Ullah, Mullah And Biswa Ijtema
Shakil Sarwar
year ago. I could not find the scientific analysis this bloke wrote as
to what kind of air pollution [from the breathing of innumerous people
in an open space (!!!) and frictional heat is generated from the
rubbing of so many bodies and therefore, the chance of hazards taking
place. Anyway, the following two articles should expose this ullah
character sufficiently. Read on ...
Ijtema, President, and the society
By A.H. Jaffor Ullah
http://www.bangladesh-web.com/news/jan/26/dv4n116.htm
Bangladesh is a nation on earth that stands alone when it comes to
idiosyncrasies. This nation of 125 million strong is about to host a
religious congregation at the end of January 2000 in the northern edge
of its capital city where about 2 million plus people would assemble
to listen to Islamic preaching. Dhaka's paper boasts by stating that
next to the Hajj ceremony nowhere in the world so many Muslims gather
for religious function.
...
The delegation from Ijtema committee tried their best to impress the
President by telling him the significance of such a largest assembly
of devoted Muslims next to Hajj and its religious and social impact on
Bangladesh society. This part is subject to debate. If Bangladesh is
predominantly a Muslim country then, why corruption is so rampant in
the society? Bangladesh is hosting Ijtema since 1966. More and more
people are attending this religious congregation as the year goes by.
It was reported that in 1966 only about 4000 people had attended the
first outdoor Ejtema. Now about 2-3 million devoted Muslims would
attend this year's congregation. Despite this both white-collar crime
and petty crime are on the rise. Bangladesh would stand next to
Pakistan, and Indonesia for most crime-ridden country in the globe.
Bangladesh's bureaucracy is corrupt to the bone. It is about the time
the intelligentsia of Bangladesh should have the courage to ask Ejtema
committee - what purpose does the Ijtema is serving when the society
is not garnering any fruits of preaching. As far as societal impact of
religious preaching is concerned, the society is coming with empty
hand.
As usual, everything will freeze in Dhaka and the vicinity from
January 29 through January 31 this year. National productivity will
decline just as the nation goes into one of the hartal modes through
the courtesy of ill-educated and devious politicians. Thus, the
impoverished nation of Bangladesh would be squeezed to expel the last
breath out of its lungs through the courtesy of politicians and
preachers. Would God help Bangladesh?
A.H. Jaffor Ullah writes from New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. His e-mail
address is: jha...@bellsouth.net
--------------
After questioning as to what purpose the yearly congregation of ijtema
serves and why Dhaka Press go gaga over Akheri Munajat, Ullah then
contradicts himself by finding something good in it. This is the only
place Ullah can be found to be praising Mullahs, and chiding the
secularists for lagging behind in one respect. Read on ...
Tying the knot without a Kazi - a new way of doing the old thing
By A. H. Jaffor Ullah
http://www.bangladesh-web.com/news/feb/04/dv4n125.htm
"Marriage is a book of which the first chapter is written in poetry
and the remaining chapters in prose." - Beverley Nichols
Thanks to Islamic organization Tablig Jamaat and Bishwa Ijtema (World
Congregation) for ushering a new way of solemnizing wedding in
Bangladesh. With little help from them, no one will ever need a Kazi
(literally a judge in Arabic) to solemnize any Muslim wedding.
On February 1, 2000, Dhaka's New Nation published a report entitled
"90 couples get married at Ijtema." The best part of the news story
was "No Kazi is needed for such marriage ceremony."
This year's Ijtema solemnized about 90 Nikah ceremonies on the bank of
Turag River in Tongi. This kind of community wedding en masse is
becoming popular as far the as the trend goes. According to the news
report, in 1998 about 71 pairs tied the knot on Ijtema ground. In the
year 1999, 71 couples were declared man and wife, although the brides
were absent from the ceremony. This year the number jumped a hefty
28%. At this rate, the Head Maulana at Ijtema ground may have to
solemnize 1,062 weddings in the year 2010. Quite an impressive number
by today's standard.
