Our Battle
Amid growing sectarian violence and an unstoppable drag towards a civil war, from the tone of US administration it can be inferred that Washington has all but conceded Iraq as a misadventure gone wrong. Instead of the steadfast resolve of "stay the course", the buzzword now is "change tactics according to situation on ground". Though the administration will not concede it openly, it is looking for a respectable exit from Iraq.
This approach is not confined to Iraq only. Same vibes are imminent in Afghanistan as well where US and NATO have hinted at engaging Taliban and other radical elements. Irrespective of what were US's motives of waging these wars and whether they have been achieved or not, this conflict now is no more a conflict of US but has increasingly become the conflict of liberal, main-stream Muslims. For in case of a US exit from region, it will be termed as a victory for hardliners and radicals will gain a lot of ground in their quest to control Islamic world.
In case of any such take over, Muslim world will be subject to their narrow-minded regressive rule and any hopes of renaissance or progress will die for centuries to come. We will be subject to an era where in the name of religion every single issue will be viewed from the narrow eye of radicals. Time will be worst for human rights, women rights, scientific thinking, progress, culture, in short society at large.
I know there are many among us who think that West itself does not believe in the ideals it portrays and its cry of human rights etc is simple hypocrisy. While accepting that West's record on human rights, war crimes etc is far short of exemplary, any rational soul searching will tell us that West is head and shoulders above us when it comes to social justice, human rights, tolerance, respect for human life, a representative political order etc. Yes there exists a lot of room for improvement even in the Western record on these ideals but the world outside West and especially the radicals are no match for this Western record. One can only pray for guidance of those who consider Taliban rule in Afghanistan or Iranian or Saudi Arabian theocracies to be more just than West. West is a long shot, these regressive regimes are even worse than the other tyrannies and monarchies in the Islamic World itself.
Whether we accept it or not, radicalism and rise of political Islam is the biggest challenge facing us Muslims today. If we succumb to it or go with it, our centuries will be doomed. Our only chance lies in standing against this tide of radicalism. This is a battle in which we will be all alone. This is our battle and we will have to fight it on our own.
And for this battle we will have to be mindful that this battle will require tough decisions and bold actions on our part. We cannot confront the hash of radicalism with opium of Sufism as the torchbearers of enlightened moderation will make you believe. We will need to be forward thinking. We will have to pick rational and logic in place of blind faith and following. We will have to rely on the power of human wisdom rather than clutches of tableegh and tasawaf that are nothing but tools of escapism for most. We will be required to be brutally honest with ourselves for our deeds, our thoughts and logic of our decisions and preferences. We will have to challenge the holy grails of pseudo-religious taboos and social values head-on or what await us are multiple centuries of darkness and ignorance. No half baked solutions will work here. The challenge that faces us requires taking sides. It is up to us to embrace logic or carry on with socio-religious convention.
Your views are welcome on this.
This approach is not confined to Iraq only. Same vibes are imminent in Afghanistan as well where US and NATO have hinted at engaging Taliban and other radical elements. Irrespective of what were US's motives of waging these wars and whether they have been achieved or not, this conflict now is no more a conflict of US but has increasingly become the conflict of liberal, main-stream Muslims. For in case of a US exit from region, it will be termed as a victory for hardliners and radicals will gain a lot of ground in their quest to control Islamic world.
In case of any such take over, Muslim world will be subject to their narrow-minded regressive rule and any hopes of renaissance or progress will die for centuries to come. We will be subject to an era where in the name of religion every single issue will be viewed from the narrow eye of radicals. Time will be worst for human rights, women rights, scientific thinking, progress, culture, in short society at large.
I know there are many among us who think that West itself does not believe in the ideals it portrays and its cry of human rights etc is simple hypocrisy. While accepting that West's record on human rights, war crimes etc is far short of exemplary, any rational soul searching will tell us that West is head and shoulders above us when it comes to social justice, human rights, tolerance, respect for human life, a representative political order etc. Yes there exists a lot of room for improvement even in the Western record on these ideals but the world outside West and especially the radicals are no match for this Western record. One can only pray for guidance of those who consider Taliban rule in Afghanistan or Iranian or Saudi Arabian theocracies to be more just than West. West is a long shot, these regressive regimes are even worse than the other tyrannies and monarchies in the Islamic World itself.
Whether we accept it or not, radicalism and rise of political Islam is the biggest challenge facing us Muslims today. If we succumb to it or go with it, our centuries will be doomed. Our only chance lies in standing against this tide of radicalism. This is a battle in which we will be all alone. This is our battle and we will have to fight it on our own.
And for this battle we will have to be mindful that this battle will require tough decisions and bold actions on our part. We cannot confront the hash of radicalism with opium of Sufism as the torchbearers of enlightened moderation will make you believe. We will need to be forward thinking. We will have to pick rational and logic in place of blind faith and following. We will have to rely on the power of human wisdom rather than clutches of tableegh and tasawaf that are nothing but tools of escapism for most. We will be required to be brutally honest with ourselves for our deeds, our thoughts and logic of our decisions and preferences. We will have to challenge the holy grails of pseudo-religious taboos and social values head-on or what await us are multiple centuries of darkness and ignorance. No half baked solutions will work here. The challenge that faces us requires taking sides. It is up to us to embrace logic or carry on with socio-religious convention.
Your views are welcome on this.
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