A discussion with a muslim friend

Following is an email exchange with very dear friend of mine who happen to be Muslim:
Before writing anything i would like to make it sure that i do not aim at maligning other religions nor I would favour something that is wrong and not Justified.
If you feel I am wrong, you have my apologies, but still these are my thoughts.



Yes that's correct.

Terrorism has no religion, and that repeated attempts by some deranged people is bringing a bad name to the whole community. They themselves do not know the exact meaning of Jihad.

Though i am not a learned person who can give u exact definitions and quotes but here it is.

'Jihad' does not mean violence, its a war against many things including your own conscience when it tells u to do wrong. Jihad means suppress your wrong thoughts etc etc.
'Jihad' allows violence only in one case. When there is a direct threat to you and your religion. And i believe that this is justified coz there is no mahatma here who would happily come under someones knife.

It has been long understood by the many that these terrorists do not represent the entire Muslim community. I myself am a great protester of these type of killings, since
ISLAM IN NO WAY ALLOWS KILLING OF INNOCENTS, IT TEACHES THE LESSON OF PATIENCE AND
THAT GOD HIMSELF WOULD PUNISH THE WRONG DOERS.

But this is seldom followed by people.
[and partially there are some reasons for that too. Read this Sundays "Times of India" [21-08-2008] and there are many reasons there for you to find out"]

This writer is so obsessed by the secularism of his own community that he forgets that other religions teach the same values, its just that they are not put into proper practice sometimes.

I do not want to comment on any other religion, but ISLAM has rules and regulation for every aspect of life.
And if followed properly, is enough to rule any state and It can NEVER BE A FAILURE.

Yes there are many people who take these rules to be as rigid as rock, and they forget that ISLAM does not teach religion by force.
A quote from Holy book "Your religion for you, my religion for me"
If you are not satisfied by ISLAM you can go your way, other people cannot force him to come back, but only advise.

I am not sure whether the fatwa issue on Taslima and Salman is justified, but here could be the reason.
Muslims consider their prophet an ideal and in no way he was wrong, therefore we cannot take anything against him. There are many reasons/justifications behind every action which is not properly brought forward for others to know. Hence it is taken as orthodox/dogmatic. Every rule in ISLAM is has valid and forethought reason.

The writer himself is ignorant of the fact that there have been various demonstrations to protest these kinda activities.
What more could he want, recently the highest ISLAMIC institution in INDIA by the name of DEOBAND had declared in an ALL-INDIA meeting that terrorism is UN-ISLAMIC and we do not support them.

Talking about Hindus being secular. Yes they are and I admit.
But i think before writing the writer forgot to just go through the news in recent weeks in KARNATAKA and ORISSA.

Even today's newspaper has news on 2 churches rampaged in Bangalore itself.
BUT i do not blame the whole community and I have long back understood that it is only some people in their community [communal party] who are doing this.

Brother its very easy to blame the Black sheep for everything. If we are required to Stand up against something then others also need to introspect first.

While these terrorists organisations are the black sheep, there are others in their community which are state sponsored and in white garb. and called as saviors.


Thanks for your patience to read this.
I hope i did not hurt anyone.

Just and advise.
There are many sites where you can find the most distorted interpretation of ISLAM.
Therefore I request you to please refer to some authentic site to know proper ISLAM, before jumping to any conclusions.

To which my reply was:
I am feeling sorry for myself for having received this mail from you. Its not that you even needed to say things you did, I understand (at this point I am only representing myself) that Terrorism is an instrument of state policy and nothing to do with any person or community.

The same policy was used by US in Afghanistan, after soviets/sino policy did same in Vietnam. The same was experimented by India in Sri Lanka and African states do still do it…officially (Rwanda being a case in point)
Not long ago the same people were termed as separatists and/or extremists. The name came to represent Terror only after Wahhabi sect of Saudis took upon themselves to promote their brand of Islam. Well as long as Oil money, oils Sheiks of Saudi, the dream of Wahhabis' will remain nightmare of rest of the world.

The case of Bajrang Dal on rampage is extremely regrettable and their reign of terror must be ended wherever the means may be. They are worse that Islamic terror cells – for these guys aim at ethnic cleansing in Orissa.

Some of my best friends have been Muslims and I will like that to continue for ever. After all a Eid with eidee is still something that I cant live without.

As a matter of fact intolerance on any belief is intolerable to me.

As a post script I would just like to add that the major reason for conflict of Islam with 'civilized world' (pardon for the statement – not my creation though) is the fact that Islam is as good as a constitution which many believe cannot be amended ( Indian constitution has been amended 288 times in 60 years). That will remain a point of conflict as long as people like us don't take upon ourselves to interpret religions to the benefit of all. The Aayats were for a 15th century desert dwelling group – they cannot be followed to the letter in 21st century.

Last paragraph were just a rambling from an atheist (that's me ) who care a little for his 34 crore gods let alone for any additions to them (the amount would hardly change you see ;) )