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Mohtram Javed Bhai, Assalamu Alaikum
Hope you both will go through it as a new dimension to the contemporary world. Muslims have to think and act like that, if they are to emerge from old legacy of attending only to his "master's voice."
"Aftabe Taza paidah batne getty sey huwa <> Asman dubey huway tarun ka matam kab talak" [Iqbal]
Please confirm receipt. Shukrun
Shamim Siddiqi
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
INDEPENDENT KURDISTAN, IS IT POSSIBLE?
[Shamim A Siddiqi, New York]
Kurds are a different race and are of different ethnic origin. They were somehow living a normal life as people when they were under the paramount Khilafah of Ottomans. Their aspiration to live independently within their geographical bounds is centuries old. They never reconciled with any foreign domination. They established a big empire under Ayyubadis. Sultan Salahuddin was one of their most famous kings who defeated the combined forces of Crusaders from Europe and recaptured Palestine in 1187 AD.
“In the course of the 16th to 18th centuries, vast portions of Kurdistan were systematically devastated and large numbers of Kurds were deported to far corners of the Safavid and Ottoman empires. The magnitude of death and destruction wrought on Kurdistan unified its people in their call to rid the land of these foreign vandals. The lasting mutual sufferings awakened in Kurds a community feeling of nationalism, that called for a unified Kurdish State and fostering of Kurdish culture and language. Thus, the historian Sharaf al-Din Tbilisi wrote the first pan-Kurdish history the “Sharafnama” in 1597, as Ahmad Khani composed the national epic of “Mem-o-Zin” in 1695, which called for a Kurdish State to fend for its people. Kurdish nationalism was born.” [History of Kurdistan]
However, the British-French hegemony in the wake of First Great War of 1914-18 not only destroyed the institution of Khilafah but also dismantled the solidarity of Kurds as a people and divided them into four different "pockets" living in Turkey, Iran, Syria and Iraq. “The Treaty of Sevres (signed August 10, 1921) anticipated an independent Kurdish State to cover large portions of the former Ottoman Kurdistan. Unimpressed by the Kurds' many bloody uprisings for independence, France and Britain divided up Ottoman Kurdistan between Turkey, Syria and Iraq. The Treaty of Lausanne (signed June 24, 1923) formalized this division. Kurds of Iran, meanwhile, were kept where they were by Tehran.” [Ditto] Since then they are living under the “illusion” of independence and aspiring for their homeland. This is the age of “nationalism.” Whether Muslims like it or not, it has enveloped every part of this globe. Muslims must take the "advantage" of this “secular” trend in fulfilling some of their national aspirations that otherwise could not be attained. We have to analyze the world situation in the same measure. When the tiny ethnic/racial minority like Jews can claim a “free state” of their own and the world accepts it what harm if Kurds aspire for their legitimate independent homeland. It should not be considered as a crime. The USA did good job, though in its own interest, by giving a kind of "protection" to Kurds in the north of Iraq and a sense of "homeland security" that they are cherishing and not the least prepared to give it up. They have consolidated their position in the foregoing elections in Iraq [securing 26% votes and 75 seats thereby]. There is every possibility they will enjoy an autonomous position in the North, building the “foundation” of free Kurdistan in near future.
This issue should now forcefully be undertaken earnestly by OIC. It should on its own accord negotiate with Iran, Syria, Turkey and Kurds of Iraq for the emergence of a brotherly autonomous state of Kurdistan with a common currency, a homogenous foreign policy, a regional defense strategy and the vision to invite Afghanistan, Pakistan and the five Sheikhdoms of Persian Gulf to join subsequently, creating a Muslim Common Market [MCM] of its own. This is an inevitable course for the Muslim Ummah and let the emergence of Kurdistan be its forerunner. This strategic move will give new bargaining power to Turkey to have better and quick deal with ECM. Alternatively, if the “Christian Club” of Europe insists to deislamize Turkey before it “accepts” it as member, it would be easy for her to say “good-by” to ECM and be the most natural partner with MCM.
Equally, the UN must undertake the issue of Kurdistan, respect their inspiration in terms of its own Charter, and urge the other three states - Iran, Turkey and Syria, to acknowledge the freedom movement of Kurds and “help” in establishing the autonomous state of Kurdistan after having referendum in the Kurdish areas of each country. It would pave the way towards the emergence of a united Kurdish State in near future, Insha Allah.
If UN can meet the aspirations of “East Timor” and carve out an independent tiny state out of the giant Indonesia why not Kurds should have their own homeland? It is long over due and justice demands it. It would be a “modern” Muslim State with fraternal relations with all the Muslim countries around it. Kurds are fighting people. Their history is very inspiring. They have always behaved like die-hard Muslims and history proves it.
There is every possibility that the process towards building the autonomous Kurdistan may produce the desired leadership from amongst them that Muslim Ummah needs currently. It may “augment” the liberation of the Muslim world from the “interference” and spread of western “cults and culture” and the onslaughts of the third “Crusade” of President Bush which is rampant with all its “vices” in the Muslim world. There is every possibility that in the way the political influence and physical “subjugation” of the first Crusade was vacated by a Kurdish Sultan in Twelfth century AD. Similarly, a Kurd leadership may emerge in due course to free the Muslim world from the evil effects of “liberalism” and the “export” of American culture to the Muslim world in the garb of so-called “democracy.” Thus a “Khair” [good] may come out of the “Shirr” [evil] of the “occupancy” of Afghanistan, Iraq and the hanging “sword of threat” to Iran.
Shamim A Siddiqi Contact E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] February 14, 2005 |
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.}
(Holy Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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