Ulema express concern over social curse of dowry
Submitted by admin on 23 June 2009 - 2:20am
By RINA
New Delhi: Expressing grave concern over the evil practice of dowry, Deoband’s Sheikhul Hadees Maulana Talha ‘Peerr Ji’ said, “Numerous mishaps of dowry in Saharanpur during last few months have forced Ulema, Muftis and intellectuals to contemplate on the issue deeply.”
Maulana Talha said, “Dowry is a social curse and contrary to Islamic teachings. Yet it is spreading like an epidemic in Muslim society apace its reach in other communities in the country.” This is a bitter fact that in spite of ‘Social Reforms’ and ‘Islamic Family Campaign’ launched by reputed Muslim organizations like Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind and Jamaat-e-Islami respectively, harshness of the problem only aggravated.
“Cancerous growth of dowry in Muslim society is because of ignorance and greed for easy money”, Maulana Talha said, “Efforts for social reforms should be accelerated in order to overcome this menace.” He also demanded a harsh law against exploitation in name of dowry.
When contacted, Maulana Mohammad Salim Qasimi, Mohtamim of Darul Uloom Wakf Deoband, said, “Demanding dowry is not only a religious evil but also a social evil. This is our religious duty to stop this practice and all of us should work for it jointly.” His solution was, “Muslims should solemnize marriages in a simple way. Islam likes simplicity. It prohibits adopting all those practices that give way to evils in society.”
Jamia Mazahir Uloom’s Maulana Syed Mohammad Shahid Mazahiri said, “Due to lack of knowledge and greed for worldly possessions, Muslims have come to turn their marriages a difficult and costly affair whereas demanding dowry and exploiting women on this pretext is contrary to Islamic Shari’ah.” He also thinks simple marriages are a solution.
In charge of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (Saharanpur Unit), Dr. Jamil Manavi said, “Poor Muslim girls whose parents are unable to bear huge expenses of marriage sit aside in their homes waiting for eventual marriage but in vain. Should Muslims revert to the Prophet’s tradition, the issue can be solved.” His suggestion was, “We should immediately pay attention towards moral training of our children in order to prevent un-Islamic practices.”
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The solution for dowry system.
The problem of dowry is an excellent example how morals changed by man can devastate the human society.
The solution to the dowry system is to revert to the true religious morals. In fact this solution is also the same for the declining sex ratio, rampant female feticide and infanticide in our society and the cult of the boy child.
Instead of directly telling the solution (which has no thrill in it) I will do it using a parable.
Consider a marriage scenario: In Kerala, as per the last census, there are 1058 females per 1000 males. After making one-to-one mapping for each male with a female, we still have 58 female left without a husband. Naturally there will be competition among the females, or rather their families, for a boy. The supply of guys outstrips the demand, naturally driving up their cost which is manifested in the form of dowry.
Take another marriage scenario: The girl-boy ratio in the capital is just 817 girls for every 1,000 boys. Here happily the scales are tilted in favor of the girl. The guy here is left with no choice, but to grab whatever girl he manages to lay his hands upon unless he decides to become an celibate. But at what cost? It is in fact at the cost of 24,000 girls who go ‘missing’ in Delhi every year, by a conservative account.
Now what can the surplus guys in New Delhi do to find a mate? Believe me, even if they are willing to give up their demand for dowry and are even willing to shell out from their own pockets (as happens in Arab Muslim countries), they still will find themselves alone there.
Of course they are always welcome to Kerala. But what if they decide to go to stay closer home? What will the poor Kerala girls do, except pay dowry or go unmarried?
According to our tradition it is out of place for a girl to travel to other places looking for a husband and even it is more abominable to expect her to toil to earn her own dowry. Also people consider it an honor issue of the family to get the girl child married off promptly, and so they will go to any extent to get her married.
One solution is to emulate the Delhi-ites in equating the demand with the supply, which is of course something we can do without.
