04-18-2006, 02:11 AM
What ulema can do
Extremism such as suicide bombings has wrongly warped the perception of Islam. "Such mischievous people are not just in the Muslim community, but among the Hindus, the Christians, the Buddhists. In any community, a few mischievous people are always there." The words are not those of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, who on Sunday rejected a link between Islam and terrorism, but of the Dalai Lama. "To some people, the Muslim tradition appears more militant," the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people told a Muslim-sponsored anti-terror conference in San Francisco on Saturday. "I feel that's totally wrong." Like any other tradition, Islam "is the practice of compassion," he said in his address to the gathering of religious leaders from nearly thirty countries. A Muslim leader could hardly have been more eloquent in the defence of Islam against unfair criticism.
The followers of Islam intensely dislike the misperception about their religion, but there's no denying that extremism does exist among a small minority of Muslims. Sunday's appeal to ulema by President Musharraf that they help the government fight fanaticism is another reminder of that. He was in Karachi in connection with the investigations into last Tuesday's almost-certain suicide bombing, during a religious gathering at that, which resulted yet again in Pakistan and Muslims being defamed.
Since some false religious leaders in Pakistan, like the "jihadis," have been instrumental in its creation, it falls to our ulema in general to exorcise the demon. The clerical organisation that lost leaders and officials in the bombing, and 17 of whose leading members met the president, is at least not jihadi. (It's a little sad it insisted on a restricted meeting, and wouldn't agree to a multi-sectarian one he had sought.) With their control of the pulpit, ulema are in a very good position to discourage fanatical ideas and philosophies.
Ultimately, however, it's for Pakistani society as a whole to defeat fanaticism. With religious, sectarian, ethnic and linguistic groups always having lived cheek by jowl in it, Pakistani society has a deep tradition of tolerance. The murky history of fanaticism in this country doesn't go back even three decades. Unless people themselves become aware of the dangers inherent in the misuse of the mosque and the loudspeaker, no amount of government effort can succeed in tackling the menace. Fortunately, this awareness is growing among an increasing number of Pakistanis.
Likewise, the world needs development of greater awareness on religions. The conference in San Francisco, the city where the United Nations Organisation was founded, seeks an organisation bringing together different religions for opposition to violent extremism and promotion of inter-faith harmony -- a "United Nations of Religion." Pakistani ulema would do well to support this effort.
Extremism such as suicide bombings has wrongly warped the perception of Islam. "Such mischievous people are not just in the Muslim community, but among the Hindus, the Christians, the Buddhists. In any community, a few mischievous people are always there." The words are not those of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, who on Sunday rejected a link between Islam and terrorism, but of the Dalai Lama. "To some people, the Muslim tradition appears more militant," the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people told a Muslim-sponsored anti-terror conference in San Francisco on Saturday. "I feel that's totally wrong." Like any other tradition, Islam "is the practice of compassion," he said in his address to the gathering of religious leaders from nearly thirty countries. A Muslim leader could hardly have been more eloquent in the defence of Islam against unfair criticism.
The followers of Islam intensely dislike the misperception about their religion, but there's no denying that extremism does exist among a small minority of Muslims. Sunday's appeal to ulema by President Musharraf that they help the government fight fanaticism is another reminder of that. He was in Karachi in connection with the investigations into last Tuesday's almost-certain suicide bombing, during a religious gathering at that, which resulted yet again in Pakistan and Muslims being defamed.
Since some false religious leaders in Pakistan, like the "jihadis," have been instrumental in its creation, it falls to our ulema in general to exorcise the demon. The clerical organisation that lost leaders and officials in the bombing, and 17 of whose leading members met the president, is at least not jihadi. (It's a little sad it insisted on a restricted meeting, and wouldn't agree to a multi-sectarian one he had sought.) With their control of the pulpit, ulema are in a very good position to discourage fanatical ideas and philosophies.
Ultimately, however, it's for Pakistani society as a whole to defeat fanaticism. With religious, sectarian, ethnic and linguistic groups always having lived cheek by jowl in it, Pakistani society has a deep tradition of tolerance. The murky history of fanaticism in this country doesn't go back even three decades. Unless people themselves become aware of the dangers inherent in the misuse of the mosque and the loudspeaker, no amount of government effort can succeed in tackling the menace. Fortunately, this awareness is growing among an increasing number of Pakistanis.
Likewise, the world needs development of greater awareness on religions. The conference in San Francisco, the city where the United Nations Organisation was founded, seeks an organisation bringing together different religions for opposition to violent extremism and promotion of inter-faith harmony -- a "United Nations of Religion." Pakistani ulema would do well to support this effort.