Book talk - American Muslim Agenda

Hosting book talk for American Muslim Agenda

If you are a conservative, then grudgingly you'll see the value in what this book offers, and if you are on the left, you want more of it, and if you are moderate, you will dance with joy.

HOSTING A BOOK TALK

The book is about building a cohesive America where each one of us feels secure about our faith, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual and political orientation. Who does not want to live a tension free life at home, workplace, and in the public space? 

The "American Muslim Agenda” serves a two-fold purpose. On the one hand, it separates the chaff from the grain for fellow Americans to see Muslims for who they are and not how the media projects them. On the other hand, it challenges Muslims to restore Islam to its original purpose; that is to create cohesive societies, in our case, a coherent America, where each one of the 323 Million Americans feels proud of his or her uniqueness. 

The book presents many success stories to keep the reader bemused. I am pleased to submit three versions of the blurbs on the book talk. The format can be 10 minutes or 20 minutes presentation with room for Q&A. We want our esteemed guests to go home fully satisfied with all the questions they have had about Islam and Muslims. 

Our conservative friends would grudgingly acknowledge the pathway laid out in the book, while the moderates will dance with joy. If your vision of America is in tune with the book, together as Americans, we can contribute towards the greatness of our nation.

Would this book bring a change? 

Would this bring a change among Muslims towards others and others towards Muslims? Indeed, this book lays out a clear agenda to foster harmony among fellow Americans. It is akin to planting a seed and nurturing to give the beneficence to the next generation.

Some of the reservations we have about Muslims is based on what we have heard from our parents, friends, teachers, pastors, and TV. It is time for us to learn first-hand about them and remove the misunderstandings and live freely. 

It is one of the bold books written about Muslims, and it highlights the sources of extremism and how to cure it.

Unfortunately, some of the Muslim scholars from the past have reduced Islam to a religion of rituals and obedience. This book brings clarity to Muslims and fellow humans and separates the chaff from the wheat for you.

What is the overall theme of your book?

The overall theme of the book is to open people's hearts and minds towards each other. I believe that the ultimate ‘unexpressed’ purpose of humans is to live freely and be comfortable with one's culture, race, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, and individuality.

Why do you think that this book will appeal to readers?

It will appeal to Muslims and Non-Muslims alike, as they have never seen the pristine, pluralistic Islam. Moreover, for the first time in Islamic history, the essence of Islam is explained. Also, for the first time, the book explains twelve values directly from the Quran that contributes towards building cohesive societies with no privileges to one over the other. It is human nature to get along with fellow beings, and this book will resonate with them and pave the path for them to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

TEN TAKE AWAY POINTS FROM THE BOOK

1. The American Muslim Agenda challenges Muslims to think and restore Islam to its original purpose – i.e., to create a cohesive America, where each one of the 323 Million Americans feels secure with his or her faith, race, ethnicity culture, sexual and political orientation. 

2. The American Muslim Agenda paves the way for Muslims to own their mistakes, and remedy them. It corrects how fellow Americans perceive Muslims.

3. Islam is not about imposing (Sharia) your ideas or governing others. Islam is about living your life and letting others live theirs with freedom. That is the original Islam. Islam is about freedom and firmly stands for free will.

4. The essence and purpose of Islam from a humanity’s (Aalameen) perspective for the first time.

5. Never before in Islamic history, twelve values of Islam that contribute to creating secure, orderly and cohesive societies have been articulated. Verses from the Quran fully back each value. Thus, the book becomes a reference manual to teach and learn about Islam.

6. The best way to combat Islamophobia is through education, engagement, and dialogue. There are many success stories narrated including dealing with Fox News, Sean Hannity, Stuart Varney and the supposedly most of the Islamaphobes.

7. This book is the product of twenty years of research and interviews with the right, left, and the moderate fellow humans from many faiths including 150 interviews at Fox News and its many right-leaning guests.

8. Can a Muslim become President of the United States? What does it take, there is a full chapter on the topic?

9. In the end, it is learning to respect the otherness of the other and accepting the God given the uniqueness of each one of the 323 million Americans.

10. There is a whole lot more, and it is all in the book.

Talk Version 1.0

Title of the talk: Muslims making America the Greatest nation on earth.

Americans Muslims are committed to building a cohesive America, an inclusive America where each one of the 323 Million Americans feel secure about his/her faith, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual and political orientation.

When you are free from apprehensions, and connect with fellow workers, the workplace becomes a joy to be. You will give 100% of your heart and mind to your work, and your family benefits from having a whole of you, thus creating a little heaven for yourselves.

