Reflections on Shetubondhon (2):
The Carpet Bombing Approach
Dear Shetubondhon Friends,
Salam and greetings.
Let me take this opportunity to clarify a few aspects that is related to the message of Fatemolla on "Four wives in Islam", which was forwarded by Dr. Sen with generous comments about Fatemolla, and it was that message that largely sparked all this.
Since I have also been writing on News From Bangladesh, sometimes exclusive for NFB and sometimes sharing what I write on Shetubondhon, I have been familiar with the writings of Fatemolla. However, I have decided not to respond to any of his writings, and I have publicly stated that on NFB. First, I don't respond to anyone who assumes penname without revealing his/her identity. Indeed, on NFB one of the most prolific authors has been PROVEN that he used to write under two names and one would praise and build up the other name - the same person - and also their like-minded ones. Using a penname is not uncommon. We have authors on this forum, Mr. Masudur Rahman, who uses also a penname "Aparthib Zaman". Azad was the penname of Mualana Abul Kalam. But I don't engage in any exchange without knowing and understanding who the person is.
Secondly, I don't respond to those people who don't establish a "frame of reference" for themselves and their writings. Dr. Sen, a friend as well as a fellow subscriber and moderator, is an agnostic and secularist. I may disagree with him on occasions and he does the same, but our frame of reference is clear and public. Furthermore, despite having some rather strong and fundamental differences, we are good friends and we have quite a few important things to agree on. I am a Muslim; he is an agnostic/secularist. We know each other's frame of reference. Fatemolla is one such author who won't establish a frame of reference. Is he a Muslim? Does he believe in Islam? He seems to have or want to have it both ways.
In contrast to three different groups of believers among Muslims, one of the secularists/agnostics, such as Aparthib Zaman, identifies Fatemolla as "SFT (Secular Free Thinkers ): These are people like Mr Fatemolla an others" ["On Trivialization, where Credit is due etc" http://www.bangladesh-web.com/news/feb/12/gv4n482.htm#4] But that's Mr. Rahman's characterization of Fatemolla - one could argue.
In the following excerpt, Fatemolla seems to be actually unhappy that "his religion" is being used "as the most dangerous tool to oppress the poor, especially women." How would one understand "his religion" in this context? Does he regard himself as a Muslim or does he not? He wrote:
"By the way, recently I saw in many places that fatemolla is bashing Islam. I don’t know what he is bashing, but he is surely screaming from the courtyard of the oppressed poor. And he saw that one of the effective tools of this century-old cruel oppression is Islam. He is only objecting to it. If there is no cry of pain due to religion, there is no need of writing at all. Indeed the world of Pankaj Udhas/Hritik Roshan/Oishwaria Rai/Kobiguru is a better place to enjoy than writing "Unreadable"s. fatemolla does not want to see his religion as the most dangerous tool to oppress poor, especially women. Bring and show your "Real Islam" in reality, molla is even ready to die with a smile of satisfaction on his lips." [Fatemolla, SHEIKH-UL GAZZAB ! http://www.bangladesh-web.com/news/feb/12/gv4n482.htm#3]
Thirdly, (this is the context where his identity becomes really murky), there is a new approach adopted by certain segments of secularists, who believe that to shake up the Muslims and to "humanize" or "secularize" them (which basically means to disconnect them from Islam - i.e., the Islam of the Qu'ran and exemplified in the Prophet Muhammad), there is a need to adopt a "carpet bombing" approach. [Note: The expression "carpet bombing" approach was mentioned to me by a secularist Bangladeshi author in our private correspondence, where he described this approach of his fellow secularists as such. Interestingly, his name is equally promimently mentioned in the list of carpet bombing warriors below by one of his fellow authors.] Though the methodology is quite sophisticated and subtle, the approach is simple and straightforward: mount vicious and virile attacks - deliberately. Thus, as part of the attack, the prophet was a child molestor or even a rapist; he was a heartless murderer who committed genocide; he was a megalomaniac. Such attacks are intellectual as well as purportedly based on their unmasking the real Islam. To them, Mullahs like the Talibans are the true followers of Islam. Interesting coincidence of their opinion with Talibans! Their attack is directly against Islam. They are not trying to bring about or desiring any positive changes in the Muslim society. Their approach is basically that Islam is the problem. It is the enemy - to some, the only remaining enemy - of mankind. The solution is simple: get rid of Islam, TAKE CARE of Islam. Islam needs to be secularized and humanized. Only Islam that is tolerable is a personal Islam - mostly Sufi/spiritual type. Barring that, Islam is like a disease, which needs to be cured. It's like a cancer in human society, where the bad cells need to be removed or destroyed.
