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| Consensus, a way out not way-out | | | Shabana Shabnam
Being a regular reader and listener of news, I have been coming across certain issues which I consider threat to Islam which Already is a misunderstood religion, courtesy of Muslims themselves. How? well it needs step by step discussion.
First: it has to be turkey, a secular republic founded by Mustafa Kamal Ataturk more than 80 years ago and is a Muslim majority state (99.8% muslims, mostly Sunni, other 0.2% Christians and Jews). It is in news currently for 3 main reasons.
1. Kurd’s demand for independence. 2. Lifting of ban on head scarf. 3 Islamic reforms.
It is well known fact that Iraq is on the verge of split because of lack of consensus between shias, sunnis and Kurds. They are killing one another and if split takes place, there will be unrest in turkey as well, as it also has Kurdish people within its territory who have already been influenced by centrifugal forces generated by Kurds of Iraq. The Kurdish people of both states, then will surely make their own independent state. But the point is who these Kurdish people are killing and who is killing them. Muslims are killing Muslims this is not what Islam teaches.
Then lifting of ban on headscarf recently. Ataturk saw headscarves as backward and obstacle to his campaign to secularize and modernize the new Turkish republic and were since banned in public places, official documents. One Turkish student had to face 6 months jail for wearing a headscarf at her college exams. But on February 7,2008, Turkish parliament lifted this ban. The credit for this goes to premier (Recep tayyib erdogan) and president (Abdullah Gul, recently appointed president and whose president candidancy was criticized by secular elites as his wife wears headscarf) which for seculars is a symbol of Islamic state not secular state. There is also a feud between hard line secularists (judges and army generals) and ruling party that why it is putting restrictions on public dinking and red light zones.
Questions arise. What secularism means. Have the Turkish muslims forgotten surah 33, part 22 (Al Ahzab) of Quran which asks every muslim women to draw their veils all over juyubihinna (body, faces, head, neck and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment. Secular state is one which eliminates religion from the matters of state and has no religion of its own. It treats all religions equally. Secularism is one of the attributes of democratic state but it is also duty of the state to protect the liberty of women and worship of its people. In a secular state, decisions are taken on the basis of rational faculties and not on the basis of religious tenets. By putting a ban, turkey has interfered with the liberty of women and also deprived them from higher education. Headscarf is not imposed on women but they choose it out of their own will as they know it is there in Quran. Why the secularists are opposing restrictions on public drinking and prostitution as both are menace for every society. Therefore headscarf, restrictions on public drinking, prostitution can never dilute the secular character of state.
Islamic dress code controversy has generated a clash between civilizations as non-Muslims consider it symbol of oppression, mark of separation. Even among Muslims themselves, there is a polarity as regards Islamic dress. One view is that, tyrannical Arab tradition was that a woman must be covered from head to toe while others say women should be modestly dressed. Further, it would be better if we discuss this issue as soon as possible as current trend demands. Then comes Islamic reforms. Turkey has taken the initiative to rewrite the shariat law by values. It can generate another controversy as there is news of dropping of certain hadith particularly misogynistic. Turkey is an aspirant of European union membership but how would it become member when they are culturally different. Denmark, Italy, Germany, U.K., France, Belgium, Netherland have already banned Islamic dress (hijab). How would there be alliance of civilizations that Turkey will have to decide by discussing it not only with European union but other Muslim countries without diluting the faith for the sake of pleasing west.
Second: Madarsas in south Asia especially in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan are established to educate Muslim students of poor background but there are madarsas which have well-off students from foreign countries and they come for Islamic studies. The problem with most of the madarsas is that they do not prepare their students for mainstream employment. How would these students adjust themselves in corporate world which is on increase. Why they are not taught the other mainstream subjects and why their participation is virtually nil in competitive exams. I have taken interview of certain madarsa students and their knowledge of computer, mathematics, science, arts, law is pathetic. Why madarsa education is so lip-sided. It is excellent that the students are taught religious texts but why they have been deprived of marketable skills and where would all of them get absorbed. Sometimes these students are utilizes by clerics for their own ends. We should think over it. Why muslims are far behind in science and technology. A bearded man with a cap ( a stereotypical representation of muslim) should not come out from madarsa, he should come out with both religious as well as mainstream education to show the world that we have progressive not regressive ideology. The curriculum of madarsas should be designed in such a way so that it can meet the exacting standards of todays marketforces.
Third. Long-running feud between Palestian and Israel. This issue will only get solved when hamas and fatah will reconciliate. They are killing each other rather that doing result oriented discussion which is possible.
Fourth. A few days ago, an anti-terrorism conference was held at Deoband where they discussed lots of issues and passed a resolution noting “islam sternly condems all kinds of oppression, violence and terrorism”. At last we have woken up to show to the international community, we are not supporters of terrorism and they also criticized media which foists “Islamic terrorism” phrases and which has led to making muslims as international outcastes. If America does an illegal act, it is not considered a Christian terrorism, LTTE people are not called hindu terrorists, Israel’s disproportionate use of force is not considered Jewish terrorism, then why the word Islam is prefixed before terrorism.
Nevertheless, Shia representation in this conference was negligible which is not a good sign. This growing polarity between Shias and Sunnis has already led to making of All India shia personal law board because shias were minority within All India Muslim personal law board. This apathy also led to making of another board All India muslim women personal law board by muslim feminists for the protection of their rights. Had shias and women were given equal representation and consulted in issues of vital importance. It would not have led to split. Moreover All India muslim women personal law board has come out with a new “Shariat nikahnama which will bar men from declaring “talaq” by phone, sms, internet, or even in fit of rage, or in state of intoxication. But it has been criticized by AIMPLB as “useless” and irrelevant” and I consider it a poor choice of words by AIMPLB because every provisions of this new nikahnama is according to shariat law. Even Muslim personal law luminaries have applauded it. Therefore next step should be a discussion between supporters and non-supporters of new nikahnama and then consensus as this would benefit whole community especially women.
Last but not least, I would like to say that even at international level, we are going to have permanent catholic – muslim forum which will meet every 2 years and discuss crises between the two faiths to reduce the tension between Islam and the west. It has been realized that it is a dialogue and consensus which will lead to alliance of civilizations rather than clash of civilizations. If that is possible then intra-faith consensus is not Herculean task. |
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