‘A year ends, and with that, life...’
I have just finished reading Syed Badrul Ahsan’s write-up in New Age Year-end special magazine ‘A year ends, and with that, life…’ I must admit it has deeply saddened me. If I am not mistaken the whole write-up emanates a penetrating and overpowering sadness that directly takes hold of the heart, or at least I felt that way. Maybe his reference to some very significant deaths that grieve one’s soul to the core is what casts a profound gloom upon his article about saying adieu to the just-gone year and welcoming the new one. Through this composition Badrul Ahsan has truly and with utmost sincerity and sympathy expressed his heartfelt reverence for those who breathed their last last year, especially those who he has made it upon himself to mention in his writing. The catastrophic tsunami in Asia has also encased the merging point of the old year and new year in sheer untold misery and woe. The lament on the part of the vast numbers of people affected by the tsunami should have made conscientious people refrain from revelling in welcoming the new year in joyous manner.
I think I should not scruple here to say that this article of Badrul Ahsan lacks anything that can be described as heartening, that can rouse us to pull ourselves together despite all the afflictions around. Death is an inevitable consequence, a destination we all are bound to reach inadvertently after an absolutely uncertain and indefinite span of life predestined only by the Supreme Being. But are we to brood over death? Badrul Ahsan has quite reasonably put in words: ‘And all of us begin a new period in the annals of time not knowing whether we will yet be around to look back on it next year.’ Nothing can be truer than that. But then there are truths, especially those that are most of the times dejecting that tend to slow down the pace of life. And so, for the benefit of us who are still alive, shouldn’t we fill our lungs with fresh air that will energise us to brave all the adversities ahead and to give something to this earth in return for what it has given us. We should not let deaths around us render ourselves dispiriting. Deaths always make us grieve but let us not lose our heart by seeing persons we care for or love or respect or have a niche in our heart for, lying down for the eternal slumber, only because it will thwart our progression.
We can’t afford that because, as Badrul Ahsan has said, life is ephemeral. But isn’t the transitoriness of life that makes it worthier of being spent in a more meaningful manner. The uncertainty over whether we will be around at a particular point of time in future is that creepy feeling that is always out there in the conscious or sub-conscious level of our being. But oughtn’t we to start learning how to fight shy of and, through out this, beat this sensation to help our lives thrive on fearless path?
Md Ruhul Amin Sikder
On e-mail
Training of Imams
Recently, I read an editorial in the Guardian, (December 10) ‘Muslims in Europe - Nationalizing Islam’. The editorial was written in reference to the French Government’s initiative, France having the largest majority of ethnic Muslim population in any country in Europe, to consider proper education/training of Imams for the mosques. The proposed idea of training the Imams, the nucleus of Muslim clergy, in universities on civil law, history, culture and language is indeed a very timely as well as a welcome suggestion. In fact this ought to be followed in other countries for the benefit of the world’s latest region with second largest population of this faith.
For the present world order and with a view to rid this great religion from the ills of current unjustified blames for fundamentalism/ terrorism, Imams everywhere must be properly educated. The crux of the problem seems due to lack of defense in the absence of adequate numbers of appropriately learned Imams with due theological background combined with essential general education in subjects as indicated in the French Government proposal mentioned in the subject editorial.
For the Muslims in France as well as in Europe with the level of education, attitude of life, the mindset of pragmatic thinking, it will be quite easy to get this idea endorsed/ implemented without much difficulties. But it will surely pose a great problem to sell the idea in the developing or the third world countries.
With few exceptions, the Imams in these countries are in dire need of higher education to come out of the ‘shell’. So far hardly any effective step or realistic effort has been taken in these countries to educate the Imams. It will be wonderful if France can go ahead and achieve the desired goal. It doesn’t matter if it takes a long time. At least the initiative has been taken. If the French government becomes successful, it will definitely go a long way in ridding the Muslims from the blame of being fundamentalists, etc. But France alone won’t be able to contribute much, but if others also come forward the situation is sure to change.
What is required the most is coordinated effort as well as well planned initiatives. The US should also consider this matter as it is the pledged intention of that single superpower to free the world from the curse of ignorance/ill-will ultimately leading to what terrorism is all about. Surely, fraction of the billions and billions of dollars spent on wars could be better utilized if it is used in educating the people in general along with the Muslim clerics as intended by the French government.
Z Rahman
Gulshan, Dhaka
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