Not much to write home about
Sombre soul-searching should be the order of the day for the Ummah this Eid. This has been an exceptional year for Islamic militancy, with more than pockets of minorities bearing the brunt of it. There is hardly a region where Muslim countries are at peace with themselves. In Arabia, what was first celebrated as the Spring has devastated entire societies and countries. Tunisia, the birthplace of the ‘revolt of hope’, is still undecided about how far to the right its ruling system should place itself. In Egypt, it did not take long – though it took thousands of lives – for the public and military to say ‘thank you very much’ to the Islamists, even at the cost of unending civil strife and al Qaeda presence in the Sinai.
Nobody thinks Libya is any better after Gaddaffi. Syria remains embroiled in civil war with western (and Saudi) backed rebels; the same forces that have now declared caliphate in Iraq and taken over large stretches north of the capital, including oil-rich Mosul. Boko Haram typifies the African tragedy – al Qaeda inspired guerrilla clerics bent upon enforcing quaint bits from eight century shari’a – kidnapping, abusing and killing women and minorities in the process. Nobody has forgotten, of course, the fate of the Palestinians at the hands of the Israelis.
Back home problems are far more diverse. That we are incapable of even celebrating one Eid across the country is not new. But how sectarianism has split society apart, especially since the post 9/11 TTP phenomenon and right-leaning clerics influenced orthodox Islamists negatively, has led to unprecedented religious violence across the country. Examples of shi’a, Ahmedis and Christians murdered by fanatics in the name of religion have become commonplace. Even Islamic financial fraud – mullas and muftis defrauding tens of thousands of people through bogus Mudaraba schemes – is no longer breaking news. Perhaps this Eid the Ummah will understand the disadvantage of the majority keeping silent while an unruly minority creates havoc, to the extent of killing, maiming and overrunning government writ itself. Failing a thorough overhaul, the future is not very bright.
