Whats in a name? you say. Quite a lot apparently, as Gillian Gibbons, a 54 year old mother of two discovered when she allowed her class of six and seven year olds to select a name for their teddy bear, in the Unity School in Khartoum, Sudan.
One of the boys named the bear after himself, Mohammed, and the people of Sudan roared in anger, accusing the teacher of committing blasphemy, by allowing him to name a teddy bear “the praised one”, which is what Mohammed means. And promptly threw her in prison.
The sentence on paper was 40 lashes or six months in prison, but has been commuted to 15 days in prison, praise the Lord!
As if that were not enough, thousands of people came forward to demonstrate, shouting:
“No tolerance: Execution”
“Kill her, kill her by firing squad.”
Unbelievable as it sounds, this is not science fiction, but the unfortunate travails of a real woman, who is sitting in prison at this very moment, as she ponders her wisdom in giving up her post in a nice little school in Liverpool, UK to come to a country embroiled in the aftermath of famine and civil war and teach young children.
Indeed, no good deed goes unpunished.
One would think the Sudanese have bigger problems to worry about. A recently ended fifteen year civil war that has destroyed the fabric of the society with ethnic cleansing and genocide, a famine that left 2 million homeless and had 12-100 people dying everyday, poverty, illiteracy, so whats in a teddy bear?
One needs to look closely at the situation in Sudan to get the real picture. After the period of colonialism, Sudan has seen alternate military and democratic governments, toppled through coups and uprisings. Religion has become a powerful tool in politics- it was the fuel that sustained the civil war between the Muslim elite in the North and the largely Christian rebels in the south.
The current military regime, led by Omar Bashir, came to power in a military coup in 1989 and has the backing of the fundamentalist group led by Hassan al-Turabi. It is Turabis group that is distributing leaflets in Sudan calling for Gibbons execution.
Sudan has since discovered oil and the consequent wealth has led to an elite section in the society. This elite class interested in making money, not playing politics and wants malls and shopping centers and western cinemas.
Bashir, who has also fallen out with Turabi, is involved in an intricate political by-play between the wealthy elite and the Islamists to maintain his position, where he uses Arab supremacism (rather than Islamic fundamentalism) to create an atmosphere of distrust and suspicion of foreigners. Perceived insults to the faith or the Prophet are exploited in the ever simmering cauldron of Sudanese politics, while religious fervor is brandished as political or tribal allegiance.
Add to that the recent entry of UN troops to Darfur and a people who are uncomfortable with foreign troops on their soil, and its easy enough to incite hatred against a white foreign teacher with the “audacity” to insult their religion. Sadly all they doing is becoming a laughing stock as the incredulous world looks on.
Sadly, this is yet another nail in the coffin for the image of Islam worldwide.
PS: Met a Paki family (not Indian mind you!) in Switzerland. They had a teenaged son called Osama. They introduced him saying, “Ghalat naam hai na?” & the teenager said, “Woh aadmi ghalat hai, main nahin!”.
Does that tell you anything?
Iconoclast,
OK, your point is made. Not to always play devil’s advocate. Yes, the article is likely written by someone who is Muslim, and is on point.
1conoclast you said:” Met a Paki family (not Indian mind you!) in Switzerland. They had a teenaged son called Osama. They introduced him saying, “Ghalat naam hai na?” & the teenager said, “Woh aadmi ghalat hai, main nahin!”.
Does that tell you anything?”
Have you wondered how Al Qaida is spreading these days. I predict that if the so called war on terror continues the way it is going on the attitude of the more gullible Muslims (a good number) is going to change. Slowly the ‘ghalat aadmi’ would be transformed into the ‘sahih aadmi’.
It will be a pity but it is bound to happen
Chirag, I’m impressed!
You’re not half bad!
No comments from Mahesh?
Sameen… This is becoming a pointless debate. One that I will not have the energy for. If you want to be a pessimist & believe (despite what I just told you) that all/most Muslims will become Al Qaeda recruits, you’re welcome to your opinion. I personally feel that Osama will be chased in the mountains like a rat & shot down/bombed once America’s purpose is fulfilled.
1conoclast you said:”I personally feel that Osama will be chased in the mountains like a rat & shot down/bombed once America’s purpose is fulfilled.”
Truly it is not necessary to reply to anything somebody has written in the post. You do it if you feel like it. it is not a court case. However by the above comment it seems that in your opinion America has some other ‘purpose’ other than catching Osama. If you do so then I am with you.
Also, killing Osama (he may already be dead) will not finish Al Qaida as long as America keep on insisting that any group or country that is opposed to them is either a part of Al qaida or allied to it. The statement made dy Bush- either you are with us or against us- leaves no choice for the neutral. Sooner or later all Muslims will have to take sides
“Sooner or later all Muslims will have to take sides”…Somehow lost on the assessment some people make. I can understand that countries take sides, but do muslims can/have a common “interest” or “policy making body” that decides on what side to take? I can understand that some people value “Jannat” more than a better quality of life, education for their families on Earth. But does that apply to every muslim? Do people not want safer, more secure lives?
