[We have given up the hope of Arabia long ago. Were looking at Turkey in the changed scenario with high hopes. Our hopes have not turned out to be disappointing, although not as fast as expected. The way Iran was moving to the main stage or desperate for recognition as a single monk, our big alternative is Erdogan’s Turkey. The crisis through which today’s Muslim Ummah is going ahead, the big demand of the moment is to unite on one platform and to think beyond the general boundaries of the country and society.
Education is more important than strength or numbers to rise from the abyss to the top or to take the lead from a declining state. Of strategy. Of morality and value. And at the root of all this is the development and coordination of thought.
In this case, even a few years ago, the name of Iran used to come up as the only country. Now we can talk about Turkey at large. Slowly but surely they are proving to work. A project in Turkey called Summer School started a few years ago. The purpose of the project is to organize conferences with young Muslim researchers from around the world, discuss their own problems and possibilities, and move forward with solutions and strategies in light of them.
I received the memorandum of the first summer school in 2013. The theme of the conference was ‘Transformation of the Muslim World in the 21st Century’. I’m reading. With the Arab Spring being the first to be held since then, there is some scattering of optimism, and much has changed in the last few years. In the case of lessons, on the one hand, it is a bit uncomfortable, it is also quite helpful in judging the current situation. The lessons of these essays are very important for our youth. With that in mind, I tried to present some discussions to them.
Sri Lanka is a country very close to us and especially well known for its cricket. The Muslim issue in Sri Lanka has never been discussed so much. We don’t know much about Sri Lanka muslim or Sri Lanka muslim population . So I chose this article first. The author is the president of the Sri Lankan Islamic student movement.
I will add a brief introduction at the end of the article InshaAllah.
Happy Reading- Shakil Adnan]
The Revival of Global Islam and Muslim Ummah
Over the past few years, a new dimension has been observed in the revival of global Islam . Leaving behind the general discussion of crises and possibilities, the Muslim communities scattered in different parts of the world are able to identify their position more coherently. As well as continuing the renaissance progress, they are seeing significant improvements in their mutual understanding and cooperation in decision-making capacity and the need to formulate strategies. The present condition of the Muslim Ummah is therefore undoubtedly better than the reality of the past decade or so.
U.S. policymakers – those who see themselves as the only superpowers of the era on the world stage, as well as other states in the Western world – are now realizing for sure that secession from the Muslim world or coercive campaigns in Islamic states are not working. They must come to terms with the Muslim nation in order to secure their hegemonic interests in the world. A relationship of trust must be built.
Turkey’s recent liberation from military rule is a huge achievement in the question of the revival of the Ummah. After this incident, it has already become clear that Turkey is not going to return to the management of the state of Kamaliya style.
A large section of the population of this traditional Muslim country has started demanding the imposition of religious rules at various levels of the state. We congratulate those who have taken the initiative to inculcate Islamic values in the hearts of the people of Turkey and those organizations that have contributed to this achievement through effective measures or activism.
Turkey’s recent progress in economy, good governance, culture and education certainly deserves praise. It became an example for other Muslim states to look exactly like an aristocratic and ideal Muslim state. How can pious Muslims lead a stagnant state economically, culturally, religiously and politically to success? It can now be proudly claimed that many Muslim countries are now considering Turkey as a model for their multifaceted development.
The Arab Spring has urged Muslims to move beyond regional narrow-mindedness and prepare for world leadership. For the first time, other imperialist powers, including Israel, are being forced to realize that the reality of the Middle East has changed and that the reality on the ground will never be better for them if they do not give up their stubbornness. This is the first time in the last five decades that the youth of Arabia has awakened and shattered the stronghold of Arab dictatorship. They threw the shackles of slavery of the powerful Arab rulers to the ground in a flash. The elites of the Arab and Muslim worlds have also been forced to recognize the leaders of the movement as real and legitimate representatives of the people of their respective countries.
It is, of course, a historical event. I am going to start today’s article with the recent revival and progressive issues of the Ummah.
The Current State of Revival of The Muslim Ummah
The Muslim nation currently represents one-fifth of the world’s population. At least one hundred and thirty million Muslims are currently living in the world.
About ninety million Muslims live in 57 independent Muslim states and the remaining forty million Muslims live in about 100 other countries around the world.
Due to the large Muslim presence in Central and Southeast Asia and much of Africa, a large part of the world map is under Muslim control. On the other hand, Islam is now the second largest religion in the Western world with a population of more than 30 million in Europe and about 10 million in South America .
Only 47 Muslim countries account for 23 percent of the world’s land area. Large and large parts of strategic lands, skies and seas are under the control of Muslim countries and they are the most independent in their movement.
Although the Muslim states are enviably rich in resources, at the moment they are lagging far behind economically and industrially. Despite having extensive financial capabilities, they are severely weak in terms of technology, management and advanced production models.
Only 13 percent of the Muslim countries’ internal trade, the remaining 6 percent of the world’s trade with the rest of the world. While this is frustrating, it is also a great testament to their strong connection to the world economy.
Another thing to note here is that most of the Muslim countries are in the list of developing countries in the world while 5 Muslim countries are in the list of developed human development in the world, 25 are in the list of medium human development and the rest are in the index of non-human development. But the badge is coming in mass and as an indicator. (Source: UNDP)
As a global economic power, the Muslim world has been in control for centuries. And this is not the last 300 years of enlightenment in the Western world, when economic ups and downs or indicators began to be identified. The resurgence of the Muslim world as a powerful political and economic power is a recent phenomenon.
A number of complex questions come to the fore when we go to verify the mistakes that are happening and consider what we need to do as a solution. The big challenge of the present time is to find the moral and ideological path and method of these issues.
Islam is The Religion of All the Prophets and Their Followers in The World
Islam is the only religion in the world and the Muslim Ummah is a global community. Belief is the foundation that determines the overall nature of Islam for the Muslim Ummah. Tawhid or monotheism has established the unity of the world, the unity of humanity and the universal basis of life and law.
Islam is not the religion of any particular race, tribe, class or ethnic group or territory, nor does it claim to be a new religion. Rather, it represents the guidance of Almighty God, which has been preached to mankind since the beginning of time.
