His words destroyed?

A pastor in Gainsville, Florida, Rev Terry Jones has decided to burn the Holy Quran on the anniversary of the 9/11 WTC attacks. The Muslim world is gaping in disbelief. The said pastor believes that the Holy Book is the word of the Devil. This gimmick by a pastor of a small church of just 50 people in Florida has caught the attention of the world. World leaders have come out condemning the burning of the Holy Quran. Religious leaders have also expressed their shock at the gesture of Rev Jones who has decided to go ahead with the book burning – even putting up a sign at the place where he plans to burn the Holy Book.

President Barack Obama has exhorted the pastor to refrain from the act as has Hillary Clinton who has come out openly and condemned the pastor. P. Chidambaram, the Indian Home Minister has not only condemned the pastor but has also cautioned the Indian media to refrain from reporting the news item too loudly or explicitly. Needless to say the overtly cautious Indian media had refrained from mentioning the story even before the Home Minster came out with his statement. General Patreaus, in-charge of Afghan operations has voiced his concern at the proposed needless gesture by the pastor and has said that this may have adverse impact on western operations in Afghanistan.

The Muslim world is taking in this news – there are Muslims who are indifferent to this gimmick by Rev Jones, there are others who say that they cannot sit around while the Holy Quran is burnt by the American pastor. American Muslims are feeling alienated and unwanted in their country of choice. They feel cut off and being stone walled by the American people. There is a divide between the Muslims and people of other faiths that seems to be widening by the day.

There have been demonstrations against Rev Jones in Afghanistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and other countries. Muslims see this as an attack on their faith. Some have burnt the American flag in disgust. They feel that the words of Allah are being desecrated. They are appalled and angry. They feel that the western world is callous about their feelings and their sentiments and they cannot understand as to how a common Christian or an American cannot but voice his concern against the proposed act.

It must be realized by the common Muslim that when the pastor went about announcing his decision to burn the Holy Quran on 9/11 he was in fact mirroring the anger and outrage at the 9/11 attacks that America experienced. Americans relate to the man because they empathize with his sentiments. An ordinary American is outraged and angry about the 9/11 attacks, and this must be understood.

There are only two ways for an ordinary Muslim to react. One is to go out and shout from the roof tops about their outrage and anger at the act. The other is to ignore the pastor and move on. The first one is the predictable one and one which perhaps even the Christian pastor wants. He would love to be in the eye of the storm and to be talked about. His one controversial action may lead to better attendance in his church. A measly church of 50 may well turn to a congregation of thousands. This story is perhaps already a financial bonanza to the controversial pastor. By demonstrating against the pastors actions and burning his effigy, the Muslims will give a fringe actor centre stage – something he will revel in. By demonstrating against the pastor what are the Muslims going to achieve? Nothing!

The other option is to ignore the man and let him do what he wants to do. The Holy Quran is the word of God – Allah. Will his words cease to exist if a Christian pastor decides to burn a few copies of the Holy Book? Will the words of Allah alter or diminish in value just because someone decides to burn a few copies of the Holy Quran? The Holy Quran was revealed to the Prophet and His Messenger carried the words of God to all and sundry. Millions believe in the words of Allah, the all merciful. That is not going to change by a stupid act of a Christian pastor who is perhaps aggrieved because he feels that his country was attacked by the people of a faith.

If I were a Muslim I would send the man a few more copies of the Holy Quran, so that his appetite for ‘revenge’ is whetted. In fact I would exhort all Muslims to send him copies of the Holy Book – millions and millions of copies of the Holy Quran such that the man is inundated by the words of Allah – the merciful. Such will be the avalanche of the Holy Quran pouring in from all across the world that Gainsville will find it difficult to handle the postal traffic. The postal services will then have to be expanded – their post office will need a new go-down! The postman will have to carry Rev. Jones’s post every day in a pickup van with thousands of copies of the Holy Book being received by the postal authorities. The silly pastor will then have no place to keep the unsolicited mail that he will receive every day. The man will drown in a sea of words – the words of Allah.

And yes, I would exhort my Muslim brothers to attach a note to their copy of the Holy Quran that they are sending the pastor saying – ‘please read the book’. Maybe Rev. Jones, once inundated by millions of copies of the Book will find time to pick up one and start reading it. If he does he will realize that the words of Allah are no different from the words of Christ, or what is there in the Torah or the Bhagwat Gita. Perhaps then he will realize that there is little difference between faiths – because GOD is one. There is only one TRUTH and that is unchangeable and unalterable. He will then realize that when he is burning the Holy Quran he is in fact burning the Bible, the Torah, Bhagwat Gita and every other book of faith! He will perhaps then realize that by burning the Holy Quran he is in fact destroying a part of himself as every living thing is made from HIM. Zarra zarra uske rehmo karam se hai. (Every particle is because the Creator, the merciful) That will perhaps be the best gift for Rev. Jones this Eid! Eid Mubarak!!

Addendum: As I write this the news is that Rv. Jones has decided not to go ahead with Quran burning. It took a call from the White House for him to change his mind. I guess the man still deserves a few thousand copies of the Holy Quran, just to remind him of what he was about to do.

It maybe added that there was another case of public burning of the Quran in Texas but it never got notice. Rev. Jones gave more than 130 interviews and slowly the story built up to a cresendo where the hype was such that the top offices of the country reacted. This could have been avoided.