One of the stipulations of Ijtema-ground marriage is that it should be
a dowry-free affair. On January 3, 2000, the main Maulana of Bishwa
Ijtema, Hazrat Moulana Zobayer of India, read aloud the sermons to the
grooms after Asr (Afternoon) prayer while the brides were
conspicuously absent. Islamic Shariah (custom) does not allow women to
come into public gathering. The newspaper account describing the event
mentioned that family members from both the bride's and groom's sides,
who took permission from the bride on her behalf, were present at the
Ijtema ground while the Maulana officiated the ceremony. According to
the news report, no Kazi is required for this kind of Nikah ceremony.
It is uncertain where the marriage would be registered. Normally,
government in Bangladesh has appointed Kazis whose job is to solemnize
the marriage and register it in his ledger. Not having a Kazi in the
Ijtema ground, who would do the documentation, and will it be legal
in the eyes of the law.
There is nothing new about getting married en masse. Korean evangelist
Reverend Sum Myung Moon, the head of the Unification Church, used to
routinely perform marriages in the 1970s and 1980s. But I never
thought this would be practiced in a conservative society as
Bangladesh. Most people in our impoverished land are religiously bent.
Therefore, it is most likely that people would listen to Islamic
clergies. Ijtema committee has most certainly shown creativity by
incorporating Marriage En Masse' into their program. In this respect,
the secular organization like the one who hosts Bangla Nobo-Borsho
(Bengali New Year) may want to perform marriage ceremony en masse in
Mid-April. If the Islamists could do it, why can't the secularists do
such a thing? There would be one exception though. While in Ijtema,
the brides were conspicuously absent (due to religious edict), in
Bangla Nobo-Borsho festival, both the bride and groom could be present
side-by-side wearing some colorful dresses. Although, the newspaper
did not describe the austere look of the Ijtema mass marriage
ceremony, I could imagine very well that the secular mass marriage
festival won't be a dull ceremony. The time is ripe for throwing this
new idea to secular communities in Bangladesh.
The traditional belief in Bangladesh that Mullahs are backward and
their ideas are antiquated should be reexamined now that we know they
are favoring dowryless marriage en masse and they are staging the
ceremony under the scrutiny of million eyes. The college-educated
modern secularist may swallow their pride now and learn a thing or two
from Islamists. We have to modernize our antiquated nuptials, which is
quite wasteful. The sooner we do it, the better will it be for our
society.
A.H. Jaffor Ullah writes from New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. His e-mail
address - jha...@bellsouth.net
tare...@my-deja.com
and SCB, people of Bangladesh are getting more and more serious about
Islam day by day. Not only in just Bangladesh, but every corner of the
world Islam is progressing and expanding faster and faster. Looks like
the more they shout and spew lies about Islam, the more people are
getting interested in Islam. The are doing some publicity work for
Islam without knowing it. Our 'lau-kodu' duo of cyber forums are taking
a lot of Zantac and Pepcid as the expatriate Bangladeshis are becoming
even more devout and sincere Muslims free of the many remnants of the
pagan culture surrounding us in the sub-continent. Their lament about
the Bangladeshis being more Muslim than Bengali is eveident in their
class eight scholarship exam paper like writings on the net. The 'kodu'
was even cursing us all for being part of the local Islamic Centers in
every city rather than the Rabindra Sammelan and Baishakhi mela. He is
mad that our children are going to the weekend Islamc schools and
learning Islam along with the children from all over the world. They
are afraid that these children are getting the view of universalism of
Islam, and are growing into true flag-careers of Islam. These children
will then influence the world including Bangladesh. That's why these
'balokes' are desperately writing garbages against Islam. These 'duo'
(and their multiple identities and chamhas) do not know that some third
rate 'articles' based on lies and misinformation can not make any
influence on people at large. Islam spreads not by internet, but by
personal contact. These 'lau-kodu' brothers (Jamal-Jaffor) are now
accumulating gas inside them, and by their utter faiure in their
mission, soon will be self-combusted into oblivion.
