By Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: Thousands of Muslims came out on the streets of Assam’s Hojai to give a message that ISIS is against Islam. Senior citizens, youths, college, school and madrassa students, besides people from different walks of life took out a rally shouting slogans against the terrorists who were defaming the name of Islam globally.
“We wanted to give a message that Islam never supports the activities of terror. We are against any kind of terror, violence and killings. Who has given ISIS to be the guardian of Islam? We condemn the activities of all kind of terror groups including ISIS which has been killing people,” SH Chowdhury, one of the organisers of the rally told TwoCircles.net.
“We are glad that people from different walks of life have come out spontaneously for this cause. We need to voice a strong message against such inhuman action. Here we come to wage war against the ISIS and other terrorists who are defaming Islam. Islam is peace,” Chowdhury added.
Abdul Mannan, former professor of Gauhati University who also attended the rally, said that it’s a positive move. “I was glad to see that people have come out spontaneously. It was needed to send across the message. The people in general have come forward to express their hatred against terrorism. Besides, another highlight of the rally was that the students of madrassa have taken part and I found them very keen and eager to do this,” Mannan told TwoCircles.net.
He also said that this has to be continued. Mannan, however, said that Islamic fundamentalism has been a major problem for the Muslim.
“One thing you have to notice that there is difference between fundamentalism and terrorism. The fundamentalism has been a problem and it has dragged the people of the community towards backwards. But of late, I can sense a feel of change towards progressive thought,” he said.
Stressing the need of education, Mannan said that the leaders of the community have to play a major role in this regard.
“As I said, education is the most important thing towards development. Education will help in making the people think progressive way. And only then the people of the community can advance,” he added.
Guwahati based journalist Ziaur Rahman said that this was needed much earlier. “There have been many wrong messages regarding Islam. Islam is a philosophy which never teaches people to harm their fellow human beings. These bunches of mindless terrorists have killing people in the name of Islam. All the people across the globe should stand united to defeat all kind of terrorism which is a cure for the human kind,” said Rahman.