 A better way
For every
Khomeini and
Khamenei there is a Rumi and Shariati
By N.D.
July 3, 2003
The Iranian
While agreeing in general with the
message of Mr. Kazemzadeh's "Some
do's and don'ts" of democracy, I have to disagree
with him when he states
that, 'The purpose of the story of Abraham is blind obedience is
good and of
divine nature; questioning and skepticism are bad. Follow the leader
and do
not question the wisdom of the leader."
Though I agree that many have used this story to
try and justify their own
claims to blind obedience I feel that it is worth mentioning
another story
about Abraham in the Quran (2:260) in which he asks God to show
him how he
gives life to the dead. In the story Allah asks Abraham. 'Do
you not then
have faith?' to which Abraham responds, 'Yes, but I ask to satisfy
my
heart.'
Most of us know the rest of the story of how Allah
tells Abraham to
take four birds that are familiar to him and place pieces of
each bird on
four separate hills. Abraham is then told to summon the birds
and each will
return to him, demonstrating the power of Allah.
The implications of this story are often ignored
by commentators who are
promoting blind obedience. But if one of the most important prophets
of
Allah could have the freedom to express the questions in his
heart and God
had the patience and tolerance to answer his questions, then
how are we to
behave? What lessons of tolerance and freedom of expression can
we raise
from this story when our leaders ask us for their obedience?
I agree with Mr. Kazemzadeh that blind obedience
is a bad thing, but let us
not throw religion out the door because certain people have used
people's
ignorance and a selective view of the religious views promoted
by the ruling
and clerical establishment throughout the centuries to perpetuate
their own
form of dictatorship.
I agree that we should strive to find the
true ethos
that takes us towards a tolerant and pluralistic society, but
I wouldn't
assume that it can't be found in religion or Islam. For every
Khomeini and
Khamenei there is a Rumi and Shariati, who can show us a better
way. * Send
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A better way
