We are missing "salaam"

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEYF3zCd47w

I tried to see the film on Mohammed on YouTube. And my message should be taken as a call to all the human being on the earth . . . Muslims . . . . as well as non Muslim . . . The problem is when half cooked half baked people go berserk . . . go mad on the streets, the intellectuals/ middle class, who is the ultimate loser in any turbulence, remains quite . . . we must be vocal . . . So, I request people to decide and come out of their houses . . . decide as a human being . . .

Most of the movie is in Arabic – not possible for me to understand. The three slides in the beginning – that I am a Christian born in Iraq . . . and I am an Iraqi – and this movie is made by a jew . . . . gives lot of indications to me . . . I don’t know if people remember – but when American/ European forces were bombing Iraq – Baghadad in 2002,  in one of the videos – a lady popping out of her car and showing cross sign was enough indication regarding the people who were happy with the invasion. To me it reflected the pathetic situation of the minorities in Muslim countries which had made this lady happy when Americans and Europeans had invaded Iraq . . . and now if an Iraqi - the Christian - makes a movie on Islamic prophet, I can guess his feelings. . . Gandhis are not born everyday . . .  usually people respond in tit for tat . . .

I respect any and every great person and as a Hindu I believe that every religion in this world is true – every religion in this world is just to spread the knowledge of the almighty . . .

About Prophet Mohammed, one must appreciate that an orphan had climbed up to the king/ axis of the largest empire of the contemporary world . . . still he was living as a simple man . . . any other man . . .

I believe we must respect personal lives of any one especially great people . . . We must look at the good things . . . especially sex and food habit is too personal to be discussed in public specially to give judgment on that . . . to conclude based on that . . .

About monogamy and polygamy – I am still trying to learn from where this concept of STRICT monogamy started . . . sex being highly personal issue at the same time one of the most important weapons of the rulers since time immemorial. . . so when a ruler married some one – we don’t know whether it was for sex or as a diplomatic decision!

Coming to Islam as a religion, as I have told earlier – I believe that every religion is true . . . and so is Islam . . . not even single leaf in this world moves without the will and wish of the almighty . . . but the problem arise when people say or think that only their leaf moved with the wish of the almighty . . . Islam is more aggressive than any other religion because prophet Mohammed escaped the life threat and he had to live like a fugitive. . . a road side robber in Medina . . .

Quran, as usual like any other ancient text/ law book (like present day law book of any country) is full of ifs and buts . . . gives contradictory statements for similar instances . . . probably depending upon situation . . . People – selfish people have used those statements to ignite the poor, uneducated mass to create troubles for others . . .

I feel western world is squarely responsible for the growth of the so called Islamic fundamentalists . . .  I feel they should be better called as misguided people . . . misguided at the behest of the powerful of the region. . .

I know there are people who can discuss and will like to discuss the issues in Quran . . . or other religions . . . but I suggest – please don’t get trapped . . . please don’t get trapped because this trap has been there for thousands of years . . . no one could solve it . . . no one could finish it . . . not even the prophet Mohammed . . . remember – there were revolts even in his rule! And I am saying it not because I don’t know about Quran/ Sharia . . . I am saying it as I am fed up of discussing it . . .

So I am not here to clarify about the statements in Quran . . . or about Mohammed – ok I think one thing which I can say that about Mohammed being pedophile . . . that was not abnormal those days . . . Aisha – the daughter of Abu Bakar – was betrothed first at the age of 6 years by IBN MUTIM – to whom she was supposed to get married – and please also remember that IBN MUTIM was not a Muslim! About all of his wives – no one was betrothed by Mohammed . . . all were widows/ divorcees/ slaves . . . I think one should appreciate his intent to give a woman a status of some one’s wife rather than being a kept/ divorcee/ widow . . .

But my purpose of this note is to give the message to the common person – Muslim or non Muslim . . . that, for middle class in this world who is struggling to meet his two ends . . . these are petty issues . . . have no significance in today’s’ life . . . What we must oppose is DESTRUCTION . . . . VIOLENCE . . . by any one . . . for any reason . . . if you don’t oppose one violence . . . you will face another violence . . . that’s my fear . . .