So what is the only solution?
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It is not from the benevolence of the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self-interest. (Adam Smith)
Oxford Dictionary to Change Evolution
I am really impressed with so many closet Hindus who hate Hinduism and Love Islam but for some reason have names like Slang or Jhaveri. Is it because of embarrassment? Or something else to show that Muslims per se believe in secularism and tolerance and it is just repressed Hindus who have come to hate that religion because of its evils?
Well, But I am not surprised, as this is pretty much how far your "Strategic Thinking can go..
The question about the veracity of "Islam by Sword" is not very difficult to check. Just search for Persian literature on internet and read english translations of books written by contemporary Muslim Historians. Though I have not read enough of that, the reality becomes evident even if do a limited walk through these books. How the Army of Islam fought, what they did to civilians after winning and to temples and idols. Really very easy. You will never need any History from RSS.
When you ask why is India still a hindu Majority country despite some 700 years of Islamic rule, you need to first consider the whole situation.
1. When you talk of India you have to include Pakistan and Bangladesh.
2. Muslim rulers never controlled whole of India for any substantial continuous period. Before the Moghuls, most of Muslim invaders were limited to what is now Pakistan and Northern parts of India. And the Muslim population in those regions today is certainly not a testimony to absence of forced conversion.
3. Even in those places, where Muslim rulers defeated the local kings, they often left those places under control of locals with an agreement to pay them their tributes. As everyone knows, defeating an army is easy but ruling that nation for long requires more than just military power.
4. During the Moghul rule, Babar and Humayun largely spent their life in expanding and holding on to newer territories. And in the process they did create lots of "mountains of infidel skulls"
Akbar's era was really when their rule had kind of stabilized and we know Akbar was virtually declared an Apostat by Islamic clerics bcoz of his policies.
5. Aurangzeb, started undoing whatever was done by Akbar and had to spend his life fighting the Marathas and Sikhs, without much success. And after that it was downhill all the way for Islamic rule.
So really the question and the conclusion you seek to draw from current population are erroneous to say the least. On the other hand if you look at the areas which remained under their continuous rule, the Muslim population is huge.
And how do you explain the near absence of Hindu temples older than 300 year in those areas which I refer to as "remaining under continuous Muslim rule?
If evolution were to result in societies turning to Islam and seeing the present status of Muslim societies worldwide, barring some "for now fortunate oil" economies, then next edition of Oxford Dictionary may have to rewrite the meaning of term "EVOLUTION", till now it was used to describe our evolution from monkeys to human beings!
Dowry cannot and will not be eliminated.
How did dowry start ? It is alien to Islam. It is contrary to the spirit of Islam in word and essence. Islam provides a basic yet very detailed guidance for those who wish to follow it (which is voluntary, and not forced). RSS says that Indians were converted to Islam by force of the sword. For the sake of argument, even if i buy the RSS fraudulent-manufactured history argument, the reality is : OK i buy your argument, but today the progency of those converts are willing to die and be burnt alive than revert to idol worship ! Sword does not manipulate head-and-hearts after centuries. This is something connected with the heart. People get burnt alive., but dont take to idol worship. What more proof does the RSS need ? Fact of the matter is that RSS is a hate-shop that runs on the fuel of hatred for Islam and Muslims. (RIyal and Dirham are OK. Muslim Property is OK. Abducting and raping Muslim girls (and later killing eliminating evidence) is OK. Islam is bad, but Riyal and Dirham is OK and so is muslim property. Islam and muslims are bad but Muslim's goo is good, probably !). They (RSS) is trying to consolidate the Hindus into one block, using muslim blood and tears as the water to kneed the safforn mud. But will it serve Hindutva and Hinduism in the long run ? I am afraid, it