Nayanthara, has been pulled from Netflix after attracting multiple complaints from Hindu groups. The film follows a girl from an orthodox Hindu family, who aspires to become India’s best chef. It released theatrically on Dec. 1 and began streaming on Netflix from Dec. 29. It soon attracted the ire of Hindu groups from across India, who filed police complaints on the grounds that it offended Hindu religious sentiments. In the movie, Nayanthara, who plays a Hindu priest’s daughter, offers a Muslim prayer wearing a Muslim headdress. Extra-touchy neo-Hindus are also of the view that the film promotes “Love jihad” [a conspiracy theory about Hindu women being seduced into converting to Islam] as Nayanthara’s character’s Muslim friend Farhan (played by Jai) “brainwashes” her to cut meat saying that Ram and his consort Sita also ate meat. These fanatics say that many Hindus are vegetarians and the concept of their gods eating meat is offensive to them. The film, it must be remembered, was cleared by India's official Censor Board. In taking down legitimate content or offering apology, the streaming services are playing unconstitutional censors under the pressure of the ruling regime. India, at the moment, has two favourite pastimes: Ram and Religion. The country seems to have travelled back in time to reach the medieval, nay bronze, era. We're talking about time-travel, taking a quantum leap in the times to come but here in India, we're leapfrogging back to the times of religious obscurantism. Now everything is being viewed through the prism of extreme religiosity. Most of the Hindus eat meat but think that their gods consume Gaajar, Paalak and all Saatvik Bhojan. Jai Prabhu! Jai Sri Ram! Bengali Brahmins cannot live without their daily diet of Maachhi-Bhaat (fish and rice) and they offer meat to their favourite deity Kali. Visit Kalighat in Calcutta and Kamakhya in Assam and see the goats waiting to be slaughtered for a subaltern deity. Religiously intolerant people are often those ignorant fools who know nothing about their religions and concomitant traditions and rituals. We've a plethora of such mutton-headed, sorry, cauliflower-headed (because analogy should also be veg for Sanatanis!) fanatics who're out to establish a Hindu Rashtra. Let's see, for how long does this euphoric religiosity last? ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/leapfrogging-religious-obscurantism/d/131512 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Ram Temple In Light Of Two Poems “Deeno Daan,” And “Shabvahini Ganga”

By Syed Ali Mujtaba, New Age Islam 13 January 2024 Ram Temple is the talk of India right now and whose inauguration on January 22, 2024, is carried out in much detail in the Indian media. However, two poems “Deeno Daan,” by Rabindranath Tagore written 123 years ago, and “Shabvahini Ganga” by Parul Kakkar reflect on the contemporary that needs attention to review the narrative that’s built to eulogies Ram Temple. Ram Temple in Ayodhya ------ Rabindranath Tagore wrote a poem "Deeno Daan" that was about a rich temple whose priest says it has no god. This poem is a dialogue between the King and the Priest where the King is exuberant about the grandeur of the temple he has built to house the god. The priest argues that there is no god in the temple and with all the money and the pomp and glory, the temple is hollow. According to the priest, the god does not reside in the palatial houses but in the poverty-stricken puny miser, who could not provide shelter in their own homes. Parul Khakkar’s poem “Shabvahini Ganga” was written in the backdrop of COVID-19 vagaries, where teeming millions were running helter skelter for a cylinder of oxygen and the holy River Ganga became full of corpses. The essence of both poems is to separate religion from politics and the domain of the two cannot be entwined. The effort of both the poets remember their god, in moments of crisis, and have no money to afford the expenses of the temple rituals. Both the poems and sad commentary on contemporary India, though written in different timelines have identical messages wrongs cannot be made right by the King Monarch or the Viswa-Guru. Here are some of the excerpts from the original Bengali poem "Deeno Daan" by Rabindranath Tagore translated in English by Sandipto Das Gupta. “There is no god in that temple”, said the Saint. The King was enraged; “No God? Oh Saint, aren’t you speaking like an atheist? On the throne studded with priceless gems, beams the golden idol, and yet, you proclaim that’s empty?” “It’s not empty; it’s rather full of the Royal pride. You have bestowed yourself, oh King, not the God of this world”, Remarked the saint. The King frowned, “2 million golden coins were showered on that grand structure that kisses the sky, I offered it to the Gods after performing all the necessary rituals, And you dare claim that in such a grand temple, There is no presence of God”? The Saint calmly replied, “In the very year in which, twenty million of your subjects were struck by a terrible drought; The pauperized masses without any food or shelter, came begging at your door crying for help, only to be turned away, they were forced to take refuge in forests, caves, camping under roadside foliage’s, derelict old temples; and in that very year when you spent 2 million gold to build that grand temple of yours, that was the day when God pronounced: “My eternal home is lit by everlasting lamps, Amid an azure sky, In my home the foundations are built with the values: Of Truth, Peace, Compassion, and Love. The poverty-stricken puny miser, Who could not provide shelter to his homeless subjects, Does he fancy giving me a home?” That is the day God left that Temple of yours and joined the poor beside the roads, under the trees. Like the emptiness of the froth in the vast seas, your mundane temple is as hollow. It’s just a bubble of wealth and pride.’ The enraged King howled, “Oh you sham cretin of a person, leave my kingdom this instant’. The Saint replied calmly, “The very place where you have exiled the Divine, Kindly banish the devout too". --Rabindranath Tagore, 20th of Shravan, 1307 (as per Bengali Calendar) Parul Khakkar’s poem titled Shabvahini Ganga describes Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a ‘naked king’ ruling a ‘Ram Rajya’ (kingdom of gods) where the sacred Ganga serves as a ‘hearse’ for corpses. The 14-line poem was the voice of all Indians who were saddened by the tragedies wrought by the pandemic and angered by the government’s aloofness and mismanagement of the situation. The poet describes a regime where the king’s aloofness to the citizens of his country has been exposed and there is helplessness, poverty, and mismanagement all around. The poem hits out not only at the government but also at the mainstream media, the opposition political parties, and others as they choose to remain silent and spineless under the reign of the ‘naked king’. Here are excerpts of Parul Khakkar’s poem translated from Gujarati into English by Rita and Abhijit Kothari: The corpses spoke in one voice: “All is well, sab kuchh changa-changa” Lord, in your ideal realm the hearse is now the Ganga Lord, your crematoriums are too few; fewer the wood for pyres Lord, our pall-bearers are too few, fewer yet the mourners Lord, in every home Yama performs the dance of macabre Lord, in your ideal realm the hearse is now the Ganga Lord, your smoke-belching chimneys now seek respite Lord, our bangles are shattered, shattered are our hearts The fiddle plays while the towns are ablaze, “Wah, Billa-Ranga” Lord, in your ideal realm the hearse is now the Ganga Lord, your clothes are divine, divine is your radiance Lord, the town entirely sees you in your true form If there be a real man here, come forward and say “The emperor has no clothes” Lord, in your ideal realm the hearse is now the Ganga. ------ Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/ram-temple-deeno-daan-shabvahini-ganga/d/131511 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism