O ye of seasonal faith. Religious neophytes and Ramadan's born-again Muslims. Preaching politicians and the mass millions whose conviction was determined by the accident of birth. Remember Aisha!
Two teenagers in separate lands, separated by a millennia, united by a common faith. One saved by it, the other condemned by it. At 13, Aisha bint Abu Bakr was the blooming wife of Prophet Muhammad.
Daughter of the first caliph, her life is revered in Sunni history as her lap was the resting place of the prophet's final breath.
At 13, Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow was damned by a local sharia court. Less than a year ago the Somalian girl was raped and then accused of adultery. Her punishment in Kismayu, southern Somalia, was a mob pelting her with stones until her torturous demise.
Your comments:
I have traveled to Bali many times and of course met many Indonesian Muslims there and in my workplace here. As a westerner with no religious beliefs, I find it utterly confusing how Indonesian people are so kind, warm and gentle and yet such terrible laws can be introduced.
A family member is very involved with the Somali community here and they are the same generous, warm beautiful people. However, it is clear to me that what is often purported to be the teaching of Islam is obviously a cultural practice, and one would hope that stoning is not a tenet of Islam.
Many in the African community accept the practice of the mutilation young women, but my understanding is that not all Islamic communities follow this barbarism. Once again, cultural beliefs. I find the Islamic religion difficult to get a handle on because of all the different spokespeople issuing contradictory statements.
I have and always will respect others' religious beliefs even though they don't accord with mine. But Islam severely tests me in this regard. I am, however, reading as much as I can to further my knowledge.
It is OK for various religious spokespeople to say "but they are not true Muslims", but some crazy Christians I know are disowned in the same way. I think that Islam will gain much more respect from me when it can separate world politics (I also detest American global domination) and cultural mores and show me that that it can speak with one voice based on democratic beliefs, respect for other beliefs and civilization.
Pat Cook
Melbourne
What an excellent piece of writing! It was inspiring and at the same time disturbing. Muslims, throughout the world seem to be fast moving away from civilized norms to medieval and barbaric behavior befitting people of ignorance.
I only hope that a moderate Islamic country like Indonesia does not slip into chaos like Pakistan and Afghanistan.
P. Choudhury
Saudi Arabia
Stop the cruel sharia *qanun' in Aceh -- Sept. 19, p. 1
The sharia qanun passed by the Aceh parliament this week is no less dangerous to Indonesia than the recent terrorist attacks in the Jakarta.
The qanun will allow for adulterers to be stoned to death, and will put Indonesia on a slippery slope, threatening the rights of its people and risking its proud standing as an international beacon of moderate Islam.
Where the July bombings helped unite Muslims across the country in outrage at the barbarism and inhumanity of radical Islamists, most startlingly, the stoning bill has elicited little public condemnation.
Your comments:
I am really happy to read this important article in your newspaper! With this new sharia law in Aceh, Indonesia is leaving its moderate way of politics. And from now on it will be seen internationally as a state of radical Islamism if this law becomes reality.
That would be a big shame for the modern Indonesia which I have learned to love so much. Stop this regressive law now, Mr. President!
People of Indonesia, do not allow the radicals to destroy your peaceful and democratic way of life by a modern Islam society!
Martin Jankowski
Berlin
Qanun, well I think it's the cheapest and the most effective way to legitimate the law in Aceh. We don't need to feed them and we don't need any jails. Sending criminals to jail in this country is same as sending them to a college of crime.
Jimbo
London
