RESPONDING TO 'EFFORTS TO IMPOSE SHARIAH LAW IN BANGLADESH

Monday 20 February 2012

Responding to ‘Efforts to Impose Shariah Law in Bangladesh’

Hameed Abdul Karim

As a Muslim I am required to know aspects of the Sharia so as to live life in accordance with my faith. But the Sharia that Manzoor Ahmed is talking about in ‘Ceylon Today’ (Saturday 18 February 2012) under the title ‘Efforts to Impose Sharia Law in Bangladesh’ is the one that is promulgated by Western interests as a scaremongering tactic to frighten non-Muslims and even ‘moderate’ Muslims away from the teachings of Islam.

From its very inception Islam remedied many of the injustices the world was riddled with as even a non-friendly writer like Karen Armstrong, among many other past and present orientalists have been compelled to admit as a historical fact. Is the world a better place today? One of Islam’s basic tenets is to fight against economic injustice and it is reported in Sahih Bukhari (a collection of the prophetic sayings) that the blessed messenger of God the prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings of God be on him and all the prophets who preceded him) had said that he would love to see the day when a rich man traversed the world to give zakat (charity) to the poor and found no takers. Giving of charity is enshrined in the Sharia. Would anybody like to object to that aspect of the Sharia?

FAITH OVER FATE

This is a speech I delivered at the launching of the book 'Silent Struggle' by Irfan Hafiz at Dargha Town on the 19th of February 2012. Irfan Hafuz iu suffering from an uncommon and incurable disease called Duchene Nuscular Disease (DMD). This book is a collection of poems that young Irfan had penned in so poignant and moving manner. 

Faith over Fate

Hameed Abdul Karim

‘For us Allah sufficeth and He is the best disposer of affairs’

Qur’an 3:173

It’s hard to tell your own story. It becomes harder still if that story is one of pain and anguish as is the story of young Irfan. Reading his poems one can’t help but believe that his story has been wrenched from his heart with the noble purpose of transferring it, ever so gently, into the hearts and minds of men blessed with good health and inspiring them to think thoughts of life and its grueling trudge, thoughts that might have otherwise eluded them as they recline in the joy and comforts that Allah subhanahu wa ta’la has provided them. But every once in a while comes a story that jolts our souls, shatters our thoughts and bring us back to the reality of life in its very essence. This is the balance that Allah provides for us so that we can reflect on the actuality of this earthly life.

CHANGING GEARS - LANKAWEB

LANKAWEB

February 3, 2012

Changing Gears 

Hameed Abdul Karim

The US Empire suffered a major blow to its occupation of Afghanistan when its trouble shooter Richard Holbrooke, nicknamed ‘raging bull’, died a sudden death in Washington. At this point of time, the US depended entirely on him to pull it out of the quagmire it had got embroiled in Afghanistan. This left one to wonder why an empire as militarily and economically powerful as the US should have placed all its bets on just one man. Incidentally it was a Pakistani surgeon who operated on Holbrooke. To him Holbrooke said ‘you’ve got to stop the war in Afghanistan’. Those were his last words according to family members as reported in the Huff Post.  

NO NEED TO BE SHOCKED

              

 Saturday 14 January, 2012

No Need to be Shocked

Hameed Abdul Karim

The media is awash with the pictures of US marines urinating on dead Taliban fighters and commentators and anchor personnel use the word ‘shocking’ to describe this stomach turning act of  US barbarism. But judging by past exposures of Americans’ cruelty and sadism from My Lai in Vietnam to Nicaragua in South America to Abu Graib in Iraq this should not come as shock or surprise.

What can you say of a nation that has been at war with one country or another for the last hundred years at least, killing millions, maiming many more and destroying property worth billions when its apologists come out with statements like ‘this is not consistent with America’s core values’ and to trivialise the latest scandal to hit the empire as an aberration and not the altruism the empire stands for?

IS THE EMPIRE LOSING ITS GRIP?

Thurday 5 January 2012

Is The Empire Losing its Grip?

Hameed Abdul Karim

In recent times the US Empire has taken quite a few body blows. Gone are the days when Henry Kissinger and Ronald Reagan reigned supreme in tandem with their cousins across the pond. The heady days of the Bush doctrine of ‘either you are with us or with them’ are fast vanishing whilst Barack Obama grapples with the crises left behind by the neocons and creating new ones for himself and his successors. There seems to be no way out for the empire unless it decides to extend its war on terrorism to Iran and unleash its military might on China and the rest of the disobedient states

ISLAM AS ENEMY

                                                                              

Sunday, 8 January, 2012

Islam as Enemy

Hameed Abdul Karim

The Western powers have always needed enemies to force their agendas down the throats of different nations at various times in history. With the end of colonialism, however, the U.S. spurred by its imperial mindset, has taken over the role of ‘civilising’ the former colonies, with the full backing of France, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK which now are, for all intents and purposes, U.S. satellite states.