will destroy Hinduism in the long-term. In the short term, RSS/BJP can win elections and grab political power. Even if they eliminate all the indian muslims thru ethnic cleansing., that will not lead to a consolidation of Hindus into one block., because the Hindu religion itself is caste-based. You will have to demolish the caste system. Even Gandhiji couldnt dare touch that ("I will not touch the caste question even with a stick"). If the caste system is demolished, what will be the social structure of Hinduism as an ideology, as a philosophy and as a religion ? Hatred for the other (in this case the 2nd largest religion in India i.e. Islam) works only upto a certain level. After raping and killing all muslims, the Hindu will ask for education healthcare and jobs ? Then the real Dharma Yuddha will start. It could lead to a very violent revolution. Then the desire for "Change" may start. The HIndus may opt for a different world-view or philosophy after the violent revolution. They may take to Christianity., or Islam (the exact opposite effect). Nature works in different ways ! Today Gujarat is the citadel or laboratory for Hindutva. Tomorrow after a few centuries, it might become a citadel of Islam. After the plague and earth-quake in Gujarat, many Hindus started crying... and apologising to their God / Eashwar / Allah for the atrocities they committed on their Muslim neighbours. If there are huge earth-quakes and plagues in Gujarat (both happened in Modi's tenure); Hindus might think.. is this a PRAKOP from Allah/God/Eashwar, because Hindus have transgressed ? Then the conversion will starts.
A hcild starts crawling and then starts to walk. After learning to walk, the child becomes a man.... and doesnt crawl again. Hinduism as a philosophy and evolution is a "crawling" philosophy... but as enlightenment grows., Hindus have no option but to question basics ? Who are they ? What are they doing on earth ? Where did they come from ? Where will they GO ? Who created them and why ? How should they behave with their fellow-creatures and nature ? Manu does not provide an answer to these nor does the Brahmin (who asks for Rs. 5000 everytime you have to do a puja). In today's days of poverty, it is very expensive to be a HIndu. SO poor Hindus will convert either to Islam (which is the most economic and cost-effective religion) or Christianity. It is the natural flow of things. You cannot stop it. RSS cannot stop it inspite of 3 milion trishuls that Togadia distributed. Togadia's 4th generation might fight for Islam. Who knows ? As the evolutionary process evolves, people are going to change., and no one can stop evolution. No RSS No VHP No Abhinav Bharat No Hinduta-terrorist factories ! They can at best delay thru arson... but what must, be., must be... and becomes. One cannot fight the hand of time with Trishuls Gas Cylinders Mobs and Bombs.
Dowry Makes Bastards
Dear Sir,
I fully agree with Prathiba "the dowry buyer is an adulterer, his concubine a prostitute and their children bastards".
Let the Ulema comes forward to issue a Fatwa to proclaim "Dowry is Haram and it makes Marriage illegal"
Expecting more from Prathiba to give insight to the blind Ulemas.
Dowry is haraam.
The root of the problem lies with the vast majority of Muslims in Hindustan being illiterate. Because they are illiterate, they cannot read Qur’an and Islamic jurisprudence. And because they cannot read and know, they rely on half-idiot mullahs, who themselves are also illiterate. They only memorize the basic and dispense it on the ignorant people.
If they Muslims were literate and knew about Islam then they’d realize that dowry paid by the bride’s side is absolutely not Islamic at all. It’s a social ill only found in Indian subcontinent. The only person who is supposed to pay dowry is the bridegroom to the bride. These illiterate Muslim and illiterate mullah have taken Islam and turned completely into something that’s no Islam.
Anyone who wishes to help the Muslims in India must start with the good intention. Then help the people become literate and cultivate their religion in authentic manner. Only then, Indian Muslims will be empowered and be able to contribute to the overall decision making process of Hindustan. There are 150 million Muslims in India. They should be able to influence Indian and India's policies. But not without being active member of society.
All of this is easier said than done. Do I pray to Allah that Allah helps us and gives us good leaders who are pragmatic and can see into future and act accordingly. Ameen.