TA
In article <3a5c4378...@news.por.starwon.com.au>,
Sent via Deja.com
http://www.deja.com/
Shomir
enough to be your father! Now, I am sure that they would have both stuffed
"salt" in your mouth at birth, if they ever had a "pola" like you. You
don't feel ashamed to insult people calling them "balaks", "lau-kodu", etc.
because that is your filthy Bihari upbringing in a fanatic islamic
environment. If you were a real Bengali, you would have learned to respect
people.
Jamal and Jafor has the honesty to write what they believe in, They are not
hypocrites. They live in the west and they have seen how civilized people
make necessary adjustments to accommodate the rights of others. They know
what it feels like when one is discriminated against. They wish that all
the people of Bangladesh enjoy the same fruits of freedom and equality, as
all other people in the world are born to enjoy. Unfortunately Islamic
faggots and sluts like you who choose to adhere to the age old doctrine of
human slavery in the name of religion, and therefore want to thrust your
filthy doctrines down the throats of people who care little about your
intolerant religion. The people of Bangladesh aspire for a just society,
based on civility and honesty. They want equal opportunities to improve
their lives and that of their near and dear. They have not deserted their
home land and migrated to the west. They care a rats ass for
frothing-in-the mouth islamic fanatics of your kind... they know you are
traitors, so people like you have no right to speak on their behalf. You
can kiss as many Arab or paki ass as you want, that is your pejorative.
Just leave the Bengalis alone. Let them enjoy the Ekusheys, the Baisakhis,
the Durga Pujas, and the Rabindra Sanmelans... something a Bihari will never
have an appreciation for!
Shomir
=================
islamisgr...@my-deja.com
Scientist, Author & Journalist
About the Author:
Dr. Hamid Marcus was also the editor of Moslemische Revue, Berlin.
As a child I had felt an inner urge to learn all I could about Islam,
and I had carefully studied an old Qur'an translation which I had found
in the library of my home town and which dated back to 1750. It was the
edition from which Goethe also drew his knowledge of Islam. At that
time I had been deeply struck by the absolutely rationalistic and at
the same time imposing composition of the Islamic teachings. I had also
been very much impressed by the gigantic spiritual revolution which
they evoked in the Islamic nations of that time. Later, in Berlin, I
had the opportunity of working together with Muslims and listening to
the enthusiastic and inspiring commentaries which the founder of the
first German Muslim Mission at Berlin and builder of the Berlin Mosque,
gave on the Holy Qur'an. After years of active co-operation with this
outstanding personality and his spiritual exertions, I embraced Islam.
Islam supplemented my own ideas by some of the most ingenious
conceptions of mankind ever thought of. The belief in God is something
sacred to the religion of Islam. But it does not proclaim dogmas which
are incompatible with modern science. Therefore there are no conflicts
between belief on the one hand and science on the other. This fact is
naturally a unique and enormous advantage for a man who participated to
the best of his ability in scientific research. The second advantage is
that the religion of Islam is not an idealistic teaching which runs
along blindly beside life as it is, but that it preaches a system which
actually influences the life of a human being .... the laws of Islam
are not compulsory regulations which restrict personal freedom, but
directions and guides which enable a well-contrived freedom.
Throughout the years I have noticed time and again with deepest
satisfaction that Islam holds the golden mean between individualism and
socialism, between which it forms a connecting link. As it is unbiased
and tolerant, it always appreciates the good, wherever it may happen to
come across it.
From "Islam, Our Choice"
Robin Datta
>
> > Our 'lau-kodu' duo of cyber forums are taking
> > a lot of Zantac and Pepcid as the expatriate Bangladeshis are becoming
> > even more devout and sincere Muslims free of the many remnants of the
> > pagan culture surrounding us in the sub-continent.
The (formerly West) Pakistanis had been trying to eradicate the "pagan
culture" for over a couple of decades without success. Indeed, when it came
to massacre of their Bradaran-i-Millat in (the former) East Pakistan they
needed no fatwa, since they did not quite identify their fellow countrymen
as fellow Muslins.
