MJ Akbar asks Muslims to overcome inferiority feeling
Sun Nov 9, 2008
IANS

HYDERABAD: Eminent journalist and author MJ Akbar has asked Muslims in India to overcome their inferiority feeling and strive for excellence in their own spheres, while seeking to remove misconceptions and misinterpretations of Islam.

He was addressing clerics at the conclave of the Jamiatul Ulema-e-Hind, the biggest and oldest Muslim group that is meeting here to discuss host of issues faced by Indian Muslims.

Akbar, who was the special invitee at the 29th general session of the Jamiat, cited instances from the life of Prophet Mohammed to prove the point that the numerical strength was insignificant to achieve excellence.

"When Prophet Mohammed migrated to Medina, Muslims were few in numbers but the tribes living in and around Medina made him their leader. The Prophet became a leader not because of numerical strength (of Muslims) but because of his abilities and leadership qualities," Akbar said in his speech delivered in Urdu.

Pointing out that the Prophet Mohammed entered into agreements with various groups including Jews, he suggested that in a democracy Muslims can also have similar arrangements with other communities.

"The holy Quran has defined secularism in the best possible manner. It says 'To you your religion and to me my religion'. We should follow this principle and have understanding with others," he told 6,000 clerics who gathered here from across the country.

Decrying attempts to link Islam with terrorism and fascism, he said the Quran described terrorism as 'fasad', or spreading mischief, and has even prescribed punishment for those indulging in 'fasad'.

"Islam has clearly laid down that killing one human being is like killing the entire humanity and saving one's life is like saving the entire humanity," he said.

He pointed out that first caliph Hazrat Abu Bakar formulated rules for waging a war and ordered that women, children, the elderly people and also those who took shelter in places of worship should not be harmed.

Akbar said jehad is a holy word used for holy war and it has nothing to do with 'fasad'.

He said terms like jehad were also used for holy wars in other religions like 'dharam yudh' in Hinduism and 'crusade' in Christianity.

Calling for introspection by Muslims to identify their weaknesses, he said "poverty, illiteracy and discrimination on the basis of sex" were their worst enemies.

Underlining the importance of women's education, he said hijab, or veil, was not a hurdle in education.

"Educating a girl doesn't mean that she has to take off her veil or move away from our culture," he said.

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Ulama endorse fatwa against terror
Nov 8, 2008

HYDERABAD: Nearly 6,000 Ulama Islamic scholars gathered in the city on Saturday endorsed a fatwa that declares that all forms of terrorism are
against the spirit of Islam. The endorsement termed the Hyderabad declaration came at the 29th general body meeting of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind and would be read out at a public meeting on Sunday evening.

The fatwas had first been issued in May and had been signed by the Grand Mufti of Darul Uloom, Deoband, Uttar Pradesh, Maulana Mufti Habibur Rahman and three other leading scholars. It was made public at a hugely attended meeting in New Delhi in which Jamiat and representatives of almost all schools of though in Islam participated.

Explaining the rationale for ratifying the fatwa, Maulana Mahmood Madani, a leading light of the Jamiat said: "It is a demonstration of the faith the Muslim scholars are reposing in the importance and timeliness of the edict. When these delegates go back to their homes they would take back the signed Hyderabad Declaration that endorses the stand taken by Darul Uloom against terrorism."

Maulana Madani emphatically said that there was nothing called Islamic terrorism. Likewise arrest of a few Hindus can't be dubbed as Hindu terrorism, he said. "Terrorism has no religion. Don't link it to Islam, Hinduism or any other faith. What we demand is dropping of double standards in the investigation of acts of terrorism. Be just with all and take stern action against those who are proved guilty," he said.

"There is some kind of a `junooniath,' (madness) among those indulging in the acts of terrorism. They should be cornered and countered," Madani said.

Intellectual M J Akbar captured the mood of the 6,000 delegates __ who have come from across the country when he told them: " Persons who carry out acts of violence are fasadis, not jihadis. Any Muslim who distorts Jihad is not a Muslim," he said.

