I was just surfing YouTube just yesterday, trying to find the latest scoop about the assassination of Benazir Bhutto when I saw something that disturbed me tremendously. I have never kept track with the development of political situation in Pakistan or anywhere else for that matter but like the majority of us, I am informed about a few things here and there about Iraq, Bush administration and in this case, the late Benazir Bhutto. I am aware of the various corruption accusations pointed against her and how there are different groups of people having different stands about her return from exile in England. And, I am also aware of the couple, I think, assassination attempts on her and the hundreds of innocentb civillians who died at her extent.
Having said that, I am also aware that globally, people too have different impressions and judgement about the late politician but whatever your stand is, I believe, there ought to be respect for those who have departed and this should transcends any politcal boundary or belief; aristocracy or be it democracy.
But, I was deeply appalled by the various comments regarding the late Bhutto. Comments ranging from personal attacks like how she deserved this fate to what I felt was disrespectful and shallow attacks to the religion Islam like how a member of YouTube suggested Islam as a cancer to the world.
So, naturally, I surfed YouTube further and when I entered a few words pertaining this issue in the search engine, I swear I was dismayed at what I saw. Videos after videos, comments after comments on attacks of Islam, the Holy Quran and Our Prophet and more ridiculous, I thought was how these remarks were made purely based on their own emotions and not supported by substanstial reasons. There were people who go around spreading animosity towards Islam by comparing our Prophet to pigs and dogs, mocked the Holy Quran and even to their pleasure and comfort, lifted verses from the Quran and Hadith and twisting the verses to a point where all the meaning in the verses have changed completely so as to suit their accusation towards Islam as a religion for Satan. How convenient!
I was apopletic beyond belief, initially and all I thought of was giving them the easy harsh treatment but then something striked me. These people fall into two broad categories, firstly those who have received the wrong and inaccurate information about Islam because of all the terrorist attacks that are usually but inaccurately linked to Jihad and secondly, those who just hate Muslims and have made it their personal aim to exterminate all of us from the face of this earth. So, I decided, just like water is used to fight fire, I'll use peaceful means to fight their shallow, ridiculous judgement about the whole of Islam that conveniently derived from the actions of a group of extremists. Shameful, is it not, drawing to conclusion with such a narrow mind.
I have Christians and Atheist on YouTube going around saying Allah is nonsense and that he preaches violence. I have these people making cartoons and caricatures of Muhammad and the Quran and thought it was hilrarious to relate Pig to the Holy Land. I have people thinking that blasphemy is somehow synonymous to comedy and the path to world peace. I have people recruiting others who supposedly claimed they were Ex-Muslims and brought them on air to share with the rest of the world why they embraced, lets say, Christianity and explain to the rest the harmful impacts of embracing Islam and even getting them to extract verses from the Quran that are clearly misguiding and wrong. Go look up on YouTube on any videos that indicates blasphemy by Muslims or any Anti-Christ comments or anyhting in that nature. I have and I could not find any.
I am not against freedom of speech neither am I againtst any religions. I respect Christians, Jewish, Buddhists, Hindus, Scientologist, Atheist and any other religions that I am regretfully unaware of. I respect your faith and your God and your freedom to choose whoever you want to follow. I have friends who are devoted Christians, Buddhists and Hindus and we get along really well because in spite being aware that religion is a highly sensitve issue, we make the effort to clear any doubts about other's religion and not just buy the words of any clown on the net.
The only conclusion I can draw from all these hatred and ugly scenes is that ever since the 9/11 episode and how Bin Laden was linked, Islam was indirectly but inevitably linked to violence and killing but not peace, which is the true meaning of Islam. And ever since then, the frequeny of terrorist attacks, bombs and Al-Qaedah and the popular notion of Jihad is at everyone's lips. I admit there are groups of Muslims who you and I have acknowledged as extremists who believed they are spreading the Word of God through the proper way which in reality is the wrong way. Tell me, which religion, no matter what, would encourage its followers to practise violence and take the lives of innocent people and act as though they are God? No religion, of course. Mainstream Islam, the purest state of Islam and not tarnished by these extremists also condemns this acts and Allah too, does. And because of this group of dillusioned Muslims who are extremists, does the rest of the Muslim world deserves to face the same discrimination?
I know I could get into some serious trouble with Blogger or some other people, if not for posting this but let me tell you, I know of some Blogs on Blogger that goes around spreading false word of Islam and encouraging hate. I know of people on the net who are forming Anti-Islam groups and are trying to banish us. I know of clowns and fools on the net who are exploiting the Quran so as to recruit more Anti-Islam members and encouraging even Muslims to lose faith in Islam. Think of that before you conveniently draw assumptions on this post.
I am not saying all this just because I am a Muslim and am furious and disappointed by all the disrescpect towards my religion but I believe that harmony in co-existence of various religions is key towards a peaceful world. Living in Singapore and having a large proportion of Singaporeans being respectful and sensitive towards one another's religion and the only racist sentiments you can ever get is from harmless racist jokes that includes all races and having it's people laughing together clearly made me oblivious to the real situation of the world and the shallowness of people from some first world country who has the mentality and the education that can be assumed as that of the third-world country. And, you talk about fairness of all races and democracy and invading other's territories to restore peace. Give me a break.
All I can say is that if you want any information about Islam or Christianity or any other religions for that matter, go to their various holy places, seek information from the Ustaz or the Pastor. Don't go to some unrelaible websites where it is almost like a Vegetarian teaching you how to eat steak.
Thank God for the education system in Singapore where respect for races and religions are fostered and the people can get along very well despite of varying religion background. Thank God for sensitivity, sensibility, respect and compromise.
regardless of race, language and religion.
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