An Awakening after a Deep Slumber, by Najam Gilani

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An Awakening after a Deep Slumber....

By Najm Gilani, London

Index of Articles

Sometimes I wonder, why is it, that a community which has ruled from almost everywhere in the world, be that Iraq or Spain, Ishfahan or Istanbul Hijaz or Tunisia, Delhi or Damascus , in recent times has shrunk to such a level from where presence is just not visible.

The erstwhile rulers of the community who have given a new name and meaning to the governance and administration, architecture and scientific methods, etiquettes and sophistication, is now lost in the wilderness.

A community which was fully capable of producing leaders after leaders is now facing a dearth of it. 

Community which worked and spread on the basic principles of broad base humanism is now gripped in terrorism and any youth having a flowing beard on his visage and religious cap on his skull for the sake of piety is been look upon with suspicion and as a potential terrorist.

Is it because of the curse from Allah? In Quran [003:026], it’s been said 
"WA-TO-IZZO-MAN-TA-SHA-O WA TO-ZILLO-MAN-TA-SHA-O" ----- "Beshak izzat or zillat wahi deta hai”

Or is it because of the vicious cycle of nature? “Anything which goes up comes down”, Dr. Rafiq Zakaria, in his ruthlessly honest and brilliantly written book Indian Muslims, where have they gone wrong? has said, "whenever they have left their Indian roots"; and to go little further, I would like to add, that whenever they have drifted away from its roots, its teachings and its basic principles

The downfall started because the compassionate heart which used to think for the community, started thinking selfishly. Wasteful expenditure, which have been strictly instructed to be careful about, became a-must-to-be indulged-in habit.

Kindness, compassion, consideration --- patience, tolerance, acceptance by virtue of which the community reached to its zenith has been 
thoroughly discarded and completely rejected for the sake of greed, hatred, jealousy, impatience and ignorance.

The endeavouring nature and entrepreneurial skills, which led to the economic development of the community has been taken over by 
fear of failure, lethargic approach and parasitic nature. Comparatively speaking, now a days plight of Muslims is not much different all over
the world. In present tense, what world Muslims is to the international community, Bihari Muslims is for the Indian community.

After the uprising of 1857 they have been intentionally ignored like a non-entity and since partition they have been effectively exploited. The privileged and the prosperous among them left for the newly conceived “Land of Pure” for the sake of better opportunity and higher return.

The remaining few (read many) deprived and the underprivileged were left to the mercy of newly formed secular government. Because of the “creep- in, inferiority complex” they did nothing else, except seeking protection. Remaining few left themselves to the mercy of Allah and state government.

For the past fifty years, every government, be that of state or centre, has left no stone unturned to exploit them with ease and comfort.

Surely, everything has a life of its own. The deprived days of Bihari/Indian Muslims in general and world Muslims in particular will soon become a part of history books-within the community (specially among the youths) there is a new sense of optimism. There is energy and enthusiasm to face the challenges of the world-not with anger, frustration or hatred but with patience, passion and diplomacy.

To emphasise my view, I would like to say that, role of Bihar Anjuman bears witness to this. It is not a self centred publicity seeking 
communal organisation but a coalition of the concerned. A group which has been made possible by the collective efforts of people of all age groups spread all around the world be that mighty America or sophisticated England, frozen Canada or vibrant Australia, wealthy and orthodox Arabia or diverse and divided India-- consisting of group of people, who believe in educational and economic upliftment of their community.

Historically speaking, every such move, gesture, action and endeavour has bear fruit and fulfilled its objective, Insha Allah with every passing day, same will happen with this group-------Amen.

Copyright 2006 Bihar Anjuman