Dowry : Un-Islamic as Idol-Worship /Caste System/Untouchability
Dowry is as alien to Islam as idol-worship., but when Islam came to India and was accepted by the locals (courtesy Sufis)., the locals retained some of their old bad-habits. Dowry is one of those. They also tried to set up a caste-equation on the lines of Manuvaad (Brahmin-Kshatriya-Vaishya-Shudra)... into something like Syed - Shaikh - Sunni - Pathan... The pristine beauty of Islam was compromised on Indian soil... due to such minor alterations.
Islam's beauty lies in its simplicity. The moment you alter/embellish it., it is compromised.
Islam came to India propogated by the Sufis and not at the tip of the sword. Otherwise inspite of 700 years of rule by Muslim Kings., how would one explain India being left as a Hindu Majority ?
Muslims dont have proper leadership, otherwise the one question above is enough to blast the roomful of hate-literature by RSS !
If it was brought by the sword., their subsequent generations should have reverted. But instead they prefer to get burnt alive or killed by lynching. Why are they not reverting (Shuddhi) ? It is because Islam came on the basis of winning minds and hearts. As simple as that.
Fact of the matter is that Hinduism and Humanism are not compatible. The brahmin has 1st right over a Harijan's daughter after puberty (Divine right of the brahmin to pluck the cherry of virginity).. but doesnt sit w/him.. his touch is impure.. doesnt share food with him.. cannot drink in the same glass as a Harijan. Brahmin can rape a harijan (it is his divine right); but not touch a Harijan... or drink from the same glass ! Hinduism as of today is nothing but terrorism masquered as a "Religion". All talk of philosophy is empty and hollow. How is the behavior of a Hindu on the ground ? How is he behaving with fellow-Hindus. How is his character. How is his moral fibre ? A baniya will sell his mother for USD 20-. A lawyer said this in a Court in the USA., and he was absolutely right. The baniya-mind thinks of profit-and-loss. Hinduism kills Human Sensitivity very brutally... the way Dronacharya's thumb was chopped off (by his guru). With Dronacharya's thumb, the ideal of Human Equality and Merit were chopped off... at that very moment...
Once a child learns to walk (evolutionary process), he cant be asked to "crawl" back (SHUDDHI). The argument wont cut ice. Hinduism is doomed, because it is against the very basis and foundations of Human Rights. Hinduism runs contrary to the concept of Human Rights. No. 2. Hinduism is a system wherein its followers have to spend a lot of money. From child-birth to death..... the services of a brahmin are needed... and he is more expensive. These days people are doing Puja on a cassette/CD., as services of a live-brahmin (whose personal character is very very doubtful if one observes from close quarters. he is a thief and a rapist and a crook). In the days to come.,marriages would also be solemnised by a CD reciting the shlokas instead of the expensive brahmin. 92% Hindus are not born to keep the 8 Brahmins employed forever ! Sorry...
Hinduism is against human rights and runs contrary to the concept of human rights and equality of man. Only one point is enough to demolish the whole citadel of hatred that RSS built.
Muslims must rid Islam of later-add-on frills like Dowry that are not part of Islam.. so that Islam's simplicity and its pristine quality comes to live again.
Muslims dont practice Islam live 24x7., that is of course the truth.. but then humanity's salvation is Islam. In the decades to come, USA and Europe will convert to Islam., and so will China. The churches would become mosques. This is the destiny of the world., which no one can stop. Americans / Europeans / Chinese., after accepting Islam and LIVING ISLAM., will present a better case for Islam., than present muslims., i suppose. I say this without any bias or gradge... simply as facts., as i feel now.
Islam stresses on one-ness of God., to gather all men as equals and brothers against that ONE intangible IDEAL or IDEA or CONCEPT. Hence all is forgiven and forgotten except that one-Unseen God., that is not to be described... it is to be left like a white paper. That emptiness... that one thought... and the idea to gather all human beings around that one idea... basically is a tool to stress EQUALITY of man and BROTHERHOOD of man. At the practical level... it levels the ground and establishes EQUALITY not in discourse but on the ground and in real life.
