There is a pretty interesting article in Rediff that talks about the views of a young, 22-year-old woman, who is a member of the banned SIMI. She is baffled at the government’s persecution of Muslims and SIMI and cannot understand why people look upon Muslims as terrorists. It is an interesting story and here are a few excerpts of her making her case that leapt out at me -
‘SIMI does not teach to kill innocents’The government, she says, is blaming Muslim organisations and individuals to defame the community.Well, now that we have heard her side of the story, do we all wonder why poor SIMI is banned and looked upon as a terrorist outfit? Posted by shanti at September 19, 2003 10:57 AM…
Why is the government targeting SIMI? “They [government] target all Muslim institutions because we are doing well. We have our reach in all sections of the society.
“They have read the Koran and it is written there that Islam will dominate and rule one day. So they are scared of Islam. There is an international conspiracy to suppress Islam,” she says.
…
She is upset many educated Muslims move away from Islam under the Western influence. But she firmly believes there will come a day when the world is one big Islamic state.
“This will happen sooner or later. Islam has to rule the entire world. We are fighting for this.
…
But why does she want an Islamic rule? “We don’t believe in democracy. Islam is the best way of living. Islam advocates justice and rule of law. We are upset by this democracy where we are suppressed.”
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LOL…the most funny part is that they really DO believe that what they speak actually makes sense…
Posted by: Patrix at September 19, 2003 12:20 PM
I agree, Patrix - it is sad indeed that these people cannot see the irony in making a case against their cause in their own words :huh:
Posted by: Shanti at September 19, 2003 12:43 PM
there was an interviewer by the founder of SIMI on rediff some days back. the dude himself criticised SIMI as it is now, and says he started thinking they had lost it way back in the 80s….i e pre-babri razing and pre-bombay riots.
his interview was largely rational and a very refreshing and pragmatic view. this female should read that interview. even the founder of SIMI says it is a dangerous org. and still she thinks it is an innocent body?
Posted by: gaurav at September 19, 2003 2:28 PM
The power of brain-washing, I guess - people with a cultish mentality like hers would have a tough time thinking rationally.
Posted by: Shanti at September 19, 2003 2:44 PM
Hey, what’s she doing studying medicine? Shouldn’t she be kept indoors, and banned from stepping out of her house with the permission of a male relative. I forgot this isn’t Saudi Arabia, or AFghanistan under the Taliban.
Posted by: Niraj at September 19, 2003 3:35 PM
What a nut.
What does she have to say about Bangladesh? Isn’t the country a parliamentary democracy? Or are its Muslim citizens being “suppressed” by Western influence?
Posted by: Gokul at September 19, 2003 3:39 PM
We don’t believe in democracy. Islam is the best way of living. Islam advocates justice and rule of law
Yeah right - and oh btw, I am the Sultan of Brunei…
Posted by: Dilip at September 19, 2003 4:06 PM
Well, her comments seem to be like the ones I heard from my muslim friends when they decided to become SIMI members. Kids I grew up with in Assam and Meghalaya. People who like to find something important in their lives by taking up an ideology that makes them feel like they are doing something, to achieve a noble goal. And unfortunately, it is the folks who are incapable of independent thought that gravitate towards absolutist groupps like SIMI.
BTW, got a stupid question for y’ll - is SIMI and the group Jamaat-e-Talba one and the same , or is Jamaat-e-Talba the student group of Jamaat-e-Islamia?
Posted by: ronin at September 19, 2003 7:30 PM