A Few Talking Points About Sharia After Losing a Sean Hannity Shouting Match

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This article was first Published on 05/02/2013 10:59 am at – : https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-few-talking-points-about-sharia-after-losing-a-sean-hannity-shouting-match_b_3200730

Asking questions is the right thing to do, and listening to the answer without interrupting is the civil thing to do. If we jump around from question to question without answering one, we achieve nothing, and that is a disservice to Sean Hannity‘s fans. That is precisely what happened on Hannity’s show yesterday: a shouting match.

I thought I was dealing with an intellectual, but I was seriously disappointed with Bill Cunningham, a veteran TV and radio host who parrots the same spiel memorized over the years. He simply refused to hear another point of view and kept shouting louder. I thought of matching him, but chose to back off. He failed the audience by interrupting me from giving the answers to public; they deserve to know about the flawed survey.

I am writing this in particular to my friends, including Muslims, who have started watching Hannity. Over the last three years I have been on his show, he has made a genuine effort to bring a “semblance” of another point of view. I tip my hat to him for telling me in front of an audience of nearly 25 in February this year (which included Rep. Peter King, Rep. Louis Gohmert, Pamela Geller and other Fox commentators) that he is not against Muslims, but against radicals who are indeed enemies of humanity as well as Muslims. That took courage, and he delivered it with firmness.

He said he values me as a Muslim, and has kept his word that he is not against Muslims. Not only that, even Rep. Peter King has corrected his tone after that meeting, when he said, “Ninety-nine percent of Muslims are outstanding Americans,” with a “but,” compared to his reckless statements a year earlier. I welcome these tones and applaud Hannity for leading the pack to be sensitive toward fellow Americans.

I salute those Americans who are critical of the government and relentlessly keep them on their toes. Whether it is Obama or Clinton in the future, we should keep them on a tight leash, and Hannity does that well. He is a great American from that point of view.

Fox continues to remain alarmist, and I welcome that; however, I am committed to demystify the myths and bring sanity to the public through my writings and speeches.

The following were the talking points that I could not get to:

The Premise of Pew Survey Is Flawed

The survey has failed to recognize lack of alterative laws in Muslim majority nations; this makes the survey questionable in its authenticity.

You ask an American or a Canadian about the laws that govern their nations to serve justice, and the only laws they know are the laws of the land. Other than Jews and Muslims, most citizens do not have clue about any other laws to mediate family disputes.

The only law Muslim majority nations have known for decades is the law of their land: sharia. These laws just did not spring up for Fox News to be alarmed; they have been around for 12 of the last 14 centuries of Islamic tradition. The Muslims in Yemen, Kuwait, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Chad or Iran do not even have an idea of another law.

Had the survey asked the question if the respondents were aware of alternate laws to serve justice, the answers would have been different? If they were asked what is that they want, they would have said Justice, and the only known source of justice to them is sharia. Would the Pew Survey expect Yemenis to say they want American Civil Laws?

Western vs. Eastern Muslims

Despite the wrong foundation of the survey, it remarkably differentiates between Muslims who are familiar with alternate laws and those who are not. Most of the nations that are under 30 percent favorability toward Sharia (the ones adjacent to secular nations) like Kosovo, Bosnia, Russia, Lebanon, Turkey and Kazakhstan favor other laws over Sharia. Whereas nations where there is no alternate law have chosen the only thing they know: sharia.

What beefs my conclusion is the cognizance of alternatives, and the fact that almost all the nations overwhelming believe in religious freedom — more than 90 percent of them. This is great news and should be a notice to the State Department to tailor the foreign policy to bring about the freedom for people through dialogue and not the destructive wars.

What Is Sharia?

I wrote a piece in The Huffington Post in July of 2010 called, “Sharia law not in America.” It is one of the most simple but comprehensive articles to understand sharia. Everyone will get it. The revised version of the article is named “Genesis of Sharia“ at Sharia Laws.Com.

Radical Muslims

Radical Muslims are the mirror image of radical Republicans, who want to ban abortion and strip women’s’ right to ownership of her body, who are against equal pay for women, against same sex marriage and against background checks to purchase guns.

Muslims Are Sick of Extremists

In my previous appearance on Hannity, I proclaimed Muslims are sick of extremist, just as all of Americans are.

Obedient Wives

Indeed, two of the American presidential candidates would support the idea of obedient wife. The macho man Rick Santorum and obedient wife Michele Bachmann believe in that. Romney would have preferred the wife to stay home and cook food and raise children. What if the radical Republicans get the majority in the House and Senate and one of them is the president? You can expect Santorum or Bachmann brand of sharia in America.

Sharia Laws Need Serious Updating

The laws on divorce, rape, apostasy, blasphemy, inheritance and adultery are not only outdated, but some do not reflect the values of Quran, which is justice. Most of these laws, though inspired by Quran, are a human effort to serve justice, but do the opposite.

In case of obedience part, it goes against the grain of Islam. Quran 2:187 says, “Men and women are each other’s garments.” In other words, confidants, protectors, defenders and friends and must treat each other fairly. One of the prophet’s saying is that a woman can disobey her husband if he compels her to act against her will in the matters of faith. Mutual consent and freedom is essential in a relationship. In practice whether they are Muslim, Christian, Jewish or Hindu men, they cross the boundaries with women. Religion or the laws of the land don’t mean a thing to rapists, murderers and violent men.

In the cultural context, the Muslim respondents in that survey took the word obedience to mean a conflict-free home — and not necessarily slavery.

Freedom to Practice Religion

This is one of the most valuable parts of the survey. Muslims are sick of living under monarchies, dictators and under the thumbs of Mullahs and Fatwa bombs, but when they have the freedom they choose the right thing: to be fair and just, a basic human trait.

More than 80 percent of the Muslim respondents prefer freedom of faith across the world. The dissonance is particularly strong in Pakistan and Bangladesh, where democracy has yet to realize its fruits, while one nation is laden with senseless, imperialistic, unjust Hudood laws, which the dictator of Pakistan, Zia ul-Haq, imposed and carried through with no one having the guts to repeal. But Pakistanis and Bangladeshis have spoken strongly against it with 97 percent and 96 percent of them supporting freedom to practice religion. It shows their disgust for the current practices which are not their choosing.

Sean Hannity may be right: Egypt is doomed with the Brotherhood at its helm. But look at what 77 percent of Egyptians want: freedom of religion.

Hell, 90 percent of Americans and 80 percent of the Republicans in our successful democracy want background checks on purchase of guns, but what do the Senators and Congressmen do? Go against the will of the people like those damned dictators and Mullahs.

American Muslims

My columnist friend Tom Heneghan quotes in his report on the survey, “A section of the survey on U.S. Muslims noted that American Muslims ‘sometimes more closely resemble other Americans than they do Muslims around the world.’ Only about half say their closest friends are Muslim, compared to 95 percent of Muslims globally.”

This is a good news. More needs to be done, and that is what I am committed to do: to build a cohesive America where no American needs to be apprehensive or fearful of a fellow American.

American Muslims have placed their trust in the American justice system and will continue to oppose sharia laws as they are currently applied in many places across the globe. I will be one of the first ones, if not the first one, to stand up against it. The Muslim majority in America is happy with the American system and does not want to have sharia as a part of the American laws. The hype of the right wing has fortunately brought debates to the fore.

This may be bad news for the likes of Pamela Geller, Robert Spencer, Bridgette Gabriel, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, John Hagee and a host of other right-wingers, who thrive on selling hate and painting chaotic scenarios. It will affect their cash flow. They cannot dupe Americans with unsubstantiated and statistically insignificant claims. Americans are trained to see another point of view and to be non-judgmental.