At the same time, Akbar exhorted the public at large to not demonise the Muslim community and refrain from terms like Islamic fascism. " We can't blame the entire community for the acts of few ," he said adding that " unfortunately Muslims have no leaders but only pleaders."

Representatives from all religions including Sri Sri Ravi Sankar and Swami Agnivesh among others would participate in Sunday's public meeting.

Appeared in The Times of India

Don't challenge the logic of any faith
10 Oct 2008
Times of India


BANGALORE: Journalist and writer M J Akbar said India's harmony was being threatened by "phenomena that have emerged only recently" , having nothing to do with India's rich ancient tradition of tolerance and secularism.

Delivering a lecture on the connection between religion and power at the United Theological College here on Thursday, Akbar said India was bedevilled by arbitrary violence in the form of bomb attacks and attacks on communities and their property. "Innocents are dying. No religion in the world subscribes to such mindless and meaningless mayhem. We cannot survive if we go on permitting such violence."

Akbar argued that people had to learn to live with each other's faith - the key to India's peace, secularism and harmony. "We don't have an alternative - we need to allow people to keep their faith without challenging the logic of any faith. We have to keep our faiths and yet get along. India's secularism can only arise from among its many faiths."

There was no justification for conservatism of any sort in any faith, Akbar pointed out. "Everybody is equal within and outside faith and that includes men and women. There is no rationale to treat any person as an unequal. If the dialogue between faiths doesn't happen as equals, we will be in peril," he warned.

One of the great attributes of ancient Hinduism has been tolerance for all faiths and beliefs. "That is what we need to continue with. We should have a composite , broad and catholic vision that is respect for all faiths. Nothing comes out of defaming faith. The mistakes of a few cannot be held against the faith itself."

Akbar traced the history of major religions of the world, moving from Asia to the West and back, proposing that the one focus of all religions in the 21st century had to be peace. "The 21st century gives us everything but peace. Peace comes with better understanding , understanding comes with dialogue and dialogue happens between equals. This is the lesson for all of us.

Nuclear Weapons: Everyone or No One
By Brian Adeba

(Embassy, September 3rd, 2008)
LUNCH WITH BRIAN

As someone who is quite familiar with events in India, courtesy of a distinguished career as a journalist, an MP, and author of several books, including a biography on
Nehru, Mobasher Jawed (MJ) Akbar watches the impending nuclear deal between his country and the U.S with a bit of skepticism, if not cynicism. Anyone who has read Indian newspapers knows that such feelings are prevalent, mainly because a section of the Indian population feels the deal is an attempt to impinge on their sovereign space.

"What the world, led by America, is trying to do," says Mr. Akbar over a cup of coffee at an Ottawa hotel last week, "is to give India some form of a semi-pariah status in the nuclear club."

As the oldest nuclear power outside the Big Five (Britain, U.S., France, Russia and China), Mr. Akbar feels the deal is patronizing and India is being arm-twisted into joining a club where it will still not get full rights. Or, as he put it, "It's like a minority getting membership in a majority club, but only visiting rights, no dining rights."

In 2006, India and the U.S. signed a deal that recognizes India as a de facto nuclear power, despite the fact that it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Under the deal, the U.S. will supply India with nuclear technology and fuel. India will be prohibited from selling nuclear technology to countries that have not signed the NPT. Despite the fact the deal stipulates India will be under strict observation from the International Atomic Energy Agency, it has still raised the ire of anti-nuclear activists, who argue that there are no guarantees India will not sell technology to non-signatories of the NPT or cease nuclear testing, and that only 14 of its 22 nuclear reactors will be under the international monitoring microscope.

The nuclear deal with the U.S is, however, not final pending scrutiny and approval by the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the U.S. Congress. Talks with the NSG, a group of countries opposed to proliferation, are currently underway in Vienna, with a deadline envisaged for this week, although there are hints they could drag on until next week.

For Akbar, the deal has hints of giving India nuclear legitimacy, which he contends is nonsense since India is a nuclear power in its own right. If it implies that India is seen as a more "responsible" nuclear power than say Iran and China, Mr. Akbar says no one has a right to issue that judgement, since it unmasks double standards employed by the Big Five ("those who hold the copyright to destroy the world," as he describes them).

