SAD STORY OF WEST BENGAL & ITS BENGALIS
That Bengalis are cowards is a common saying in India outside West Bengal. That West Bengal has only a few industries in comparison with many other States of India is a naked fact. In this background I faced two uncomfortable questions from my daughter.
WHY ISLAM IS VIOLENT?
It is interesting to note that out of three desert-based religions, Christianity and Islam are Missionary in nature. The third one i.e. Judaism is non-Missionary like river-based religion of Hinduism (Brahmanism). Both Christianity and Islam originated from respective single personality (Jesus and Muhammad) but Judaism has more than one prophet who came over a long period of time. Hinduism also originated from multiple personalities. This singleness of prophet or originator had made Christianity and Islam Missionary. Similarly the river-based religion of Buddhism is also Missionary in nature.
SO BE PROUD U'R A MUSLIM
It has been claimed on various websites, blogs, forums, and in chain e-mails/mass SMS texts, that Sunita Williams had converted from Hinduism to Islam on her return from the moon.
ARDENT ISLAMIST
I know a Muslim youth in his early thirties. He is from a rich, land owning, Ashraf family of India. Though a third generation Western educated Muslim, he is extremely conscious of his Ashraf linage. He is a clean shaven and non-practicing Muslim. He never went to Madrassa but did his schooling from a Christian boarding school. He can read English Qur'an only. He does not pray or keep Ramadan fast. His father and uncles are highly placed in Civil Services. He is very articulate, does a good job and modern in outfit.
RELEVANCE OF "MIRAJ" IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
In 'Protham Alo' of 24th June 2014 an article entitled "Miraj Maha Nabir Shretha Mujija" written by Dr Muhammad Abdul Munim Khan (a university Assistant Professor, researcher and columnist) was published. There was nothing new in the article. It was the as-usual-things describing the nocturnal celestial journey of Prophet. The article ended with the standard reminder that daily prayer is the Miraj gift of Allah to Muslims and hence it is obligatory for all Muslims.
HINDU AMERICANS
A news report from Washington says: "Close on the heels of the spectacular BJP win in the general election, Hindu-American activists in the United States have for the first time, under the banner of a political action committee, publicly endorsed a slate of congressional candidates in the 2014 US primaries."
ARUNDHATI ROY - THE GODDESS OF SMALL MINDS
Suzanna Arundhati Roy (writer of "The God of Small Things" which was published in 1997) labels India as a "Hindu Corporate State". She criticizes Modi and RSS whenever she gets a chance. She markets 'Babri Mosque' and 'Gujarat riot' as symbols of her secular intellectuality. She bypasses 'Godhara incident' with great vagueness; but speaks about second by second details of Gujarat riot. She does not speak of Kasab and cries for Afzal Guru. She does not remember Mumbai serial blasts. She has not heard of 'Indian Mujahidin'. She is pathologically silent about the hijack of Air India plane to Kandhahar.