As a Muslim I stand against sharia for public consumption, but allow sharia for personal use for people to square their personal conflicts. We are Americans and the law of the land is our law. There is no substitute for it.

We all need to work for a safe and prosperous America with a focus on social cohesion and demystifying the myths and removing the division and wedges between us.

Goddess Saraswati Statue With Barack Obama Symbolizes Relationship Between Indonesia and the U.S.

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This article was first Published on 06/19/2013 04:43 pm at – : https://www.huffpost.com/entry/goddess-saraswati-statue-_b_3460615

The Indonesian Embassy in Washington D.C. has expressed her relationship with the United States in the most unique way — by building a statue of Saraswati, the iconic representation of education in Hindu tradition on their grounds.

The Statue is 16’ tall, in white and Gold carved by the native Balinese sculptors over a period of three months. The statue, stands on top of a lotus in front of the Indonesian Embassy a block from the Indian embassy and a mile from the White House. At her feet are three students; Young Barack Obama and his classmates while he was in grade school in Indonesia. The statue is yet to be inaugurated as of today, June 18, 2013 but making heads turn.

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The symbolic statue could mean many things to many people, as a Pluralist I see the following five significant values expressed.

First, as an Indian American, I welcome this gesture by the Indonesian Embassy and congratulate them. They have indeed honored India, my motherland by honoring her Iconic figure; Goddess Saraswati. Bhupen Ganatra and Amol Mukherjee, the Indian leaders in Dallas add, “That this is great gift of highest level… awesome gesture by Indonesia expressing the best of religious harmony and importance of education by a Muslim nation offering a statue of Hindu Goddess to a mostly Christian nation. For this, Indonesia should be recognized by all nations… all religions.”

As an Indian American Muslim, I am proud of Indonesia for following the principles taught by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) that each one of us is responsible for the well being of our neighbors, communities, nations and our world. We all came from a single couple and are made into different tribes, communities and nations and the best ones among us, God says in Quran are the ones who learn, understand and respect the others. Dr. Akbar Ahmed, who heads the ibn-Khaldun chair at the American University and a leading Muslim in America adds, “These symbolic gestures build upon each other in building peaceful societies.”

First, education is essential in opening people’s hearts and minds towards each other to build cohesive societies, where no one has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of the other.

Second, the hallmark of civil societies is reflected by how they treat their minorities, women and children. In this case Indonesia has symbolically chosen the statute of Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of learning worshipped by a mere 3 percent of her population, and yet it stands to represent the relationship between Indonesia and the United States. It’s a powerful message of pluralism — of respecting the otherness of others and accepting the God given uniqueness of each one of her citizens.

Third, the same education has led the United States to choose her president from a mere 13.2 percent of the population. President Obama’s election is historical. Indeed, for the first time in human history, a qualified person was chosen and accepted to govern the entire populace. Through this action, America gave hopes to the religious, cultural, racial and linguistic minorities in the community of nations that everyone who is qualified can aspire to lead their nation. It was for this reason, the world cried with joy on the day Mr. Obama was elected as President of the United States.

At the Parliament of World’s religions in Melbourne, Australia on December 5, 2009, at the conclusionary flag ceremony — some 200 flags of nations were placed in the holder. As individuals were picking the flags of their nations, I requested them not to pick the flag of their own nation, and instead pick the flag of other nations they consider un-friendly towards their nation. It was a Joy to see an Israeli Rabbi pick up the Palestinian flag and a Palestinian Imam pick up the Israeli flag. An Indian picks up the Pakistani flag and a Pakistani picks up the Indian Flag, and I smiled when the British held the French flag and vice versa. Unless we learn to be in others shoes, we cannot shed our prejudices to build better societies. I cannot ask the other to have ill-will towards me, when I am loaded with it myself.

The idea of the statue was conceived by Indonesian Ambassador Dr Dino Patti Djalal and was built with the aid of National Economic Committee and Bali’s Badung Regent. “Although the official inscription is yet to be honored, the public can readily enjoy this 4.9-meter tall statue today by the entrance to the Embassy building on Massachusetts Avenue.”

Explaining the motive behind the cultural gift, a spokesperson of the Indonesian Embassy told the Press Trust of India (PTI), “Devi Saraswati is one of the Goddesses in Hinduism; the primarily practiced religion among Balinese people in Indonesia, which itself is the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country. Yet, Her representation at the Indonesian Embassy was not decided out only of any religious grounds, but more on its symbolized values that parallel with several key principles of Indonesia-U.S. relations under comprehensive partnership, in particular education and people-to-people contact,” a spokesperson at the Indonesian Embassy told PTI.

I am pleased to share another such step happening in Dallas, Texas.

Who does not want to see a community or a nation, where you and I don’t have to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of the other? In Hindi and Urdu languages, the closest words to describe pluralism and cohesive societies are: Vasudhaiva Kutumbukum (वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम), Anekantvad (अनेकान्तवाद ), Bahimiyat or Taksiriyat ( تَکثیریت ), Sanskat Samaj (संसक्त समाज), and chaspinda Muashira (معاشرہ چسپندہ)

Our poets will capture that sentiment and recite them at the Poetry session on Saturday, June 29, 2013 at Richardson Civic Center, Richardson, and will be preserved as a documentary.

Nothing will ever change in the world we live in, if we do nothing about it. Together we can nurture a culture of acceptance of each other; it may take twenty years or a full generation to see the visible signs. But, at least we can feel good, that we were a part of the team that laid a good foundation for such societies.

One Ramadan Many Celebrations; Islamic Pluralism in Action

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This article was first Published on 08/07/2013 12:05 pm at – : https://www.huffpost.com/entry/one-ramadan-many-celebrat_b_3710856

This year, like most of the 1,400 years in the past, Ramadan will be celebrated on three different days. Ramadan Mubarak — Happy Ramadan!

How does it work?

Everything begins with moon sighting, and once you see the pencil thin first moon on the horizon, a declaration is made to end the month long fasting followed by an announcement of Eid festivity the next morning.

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Politics plays a crucial role in our temples, synagogues, churches, and mosques. A few scientifically-inclined-Muslims have adopted NASA’s calculations believed to be precise. However, four different traditions operate concurrently in deciding the festival, aka Eid. i) Seeing the moon with bare eyes; ii) following others who have seen it with their bare eyes; iii) following the calendar cycle, and iv) NASA calculations.

The story is same with the Jewish and some of the Hindu festivities that follow the lunar calendar. Rosh Hashanah, like Ramadan, comes 11 or 12 days earlier each succeeding year. The lunar calendar has 354 and 1/3 days, whereas the solar has 365 days in a year with an adjustment for the leap year.

The Dawoodi Bohra Shia Muslim community is celebrating on Wednesday the 7th, a special occasion for them as it coincides with the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Imamat of their spiritual leader, his highness Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, the 52nd Dā’ī l-Muṭlaq ( Missionary) of the Dawoodi Bohra Muslims. He was born in 1915.

The Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims are celebrating it on Thursday, where as the mainstream Shia Muslims will announce it based on the moon sighting. The Ahmadiyya Muslims are celebrating it on Friday per their calendar. The Warith Deen Muhammad tradition will be celebrating on Thursday as well.

The Islamic Society of North America and the Fiqh council have announced the Eid festivities to be held on Thursday, August 8th and a majority of Sunni Muslims will follow that date, however some will wait for the moon, if they don’t see it on Wednesday, it will be Friday for them, and many nations are doing it on Saturday.

