12. (Remember) when your Lord inspired the angels, "Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes." 13. This is because they defied and disobeyed Allâh and His Messenger. And whoever defies and disobeys Allâh and His Messenger, then verily, Allâh is Severe in punishment. 14. This is the torment, so taste it, and surely for the disbelievers is the torment of the Fire.

What are quoted above the verses 12, 13 and 14 from Surah 8 Al-Anfal of the Quran. It has to be said that teaching of these verses is against the Article 26(2) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which is quoted below.

Article 26.

• (1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
• (2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
• (3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

It is verses like 12,13 and 14 of Quran'S Surah8 that have caused havoc in so many countries to so many communities over the centuries. Predominantly Muslim countries that are now intolerant of non-Muslims are:

• Pakistan has different electorates for Muslims and non-Muslims, and limits the public positions a non-Muslim can hold. Even to launch their Army's recent operations against Pakistani Taliban some soldiers bought into the amazing invention that the Baitullahs and Fazlullahs were India's secret agents. Others were told that they were actually fighting a nefarious American-Jewish plot to destabilise Pakistan.
• Saudi Arabia limits religious freedom to a high degree, prohibiting public worship by other religions.
• The overthrown Taliban regime in Afghanistan was considered intolerant by many observers. Some ancient Buddhist monuments, like the Buddhas of Bamyan, were destroyed as idolatrous.
• The Islamic government of Iran recognizes Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians as minorities- although all three groups are subjected to some severe discrimination in practice - while the situation of Bahá'ís, considered by the government as a pro-Zionist, un-Islamic heresy, is far worse.
• In Sudan, there was extensive use of the rhetoric of religious war by both parties in the decades-long battle between the Muslim North and the largely non-Muslim South.
• In Egypt, a 16 December 2006 judgment of the Supreme Administrative Council created a clear demarcation between "recognized religions" - Islam, Christianity and Judaism - and all other religious beliefs; the ruling effectively delegitimatizes and forbids the practice of all but these aforementioned religions. The ruling leaves members of other religious communities, including Bahá'ís, without the ability to obtain the necessary government documents to have rights in their country, essentially denying them of all rights of citizenship. They cannot obtain ID cards, birth certificates, death certificates, marriage or divorce certificates, and passports; they also cannot be employed, educated, treated in public hospitals or vote among other things.
• In Yemen, now considered as a second haven for Al-Qaeda in the mould of Afghan-Pakistan Border, there have been a spate of attacks on foreign and government targets, most recently suicide bombings against South Korean tourists.

Last update : 10-01-2010 18:11

Keywords : Absurdity of Militant Islam, Mahendra Mathur

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