Myth of Moderate Islam! Kerala offers insight.

One still should be wondering how so many Muslims and Islamic organizations can not perceive Islam as a religion of peace and it is all for co-existence? Or is it that Islamic scholars, Koran and Allah are having real difficulty in convening the message of peace to world wide Muslim community, Ummah? Why was this understanding of Islam teaching peace and tolerance such a abysmal failure among Ummah?

In recent Kerala civic polls, an extremist charged with involvement in assault on a Christian lecturer has contested the election on a political party, political wing of Popular Front of India, an Islamic organization, and won the election too. One brilliant woman has provided the analysis on this victory (I read this in comments section in Haindava Keralam):

this is very serious..that vanchinadu block division has 6 wards of vengoor panchayath and 2 wards of vazhakkulam panchayathu.in all these wards udf won..they had a lead of more than 1000 votes.but they are at no.3..sdpi polled more than 3000 votes..in the district panchayathy ward where these 8 wards plus other 40 some wards sdpi has 1300 votes..that is those who voted for udf or ldf in grama and jilla level voted enmass for this anas..that is muslims used their brain and showed us that they can unite if situation demands..one of my friends who is residing in one of these wards told me that there are some 3500 muslims in these wards.that means allmost all muslims have voted for sdpi accused.....

What should one think about this? One might argue that he was innocent as it is yet to be proved in the court. But the fact that he was a member of PFI and he was contesting on ticket of its political arm, SDPI, can not be ignored.

What is this Popular Front of India (PFI)? What is its aim? Lets hear it from Kerala CM, VS Achutanandan, who belongs to CPI(M), as reported by Indian Express:

Unfazed by criticism from the Opposition and Muslim outfits, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on Monday stood by his remarks that radical outfit Popular Front of India was aiming at "Islamisation of Kerala"...Achuthanandan said his intention was to expose the "subversive activities" of PFI and his statement was based on evidence recovered by police during the probe into the chopping off of the hand of lecturer T J Joseph.

The content of pamphlets seized during the raids on the offices of PFI were "highly communal" and challenged the democratic set-up with some of their literature even advocating rejection of democracy holding that "Islam and democracy" are two opposite ideologies, he said. The PFI pamphlets said it would be difficult for the Muslims in India to gain majority in Parliament, but no force could prevent installation of an Islamic rule in the country if hard work was put up to secure this goal, he said.

The fact that CM was quoting from evidence of pamphlets was not sufficient for opposition and media too; even after his clarification that he was not referring to entire Muslim community, opposition consisting of  secular Congress(I) and of course Muslim fascist organization in the disguise of secular party, IUML, criticized him:

Despite the Chief Minister's clarification, Opposition leader Oommen Chandy demanded withdrawal of the statement arguing it amounted to insulting the entire Muslim community. He, however, offered the Opposition's support to the government in suppressing PFI's "subversive" activities.

Yes, we can all see that; with two secular parties at helm of power at state and center, this PFI was not banned. For every thing that CPI (M) stands for, it is still inconceivable for secular politicians and media, not just, to criticize Islam but even militant organizations; of course Islam in its original form itself is militant. Here, secular parties and media want us to be apologetic even if we oppose Islamization. Look at the way Times of India writes:

Kerala Chief Minister V S Achutanandan's charge that the Popular Front of India (PFI), which allegedly masterminded the Taliban-style attack on a college lecturer, had plans to Islamize Kerala in 20 years using "money and marriages" has reignited the "love jihad' controversy, hotly debated in the state last year.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Saturday, VS said PFI was trying to multiply Muslim numbers in the state "by influencing youth of other religions and converting them by giving money, marrying them to Muslim women and thus producing kids of the community." In a way, the CM was endorsing the concerns expressed by the Kerala high court, which in August 2009, asked the state police to probe if there was an organised racket working to lure youth for conversion using love and money.

And this is how DNA reports: 'UDF, Muslim outfits blast VS Achuthanandan's comment'. It was reporting mudslinging and cheap rhetoric of Islamists with out ever questioning validity of remarks of CM or looking beyond obvious replies from Islamic outfits. It must occur to one's mind why media, even one news outlet, has never tried to investigate as CM claimed evidence with respect to his observations is available; this could have been much better way to refute CM's remarks and show their readers how Islam and its followers are misunderstood. But they didn't. Of course, CM's remarks were even disowned by some sections in his party for political reasons (Vote bank). Where is IUML in all this?

The Indian Union Muslim League on Monday said Achuthanandan's statement was "dangerous" and "insulting to the entire (Muslim) community”. ....The United Democratic Front (UDF), the alliance of Opposition parties, said Achuthanandan's comments were "deplorable, dangerous" and part of his strategy to play the "Hindu card" before civic and Assembly polls in the state.

Why was IUML so outraged? IUML could have explained from Islamic Doctrines why and where PFI was wrong and how Islam teaches tolerance and it is a religion of peace. But it knows that what PFI saying is very much a part of Islamic goal enshrined in Koran. There were even reports of IUML and PFI working together. The hard truth is, this view of Islam dominating the world is shared by majority of Muslims and it is shared by IUML too; it is just that some take to violence and some take to other means. It is just that some Muslims come out openly on this and others decide to lie low waiting for more appropriate moment. Islamic organizations are not at fault for professing and propagating their goal of bringing this country under Sharia rule but people are at fault for reporting on this kind; may be IUML and its cohorts are outraged by resistance to their goal coming from people looked down as inferiors.

Before the dust settled on this controversy, IUML demanded that its women candidates contesting in civic polls wear proper Islamic dress; it is implying Burqa. The Telegraph reported:

The code, issued at the recent meeting in Kozhikode, is part of a set of guidelines that included suggestions on how women candidates should behave in public, participate in demonstrations and interact with men while campaigning for the polls due next month.

Women, the guidelines say, should maintain decorum and sit on stages in a way expected of “normal Muslim women”. They should also exercise self-control while interacting with men.

Although the dress guideline doesn’t spell out that the women candidates should wear burqa, it is clear that they are expected to. “They should dress according to Islamic norms,” says the guideline issued by the state executive.

So IUML is a party which sticks to Islamic norms and ambitions. What difference this makes to media and political parties? But if one wants to understand why Muslims have voted for this hero of PFI, one can just listen to a Muslim Supremacist, Anjem Choudary, in the video below, where he explains:

"This is something, you know, the Muslims around the world, I don't think would differ with. They may say one thing to you in front of CNN; behind your backs they support Jihad. But I can assure you behind your backs, in every masjid and every community center, they are standing with their Muslim brothers and sisters saying, We hope the Americans and British are pushed out of our countries, and we can implement the Sharia."

 

I again leave some verses which tell Muslims to fight in Allah's cause:

SHAKIR (9:033): ( also 48:28, 61:09) He it is Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, that He might cause it to prevail over all religions, though the polytheists may be averse.

P.S. (Some links which give some info. on Kerala.)
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=12496&SKIN=C (Muslim Tsunami in Kearala.)
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=12421&SKIN=K (Love Jihad is not for Muslim girls, Hindu boy beaten for merely talking to a Muslim girl.)
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=12405&SKIN=K ( Secularism is all about enabling Jihad.)
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=12399&SKIN=K (A Hindu killed by Muslims)