Well Mr. Anand. The long charge-sheet of the Indian Muslim is ready indeed, albeit not against the Indian Media as much against the current phase of history whose part Indian Muslim is, including all the mullato Muslims. That this predicament of the Muslims may become a matter of rejoicing for the Indian Media expressed through the blue blood Muslim democrats like some of you, is something over which the impoverished and weak Muslim community has no control. I am sorry I should have taken care to describe the state of the community lest you should think that the blame for their plight is on the nationalist Indians! Thanks for framing the charge sheet gratuitously but if , I as a general secretary of the ‘Muslims for Islamic democracy’ (which does not exist for want of sponsors) were to frame the charges I would have acted differently, because I would not have spoken on behalf of the Darul Uloom. I would have invited you to see the still bigger picture. You say that the  dangerous message of “Ishwar and Allah are one and the same” is the cardinal cause of an unbecoming conflict, and you want me to believe in it because it has been said by you as a fully paid writer of the hoodlum Indian press from the high podium of Indian Express. But even as an inhabitant of the netherworld I have common sense. This song “Ishawar Allah Tero naam, sabko soomat de bhagwan” was regularly sung by no one less than Ghandhiji and this song has been one of the most popular songs of India. Mr. Anand there must be more than what meets the eye or what has been dished out to you as an embedded journalist by the Indian police. Possibly you know the truth or you don’t know it, but in both cases you are far from the truth, in what you say.

I am afraid you will have to find a new category for me and exclude me for the list of the Mr/Ms Muslims who try to sanitise it ( fatwa)  while simultaneously crying  foul at the media’s alleged distortions and habitual Muslim-bashing. I will allow the national media the indulgence of bashing Muslims if it helps them to meet their both ends (with cakes and pastries and scotch, no doubt). At the same time I would like to indulge in some sins for myself, such as by celebrating birthdays, or by working in bank and insurance company, or by taking bribes (bahti ganga men hath), or even by indulging in some ‘fleshy’ actions. True, for a Muslim it is a sin to do a thing (with or without fatwa). But who says Muslims are not entitled for a share of their own sins? Why the hell do you not allow me to make my democratic choice?  After all my sins will be balanced against the sawabs that I earn. Why should I not take my chances, when the option has been openly left for me? Look Mr. Anand I am not apologetic for the Maulanas of Deoband not being able to give me a certificate to commit sin (Like you they have also to do their own earnings). I should be able to do it on my own. But if you are afraid that such fatwas impinge on someone’s clientele in the market by influencing opinions contrary to that someone’s interest, then your write- up is also another kind of fatwa trying to break this business jinx. If you have the right, then the Maulana has the right too!

Now let me do some analysis which is no sucking apology (and apology from whom, the likes of you? How ostentatious you are, Mr.Anand!!).

The Fatwa says: “It is unlawful for Muslim women to do a job in the government or private sector, where men and women work together and women have to talk to men frankly and without a veil.”

What can a working Muslim woman do now?

Well, she can keep earning and indulge in some sins and set off against the sawabs earned by her. By implication she can increase her quota of sawab, which is entirely in her hands.  Or she can put on a burqa without covering face (differing with Maulanas, I would suggest if she wears modestly, the  decent, tastefully colorful , non-revealing shalwar-jumper and dupatta, our very own Indian dress, until recently,) which will convey a body language that she is a bit reserve, and she can avoid talking to her colleagues  and clients unnecessarily. That will make her job entirely lawful (oh yes, the salary too, which is the most important in all this muck-raking!). Of course the atmosphere in the office will not remain that charming , where mutual coquettish looks, mutual double deliveries and mutual suggestive exchanges will get restricted (of course the youngsters in the offices and the colleges, under influence of the West, are into availing the warmth of the body contacts too,  just as an icing).  But these Islamic restriction has a positive side-effect as well (how bad, if not the baddest), if someone is willing to confer sanctity to the interests of the absent members. The spouse or the parents back home will have a comparatively more secured emotional life with a little extra assurance of fidelity.  Now , seculars  please! Don’t start jumping. What you would be telling me with an injured innocence, by way of a response, is nothing but a blatant lie (I have been through all this).

Incidentally, the one question that I had raised at end of the famous letter of Nigar Ataullah, (attracting famous comments of some another famous Javed resulting in famous threatening calls further resulting in the personal protection by the famous Indian police guaranteeing sure shot survival etc etc) remains unattended even by poor Nigar who turned out to be just an animal activist, pushed into the affairs of super-animals. I quote my question (My only regret is that your reply will not be published in any Indian Express. You will have to make do with internet):

“Had you not been a believing Muslimah, I would not have asked you, not to raise a question, but to give an answer, because who could be better qualified than you to give an answer to this? Please forget about Maulanas including the one who was staring at you, who perhaps didn’t have the opportunity or the money or the will to shave for two consecutive months (which can make a Mualana, of any man), and please take the time out to tell us how to maintain a Muslim Muashra in India conceding that Muslim women and men have all the rights to live life to the full?  While attempting to answer this, you will perhaps have to define or redefine Muslim Muashra which you have the liberty to define as being non-existent (a non-est) as well.”

The basis of any religion should be spirituality as there are other institutions to take care of other areas of life. Spirituality is the expression of one's relationship with the World that belongs to the System of God. When we try to project God, we realize our own reasoning. When any human society gives importance to the products of its own reasoning, whether it is of God or any other product, it tends to degrade as life is a System that can be sane only if things are managed on the basis of our relationship with the System of God. Those who realized the System of God called it the Truth.

Prophet Mohammad is no exception because the monopoly of Truth will last as long as there is Universe. So life should be managed only in relationship with the System of God.

Religions have the tendency to base life on external principles, and then they deviate from what they should be - the expression of spirituality. Spirituality can be expressed only in relationship with the World that belongs to the System of Life/Truth.

When God is made the product of faith God becomes the parochial product of faith as faith is the product of parochial perception. Materialism is the main dominant factor in the creation of parochial systems. The World that belongs to the System of God is not a parochial expression. The formation of continents and the blowing of winds are not based on any parochial faith - not even the digestion of food.

 If all religions go back to the expression of spirituality there will be no man-made calamites in the world. If Islam becomes the expression of Truth that the Prophet was expressing it will become the best religion in the world.

Mr.Anand does well to bring to our attention the plight of some Muslims in Malegaon who have been targeted and "excommunicated" by  the local unit of the Jamiat-ul-Ulema (Maulana Arshad Madni’s faction).  Fellow Muslims have been warned to stay away from the condemned. Inciting mobs, maulanas are issuing a daily warning that unless the “enemies of Islam” are banished from Malegaon, there would be terrible consequences. Why? Because they are preaching a dangerous message: “Ishwar and Allah are one and the same”.

Such  atrocious and menacing behavior of the maulanas borders on the criminal and should be of interest to local authorities. Moreover it reveals ignorance and exerts coerciveness and compulsion, making it un-Islamic. It should elicit disapprobation from the right-minded ulemas throughout India.

As far as the fatwas of Dar-ul-Uloom on women are concerned, they can only be called misogynist. Dar-ul-Uloom would be well advised to close its Fatwa Department (Darul Ifta), and start an Ijtihad Department in its place.