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Passion For Freedom, Or Freedom Of Passion?
Gazelle
The current chaos, the Danish embassies, and the war of words is despicable. This includes condemnation of what started the riot, the decision to publish and test passions, the threats of violence, the actual violence, the suggestions of violence and the general crystallization into one, of a non-issue.
Unbelievably, we find pitted here, in a false confrontation - the passion for human freedom and the freedom of human passion.
Which is more dear to us - freedom or passion?
It is convenient for people who believe less or not at all in a religion, to condemn the religious passion. In Europe, this rests on the polarization between the politics of state and the power of the church, and rests on a history of defamation of Muslims and Mohammed, when the Muslim culture was in the ascendant looking down on Europe.
Muslim societies, in their current distressing decay, look up to western societies - this is but natural - yet without having experienced the anti-church-like ethos that characterized the emergence of the republic, in violent persecution of monarchy, aristocracy and ecclesiastical culture.
Paradoxically the Muslim reaction today is only a little less violent than the butchers of the French revolution, and the public opinion and anger is but the voice of the masses, against the hegemonic republican-secular state institutions now ascendant in Europe.
In the intervening periods, all Islamic societies in their own diversity, have absorbed republicanism and democratic elections in moderate doses, as modern sources of legitimacy, if not so much in the interest and public opinion of their respective polities, then definitely in response to opinion of western friends, whose influence is but all-pervasive at the moment.
Through all this, the passion and veneration for teachings and character of Mohammed and what he achieved, even though it lasted for a very brief period, has survived intact. This fact has no relation to the hagiographic defamation that is presented to dispute the character of Mohammed. For Muslims in general, in all cases, the veneration and respect for Mohammed supersedes all other disputes which are either trivial or just plainly false. Such is the inspiration of the last prophet. The passion for Mohammed lives. The reaction of the Muslim world is testimony to this.
Yet Mohammed himself would not have sanctioned this reaction. In Muslim accounts of him, we hear about a gentle soul, a herder of goats, a recluse, famed for the qualities of his word, distressed by those who would not listen, someone who would ignore personal insults and physical injury to himself, who would, in making contracts, give the benefit to the other, and in making judgments use a gentle intellect.
Mohammad would also not have sanctioned much of the Muslim history and politics that followed. Yet the sublime ideas of the Quran that Gabriel brought down to him, in a final revelation in line with preceding prophets, became a uniquely rational religion that emphasizes restraint and moderation, and humanity above tribal custom.
In the face of internal dissent, decline of societies, a colonial legacy, and oppressive governments hostage to hegemons, which have caused centuries of bitterness, such is the continuing legacy of Mohammad for ordinary Muslims - a rational passion for sublimity on earth. Freedom of expression is not under threat. Under threat from all sides is the passion for the sublime that inspired the freedom in the first place.
The chaos needs to stop at any cost.
Passion For Freedom, Or Freedom Of Passion?
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Kush Tandon
URL
February 6, 2006
12:48 AM
I understand your pain and anguish.
How can we soothe the fire and yet, retain all freedoms? This is not rhetorical question. I am just asking how can we all help.
Aaman
URL
February 6, 2006
01:02 AM
open dialogue? Allowing for reinterpretation of the Koran, like Salman Rushdie proposed last year
The West realizing, like 99.9999999% of India has, that Muslims are no different from any one else?
Visually apt images, gazelle
gazelle
URL
February 6, 2006
04:28 AM
promote, keep alive, reason, tolerance, moderation, understanding, dialogue, solidarity
criticize, limit, the opposites
promote education for future generations
.... the usual
gazelle
URL
February 6, 2006
12:18 PM
aaman:
good article from rushdie discussing islam and modernity - an argumentative one in a sober sombre tone - one I like. He particularly highlights dimensions of islam's inception relevant to modern life - such as its feminism:
Its interesting he's calling for a Reformation of the orthodox or traditional view. i doubt though, that that's how it will happen - a reformist fundamentalism (pure principles) to challenge a traditionalism, so unlike the catholic church.
i think the change is there with the change in the political environments of the states where muslims live. this will lead to some profound alignments that can possibly roll back the dark clouds of the clustered/cloistered 'nano bot - machines' within, he calls traditional.