"I believe that either there should be no nuclear weapons in the world or whoever can make them should have them," he says. "What law says that China or America are more responsible than India?"

When it comes to the belief that some nations are responsible nuclear powers and others are not, Mr. Akbar believes this discussion masks the real issues that need to
be discussed. In his opinion, this issue is the Big Five's contribution to nuclear proliferation in the world.

"Nobody will talk about the fact that Israel is a nuclear weapons state. Where does it get its uranium from, where does it get its technology from? Britain and France supplied it," he says.

"What are they talking about North Korea for? Double standards is putting it mildly."

The regional implication of the U.S.-India deal is that it enhances a contiguous nuclear crescent that involves Israel, India, Pakistan, Iran, Russia and China. The
important thing to note about this is the fact that this region contains 70 to 80 per cent of the world's energy resources, and Mr. Akbar says this has serious implications for nuclear security. He believes the region will be re-ordered—the Georgia versus South Ossetia conflict is the beginning of the story-—as members of the Big Five try to win over countries to their spheres of influence.

As for the implications for nuclear security in the region, Mr. Akbar asks the rhetorical question: "Can a nation that is eight time zones away maintain security in Georgia?"

After Iraq, Mr. Akbar says, U.S power has eroded significantly and he doubts whether it will have the capacity to maintain security in the region.

"Samson should never have a haircut," he says with a chuckle.

Regarding proliferation, Mr. Akbar says if he had an opportunity to speak to the Big Five, he would ask them to talk from the same page.

"If you have a right to nuclear weapons, why would India not have a right? What is it that makes China so special in your eyes?"

The International Development Research Centre :
(In the News: IDRC)

The India Lectures: Distinguished thinkers reflect on a rising
world power

M.J. Akbar, the renowned Indian journalist, editor, and author kicks off IDRC's year-long series, The India Lectures, on August 28.

Akbar has written extensively on the impact of Islam in the changing political and security environment of South Asia. As a leading, highly respected Muslim voice in India’s media, he helped launch several publications, including Sunday, The Telegraph, The Asian Age, and most recently, Covert. He is also the author of numerous political books.

Akbar will speak on “India in the Arc of Turbulence from the Nile to the Ganges — Implications for Geo-Politics.” He will touch on the rising power of Iran, the evolution of Pakistan, the situation in Afghanistan, and the role of India.

His talk inaugurates a year-long series organized by IDRC. The India Lectures will highlight the wealth of eminent thinkers and stimulating ideas emanating from this rising global power. The series is being held to celebrate IDRC’s 25th anniversary of its office in New Delhi and the Centre’s enduring and valued collaboration with its Indian research partners.

Thursday, August 28, 2008, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

IDRC Head Office, 150 Kent St., 8th floor

(About IDRC)

Next round of battle for power in Pak will begin soon
Sheela Bhatt in New Delhi
August 18, 2008 16:15 IST

This is just a semi-final. The real battle will begin soon, says M J Akbar, author of several books and editor of Covert, while commenting on the resignation of President
Pervez Musharraf.

While talking to rediff.com, he said, "Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif have killed the common enemy and now the battle between them will soon begin, but I can't give you the timeline of final outcome."

The exit of President Pervez Musharraf from active politics of South Asia has evoked excitement and reactions all over the region.

Hamid Mir, popular television journalist of GEO TV agreed with Akbar.

He said, "Pakistan does not have time to assess the exit of Pervez Musharraf. We do not have much time left now. As soon as possible, may be within three days, we will have to
re-establish the judges, who were sacked by President Musharraf."

If former Chief Justice Chaudhary comes back to Supreme Court, Asif Zaradari of PPP may be in trouble. Justice Chaudhary and fellow judges may look into the terms and
conditions of National Reconciliation Ordinance under which he got reprieve from allegations of corruption cases.

Akbar says, "Zardari succumbed to Musharraf. It was Nawaz Sharif, who put the firm deadline and forced the elected government to act against Musharraf. The next round for the power of Pakistan will begin soon."

Interview by Sheela Bhatt in Rediff.com