As a general rule, when Muslims prepare to wage war against other Muslims,
they have to get their Ulema to issue a fatwa. The fatwa authorises them to
bypass the Divine Guidance of the Koran and set to the task of killing
otherMuslims. Even during the Desert Storm mischief, both sides issued
fatwas. so as to give a semblance of Islamic approval to the killing of
other Muslims.
Iddineh siratul mustaqueem.
j_h...@my-deja.com
[deleted for brevity]
Shomir <sho...@My-dejanews.com> wrote:
.... They are not hypocrites. They live in the west and they have seen
how civilized people make necessary adjustments to accommodate the
rights of others. They know what it feels like when one is
discriminated against. They wish that all the people of Bangladesh
enjoy the same fruits of freedom and equality, as all other people in
the world are born to enjoy. >
=======================================================================
Saturday, January 13 5:00 PM SGT
Bangladesh chief Muslim cleric slams ban on religious edicts
DHAKA, Jan 13 (AFP) -
The chief cleric of Bangladesh's Baitul Mukarram National Mosque has
said a High Court ban on religious edicts would "destroy" Islam, a
report said Saturday.
"The High Court verdict banning all kinds of fatwa (religious edict) was
dangerous and would destroy Islam," Moulana Ubaidul Huq was quoted by
the Manavzamin tabloid as saying during Friday prayers.
"This law must be withdrawn immediately and the judges who gave the
verdict must seek Allah's forgiveness," he said.
"Making fatwa illegal means imposing restrictions on Islam ... Allah
gave the right of giving fatwa through the holy Koran and thus it will
remain as long as Islam is there," he told thousands of faithful.
He criticised the two judges who gave the verdict banning fatwa, saying
they did not have minimal knowledge of Islam.
The cleric's outburst comes after a landmark judgement on January 1 by
High Court judges Mohammad Golam Rabbani and Nazmun Ara Sultana, the
country's first woman judge, that fatwas were illegal.
"Fatwa means legal opinion which means legal opinion of a lawful person
or authority. The legal system in Bangladesh empowers only the courts to
decide all questions relating to legal opinion on the Muslim and other
laws in force," the court said.
"We therefore hold that any fatwa including the instant one is
unauthorised and illegal."
Huq could not be reached Saturday for comment.
The judgement followed reports that a women was verbally divorced by her
husband and forced to marry another man after a fatwa by a local
religious leader.
The court declared the marriage was not dissolved and that the fatwa was
wrong.
Although rights groups and other organisations welcomed the ruling, it
angered some religious leaders in strongly Islamic Bangladesh who called
for the judges to be dismissed and labelled them "murtad" or infidels.
London-based Amnesty International had hailed the court ruling as a
"landmark verdict."
"This is a significant and most welcome development which sends a clear
message that discriminatory practices against women, particularly in
rural areas, are unacceptable and must stop," the rights group said.
Election Commission sources Tuesday said they had ordered an inquiry
into allegations that thousands of women in 12 villages had been barred
from voting due to a religious edict.
The Supreme Court Thursday started hearing an appeal by two senior
officials of a local religious school against the fatwa ban.
********************
BANGLADESH
The Final Edict
Outlook Magazine
Religious zealots are stung to the quick as a court bans fatwas
Arshad Mahmud in Dhaka
There was a perceptible sense of optimism and joy on the streets of
Dhaka this New Year's day when the Bangladesh High Court, in a
path-breaking judgement, declared all fatwas illegal. Human rights
activists were jubilant because the judgement, they say, was a decisive
blow to the menace of religious fundamentalism in the country. Within
hours, the celebrations had spilled on to the streets.
But the response of fundamentalist leaders, expectedly, was equally
swift and forceful. The same day, Maulana Fazlul Haque Amini, a
self-proclaimed religious guru, declared Justices Golam Rabbani and
Najmun Ara Sultana, who had delivered the verdict, murtad or infidels.
Describing their judgement as un-Islamic, Amini called upon believers to
take immediate action against the judges, interpreted widely as a call
to eliminate them.
