In this 21st century, those of us who strive for reformation should not be dubbed as non-believers and condemned.
NIDDERAU, GERMANY: This is with reference to Khaled Ahmed’s article of August 18 titled “A matter of interpretation”. What I like about Khaled Ahmad is that he takes the subject he writes about very seriously, remains true to it and does not air it to suit his own feelings and views. Of course, whether one agrees with the subject is another matter.
This is not to say we should abandon criticism, suppress our views and fall silent. As Winston Churchill noted: “Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function of pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.”
In this 21st century, those of us who strive for reformation should not be dubbed as non-believers and condemned. A society can only live happily and survive if both sides are brought to light. This is particularly true of faith-related issues.
Is it acceptable that while Muslims can build mosques in non-Muslim countries, encourage others to join Islam, sometimes successfully, but threaten to kill any Muslim who leaves the faith?
Sharif Lone
Published in The Express Tribune, August 20th, 2011.