Enemy number one has always been ‘Islam’. The war against Islam, however, was reduced to a low intensity conflict whilst the West engaged itself in the ‘Cold War’. When Soviet Russia eventually caved in due to Western pressure, not without the crucial help of the Afghan Mujahedin though, it trained its guns back on Islam. 

Islam has always been a thorn in the West’s side. Despite centuries of colonialism the West has not been able to subdue the faith or the spirit of millions of its adherents.

War on Terror or Crusades?

Muslims see the West’s ‘war on terror’ as yet another campaign to crush Islam and think it’s a continuation of the crusades despite pious pontifications to the contrary. This raises the question - why does the ‘empire’, see Islam and the Muslims as enemies? This is largely because Muslims have never surrendered their passionate loyalty to their faith or their traditions in return for cars, coca-cola and in general the ‘good life’ which is fast crumbling under its own contradictions as we speak. Muslims had fought for their independence with ferocity as one insurrection after another during colonial occupation clearly demonstrates. Bear in mind that virtually all Muslim countries were under occupation of one Western colonial power or another for centuries but hardly any Muslim exchanged his or her faith for material gains. Even the likes of Salman Rushdie or Taslima Nazreen have not been able to make a dent in the mindsets of Muslims despite the West’s heavy funding and political support to bring Islam and Muslims into the ‘enlightened era’ and to fit in cozily with America’s PNAC.

‘Islamic Banking’ – ‘Islamic Fundamentalism’?

THE RESPONSE DAILY MIRROR DIDN'T PUBLISH

UNPUBLISHED

Dear all,

I responded to an article in the Daily Mirror of the 15th of December, 2011. I felt the article needlessly brought in Islam into the argument of seeking changes into Sri Lanka law which prohibits the sale of liquor to women. The article was titled ‘Welcome to the Islamic Republic of Sri Lanka’ written by a certain Ameena Hussain.

Unfortunately the Daily Mirror has to still carry the response ten days after I sent it by email.

Hameed

Responding to ‘Welcome to the Islamic Republic of Sri Lanka’

Hameed Abdul Karim

So now we know. Women’s equality comes when they are allowed to buy a bottle of liquor at any public store according to Ms. Ameena Hussein (DM 15 Dec. 2011) and if that does not happen, along with other things less important we might ‘degenerate’ into an Islamic state. What inspiring logic!

Actually I am not surprised with what the writer has to say. What surprises me is the fact that the Daily Mirror thought it fit to carry this article with the provocative title ‘Welcome to the Islamic Republic of Sri Lanka’ along with a picture of Muslim women seated on the floor of some community centre somewhere in Sri Lanka probably waiting to be liberated with a shot of scotch on the rocks by already ‘liberated’ women.  

Some of us may not like it. But there is a thing called rules of culture that people abide by in any society. Not selling liquor to women is one such culture rule here in Sri Lanka. In some counties in the state of Austin in the U.S. sale and consumption of liquor are strictly prohibited based on the teachings of the Church. These are jokingly called ‘dry zones’. Nobody calls them ‘Islamic Republics’.

Having a Muslim name does not give one a license to revile Islam or Muslims. Islam has strictly forbidden the consumption of liquor and to Muslims that is final. No apologies there. A Muslim is required by his or her faith to stop or at least speak out against social evils like the consumption of liquor. Obviously Ms. Hussain does not take this aspect of her faith too seriously, that is assuming she is Muslim.

The little Buddhism I know tells me the consumption of liquor is prohibited and if the ‘Mathata Thitha’ programme of the President were to take hold among Buddhists, would Ms. Hussain then classify our country as the ‘Buddhist Republic of Sri Lanka’? Or would she have reservations on that score? I would be the first to welcome any foreigner to the Buddhist Republic of Sri Lanka with open arms if liquor (and gambling) is strictly prohibited in Sri Lanka. It will make Buddhist women happy with the knowledge that the money their husbands save will go to feed and educate their children, resulting in the general well being of society at large. Not to mention the elimination of crimes like child abuse and deaths on the road caused by drunk drivers. Am I being a Muslim fundamentalist? Well, never mind.

The writer must seek the views of the Mahanayaka prelates on this subject of allowing women to by liquor. Let’s see what they have to say, shall we?

Hameed Abdul Karim