Answering insanity with insanity

‘Muslim world’, which has so far has shrugged off all responsibility and refrained from any self-condemnation.

There is much to worry about in concerned countries about what has become to be known as the ‘Muslim world’, which sporadically indulges itself in acts not only shameful, but sometimes criminal for which it so far has shrugged off all responsibility and refrained from any self-condemnation.

The latest incident which undoubtedly has further disgusted a watching world is the reaction to the insane burning of the Holy Quran in the boondocks of Florida, overseen by an idiot, a supposed ‘pastor,’ Terry Jones, who, on March 20, spurred on a fellow ‘pastor,’ another bigoted half-wit by the name of Wayne Sapp, to do this abominable deed. There were some 30 other idiots watching this act of madness.

American law being American law, there was no action that could be taken against these mad obscurantists other than condemnation by the sensible of a senseless act — in the West and in the ‘Muslim world.’

Then, Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan opened up and his clerics duly heard him. They performed at Friday prayers on April 1, whipping up their congregations, resulting in the storming that day of a UN compound in Mazar-i-Sharif during which eight UN people — in Afghanistan to help the Afghans in their time of trouble — were slaughtered. Violence then reportedly spread to Kabul, Kandahar and Jalalabad.

Not one member of the ‘Muslim world’ stood up to protest against this equally senseless and horrible bloodshed. Why? To the ‘Muslim world’, is the killing of ‘infidels’ (and even other Muslims) by Muslims justified? Some Muslims somewhere should have had the courage and the moral and religious fibre to denounce the Mazar murders. Jihadists and intolerant ignoramuses have for too long perverted and deformed one of the world’s great religions without rebuke from their fellow Muslims or any signs or remorse.

Protests in Pakistan were muted, fortunately, but then what is the youth of Pakistan being taught? That murder in the name of religion is fine and dandy? One instance, for example, was a headline in our press on March 27: “Execution of American pastor demanded”. This was done by a group of young girls of the Imamia Student Organisation of Karachi. And why distort facts? They accused the US government of involvement in the mad burning. Does this nation wish its children to be brought up in ignorance and imbued with violent hatred of the religious type?

OK, protest against insanity, but do not answer insanity with insanity. And what reaction is there to any of the regular suicide bombings that kill poor citizens of Pakistan who are but minding their own business and trying to survive in a country with a government which cares not a whit for them? Why protest about the burning in Florida and keep mouths firmly shut about the horror at DG Khan on April 3 when a shrine — a place dedicated to Islam — was blown up by those dedicated to a different and perverted version of Islam, killing 42 and injuring over 100? A similar silence prevailed over the Lower Dir suicide attack which killed eight and injured 26. The acceptance, even the condoning of bigotry is wicked — as are the violence-inducing blasphemy laws which have frightened the nation into silence.

Where are our brave clerics when members of their own flock are being murdered by their co-religionists? Where are the people of Pakistan who so bravely burn the American flag in protest against this, that and the other, involving foreigners or foreign powers? How about some protests against the slaughter of their fellow citizens? In 2009, when a frenzied mob of good Muslims burnt alive, in a church in Gojra, 14 Christians and along with them over 100 houses of the Christian community, the Christian world did not erupt in retaliation. It was merely horrified and disgusted — unlike the Muslim world which remained unmoved.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2011.