Pluralism is live among Muslims, a majority of them have learned to respect the otherness of others, and accept different practices within the range of Islam. In the spirit of Ramadan, I urge Muslims to hold the temptation to denigrate, diminish and devalue other practices.

Since the beginning of Islam, there have been debates as to what constitutes moon sighting. Some interpret that there has got to be a minion to declare that they have seen it themselves with their own eyes, and some do not accept it unless they have seen it themselves. It is also acceptable if the moon is sighted elsewhere, but now, each group has their own moon sighting plans.

The NASA-oriented and the Calendar-group misses out the fun, joy and exhilaration of waiting and watching the pencil thin moon on the horizon. The whole family gets out on the roof tops, or higher grounds, some even climb electric poles, and a few will drive out where they can see the sky without obstacles, kids would climb on parent’s shoulders, and a few run from place to place shouting in excitement, did you see it? In Pakistan, they fly the Imams in a plane to see the moon.

Each tradition fulfills one’s emotional needs and everyone become sentimental. It is like the belief in Santa Claus, angels and other myths. After all, if celebration does not have the excitement, it takes away something from the festivity.

America’s spirit of freedom touches every soul, no matter what religion or tradition they follow. American Muslims are no different; they prefer to have a pre-set date to start fasting and the celebration called Eid. The idea is to take a day off from work or get an optional day off for their children from the schools. Always, the joy multiplies when the family and friends celebrate it together.

The conflicts are the same everywhere on the earth. Each group subscribes to one of the four systems mentioned above.

The consensus in smaller denominations may be attributable to having central spiritual leadership in all groups except the Sunni groups. However like the American Public wishes to see the Republicans and Democrats drop the party lines and focus on what is good for America, the Muslims also collectively wish they could celebrate the Eid on one single day. It ain’t going to happen, it is human to differ.

The essence of Ramadan is to become humble, simple and free from ill-will, anger, meanness and hate. Let’s fill our hearts with goodwill and honor Ramadan by saying “Eid Mubarak” or Happy Eid to everyone who celebrates on a different day in the same town. The essence of Ramadan is joy and let’s not prick any one’s bubble; God has not signed a pact with any one behind others back, let’s rejoice the differences of interpretations. If you want to celebrate every day, go to every celebration.

In the spirit of Ramadan, I pray that Ramadan gets into our hearts and minds and make us embrace all factions of Muslims without undermining their tradition and further pray that we treat every human on the earth with dignity, respect and care.

That is indeed the wisdom expressed in Qur’an, Al-Hujurat, Surah 49:13: “O mankind! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. The noblest of you, in sight of God, is the best in conduct. God Knows and is Aware of everything you do.”

Mike Ghouse heads the think tank World Muslim Congress, and is committed to nurturing the pluralistic values embedded in Islam. He offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.

While Pastor Terry Jones Burns 2998 Copies of Qurans in Mulberry, Muslims Will Be Donating 12,000 Pints of Blood This Year

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This article was first Published on 09/06/2013 02:05 pm at – :https://www.huffpost.com/entry/while-pastor-terry-jones-_b_3874056

Chief Seattle the Native American said this perfectly, “All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the webs, he does it to himself.”

Saving a life is like saving the whole humanity says the Quran, a book of guidance like all other holy books in building harmony in a given society. It is about building societies that care for each other for the ultimate benefit of each member of the society.

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Qur’an, Chapter Al-Ma’idah (The Table Spread) 5:32 (Asad) “Because of this did We ordain unto the children of Israel that if anyone slays a human being-unless it be [in punishment] for murder or for spreading corruption on earth-it shall be as though he had slain all mankind; whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind. [40] And, indeed, there came unto them [41] Our apostles with all evidence of the truth: yet, behold, notwithstanding all this, many of them go on committing all manner of excesses on earth.”

Indeed every religious, political, ethnic and social group has a fraction among them that commits excesses. Individuals are responsible for the bad acts, and it is their heinie that needs to be hauled off, and not their parents, kids, siblings, pastor, religion or mayor of the town. We have to guard ourselves from stereotyping any group for the acts of a few.

About 10:00 in the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, this Muslim was called in by AM Radio 1150 to address the chaos that followed after the first plane hit the twin towers. The great tragedy had left every one speechless and had frozen everyone from doing anything. I was shaking but was committed to make sense out of the chaos and bring coherence to the day, and pave the way for relevant action.

I was on the air for seven hours, virtually getting every possible community, religious, and civil leader on the air to bring some coherence. Among the many things we accomplished that day was the blood drive. My late wife Najma had called in and announced about the blood drive and within no time, hundreds of people lined up at Wadley Blood center. She drove to the facility and the folks told her that the lines were too long and asked us to hold off the announcements till the next day.

Thanks to OneBlood, Inc. for sending the Big Red Bus to the Mulberry Civic Center Venue on September 11, 2013 between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. — please come and donate blood. I realized the importance of blood donation when my late wife was on her death bed and needed blood, when my uncle was in a motor cycle accident and needed blood. Donate blood.

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The Muslim community has taken up the responsibility in past several years to donate blood, and last year, the target was to collect 11,000 pints on the 11th anniversary and they collected 11,170 Pints. The Muslims for Life blood drive campaign emphasizes the sanctity of life, a teaching inherent in all religious traditions. The Muslim community has set a goal to collect 12,000 pints of blood, which will help save up to 36,000 lives.

Please join us for a life changing event, you will fall in love with the idea that all of us Americans will come together as Americans and nothing but Americans. While we have our identity, we look to each other as American and rededicate ourselves to our pledge; one nation under God with liberty and justice for all.

You will be a part of history in creating a model behavior in dealing with conflicts and building a cohesive America, where no American has to live in apprehension or fear of the other.

EVENT: UNITY DAY USA

Time: 8:46 AM – 10:46 AM
Date: September 11, 2013
Place: Mulberry Civic Center,
Address: 901 NE 5th St
City: Mulberry, FL 33860
Site: www.UnityDayUSA.com
RSVP: ConfirmAttendance@gmail.com

Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. More about him at www.MikeGhouse.net

Eid al-Adha — What Should You Sacrifice? A Proposal for Muslims

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This article was first Published on 10/15/2013 11:25 am at – : https://www.huffpost.com/entry/eid-aladha-what-should-yo_b_4099426

A thousand years ago, the assets of a man were made up of his goats, camels and cattle. The ultimate sacrifice one would make was to give away his precious assets in gifts. Today, the most loved possession is money, and people are willing to give up a lot of things but the money. Money is indeed our precious asset, as it has the ability to buy just about everything we need.

Sacrifice is willingness to give up what is essential for our survival. It is about parents going to sleep without food but feeding their kids; it is clothing their kids while waiting to get their own. In case of extremities, we would rather get the bullet and save our loved ones, we are willing to rescue the child from a freezing lake risking our own life, and even strangers do that. That is sacrifice: the willingness to value life of the loved ones over our own.

One of the examples set up for guidance was the test of Abraham’s faith, love and devotion. God asks of him what everyone in love does: “If you love me, you would this for me.” In human terms, those conditions are merely a test of one’s devotion, and in return a simple assurance and re-commitment to the relationship would suffice, be it your fiancé, spouse or mother.

It was Abraham’s turn to face the command of God to sacrifice his. Upon hearing this command, he prepared to submit to God’s will. When he was all prepared to do it, God revealed to him that his “sacrifice” had already been fulfilled. He had shown that his love for his Lord superseded all others, and that he would lay down his own life or the lives of those dear to him in order to submit to God.

