Paris Carnage: The‘Mirage’ of Islamic State

     Paris Carnage: The‘Mirage’

              of Islamic State

A memorial on Saturday outside the Bataclan concert hall,
 where gunmen killed 89 people.
Courtesy: The New York Times.
 Credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

            The Terror on 
Paris Friday night
 (13 November 2015) and the claim of ISIS that they have wreaked the havoc might have persuaded many like me to revisit the seminal work of Tarek Fatah “Chasing A Mirage :The tragic Illusion Of An Islamic State” since ISIS has the avowed mission of setting up a New Caliphate.They called the attacks “First of the Storm”.

          I would like to understand if the wisdom of prophets, be it Hazarat Muhammad or Jesus Christ, and in Holy Books like the Quran, the Bible, the Geeta and the Tripitak precludes the freedom of man to knowledge and  faith. Besides, it’s a matter of curiosity if an Islamic State, a Christian, a Buddhist or a Hindu state is possible in a world where unbounded search for knowledge, science & technology and the sense of human rights hold the sway in their own right.

          A scholar par excellence Fatah asserts” Nowhere in these verses of the Quran (the holy book of the religion of peace) does God ask or authorize the creation of an Islamic state.” He contradicts, depending on extensive research and profound insight, the claims of Abul Ala Maudoodi, a founder of pan-Islamic revivalist movement recruiting Muslims for a jihad and who also founded the Jamat-e-Islami political party in India and Pakistan. In his booklet Call to Jihad, Maudoodi pronounced:” An independent Islamic state is a prerequisite to enable them (Muslims) to enforce Islamic laws and fashion their lives as ordained by God.”

       Tarek writes:” Since the first caliphate in Medina in the 7^th century, clerics have continually reminded Muslims that their mission on Earth – to spread Islam – is impossible without the establishment of an Islamic State. Such edicts by caliphs and imams have gathered near-universal acceptance despite the fact that neither the Quran nor the Prophet asked Muslims to establish such a state. In fact, the five pillars of Islam,’ which form a Muslim’s covenant with the Creator, do not even hint at the creation of an Islamic State.” He states how through the centuries, since the time of the ‘Rightly Guided Caliphs to the Umayyad and the Abbasids, hundreds of Muslim dynasties have tried to create ‘this illusive Islamic State’ without success.Tarek remarks:” If the creation of an Islamic State was not possible when Muslims were at the peak of power and intellect, it would be reasonable to conclude that this ambition is not realizable when Muslims are at their weakest and most divorced from education and the sciences.” He contends that in the wake of the rebirth of the movement for Islamic State today threatens moderate, liberal and secular Muslims more than it does the West. He cites example of the Public hanging of Mahamoud Muhammad Taha who, according to Egyptian author Samir Amin,”was the only Islamic intellectual who attempted to emphasize the element of emancipation in his interpretation of Islam.”

           Tarek states:” From the moment the Prophet of Islam died in 632 CE, some Muslims took the path of strengthening the state of Islam, while others embarked on the establishment of the Islamic State.” He says, the phrase state of Islam defines the condition of a Muslim in how he or she imbibes the values of Islam to govern personal life and uses faith as a moral compass while Islamic State is a political entity: a state, caliphate, sultanate, kingdom, or country that uses Islam as a tool to govern society and control its citizenry.

          Tarek says his book is an appeal to those who are chasing the mirage of an Islamic state to reflect on the futility of their endeavour and instead focus on achieving the state of Islam. Maybe, Tarek is right – there is no harm in soul-searching and introspection.

Paris Massacre

Terror Strikes,Paris Massacred 

After Terror Strikes.Pix: courtesy-CNN

  

         Seven coordinated terror attacks on 13 November, Friday night in Paris, the capital of France, left scores of people dead and injured. ISIS claimed responsibility.

       World leaders condemned the attack, expressed solidarity in the war against terror.

Among others

        

US President Barack Obama said:  "This is an attack not just on Paris, not just on the people of France. This is an attack on humanity and the universal values we all share."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said:"This attack on freedom is not just against Paris. It targets us all. And it affects us all,"

  

Pope Francis said: "There is no justification for this. This is not human." 

Russian President Vladimir Putin said:the tragedy was "proof of the barbarian nature of terrorism, which challenges the human civilization."

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi’s office stated: “Egypt emphasizes its support for international efforts for combating terrorism,which knows no boundaries or religion.”

The Saudi Foreign Ministry called for “redoubling” international efforts to “uproot this dangerous affliction.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “ We are united with the people of France in this tragic hour.”