The judgement was pronounced after Justices Rabbani and Sultana took up
the case of Shahida Begum, a poor divorced housewife in a remote village
in northern Nawgaon district, who was forced by an impromptu religious
court to marry another man in order to revive her first marriage. Her
story was first published by Banglabazaar Patrika, a local newspaper.
Shahida had to go through hila nikah, a humiliating process in which a
divorced woman can live with her husband again only after marrying
another man and getting a divorce after consummating her second
marriage. Shahida's first husband, Saiful Islam, had divorced her
following an altercation. Though he later regretted his decision, saying
he did it in a fit of temper, the religious court's fatwa decreed the
marriage was no longer valid. With no legal protection, Shahida had to
marry another man, albeit for a short time, in order to come back to
Saiful.
Incensed and shocked at the incident, the High Court panel not only took
suo motu action but also ordered the local administration to arrest
Azizul Haque, the cleric who had issued the fatwa. In its verdict, the
court ruled that Bangladesh Parliament must enact appropriate laws
prescribing severe punishment for those who issue fatwas, that schools
and madrasas must include the Muslim Family Law in textbooks to
underline the un-Islamic nature of fatwas, and that imams must preach at
Friday congregations about the pernicious effects of edict-like fatwas.
(Traditionally, fatwas are an alim or a scholar's interpretations of
Islamic laws that Muslims sought for removing their confusion.)
Says Ayesha Khanam, general secretary of the Bangladesh Women Council:
"The verdict was our best gift on the New Year's day. It's a victory for
all helpless women in our country." Argues Dr Kamal Hossain, an eminent
jurist who was instrumental in persuading the judges to rule against the
clerics: "Fatwas are unconstitutional and against the fundamental
rights."
But there are many pessimists too. Many say the verdict is unlikely to
end repression against women in a country where they still play a
subservient role and where semi-literate religious leaders, especially
in rural areas, rule the roost. The response of fundamentalists too has
added to their fear.
The verdict, however, has emboldened several victims to demand
punishment against fatwa-happy local clerics. In the last one week
alone, there have been at least a dozen newspaper reports of religious
leaders fleeing their villages to escape the rising tide of public anger
against them.
Determined women activists want the verdict to be implemented, saying
that it has come after years of struggle. The first public outcry was
spurred by the blood-curdling case of Noorjahan Begum, a poor housewife
in a remote village in northeastern Sylhet district, who was issued a
fatwa in 1993. She was buried alive up to her waist and stoned 101 times
for allegedly committing adultery. Noorjahan survived the stoning, but
she committed suicide that same night.
The perpetrators of this crime could never be brought to justice in the
absence of any law to deal with fatwas.
The recent judgement, many feel, has plugged the lacuna because the
judges have asked the administration to take immediate cognisance of
fatwa-related incidents anywhere in the country and take appropriate
action against the perpetrators.
With religious leaders deciding to appeal against the High Court
verdict, the judicial coup against fundamentalism would be complete if
the Supreme Court were to uphold the judgement of January 1.
Shakil Sarwar
>These 'balokes' are confused why despite their frantic efforts in NFB
>and SCB, people of Bangladesh are getting more and more serious about
>Islam day by day. Not only in just Bangladesh, but every corner of the
>world Islam is progressing and expanding faster and faster. Looks like
>the more they shout and spew lies about Islam, the more people are
>getting interested in Islam.
Sorry for a late follow-up. They say that 'Be late than never.'
Although you may not have misunderstood, let me clarify for others
about my usage of the term 'bloke'. 'Bloke' is an Aussie/British
equivalent of American term 'guy'. I wouldn't consider these
ullah-jamal duo as 'balokes'; They are adults who know very well as to
what they are doing. It certainly doesn't take a rocket scientist to
figure out the reason behind their utter frustation and vicious
propaganda campaign.
What makes them really mad (result of madcow disease?) is the painful
(!) reality around them where they, to their utter dismay, find that
muslims who migrated from the same country they themselves left behind
are gradually coming back to the reality after a temporary lapse. They
find it increasingly difficult to accept the fact that an overwhelming
number of Bangladeshi muslims in diaspora are asserting their muslim
identities first before their Bengalee identities. It pains the
duo/trio (with shomir dada - ardent disciple of comrade jyoti basu)
more when they find that many members of the young/next generation are
take renewed interest in islam.