As such, Islam is considered the only religion of all the prophets and their followers in the world and that is the reality. Today’s Muslim Ummah, so with full respect to Hazrat Adam A. Starting from the Prophet Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Remember its name and believe in them.
The Current Economical State of The Muslim Ummah
Looking at the ongoing economic and business crisis in the world, one can easily understand – this is mainly due to the various limitations within the global capitalist economy.
And at the very beginning of this crisis is the moral decay of states as well as individuals, the mentality of increasing wealth, greed, self-interest and a system under which the economy falls into the hands of a small number of powerful people; Among them are investors, bankers and a class of speculators.
Truth be told, this economic trend has now turned into a lost gas-filled balloon, dominated by players all over the world. In this case, the special responsibility falls on the states that have led the modern capitalist trend, instead of walking on the path of solution, those who are always going through it in this crisis. For this reason, on the one hand, the governments of a small number of countries are in control of this uncertain and risky game of the capitalist economy, and on the other hand, the governments of the rest of the country are desperately trying to remedy it. To save themselves in plain words.
In this reality, the situation in the Middle East and other Muslim worlds, which represent 40 percent of the Third World, is now on the brink of collapse. If we look at the Muslim world right now, the Middle East in particular and the rest of the Muslim world in general are facing at least three major crises.
There are three major crises in the Muslim world
First, large sums of money from Muslim countries, especially from the oil-rich Middle East, have been invested in the European-American market over the years. Forty percent of the total money of the Middle East’s investment and saving countries and individuals has been ‘no’ due to the continuous fall of the dollar. When a stock market crashes somewhere, the biggest losers are the people who invest in speculative different term stocks and potentially profitable projects. That is, ordinary foreign investing countries or people.
According to some estimates, at least 3-4 trillion (one trillion equivalent to one trillion) of the Middle East has invested in Western markets – a huge amount of three to four trillion dollars.
And some recent reports suggest that Western markets have surpassed ৯ 9 trillion over the past decade or so, which simply means that a large portion of the total investment in the Middle East (mainly public deposits) has already disappeared. This is why the clever states of the West seem to be fond of the ruling and powerful elite class of the soft and fat lower abdomen of the Middle East. Deftly manipulates themselves and controls with great skill.
The second biggest loss is the volatile situation in the world market. Uncertainty due to constant rising and falling. Third world countries, whose main source of income is exports, their export indicators are declining. America is their biggest market, Europe is the second largest, now that the market is fluctuating, the impact is naturally falling on them very badly. Especially those who depend heavily on exports.
The third sector that is emerging now is the local real estate business and the stock market. The recent collapse of the Dubai Stock Exchange (2012) has had a direct impact on that. Which has and will hurt economic players, traders, bankers, investors and general savers around the world.
At this stage, the issue of energy’s relationship with the ongoing global economic crisis is coming to the fore. Muslim countries have 80 percent of the world’s natural resources, such as oil and gas. Not only in the Middle East, but also in Central Asia, a considerable amount of natural resources have been discovered. There is more to the matter.
The power structure of the imperialist powers and America’s greedy economic vision of Iraq, Afghanistan, various countries in Central Asia and even Pakistan is a very important issue in this regard. That is why the United States wants to have full control over the production of oil, its reserves of oil, and the processing of petroleum products. At any cost.
The dependence of Muslim countries, especially the Middle East, on the United States, Europe and their allies is serving as a basis for the global capitalist economy. On the other hand, it has to do with the power struggles in the Muslim world, state pressures, power-sharing, and the occasional setbacks – all of which are part of the politics of Western coercion.
Iran-Turkey Proxy War
The year 2012 witnessed a fierce political battle between Iran and Turkey. In 2013, this trend may intensify for two main reasons. The first reason is local, which is fueled by recent events in Iraq and Syria.
Both Iran and Turkey are desperate to establish or maintain their influence in the two neighboring countries, from which they have lost their strategic position. It is very unexpected and disappointing for Iran to lose the power of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, and Iran will want to make up for it by tightening and expanding its control over Iraq.
They will do so by increasing the power in Iraq on the one hand and by keeping post-coup Syria divided and weak on the other. Because without the support and cooperation of the two countries on both sides, Iraq and Iran, it is not possible for Syria to regain its position as a normal and stable state.
Border contacts with Arabs and Turkey, without Iran-Iraq, will not bring any good news for Syria. As a result, Iran could return to its advantage.
The second reason for the Iran-Turkey political battle is international. The Iran-Turkey conflict will gain momentum as 2013 draws further attention to the withdrawal of the United States and the European Union from the region. For economic and strategic reasons, the interest of the West will decrease from the Middle East and increase elsewhere.
The United States will begin to focus on controlling China’s growing influence, especially in enhancing China’s strategic capabilities in the Pacific. Tensions between China and Japan over the disputed islands have already escalated.
There is no doubt that the removal of Western power from the Middle East will create a huge void in the region’s power. As a result, regional powers will have a bigger place in the strategic game of fighting to fill this gap. Iran sees this as a huge opportunity to expand its influence in the Middle East in support of the Russia-China axis. And this issue of Iran will undoubtedly anger Turkey, because for various reasons, Turkey is already concerned about Russia’s influence in the region.
Some of these concerns are historical, others are Russia-Turkey infighting, which has already grown in the export of natural resources or energy to the European market. For these reasons, the Western powers will again support Turkey – as a way to compensate for the current withdrawal of their attention from the Middle East. So that they can focus their full attention on challenging the Sino-Russian axis and pulling the strings around their growing influence.
It is true that the geographical, social and economic ties between the two big neighbors, Iran and Turkey, are very deep. That is why any confrontation or confrontation between the two states will undoubtedly be unexpected and costly for both the parties. But the conflict between the two countries will inevitably become a matter of fueling the shadow forces. The two opposing countries will provide their own economic and political support to the isolated parties or groups that will engage in conflict between themselves for the sake of these two countries and even make armed conflict against each other inevitable.
This is where the role of the internal parties of the two countries will be visible, such as Turkey’s PKK party being dragged into this expected shadow war. The PKK, in support of Iran, will intensify its bloody campaign against the Turkish government.
