From: gt7242a@prism.gatech.EDU (KHAN,RAHEEL)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian
Subject: Re:  Rename Hyderabad and Murshidabad
Date: 11 Nov 92 18:37:25 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology


      In his response to my article mre Rammanohar A. writes:

>     Well Raheel Khan, you are right in saying that according to the very
>principle of domocracy, indian muslims should have the right to promote
>their ideals.  The question here is wether any of thes ideals contradict
>with the basic pillars of our democracy itself.
       
        Interesting.  So do you propose that a commission be set up to 
        ascertain which of the principles of Islam contradict with 
        "democratic ideals" so that Islam may be "reformed" to better
        fit these principles?  It seems as if the basic spirit of democracy
        would be lost in such a system!  What good is religious freedom if
        the religion must be modified to accomodate secular laws.  The idea
        of the seperation of the church and the state means that the state
        will neither endorse any particular religion or interfere with it!

       A democracy without religious freedom is indeed a very undemocratic one,
       and a secular state without the seperation of the church and the state is
       indeed  a repressive one.  

        
>					The Indian constitution
>for instance guarantees equal rights for men and women, but many Muslims
>want laws which allow a man to marry 4 wives. Irrespective of what Muslims
>in the rest of the world believe in I think Indian Muslims should
>come out strongly against polygamy. 

       So, in essecne, you are saying that if Indian Muslims do not do so, 
       than they would not be loyal Indians!  What kind of partiotism 
       dictates blind submission to the state, and thus to the majority,
       even at the expense of one's beliefs?  If the Indian Muslims were
       to "come out strongly against" polygyny, a practice which is allowed
       (though discouraged) by their religion, simply because their state
       deciedes one day that it is "unfair" then theirs would be a toothless
       belief.  In Islam, soveriegnty belongs to Allah, and to Him do we 
       submit (in humility).  His are the Laws that we obey.  If Allah
       permitts marrying more than one women (under certain conditions)
       then we cannot declare that it is immoral or unfair.  What kind of
       Muslims would we be if we were to do so?  

>                                 And I don't think there's anything
>wrong in admitting that your religion does need to be reformed. I think
>Islam like Hinduism or Christianity does have a few imperfections and
>removing them will indeed be the prerequisites for building a really
>secular country.

       You have a right to think what you will!  Similarly, I have a right
       to disagree!  You may think that your religion is antiquated or that
       it needs reform, but I don't!  To think that the Laws prescribed by
       Allah are subject to review and reform is tantamount to apostacy in
       Islam.  This does not mean that Islam is being practiced like it 
       aught to be practiced in India (or elsewhere)!  The basic problem is
       not that Muslims are too "conservative" or that they are not willing
       to change their religion to adapt to Modern times, but, on the contrary,
       the basic problem is that most Muslims don't practice even the basics 
       of Islam.  Islam presents a dynamic and balanced way of life which 
       is applicable in all societies and in all times, at an individual and
       a collective level.   These are not cliches.  I invite all of you to 
       study Islam objectively some day, when you think that you may be 
       able to look past the stereotypes and  the propognada and
       understand Islam for what it really is.   

>    Regards	
>    Rammanohar A.  (manohar@vax1.mankato.msus.edu)


       Raheel Ahmed Khan
      
-- 
KHAN,RAHEEL
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
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