Dr. Mike Ghouse, author, public speaker, pluralist, interfaith wedding officiant, and the president of the Center for Pluralism in Washington, DC., will discuss how Muslim efforts in building a cohesive America are working.

He points out that we are Americans, we are free and brave people and must jettison our apprehensions about each other to live freely. Mike advises that if you are a conservative, then grudgingly you'll see a value in what this book offers, and if you are on the left, you want more of it, and the moderates will dance with joy.

He points out that we are Americans, we are free, and the brave people, and must jettison our apprehensions about each other to live freely. How do we accomplish that? It is by knowing each other.

America has always led the world in science, medicine, math, agriculture, automation, information technology, exploration and all the advancements of the human race, and it is time for us to lead the world in building a cohesive nation. The book offers concrete solutions to Americans to make America a great and powerful model nation of inclusion for Americans to enjoy living their lives productively and purposefully, and the world to look up to us to emulate.

We have to assure each other and every American without exception that we are committed to each other's security, prosperity, and peace. Our goal is to reach out to every American who has not been reached before, particularly those who do not understand us. As American Muslims, we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined in our constitution.

Mike will share a few incredible success stories of dealing with our friends on the right and answer questions about Muslim efforts.

The book “American Muslim Agenda” will become a reference manual to knowledge seekers and teachers of Islam, and those who want to see one nation, one people and one America. For Muslims, it is backed up with verses from the Quran. You can order this book from Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, Google, and other book stores. See the talking points at http://www.AmericanMuslimAgenda.com and Mike’s profile appended at https://www.linkedin.com/inmikeghouse.

Talk Version 2:0

Title of the talk: Muslims making America the Greatest nation on earth

Americans Muslims are committed to building a cohesive America, an inclusive America where each one of the 323 Million Americans feel secure about his/her faith, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual and political orientation.

When you are free from apprehensions, and connect with fellow workers, the workplace becomes a joy to be. You will give 100% of your heart and mind to your work, and your family benefits from having a whole of you with them creating a little heaven for yourselves.

Dr. Mike Ghouse, author, public speaker, pluralist, interfaith wedding officiant, and the President of the Center for Pluralism in Washington, DC., will discuss how Muslim effort is ongoing in building a cohesive America, where each one of the 323 Million Americans feel secure about his/her faith, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual and political orientations.

He points out that we are Americans, we are free and brave people and must jettison our apprehensions about each other to live freely. Mike advises that if you are a conservative, then grudgingly you'll see a value in what this book offers, and if you are on the left, you want more of it, and the moderates will dance with joy.

The book paves the way for Muslims to own their mistakes, remedy them, and correct how fellow Americans perceive Muslims. Mike argues that Islam is not about imposing your ideas or governing others. Instead, Islam is about living your life and letting others live theirs with freedom. It is a bold challenge to Muslims. He shows a narration from humanity's (Aalameen) perspective of the essence and purpose of Islam for the first time in history.

Mike articulates, for the first time in Islamic history, twelve values of Islam that contribute to creating secure, orderly and cohesive societies. He concludes that the best way to combat Islamophobia (and other phobias) is through education, engagement, and dialogue. Mike lays out a clear agenda to foster harmony among fellow Americans. It is akin to planting a seed and nurturing to give the beneficence to the next generation.

Mike believes when Muslims become one with all and defend American values with their souls, they will become part of the American story, and everyone’s language will automatically shift from us vs. them to us, the one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. As American Muslims, we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined in our constitution.

This book will become a reference manual to teachers of Islam and knowledge seekers about Islam, as it is backed up verses from the Quran. You can order his book from Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, Google, and other book stores. See the talking points at http://www.AmericanMuslimAgenda.com and Mike’s profile appended at https://www.linkedin.com/inmikeghouse.

BOOK - Version 3.0

The American Muslim Agenda is a primer, a blueprint, and a road map for Americans in general and Muslims in particular.

A Muslim is someone who is a conflict mitigater and a goodwill nurturer, following the formula for peaceful societies practiced by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and guided by the Quran.

As a community, American Muslims have not developed any concrete plans to extricate themselves out of the chaotic situations, hostility and incessant Islamophobic rhetoric we face. Each time a terrorist acts out, we start praying and wishing that the terrorist not be a Muslim. We are Americans, and we can do better than that.

There is only one America, and all of us are fully integrated parts of that nation. We need to learn to engage with those who are opposed to us, and reassure them that we are all in this together. Mike will share some success stories.

When we start defending America and the American values we are in! We become an integral part of American Fabric. That is the clear objective articulated in this book.

The book is available at Amazon, Kindle, Google, Xlibris, Barnes & Nobles, and other book stores. The softcover is priced at $19.99, and the hardcover is $29.99. It is also available as an eBook.

