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Defiling Islam

Shamsuddin Ahmed
ISLAM was painted black and defiled by acts of violence and hooliganism inside Baitul Mukarram, the national mosque, during Jumma prayers on January 9 and 16. We are used to seeing ugly scenes of political violence on the streets, but we have never seen musallies । getting into a brawl and throwing shoes sit their opponents in order to chase them out of the mosque. And mind you, this was going on when the khutba, or sermon, was being given by the khatib.
It is an article of faith for a true believer in Islam that he or she listens in silence to the khutba because it is the heart and soul of Jumma prayer. It is a sin if he or she does not do so.
But the supporters of both the newly appointed khatib and the acting khatib behaved like an unruly mob when the khutba was being delivered. As if this was not enough, Moulana Nur Uddin went out of the mosque and led a separate Jumma prayer on the road, while Moulana Mohammad Salauddin, the new khatib, led the main Jumma prayer inside the mosque.
Is this the kind of Islam our Islamic leaders and clerics want to preach and project before the world? It is a pity that behind all these ugly incidents the chief motivating factor was perhaps the greed for the mundane comfort and prestige associated with lucrative perks and privileges that a khatib of the national mosque is entitled to.
Do not desecrate mosques.
The khatib of Baitul Mukarram mosque,, reportedly draws a.rjiqntipy-salary equivalent to that of a joint secretary, and is provided with a government car. He also becomes the ex-officio chairman of the Shariah Council of Islami Bank, Bangladesh, and is an adviser or member of other Islami banks and insurancecompanies.
But the most lucrative privilege he enjoys is said to be the hadia (gifts) given
to him by people at home and abroad. They say,that.m«^y y^ho come to attend jumma prayer at Baitul Mukarram bring gifts in cash fpr the khatib, while some deposit money in his bank account.
In this part of the world there is a common belief, attributable mainly to illiteracy, that if you give gifts to a religious cleric, particularly the Imam of a mosque, it is a great act of piety. The reason why this practice is going on is because no
cleric or ulema will decline the offer of charity although he has other sources of income.
Everything was fine as long as Moulana Nur Uddin was there as acting khatib of the mosque following the death of Moulana Obaidul Haq, the previous khatib. The trouble started when Principal Mohammad Salauddin was appointed the new khatib. Moulana Nur Uddin was in no mood to hand over charge to the new khatib, and it is said that he enjoys support of the Islamist political parties as late Obaidul Haq possibly also did. Moulana Fazlul Haq Amini, chief of Islami Oikyajote, said that the new khatib was a controversial man.
Unfortunately, mosques have been the refuge of a section of the ulema who do politics. They have been playing upon the religious' senfirhents of the con’imdn people, taking advantage of their illiteracy, especially their ignorance of the Quran and Sunnah.
Nothing appeals to and strikes the human mind and soul so convincingly and instantly as religion does. Even if a lie clad in religion is dished out to these people as truth, they will accept it as truth. Which is why Jamaate Islami has
survived this far and this long in spite of the anti-people and anti-humanity role its leaders had played as they collaborated actively with the Pakistan occupation forces in 1971.
Baitul Mukarram had figured prominently in the past as some religion-based political parties had taken out processions from the mosque compound and organised rallies outside the mosque gate. A national mosque maintained with money from the national exchequer must not be used to further the cause of any political party or group.
The national intelligence agencies can closely monitor the activities of the imams and khatibs of major mosques across the country, and ensure that mosques are no longer used by anybody to promote the cause of party politics.
i kls the prerogative 6f the govemmerft to appoint the khatib of Baitul Mukarram. Now that a new khatib has been duly appointed, the government must put its foot down and ensure that no disturbances and no acts of indiscipline occur again and mar the sanctity of the mosque.
Brig Gen Shamsuddin Ahmed (Retd) is a former military secretary to the president
***We are used to seeing ugly scenes of political violence on the streets, but we have never seen musallies getting into a brawl and throwing shoes at their opponents in order to chase them out of the mosque. And mind you, this was going on when the khutba, or sermon, was being given by the khatib.***