Cross-pollination and information processing, in place of isolationism will be key to these important cultural and institutional changes. The multidimensionality of islam in its relevance to modern life is not yet apparent to everyone in its particulars, even though they may believe it at an obsure abstract level as a religious feeling.
best
Aaman
URL
February 6, 2006
12:20 PM
That nano-bot reference is positively close to the Singularity
gazelle
URL
February 6, 2006
12:35 PM
I meant it as an institutional-cultural metaphorical sense rather any physical-technological one.
dkaps
URL
February 7, 2006
06:34 AM
Gazelle:
Nice post!
Without seeming challenging your views or to Muslims in general, there is a case for a comprehensive review as to why and how did a rational beginning lead to violent conquests and upheavals? How did the scientifically rich communities of Persia and Arabic lands transform into fanatic and closed societies?
I once worked on an extensive project in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India to study the socio-economic situation of Muslims and find ways to improve them. Personally visited at least 60 villages - in the madrasas (including the big Madaris like Deoband and Darul-ul-uloom), Mosques etc. Met some truly inspirational people and saw the anguish of the common Muslim kids and youth.
I came back with a heavily laden heart at the mess that the Muslim society was in and how little and inappropriate the responses to their growth are.. as well the seemingly impossibility of the hurdles on the way. This was exaggerated by the Partition - the common Muslim youth suddenly in a matter of months lost a large pool of role models who chose to go west-side of the line.
I also came back convinced that India will not succeed until Muslims in India can.
I can appreciate the discussion from Muslims on how Islam is a peaceful religion, but I believe MORE pertinent and IMPORTANT - from Muslims perspective and world perspective - is to find the causes of how and why have the despots and killers throughout history used it as a regular inspiration? Not trying to malign the religion, but its imperative to delve into the issues and look for patterns and answers.
Also, it is important for all Muslims to look for answers on how to improve things... if there indeed can be a reform?
I have seen the talk of reform (like Mushy's Enlightened Moderation) being trashed by extolling the virtues of Islam and how peerless it is. But the fact is that for a bystander on this highway, when most available fruits on the tree seem infested with poison - he is apt to think that the either the seed lacked somewhere or the nourishment given in its youth wasnt right! Irrespective, the tree needs change!
Cheers,
Desh
Drishtikone.com
gazelle
URL
February 7, 2006
04:47 PM
Desh, thanks for sharing your experiences and concerns. these issues need serious attention.
i wrote something humorous to share the cheer that has also crept in!
Cartoon Jokes - Standing Apart From The Bomb [Link]
It'll show up here soon, I think.
Aaman
URL
February 17, 2006
07:59 AM
This post has been chosen as a Desicritics Editors' Pick - thanks for writing it.
gazelle
URL
February 17, 2006
01:36 PM
Dear web surfers, skate[board]ers, DCs and editors:
Go with the flow of the ink in your web arteries.
ke khoon-e-dil mein dubo li hein unglian mein ne (faiz)
Much Thanks ^_^
-g
temporal
URL
February 17, 2006
02:47 PM
Desh:
very good post! (don't know how i missed it)
I can appreciate the discussion from Muslims on how Islam is a peaceful religion, but I believe MORE pertinent and IMPORTANT - from Muslims perspective and world perspective - is to find the causes of how and why have the despots and killers throughout history used it as a regular inspiration? Not trying to malign the religion, but its imperative to delve into the issues and look for patterns and answers.
while delving into the issues and looking for patterns maybe a necessity so is an out of the box approach...
one such approach would be to steer them towards greater economic empowerment...ignoring or by-passing the religious teachers...
once they acquire a bird in hand they'd be less inclined to count the ones on the tree
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