What is submission to God?

It’s nothing more than subscribing to an orderly system where everything remains in place and runs smoothly. It includes telling the truth, not cheating, robbing or not messing a smooth running life where everyone can trust each other — essentially, the Ten Commandments. Any violations will bring distress to the society.

Everything in the universe is created with a built-in balance, and the created will perform precisely what they were created for. For instance, in verse 55:6 God talks about trees and stars prostrate themselves to God, it simply means they are working as programmed — grow from seeds into trees, and every time and in every place. The systems are in place. However, humans were given the free will and were asked to create their own balance.

55:4 (Asad) He has imparted unto him articulate thought and speech.
55:5 (Asad) [At His behest] the sun and the moon run their appointed courses;
55:6 (Asad) [before Him] prostrate themselves the stars and the trees.
55:7 (Asad) And the skies has He raised high, and has devised [for all things] a measure,
55:8 (Asad) so that you [too, O men,] might never transgress the measure [of what is right]:

Does God want animals to be sacrificed on a large scale?

Not at all. Qur’an, Al-Hajj 22:37 (The Pilgrimage) is clear:

“Never does their flesh reach God, and neither their blood. It is only your God-consciousness that reaches Him. It is to this end that we have made them subservient to your needs, so that you might glorify God for all the guidance with which He has graced you. And give thou this glad tiding unto the doers of good.”

The act symbolizes our willingness to give up some of our own bounties in order to strengthen and preserve the web and help those who are in need. We recognize that all blessings come from God, and we should open our hearts and share with others. That is indeed the guidance he has graced us with.

What would you sacrifice instead?

It is customary for Muslims to sacrifice an animal or two on the day of the Hajj; in fact, millions of animals will be slaughtered today. What are our alternatives? Have we not lived without one for centuries? Should we not think of the alternatives? Here are a few thoughts from Muslims:

Dr. Nauman Anwar:

“Sacrificing animals without making a public spectacle is still a good idea, as long as no wastage of the meat and hides occur. Many Muslim countries have lot of poverty and if meat reaches the deserving population, it will help improve nutritional status of the poor (small amount of meat is good for health).”

Ghulam Yusuf:

“It is something that the Muslims should consider seriously. The amount of money and meat wasted during Qurbani may be in billions. The poor do not need a little bit of meat once in a year. They have many more and urgent needs. I suggest we should start a world wide appeal to Muslims to contribute to a common fund which should be solely to help them meet their daily needs.”

Khalid Faridi:

“Point is, if one wants to do something good he can without sacrificing the obligatory deeds as commanded by Allah. The meat of the sacrificial animal goes to relatives, poor neighborhood and is consumed at home. The skin goes to schools, philanthropic organizations, etc., where we pinstriped suited guys don’t contribute. It is a delicacy for which millions wait for a whole year because they cannot afford. I know people who make sure that each part of the edible is evenly distributed.”

You are not accountable to any human if you did the Qurbani (animal sacrifice) or not. You can put that money to a different use that will do greater good like lending to a street hawker who can sell things from a cart and take care of his family or a single mom who can make baskets or make sweaters to take care of her family. The beauty of those systems is you can make the same money work repeatedly for common good. Indeed there is a successful model of Micro Lending by Dr. Yunus of Bangladesh. You have to decide what the best way to help others.

No Muslim is going to demand that you do certain things. You have the free will what you do with your sacrifice, who it goes and what purpose it serves.

Sacrifice can be translated as willingness to give up what is most dear to us. Hence, donating money to meet the needs of people would be the right thing to do, as they can pay for their own prioritized needs instead of meat from everyone that they cannot store.

Lastly, God wants us to be just, so please do not discriminate in giving — God doesn’t do that (remember Solomon’s story about lording over food?). Anyone in need is good to receive your help, be it a Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Jew or any one in your neighborhood. They have the first right to your goodness.

Honoring police, firemen and soldiers

Every day our police officers risk their own lives to protect ours, the firemen and women risk their lives to save a child, a pet or an aged person from a fire; and every day our soldiers put their lives at risk to save fellow soldiers and to save our freedom.

I urge fellow Muslims and all others to stop and salute every one of these men and women, honoring them for their sacrifices and their love for humanity. Better yet, call the firemen, policemen and let them know that as a Muslim you appreciate their sacrifice, and this festival is also about appreciation for such sacrifice.

Will you do that? Are you willing to see the positive changes in perceptions about Muslims? I did that last year in Louisville, within minutes the police office had emailed the article to his fellow officers appreciating the Muslims.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had said the least you can do as charity is to smile and appreciate the otherness of others.

Mike Ghouse is a Muslim speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, Islam, interfaith and a few other topics. He is committed to nurturing pluralistic values embedded in Islam and building cohesive Societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. www.WorldMuslimCongress.com

India’s Future, Narendra Modi, Muslims and Moving Forward

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This article was first Published on 11/04/2013 02:26 pm at – : https://www.huffpost.com/entry/indias-future-narendra-mo_b_4177079

The prosperity of India can be compared to a bus journey. If the driver ensures the air pressure is even in all its tires, the journey would become safe for its passengers. Similarly, if all the communities in a nation are on a level playing field, the prosperity of the nation becomes secure and sustainable.

Unfortunately, the majoritarian attitudes of a few harm India’s harmony and adversely affect her prosperity. They harass, threaten and use violence to teach the minorities, women and the weak how to behave, and put them in their place. It is like letting the air out of one of the tires, hurting all of us in the end.

The 1984 Sikh Genocide, the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992, burning of Hindu Passengers in Godhra and Massacre of Muslims in Gujarat in 2002, the rapes of Nuns, Dalits and destruction of Churches are among the ugly cruelties we have witnessed since independence in 1947. It is a shameful blot on the civility of our Mother; India.

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The anguish, suffering, apprehension and non-restoration of justice to the victims will continue to hurt the cohesiveness of India. As Indians, we need to set aside our pettiness and pull every Indian onto a level playing field, the more people we pull up, the greater the prosperity for all.

Deep down, all humans seek justice and a balance in life, and without it, they are lost in sectarian warfare. As a member of the civilized nations, we need to collectively work towards building a cohesive India, where no Indian has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of the other — an India where everyone is free to eat, drink, wear and believe whatever suits him/her.

MUSLIM DILEMMA

The Indian Muslims are sick of the blame and the ugly comments hurled at them about India’s partition, attacks of Ghazni on Somnath or the cruelties and Massacres of Aurangzeb. Many a parents teach their children to hate, and build biases against Muslims. It is not good for any one.

In 1947, a few men in the heat of communal frenzy decided the fate of nearly 350 Million Indians, including 80 Million Muslims that resulted in partition of the nation. The Muslim masses were not even consulted about the division and those few decided what was good for them.

The Muslims of independent India are not responsible for the Partition, attacks of Ghazni or cruelty of Aurangzeb, just as the present day Hindus are not responsible for the past cruelties towards untouchables and burning of widows. This must be clearly understood and taught to bring Mukti (freedom) to both Hindus and Muslims from the bondage of the past.

NARENDRA MODI

Today, Indian minorities face yet another dilemma: Narendra Modi. If the BJP wins the Parliamentary elections in 2014, Mr. Modi will become the next Prime Minister of India.

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That prospect frightens Muslims, Christians and other minorities of India, the Gujarat Massacre wound is fresh, per the Union Home Ministry 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus were brutally murdered, but other figures place the death over 2000 Muslims in the mayhem, and thousands lost their homes, livelihood and witnessed brutal murders, rapes and slaughter of the family members. It is estimated that at least 250 girls and women had been gang raped and then burned to death.

