"Do Ahmadis deserve to live in Pakistan?"-Critique Yasser Latif Hamdani is a prolific, young writer and an ardent lawyer based in Lahore, Pakistan. In 1998, he went to Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA, for his graduation before moving to Punjab University for his further education. He has authored "Jinnah; Myth and Reality," in which he argues that Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, wanted Pakistan to be a secular democratic state. As a lawyer, Hamdani has contested several public interest cases including the Bhagat Singh case. Currently, he is arguing the case for unblocking YouTube in Pakistan. Also, he has been named as one of the 12, Asia society's young leaders for the year 2013. Besides being a dynamic, social activist, Yasser Hamdani writes regularly for Daily Times Pakistan, Friday Times and Express Tribune. Not only is he against religious fundamentalism, he continues to bolster through his writings the fair treatment of Ahmadis, a minority in Pakistan, and this is one of his reasons behind writing this article "Do Ahmadis deserve to live in Pakistan?" The article was published in Friday Times on September, 06, 2012, and right away met colossal disapproval at the hands of the adherents of Islamic fundamentalism. But the noninterventionist elements of the society, somehow, conformed to it. This article can also be significantly seen in the present context, provided the issue portrayed by it is still rampant. Although, "Do Ahmadis deserve to live in Pakistan?" is a magnificent example of logical progression of ideas coupled with simple use of vocabulary and is full of strong emotional appeal, however, author's extensive partisanship towards one side, vague historical references, and occasional use of fallacious rea... ... middle of paper ... ...fs, which Ahmadis foster against the basic concepts of Islam, before advocating against their persecution. Taking into account the above discussion, one can conclude that Hamdani has logically structured the article by presenting well-supported arguments in simple language. The article serves well to educate its intended audience about the persecution faced by Ahmadis in Pakistan by depicting strong emotional appeal . However, author's partiality towards Ahmadis and use of occasional fallacious reasoning in the article reduces the overall impact of the article on the reader. Anyone who believes in social justice will feel himself convinced by the article, while on the other hand, Islamic fundamentalists may not be persuaded by the article. On the whole, the article is impressive enough to convince the reader about the maltreatment of the Ahmadis in Pakistan.
Clashes between Christianity and Islam have taken place since Islam’s inception. The most recent clash is the one happening now between Western Europeans and the Muslim immigrants who began arriving in the 1960s and now make up 4 to 5% of the total population. Islam is regarded as the fastest growing religion in Europe, through the immigrations and high birth rates causing to a rapid increase in Muslim population in Europe, which will make Islam be the domineering power in the future. The recent research indicates that there are more than 53 million Muslim in Europe, 14 million of them in the European union. According to the German evangelical news agency IDEA, the number of Muslims in Europe has risen by 800.000 over the last two years (Polzer). On the other hand, the birth rates in Europeans are decreasing. Pipes states that original Europeans become extinct because in order to sustain the population in Europe each woman should bear 2.1 children. The overall rate is only 1.5 that is also falling in the European Union (262). Today Europeans still have the upper hand, and therefore many of them continue to believe that multiculturalism and their immigration policy will eventually produce an integrated society in spite of the social unrest in Europe resulting from integration problems of Muslim immigrants. These Europeans insist that dialogue will solve all problems; in that sense they suffer from what Ayaan Hirsi Ali calls the “fanaticism of reason” (78), and they tend to fall into the appeasement camp. Muslim strategists such as Yusuf Al Qaradawi recognize that Islamists can achieve a great deal by pretending to cooperate with reasonable Europeans (Vidino 38), and that his organization, the Muslim Brotherhood, can take advantage...
Ayoob, M. (2007) The Many Faces of Political Islam: Religion and Politics in the Muslim
Rahman, Fazlur. Islam & Modernity: Transformation of an Intellectual Tradition. Chicago: U of Chicago, 1982. Print.
Democracy and Islam, an article written by Irfan Ahmad1 strives to show that there is a possibility that Islam can move towards democracy. On the other hand, Islam and Liberal Democracy: A Historical Overview, an article written by Bernard Lewis2 discusses how a democracy is unable to work in Islamic States. In this essay, I will be comparing and contrasting the two articles. Both Bernard and Irfan carry weight in their arguments and have certain strong points, as well as weaknesses. The major difference between the two articles is the variation of the core definition of democracy that the writers have, and their distinct perspectives of the workings of a democracy. In addition, the articles also differ in their chosen format and the authors’ thoughts on the Catholic and Western influence. The fundamental dispute of democracy and Islam are strong in both articles, and they are resolved in a respective manner. Irfan was successful in formulating a more compelling case and was able to maintain better structure; however, I am a firm believer that Islam is a theocratic system and it is not compatible with democracy as a system of governance.