The Turkish government will again seek to respond appropriately by using anti-Iranian groups. And these groups together will lead to extreme conflict between the two countries, although we do not expect it to directly engage the two countries’ armed forces. If Iran had agreed to accept the demands of Turkey and the Arab states and the rationale for their genuine partnership in neighboring countries, and had not carried out years of strategic destabilization in those countries, this unexpected deterioration in the Middle East could have been avoided.
So the conflict is a manifestation of Iran’s immoral ambitions, which are weakening the Muslim world day by day.
Global Politics and the Muslim World
Looking at the recent dynamics of the Muslim world, we see the United States as a major global power that is influencing the internal and external activities of the Muslim world. Even the outlines and trends of the most important issues like war or peace are being fixed. The motives of the United States in the Muslim world are:
- Ensuring control over the natural resources of the region and especially the oil and gas supply routes.
- Facilitate the protection of Israel as a Jewish state and the continuation of its borders.
- Monitoring the movements of states identified as rivals in the pursuit of US demands and goals.
As the United States is directly involved in the wars over the Israeli-Palestinian crisis in the Middle East, factors such as US influence, unethical intervention, direct military presence, and its covert involvement with regional powers have played a key role in making the Middle East what it is today.
There is no doubt that the events of 9/11 or 9/11 have changed the dynamics of geopolitics and strategic reality around the world. The immediate result was the deployment of US troops, first in Afghanistan, then in Iraq, and as a result, the whole scenario of regional wars and conflicts in the Muslim world changed.
According to the new world order, the rise of the Palestinian movement, the awakening of the Islamic movement in Somalia, the rise of extremist regimes in Iran, ideological struggles in Central Asian states, and the independence movement of armed groups on the Saudi-Yemen or Afghan-Pakistani border are all different.
Rather, it is better to say that in the light of the misleading practices of the endless ‘global war’ or ‘global terrorism’ against the United States , these isolated or regional wars came together and somehow became global. This new notion of globalization made it inevitable for policymakers to re-examine the policies or opinions of the public, and for individuals and organizations to re-examine the specific struggles or advances of a particular country, region, or state.
With the call to kill the rats, the regional battles of all the Muslim groups, big and small, like the Lions, were singled out as anti-American. Invisible and scattered, the United States launched an eternal war against that ‘enemy’.
Relationship between Religion and Politics and The Islamic Movements in the Muslim World
Several events of this time and in the recent past have had a profound effect on the minds of Muslims and have led them towards the realization of the mature form of political Islam.
At the top of the list are the most controversial Islamic uprisings in Iran in 1979, the Sudanese military coup in 1989, the success of the Algerian Islamic Salvation Front in the 1991 election, but the unexpected and significant rejection of the country’s military in government. Establishment of control of the land and Hamas’s unprecedented victory in the 2008 parliamentary elections.
Hamas‘s victory, however, was not internationally recognized and they were unable to form a national unity government. On the contrary, an unjust blockade was imposed on Gaza so that the Hamas movement would be paralyzed forever. The Muslim Brotherhood and An Nahda also won democratic elections in Egypt and Tunisia after the unimaginable Islamic renaissance . The reality of the moment, however, is not in anyone’s favor – neither the Muslim Brotherhood nor An Nahdar.
In contrast to these depressing images, the most exciting experience for us was the Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Turkey, which won the 2002 elections . This victory of the AKP party has been the inspiration for many subsequent Islamic movements. Although the AKP does not present itself as an Islamic party or movement, its unabashed 10 years of political experience have established itself as a model. Many Islamic scholars have presented this model as successful.
The three main features of this model are a simple-normal trend of Islamic reference (affiliation with Islam), multi-party democracy and, of course, significant economic growth.
Islamic political movements around the world, especially the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, are currently going through a deep transition. This is because the political base of these movements or parties has been established through the path of opposition politics. The ruling parties have made these parties their main target for decades.
As a result, equal strife and barbarism have become institutionalized in all countries in order to deter and disband the cadres of these parties, to increase their suffering and danger, and even to uproot the foundations of these parties. However, the Arab Spring has suddenly brought these Islamic movements to power without any new setbacks and struggles, and without putting their ideology and political commentary to the test.
Thus when these groups suddenly found themselves in the masnad of the country without any direct experience, they were quickly trapped in the quicksand as a compensation for inexperience. Now, yes, only now will they be able to truly read and analyze their own activities and slogans, which is not an easy task at all.
Only constant thinking and observation can snatch victory in the ongoing issues by breaking all the barriers of calculation, verification and audit through political programs. And it is hoped that this sense of responsibility and perception that individuals or groups will have – the awakened reality of Islam will give them a chance to rise.
Another significant development in this regard is the development of the political commentary of Salafi ideologues in the Middle East and their participation in direct politics. So far they have been virtually deprived of the opportunity to gain direct political experience or to make accurate commentary on political activities. Much like the Muslim Brotherhood – they suddenly found themselves in a reality from which they had to play a role in meeting the urgent political expectations of their followers. There is no alternative.
The alliance between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafis (in the 12th election) may push the ongoing political crisis in Egypt towards Salafi political ideology. (But in my opinion, there is nothing to panic about, because, at the end of the day) it will actually go hand in hand with the long-term goals of the Muslim Brotherhood. But apparently it would be a very conservative statement for the region.
These diverse political experiences of the past few decades in the Muslim world have had a profound effect on the acceptance of political Islam in the present world, the capacity for political activity and the ideological basis.
However, this advancement of political Islam has faced a lot of pressure and opposition from the authoritarian Arab states as well. After nine / eleven this pressure increased further. During this time, Islamic institutions have been subjected to severe repression. Activists of the active Islamic movement have been detained en masse, many have been martyred by brutal torture. These experiences have caused extreme bitterness in the way of the progress of political Islam. Faced with the reality of a given history, it is only natural that we would hear from some dedicated workers extra-confident slogans and some threats to ignore the opponent.
Many of them (Egyptians) have been released from prisons, leaving the election in the lurch. Of course, standing up to these realities (since they have always been victims of oppression), one should not expect them to speak like professional diplomats.
Putting these aspects of the bitter reality aside, it must also be acknowledged that the commentary or image of political Islam has already reached a balance. The Tunisian Islamic Movement has set a good example. Although Annahda has been severely persecuted under dictator Ben Ali, its leaders have already introduced a trend of tolerant politics, exposing it to modern secular and even leftist parties.