The mayhem was similar to Rwanda and Bosnia genocides, and it all happened on Mr. Modi’s watch as the Chief Minister of the state of Gujarat, and he is still the head while 20,000 men, women and children are rotting in relief camps seeking justice.

Those Indians who seek justice want Modi to be punished to commensurate with the crimes or as an accessory to the crime, and that no one should be above the law. However, there are other voices from the Hindu and Muslim communities, who are driven by justice for the victims. Unfortunately, these folks are shamelessly negated as “sold-outs” and this bullying cannot go on in a free nation.

It is time for Muslims to guard themselves from those few who want to make decisions for Muslims at large without their consent. “Ek Dhoka kha chuke Hain, aur kha saktay nahin (We have been deceived once in partition, and we cannot be deceived again).” Hence the need for this initiative, so people can debate, discuss and be informed. Nothing should be decided without a serious discussion.

Nailing Modi will not change the lives of people. The rich will live on, but the 20,000 refugees will continue to live in squalor.

Shouldn’t we be concerned about those who were uprooted, lost their loved ones, lost their livelihood, homes and everything they had earned, and now living in relief camps with humility? They are primary to this issue and their wellbeing must be of paramount importance in all discussions.

We should seek restoration of lives of those denied, it does not mean to let Mr. Modi go free; he has to respond to the court hearings. If he is not guilty, let’s leave him alone, but if he is, he needs to pay for that.

We are all in this together, and see things differently. We need to allow diversity of thought for a comprehensive understanding of the issue from a justice point of view, as well as long term cohesion in the society.

What good is the prosperity if people continue to live in fear? Both the ones who frighten and the frightened ones will lose out in the long haul.

Moving Forward

Muslims and Christians experienced the blatant injustice by the state under the guardianship of Chief Minister Narendra Modi. We, the people of India in general, and Gujarat in particular have a choice to do nothing, or start the process of finding sustainable solutions.

Hindus, Muslims, Dalits, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists and others have an equal interest in building a cohesive India where no Indian has to live in apprehension or fear of the fellow Indian, and together achieve the prosperity for all. Prosperity without peace is bound to be lost, why exercise then?

We have a moral obligation to the people who lost their lives, livelihood, and homes and who continue to suffer. We need to bring a closure.

What Does It Take? A PROPOSAL.

1. Restore the lives of refugees uprooted in the riots, find them minimum housing and a path to earn a livelihood. Let them be accommodated amidst all others with full security through caring attitudes, in the long run we have to build de-segregated societies for the good of all.

2. Inclusive governance, to include Muslims on the internal advisory of the Chief Minister to make security decisions on a voluntary basis with nothing to gain. These Muslims need to have an impeccable character and not the yes men or women, and must care for every Guajarati. Ideally, every Gujarati must care for the other without hesitation.

3. Justice to the families of the ones who have lost their lives, both Hindu and Muslim without discrimination.

4. Find the truth about burning of 59 passengers in the train in the most transparent way – to bring closure to doubts on both sides or acknowledge the findings and live with it.

5. Punishment for Anti-Muslim rhetoric in the state machinery, just like the strong anti-corruption rules the Chief Minister has instituted.

6. Meet with local Muslim, Dalit, Sikh, and Christian leadership on a regular basis, not to appease them, but to hear them out and prevent injustice to them. Remember, Muslims and other minorities are not looking for favors or handouts, but just fair treatment, and an opportunity to be productive citizens.

7. An initiation of annual Unity Divas, to bring people of different faiths, tribes, ethnicities and languages together to recommit to one Gujarat with liberty and justice for all.

If Mr. Modi can demonstrate that he is a good human being, and put in to practice the above seven points for the next five years, he would earn the goodwill of the people to aspire to lead the nation and get elected out of freewill.

Right now, the thought of Modi as Prime Minister is tearing India apart and his rallies may generate untold miseries of death and destruction. A few Hindu extremists may rejoice killing Muslims and a handful of Muslim extremists may revel in bombing rallies, resulting in a mess for all.

If Modi wants to bring prosperity without bloodying mother India, he must first earn goodwill of the people, and the wounds need to be healed for sustainability.

This will give him time to do his praischit (repentance) and follow the dharma (the right path), and understand the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbukum, where every Indian becomes his family, and hurting one Gujarati would amount to hurting all Gujaratis.

Jai Hind

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work place. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com.

Congratulations: Finally, Israel Is on the Doorstep of the Ultimate; Her Eternal Security

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This article was first Published on January 13, 2019 at – :https://www.huffpost.com/entry/congratulations-finally-i_b_4344526

Over three millenniums, Jewish people have been betrayed time and again; each time they have made their home and their nest, it was torn down. After the cruelty of Romans, they finally felt home in Spain, and what does the butcher Ferdinand do? Force them out again. The resilient people came to believe that Germany was their eternal home, and what does criminal Hitler do? He was hell bent on annihilation of the entire Jewish population. Finally, they found their own home; Israel.

This should be their eternal home with full security. This deal is a good first step towards that goal. This is good for Israel, Iran, America and the entire Middle east.

It has not been easy for Israel either; its foundation was laid on blood of the Palestinians and Jews, now, Israelis. Both the people have been persecuted, harassed and thrown out of their own homes. I hope with the ongoing efforts of great many people, the real security for Jews will come about, and as a Muslim, and I pray for the security of Jews and Justice for the Palestinians, one will not happen without the other. Once this happens and I am optimistic that it will, most of the Muslim initiated conflicts around the world will fade and the goodwill for the Jews will be restored, not only by Muslims, but by most nations.

President Jimmy Carter was and continues to be one of the true friends of Israel, that the Jewish people ever had. With the support from Begin and Sadat he removed the Egyptian threat, thus freeing Israel from one major tension. If Mr. Netanyahu had acted like a statesman, and supported the people of Egypt against the tyrant Mubarak, the relations would not have been soured. Mr. Netanyahu failed to understand that the relationships are built and sustained between peoples and not the individuals.

Now, Israel has another angel: Barack Obama. He is one of the best presidents we have had after Lincoln, Kennedy, Reagan and Clinton! He cares about people, the Americans, the Israelis, Palestinians and Iranians in this instance. He is the peacemaker the world was looking and hoping for.

God bless Obama! Roping Iran into the community of nations is a relief; let me share the following seven points to appreciate this light.

1. The security of Israel is achieved through this deal. There is a Chinese saying, “If you want to eliminate the enemy, you make friends with them, and if you want to live in perpetual fear, keep frightening and threatening your enemies, neither will live in peace.” The hype created by the war mongering Israeli leadership will hopefully recede.

2. I shudder at the thought of Romney’s presidency; he would have gone to war with Iran to appease his buddy war mongers. Destruction of others is heroism to this sadistic crowd. The only ones that would have been happier would be the ones who would have benefited from it, a few in congresses and senate who live off the favors from such lobbies, everyone else would have lost it.

The average Americans would have seen job losses, higher gas prices, home foreclosures, divorces and the curse of budget deficit.

3. This is good for America, the gas prices will come down further causing a boost in economic activity. Americans drive for everything and gas bill is a significant cost of the living. The ubiquitous small contractors who fix homes and make a living can get out and drive more and take care of the customers. No more debating and combining jobs.

4. Thanks to Obama the statesman, for putting up with the fits and tantrums of Netanyahu and the Republican right, his wisdom has paid off. Others would have given it back in full; tit for tats, but he held back for the ultimate good of the nation and Israel. These groups will not give him the credit, but the people of Israel and America would eventually appreciate him.

