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Dr Arshad Alam questions theological views on blasphemy

Every religion is sacrosanct to its believers. But all religions do not behave in the same way when anyone denigrates their faith or symbol.

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uslims have rioted in Bengaluru over a Facebook message that denigrated Islam’s prophet. The article has since been taken down, the person who wrote it was arrested but not before it ruined valuable property and three people lost their lives. It is claimed that the mob tried to burn down the ‘accused’ home, a Dalit and a local Congress MLA relative. All the dreams of a Dalit Muslim unity, so desperately sought by some, went up in flames. There will be enough people to turn this on to argue that the Muslim outrage was not only at the prophet’s denigration, but more so because this was done by a low caste individual. No matter how much Muslims reject this claim, the truth remains that casteism does not make them distinct from other religious communities within their community.

Dr Arshad Alam questions theological views on blasphemy
Police say a crowd of nearly a thousand people gathered in front of KG Halli police station demanding that a Congress MLA’s relative named Naveen be arrested.

The incident comes days after Ram temple Bhoomi Pujan in Ayodhya. Some proclaimed this occurrence as heralding Hindu Raj’s establishment in India, and were clearly and rightly worried about the future of Muslims. And yet the riotous Bengaluru mob has shown little attention to the shifting political contexts in which Muslims today find themselves. That’s definitely not the ‘fearful Muslim’ picture that some would like to portray. Granted that Muslim feelings were hurt, but there are better ways of expressing their grievances. A tiny amount of sagacity would only have strengthened the group.

It’s crucial that this incident is not seen as an aberration. Muslims have always been assertive about matters pertaining to their religion. If it’s the demand to ban the book of Salman Rushdie or whether it’s a matter of physically assaulting Taslima Nasreen and tossing her out of West Bengal, Muslims have effectively forced various governments to embrace their religious demands. We should not forget that the largest Muslim uprising in post-independence India was during the issue of Shah Bano when the Muslim clergy forced the parliament to annul a progressive Supreme Court decision. It’s another matter that Muslims never protested and marched to demand education and jobs, and never took part in other civil struggles. Muslim interests in that country have always been very simple.

Some who rationalize the violence against Bengaluru as a result of ‘ the last six years of dissatisfaction ‘have no understanding of Muslim politics. We must understand that what happened in that city is part of a pattern of political activity that has always been practiced by Muslims. Surely there is no reason to pin this down to last six years’ excesses. We have to note that when Muslims launched the Shah Bano agitation there was no BJP administration.

To its followers every religion is sacrosanct. Yet not all religions behave in the same way when someone denigrates their faith or sign. Jesus was written about and portrayed in every way possible and yet we don’t see Christians burning property every time anything like that happens. Hinduism has never for a long time responded aggressively to any perceived denigration within its multiplicity of faiths. Nevertheless, Semitic Hinduism has made it a point (at times violently) to respond, particularly when Muslims or Christians are the ‘denigrators. Yet Muslims have often responded to these incidents as if it were their calling. It’s like if they don’t visibly show off their rage, then they’re going to become lesser Muslims.

The problem is that Muslims simply expect the prevailing Islamic ideology to behave in this way. While the Quran is ambiguous about the blasphemy punishment, several passages have been read to legitimize blasphemer killing. And there is Hadith on which there is a scholarly consensus that they will kill all people who denigrate the prophet.

Therefore it is not shocking that of all the countries where blasphemy merits death penalty, almost all happens to Muslim countries. A significant number of minorities, Muslims and others within those countries have been prosecuted under these rules. In addition, some laws were deliberately intended to intimidate minorities. One blasphemy charge is what it takes to put the victim in deep trouble. It is this religious sanction that needs to be challenged for such kind of conduct.

Dr Arshad Alam questions theological views on blasphemyCertainly the situation in Bengaluru was very different. No one had asked for the accused’s execution. They were also trying to lodge a FIR that the police initially denied. The crowd of irate then vented their anger on nearby property and a police station. The police ended up killing three Muslim demonstrators in attempting to quell the disturbance. We all know that, wherever in India, far more Muslims are felled by the police bullet. Despite this figure, Muslims should have been vigilant and a peaceful demonstration should have been staged. But then, as we know and have come to suspect, when the reputation and honor of Prophet is at issue, Muslims appear to lose all logical faculties. It is the unexpected and instinctual reaction the needs to be challenged and questioned. Why else do we explain the reaction if it is not because of the universal approval and theological legitimacy?

It is heartening to note that Muslims have come up with different interpretations of religious practices and argue that such aggression should have been disapproved by the Prophet himself. They remind Muslims how Muhammad has forgiven those who have always disdained him. Both of these definitions will stay on twitter and Facebook accounts, however. Throughout the modern world, the Ulama and her madrasas primarily form the Muslim imagination and acts. Very much will change before they’re faced with these alternate interpretations.

It seems in the midst of the mob frenzy that some Muslims wanted to attack a nearby Hindu temple. Some Muslims thwarted them, who created a human chain to protect the mosque. It is a sobering reminder that morality, and empathy will endure even in the midst of such religious folly. It is obvious then that these Muslims will draw very different lessons from Islam. It is these readings of Islam that eventually will become the dominant reading within Muslim societies.

From some news agency

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