Speak against Islam and You Become Progressive

Since liberation a misconception that we waged war against religion - Islam, since the Pakistani junta engaged in a dirty plan to eliminate us on the excuse of Islam - occupied many evil brains. But was it so? Did we reject Islam in the fight against the Pakistani junta? After liberation, the constitution made by a section of the renowned lawyers reportedly experts on constitutional matters included two things which were hitherto not very familiar to the common people; and those were secularism and socialism. Every body knew that Godlessness will never hold ground in this soil where more than twelve 'awlias' have been enshrined and millions of their devotees are scattered across the country. Yet for whose sake these two basic 'principles' of our state were included in the constitution God alone knows. The common people never accepted secularism and that is very much manifest in the fact that the preachers of socialism or communism never gained more than one or two seats at best in the parliament. And now the leaders of the leftist parties have either took shelter under the umbrella of one of the three big parties or have become 'vox wagon' parties. But interestingly they have been able to brainwash many of our young generations who took socialism more as an adventure than other theories. But behind them there are some chameleon like members of the so-called intelligentsia whose tails seem to be tangled somewhere else. In the name of secularism or non-communalism, they have engaged themselves in casting smear upon mainly Islam. Especially in the last few years, they have been campaigning against Islam with a renewed vigor and have been shrewdly attacking whatever speaks of Islamic culture, tradition and traits. One clear example is that whereas no drama, cinema or documentary either made in Bangladesh or in India based on Hindu writers' work are seldom without the presentation of the temples and other Hindu rituals and Hindu deities before who the heroes ad heroines are seen prostrating in supplication to them. But those are never labeled as 'communal', but in a movie, drama etc where Islamic culture and tradition, and even a prayer-mat or mosque is shown, it will be called a 'communal' work inn no time. And for that reason one will hardly see any such movie, drama etc that reflect Islamic culture and tradition. Please don't misunderstand me, because the works of the Hindu, Christian or Buddhist writers must reveal the characters of their own community and there can be no objection whatsoever but then they are not regarded as 'communal' but to show a mosque, a devotee on a prayer-mat raising hands in supplication to Allah Almighty take no time to be labeled as communal. And comments and remarks leveled against Islam and its traits are the essential elements of 'progressiveness'. This seems very strange in a country where, it is claimed, 85% people are Muslims. On the contrary, in India Hindus are a vast majority. It's quite natural that temples and homes with deities, are shown in their movies, soap operas,literature and documentaries. In many movies Muslim characters have been lowed down to exalt Hindu culture, tradition and religion. But even then there are many movies that shows noble, honest and patriotic Muslim characters. This is no less appreciable than the exaltation of their own religion and culture. But they are never seen to have exalted a Muslim character in a movie degrading another of other religion, if it's not a story with a Muslim background. But what happens in Bangladesh? One Taslima degraded Islamic values and tradition and, may be, became a heroine. Salman Rushdie vilified Islam and its Holy Prophet and became a hero over-night. In Bagladesh many secular educated personalities criticize Islam without having any in-depth knowledge of the Holy Qur'an and Hadith. Most tragically they have grown aspersion to Islam though they bear Muslim names and their parents were said to be Muslims. Moreover, they have never given reason enough to justify that Islam is a regressive, ancient and backward-looking out-of-date religion. They've chosen the most shortcut way to expose themselves as 'progressive' just by calling Islam a violent, aggressive and out-of-date religion. It's also very, very shocking how so-called Islamist parties fight one another like a particular species. While none of them disagree that Allah Almighty, His Words (the Holy Qur'an), His Prophet, Kalema (faith), the Quiblah - all are one and unique,they pick a quarrel over trivial things. Without striving to go into research work on how Islamic laws and dictates could bring peace and harmony among the people of different faiths, they are engaged in fighting for mundane comfort and power. The terrible crimes and vices such as murder, rape, kidnapping, plundering, grabbing, extortion, misappropriation of public money and trust that have gripped our society could be effectively checked had there been Islamic laws and order in force. Remember ex-President Clinton's speech to rein in HIV AIDS etc? He stressed on the need for religious values and tradition to put effective check on those dreadful disease. Even today, many including the top bosses in the govt have raised their voices to give capital punishment for rape and murder. But no. They are engaged in their own mundane business. Do they not see that the enemy bombs never discriminate between Sunnis and Shi'as, between Salafis and Ahle Hadith and so on? They should not forget that when Allah Almighty's 'faisala' will come, they would have no excuses. In actuality they are no less responsible for the division and strife among Muslims than those preaching so-called secularism. May Allah save us from the hypocrites.