Malaysiakini :: Letters
Malaysiakini :: Letters |
| Let's debate our history like adults Posted: 11 Sep 2011 12:10 AM PDT What history books did we read and learn during our school days, and who were the writers? Who wrote our 'Sejarah Tanah Melayu'? A Malay, or the British themselves? We also acknowledge that even Munshi Abdullah was working for the British and what else do you expect him to write? Are we at all aware that our Tanah Melayu history was also written in Arabic by an Arabian descendant who had come to Malacca during the glory days of the Sultanate. This book had never been used as a reference text book by historians when writting our history. And have the writers of history sought third party views, or perhaps gotten the views of the men who have been accused as traitors for instant Dato Bahaman, Tok Janggot and many others. Sorry to say that Umno seems to be act like God, whereby only Umno has the right to say what is right and wrong. I am a Malaysian who has been working in Indonesia for more than seven years. Indonesia is more democratic than us; the rulling party will allow the rakyat to give their views, debate issues and even criticise the government in the mass media such as in live debates on TV and so on. Likewise PAS deputy president Mat Sabu must be given a fair chance to explain on TV and we can even invite our professors as well as minister Rais Yatim to be discussion panel members. Let them discuss this and let the rakyat decide and draw our own conclusions. We are not small kids, we are engineer, doctors, professionals etc and I think we are smart enough to draw our own conclusions based on the facts delivered by both parties |
| Ten years after 9-11: A time to reflect Posted: 10 Sep 2011 11:40 PM PDT In the past decade, we have seen how the destruction and desperation in the attacks of Sept 11 mutate into a state of global war. At the very least, it has left Muslims and non-Muslims in common grudge and distrust, if not at least cynicism towards any hope for genuine peace. It is all the more troubling that we have no reason to expect any change or improvement in this state of affairs soon. As Muslims, we find ourselves confronting a grave and difficult challenge. We are caught in between the realities and injustices of imperialism on one hand, and the serious decline in Muslim culture and civilization on the other. Therefore, it is all the more important now that we turn inwards with the right questions and realisations for ourselves towards a better understanding of the reality at hand. Terrorism is as much a threat to Muslims and innocent non-Muslims Muslims by and large are all too familiar with critiques against imperialism, and rightly so. But in reflecting upon the significance and meaning of Sept 11, we must keep in mind the total human cost that the War on Terror has taken: For what is also true is that the fundamentalist rage exemplified, if not inspired directly by al-Qaeda has also affected Muslims as well as innocent non-Muslims. The terror attacks in Madrid (March 11, 2004), Jakarta (July 17, 2009 and Aug 5, 2003), Bali (Oct 12, 2002 and Oct 1, 2005), Istanbul (Nov 20, 2003) Jeddah (Nov 6, 2004) Riyadh (Dec 29, 2004), Mumbai (Nov 26, 2008), to name only a few, should remind us of the universal and indiscriminate nature of terrorist rage. How many innocent lives had to suffer the brunt of hatred emanating from a few zealots. The War on Terror should not be guiding all our concerns The real debate about the Muslim condition after Sept 11 should not centre on questions about who has killed more, or who has the power to inflict the most damage. Nor should it be primarily be about who started it first. These are legitimate considerations to keep in mind for facts about the reality we live in but they should not be guiding our conscience as Muslims. For if our inquiries are anchored primarily to concerns about power, retribution and the quantification of suffering, we would not be going beyond the logic in the knee-jerk reactions that led to the wars we are trying to survive in the first place. An enlightened response to this era of crisis must divorce itself as much as possible from the impulse of rage and revenge. Instead, Muslims must turn inwards to reflect on how we can rediscover our full capacity and potential as a civilisation, despite the challenges we face. As Muslims we must look into the totality of our condition and not let our problems be obscured by mere critiques of policy. We must ask: How are Muslims to envision a progressive resistance to empire, in light of the predominantly conservative and repressive trend of Muslim politics across the globe? Why are we so concerned about others threatening our faith when we're so scared to voice out against the corrupt and despotic rulers up to the extent that we misconstrued tradition of the pious predecessors (as-salaf as-salih) to justify defending tyrant rulers of our land? In an age of oppression and fundamentalism how should Muslims envision freedom and liberation? And how do we build solidarity with non-Muslims towards achieving that end of ameliorating world civilisation? Islam is a religion of peace but peace is not just the absence of war. More specifically, peace lies in having the right attitude to freedom, justice, equality and diversity. But we need not look far at the cultures of Muslims as a whole to see the serious extent to which we by and large are still struggling to practice a way of life that truly embodies those ideals. Not only is there a lack of Muslim consensus on the difficult issues of personal freedom, economic justice and pluralism, there is more often than not, a reluctance to discuss them openly and democratically. The problem of course extends further and deeper than just the need to simply discuss those issues. The real challenge is in constructing a society with the right cultural attitudes and institutions to ensure that justice, equality, freedom and diversity remain lived realities. This Sept 11, like every other one we have seen in the past decade, will no doubt consist of the usual mix of propaganda and righteous indignation from all sides. It is important however to keep in mind that as Muslims the problems we face as a civilisation were there long before Sept 11 and that at the end of the day we as Muslims have the responsibility to change our own condition, first and foremost, before putting the blame on others. "Verily, God does not change men's condition unless they change their inner selves…" [13:11]
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