We quite agree with the
We quite agree with the ulema that the evil practice of dowry prevalent among Muslims should go. I feel that the following points can be considered for its and many other evils
1. If atleast 5 ulema and 5 umara come under one platform in every town or village and take the mosque jamath with them and work for reformation of the Muslim community, much can be done.
2. Parents are mostly responsible for the dowry in practice. Ulema should tell them that dowry is un-Islamic and it should not be accepted.
3. The jamaths should not go on constructing Marriage Halls providing all facilities for posh marriages but encourage simple marriages by asking the rich people to follow Islamic principles and be models to all others.
4. Ulema should not attend un-Islamic marriages even if invited by the rich people.
5. Ulema should give sermons on Fridays asking people to empower their daughters as they empower their sons by giving higher education to them.
6. Ulema should make it a point to tell the people that giving education to women is farz - compulsory and create a conducive atmosphere for the education of Muslim women.
7. We ask ulema to do this and that because they are our pillars and they can easily make the community to accept their advice.
I feel that the society is responsible for many evils and we should eradicate them jointly. First we have to change our mindset and start working. Our ulema and umera can do miracles for the betterment of the community.
Good Suggestions...
Dear Mohammed Curreem,
Willingly or unwillingly you have reached the reasons for Muslims backwardness in the second paragraph of your column. I am very sure that by adopting your suggestions the status of Indian Muslims will improve a lot by the next generation. However it is very unfair to think that the entire country is conspiring against Muslims. See I live in a remote part of this country where Muslim population is near zero, and conditions of 3 surrounding districts are so poor that we do not have a decent school,College,Hospital or transportation system over here. Electrification is not available in almost 60% villages of this district and if a person fall ill in villages they bring the patient on a cot (Khatiya) shouldered by 4 people by walking 20 to 30 KMs through forest to the district hospital which is good for nothing. Thus the under development of any area can not be attributed to any partiality of the ruling elite. I feel Govt. is very impartial and try their level best to not to develop any part of the country. If one is expecting a helping hand from Govt for his community’s development he may be an optimistic person but if he is entirely depending on Govt help then he is simply unwise.
Situation in India is not that bad as most of my Muslim brothers try to paint on this portal as far as social equations with the Hindu’s is concerned. Had Hindutva succeeded in winning the hearts of the Hindus BJP would have swept the recently concluded polls. Majority of Indians are secular by nature so do not feel isolated and let your self isolated by constantly thinking that you are conspired against. Have faith in your neighbor and treat him in par with your community member you will never be let down. I feel bad to comment like this but you’ll have to add one more point to your suggestion ask your community to not to denounce the other faiths and call the Gods they follow as ‘False’ Gods. The habit of feeling that the other faiths are useless and their Gods as false has created much rift in this pluralistic society and perhaps had stolen away the feeling of belongingness between inter communities. So add one more mantra ‘PRACTICE YOUR RELIGION STRICTLY AND RESPECT THE OTHER RELIGION AT THE SAME TIME’.
I regret if I hurt your feelings through my comments from the depth of my heart.
-Srinath
You are right!
Dear Srinath,
I agree with what you are saying. Live and let live is one of the basic tenets of Islam- Respect other people's religion and don't call their God any names lest they hurt you by responding in the same way. I don't want to make any excuses for the mindset of some of my fellow Muslims but to be honest the genocide and horrors of Gujrat have terrified us- the way neighbours turned on their muslim friends and committed unthinkable atrocities or people who didn't actively participate but looked the other way have left us suspicious of everybody. The wounds will take some time to heal. But if fellow Indians with a mindset similar to yours keep letting their presence felt, I think, the reassurance would be more then enough to normalise relations between not just Hindus and muslims but all Indians. We are fellows in suffering the high handedness of our elected representatives and the lack of basic amenities. If we were to come together instead of voting across religious lines and make our presence felt, I hope things would improve for the better.
