DWS Extra

At least that is what I think. Sharique has written an open letter to the firebrand atheist (and anti-Islamist) writer on indianmuslims.in

I have a few problems with it, though.

Before that, just how does she spell her name? In the Indianmuslims.in post, her name is mentioned as both Nasrin and Nasreen – and strangely, even her website does the same thing. An attempt to get visitors through search engines by both? Or a genuine error? Anyway as this post too mentions both the versions, I think even I would get some extra visitors!

Now to the actual letter.

Sharique talks about an aunt who barely escaped from Bengali Muslim rioters. Somehow he confuses stuff here.

Little girl somehow survived the attack. But she developed a deep rooted hatred for Muslims.

And in the next paragraph, he says:

Anyone would have developed hatred for Islam but she didn’t. Her hatred was more directed at Bengalis.

Umm, so who does the aunt dislike? Muslims or Bengalis?

Sharique then goes on to say thus:

The reason why I mentioned this story was to prove that actions of few cannot be taken of the whole community.

It doesn’t prove anything of the sort, Sharique. Bengalis are a community too, so the story just says that one community was not the target of the aunt’s hatred but another one.

…there are people who have perhaps seen worse than you but are still practicing Muslims.

So? Their choice, her choice, isn’t it? Or the point he is trying to make is that some people did not get angry enough to reject their religion, so Taslima should do so too? Everyone has their own ways of dealing with trajedy, and one way is not necessarily better than the other.

Why should you blame the religion for acts of few morons who are trying to manipulate religion for their own needs. Quran has been misinterpreted to extract political mileage out of it.

Valid point. But I don’t think they are morons. Some of the people who manipulate religion are very smart at it. The rest truly believe that what they say and do is what their religion dictates them. So it is a matter of faith. Quran has been misinterpreted; so have all other religions’ texts. But when misinterpretation is an everyday thing – and there are large numbers of people and mullahs / priests doing it, how is one to know what is the authoritative version of the instructions? I am sure there are a few Muslims who would think even the letter to Taslima Nasrin is an offence, and the writer should be punished for even trying to reason it out with her. How is a third-party to know if they are right or wrong according to the religion?

I must also tell you that most of your logic against Islam is based on your limited knowledge. I have replied once (Answering Taslima Nasrin) to your article in Outlook. If a person like me, who is a novice as far as Islamic knowledge is concerned, can refute your claims then imagine your situation in front of learned men. You are not achieving anything by your critique of Islam.

Hey hey. Not so fast. I am sure Taslima Nasrin would reply to the first line saying that Sharique’s logic for Islam is based on his limited knowledge!

I read Sharique’s answer to Taslima on his personal blog. She has an English translation, and he has an English translation. Which is right? I am sure they both would stand by their translations. They can both refer back to the original in Arabic, but I am sure if you put two Mullahs in a room, they would fight over it to, with their differing interpretations. And one might even declare the other an infidel.

Sorry, Sharique. You have not proved anything in your post. You have just offered a counter-point, and it might be right or wrong. And I am sure there will be many who take both sides.

Again, Sharique rushes ahead assuming too many things.

See I am just asking you to think and argue logically…

Why? Religion is a matter of faith, not logic as far as I know.

Islam is too big a thing to understand, particularly by an individual based on self study, and nothing can deter the Quran and Hadeeth.

That is the point of view of a believer, and believer only. A Christian can say the same thing about Bible, and a Muslim can refute that if he wants. I am sure another believer would agree to that, but Taslima is not a believer. Who is Sharique talking to?

I am sure you know that the safety of Quran (along with the safety of Mecca) has been guaranteed by Allah (SWT). No one can change a word in the holy book. The various huffaz (people who have memorized the Quran by heart) and alims can trash your criticism of Islam.

I don’t know about the first part of that paragraph, so I am not touching that issue. However, I am sure Taslima believes that she can trash the huffaz and alims, and religious scholars from all religions generally are confident that they can all trash each others’ beliefs. And that athiests believe they can trash all of them together. That is just a boast, Sharique. The same kind of boast believers in every religion routinely make.

I like Sharique’s requestto Taslima to reconsider her decision, though. Such innocence still brings tears to my eyes.

But the ending was on a bad note I think.  Sharique asks Taslima not to wear a particular pair of jeans which he calls ‘crappy’. First, is calling a woman’s attire ‘crappy’ is islamic? I don’t know… Two, are true believers allowed to comment on a woman’s attire? (I am sure any two scholars would have totally opposing opinions on that!). And three, is the objection only to this pair of jeans, or to jeans in general, or to women wearing jeans? Perhaps a short skirt would get his approval?