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OPINION….. Muslims and the Internet

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By Waheeduddin Ahmed

One of the greatest blessings for mankind in modern times is the internet technology. Information of any kind and on any subject is at one’s fingertips. A semiliterate person can write without making spelling mistakes and even comply with grammar. Both, the erudite and the imbecile can propagate their thoughts and find audience, often captive and coerced.

On the flip side however, there are great dangers lurking in the shadows in cyberspace which, if not taken care of, can destroy humanity. The biggest danger comes from the potential of spreading hatred. Never before has humanity been so vulnerable and at the disposal of destructive forces.

Muslims are on the centerpiece, open and exposed and true to their nature, either unaware or unwittingly  instrumental in the ritual of their own destruction. Antagonism to Islam extends to every segment of the word’s population: Christian’s, Hindus, Buddhists and Atheists. Never before have the Muslims faced such tremendous odds arrayed against them. The enemy has done his homework, working out the strategy and tactics and to his own exhilaration finds Muslims utterly unprepared. Stones are being caste at them from within and without and they are running heads down hither and thither trying to find shelter.

If we look around we find that we cannot meet this challenge any time soon. We have no defensive strategy and tactics, let alone any offense. Sometimes knee jerk reaction comes from some random individuals, who are neither trained nor skillful in such engagements with the adversaries. We are losing the propaganda war all over the globe. Look at our national leaders standing dazed and dumbfounded in the face of attacks.

This is not to say that we are completely lacking in articulation. Our “scholars” are ever so ready to tear each other apart in sectarian and doctrinal discussions. Our best brains are busy researching the matters of dress and menstruation. They have never heard of Genghis Khan and contemporary Muslim mores which had brought his grandson to Baghdad, to deal a fatal blow to a flourishing civilization. The only Muslims who are thoroughly prepared for battles are the dons of sectarian divisions, who have done their homework and have sharpened their teeth and nails to devour their opponents. These are scholars, scholars of internal contradictions and conflicts. What does it take to attain that position? Ask any irate antisocial Muslim individual. He will tell you that intellectualism is un-Islamic; education is what is contained in the confines of his brain where it stagnates and freezes. He will also tell you that everyone except he or she is going to hell.

So, all an outside enemy has to do to prevail is to create the avenues of divisive discourses, directly or indirectly and then watch our “scholars”  reach for each other’s throats. To this effect the internet is a heavenly gift to them, which is proving to be useful beyond their wildest dreams. It is like throwing bones to the watchdogs to distract them from their watch.

I am thoroughly disgusted with the verbosity I encounter on the internet, irrespective of where it is coming from:  Shia, Sunni, Barelvi, Devbandi or any other mouth. My advice to them:STOP! Your children are watching you and are disgusted with you. The future generations of Muslims may even want to get out of religion altogether because of you. Then they will lose the spiritual canopy and the moral shelter which are essential for solace and which humans have needed from day one.

My advice to our cyber socialites is: don’t respond to the religious hate mongers and turn a deaf ear to the sectarian hooligans.Those who are attacking Islam are doing so under the protective shield of atheism so that they don’t have to defend their own religious and cultural abnormalities. The genuine atheists do not attack people or selected religions. They just propound the unlikelihood of the existence of God. Many discussion groups have been created apparently by people with Muslim names for the convenience and the benefit of Islamophobes to defame and desecrate Islam.

We ourselves should not attack other religions such as Hinduism and Christianity, although it may be very tempting. We are forbidden to do so. Besides, it may be counterproductive. Be unilateral when you discuss Islam

Be rational; use logic (our philosophers used it to the full extent), without being pedant.

If the most able among us do nothing, the less able will make the stand to make the outcome unfavorable.

Waheed write via ahmed.waheeduddin@gmail.com

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