The following are some of my Letters to Editor which were published in The Christian Science Monitor (USA), The Independent (UK) and the Pakistan Daily Times (Pakistan). Note, the titles or headings under which the Letters were published were determined by the editors of the respective newspapers, and are not mine.

“Show Islamic Face of Peace”, The Christian Science Monitor,
December 5, 2001, On-line and Print Editions

Unfortunately, acts of violence and terrorism committed in the name of Islam, enacted by the Taliban, have distorted the faith’s universal message of peace, tolerance, and unity. Now that the Taliban regime has virtually collapsed, and the people of Afghanistan have an opportunity to rebuild their country from “ground zero,” can the various ethnic Muslim communities and factions that comprise Afghanistan demonstrate to the world the nobility of Islam? Let conferences, such as those mentioned in your Nov. 26 editorial “Push soon for Pashtuns,” be occasions for Muslims of Afghanistan to demonstrate that through Islam and its ethics bitterness and anger can be vanquished, showing the world how Islam can be used to construct a better future.

Abdulmalik Jehangir
Hull, Québec, Canada

For link to the above letter please click:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2001/1205/p8s4-cole.html

“Islam frees women”, The Independent, Oct 27, 2001,
On-line and Print Editions.

Sir: In seeking to clarify that the views of Yasmin Alibhai-Brown (“Don’t tell me how I should worship”, 15 October) do not represent those held by the majority of Muslims, Abdullah Khan (letter, 18 October) is clearly missing the author’s point. Ms Alibhai-Brown does not claim to speak for the Ismaili Muslim community to which she belongs, nor does she attempt to dictate and impose the principles and ideals of her community on others. Rather, she reflects the views of many Muslims around the world who feel that certain elements within the Islamic community are making efforts to repress pluralism in all its forms.

The imposition of a particular interpretation of the Muslim faith on an unwilling individual or population is not acceptable to Ms Alibhai- Brown, as they contradict the very nature of Islam, which acknowledges the existence of different faiths, beliefs and traditions. Amongst Islam’s great strengths are the wonderful notions of peace, equality, goodwill, tolerance and respect.

It is within this ethical premise that Muslims should seek to foster unity amongst the various schools of thought or tariqahs (paths) because they hold true for every Muslim. The differences arising from the practice of the faith are a consequence of historical circumstances, events and interpretation.

ABDULMALIK JEHANGIR
Hull, Québec, Canada

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“Ignorant bliss?”, The Pakistan Daily Times, August 5, 2004,
On-line edition

Sir: It seems that the consciousness of the Muslim and Arab worlds has reached saturation point due to the Iraq and Palestine issues. There is no space left for the tragedy that is Darfur.

This is unforgivable since the majority of victims in the Darfur crisis are black African Muslims, who are being killed at the hands of Arab Muslims. Islam does not condone racial or ethnic discrimination, as emphasised by Iqbal Latif’s excellent column, “Ethnic Cleansing for black Muslims”, (Daily Times, August 4).

While the continued chaos in the Middle East cannot be ignored, nor can the need for a strong Muslim, Arab and African response to halt in Darfur what has already been declared genocide.

If the Arab world wishes the current state of events to continue, this should not deter the rest of the Muslim world from taking appropriate action on this front.

Let non-Arab Muslims recall that they vastly outnumber Arab Muslims. Hopefully it will be these voices that bring sense to the pro-militia Sudanese government, reminding it to abide by its constitutional preamble, which invokes Allah’s mercy for the freedom of life of all its people.

ABDULMALIK JEHANGIR
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

For link to the above letter please click:
http://dailytimes.com.pk/print.asp?page=2004%5C08%5C05%5Cstory_5-8-2004_pg3_