The Fault Lies Within!

With sectarian violence spreading rapidly like a wild bushfire across the Islamic world, it is indeed heartrending to see how some Muslims are baying for each other’s blood and desecrating sacred places. What is even more depressing is that the perpetuators of these abhorrent acts, which are explicitly prohibited in Islam, appear to have no remorse and instead seek to justify their shameful deeds by giving bizarre and even sacrilegious religious interpretations for defending their self-serving interests. Thus, the combined protest by Shias and Sunnis organised under the banner of Ittihadul Muslimeen in Srinagar after last Friday prayers is not only welcome and timely but also a much needed initiative for jointly  expressing the strongest condemnation of those, who by attacking each other and destroying their places of worship are in effect, assaulting Islam! 

During the demonstration organised by Ittihadul Muslimeen, the protesters directed their ire at Washington and Tel Aviv claiming that “Both America and Israel are hell-bent to create sectarian clashes among Shias and Sunnis not only in Iraq but in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria and in various other Muslim majority countries.” This accusation may certainly have merit as it is no secret that it was the Americans who initiated a massive clandestine programme for distorting Islamic teachings just to suit their nefarious motives of waging a ‘proxy war’ against the Soviets in Afghanistan through ‘mujahideen’. The revival of radical fundamentalism and creation of the Taliban by them opened floodgates for the re-emergence of various obscurant and regressive sects whose perverse ‘teachings’ promoting bloodletting had long been rejected by the Islamic ‘umma’ as these not only debased the very fundamentals of Islam, which preaches peace and brotherhood but also violated its basic teaching that killing a man is akin to killing all mankind!

 Unfortunately, even after the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan and the Americans had called- off their ‘proxy war’, such groups continued to multiply, as they attracted hordes of misguided zealots who had been ‘brainwashed’ into believing  that killing people would ‘earn’ them a place in paradise! However, even though America and its ‘friends’ stand guilty on this account, we just cannot pass off the entire blame for what is happening onto others and completely absolve ourselves of any responsibility for the same. Thus, while the idea of jointly condemning sectarian violence is indeed commendable, the fact remains that even if it is America and Israel who are stoking the fire of sectarian animosity amongst Muslims, at the end of the day, the grim reality is that, it is not them but our own people who are actually indulging in and committing such unholy acts against each other!  

The reasons for the phenomenal proliferation of radical terrorist groups are twofold. Firstly, it gives the wily opportunists a chance to fulfill their lust for power by misleading their followers who are already ‘religiously- intolerant’. Such unscrupulous people have been able to enlist the complete loyalty and unquestioning obedience of their followers by falsely claiming that, since the wanton acts of violence and depredation being propagated by them have a ‘religious sanction’, fulfilling the same is their followers’ ‘sacred’ duty. Secondly, some nations and influential groups afflicted by the repugnant malady of sectarianism have found it convenient to further their parochial interests by patronising violent groups with similar sectarian mindsets. The obnoxious part of all this is that these patrons are not ‘infidels’ but our own people, who while professing to be ‘devout’ Muslims are playing the dubious ‘double-role’ of secretly espousing sectarian violence and then publically shedding copious tears on its victims!

This brings out the harsh reality that the fault for the rise of sectarianism lies within us as, we have somehow unknowingly allowed sectarian thoughts to enter our minds, which has made us stray from the path of true Islam. While we may have no control over outsiders who are promoting sectarian passions amongst us, we can certainly introspect and remedy this malaise by not falling prey to such evil designs. Therefore, the focus of protests against sectarianism needs to shift from accusations directed at others to the condemnation of our own brethren who are blatantly violating Islamic teachings by promoting or following this despicable practice. We must emphasise that if we are true to our faith and are determined to remain so, then no power on earth can make us deviate from the righteous path of Islam!

Sectarianism has already taken roots in the Gilgit- Baltistan region of Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) and sporadic cases of sectarian violence have also occurred in the past in Indian administered Kashmir (IaK) too. We are no doubt lucky that leaders of both communities are taking pains to ensure that sectarianism is not allowed to raise its ugly head in Kashmir valley and the people here are wholeheartedly cooperating by unanimously endorsing sectarian amity. So, while there is no need to be unduly alarmed on this account, there is certainly no room for complacency either. We need to understand that there are many with vested interests who have no scruples in stooping down to any level just in order to create a sectarian rift in Kashmir. 

While joint show of solidarity towards sectarian harmony through protests is most welcome, this by itself cannot achieve anything substantial. Therefore, there is a need for the leaders and clerics of both sects to continuously sensitise the public on this issue and build up resilience amongst their followers against provocation. The Hurriyat as well as civil society too needs to play a more active role in preserving sectarian harmony, as its existence in Kashmir is bound to annoy fanatics, who will leave no stone unturned to let loose the scourge of sectarianism here. So, this Ramazan, in the true spirit of Islam, let us eschew sectarianism and exchange the gift of amity with each other!

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