The American Muslim Agenda will be in the hands of lawmakers, presidential candidates, media persons, lobbyists, think tanks, educators, interfaith activists, CEO, and fellow Americans. The book is about building a cohesive America where each one of us can live securely with our faith, race, ethnicity, and culture.

As American Muslims, we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined in our constitution.

Mike is a public speaker, author, interfaith wedding officiant, a newsmaker and the executive director of the Center for Pluralism in Washington, DC. More about him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeghouse/

Email to: SpeakerMikeGhouse@gmail.com or text (214) 325-1916

10 Beautiful Stories of Communal Harmony That Restored Our Faith in Humanity. And Our Country.

Communal harmony should not be mistaken for Pluralism.   Pluralism simply means respecting the otherness of others, here they have gone beyond and accepted the otherness of others as a part of them.

Mike Ghouse


Beautiful Stories of Communal Harmony That Restored Our Faith in Humanity

By Tanaya SinghIs there communal disharmony in our country today? If yes, are the instances rare common? Are Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and Christians capable of living in peace together like they have done for centuries in India? Or will they be divided by mischievous and malignant elements in society, much like the British divided and ruled India for years?

We had to look around very little in order to find beautiful examples of religious harmony in India today. Where people from different faiths come together in the spirit of humanity, celebrating India’s diversity and rich heritage of tolerance. Here are 10 examples of friendship, love and selflessness by people of different allegiances towards those from other backgrounds than theirs. They are bound to restore your faith in humanity and your country.

1. When Hindus and Muslims Shared Some Moments of Grief Together

Source: Wikimedia 

Hindu and Muslim residents of Sendhwa town in Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh came together to cremate 75-old-year Sitaram who had no family member left behind. People from both the communities attended his funeral ceremony and cremated him with full honour.

2. When Muslims Paid Respect to a Hindu Martyr

Picture for representation only. Source: Wikimedia

A mosque in the Malappuram city of Kerala continues with the tradition of celebrating an 18th century Hindu martyr even today. His name was Kunhelu and he is a respected legendary figure. It is believed that Kunhelu lost his life along with 43 Muslim warriors in a battle, when the then ruler of Kozhikode attacked Malabar, about 290 years ago. Kunhelu belonged to the goldsmith community and he joined his Muslim friends in the war which started over an issue of tax collection. Every year, a group of Muslims gather at the Valiyangadi Jumma masjid to pay homage to the martyr who is buried at the mosque. The descendants of Kunhelu are also invited during prayer meetings.

3. When Hindus and Sikhs Helped Repair a Mosque

Picture for representation only. Source: Wikimedia

People from the Sikh and Hindu communities helped repair an old mosque in Nathowal village near Ludhiana. They also took care of more than 65 percent of the repair expenses. The project cost was around Rs. 25 lakh, of which Rs. 15 lakh was contributed by Sikhs and Hindus. The three communities live in peace in this village. Muslims and Hindus contribute to the gurudwara work as well. A resident of the village informed The Times of India that they celebrate all festivals like Diwali, Dusshera, Rakhi, Eid, and Gurupurab together.

4. When Hindus Helped a Muslim Couple Deliver a Baby

Picture for representation only. Source: Wikimedia

27-year-old Ilayaz Shaikh was taking his pregnant wife to the hospital in a taxi in Mumbai. But Noor Jahan went into labour midway and, to the couple’s shock, the cab driver asked them to leave as he did not want her to deliver the baby in his car. Spotting a Ganesha temple at a distance, the couple walked towards it and were helped by a group of women who created a makeshift delivery room in the temple. They helped in the successful delivery of a baby boy. To commemorate this gesture and the fateful day, Noor Jahan named her son Ganesh.

5. When a Muslim Man Performed His Friend’s Last Rites Following All Hindu Rituals

When Santosh Singh lost his life to a terminal disease, his friend Razzak Khan Tikari, a Muslim, performed his last rites following all Hindu rituals. He set a very touching example of how religion can never be a barrier when it comes to true friendship. Razzak is a resident of Chhattisgarh, and he had been friends with Santosh for many years. Santosh and his family were not very well off. After Santosh’s death, Razzak also helped his friend’s wife financially.

6. When Ganesh Chaturthi and Bakra-Eid Were Celebrated in the Same Pandal

Source: Facebook 

During the celebration of Bakra-Eid this year, many Muslim devotees in Mumbai were seen performing their prayers inside a Ganpati pandal. How did this happen? When members of the Seva Sangh Ganeshotsav Mandal in Colaba saw that the Madrassa Rahamatiya Talimul Quran mosque could not accommodate all the devotees who had turned up to offer their prayers, they invited them to the pandal meant for Ganesha Chaturthi celebration so they could pray in peace.