Toward this goal, no holds barred. If this means annulling democratic elections as was in Algeria and turning the country into military dictatorship - that's fine with these freethinkers and humanists. These are the same people who did not call or insist for an investigation as to who killed police constable Badsha Mian in the mosque or how was he killed. They had no qualm with the fact that based on mere allegation, people are already in jail under Public Safety Act in Bangladesh. Then, just recently some of the jailed people have been released after torture. They were tortured to secure a confession. Did we hear any principled protest in this regard from freethinkers/humanists. NOPE. These are the champions of modern progress, humanism, secularism, democracy and so on, while clamoring for taking care of Islam - the sole surviving enemy of mankind.
Just read the following comments from another such penname, Ali Sina, presumably a "freethinker" of Iranian origin. [Note: I think Ali Sina is a fictitious "Hotmail" identity, with a "Dr." title. He does not have either the integrity or ability to call a half-debate a half-debate. See my "Half-Marriage and the Debate That Never Was".] Among several anonymous websites dedicated to the "carpet bombing" approach by free-thinkers is http://free.freespeech.org/rationalthinking/. Apparently, this brand of "rational thinking" has only one target: Islam. That whole site under "rational thinking" is dedicated to the sole surviving enemy of mankind: Islam.
a. Islam: The sole surviving enemy of human species
"With the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in Islamic countries, Islam has become a serious and a real threat to the survival of our species." [Ali Sina in same citation above]
"please understand that Islam is not like Christianity, Zoroastrianism or any other religion. Islam is a religion that teaches hate. Hate is the message of Islam. Hate is the essence of Islam. Every other thing in Islam, all its rituals and dogmas are gearing you for this ultimate purpose, which is hate." [Ali Sina, "My response to a Bangladeshi Intellectual," http://bangladesh-web.com/news/may/23/gv4n575.htm#A1] Please note the uniqueness of Islam. Also, everything in Islam is geared toward one ultimate purpose: hate. How much hate and prejudice a person must be harboring in his heart, one can only wonder!
b. Islam is like Nazism and the Prophet was a "megalomaniac"
"Islam is like Nazism; both these doctrines preach hate. One stands for the superiority of a race and the other of a religion. But in essence, they both believe in the same precepts. They both advanced by war. They both are divisive and sectarian. They were both born out of the minds of charismatic but narcissistic megalomaniac mad men. How would you qualify the intellectual Nazi who upholds that doctrine of hate and calls it teachings of love?" [same citation above]
c. Islam must go
"... I think Islam is harmful and must go ... Islam must go because it teaches hate, it orders killing the non-Muslims, it denigrates women and it violates the human rights. Islam must go not because it is false but because it is destructive, because it is a danger; a threat to peace and security of humankind. With the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in Islamic countries, Islam has become a serious and a real threat to the survival of our species." [Ali Sina, Mission Statement of Rational Thinking site, http://free.freespeech.org/rationalthinking/]
Please note that it's not that Islamic fundamentalism or extremism or abuses in the name of Islam has to go. Islam must go. So, how might it made "go"? Well, Ali Sina's candid call goes much further.