5. Affordable Care Act is the best thing that has ever happened for the average Americans, eventually 43 million more Americans will benefit from it. The ones, whose loved ones would have died because no insurance carrier would have taken them for the pre-existing conditions, are going to pray for Obama’s well being. The ones who could not afford insurance are affording it and feel secure about the care they can get, and give it to their loved ones, and they are all praying for your well being.

6. Obama is a true peace maker; a conflict mitigator and a goodwill nurturer. His patience is admired, and my faith in him as a true leader of the world is affirmed.

7. The only one who can bring genuine security to the people of Israel and justice to the Palestinians is Obama. Both the people deserve security and Justice, as a Muslim, and in behalf of many a Muslims in the world, I would like to see a Jew travel anywhere in the world without fear. He can send his child to a school in west bank dropping all his guards. Once the Jews feel secure, the Palestinians can count on Justice, a Jewish trait that has been overridden by the need for their security.

Now, I wish the Jewish friends a very happy Hanukkah, a true celebration and recovery of the security for the Israelites. Indeed, it’s the beginning of the end of darkness, and beginning of genuine security for the Jewish people.

Happy Hanukkah

Mike Ghouse is committed to building cohesive societies where no human has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of the other. He heads the World Muslim Congress, a think tank and the Foundation for Pluralism.

A Blueprint for a Purposeful Year in 2014

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This article was first Published on 12/31/2013 12:40 pm at – : https://www.huffpost.com/entry/2014-a-blueprint-for-a-pu_b_4517662

You can make your life purposeful, meaningful and enjoyable, and can choose to be the driver of your life or be driven by others. The choice, as well as the excuse, is yours. I pray that we retain the ability to choose what we want in our lives.

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Success is not necessarily driving a Mercedes, having a luxury home, yacht, or making a six-figure income. It is not about doing better than your friends, classmates, siblings or parents either.

Success is rather living the life you want to live with or without things.

Nothing in life is more important than knowing yourselves, who you are, what is that you want, and how do you get it. Remember, no one knows you better than you.

I am pleased to share my experience with you, hoping that you can relate with it.

Once upon a time, I was an ambitious guy and was driven to conquer the world, and simply did not have the patience with people who lacked ambition. A divorce and the death of my mother had humbled me down, as other things have humbled others. I started understanding the varying ambition levels in people and decided that there was no need to drive oneself nuts. I have learned to respect the otherness of others and have accepted the God-given uniqueness of each one of us. This has brought peace, tranquility and happiness to me.

Another year is about to go away. Some of my friends will read this note next year, but those who read it now, I urge you to consider spending an hour with yourselves creating a purposeful blueprint for 2014.

Where to Begin?

The most important thing is to commit yourselves to actually sit down and write out what you want in 2014. I am serious. If you make that simple commitment, you will find yourselves a life that you can enjoy. If you are afraid of making that commitment, then it is time to challenge yourselves. You got nothing to lose, but gain.

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Goethe wrote, “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy… Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred…. Whatever you can do or dream that you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.”

Here As a Step-By -Step Outline.

Grab a writeable napkin, email yourselves, open the note pad on your cell phone or simply write on a 3×5 card — Hell with these, write it on your palm — the following seven things in any order you want.

1. Family

2. Friends

3. Financial

4. Professional

5. Spirituality

6. Volunteerism

7. Health

It should not have taken you more than five minutes to write this down. Now you can get back to your work, driving, eating or whatever you were doing.

When you get the next coffee break or have to go to the rest room, think of other items that are important to you. Register it in your mind and let go of it, and don’t worry about remembering it. I guarantee you, it will come back to you because you have made the commitment.

Number One Friends

On your way home, work, gym or grocery store, think about your item number one and don’t let anything crowd you, not even item number two. Let’s say your item number one is Friends. You then will spend the next few minutes reviewing about your friends, and what you need to do. Think about a friend who can listen to you, encourage you, and uplift you.

Do you have a friend that you really like, but resent his or her criticism of everything you say or do? It is time to be straight forward. Good friends will not go away if you gather up the courage to say, “Joni, I need your help. When I say something or do something, please hold on to your temptation to critique me, and kindly listen to me and encourage me with positive thoughts. I am having difficulty in coping with criticism at this time.”

If they don’t like it and want to break the relationship, let them. If you fear a loss of a relationship, then you really did not have the relationship to lose it. You don’t lose good friends, no matter what happens, unless you steal their spouse.

Consider reducing your close friendships to a few who can take and give crap without affecting the relationship. Good friends can tune in to your moods or listen and be gentle to you when you want them to be, or brutal when you need them to be, but always be truthful.

Please remember, no one knows what is going on in your mind and you don’t need to be afraid of seeing all the possibilities from useless to useful and everything in between.

Number One Family

If you were to select Family as your number one item — please understand that many people are hurt. Some of the relationships are good, bad and ugly, and unfortunately that is a fact of life. You still have a life to live and how you want to steer it forward is your choice. Let that be your choice and don’t let anyone to run over you, as it may have happened through this date.

Start with each relative. Give at least a minute to each one of them, but don’t hesitate to dwell on them as much as you want. Whether you believe in God or not, those are incomplete transactions of life that will bite incessantly until they are closed.

Closure comes with death. There is nothing you or they can do, and the ugly transactions do close upon death. Do we want to live in agony till then? We owe it to ourselves to have freedom from that bondage now. Forgiving is the most powerful tool available to humanity — there is nothing like it. It brings freedom.

If you are religiously inclined, and are Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Wicca, Pagan, Zoroastrian or from a native tradition, your tradition has a lot to offer on the subject. God’s love is not denied to anyone who seeks it. Every religion is beautiful — it is our understanding that is flawed.

Number Seven Health

Now that you have thought about each one of the seven major items, it’s time for you to take an hour out — the best hour of your life that you can spend on New Years Eve or New Years day.
In that hour, you get to finalize your plan for 2014. You sum up your thoughts in bullets or paragraphs — it is entirely up to you.

You Are Done Now.

It is a great feeling to know oneself — it is liberating. The mere exercise will put a blue print in your hands. Now you are ready for 2014. You have a good idea where you are heading and once you see the pathway, you just have to walk on it. If you get in the car, you need to know where and how to go. Your blue print can be simple or more detailed.

Those of us who can free ourselves from tension, pain, anxiety, apprehension, hostility, malice, pressure, tension, stress, strain and conflicts, are showered with blessings of peace and joy. It is good to be free.

My example:

As an example, I am pleased to share about my life. Of course, this is the generic information and not specifics, which will remain private. By the way, there is not much that is private about me. Here is the Ghouse formula for happier living — Happiness and secretiveness are inversely proportional (i.e., greater the happiness, lower the secretiveness and vice-versa).

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1. Family wise there is improvement and more time will be spent with family in 2014.

2. Relationships with friends have been steady. I have not added any new friends in 2013. However, 2014 will have at least one new friend. I will work on mutual growth of at least three friendships to grow into my venture of teaching pluralism.

3. Financially, I have not improved a bit over the last year and I plan to restore the financial status I had several years ago.

4. Professional goals:

– Publishing 313 articles per year was my goal and I accomplished it with 317.

– Over 300 newspapers have published my work worldwide this year.

– The release of my book, Standing Up for Others, is delayed to January.

– Failed to open a session at Capitol Hill with pluralism greetings and prayers.

– Will be on Jon Stewart, Rachel Maddow, and Piers Morgan shows in 2014.