7. Beyond Caste and Religion, the Inmates of a Jail Fast for Ramzan Together

Photo: Flickr

To show solidarity with their Muslim friends, all inmates of Ludhiana jail decided to fast during Ramzan. Muslim inmates in the jail celebrated Diwali and Gurupurab with the Hindu and Sikh inmates in the same spirit.

8. When a Muslim Decided to translate the Hanuman Chalisa into Urdu

Source: Flickr

Abid Alvi, a Muslim youth, has translated the Hindu prayer, Hanuman Chalisa, into Urdu with the view that it will unite the two communities as they will understand each other’s culture and beliefs better. A resident of Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, Abid took three months to complete the translation. He wishes that Urdu books should be converted to Hindi and vice versa.

9. And a Hindu Man Decided to Write Prophet Muhammad’s Biography – in Marwari

Rajeev Sharma read about Prophet Muhammad and was impressed by his teachings. So he wrote a book about him in Marwari, a regional language of Rajasthan. The 112-page-long book called “Paigambar ro Paigaam” talks about the life of Prophet Muhammad. The book is available for free on Sharma’s e-library, which has a collection of over 300 books. It can be downloaded here.

10. And Finally, This Muslim Performer Who Sings Kirtans

Source: YouTube

Shaikh Riyazoddin Abdul Gani, better known as ‘Rajubaba Kirtankar’, is seen singing Meera Bhajans while balancing a water-filled pot on his head. This 73-year-old from Beed city in Maharashtra was fascinated by Hinduism when he was a child and used to sit outside temples to learn kirtans. Eventually he was accepted by Hindus in the temple, and started singing there. On realising that people were falling asleep during kirtans, he decided to give them a twist with a dancing-singing routine. He used to sing while bringing water from the river, and that gave him the idea of adding a pot to the performance. A few months back he also gave a performance at the Spic Macay festival of IIT-Bombay.

- See more at: http://www.thebetterindia.com/37927/communal-harmony-in-india/#sthash.bbYOjnq8.dpuf

--

It is useless to discuss the peace of the world. What is necessary just now is to create peace in ourselves that we, ourselves, become examples of love, harmony and peace. That is the only way of saving the world and ourselves.

(Sufi Inayat Khan)

This is the example of reaching heights of humanity and spirituality, to raise a Hindu child in Hindu tradition. It is difficult in a nation like Pakistan to do so, but there are so many good people out there, and am glad to read this story and share it at http://foundationforpluralism.blogspot.com

Mike Ghouse
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'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' woman stuck in Pakistan for 13 years goes home to India

Story of Geeta, who is deaf and mute, mirrors that of Bollywood hit, but happy ending might prove elusive

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/26/bajrangi-bhaijaan-woman-stuck-in-pakistan-for-13-years-goes-home-to-india

 

A young deaf-mute Indian woman stranded in Pakistan for 13 years has finally returned to her homeland despite uncertainty over whether she will ever succeed in finding her family.

Known as Geeta, the woman received a hero’s welcome at Delhi airport on Monday before being whisked away for a meeting with India’s foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, and a DNA test that, it is hoped, will confirm she belongs to a family from Bihar she recently recognised from photographs.

  With all the improbability of the Bollywood hit Bajrangi Bhaijaan – a film about a mute Pakistani girl lost in India – Geeta’s story has attracted intense public interest and some high-level cooperation between two rival governments.

 

Geeta, who is now in her early 20s, was found alone, confused and without identification papers in Lahore in 2002 after apparently boarding a train from India.

She was taken in by the Edhi Foundation, a major Pakistani charity based in Karachi, the city where she has lived for more than a decade in a shelter with a small temple provided for her personal use.

Abdul Sattar Edhi and his wife Bilquis took a close interest in her upbringing, even choosing the name by which she is now known.

Although Bilquis reportedly hoped to find a suitable husband for Geeta from among Pakistan’s Hindu minority, the young woman herself never gave up hope of returning home.

There were few clues to go on, however. An Indian phone number she wrote down for her guardians was incomplete and no one in Karachi was able to decipher her writing.

Her story has been muddled. By one account she somehow wandered across one of the most heavily militarised borders in the world after getting lost at a religious festival.

But her luck changed when the Edhis decided to capitalise on interest in the release of Bajrangi Bhaijaan this summer to republicise her plight.

 

It led to fresh leads, including a family in the Indian state of Bihar which Geeta enthusiastically recognised as her own after Indian diplomats in Islamabad arranged for photographs to be sent to the Edhi Foundation.