What was Osama planning to achieve by attacking WTC and take innocent lives? Maybe he wanted every American to hate him ….but was it his plan to hide in mountains helping the cause of anyone? Look what Pakistani establishment has become today ….after using “Jihadi” freedom fighters to attack India…it has now become its biggest victim.
It is one thing to make grandiose statements on forums like websites and another thing altogether to act. Generations of communists in Bengal have hated the US/English language, but have not lost any opportunity to have their kids settle in the US. Why do the “Jihadists” who hate US/UK so much still try getting more and more of their family inside these countries?
Instead of making such “Quixotic” plans, why don’t more Indians focus on improving their lot in their motherland. Afghanistan can take care of itself if they want, too bad if they cannot. The region has been a wasteland for centuries.Did they not seek US help to fight soviets? It is a matter of fact that Saudi Arabia has far more influence on US policy in the region and they manipulate that to their advantage. More Iraqis die in the hand of their own countrymen than by action from US forces. Each “warlord” wants to further their interest – using Islam as a cover…I think the biggest danger to Islam are such “muslims”. Unless it is in our national interest, what is the point in getting involved? The effect on India is that unscrupulous politicians play on these emotive non-issues and remove attention from real ones.
sameen… not much left to say to you except this: the only side that Muslims (or any human being) should choose is the side of love, peace & brotherhood. no other side is worth chasing.
sudie… can’t agree with you more on your comment.
Iconoclast, I was having one of my kashmiri friend with me this time in Mumbai and we cried and hugged each other like anything. I had always been angry with him for not even coming out of his home when people were asking for Pandits blood or sticking posters for Pandits(specifically me in one case) to leave the valley. Anyways, the reason I told you is that I disagree with one of the statements made by sameen.
”Sooner or later all Muslims will have to take sides”.
After taking those sides they will not have time to realise that they destroyed their very own homes. Many of the kashmiri Muslims who thought that they are welcoming friends from across Pakistan, Afghanistan and even far past realised that they were inviting moral police who will implement rules on them. Maybe nearer. Pakistanis are still not realising where they are. Probably they will one day. Many of their soldiers who are being killed, captured and treated like they treated saurabh kalia might realise that in their last moments.
Maybe Aurangzeb. After killing his brothers, father he shook the very foundations on which Akbar had found a strong empire. The Marathas had virtually finished the Mughal power before british gave the final shook. He could never make friends with Rajputs or Sikhs. You do give some of my comments which I have given on other posts but are they factually wrong.
If in the last 1000 years this land was captured, looted marauded but still didnt deviate from its culture then there is an internal strength to it. Hindusim is not paganism. Mahesh Yogi, Osho, Iskon have redefined hinduism.
Sufism was one such strengths as well which actually even at IM’s is classified under section Hinduism. Why people like Zakir Naik or the very Tablighi Jamat oppose sufism. ”Influence of Hinduism” Many of the sufi saints spoke a language which was neither Islam nor Hinduism. If Muslims today feel that Islam means growing beard, Demeanating women, banning music and moving into conservatiness then who can stop them but then don’t blame others for that backwardness . You will still take side Sameen because the type of Islam that has now touched the subcontinent has overpowered the spirit of scientific questioning.
Again Mahesh…
Your point is unclear. A lot less unclear than in your other comment, but still pretty unclear.
I mean, in this one comment you’ve spoken of Pakistan, Mughals, Marathas, Rajputs, Sikhs, redefined Hindusim, Paganism, Mahesh Yogi, Iskcon, Osho(???!!!), Sufism’s Hindu link (very very tall claim) etc. etc. etc! I’m very very confused at this stage. What are you trying to say???
The beard growing that you refer to is the same thing as “churkhis” dangling from behind the heads of brahmins/pandits in India.
Dowry & Ghungat (prevalent all over India) is demeaning to women.
And please don’t touch the conservative cord again. It’s a bloody sensitive issue with me!
So again, what’s your point???
And if you read thru my previous comments, I’ve been DISagreeing with Sameen, not agreeing with her.
To be clear and precise any society that moves towards fundamentalism is bound to become conservative and backward. Yes, dowry, ghunghat or Churti doesnt sound modern but there is no religious movement which asks people to put these garbs on or asks to associate it with Hindus. If there is then it is also condemnable. I was replying to Sameen in some of the discussions he had with me on other boards. There are number of movements currently in the Muslim world which focus on pure Islam to the extent that any influence of other religion needs to be removed. The conservative winds have been blowing right across the Muslim world including in Turkey and in India. To Be fair on the conservative chord what do you imply by your nick Iconoclast?
Well Mahesh… Sadly conservative winds have been blowing across all countries & cultures. Doesn’t mean that the greater population needs to give in to them.
Anyway, 1conoclast stands for Iconoclast which means “a person who attacks cherished beliefs, traditional institutions, etc., as being based on error or superstition”.
There is another meaning but that isn’t me.
Very nicely written article. Also the discussions in the comments section is really very good.