Dowry makes Marriage illegal in Islam
Do you agree the following or not?
Mohammed bought fifty rupees from Abdullah and return back two rupees. We will say Mohammed bought forty-eight rupees from Abdullah. That is the truth. If anyone says Mohammed paid two rupees to Abdullah, it is nothing but a fabricated lie.
Therefore, you have to agree the following.
Abdullah has a daughter and Mohammed demands and bought 50 Gold Coins to marry her. Mohammed pays two Gold Coins as Mah’r. Truly, we have to say Mohammed bought 48 Gold coins. That is the truth. If anyone says Mohammed paid two Gold Coins as Mah’r, it is nothing but a fabricated lie.
Moreover, the Muslims believe that no one could eyewash Allah.
Conclusion: It is very clear the dowry related marriage never pays the Mah’r, which is a compulsory obligation to become marriage legitimate according to Islam. Most of the Keralite Muslims’ marriages are not valid due to this. Of course, the most of the Keralite Muslims’ are born out of this illegitimate marriage.
Who you are?
Have you bought dowry? You ask your father. If his answer is in affirmative it means your mother is a prostitute, your father an adulterer and you are a bastard.
Therefore, the dowry buyer is an adulterer, his concubine a prostitute and their children bastards.
The Remedy
By closing your own eyes, the situation will not change. Do not keep your head in the Sand by shame. Repay the dowry back, repent to Allah and marry according the Islamic way, is the only remedy.
Common Civil code is better (than Islamic way of marriage) to those who prefer dowry.
Marriage is the permission from the society to live as couples. You have the right to marry according to your wish. If you wish to buy dowry you can. Nevertheless, in the Islamic way you cannot, because you have to pay compulsory Mahr to the bride. Therefore, it is better to adopt any other method. Do not argue for Islam and act un-Islamic same time. That is what our Mullas, who are supporting dowry system, practicing.
Let's define dowry and mah'r
Let's define dowry and mah'r first. Simply let's say dowry is paid by the brides side as witnessed in Indian subcontinent. While mahr is paid by the bridegroom to bride and is required under Islamic jurisprudence for the marriage to be valid. But I would like to draw our attention to this:
1) Mahr is a pre-requisite for a marriage according to Qur'an. It maybe a measely 1 rupee or it can be a 1,000,000 rupees. But there has to be a mahr.
2) Mahr is to be paid by husband to his wife. Not the other way around. Wife and her family is not required to give anything.
3) Mahr should be equitable. There's no right amount. One person can afford 1,000,000 but no everyone will.
4) The husband and wife can mutually make any adjustment to the mahr. For example, the wife might say just take me to hajj and that will be my mahr. Or he and she can agree that the mahr is just 1 rupee.
In conclusion, if you define dowry as as the way I have above, then of course it's haraam and probably makes the marriage illegal according to Islam. Then I agree we should all realise our mistake, make taubah, repent, and change our ways. Inshaallah.
Down with dowry! Up with mahr.
Down with illiteracy! Up with illumination of knowledge/education.
Pratibha lacks "Pratibha" (talent)
Pratibha's argument is childish. Did your mother bring dowry / jewelry when she married your father ? Yes or No. Did your sister take some dowry when she married your bro-in-law ? Did your brother's wife bring some dowry when she married your brother ? Yes or No. If yes., then all 3 are prostitutes ! What language have you used. This is the langauges of the street-women. The same thing could have been said / expressed in a better idiom. Now you have used it, so i am explaining the argument using your level or grading. I had to climb down to reach your level.
Dowry cannot and will not go just by wishing it away. It is connected to economic poverty that dominates the whole mind and life pattern of an individual. He finds marriage a suitable time to acquire some assets... and when he has a daughter... he is on the other side (after 20 yrs). So while we all agree it is bad., we cannot fight it.
