By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: The Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI), has demanded that Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram should clarify his position forthwith and immediately tender a public apology to Muslims for having hurt their feelings by reportedly equating Jihad with terrorism.
The SDPI General Secretary A. Sayeed in a Press statement deplored Chidambaram for his reported remarks about Islam by equating Jihad with terrorism. The double-speak of his now stands exposed and his outrageous comparison of the two has hurt the feelings of Muslims to the core. His remarks show the shallowness of his knowledge about Islam and its teachings, h said.
The statement said: "The SDPI wonders how an erudite person like Chidambaram can stoop so low and indulge into balancing act. A few months back he had praised Islam in high terms while addressing the gathering of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind in Deoband and said that terrorism has been wrongly attached with Islam which preaches peace. However, now addressing police and intelligence officials last week he has equated Jihad with terrorism.
It was never expected of Chidambaram to play such a dirty game when Muslims had propelled Congress to retain power in the last Lok Sabha elections. This time round Muslims having high hopes from the Congress to extricate the community, which has been pushed down even below Dalits according to Justice Sachchar Committee report, from the quagmire of fear and hunger, the two worst hallmarks of any underprivileged class in any society, the statement stated.
Sayeed said the tag of terrorism in the name of Jihad is haunting Muslims since very long time. A number of bomb blasts over last few years in the country was even before any investigations was always branded the handiwork of Muslim youth and they were targeted inside-out so vehemently so much that the community was at its wits end as how to tackle the situation. However, investigations by some upright officers of law enforcing agencies stumbling over some concrete evidence found a link between Hindutva forces and these blasts has given relief to one and all as no more blasts are now occurring. The needle of suspicion moving 180 degrees from Muslims to the saffron brigade had given Muslim community a sigh of relief and hoped truth would come out but the calculated elimination of some of these upright officers has dampened it all.
He said now Chidambaram equating Jihad with terrorism has nullified all the gains of investigations which the Muslims thought were working in their favour. For Chidambaram's information Jihad actually is a pious war and it is mentioned in the Holy Qur'an. Jihad is a struggle against evils and evil forces. It starts from oneself and goes to the struggle with weapon. It does not always mean war.
The statement pointed out that it is incorrect to say Jihad began from a particular date. Jihad is part of the teachings of Islam. Islam asks its followers to forgive their enemy but also asks them to wage Jihad against them when required. Prophet Muhammad has done both. He forgave his enemies – even those who were his blood thirsty – but at times waged Jihad against them. The Quran has given both instructions.”
Chidambaram's reported statement that Jihad began after 1989, shows his ignorance about the issue. Jihad is as older as the teachings of Islam. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did Jihad so also his companions (Sahabis).
It seems Chidambaram could not understand the meaning, conditions and limitations of Jihad when he reportedly said Crusades were traditional wars but Jihad is terrorism. Islam says that killing of a single person is like killing of all human beings, the statement added. (pervezbari@eth.net)
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