These people visit, revisit and then visit again the same issues, such as polygamy (actually, polygyny), until, as they expect and hope, Islam dies or it is killed. Thus, when these people open their mouth about Islam and Muslims with a killer instinct and keep talking about these same issues again and again without the least effort to understand the pertinent issues, it is not surprising that some people would just like to part their ways, instead of engaging in perennially disputed issues. No conscientious Muslim would dignify such discussion or exchanges by responding, except when they are not aware of the whole game, where there is no rule. These people use fictitious names and fictitious debates, such as the alleged debate between Ali Sina and Ayatullah Montazeri, where there was only half-debate - meaning no debate. Complete lies, half-truths, distortions, vilification, denial of history or some combination of all these - name it and it's there. So what do secularislam.org, free.freespeech.org/RATIONALTHINKING/, and the Islamexposed archive of HINDUUNITY.org have in common? Guess what? The Carpet Bombing squad Hall of Fame dedicated toward taking care of Islam.
Well, who was sending those Half-debates of somone Ali Sina to NFB? One of the luminaries of this squad, Dr. Jaffor Ullah - initially, of course, withholding that piece of information, keeping the readers of NFB in the dark as to who was sending it. Probably, Dr. Sen himself did not know when he forwarded messages from Dr. Jaffor Ullah (earlier) and Mr. Fatemolla (recently) that they are privileged members of the intellectual "carpet-bombing" squad against Islam. Fatemolla, with his alleged expertise in Islam (which means that he can quote and piece together Qur'an and hadith at ease), is one of the vanguards of this "carpet-bombing" approach against Islam; new home-grown crusaders to take care of the only remaining enemy of mankind: Islam. At one of the leading sites representing this approach, Mr. Fatemolla is a distinguished person receiving high accolades for his contribution. One person writes: "I whole heartedly support Fatemolla in exposing the cruelty and double standards practiced in Islam. ... Long live Taslima. Long live Fatemolla." [http://www.secularislam.org/visitors/guest29.htm]
Please don't take my word for it. Dr. Sen several times have categorically condemned the Hindu extremists. However, he is probably not quite in tune with the reality as far as the carpet bombing hall of fame. Interestingly, these new age, home-grown crusaders have bed-partners that Dr. Sen has conscientiously condemned and exposed. What might secularislam.org has to do with hinduunity.org? You judge! See the following, interesting excerpt from Hinduunity.org (FIGHTING FOR A HINDU RASTRA! JAI BHARAT MATA!):
In "Breaking the manacle (i.e., a shackle for the hand or wrist) of Islam" an author writes: "I must pay homage to the few braves who took the risk to demystify Islam. Therefore, I say—Long live Salman Rushdie. Long Live Taslima Nasrin. Long Live Anwar Seikh. Long Live Dr. Ali Sina. Long Live Ibn Warraq. Long Live Prof. Ausaf Ali. Long Live Dr. Jaffor Ullah. Long Live Fatemollah. Long Live Jamal Hasan. Long Live Kamran Mirza. Long Live Khurshed Chowdhury. Long Live Satya Sandhani. Long Live Mohammad Khan. Long Live Avijit Roy Long Live Shabbir Ahmed. Long Live Jahed Ahmed. Long live Narayan Gupta. You are the pioneers. You have taught me how to think the unthinkable. You have taught me how to be courageous. You have taught me how to rekindle the human spirit. You have taught me how to fight for the justice. You have taught me how to accept merciless criticisms with grace. You have taught me how to conquer the unconquerable. A hundred years from now humanity will remember you as the greatest innovators in finding a cure for the religious blinds. That is because you dared to think differently. Truly, you are the alarm bells of the Mullahs. History won’t forget you for being the Agradoot (harbinger) who are bent on breaking the manacles of Islam." [http://pub6.ezboard.com/fhinduunityislamexposedarchivesonly.showMessage?topicID=170.topic
I think my friend, Dr. Sen, now knows better about these people, including Fatemolla, whom he regarded as an "academician", not "missionary". However, I would like to leave it to him if he wants to share his experience or thought about this breed of secularists/humanists/freethinkers. Indeed, Mr. Masudur Rahman has quite a few times come to defense of such secular freethinkers. [see the earlier citation of Mr. Rahman's article in NFB] I would not be surprised if more inductees' name are added to that roomy hall of fame of "Carpet Bomb Squad".
So what does all this have to do with the frustration and disgust in regard to messages pertaining to plurarity of marriages? Why do they consider such matters as "nagging tales?"
[continued in Part III]
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Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq
Upper Iowa University
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