Friends . . . anyone who has made a house . . . bought a window pane of his own money, knows the cost of constructing a house . . . the sweat one has to put in to it . . .

But what I have seen, Muslim middle class . . . intellectuals . . . refrain from opposing the mindless action of destruction or violence . . . I have met many patients coming from Arab countries . . . they do say that Jehad is a personal issue – but they stop at that . . . I talk to many Indian Muslim friends – they are shocked at my idea of opposing the violence!!! I am surprised . . .

Through this note, I request and suggest one and all . . . please come out of your houses . . . . To oppose the violence . . . . which is being spreaded by people who feel thay are protecting mohammed . . . protecting Islam . . . DO YOU THINK THE ALMIGHTY NEEDS OUR HELP???? If he needs our help then he cant be almighty . . . so just relax . . .

I suggest you must oppose the violence and destruction . . . if you could not stop/ oppose it today . . . you will be at loss . . . 

Learn to live together

South of Himalayas is human laboratory for sociology and culture. For thousands of years thousands of people have delivered their messages regarding ways to live and attain divinity. Most of us forget that most of the time.

In Hyderabad, "Old City" and "communally sensitive" are perceptually, permanently, conjoined.

It doesn't matter who you talk to -- hotel managers, cab drivers (including Mohammad Bashir, himself a Muslim, but quick to point out that he does not live in the Old City), journalists, whoever -- they all say it like that: "communally sensitive Old City". Some say it with rueful tolerance, as pointing to a particularly troublesome member of the family; some with an undertone of embarrassed disgust, as if wishing this blot on Hyderabad's reputation as a budding cyber capital would somehow just go away; some say it matter of fact. "Communally sensitive Old City...".




Charminar is famous for many things, which cater to all the needs of the people of Hyderabad. In its heyday, the Charminar market had some 14,000 shops. Today the famous markets known as Laad Baazar and Pather Gatti, near the Charminar, are a favour, of tourists and locals alike for jewellery, especially known for exquisite bangles and pearls respectively. During the season of Sankranthi, the area is completely crowded with vendors selling kites. And there is nothing around Charminar and none come for shopping during Ramzan!

"People can think what they want, but we Muslims have no problems with the Hindus here," says Mohammad Sayed, a young man who runs a fruit juice outlet bang opposite Mecca Masjid, the 400-year-old mosque adjacent the Charminar 

Sayed points to a corner of the Charminar, visible from where we stand opposite Mecca Masjid. "Look there, that is a Hindu temple, part of the Charminar. 

"Everyone outside the Old City says Hindus and Muslims have problems here, that this is a communally sensitive place. Who ek tharah ka fashion hai, saab," Sayed says. That is not true, we don't have any problems with the Hindus, all our problems are with the police, and with the government."

Today I came across a news regarding on Bhagylakshmi temple near Charminar in Hyderabad. Government in Andhra Pradesh has banned ringing of bell in Sri Bhagyalakshmi Temple in Char Minar area in Bhagyanagar. The Government has also imposed ban on performing ‘Maha-aarti’ and has deployed police force to implement the ban.  Police personals have been deployed to hold the bells!

Whats more surprising is in an article, one Mr. J. S. IFTHEKHAR  writes that ASI should shift the temple!  http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/article1097178.ece

What they forget is,  in the city of Muslims, in the area of Muslims, a temple at the base of Charminar would not have cropped up after building of Charminar! Surly Charminar would have been built wantedly and knowingly close to the temple . . . or might be . . . very much possible, after demolishing the temple . . . and now they want the temple to be shifted!!!


I wouldn't support shifting of any of the structures, rather what would have been constructive and secular as well is, government should have declared the Charminar with the Bhagylakshmi temple as the heritage and recommended so to the UNESCO as well! although the Charminar and temple are so closely situated that they are inseperable and the property which has been declared as heritage by UNESCO also includes the temple, but name of the temple is missing from the documents!