The leaders of this group have reassured the Tunisian people that this new political trend will not interfere in their personal lives and from now on they will not accept any obstacles in their independent thinking and decisions. The movement has also presented an improved model for women’s participation in politics, with Anne Nahdar already having 42 women members in Tunisia’s constitutional parliament.
There has been a visible balance so far in the communication, relations or behavior of Islamic movements with the Western world, despite the fact that the Western world still has an exclusive support for the dictators of the Middle East. The leaders of the Islamic movement are well aware of the importance of economic and political involvement in today’s world. So they are not ready to keep any gap in this case
Changes in the Middle East and Social Perspectives on Recent Issues
The ongoing resistance in the Arab world seeks a major change in the face of growing Western vigilance and intervention. At the moment, however, it is difficult for any observer to predict where this situation will end up in the Muslim world. There is a lot to change in the Arab world, especially in the Middle East.
The outcome of the Arab Spring and the various strategic instability in the region complicate this task of predicting the future. There is more to the matter. International realities and unlimited economic and strategic changes are also playing a significant role in complicating the situation.
The Arab Spring is still in its infancy. It will improve and expand over time. It will not only change the government, it will change our personal perceptions of the Arab world and the attitudes of other countries. It will create a new and ubiquitous feeling and awareness. The Arab Spring will break down the walls of our frustration and inferiority and create a new world of social and political imagination, which will teach us to be optimistic in the face of immoral power and selfishness. Will show new dreams.
The Arab world is lucky – because this spring has started from a country like Tunisia. Although Tunisia is a multi-ethnic, multi-ethnic, multi-ethnic society, it is easily divided into different levels of education, social class and political consciousness; The realities that have given this movement a tolerant dimension. Otherwise the situation could have been worse.
The rope of control was not in anyone’s hands. This coup in Tunisia has presented a great model for the realization of rights rather than creating futile conflicts or fratricidal conflicts. Based on this model, we can be renewed optimistic about the Arab world, which is buried under long-term oppression, reckless misrule and eternal despair.
This evolution of the Arab Spring will continue, as in Tunisia; Libya, Syria and Yemen. In these countries, political conflicts and factional fighting are intensifying day by day. Due to the weakness of democratic culture, lack of political experience and prolonged absence of good governance, various crises and political tensions will be created in these countries.
At any cost, all parties will want to take over the masons and seize the rope of power. Although it is unrealistic to expect immediately, the day is not far when all the parties concerned will begin to realize that they all need to work together to establish stable politics and good governance. Only then will their movement be selfish. The benefits will come in the Arab Spring.
In the case of Syria and Egypt, two of the biggest countries affected by the Arab Spring, we are seeing a reversal on the part of the international community. Bashar al-Assad’s tyranny and misrule is no secret. The civil rights of Syrians freed from the clutches of Bashar al-Assad.
Western powers, particularly the United States and some Arab states, have expressed support for moderate rule in Syria. But they want a government in Syria that will stay away from the Islamic movement, will not be a threat to Israel, and will stay close to the West.
On the other hand, Turkey, Qatar and Egypt want Syria to come out of the grip of dictatorship and return to a constitutional system of government. The Syrians decide their own country. In contrast, with Russia’s public support, Iran wants to keep Bashar al-Assad alive at any cost.
All in all, Syria is now in deep darkness. The civil rights of Syrians are stuck in uncertainty.
Meanwhile, the situation in Egypt is more miserable. The Morsi government, which came to power through democratic elections, has already been ousted in a controversial military coup. The United States, which claims to be the backbone of democracy around the world, has unabashedly supported this illegal military coup.
For the first time, this most populous country in Arabia was preparing a roadmap for a brighter future under a democratically elected government. At the instigation and cooperation of the Western powers, General Sisi staged a coup d’ক্ষমতাtat and seized power. Numerous citizens, including leaders and activists of the Muslim Brotherhood, were publicly killed and imprisoned.
In this case, we have not seen the United States, the claimant of democracy, do anything for democracy. Turkey has declared the military coup directly unacceptable. On the contrary, we quickly saw Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates expressing support for the illegitimate military ruler.
Such support for the military or dictatorship in the Arab world is being described by world political thinkers and analysts as a double standard, something that is no longer hidden in the context of Egypt.
The Muslim Community in Sri Lanka as a Minority
South Asia at a glance
South Asia’s position is the exact opposite of the disputed Arab world. Endless debates, disputes and fights are the main characteristics of South Asia.
The Cold War, unwelcome debates, small and medium wars, border conflicts and repeated Afghan wars have changed the face of South Asia. When the Soviet bloc collapsed in 1989-91, Francis Fukuyama (the time-honored statesman of the United States) and his book ‘End of the History’ began to be debated in different parts of the world to widen the smile on his face.
Different countries became busy in their efforts to restructure, reform and adapt to the new world reality. The South Asian countries, however, ignored this argument. Events such as the Kashmir crisis, the arms race between neighboring countries, and the fratricidal war in Afghanistan began to return with the ultimate form of revenge.
The strategic situation in South Asia has always been defined and guided by the course of the Indo-Pakistani conflict. Despite the common colonial past and visible cultural and institutional similarities between the two states, the nature of the relationship between the two states is advancing through hostility, mistrust, conflict and war. The presence of insecurity, apprehension, skepticism and suspicion among themselves has put South Asia in a heated situation like facing a nuclear bomb.
Urgent issues such as peace and stability among neighbors, cooperation and economic partnership have always been on the run. Most factual or investigative studies have shown that this hostile image of South Asia’s ‘eternal conflict’ is unlikely to disappear suddenly.
Introducing Sri Lanka- The wonder of Asia
Sri Lanka is an island nation on the shores of the Indian Ocean with many ethnic groups and many religions. Sinhalese is the national language of Sri Lanka, mainly used by the Buddhist and Christian communities in the country. Tamil is the provincial language used by Sri Lanka’s Muslims, Hindus and a small minority of Christians living in Tamil. Sinhalese is used throughout the country except in the north and east of Sri Lanka. The use of English is now widespread across the country.
Sri Lanka has a presidential system of government, with an independent and strong parliament with multi-party democracy. Significant presence of all ethnic groups in the Sri Lankan Parliament has been ensured and the whole country has been divided into nine provinces with a view to resolving the problems of all equally and establishing balance of power.