– Workshops on pluralism at Capitol Hill and Senate will be conducted.

– College campus tours to talk about building a cohesive America.

– The Pluralism Journal and Pluralism Institute is planned, patrons invited.

– You can count on learning about every major festival this year.

5. Spirituality has become boundary-less for me.

6. Volunteerism will continue at a slower pace than the past years.

7. My future is what I make with the blessings of the spirit around me, and from my friends and well wishers.

We will never go to any place if we don’t have a place to go and we will never have the joy of knowing ourselves, if we don’t make an effort.

Please share your goals with your close friends or public to hold you accountable, and to keep you on the tract.

Happy New Year.

—

Mike Ghouse is a motivational speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work place. He is committed to building a “Cohesive America” and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. His book, “Standing up for others,” is due to be released in January.

India’s Modi on His Best Behavior: Can We Trust Him?

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This article was first Published on 05/09/2014 06:34 pm ET at – : https://www.huffpost.com/entry/indias-modi-on-his-best-behavior-can-we-trust-him_b_5280892

We criticize individuals with the idea of wanting them to reset their course and get back on the righteous path of justice, humility, truth and respect for every life. Here is an effort to invoke Mr. Modi to follow “rajdharma,” or good governance.

Mr. Narendra Modi, the prime ministerial candidate in India’s national elections, has finally gathered the courage to deliver one of his best policy statements in an interview published on NDTV on April 22.

In this historic interview, Mr. Modi speaks about treating all Indians as one people, perhaps grasping the wisdom of our pluralistic ethos embedded in the Sanskrit phrase “Vasudhaiva Kutumbukum,” a concept where everyone is considered to be a part of one big human family and therefore must take care of each other. This is a positive change. I hope he means it, not because it is politically expedient but because it is the right thing to do.

This is also the Islamic concept where God says we are all made from the same couple into many tribes, communities and nations and enjoins us to know each other to create harmony in society.

Mr. Modi has taken that step toward moderating his stance. Indeed, it is one of the seven items on my list of things that Mr. Modi must do to build a cohesive India where no Indian has to live in apprehension or fear of the other. Thanks to Dr. Bharat Barai for passing on my message to the possible next prime minister of India.

Mr. Modi has got six more things to do, and one hopes he is moving in that direction to become a genuine munificent leader of the nation. Indeed, it would be quite a transformation for him to move from a divisive, ruthless, apathetic and arrogant man to an inclusive, empathetic and humble leader of all the citizens. All I can do is pray.

The seven things for Modi to do are as follows (he has touched on item 2):

  1. Restore the lives of refugees uprooted in the 2002 Gujarat riots. Some 16,000 refugees from the violence still live in 73 refugee colonies, as they are not allowed to go back to their homes, and the Gujarat government failed to provide even basic sanitation. Find them minimum housing and a path to earn a livelihood. Let them be accommodated amidst all others with caring attitudes. In the long run we have to build desegregated societies for the good of all.
  2. Inclusive governance, to include Muslims, Christians and Buddhists on the internal advisory to make security decisions on a voluntary basis for the common good. (We hope it comes under his inclusive policy.) In the past, not only did the Modi administration in Gujarat, under then-Home Minister Amit Shah, allegedly carry out staged “fake encounter killings” of Muslims scapegoated as terrorists, but it also allegedly sought to actively protect the culprits.
  3. Justice to the families of the ones who have lost their lives, both Hindu and Muslim, without discrimination, and also justice for those who stood up for the rights of the violated.
  4. Find the truth about the burning of 59 passengers in a train in the most transparent way, to bring closure to doubts on both sides or acknowledge the findings and live with it.
  5. Punishment for anti-Muslim and anti-Christian — and thus anti-Indian — attitudes. Modi should move to punish egregious religious-freedom violators and repeat offenders like Praveen Togadia.
  6. Meet with Muslims, Dalits, Sikhs, Christians and OBC leaders from different parts of the country on a regular basis. It is not to appease them but to hear them out and prevent injustice to them.
  7. Earn the goodwill of the people affected by the carnage by restoring their lives, their places of worship and monuments, and in turn earn their prayers (clean chit).

Additionally, withdraw anti-conversion laws from Gujarat and BJP-ruled states and provide assurance that the BJP will not pursue such uncivilized laws at a national level.

The leader must honor freedoms enshrined in our constitution. Everyone should have the freedom to speak, breathe, eat and believe whatever he or she wants to believe, as long as it does not denigrate others or trample their rights. Modi can become a great leader like Nehru and get elected again and again, unlike Vajpayee’s one term.

While I welcome the contents of the interview, I want to share Dr. Bharat Barai’s comment on the issue. He said:

I strongly support that all citizens should be treated equally, indeed Equal rights and equal responsibilities is the way to go forward. Religion is a matter of faith and should be practiced as personal choices, without interference or support by the State institutions. Everyone should have the right to practice his religious beliefs, and must respect rights of others to do the same. In a Global world, this Human right should be respected by all the countries and all the religions. I believe Mr. Narendra Modi is committed to do that.

Some of us want to believe him, and some will not, based on his record. All of us are influenced by our own experiences. Being an optimist, I want to believe that he means every word of the interview. If he continues to moderate his stance, a higher percentage of Indians will vote for him. But the real change of heart of Indians will come when he lives up to his words after the election as a prime minister if he wins, and as a chief minister of the state of Gujarat even if he loses.

What do the Indians want?

Whether you are a Hindu, Muslim, Dalit, Sikh, Christian, Jain, Buddhist, Jew, tribal or any other creed, all you want is to feel safe and believe that the other Indians are not ugly “rakshasas“ (demons) out to get you.

Every Indian wants to live in dignity, take care of our family, have a reliable source of income, educate our children (our future), and have a home and reasonable health care.

It is the prime responsibility of the leader to create an environment where no Indian has to feel apprehensive or fearful of the other. Furthermore, he has to ensure that our constitution is adhered to, and Modi’s statement synchronizes with the idea. He said:

Let me tell you, I have to run the government. A government runs according to the Constitution. I believe that a government has only one religion — India first. A government has only one holy book — our Constitution. A government has only one kind of devotion — towards nation. A government has only one style of functioning — “sabka saath, sabka vikas” (cooperation of all, development of all).

Justice is the only thing that brings trust, peace and sustainable prosperity to a society. Mr. Modi has gone scot free thus far but has challenged our system to prove his guilt beyond a shadow of a doubt and has asked to be hanged if he is found guilty. It’s time for our justice system to take up that challenge, and we have to value the time-honored tradition of “innocent until proven guilty.” Please remember, “Bhagvan ke ghar mein der hai, andher nahin“ (“God ultimately serves justice”).

As a Pluralist, I speak without wearing religious garb. I applaud Modi for the following statement in the interview. When asked specifically whether he would make an effort to reach out to every citizen, including Muslims, Mr. Modi replied:

I will never go by this terminology of yours. Even if you drag me, I will not. I will meet my countrymen. I understand only one language that they are my countrymen, they are my brothers. You may see with whatever colour you want, Modi will not go into that colour.

Good for him! Again, I hope he means it.

Lastly, he is capable of reigning in the extremism and steering the Hindutva agenda from sectarianism and fascism to pluralism. He is the only one who can do it without losing support from the Hindutva forces. They have no other place to go. As Indians we need and want this to happen to preserve our cohesive social fabric.

If Mr. Modi fulfills the terms of “rajdharma“ (good governance) and takes care of the items listed above, he will earn the trust of the people.

