06-07-2003, 06:50 PM
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#1
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: India
Posts: 6,977
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New definition of Jihad
http://in.news.yahoo.com/030605/58/24wp0.html
Jihad to put country first
By Anand Soondas
Quote:
Mumbai, June 5: The acronym fits snugly: MY India. But the road ahead is not so easy for the 250-odd volunteers of a radical new Muslim organisation which is telling community members they have got the meaning of jihad all wrong and that it is time for them to break away and debunk the "anti-national'' stereotype. For tomorrow might be too late.
Syed Khan, convenor of the Muslim Youths of India, is aware of the import — and repercussions — of a step which Muslims view with disdain and Hindus with suspicion.
"It took about a year for us to get this movement going; the Gujarat riots had us thinking very hard,'' says Khan. "What we are saying is that for long people have put religion over nation and it's time to change that because if we have to band together, it should be to call the bluff of those misleading our youth into taking up terrorism. Community, whose ever it is, should not come ahead of nation,'' he added.
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What we are saying is that Muslims have for long been misled in the name of religion,'' Khan says. "These forces are destroying the very fabric of our community, which is lagging behind anyway. It is very counterproductive,'' he adds.
There is widespread cynicism, but there is also hope. "These boys are starting something good, I just hope it doesn't fizzle out like many such positive initiatives,'' said Syed Hussain, a Samajwadi Party activist.
MY India plans to start the movement in Mumbai, taking it to other cities later and then finally to the villages.
Muslims are feeling very bitter and angry after last year's riots and this has made it easy for youth to be indoctrinated into fanaticism and terrorism, says Khan. He adds that members of MY India will intensively campaign to tell Muslim youth that they should not fall into the "gun and religion trap".'
The convenor says: "There are many who are asking me 'why are you conceding that Muslims have taken up the gun or are joining the Simi - it will only increase the atrocities against us'. But I tell them that this has to stop.''
Khan adds: "I tell them that I offer namaaz five times a day. I love my religion but I will not let my country disintegrate. I have many people with me, there is a lot of support. MY India will tackle the adversity because we are convinced this movement is for the good of everybody.''
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As always, hope lies with the younger generation who have a
scientific education.
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