This broad-based exercise of power is constitutionally recognized. Even then, for various reasons, such an exceptional and balanced situation does not seem to be sufficient considering the reality. If we look at the poor participation of people at different levels of local elections, it is easy to understand the disinterest or distrust of the people towards the present system of government. This problem is becoming more and more evident throughout Asia.
A Brief History of Sri Lankan Muslims
Sri Lanka was known to the ancient people as Ceylon. Sri Lanka has been mentioned in the history books as a country whose eminent sailors, traders and travelers from different countries have traveled or traded for ages and have been fascinated by philosophy and hospitality. Most of the people in Sri Lanka are Buddhists, but they are accompanied by a significant number of Hindus, Muslims, Roman Catholics and people of other forms of Christianity.
Sri Lankan people are almost like other South Asian- black hair, average body height and weight.
Sinhalese are the betting horses in the cultural race; The presence of Tamils, Muslims, or Anglo Sri Lankans is negligible. In terms of population, Muslims are a small minority in Sri Lanka, with only 10% of the 21 million people present.
Sri Lankan Muslims claim to be the heirs of their Arab merchants, who came to Sri Lanka from Arabia for business purposes and never returned. Even before the advent of Islam, there were reports of Arab traders remaining in such a state. And like Muslims, Sri Lanka’s Tamil population is 10%.
Muslims in Sri Lanka can be divided into two groups; Moore and Malay. The first group of Sri Lankan Muslims – the Moors – was named by the Portuguese colonial rulers. They used to call the people of the Arab world Moore, and since Islam has spread in Sri Lanka through the hands of Arab traders, they have also called the Muslims here Moore.
And Malay Muslims are the inheritors of Muslims from Malaysia and surrounding areas. Malay Muslims are naturally different from the Moors. Physically as well as linguistically. Although Sri Lankan Malay Muslims use Tamil, it is a mixture of Malay.
Contribution of the Muslims of Sri Lanka to The Country and Nation
Sri Lankan Muslims have a colourful history. However, they have long been crushed by the deprivation and oppression of the Portuguese and Dutch rule in Sri Lanka. Throughout the ages, they have had to fight hard against economic blockades, political persecution, and the imposition of religious restrictions. In many respects, Sri Lankan Muslims lag behind other ethnic groups, but this indomitable mentality of overcoming all obstacles is enough to greet them.
When British imperialism snatched the rule of Sri Lanka from the Dutch in the eighteenth century, most of the local ethnic groups withdrew and surrendered to the British. Instead of individuality or religious freedom, they have given priority to their temporary well-being. However, Muslims have not only defended their religion and culture from Christian cultural aggression, but also restored their own economy. Slowly but steadily moving forward.
Due to its geographical isolation from the main centers of Islamic culture and civilization, Sri Lanka’s Muslim community has been forced to interact with people from neighboring countries and cultures in order to maintain its own existence. If they hadn’t maintained this weakest relationship on their own, or for some reason, it was very likely that they would have lost the very basic identity of Islam.
However, it is also a matter of observation that due to this practice, many non-Islamic, especially Hindu customs, have also penetrated into their culture and way of life over time. Some of these are directly anti-Islamic, the practice of which is still in the lives of some. Sri Lankan Muslims have to face this situation due to the lack of Islamic education and culture and the perceptual weakness of Islamic way of life.
Despite living in harmony with local ethnic groups and making significant contributions to the Sri Lankan economy, Sri Lankan Muslims are better able to distance themselves from any conflict with the majority Sinhalese than the Hindu or Tamil communities in Uttar Pradesh. As an honest, educated and hard-working people, Sri Lankan Muslims are qualified to play an important role in the politics and administration of the country, and as a large minority, it has become imperative for any political party in Sri Lanka to garner their support.
It is fair to say that the Muslim community in Sri Lanka has never ruled the country in such a way. But it must also be acknowledged that they have peacefully played their political-economic role towards the country and the nation without any movement or outcry. In contrast, we have seen other minorities, especially Tamils, continue armed conflict for generations.
The support, contribution and sacrifice of the Muslims in the liberation and independence of Sri Lanka from the British rule in 1947 as well as the colonial rule of Europe for nearly four hundred years has also played a significant role. No one has a chance to deny this fact.
Propaganda and Hatred against Sri Lankan Muslims
It’s just crazy. Explaining the matter somehow consumes embarrassment and helplessness. How exactly does one explain this? But the matter is real. A very small number of hateful people, as well as inferior ones – who have no role in the question of country or nation; These people seem to be spreading a futile practice against the peaceful Muslim population of the delta called Sri Lanka. Clear hatred and animosity. Unnecessary criticism and propaganda.
Standing in such a hostile reality, we suddenly saw a vicious poster in Mahiangana state, showing a man with a sword in his hand who was furious and about to kill – ‘(from Sri Lanka) remove the mosque.’ Although this hate speech is slow, it is inciting the majority Sinhalese nation against the Muslim population. And lately, the practice is being perpetrated by a small but well-organized group of people who want to portray Islam and the Muslim community as violent through about 19 websites, both offline as well as online, in Sinhala and English.
There have already been two major accidents. Recently, a 400-year-old Muslim structure was demolished in Anuradhapura. It comes in the wake of the Friday attack on a mosque in Dambulla, led by the country’s chief Buddhist priest, and the embarrassing incident of obstructing Friday prayers.
For the first time in the history of Sri Lanka, religious miscreants destroyed a Muslim building and obstructed prayers. Since then, there have been reports of large and small attacks on mosques across the country.
Lots of leaflets are being distributed across the country with the message of discouraging Muslims from participating in trade or any other development work, especially land sales. Do they realize at all that there are about one million Sri Lankans in various Muslim countries – most of them Sinhalese – working peacefully and contributing to the country’s remittance growth? Not only that – the annual income of these Sri Lankan expatriates is about six billion dollars – which is playing a big role in keeping the wheel of the country’s economy moving.
Again, these Muslim states meet almost all of Sri Lanka’s total oil demand. We export a lot of domestic products including tea to Muslim countries. Due to the ample provision of halal food, many Muslim tourists prefer to travel to Sri Lanka. In addition, Muslim countries donate billions of dollars to Sri Lanka’s development each year.