Every Indian, with no exception, wants a leader who is just, fair, humble and righteous. It’s a fallacy and roguish to believe that Dalits, Muslims, Christians and others want handouts. On the contrary, all they want is fairness, justice, equal access and equal opportunity.

If we can learn to respect the otherness of others and accept the God-given uniqueness of each one of the 1.25 billion of us, then conflicts will fade and solutions will emerge.

Democracy and pluralism (i.e., respecting the otherness of others) runs in our veins, so let’s have faith in our system. If Mr. Modi fails us, we can dump him through ballot or a no-confidence vote, as we did with Indira Gandhi and Vajpayee. To attain greatness and a place in the annals of history, Mr. Modi has a lot more to prove than we can demand.

Mike Ghouse is an India expert and is keeping up with the elections.

The Pakistani American Doctor’s Organization Is a Model of Pluralism and Is Worthy of Emulating

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This article was first Published on January 13, 2019 at – : https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-pakistani-american-do_b_5323434

The Members of APPKI celebrated their annual gala event in Louisville on Saturday, April 26, 2014. They had every reason to celebrate, what was a normal thing for them was an extraordinary thing to an outsider; the group demonstrated a working model of a cohesive organization that functions effectively with its given diversity. Indeed, it was a joy to have attended the dinner event. APPKI is an acronym for Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of Kentucky and Indiana

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It is natural for one to expresses his or her thoughts from personal inferences, as such, I am pleased to write about the event from a pluralistic perspective.

Pluralism is simply “Respecting the otherness of others and accepting the God-given uniqueness of each one of us.” It is not a religion, nor is it a system of governance or laws to adhere to; it is simply one’s attitude of “respecting the otherness of others.” You are who you are, and I am who I am, and if we can learn to live with our differences, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.

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Dr. Vasdev Lohano, the outgoing president of the association and I had a brief conversation during a break, and I am pleased to share the gist of it. Talking about the cohesiveness of his organization, his pride came through in these words, “Culture trumps religion and binds us together with language, customs, heritage, arts etc. We should focus our energies to promote culture to create harmony among each other. I have seen so many times people forget who you are, if you start talking with them in their language.”

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To bring goodness to the world, Dr. Lohano said, we have to engage and participate. People are inherently good, all we have to do is reach out and be a part of the whole. He added, “To me, most of our apprehensions of others is fear of unknown, once you know people from different faiths and understand that they are just like you, normal human beings with similar aspirations, problems, and similar day to day issues, it becomes irrelevant who and how you pray, eat or dress. So, the key is to engage and understand each other.”

Dr. Jai Bhimani is another member of the organization who is proud of his heritage of growing up in Pakistan in a Hindu family. He wished to see his motherland restored to its glory days of co-existence, where Hindus and Muslims grew up as friends, and celebrated Eid and Diwali together. “All of us as human beings have goodness in us, filled with limitless love and harmony; we are just unaware of it. Once we become aware of it, caring for each other begins. We just have to bring oneness in us at conscious level and enjoy the blessed harmony among people of different faiths and traditions.”

Dr. Muhammad Babar has earned tremendous respect in the Pakistani and mainstream communities for his outstanding services to the fellow beings, be it a disaster relief or other humanitarian work, he is there to serve. His work in building bridges was recognized by the Jewish community of Louisville with the prestigious Mosaic award, and the Citizens Award by the FBI.

Dr. Babar was the founding member and the past president of APPKI, and is proud of this organization, “We have a lot more in common than we know as we share similar cultural values irrespective of belonging to different faith traditions. Diversity brings best out of a society or a community and Appki is lucky to have a diverse membership with equal opportunities for all in the organizational leaderships.”

The APPKI event last night gave me great hopes, and I see this organization as a Model to be emulated elsewhere in the United States, and ultimately in Pakistan. I witnessed the joy and positive energy of Muslims and Hindus of this organization. The Qoumi Tarana was sung by Muslim and Hindu children together, and recognition for excellence was awarded to children that included children from both the communities. What a barrier-less event!

I would recommend APPKI to be showcased as a Model of excellence in the next APPNA event, and I urge the Pakistani media including Safeer-e-Pakistan to highlight the co-existence model of APPKI.

The humility of good members of APPKI may say, this is how it should be; equality for all Pakistanis regardless of their religion, region or rarity. But that is not how it is elsewhere, you guys (includes girls) are exceptional! It is an American value as well as a Muslim, Hindu and a Christian value, even though a few do not exhibit that value in their dealings with fellow humans.

APPKI is a blessed organization with a blessed membership; it was great to see Dr. Vasdev Lohano as President of the organization, a Hindu, representing less than 2 percent of the membership, but yet, the Muslim majority elected him as its president. Indeed, when President Obama was elected as President on November 4, 2008, the whole world cried with joy, including me, to see an America where all of God’s children (creation) are valued for who they are and what they can do.

There is a hope for humanity; everyone who wants to serve the community at large can do so without regards to his or her race, religion or gender.

While I was absorbing the pluralistic tradition of this organization, they added one more feather in their headgear; a female was elected to lead the organization! Congratulations to Dr. Rukhsana Rahman. She says, “It is an honor and privilege for me to be the first woman president of APPKI as I begin my term in 2015. APPKI was formed 14 years ago and during these years, the Association has worked hard to create a positive image of Pakistan and Pakistanis. APPKI has also proven, through several projects, the dedication and loyalty of Pakistani physicians to our adopted land, the United States. I look forward to taking the Association to new levels, adding to it a woman’s touch of harmony, cooperation, tolerance, values, and management.

I hope she will take the organization towards more inclusiveness, particularly towards gender inclusiveness. May be a few lessons in the language, and a few classes on gender pluralism will be her achievement.

Speaking of which, I noted that a few speakers were still not conscious of gender sensitivity. For instance someone said, when a man of the house dies, it will put a burden on the wife – gee, what if it is the other way around? Why assume that the woman is dependent on man? Does the household runs exclusively because of men or their income? Heck no, it functions because of the two; husband and the wife. Whether the woman earns an income outside or contributes to the well being of family, the contributions are complementary.

What does God want! He has a created everything in balance and in harmony (Q55-58), a loss of balance will upset the system, and the creator God expects us to restore it. Our holy books in Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism and others are replete with verses guiding us to maintain a balance and moderation. God wants nothing more than seeing his creation function harmoniously.

There is a beautiful idea about such a society in Bhagvad Gita and it is referred to as “Vasudhaiva Kutumbukum” a concept where everyone is considered to be a part of one big human family and hence must take care of each other. Quran has 20 such verses as tag line invoking that the best among you is the one who takes care of fellow humans (neighbors).

This is also the very Islamic idea of an ideal society, where God says (Q49:13) we are all made from the same couple into many tribes, communities and nations and enjoins us to know each other to create harmony in the society where no one needs to fear the other but God for violating such harmony.

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Dr. Asad Ismail, President of the APPKI capped it very well, “I am very proud to say that APPKI has participated in multiple social , educational , sports and other community services, whether it is tornado victims in Indiana or computational research pilot program for high school students in Pakistan , supported a girls school in Quetta, also installment of 50 water chlorinators after the floods in Pakistan , sports gala to promote healthy activities in community , talent show for youth etc, our goal is to make APPKI’s presence more visible and meaningful in our community and involve more youth in health conscious activities and social events.”

America’s contribution in science, technology, food, films, culture, health and information technology towards making the world a better place for humanity is invaluable. APPKI could serve a societal model of making the world a better place, and may this be contagious to other cities and eventually reach out to Pakistan.