Islam, a religion of people submitting to one God, seeking peace and a way of life without sin, is always misunderstood throughout the world. What some consider act of bigotry, others believe it to be the lack of education and wrong portrayal of events in media; however, one cannot not justify the so little knowledge that America and Americans have about Islam and Muslims. Historically there are have been myths, many attacks on Islam and much confusion between Islam as a religion and Middle Easter culture that is always associated with it. This paper is meant to dispel, or rather educate about the big issues that plague people’s minds with false ideas and this will only be touching the surface.
Robinson B.A. 1 Mar 2000 (last update), Islam, Hp. Online. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. Available:
Kite Runner depicts the story of Amir, a boy living in Afghanistan, and his journey throughout life. He experiences periods of happiness, sorrow, and confusion as he matures. Amir is shocked by atrocities and blessed by beneficial relationships both in his homeland and the United States. Reviewers have chosen sides and waged a war of words against one another over the notoriety of the book. Many critics of Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, argue that the novel would not have reached a lofty level of success if the U.S. had not had recent dealings with the Middle East, yet other critics accurately relate the novel’s success to its internal aspects.
Thomas W. Lippman gives an introduction to the Muslim world in the book Understanding Islam. He has traveled throughout the Islamic world as Washington Post bureau chief for the Middle East, and as a correspondent in Indochina. This gave him, in his own words, "sharp insight into the complexities of that turbulent region." However, the purpose of the book is not to produce a critical or controversial interpretation of Islamic scripture. It is instead to give the American layman an broad understanding of a religion that is highly misunderstood by many Americans. In this way he dispels many myths about "Muslim militants," and the otherwise untrue perception of Islamic violence. In this way the American reader will become more knowledgeable about an otherwise unfamiliar topic. However, the most significant element of Lippman’s book is that it presents Islam in a simple way that makes the reader feels his awareness rise after each chapter. This encourages him to continue learning about the world’s youngest major religion. Understanding Islam dispels many misconceptions about the Muslim world, and presents the subject in a way that urges his reader to further his understanding of Islam through continued study.
...writer starts the essay by stating the basic fudamentals of Muslim's beleif and action. Then she connects this idea with beleifs and actions shown and inplied through the media. After that, the media images are connected with the fact that the images cause fear and stereotypes; the teachings that correct the stereotypes are also linked. Next the teachings are connected with the Quran and the leaders and groups who misunderstand and violate the teachings. After that, the five pillars of Islam are explained, described and defined. Finally, it is explained how the pillars affect Muslims by defining their character and lives. All of these ideas are organized so that they are logically linked with the writer's strategy. The writer's strategy includes explainations, the use of examples, and comparison and contrast, to support each idea claimed and to define a "true" Muslim.
CHANDRA, ABHIMANYU. "Review: The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid." The Yale Review of International Studies RSS. N.p., Aug. 2012. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.
The Fatimid’s had been rumored to be tolerant, compassionate and focused on unifying Islam; however, it has been proved that this was not always the case. Orientalists have acknowledged their contribution towards the advancement of Islam and claim that the Christian and Jewish communities excelled during this time; but it did not come without its deceptions and deviations from Islamic norms and rules. This historiography will explore whether the Fatimids were actually the tolerant Muslims whose actions, belief systems and practices evidenced the growth of Islam and tolerance of other religions, or if they were merely politi...
The book Muhammad, by Michael Cook, describes the impact Muhammad has had on the world as we know it. It explains why Muhammad chose the paths he did, and how certain laws came about. Cook offers a very objective view of the laws and policies Muhammad outlined in the Koran, and the traditions that are carried on that supplement his written law.
Mohsin Hamid is a Pakistani writer and self-confessed “transcontinental mongrel”. Born in 1971 in Lahore, Hamid shifted to the United States at the age of eighteen. He attended Princeton University and Harvard Law School and worked briefly as a management consultant in New York. After living in London for a few tears, he moved back to Pakistan and currently lives in Lahore with his wife and daughter.
Human rights activist Mohsin Mohi-Ud Din clarifies the misunderstandings American citizens have about the religion of Islam in his article “Dear America: Letter From a Muslim-American” published in the Huffington Post on December 10, 2009. As a member of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Mohi-Ud Din explores the cultures of different societies and generates a mutual understanding between these societies. He employs this skill in the article as he addresses the Americans’ inaccurate view about Muslims. Mohi-Ud Din presents a compelling argument as to why the myths about Muslims need to be eradicated by approaching the topic cautiously, establishing a strong common ground, and providing some convincing evidence. However, his lack
Moreover, the eminent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Hanooti, member of the North American Fiqh Council, adds: