http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=65799&d=23&m=6&y=2005
Thursday, 23, June, 2005 (16, Jumada al-Ula, 1426)
The Perils of Not Thinking
Abeer Mishkhas, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Newspapers recently carried the story of a famous religious
scholar - a sheikh - who gave a lecture in a mosque. During the lecture, he was
interrupted by a group of young men who shouted at him and expressed their
contemptuous rejection of his opinion. Though in a mosque, one of the young men
angrily waved a small knife at the sheikh who was forced to stop his lecture.
He was then escorted by security from the mosque in order to avoid a worsening
of the situation. The reason for the young men's inexcusable reaction was, as
far as most people are concerned, inconsequential. The sheikh was speaking
about his belief that drums are not forbidden. To say such a thing to people
who have always been told - and have always been taught - that music is
completely haram (not allowed) was a genuine shock.
The story tells us a number of things. First, there is only
one opinion in Saudi Arabia and no such thing as a difference of opinion can
exist. Second, to reject an opposing opinion in a violent way is becoming a
trend. Third and last: the intolerance we have taught and propagated has now
developed and seeks to dominate.
Should we be surprised that those young men reacted in so
mistaken a way? Should we be surprised that those young men reacted in a way
totally outside Islam's spirit of tolerance? Should we condemn them as fanatics?
The fault is at least partly - even perhaps totally - with
society. We live now in a society that does not accept "the other." We live in
a society that, for the most part, believes uncritically that there is only one
possible opinion and that to say or think or write something different is wrong
and even worse, should not be tolerated but should be punished. Those young men
were the products of this teaching; they have been taught that there is only
one opinion and no other is possible. Thus, to reject a different opinion
becomes, in their minds, the right, the only thing to do.
A few months ago, a famous religious scholar made the mistake
of saying in a film that he believed women could uncover their faces if they
wished. He subsequently retracted that statement, saying that he had been
wrong. He explained that he had been approached by other scholars who asked him
to express the same opinion held by the majority. According to those scholars,
it is essential for the scholars of the country to hold the same opinion. It
seems that we have come up with the idea - and the practice - of holding only
one possible opinion and now we are facing the consequences.
If the young men in the mosque were violent, it is because of
their lack of self-assurance plus their own certainty about their beliefs. This
has been the cornerstone of their education from the first day of it and it
seems they have learned the lesson very well indeed. They have never had an
opinion of their own - they have always been told what opinion to hold - and to
propose something new means that they have to think and analyze. And this is a
skill they do not possess since, not needing it, they have never been taught
it. Where, I wonder, could they have possibly acquired the skill?
A columnist for an Arabic newspaper who is from the village
where the incident occurred said that he was sad that his native village had
such mentalities. He went on to say, however, that considering how our society
leans more and more to one side only and omits to teach tolerance that he was
not surprised. What worries him even more is that if so minor an issue produced
so violent a response, what would happen if major issues were discussed? He
ends up rather pessimistically fearing that at some time in the future,
scholars will stop giving lectures that include "different" opinions.
We must look back at Islamic history and see how it was full
of different groups and sects and how in religion, there are different mazahib
- schools of thought. That is sadly only in our history; when it comes to our
modern reality, people are too lazy or too ignorant or too stubborn to
entertain more than one opinion. What this will inevitably produce is plain to
see. What this will inevitably produce is not an open and tolerant society.
End of Exams, Beginning of Emptiness
The newspapers have recently been occupied with the end of
the academic year exams and of course students' complaints. Once those topics
had been exhausted, they moved to their usual subject at this time of year -
the summer vacation and how young people spend their time. One article blamed
young men for wasting their time cruising the streets, basically doing nothing
more important than checking out girls. The writer seems to have decided that
having no choices leads to the waste of time and a state of emptiness. Another
writer told how students destroyed their textbooks after exams. He wondered
what kind of attitude to education was reflected in such behavior.
None of this is new. It happens every year and every time we
occupy ourselves analyzing the situation. In the final analysis, we always
accept the status quo - the easiest thing to do, after all - and wait for the
new year. As we wait, however, we record our disappointment at what young
people do and do not do, get and do not get in our country. But to be serious,
is it right to blame the youth for everything wrong?
I think it is not completely their fault. Yes, they choose
not to spend their time in what we might consider useful activities. But
shouldn't we ask ourselves if we've offered them other choices? How many
families spend any time with their children, teaching them how to manage their
time or how to do constructive and beneficial useful activities?
I was with a group of friends when one of them said that she
could not understand how other girls of her generation wasted their time doing
nothing during vacation. To her, reading, painting and going out with friends
were essential to her enjoyment of life and were normal ways of spending time.
Considering what she said, I realized that very few of us
think that reading is something worth doing as a hobby or pastime. And
consequently, our children grow up unaware of how much reading could add to
their lives and their understanding of everything. Of course reading is not the
only possibility. What about taking summer courses, taking up a new sport or
doing some much-needed community service?
It is all so much wishful thinking, I have to admit, since
basically there are not a lot of possibilities. What then do we offer to an
intelligent but bored 15 year-old who has all the time in the world? Dare I
say, "Nothing."
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg
Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny. www.ppi-india.org
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