In response to :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/message/5989
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/message/5988
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/message/5964
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This debate reminds me of a similar debate in another forum
where a religious apologist (A PhD) tried to make the point that
Islam encouraged and PRODUCED renowned scientists in past
I argued that it is not Islam which produced scientists, but the
critical thinking and the inherent genius of those Muslim scientists.
Then another apologist (A PhD professor) wrote an eight part
article trying to show that many Muslim scientists EXISTED, that
Islam did produce many Muslims who had contributed to science,
citing references from Western sources etc. This was a classic
example where if the premise is not clearly stated and identified
the debate can go in circles forever. Its like me arguing that
2+2 is not = 5 and my opponent saying "How can you say that
2+2 is not = 5, when clearly 2+2=4?" and to top it off, he goes
on to prove that 2+2 = 4 through an impressive lenghthy
calculation!

If the question was does Islam (i,e its scriptures, namely Quran and
Hadith) encourage poetry? The clear answer is it DOES NOT. There
are verses in Quran and many more so in Hadith (Sahih to boot) that
clearly indicates disapproval of poetry. If the question was are there
poets of Muslim parentage? The answer is a definite YES. The
questions are mutually exclusive. The YES to the second question
does not invalidate the NO to the first question. Moreover the YES to
the second question does not prove that Islam INSPIRES poetry. This
is like saying that since there exists many Muslims who do not fast
or pray, therefore Islams discourages fasting and praying! Or that
since many Muslims exist who lie, therefore Islam encourages lying.
Or that since Nazrul was a Muslim, and Nazrul wrote Shyama Sangeet
(Bengali devotional songs eulogizing Goddess Kali), therefore
Islam inspires Shyama Sangeet!. I don't think I need to say further.

Aparthib