Immediate and timely cooperation from Muslim countries like Pakistan, Iran and Libya has already proved essential for us to defeat the Tamil guerrillas. Neither the Christian West nor the Buddhist West (Asian) came forward during this state catastrophe in Sri Lanka. Only Muslim countries have played the role of Sri Lanka’s worst friend at this time. For example, after the defeat of the Tamil guerrillas, when the United Nations was about to pass a resolution on human rights violations against Sri Lanka at the instigation of the United States, most of the Muslim states were seen to side with Sri Lanka. As a result, Sri Lanka has been able to avoid a major catastrophe.
Given these realities, the question easily arises – who or what is benefiting the majority Sinhalese nation by inciting the Muslim population through hateful propaganda? Do they know at all – the Jewish people who have very cleverly turned Christian West and extremist Hindu India against the Muslim nation, are now conspiring to incite the Buddhist nation around the world against the Muslims as well?
According to various reports, the attackers on the Buddhist temple in Ramu, Bangladesh, were not locals. Instead, they were hired from outside. And it doesn’t seem to be very wrong to consider it a provocative event. This is because the incident took place shortly after the Buddhist attack on the famous mosque in Dambulla, Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, hundreds of pilgrims visiting Nalanda, one of the largest Buddhist monasteries in India (located in India) every year, have already received reports of anti-Muslim hatred being spread in their minds by their guides. They are propagating among the Sinhalese Buddhists in Sri Lanka – the people of the Muslim community who are responsible for eradicating Buddhism in India.
There are so many facts and evidences around that it is easy to guess that the anti-Muslim propaganda in Sri Lanka is part of the hate campaign instigated by the Washington-Tel Aviv-New Delhi alliance.
According to a 2008 report by the Indian Ministry of Information, the December 2009 issue of The Millat Gazette, a fortnightly magazine published from Delhi,
In that year, the communal Hindu organizations in India received a huge amount of foreign aid amounting to Rs. Hindu organizations in India have received this huge amount of money from Israel, through Europe. Israel does not send money directly.
Sends to Europe through NGOs. Not only that, in recent years, visits to Israel by leaders of Indian Hindu organizations have multiplied. They are being brainwashed in Israel and being used as agents of anti-Muslim campaigns in India.
Aren’t these things happening in Sri Lanka too? Our politicians, journalists and people from many other professions have started traveling to Israel equally nowadays. Most of them have no idea about the background and agenda of the state of Israel.
Israel’s intrusion into the Sri Lankan print and electronic media is easy to perceive, as it has been the subject of a number of recent reports and articles that clearly show sympathy for Israel and anti-Muslim propaganda.
Global Initiative for anti-Islam and anti-Muslim Campaigns
It is easy to guess – the United States, Europe and the Jews – who together have managed to keep the Hindus of the entire Christian West and the subcontinent against the Muslim Ummah very well and are now focusing on inciting Buddhists around the world against Muslims.
This is why we see so many unexpected and mysterious attacks on Buddhist temples and people in their homes in Bangladesh, followed by a large number of columnists around the world and their opportunistic fan base.
The only purpose of the attack was to incite the Muslims of Bangladesh against the Buddhist minority there. Who have been living in Bangladesh like a family for ages.
On September 29, 2012, some insulting pictures of Islam were tagged on the Facebook page of Uttam Kumar, a 25-year-old Buddhist youth, at Ramu Bazaar in the southern district of Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Uttam Kumar did not know how it happened. He did not know when or how he posted these pictures on Facebook. His idea is that someone deliberately tagged the picture on his wall in order to create tension and conflict between the people of the two Buddhist-Muslim communities.
But the matter has come a long way so far. The day after the incident, on September 30, some Buddhist temples were attacked by unknown individuals. On October 1, some more miscreants attacked about a dozen Buddhist temples, including the three-century-old Sima Vihara. The mysterious incidents took place apparently in response to the spread of insulting images of Islam on Facebook.
In the context of this incident, there is a growing fear among the Muslims of Sri Lanka that the trend of anti-Islamic extremist sectarian propaganda that already exists in the country, will undoubtedly intensify their agenda after this incident in Bangladesh.
There is a big reason for such fears – those who are in Bangladesh are seeing the situation directly and are able to understand the reasons behind it. But here in Sri Lanka, the news is coming or will spread more rumors, they will take the flying news rather than the reality. They will make their own decisions without knowing the real truth or verifying the situation of the two parties. As a result, the situation can take a terrible turn.
Conscious and learned Muslims, however, are noticing that the anti-Muslim campaign in Sri Lanka has intensified in the wake of Israel’s various presence in the country. It is no longer a secret that Israel is involved in every incident and step of insulting Islam, the Prophet of Islam and the Muslim community around the world through movies, cartoons and more. As a result, this fear is growing in Sri Lanka as well.
As mentioned earlier, the anti-Islamic campaigns or Islamophobias spread through the countries and powers controlled by the global Jewish lobbies in their armaments industry, oil-exchange, capitalist economy and other commercial and institutional processes.
To somehow legitimize the occupation of the world, the destruction of the assets and institutions of Muslim countries and Muslim nations. Wherever they are doing against the Muslim nation, the world should not go against them. Even if you don’t support it, at least it should be silent.
China and India have always been biased in their anti-Islamic campaigns. They have no conflict or reaction with these war frenzy and riot activities. Never had.
Consider the reality of India. The Indian government and administration are deeply rooted in anti-Islamic propaganda, where the general political trend is already established as deadly anti-Islamic. We know from the report of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs that Israel has smuggled Rs 8,200 crore through Europe to India’s anti-Islamic organizations such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or the RSS.
Which has been divided as part of the annual budget of the apparently liberal and innocent military wing of the RSS, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the youth wing, the Bajrang Dal, and the political wing, the Bharatiya Janata Party or the BJP, Shiv Sena.
China has no problem with this global anti-Islamic global campaign. On the contrary, after 9/11, China imposed various restrictions on its Muslim population. Somewhere somewhere the steam roller of torture has run. And the mineral-rich Muslim-majority state of Xinjiang has been turned into a slave camp.