Reality is that the next generation in foreign lands don't give a damn
about Bengali identity/culture. They really make a mockery of Bengali
culture. Many of them don't like spicy food we eat. They find the
watching of Hindi/Bengali movies by their parents hilarious where
'dirty dancing', songs with adult themes, raw caricature, teasing,
subjugating of women, miraculous rescue adventures by heroes,
relentless weeping, etc. take precedence over anything sane. I have
witnessed their doings and sayings at various social gatherings in
different countries of the world. The picture is all the same
everywhere. They consider these Bengalees-only type social gatherings
as expression of narrow-mindedness. They don't take interest in
whatever the adults say. because they just don't get it. Their
knowledge of survival Bengali can hardly manifest their Bengali root.
However, they can quite comfortably relate themselves with islam
because of its universal appeal. They can find good reason to attend
friday/eid prayers or fast in ramadan, but not those rabindra/baisakhi
congregation. Even if they do go, rather unwillingly, to these
cultural gatherings out of pressure from their parents, they are
mostly found to be on the lookout for prospective cuties.
>The are doing some publicity work for
>Islam without knowing it. Our 'lau-kodu' duo of cyber forums are taking
>a lot of Zantac and Pepcid as the expatriate Bangladeshis are becoming
>even more devout and sincere Muslims free of the many remnants of the
>pagan culture surrounding us in the sub-continent. Their lament about
>the Bangladeshis being more Muslim than Bengali is eveident in their
>class eight scholarship exam paper like writings on the net. The 'kodu'
>was even cursing us all for being part of the local Islamic Centers in
>every city rather than the Rabindra Sammelan and Baishakhi mela. He is
>mad that our children are going to the weekend Islamc schools and
>learning Islam along with the children from all over the world. They
>are afraid that these children are getting the view of universalism of
>Islam, and are growing into true flag-careers of Islam. These children
>will then influence the world including Bangladesh. That's why these
>'balokes' are desperately writing garbages against Islam. These 'duo'
>(and their multiple identities and chamhas) do not know that some third
>rate 'articles' based on lies and misinformation can not make any
>influence on people at large. Islam spreads not by internet, but by
>personal contact. These 'lau-kodu' brothers (Jamal-Jaffor) are now
>accumulating gas inside them, and by their utter faiure in their
>mission, soon will be self-combusted into oblivion.
>
>TA
I understand that the following article is unfit for consumption for
blokes like ullah-jamal-shomir trio. But it is too good to be missed.
I couldn't help but post the article.
A Woman on a Mission
Sidra Khan reports on Aisha Bhutta's bid to convert the world to Islam
The Guardian, London, UK
Aisha Bhutta, nee Debbie Rogers, is serene. She sits on the sofa in
big front room of her tenement flat in Cowcaddens, Glasgow
(Scotland). The walls are hung with quotations from the Koran, a
special clock to remind the family of prayer times and posters of the
Holy City of Mecca. Aisha's piercing blue eyes sparkle with
evangelical zeal, she smiles with a radiance only true believers
possess. Her face is that of a strong Scots lass - no nonsense, good-
humoured - but it is carefully covered with a hijab.
For a good Christian girl to convert to Islam and marry a Muslim is
extraordinary enough. But more than that, she has also converted her
parents, most of the rest of her family and at least 30 friends and
neighbours.
Her family were austere Christians with whom Rogers regularly
attended Salvation Army meetings. When all the other teenagers in
Britain were kissing their George Michael posters goodnight, Rogers
had pictures of Jesus up on her wall. And yet she found that
Christianity was not enough; there were too many unanswered questions
and she felt dissatisfied with the lack of disciplined structure for
her beliefs. "There had to be more for me to obey than just doing
prayers when I felt like it."
