Understanding Jihad

I have debated on writing on this topic for a while, now I feel it’s a pertinent issue to tackle. I have to confess I don’t have all the answers but this is an honest attempt at trying to break down the concept of Jihad.

The word Jihad does not mean holy war. The idea of being sent to heaven by killing people in the name of religion is highly misplaced. There is no place for violence and killing of innocent people. The term Jihad was used in the context of ‘a struggle within oneself’. It means fighting your vices and walking the righteous path. It is very easy to distort the context, and ingrain into impressionable minds that the struggle means violence.

The popular concept of Jihad being a holy war was highlighted by the media. This of course was because the idea was ingrained into misguided youth. There is nothing glorious about the attacks that they carry. They may get swayed by the romanticism of the idea, but it is their naivety which is capitalized on, by the smart masterminds behind this terror.

Somewhere over the years terror got mixed with religion, it is now time to separate them.

The Flying Shoe

Its been a bad fortnight for politicians. Some have lost their jobs, some been fooled by crank callers and one had a shoe flung at him. Well its not everyday that a shoe is hurled at the President of the U.S.A. It was a surreal experience. To his credit, Dubya managed to dodge the shoes with comfort. A video of the incident can be viewed at http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=mjdXwLQrRJ8

Surprisingly the incident has not created a furore as one would expect. The middle east is hailing the journalist as a hero and the rest of the world is quite cheerful about the incident. It is sad the president has become such a joke. His actions are debatable, but the position he occupies commands respect which has been diminished. The incident itself is quite random, and thinking about it cracks me up. It is an indication of the anger of the people of the region. But what was the journalist thinking??

Dubya's rein as president has been a blessing for comedians, since he provides them with enough material. But majority of the people would be glad at his exit. Internet companies love to cash in on such freaky events. I think this game is quite a laugh. Try it. http://www.kroma.no/2008/bushgame/
http://www.sockandawe.com/

The Hoax Call

A head of state received a telephone call from the external minister of a neighboring country threatening him of war. How best would you describe this scenario??

Amusing, is the first word that comes to mind. Amusing because some impersonator could manage to call the president with such ease, and then had the audacity to realistically threaten. At the moment I'm seeing the funny side of the story, but i realize the grave consequences.

It was an inane event. And to think that the president took the call so seriously that he ordered troops to move into advanced position only highlights his state of mind. It maybe a tactical move to divert attention but it comes at the high price of displaying naivety.

The whole incident reiterates the volatility of the situation, but you have to see the lighter side as well..

There is hope!!

I went to the Gateway of India today, to attend the peace march. To be very honest, i was surprised by the number of people present. The attendance made me realise, that the time has come for a new uprising. The energy was electrifying.

My worry is that this tremendous energy may not be channeled in a direction. This may lead to hatred and further division in our society. I do have faith in the youth of India (me included) to convert this into a positive revolution. The first step is to convey a strong message to the politicians that their method of working is unacceptable. The next step would be to state points of action which should be implemented at the earliest. A group of people have filed a PIL asking the Bombay high court to ensure implementation of various security reports given to the government in the past. The next step is to monitor the implementation of these reports over a period of time, making the government more accountable. Finally, we as citizens must be alert and assist our government and security agencies in every possible way.

I have to confess, walking at the Gateway gave me a strong sense of reassurance and would have to the thousands present there as well.