In today’s reality, the Uyghur Muslims there have been pushed into such a cornered position that they are even afraid to speak among themselves. They have imposed various restrictions and even prohibitions on many important provisions of Islam, including Ramadan fasting, sacrifices, beards and Islamic dress.
China has appointed 6,000 officially trained “imams” to promote the Communist Party’s organizational policy and religious issues in Xinjiang. Thousands of mosques have been closed. Thousands of institutions have been banned from learning the Qur’an.
The Uyghurs have to go through multiple state protocols, even at weddings, funerals, various social and traditional ceremonies, house-changing programs, and even the little things like earrings for girls. What could be worse than this?
In order to stifle the whole Muslim world, warlords and rioters now need to turn the Buddhists around the world against Islam. Anyone who is aware should observe the Buddhist-Muslim conflict in Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Bangladesh from this point of view.
Sri Lankan Recent anti-Muslim Issues
(Types of religious, economic and educational problems)
It is on these three points that Sri Lankan Sinhalese Buddhists propagate against us. If you try to know a little more deeply, you will see that not only Buddhists, but all non-Muslims here are more vocal in their criticism of Muslims on these points.
The reasons they show us
The basic reason they put forward in this case is that coexistence with Muslims is not possible. For example, they say that in order to marry a Muslim, one must first convert to Islam.
And in this case, Islam has said that if anyone leaves Islam and goes to another religion, he should be killed. So it is impossible to live with Muslims. Another big reason is that with only 7.6% of the population, Sri Lankan Muslims control most of the country’s business.
The real reason
This is the same thing and reality not only for the Muslims of Sri Lanka, but for all Muslims in the world. That is to keep only 20% of the Muslim nation in a ‘camp’ with 80% of the world’s non-Muslims through precautionary measures. You will be forced to accept this reality, if you really know how we are being treated here in Sri Lanka and with other Muslims in Burma, the Philippines, Thailand and Bangladesh.
Coexistence with Muslims is the History of the Beginning of this Trend
A gentleman by the name of Rabbi Meyer Kahane – a Jew born in America – was later elected Member of the Jewish Parliament. He came up with a concept called the ‘Jewish Defense League’. The initial statement of the movement was to remove the Arab settlements around Israel to ensure Israel’s security. You can also watch the related VTU by visiting this link- (http://youtube.com/watch?v=BI9PeQoa_2A).
Methods used
The plan of the Zeus Defense League or JDP – the plan by which they seek to take control of this endless worldwide war – has nothing to do with a direct war against the Muslim nation. They just want to expel minority Muslims from non-Muslim states. The methods used by the GDP to implement their plans are-
- To divert Muslims from the true creed of Islam or to infiltrate them with the practice of false Islam.
- Bringing the majority non-Muslim communities together and instilling fear in the minds of the minority Muslims in non-Muslim countries so that they lose their faith in the first place. (Because of this fear, many Muslims in Myanmar have converted to other religions).
- Forcing Muslims to wear the clothes of the majority non-Muslim community to forget their identity. This process will be able to easily turn the second generation of Muslims away from their faith. (Many other countries, including France and Britain, have publicly imposed restrictions on burqas or other Islamic clothing.)
And if Muslims do not agree to this or if it does not work properly for any reason – those who want to live as true Muslims should be deported from non-Muslim countries.
Defense League
The JDP has developed separate defense movements for the majority communities in each non-Muslim country around the world. EDL or English Defense League, ADL or American Defense League, IDL or Indian Defense League and countless other such defense leagues. If you search, you will find all these defense leagues active on Facebook with the same logo all over the world. Who are working on various projects related to the expulsion of minority Muslims from their country.
You will also see in the Indian Defense League that people of Hindu, Sikh, Christian and other non-Muslim faiths are working together.
This JDL got its first publicity campaign through a man named Anders Bahrain Breivik of the NDL or Norwegian Defense League who killed more than 90 people in his own country alone and published a circular entitled ‘2083 European Declaration of Independence’ You can download it from this link- – (http://publicintelligence.net/anders-behring-breiviks-complete-manifesto-2083-a-european-declaration-of-independence/.
Please read page 1237 of the circular to see what he wrote about Sri Lankan Muslims. You can easily guess when you open the book – this huge 1515 page essay is not the work of one person alone.
The Real Reality of JDL’s plan in Sri Lanka
[JDL-Zeus Defense League or Jewish Protection Movement]
Let’s go back to 2004. That year, four Sri Lankans were awarded scholarships in Israel as part of the JDL’s plan to teach them “misinterpreted versions” of the Koran. They published this news at www.answeringislam.com. The names of the four were not known – Jayabira, Peramune Rala, Utpala and others.
They have been brainwashed in Israel and deployed on anti-Muslim propaganda missions in Sri Lanka. Below are a few steps of their activities.
(There are a number of ‘atheist’ Islamic scholars online in our country, they produce and propagate misinterpretations of every sensitive issue of Islam at special times. They have to be amazed at the wealth of Islamic knowledge. Can you guess who they are? Where did they get this knowledge from? … Translator).
The first step (according to their quotation)
- Create anti-Islam team online
They have already successfully completed the first step. The anti-Islamic website has started propaganda by creating anti-Islamic groups on social media. Here are the addresses of some of the many sites and pages (http: //peramunerala.wordpress.comhttp: //anniisa.wordpress.com http://musalmanuwa.wordpress.com http://sites.google.com/site/islamyanukumakda/ lecher)
At the same time, they have the opportunity to update any Islamic terminology or information on Google or Wikipedia in Sinhala in Sri Lanka. The information is being updated at their hands, so the level of distortion or misinterpretation is also increasing.
It is not only in Sri Lanka or Sinhala, they are controlling the practice of updating the information-terminology of Islam online in the local language of any country. This is becoming a huge problem for the Muslim Ummah.
The second step
- Bringing online teams together
Targeting anti-Islamic themes and creating free internet access, they are gathering journalists, university professors-students, doctors and especially Buddhist monks online.
Most of them are repeating the Islamic teachings with misinterpretations that they have learned through all the nice videos. This video series is very well planned and tidy. Some videos can also be found on the above sites.
