Is Islam Dead?
When Muslim kill Muslims in hundreds and thousands can Islam be alive? This question should be given a serious thought by the Muslim world in the broad context of the present situation in East Pakistan. Account of eye-witnesses, reports of foreign correspondent who left or were forced to leave East Pakistan since a reign of terror was let loose in that wing of Pakistan, and horrorring tales by the affected East Pakistanis who are crossing over to the Indian border, indicate that the situation in East Pakistan is, really very distressing. President Yahya Khan’s Government in West Pakistan has been claiming that ‘calm’ prevails in the region, and the situation is ‘under control.
If it is really so, why were the foreign correspondents expelled from East Pakistan? Why was International Red Cross not allowed to visit Dacca with relief goods for the innumerable sufferers?
And why are foreign nationals being evacuated from that part?
Planes tanks, mortars, cannons and machime-guns are reportedly being indiscrimiately used to quell the so-called secessionist umarmed East Pakistanis No mercy is being shown even to women and children. To complete the process of destruction more troops and arms and ammunitions against 55 million in West Pakistan. There are more Muslims in East Pakistan than in West Pakistan. If East Pakistan eventually becomes an independent state, it would be the second largest muslim state in the world next only to Indonesia. East Pakistani people are known to be devoted Muslims. Alcoholic drinks, floorshows and night clubs etc are banned in East Pakistan. Drinking, dancing, stripteasing etc. are popular in the glamourous cities of West Pakistan inhabited by industrialists, businessmen, military rulers and other similar fortunate classes.
If politicians, thinkers, teachers, students, doctors, engineers and even un-armed civilians including women and children are wiped out in East Pakistan, will the Muslim world in general suffer? Does Islam permit killing of un-armed Muslims by armed Muslims? Can use of economic and social justice be strong minority in suppressing the demand of the unfortunate majority for econmic and social justice be justified by Islamic principles?
What is happening in East Pakistan may be rational to the military govenment of President Yahya Khan, but if East Pakistan ultimately becomes a sovereign state, which the independent state of East Bengal feel that the muslim world did not support the right cause of the oppressed but lent support to the oppressors because of their powerful position refuses to sit together and talk to West Pakistanis in an Islamicforum, the Muslim world will be weak and a great blow will be given to Islam itself. The Muslim states should not believe what President Yahya Khan’s military Government in West Pakistan claims or what India says, but should make an independent study of the situation in East Pakistan, and urge President Yahya Khan to stop bloodshed, settle the problem through peaceful political means and transfer power to the legally elected representatives of the people of East Pakistan. It should also be brought to the notice of the ruling junta in West Pakistan that so long as Islam is alive, right cannot be suppressed by the strong and weak cannot be oppressed by the strong. Muslim states should act quickly and see that good Muslims are not massacared by fellow Muslims. The International Islamic Organization should also not be silent spectators in the present situation in East Pakistan but should do whatever is possible within their limited means to stop the genocide and restore peace in the region.
ref. The Djakarta Times, 15.4.1971