Book Review
Chasing A
Mirage – The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State.
- Author:
Tarek Fatah
-
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.,
Canada
-
Reviewed
By: Javed I.
Chaudry
Dear Akbar Hussain Sahib – Post #39:
I
optimistically think that everyone on this board
is writing in good faith for the real issue, which
is how to bring about social emancipation.
Dear Akbar Sahib: With due respect, I am perplexed
by your post #39 because I think there are
thunderous assertions and several contradictions
too. For example you wrote:
“In this age of reason, logic and human rights
dogmas will not prevail for long”.
As a proponent of logic and reason, kindly help us
all understand:
1.
The logic by which you subscribe to a
religion; Islam in your case. If you told me your
religion is a personal and/or private matter, I
shall withdraw my question. And, I would offer my
apology for trespassing.
2.
On the other hand, if I am not mistaken
your religion Islam is NOT your private matter
because you use it in social and political
domains. You use it by publishing letters in
newspapers, delivering passionate speeches and
viewing socio-political issues through your
Islamic-religious prism. I believe that fact alone
provides a valid ground to ask you for the logic
(not dogma) of your religion. However, if you feel
this question is too broad and choose not to
answer, I shall respectfully withdraw my question
again.
3.
However, this question is simple. By what
logic did you assume chair of the Secretary
General of a religious organization in Toronto
called Muslim Canadian Congress (MCC)?
4.
And, please do answer this question … You
wrote, “Many Muslims try to find an escape
route by accusing America and the West for their
ills …” Lets think positively. Please tell us
as the Secretary General of a religious Muslim
organization in Toronto (MCC); how much of North
American democratic political culture your
organization has absorbed? Specifically, how many
times your organization has held democratic
elections since its inception post 9/11 and who
supervised those elections? (Word “post-9/11” is
just to tease you as a friend ... Ignore it
please).
Actually, I raised similar issues in my book
review also, published a couple of months ago and
unfortunately nobody bothered to address those
issues. Please correct me if I am wrong but
according to my knowledge, MCC has always opposed
to investing in democracy within their own
organization and sermonized the whole Muslim world
to embrace democracy.
When you said, “Muslims have to reshape their
entire gamut of the thought process”; I
suspected charity begins at home. Would you kindly
shed some light on the “thought process” and
attitude of (at least) your Muslims organization
in the context of Canadian democratic culture?
(Please help me with these questions because I am
seriously trying to study this subject).
Respectfully, I do not want to engage you in any
unending debate. The questions above are straight
forward. I think it would be possible for you to
answer in a factual manner.
Thanks and kind regards,
Tahir Qazi