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Category Archives: Featured
The Spirit of Independence
I wish I could go back in time to the dawn of 15th August 1947, and feel the first rays in an independent India. Sixty four years later we seem to have taken our independence for granted. Heroes of the freedom struggle have given way to corrupt politicians. Security has never been worse. Rising prices of commodities have affected almost every Indian. The country has produced more billionaires during the last decade than all the previous put together but the poverty ratio has not changed. This is surely not the vision of our founding fathers! Continue reading
Posted in Culture & Heritage, Featured, Society
Tagged 15-august, Democracy, Independence-Day, India, Indian Muslims
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Exploring Mappila culture
When we talk about culture in the context of Indian Muslims, like many other things, it gets confined to culture of Muslims of the Urdu belt. The talk will begin with urdu poetry, mention huge influence of ghazals, dedicated fans … Continue reading
Closer Look: Osama Bin Laden
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net, Whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he … Continue reading
Who Is A Progressive Muslim?
A progressive Muslim is one who is firmly grounded in the Qur’anic values of truth (haq), justice (‘adl), compassion (rahmah), wisdom (hikmah) and does service to others rather than being served by others. A progressive Muslim does not believe in sectarian Islam (sunni or shi’ah or Isma’ili or Deobandi or Barelvi or ahl-e-hadith or salafi Islam but rises above all these sects and gives importance to Qur’an above everything else. A progressive Muslim is least influenced by personal prejudices and always gives more importance to knowledge than his opinion. Qur’an condemns prejudiced opinion (zan) and promotes knowledge (‘ilm). lso a progressive Muslim celebrates diversity as diversity is creation of Allah and if Allah desired He could have made entire humanity one community. (5:48). The Qur’an also says, “And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your tongues and colours. Surely there are signs in this for the learned.”
Marginalizing Muslims In Gujarat
History of Muslims in Gujarat is older than the idea of Gujarat itself, then how is it that Muslims now find themselves at the edge (both figuratively and literally) of the present day Gujarati society? In the aftermath of partition when most of north India was burning, Gujarat remained peaceful. The first major post-independence Hindu-Muslim violence took place in Ahmedabad in 1969. But if we go back in history, from 1714 to 1969 there were only two incidents of communal violence – 1941 and 1946. The violence of 1969, in which more than 1100 people were killed, was the beginning of separation of Hindus and Muslims but it was 1985 riots that sealed Muslims’ fate in the state for years to come. Muslims, according to Sangh Parivar, have no right to exist, are not part of Gujarat, have no history worth remembering or contribution in making of Gujarat. Continue reading
Women Empowerment: A Different Perspective
Here is the paradox. In one hand, we have ladies leading our countries and on the other hand, we are not even letting others see the face of the earth. Based on the declining sex ratio, a recent study has predicted that by 2020 India will experience twenty percent more males than females! This is the worst possible discrimination that we can inflict on women. We are denying them their right to be born! recently there has been considerable debates about ‘can Islam liberate women or not’, but the outcome, as usual, is blurred. Though the scriptures give a certain degree of rights, the practice of the followers i.e. the Muslims are significantly different from the scriptures. Although every society has had its share of discrimination against women, the west seems to be swiftly embracing the changing landscape of women’s participation in nearly all spheres of life, although with some if’s and but’s. Continue reading
India After Gandhi
A review of Ramachandra Guha’s book “India After Gandhi: The history of the world’s largest democracy”. Continue reading
Posted in Book Review, Featured, Society
Tagged india-after-gandhi, indira gandhi, jawahar, mahatma-gandhi, ramachandra-guha
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A Plan For Minority Development
The Community should study the Sachar Committee report deeply, analyse the findings and realize the importance of education. The Community should focus its attention single-mindedly on Education and avoid frittering its energies on such non-profitable issues as Salman Rushdies, Taslima Nasreens, Danish Cartoons, Processions, Litigation on Beards etc. These are temporary and passing irritants. Education is the panacea ! Special attention needs to be paid for women’s education. Though a few misinformed moulvis might have given stray fatwas on girls education, by and large the religious leadership of the Muslims has been always in favour of providing education to Muslim girls. Today most of the responsible imams and khateebs in mosque are emphasizing the need for education, both for boys and girls in their Friday sermons albiet with safeguard for their modesty and physical safety. Continue reading
Posted in Featured, Guest Article
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Closer Look: Aligarh Movement
There are three myths about the Aligarh movement: it was simply a movement for education, Aligarh Muslim University IS the movement, and that the movement is long dead. Syed Ahmed Khan’s concerns, visions, and efforts for the Indian Muslims came to be later known as the Aligarh Movement but it was not simply a movement to make Muslims learn Western education or even the establishment of a university. It was a movement to give mission to a community that seemed to have lost its bearing in the fast-changing world, to prepare them for new challenges, and give them new tools to connect back to their religion and history. Incredibly, Muslims of India still face these issues and the need for Aligarh movement is still alive. Continue reading
Communal Riots In 2010
The year 2010 of course did not witness riots like Mumbai in 1992-93 or one like in Gujarat in 2002 but did witness riots mostly in either middle level cities or even small towns and villages. According to the Home Ministry data between 2001 and 2009 6,541 communal clashes occurred and 2,234 persons were killed. Though the number of communal clashes may be correct officially the number of casualties is never reported accurately in official records for various reasons. In 2002 in Gujarat alone, all non-official sources agree, was 2000 dead and official sources are showing number of deaths between 2001 sand 2009 i.e. over a period of 8 years as 2,234 i.e. minus Gujarat total number of dead over a period of 8 years in all only 234 persons died which can hardly be accurate. Continue reading