Re: [nukkad] The veil

["Dr.M.C. Gupta" <>]

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Knowledge is power. Those who don't have knwoledge are powerless. Haves have
always ruled the have-nots. Hence haves have a vested interest in denying to
have nots.

The British ruled India by denying them even home rule. When India became
independent, the Congress government ruled the masses by not actively
promoting literacy. Governments know that only illiterate voters can be
fooled. Congress also denied PM post to Jagjivan Ram, a senior SC minister.

Congress monopoly at Centre was broken only in 1977. Literacy rate, which
had stagnated earlier, started rising in the era of coalition governments.
This encouraged the have nots to demand rights and the rise of Mayawati etc.
was made possible.

The Muslim clergy has followed the same route, because of vested interest.
Once Arabic chanting mullahs encourage translations of Quran and delivery /
conduct of rituals [nikah, azaan, namaaz etc.] in local language, as in case
of Christianity, the Muslims will cease to be puppets in the hands of
mullaahs . They will learn to question fatwas on the basis of their own
reading of Quran in the language they understand. Likewise they would
question killing in the name of jihad because they will derive their own
interpretation of jihad from their own copies of Quran. Women start asking
where in Quran is their subjugation permitted. All hell will break loose for
the mullahs. Also, Muslim theocratic governments will find they cannot rule
in the name of Quran because people would know better what Quran is about.
Demand for democracy will increase. If muslim countries become democratic,
[which US does not want in its heart, despite public postures about
supporting democracy], people will become aware of their rights. They will
not allow sheikhs and kings to loot the nation by selling oil cheap to the
West and hoard the money in Swiss banks.

The above chain is long. I think it is correct. If it is correct, it shows
clearly why Arabic continues and will continue as the language of Islam.
Unless, of course, Islam wants to modernise itself.

M C Gupta
24 March


On 3/24/08, vkvenugopal@gmail.com  wrote:
>
> On 3/23/08, Dr Taher (डा॰ ताहेर कागलवाला)  
>wrote:
> In response to what Maloy said about using Arabic, why, what is wrong
> in having a religion-wide lingua franca? It makes things so much more
> easy to understand, discuss and follow. In fact, often, the finer
> nuances of a word's meaning are lost in translation, as our friend
> T.Vasudevan's son wrote in his veda mail.
> --------------------------
> Having a lingua franca is very good. It would make things a lot easier
> if everyone in the world spoke the same language.
>
> Unfortunately it is not so. Muslims world over speak several languages
> usually as per their geographical location. (Hyderabadi Muslims may be
> an exception having Urdu as their mother tongue instead of Telugu).
> What is the need or sanctity of forcing Arabic on them for religious
> purposes?
>
> Having Arabic as the language only for religious purposes makes it
> easier for the clergy to force their interpretation of Quranic verses
> on the Muslim masses. Muslims outside the Arabian countries lack the
> knowledge of Arabic to form their own interpretation of Quran.
>
> Finer nuances of a word's meaning may be lost in translation but does
> it really matter except for scholarly debates or settlement of
> disputes? In day to day religious practice, such finer nuances do not
> come into play. If translations of Quran in Urdu, Tamil Malayalam etc.
> are widely available and Muslims are encouraged to read it in the
> language they understand, things would  be much easier for everyone,
> especially Muslims who want to follow Quran strictly. Chanting Quranic
> verses in Arabic without understanding the meaning makes it only a
> blind ritual.
>
> Clerics insist on Arabic Quran and discourage translations because
> once Quran is understood by the masses, they will lose their hegemony.
> Services in Churches are in the local languages and translations of
> bible are easily available. If Mosques adopt similar practice, it
> would only make Muslims more knowledgeable about their religion
> without depending upon the coloured interpretations of Quran by
> Clerics.
>
> Venu
>
>
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>
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-- 
Prof. M C Gupta
MD (Medicine), MPH,  LL.M.,

Advocate & Health and Medico-legal Consultant

mcgupta44@gmail.com
www.writing.com/authors/mcgupta44
http://mcgupta44.blogspot.com/

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