The changing face of Islam

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In the past few years, terrorism has shaken the world, sending shock waves all across. It has caused massive destruction in the form of human lives and wealth and is posing a serious threat to all cultural, political and social institutions in future. Islamic terrorism is influenced by Prophet Mohammed'scontroversial call for jehad and its inculcation among the followers of Islam. The enthusiasm for jehad has been continuing all over the world among the educated Muslim youth and so is the germ of Islamic terrorism which has been building at an unusual speed. Unfortunately, most nations have become dumb witnesses to the dastardly cruel attempts of terrorists.

The author cites two reasons that prompted his undertaking this study: first, the attack on September 11, 2001 on New York'stwin towers which caused massive destruction and spread terror in the entire cultured world and second, three months later, on December 13, 2001, the attack on the Indian Parliament in which attempt was made to wipe out the entire political leadership. He makes use of valuable suggestions made by famous author Samuel Huntington, who had warned of the increasing Islamic terror posed to the society. The world community had turned a deaf ear to the warning bell sounded also by V. Naipaul in his world-famous book, The Believers in Islamic Journey.

The author talks of the increase in Muslim population in both Islamic and non-Islamic countries. He says that the divisive policies of Islam'sDarul-Islam (Islamic rule) and Darul-Harab (battlefield where rule by Islam is necessary) are aimed at the likelihood of division and instability in India. The Umma believes in disseminating the policy of division in the Muslim society with the objective of establishing a widespread ?Islamic nation?, says the author. This is to counter the kafir nations. According to world'sexperience, when the Muslim percentage population crosses the 30 or 40 mark, the struggle for separatism gains momentum and often reaches the extent of the demand for autonomy. Here he cites the examples of the cruel bloody struggle for India'spartition in 1947, the struggle between the Cypriots and Turks in Cyprus, the civil war in Lebanon, Chechenya, Jammu & Kashmir state of India and the Philippines and between Kosovo and Bosnia. Though Islam means brotherhood and peace, but on looking back at history, one finds that it has been a struggle for supremacy of religion.

The author specially mentions the role played by renowned Urdu poet, Allama Iqbal who wrote the song ?Saare jahan se accha Hindustan hamara? and was in the forefront of the demand for establishing Pakistan. In his work, Shikva and in the patriotic poem Tarana, he claims that Islam would one day rule over China and India. The author further says that Iqbal'spoem Tarana, which is known as Tarana-e-Millat in Pakistan, is extremely popular in the terrorist training camps and among jehadi groups in Pakistan and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where it is mandatory for schoolchildren in government-run schools to study Iqbal'spoem till Class V.

An interesting aspect of the book is the highlighting of Pakistan'srole in spreading Islamic terror. It also identifies the main areas that will be affected in the world in the coming years, while warning India about the threat posed by Islam with its ever increasing population which is upsetting the Hindu and Muslim ratio. He voices his regret at the present trend among political leaders of India to concentrate on winning votes.

(Manas Publications, 4858 Gali Prahlad, 24 Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110 002.)

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