[thechat] Flaws in Cultures

[Syed Zeeshan Haider]

From: "Erik Mattheis"
To: <thechat at lists.evolt.org>
Sent: September 28, 2002, Saturday 3:16 AM
Subject: Re: [thechat] Flaws in Cultures


> Do you see any progress being made by the Interior Minister in
> clamping down on extremists?

I think that the net result of this anti-terrorism campaign is not very
satisfactory. There were two leaders of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. One was Riaz Basra
and other was Akram Lahori. Both were wanted by government in dozens of
religious killings and bomb blasts. Both of them and other big guys of
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi had taken shelter from Talibaan. Talibaan considered them
Mujahideen (the holly warriors). These people killed Muslims who had views
different from them. Shia'ah is a very prominent religious sect in Muslims.
Almost all Muslims in Iran are Shia'ahs. Shia'ahs highly respect Syeds and most
Syeds also belong to this religious sect. Main victim of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi's
terrorism were Shia'ah Muslims, Syeds and moderate Muslims. Akram Lahori once
entered a Mosque (where hundreds of Shia'ah and non-Shia'ah Muslims had gathered
for a religious ceremony which was not approved by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi) with one
other man and opened fire with automatic fire arms. Almost 20 innocent Muslims
were killed at the spot. Once this group threw a hand grenade into a mosque and
killed 9 women (that was religious gathering of women only). In another incident
they killed 14 Muslims in a mosque while they were offering their prayers. After
USA attacks on Talibaan in Afghanistan, all key leaders of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi had
to come back (before USA attacks, Pakistan asked Talibaan for handing over
terrorists but they refused by saying, "They are Mujahideen (holy warriors) and
they are our guests"). Riaz Basra (reward Rs. 5,000,000 for capturing alive or
dead) and Akram Lahori (reward Rs. 2,000,000 for capturing alive or dead) also
came back. Police caught Riaz Basra earlier but he tried to escape when a group
of terrorists attacked police to take their leader away. At that occasion a
severe police encounter took place. In that encounter Riaz Basra was killed by
police. Many other terrorists were also killed in that encounter. Some weeks
after this incident Akram Lahori was also captured. Now he is facing court trial
under very tight security. Many other infamous terrorists have been killed in
police encounters. Many have been captured and are facing trials in courts.
These successes turned into sadnesses when these terrorists began to attack
Christians. Recently seven Christians have been shot dead in Karachi. This is
not only massacre of innocent Pakistanis but also it spreads bad name for
Pakistan. When Muslims are killed, world notices it as a "normal act of
terrorism" and when the victims are non-Muslims, world notices it with very keen
interest and many new questions are raised about non-Muslim minorities in
Pakistan. My regret is always severer when non-Muslims are victimized with
terrorism. Pakistani government have not acquired enough success against terror
attacks on non-Muslims, although many attackers have already been killed in
police encounters (we call a police encounter "police muqaablah" in Urdu).

> Is it a punishable crime to issue a fatwa or is it only actions that
> are punished?

It depends on the nature and reaction of the fatwa and most importantly the
religious position or rank of the Mufti (one who issues or allowed to issue
fatwa). There are some international institutions in Muslims countries around
the globe. These institutions give the high standard and advanced religious
education to the Muslims and these institutions grant their students the degree
of Mufti. Not all students get this degree. They are a few which are awarded
with this degree. Very high level of religious education is needed for becoming
a legal issuer of fatwa. In fact, Fatwa is a very sacred and important thing and
it must not be taken lightly. Fatwa is religious order or law issued by any
Mufti. Fatwa is needed when some new religious issue raises; e.g. declaration of
somebody a Kaafir (non-Muslim) when the declared Kaafir calls himself Muslim
after committing some severe religious crime. For example, most prominent Muftis
of Muslim world agree that Salman Rushdie is a Kaafir and Shatim-e-Rasool
(insolent to Prophet). As these Muftis are highly qualified, therefore, no one
can deny them. When a fatwa is issued by an qualified person and it, however,
affects a large part of society or it raises any violence in a group of people
then the unqualified issuer of fatwa is arrested and is subjected to trials
under religious laws. If people do not notice that unqualified person then any
action is seldom taken.
If a prominent, qualified Mufti issues any controversial fatwa and most of other
Muftis disagree with him then his fatwa loses its importance. But if that fatwa
creates some reaction among Muslims then the Mufti will have to face trial
according to the reaction.

> Do you think Americans became so rich from being LAZY?

Sorry but I think you misunderstood the joke. It means that by adopting USA
culture and imitating Americans one cannot become modern or progressed. One
should work and struggle like Americans. It means, "Americans speak English, you
also; Americans wear pants, you also; Americans like western (their own) music,
you also, but with all this Americans work and you DON'T". Culture and lifestyle
doesn't matter. If one adopts a culture just to look like modern and progressed
then he must be some nonsense when he doesn't work and struggle to become modern
and progressed. The most prominent scientists in Pakistan are those who are
related to nuke and missile development. Most of these scientists are very
simple and easternised in their normal lives and I think they are more modern
than most westernised people of our society. Not because they are developing
nukes but because they are scientists and their lives are full of struggle and
work.

Thanks!

Syed Zeeshan Haider.
http://syedzeeshanhaider.faithweb.com/