                                         

classroomTeaching

Bengali Association Launched

Bengali Association Launched

A Bengali Association was launched Sunday (12 October 2014) in Siliguri at Hotel Mayor with the lofty aim of promoting the interests of the Bengalis and their culture and tradition nationally and globally. The salient features of the draft Constitution of the Association was read out by Mr. Tapon Das, a renowned industrialist, at a meeting which was a sequel to two preparatory confabulations among the promoters. The meeting was chaired by Dr. T.K. Ghosh, an eminent surgeon who clarified the organization would be apolitical and devoted to the welfare of Bengalis in particular and social cause in general.

The meeting authorized Mr. Sumit Ghosh, a well-known industrialist, to form a body of convenors to run the organization prior to the adoption of the Constitution and registration. Dr. Susanta Roy spoke eloquently on the need for such an organization in the interest of the Bengali community. Mr. Arup Mazumdar said responses to the formation of the organization from the other parts of the country and Bengalis living abroad were encouraging.

The meeting was followed by a dinner.

Teachers Attack Journalists

Teachers Assault Journalists

                                                   Nidhu Bhusan Das

How come, a teacher can resort to hooliganism? To understand it, come to Siliguri, in West Bengal, where teachers are not only politicized but also prefer to be with the ruling party. The latest incident of such hooliganism took place on 8 January 2014 when the hooligans assaulted and injured media persons in front of the office of the district inspector of schools at Siliguri. The hooligans were none other than the higher secondary teachers belonging to the ruling Trinamul Congress. 

The teachers went to submit a deputation to the inspector and got involved in altercation and scuffle. The photo journalists were clicking pictures of the scuffle. This, reportedly, added fuel to the fire and a section of the deputationists   in no time pounced upon two photo journalists Pulak Karmakar and Pranab kushari.

 F IR was lodged with Siliguri Police immediately after the incident but no action was taken against the alleged attackers till the report was filed on 9 January 2014.

Freedom of the Press

Power of the Media and Mamata

Nidhu Bhusan Das: Our Supreme Court in a judgment stated the Doctrine of Waiver cannot be allowed in India because people of the country, by and large, are not as educated as the US citizens, and, therefore, cannot understand the significance of waiving a fundamental right enshrined in Part lll of our Constitution. If we take this to be the ground reality even to-day, the media, when assumes the role of only a critic, is, no doubt, in advantage against leaders in power, who may be seen as sitting ducks. A section of the media in West Bengal to-day appears to be vehement critic of the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who had been the darling of such media outlets immediately before the Assembly polls last May and soon after she walked in the Writers’ Buildings. Eloquence of the media is its advantage like the eloquence of the party in opposition in our democracy. It is a disadvantage for the party in power. One should, perhaps, practise reticence when on the saddle. Studied silence is better than stray comment on every issue. Mamata could have parried questions and avoided comment on issues like Park Street incident, killing of a CPM leader in Bardhaman and latest ‘Cartoon Controversy’. In Park Street Rape Case and Bardhaman killing case the persons alleged to be involved were brought to book. Her police arrested also the persons alleged to have assaulted the Professor Ambikesh Mahapatra of Jadavpur University. Professor Mahapatra was arrested on the strength of an FIR filed against him for forwarding a ‘Cartoon’ involving Mamata, Railway Minister Mukul Roy and former Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi to users of Facebook, obviously criticizing the recent replacement of Trivedi by Roy. We have the right to criticize, to satirize. But to what extent? This is the moot point. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines cartoon as ‘an amusing drawing in a newspaper or magazine, esp one about politics or current events.’ Wikipedia defines it as ‘a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art.’ The free online encyclopedia says,’ While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended to satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works. An artist who creates cartoons is called a cartoonist.’ From such identifications of a cartoon we understand it is a drawing or painting, not a picture collage as is seen in the satiric representation forwarded by Prof. Mahapatra. The way Mamata is shown with Mukul may be taken to have overtones which may be thought to be demeaning for any person. During the Park Street Rape debate it was stressed that even a sex worker has the right against being raped. True. It is also true that everyone has the right against being defamed. The picture collage appears to be a direct attack on the Chief Minister. Court will decide on the case filed against Prof. Mahapatra. Debate may go on as to the reasonableness of filing of the FIR against Prof. Mahapatra and his subsequent arrest. Meanwhile, we may look within and decide what is the import of Article 19(1) (a) of the Constitution from which the freedom the media flows in our country. Media in this regard is on the same footing as an individual citizen is. Media is not privileged as against a citizen in respect of the freedom of speech and expression in the Article. Media will play the watchdog, raise and facilitate debates on issues but we may ask how a person who turned darling from being a spoiler of Singur project and remained so till the other day is now being projected as one who has only negative traits by a section of the media that owes a reasonable and convincing answer to the question to retain and develop credibility.