Dowry will automatically go away, when economic condition of the country improves. When a few lakhs will not make much difference to a person's life ! Until then who will deny the opportunity presented ?
Its all connected. The trickling-down-effect that Dr. Manmohan Singh is talking will take 185 years.. until then the poor will suffer, commit mass suicides., kill and get killed. If it becomes violent, it could pave the way for a revolution when no army / police / trishuls / bombs / and even bombs could be able to stop the marching mobs. when the revolution is on the cusp of success, maybe the army/police switches sides and joins the melee ? In such a situation, the poor will march in mobs, and kill the rich and take their possessions.
What we are seeing in Lalgarh WB is only a trailer. Lalgarh to Jhaanki hai - Kraanti (violent kranti) abhie baaki hai ! It was Nehru's wisdom that saved India and established democratic order in 1947. You have Narendra Modi., the honey-moon will go for a few years... or max 10-20 years., and then the cauldron will begin to boil. Restless millions marching with axes and pixels... and all the rich will be butchered with their families... and a new history would be written.
India is on the verge of that turn. Read about the Russian Revolution - and the French Revolution - the conditions prevelant there are very similar to the condition present in India of 2009.
If you want to stop the revolution there is only one mantra. SOCIAL JUSTICE TO ALL (irrespective of all considerations/difference). An administration / govt. that doesnt differentiate... Either have RSS or a Revolution (bloody). The choice is for India to make.
Develop some real "pratibha". Cosmetic knowledge or pratibha is of no help, really.
Harshad Patel spits Foolishness
Dowry is not a gift given by father to daughter. It is a demand by the bridegroom or his parents to marry a girl. In Islamic way marriage is a simple practice, but two things are mandatory. 1. There should have witness, that the parent of a girl gives her to the bridegroom and he accept her. 2. It has a value which is called Mahr. The Bridegroom must pay to the bride.
When bridgroom demands and buys something from bride or her parents, the Mahr become null and void. I have given a simple example in my detailed notes above.
When these two conditions are not met, the marriage become null and void according to Islam. Unfortunately Harshad Patel like kids have no knowledge about Islam and Women's standard in Islam.
Islam gives a high position to women and Mullas are trying to degrade it. So Muslims in India should demand a Fatwa from the Highly Scholored Ulemas against Dowry.
Socio Economic problems are not related in this issue (Is Dowry related marriage is legal or illegal according to Islam? is the real issue here)
If someone are ready to sacrifies the deeny value for money, it is his own choice. We have no need to discuss such personal / individual matter here.
Burqa not imp. Math is. Adopt English as Mother tongue now.
Education - Education - and Education ! That must be the Mantra of Indian Muslims, men and women. With or without burqa (that is your individual choice). In view of the prevailing circumstances, we have to progress brick-by-brick. Our progress will be awfully slow, because the Government is against Muslims (Central & State). They come out with good speeches / brochures and thats it. There is hatred and alienation on the ground. At the level of the Police Inspector., Municipal Corporation Official etc. No matter how well-meaning, PM Manmohan Singh cannot do a thing about this ugly reality(ies). RSS has permeated the hearts and minds of hindus., and hinduism today has become hindutva., i.e. harassing muslims., making their lives hell., and enjoying the sadistic pleasure of watching them suffer ! That is the core of hindutva ! unfortunately it has found its base among a lot of hindus. So essentially you have a society that is against you., and a Government that is against you., and a bureaucracy that is inherently programmed against you. Even employing 1 muslim as a PEON., amounts to Muslim-appeasement. See the condition of the Appeased Muslims, in any city of india., and see the 5-star lives they are living in the ghettoes. In muslim-majority areas., there is no water-supply, no drainage maintainence, no electricity. This is deliberate. They want to place Muslims below the Harijans... the 5th caste in the Varana Ashrama.