Aisha had first seen her future husband, Mohammad Bhutta, when she
was 10 and regular customer at the shop, run by his family. She would
see him in the back, praying. "There was contentment and peace in
what he was doing. He said he was a Muslim.
I said: "What's a Muslim?" Later with his help she began looking
deeper into Islam. By the age of 17, she had read the entire Koran in
Arabic. "Everything I read", she says, "was making sense."
She made the decision to convert at 16. "When I said the words, it
was like a big burden I had been carrying on my shoulders had been
thrown off. I felt like a new-born baby."
Despite her conversion however, Mohammed's parents were against their
marrying. They saw her as a Western woman who would lead their eldest
son astray and give the family a bad name; she was, Mohammed's father
believed, "the biggest enemy."
Nevertheless, the couple married in the local mosque. Aisha wore a
dress hand-sewn by Mohammed's mother and sisters who sneaked into the
ceremony against the wishes of his father who refused to attend.
It was his elderly grandmother who paved the way for a bond between
the women. She arrived from Pakistan where mixed-race marriages were
even more taboo, and insisted on meeting Aisha. She was so impressed
by the fact that she had learned the Koran and Punjabi that she
convinced the others; slowly, Aisha, now 32, became one of the
family.
Aisha's parents, Michael and Marjory Rogers, though did attend the
wedding, were more concerned with the clothes their daughter was now
wearing (the traditional shalwaar kameez) and what the neighbours
would think.
Six years later, Aisha embarked on a mission to convert them and the
rest of her family, bar her sister ("I'm still working on her"). "My
husband and I worked on my mum and dad, telling them about Islam and
they saw the changes in me, like I stopped answering back!"
Aisha's father proved a more difficult recruit, so she enlisted the
help of her newly converted mother (who has since died of
cancer). "My mum and I used to talk to my father about Islam and we
were sitting in the sofa in the kitchen one day and he said: "What
are the words you say when you become a Muslim?" "Me and my mum just
jumped on top of him." Three years later, Aisha's brother
converted "over the telephone - thanks to BT (British Telecom)", then
his wife and children followed, followed by her sister's son.
It didn't stop there. Her family converted, Aisha turned her
attention to Cowcaddens, with its tightly packed rows of crumbling,
grey tenement flats. Every Monday for the past 13 years, Aisha has
held classes in Islam for Scottish women. So far she has helped to
convert over 30.
The women come from a bewildering array of backgrounds. Trudy, a
lecturer at the University of Glasgow and a former Catholic, attended
Aisha's classes purely because she was commissioned to carry out some
research. But after six months of classes she converted, deciding
that Christianity was riddled with "logical inconsistencies". Unlike
Aisha, Trudy has chosen not to wear the hijab, believing it to be a
masculine interpretation of the Koran. Her family don't know that she
has converted.
"I could tell she was beginning to be affected by the talks", Aisha
says. How could she tell? "I don't know, it was just a feeling."
The classes include Muslim girls tempted by Western ideals and
needing salvation, practising Muslim women who want an open forum for
discussion denied them at the local male-dominated mosque, and those
simply interested in Islam. Aisha welcomes questions. "We cannot
expect people to blindly believe."
Her husband, Mohammad Bhutta, now 41, does not seem so driven to
convert Scottish lads to Muslim brothers. He occasionally helps out
in the family restaurant, but his main aim in life is to ensure the
couple's five children grow up as Muslims. The eldest, Safia, "nearly
14, alhamdulillah (Praise be to God!)", is not averse to a spot of
recruiting herself. One day she met a woman in the street and carried
her shopping, the woman attended Aisha's classes and is now a Muslim.
"I can honestly say I have never regretted it", Aisha says of her
conversion to Islam. "Every marriage has its ups and downs and
sometimes you need something to pull you out of any hardship. But the
Prophet Peace by upon him, said: 'Every hardship has an ease.' So
when you're going through a difficult stage, you work for that ease
to come."
Mohammed is more romantic: "I feel we have known each other for
centuries and must never part from one another. According to Islam,
you are not just partners for life, you can be partners in heaven as
well, for ever. It's a beautiful thing, you know."