George reacts to Haider & Pamplanil’s Letter Ban Religion from Secular space? Identity Politics: Right or Wrong?
George Neduparambil
Note: In his letter to editor George is reacting to Haider’s article in CCV and Pamplanils comments. Muslim public prayer 5 times a day in Arabic not understood by others is considered to be a noice pollusion and an offence to Atheissts for evident reasons. Pope John xxiii forbad the chiming of Church bells early hours of the day in Rome as it disturbed the legitimate sleep of late night workers.
It is for the Muslims themselves to desist from this public disturbance, as India is not a Theocratic state, or for the civil authorities to persuade our Muslim brothers to stop this public ‘nuisance’ for many. Who will bell the cat is the question. james kottoor, Editor ccv.
Please read below George’s Letter
I read both Haider' article and Varghese's sharp response. I'm of the opinion that India is lagging behind China by five times, despite both countries getting formed around same time, in the present format, due to our preoccupation with the unseen entity called god.
Assuming God does exit, I have to believe that he is extremely pleased with the Chinese, despite delivering occasional shocks as now being chosen to be the epicenter of Novel Coronavirus outbursts. God is pleased with the Chinese because very few Chinese call upon him for favours giving plenty of rest time to God with regard to handling matters relating to China. Chinese people go about their business letting God to mind his own business.
Come to india, God has to attend to 130 crore people calling upon Him at the same time to fix things for them. In the process Indians shower all kinds praise on the unseen god and shooting at the same time all kinds of prayer requests. Instead of getting pleased at this 24/7/365 days cacophony of prayers and praising, God seems to have chosen to show His back to Indians. Therefore, we are progressing at a snail's pace in relation to the snake's pace of the Chinese. India has to learn to leave God alone and let Him do whatever is His business while they fix their problems themselves.
There is no other alternative for Indians than living in peace and harmony, respecting one another abandoning all kinds of complexes and one upmanship mentality. Perhaps Haider could help by convincing fellow Muslims to tone down the volume of daily 5 times call to power. In Kerala, where I live, there are many mosques in proximity of one another. All of them coming live on the air almost at the time on loud speakers at maximum volume. This can certainly be avoided as in this modern age, worshippers have access to other means to remind themselves of prayer time.
Also, Haider would agree that one of the lines sung out in the call to prayer translates to "There is no God but Allah". This tantamounts to announcing christian god and Hindu gods are imposters. Is it not downright insulting to Christians and Hindus to be told so five times a day? Perhaps Haider could care to answer this point. Haider should not assume that people won't understand as the call is made in Arabic. Coexistence demands mutual respect. There is no alternative to it.
Isaac Gomes quotes from:
TIMESNOWNEWS.COM
Updated Jan 22, 2020 | 13:44 IST
No loudspeaker for Azaan: Allahabad High Court dismisses petition, SDPI wants order 'reviewed'
Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court dismissed a petition seeking installation of loudspeakers for Azaan in mosques. The petitioner had sought High Court's intervention in installing loudspeakers at two mosques at Baddopur and Shahganj area in Jaunpur after local administration took them off citing communal tension.
The SDM had stopped the use of loudspeakers in Masjid Abu Bakar Siddiqui and Masjid Rahmani at the end of July 2018. The administration said there was no valid permission to use them.
Rejecting this demand, Judge Pankaj Mittal and Judge Bipin Chandra Dikshit said: “No religion prescribes or preaches that prayers are required to be performed through voice amplifiers or by the beating of drums and if there is such practice, it should not adversely affect the rights of the others including that of not being disturbed.”
Talking to Times Now one of the residents claimed that after Yogi Adityanath came to power he said we could take permission first and then put the loudspeakers. He further said that after taking permission for the same, they put up two loudspeakers but some people went to the SDM and said that there will be issues.
“The SDM told them about the permission, but they were adamant on there being a big issue. And so they came from the administration and put it down,” the local resident said.
In its order, the court said that cancellation of the SDM’s order could damage the social equilibrium in the area.
In their petition, the locals said that they should be allowed to play loudspeakers at the mosque for two minutes claiming this would not harm pollution and social order.
The petitioners further said that with an increase in population it is important for Muslims to raise a prayer call through loudspeakers before prayers.
The bench said there was no mention on use of loudspeakers for any prayer call in any religious books adding that the top priority of the HC was to ensure that law is in place to maintain the harmony of the society. The bench observed that there is no need for evangelism in society; however, it was necessary to maintain social cohesion and harmony.
