Stop violence against minorities

Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman :
We are overwhelmingly shocked to have observed the violent incidents that have been taking place one after another across the country. Recent violent attacks on vulnerable classes in different districts in the wake of general election on January 5, 2014 have obviously stunned the whole nation. Perpetrators believed to be belonging to different political agents and vested interest groups, organized the attack on the religious dissenting class torching households, temples, vandalizing properties and looting valuables, in some cases have had their evil design ended up in harassing and assaulting the victims. One can’t find meaningful words to give description on such inhuman acts and anarchism as happened in Jessore, Satkhira, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Chittagong, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Dinajpur, Netrokona and some other districts reported in the print media and TV channels. Political, socio-cultural organizations along with government actions came up with the protest condemning the attack on the religious minorities and demanded immediate arrest and punishment of the people who attacked the minorities and to provide the victims with relief and proper compensation. We fully endorse the organizations in action and express our solidarity with them for continuation of protests held through press conference, human chain, addressing rallies for exemplary punishment to the offenders. It is highly appreciative that the local administration, the political and social leaders reported to have been agreed to work together to maintain security and communal harmony in their respective areas.
We expect man to stand by man in times of need shunning all sorts of violence and differences. The words: man and humanity are closely related, we must have the spirit of humanity to claim to be a man and this is the fundamental truth expressed in all religions. Almighty Allah (SWT) has created lot of living beings, declared man as the rational being, the best creation amidst all creations. Upon creation, man has been endowed with numerous qualities, of them the conscience is the best one with the help of which he can distinguish between the right and the wrong. The beast is bereft of this quality and run by the natural instinct. Man has been able to develop rationalities through attending institutions and obtaining various experiences throughout his life. Regrettably this man has been reported to have hurled petrol bomb at his fellow brothers and caused some of them burnt to death. As reports published in dailies, cocktail bomb and petrol bomb exploded in different places across the country killing few people and injuring many without counts. Homicide and tortures of different sorts have become common phenomena in the society. All these are made to happen, one reason worth mentioning here is that many of us have been distracted from the fundamental truth and don’t know what should be doing. In the light of religion I dare to discourse about these fundamental truths: humanity, love and sympathies in default of which we have been experiencing many occurrences unlikely even beyond our imaginations.
Allah (SWT) has bestowed on man wisdom, conscience and best sense so that he can recognize his creator-great Allah (SWT), follow the right path and conceive the consequences of misdeeds of the world. He would be able to keep himself away from all sorts of evil design and falsehood and accept the truth and those work only propitious to the mankind. Man has been given the sense of love and affection so that he can maintain co-existence, lead happy and peaceful life mixing nicely with one another. A man is termed worse than an animal if his/hers knowledge, wisdom, compassion are not targeted to the service of the humanity. Irrespective of the fact of separation of mankind in different nations, religions, custom, caste and creed, Allah (SWT) said: “I have honored the sons of Adam (A), provided them with transport on land and sea, given them good and pure substance, conferred on them special favors, above a great part of my creation.” (Sura the Israelties, Ayat 70)
Man is created with great honor and taught how to respect each other, there is no lesson in Islam to show apathy, negligence, despise for those derailed from the right track, except for inviting them to the path of Islam. Being a rational being, we must show love and honor to everybody regardless of the group or religion he/she belongs to. As we are brothers with one another, we have to work together to sustain peace and order all over the country in place of pushing it to lawlessness and unpleasant situation. Since violent activities could never bring welfare for the country, man has been asked to build up a world of peace and unity through bridging bondage of friendship and heartiness between man to man. “God has been good to you and do not seek occasions for mischief in the land: for God does not love those who do mischief”, said Hazrat Muhammad (S). (Sura Al-Qasas, Ayat 77)
Happiness, justice, ethics remains almost absent in the society which is also bereft of love and compassion. Instead, anxiety, injustice, grafts, corruptions have been playing the dominating role here. People of vested interest are very much active on the scene creating inequalities and anarchism in the society.
Since the inception of creation, followers belonging to one religion have been found deliberately creating tribe and class disparities and using them to subdue and win over the religious dissent and dissenting groups as and when they got the chance to do it. Disparities and inequalities specially in color and caste have largely contributed to creating clear divisions as well as numerous conflict and collusion between man to man through the ages. Whereas Allah (SWT) said, “Obey Allah (SWT) and His Messengers, and fall into no disputes, lest you lose heart and your power depart; and be patient and persevering; for Allah is with who patiently persevere”. (Sura Al Anfal, Ayat 46)
If we go down to the world history, it will be revealed that conflicts, collisions and warfare had taken tolls of hundreds and thousands of innocent people and vandalized many inhabited places including lootings in multitudes. Thus the world has been suffering from critical situation. If the fundamental truths: love, friendship and affection, the core lessons for human being, could be established from the early stage effectively, the world would not have suffered so much devastation, terrorism, destruction and warfare full of frightened sights that are still in continuation. Some countries are in fighting till date, fighting fiercely to defeat the contender through coercion by using its mobilized force regardless of the ultimate dire impact on the latter.
In fact, Allah (SWT) has created man to serve the humanity, perform honest services and to do propitious work towards mankind while man poses tendencies to be self-centered in most cases. In the holy Quran, we are told: “You are the best peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah. If only people of the Book had faith, it were best for them; among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors.” (Sura Al Imran, Ayat 110)
Allah (SWT) does not look at the man’s wealth, wisdom, intelligence, power, aristocracy and grandeurs but in place look at the humanist sincerely engaged to doing the work at his best beneficial to the mankind. So every man, no matter whether he is affiliated with the Hindus, the Muslims, the Christians, or the Buddhist must assume generous moral outlook and the spirit of humanity.
And it is for sure, the default of friendship, love and affection towards religious dissenting groups would deprive us of Allah’s grace and kindness in difficult times. “Allah (SWT) is not kind to those who are not kind to the mankind,” Hazrat Muhammad (S) said. (Bukhari and Muslim Sharif)
Nevertheless, in view of foregoing, we crucially need to exercise and display sincere love and friendship, intimacy and understanding in place of squabbles, conflicts and violence towards protection of communal peace and harmony. Being representative of Almighty Allah (SWT) we should take vow of good will, compromise and reconciliation prerequisite for establishing peaceful heavenly life in the community and the country at large. May Allah (SWT) bless us all, grant us more and more strength to implement our honest pledges being committed.

 (Writer Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman is ex Country Manager of Biman, Bangladesh Airlines, Frankfurt, Germany)