Recently in Payadaya (a special Buddhist holiday that comes once a month), they invited local doctors to watch the videos in public through an organization called the Buddhist Medical Council. Video source- (http://dharmadveepayeiranama.blogspot.com/p/heart-breaking-sinhala-videos-of-muslim.html)
The third step
- Motivate online groups to work in the field
Their first success in field-level practical work was the demolition of a traditional Muslim installation in Anuradhapura. Closure of Dehiwala Quarry Road Mosque and Navala Mosque etc.
In addition to being organized groups, they have a strong network of politicians, lawyers and administrative officials at various levels – who are able to change the history behind these events and create new stories. So at work they can avoid any legal complications if they want to.
The Reality behind The anti-Muslim Campaign in Sri Lanka
Unexpected and provocative attacks, vandalism and protests by Buddhists at mosques and historically important dargahs in many parts of the island nation of Sri Lanka have created a sense of panic and uncertainty among local Muslims.
Sri Lanka’s majority Sinhalese Buddhist community – who have always upheld the principles of non-violence and equality and the ideal of abstaining from all forms of hatred and conflict – has developed an important mentality that has been instrumental in ensuring peaceful coexistence with other religions and ethnic groups.
Not only that, when the full version of Islam appeared in the Arabian Peninsula in 628 AD, the details of that event are well recorded in the ancient history of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s relations with Arabia are, of course, more ancient.
From 300 BC, long before the advent of Islam, the People of the Book in Arabia believed that the first human and the first prophet of God Almighty, Hazrat Adam A. His arrival took place on a hilltop called Pidurudalagala on the island and he has also stayed in this country.
Sri Lankan Muslims did not secure their presence here by occupying the country or establishing colonial rule. Islam was not established in this country even by the force of the sword. They have brought themselves to today’s stage through normal peaceful arrival and location.
On the contrary, we see that Christianity has been smuggled into this country through colonial rule. All members of the Christian community in this country are the legacy or result of that colonial rule.
The Muslims of Sri Lanka have maintained trust and allegiance to the kings and rulers of the island nation since ancient times to ensure national unity and peaceful coexistence. They also fought shoulder to shoulder with each other during the country’s independence from British and European colonial rule.
Independence In the recent history of North Sri Lanka, there have been many incidents of independence movements or bloody clashes between different ethnic groups in different parts of the country, but the Muslim community has maintained its strong position towards national unity, peace and stability as in the past. Nowhere is there any allegation of their involvement in any kind of anti-national or fratricidal war.
They have always been uncompromising about their love for the motherland and the peaceful co-existence of all nations.
As part of the larger Muslim world, the Muslims of Sri Lanka have always been aware that the enemies of the Muslim Ummah are annoyed by the news of the rapid spread of the Islamic faith in the recent world. The world’s major powers are increasingly using the term “Islamic militancy, fundamentalism, Islamic jihad, al-Qaeda, the Taliban, al-Shabab” and countless other terms and phrases as part of their anti-Muslim propaganda, even in small countries like Sri Lanka; They have had relatively little success.
Sri Lankan Muslims have, as always, maintained a vigilant stance on the practice of spreading racial hatred, animosity and conflict.
Sri Lanka’s strategic importance to the imperialist West in terms of geographical location and geopolitical reality. Because Sri Lanka is located on the shores of the Indian Ocean, on the one hand, and on the other hand, it has border connections with many Muslim countries in the chain system.
The Western world and its allies therefore want to ensure the protection of their interests and interests in this country at any cost, especially in the context of the growing influence of China and India in post-ethnic conflict (Tamil guerrilla warfare).
After all, the Islamic world is fast-growing and the Muslim world is consolidating its position in the judiciary over time, in the face of the combined conspiracies of imperialism and Judaism. We hope that since our motherland has always been in constant touch with the Muslim world in various emergency contexts, it will enjoy a dignified position from the Muslim world even in today’s reality.
We would also hope that the majority Sinhalese Buddhist community would not indulge in any local or global power involved in a nefarious conspiracy to sever Sri Lanka’s cordial relations with the Arab-Muslim world.
Conclusion on Sri Lankan Muslim and Global Revival of The Muslim Ummah
This article analyzes the renaissance of the Muslim Ummah from different perspectives and the minority Muslim issue in Sri Lanka. The international Muslim Ummah has a lot of resources and power, yet the whole Muslim Ummah is now going through a transition period.
Because there is no authority of the Muslim Ummah in the international arena, there is no unity between the Muslim countries and the Islamic movements. The Muslim nation is divided into two big groups. Under the influence of the West, many more groups have been formed within those two groups.
The West, especially the United States, has a bigger agenda in this regard, in the Muslim world they are constantly doing all the unacceptable things. The Muslim Ummah today is in a very bad situation and they should be the first to understand this problem and the philosophy behind it.
If the Arab Spring can defeat the secularists in the whole Muslim world, it will be able to create a turning point. (In fact, the turning point did not come, the situation got worse – the translator.)
Now first of all we should be honest and aware of ourselves. We have not been able to fulfill the responsibility that has been placed on us to assume the seat of world leadership. We have also completely failed to guide the Ummah.
We lost the Islamic Khilafah in Turkey in 1924. We want the return of the Khilafah from Turkey soon. There are already many such patterns from the Turkish side. So, God willing, we can be optimistic.
Author introduction
Siddique Muhammad Sufian. He completed his Islamic education at Jamia Nalimia Islamia in Beruwala, Sri Lanka. This is the local branch of the Jamia Nalimia International Islamic University Federation in Sri Lanka. He has an Honors degree in International Relations from Peradenia University and a Masters from Colombo University. He is currently the President of the Islamic Student Movement of Sri Lanka. He is also engaged in Dawah and research writing.
Important references
- 2083 European Declaration of Independence
- http://publicintelligence.net/anders-behring-breiviks-complete-manifesto-2083-a-european-declaration-of-independence/.
- http://www.aljazeera.com/
- http: //www..ips.org.pk/
- http://islamik-awakening.ir/
- http://www.latheeffarook.com/
- http://www.wadahkhanfar.com
- http://www.wadahkhanfar.com/interviews/wadah-khanfar-discusses-iran-arab-uprisings
- http://www.todayszaman.com/
- http://www.eurasianet.org/node/66863
- http://islam.uga.edu/hunwick.html
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/special/islam/3136154.stm
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