Therefore in view of the situation, Muslims must take to Physics Math and Chemistry... PMC must be the new obsession. As regards language., Indian muslims must adopt ENGLISH as their mother-tongue., and start blabbering effective today. There is no need to be shy. Educate the daughters., and let her find a man of her own choice. Trust your children - and they will not break the trust. Burqa or no burqa., i want muslim girls to be educated. I know that is not as simple as it sounds... when there is no bread in the house. Education does not sell on an empty stomach... but aah... i know the mantra is Education and education alone....
We must adopt English as the mother tongue NOW. When we face better times (50 yrs from now)., and when we are in better health, we can always revert to Urdu/Arabic/Persian. Yes...
Burqua is not important, MAth is
Currim, I do agree with part of your argument. That Msulims should take interest in learning Math and Science; that they should lean English, and that education should be the number 1 priority.
Education is the best leveler. Especially, in a fast developing country liek India.
However, I do take exception to your statements that there are systemic discriminations, Hindus dont like Muslims etc. Christians have achieved position and wealth far exceeding their numeral representation, all due to education and hard work. We never felt discriminated. We studied, we achieved.
The problem with Msulims, unfortunately, is that they always look into Government for this or that; they approach everything with a sense of alienation, and the Muslim leaders have a lot to dow ith that. They need a poor illiterate group so they can be leaders "advocating" for them. A lot to do with which part of India one is from. If you are from Bihar or UP, whether you are a Muslim or Hindu you are not better off. South economy and education opportunity is generally better; so Hindus nd Muslims do reasonably well. Muslims in kerala are significantly better off
because they particiapte in the societal advancement along with others. There are no Muslim ghettos in kerala, peopel live interminglingly. It is Muslims who generally go to "muslim area" in urban centers and create their own ghetto.
Grass roots involvement is the key. Education is the key. And that education has to be more than madrasa. And it is high time illiterate mullahs are kept in their place
LITMUS TEST FOR GOPI
Gopi : Go to any Non-Muslim Area., Nagpur, Nashik or Gujarat. Present yourself as a Muslim. Instead of Gopi, present yourself with a muslim name. Live for 1 week (7 days)... and observe very minutely. Then you will know the reality first hand. OK. Its easy to talk., its hard to feel it first-hand. Wanna try this litmus test ??
Best possible "MANTRA" for our youngsters!
I whole heartedly agree with you...what is also needed, along with determination and enthusiasm, is awareness about all possible careers, government schemes and scholarships eg national talent search, Kishore Yuva Vaigyanic proyojna by IISc, Banglore and I am sure many others. alternative options eg a combined 5 year course leading to PhD after +2 offered by the new Indian Institute of Science Education and Reserch(IISER) which offer extremely good stipend and would make the student self sufficient at very early age should be considered. the entrance is alongwith IIT-JEE. What is required is a meritorious background and I am sure more and more of our youngsters are capable of achieving that. Remember no dream is too big to achieve!
about english as mother tongue.
argueing for mother tongue is entirely wrong without learning about little Arebic. Indian Muslims will not be any benefit. I think by this discremination will not be eleminated.Pleas see the discremination against Muslim is there in Europe the Muslims were killed becuase of their religion. Education ofcourse is good for all.The best way should be good charectar and especially bad practice of hunu smaj(which Hindus themselves wants to stop like Dehaj and money demand from girls parents instead of giving Dower(Meher) which is Muslim charectar should adopt amd too much greediness(especially) in our muslim moulanas. If they show the path things wil be better for all the muslim in India
EDUCATE....EDUCATE...EDUCATE
WELL SAID....THANK YOU VERY MUCH
ONLY WAY TO PROGRESS...TO ESCAPE...IS EDUCATION
WE ARE A COMMUNITY...ORTHODOX PEOPLE WILL BE THERE...PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE WILL BE THERE...RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WILL BE THERE...NON-RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WILL BE THERE...WE CAN UNITE KEEPING ALL THE DIFFERENCES...WE CAN EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY.
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