 

Their version of events, however, is that their daughter was married and had a child when she left home. It is at odds with what Geeta has communicated about herself though sign language.

After arriving in the Indian capital the foreign minister Swaraj said Geeta was “refusing to recognise her family”. “It doesn’t matter if we find her parents or not, she is a daughter of India and we will take care of her,” Swaraj told journalists.

Members of the Bihar family were present at the airport on Monday morning to try and greet the young woman.

“It’s been a long wait,” said Vinod Kumar, who claims to be her brother. “We thank both the countries for their efforts to unite Geeta with the family.”

Although an evening reception in her honour at the Pakistani High Commission in Delhi was cancelled in light of the deadly earthquake that struck the region on Monday, Geeta had a busy first day back in India, which culminated in a meeting with prime minister Narendra Modi.

“It was truly wonderful to have you back home,” he tweeted to his 15.7m followers, in addition to praising the Edhis for looking after her.

 

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 26, 2015

 

Welcome Geeta. It is truly wonderful to have you back home. Was truly a delight to spend time with you today. pic.twitter.com/DngJF2Tk31

 

The effort to repatriate her comes at a time when both countries have accused each other of supporting terrorist groups and have struggled to conduct normal business, including striking agreements on international cricket fixtures.

 

Relations have also been soured by increasingly strident anti-Pakistan agitation by far-right Hindu nationalists. On Saturday a play featuring Pakistani actors in Delhi was disrupted by activists.

Minutes after Pakistan’s foreign ministry published a statement wishing Geeta well on Monday, the government in Islamabad announced it had summoned a top Indian diplomat for a dressing down over “unprovoked ceasefire violations” along a section of the border contested by Pakistan.

Pakistan said a 15-year-old girl was among the three people killed in the firing, calling it a “detestable and deplorable act”.

Courtesy of Guardian
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A dead child, a world gone mad

Aylan Kurdi and the refugee problem | Foundation for pluralism
http://foundationforpluralism.blogspot.com/2015/09/a-dead-child-world-gone-mad.html


This article calls on us to look into ourselves and our prejudices. When some of us are loaded with hate for others, we lose our humanity and we do not respect the humanness of others.

Aylan Kurdi's image has remained on my mind all day long, a similar image had stuck to me when I was a kid and my neighbor had committed a suicide by going under the train.  It reminds us of the magnitude of the refugee problem.  I was at CAIR's press conference, and Bob Morrow was one of the individuals that spoke, and he choked looking at the image, it invoked similar images of Vietnam to him. His sentiment was contagious, I deeply felt the same. 

I was listening to NPR and they shared the story of a woman who was crossing different borders... with her children. She was laughing and I was thinking about her plight, finally when she was crossing the border, facing the police, she begged the police to save her child, and not her.. how desperate was she for her child's life. She choked and I could not stop crying either. 

I sincerely hope and pray that all of us at least keep up with the crises, may it open our hearts and minds. There are a great number of good people in the world, who have taken to the street to do something about the plight of humanity, while there are others who have no empathy for human sufferings.

The author questions the South Asian minds when it comes to refugees. A few among us are so hateful to the others that we do not care about others.

The least we can, each one of us can do is to reflect on the refugee problems all across the world, don't focus on the bad guys, but focus on the plight of the victims

Mike Ghouse
Foundation for Pluralism 

A dead child, a world gone mad

Courtesy Rediff.com

Last updated on: September 04, 2015 15:33 IST

If Aylan Kurdi was a Bangladeshi boy on the border with Assam or West Bengal, would you call him an infiltrator, asks Mango Indian.

I can't watch those photographs of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi's body on a Turkish beach. I avoided him, though the links to his story -- from Syria, drowned with his mother and five-year-old brother trying to get to Greece -- kept appearing on my screens for about two days.

But when I picked up the newspaper from the floor groggy in the morning, those images blew a hole through my heart. Like the feeling I had when I cut a little bead-encrusted band from my daughter's wrist when she was two months old. Maybe her biological mother -- as adoptee parents we don't know her, we cannot by law -- thought it would protect her. It did, but it could have failed too.

The migrant crisis -- and debate -- raging across Europe is of proportions not seen since World War II. The civil war in Syria, sparked by years of drought and a dictator who didn't care, and the Islamic State's brutal and obscene march through an Iraq abandoned by America, have thrown a migrant wave towards Europe. Aylan's lifeless body might just push the EU into accepting more refugees.

Meanwhile, we in India have been dehumanised to the massive movement of dispossessed people within our country. We are used to children begging at traffic stops, to stories of dead newborns gnawed by rats.

A leader of the far-right UKIP, the largest UK party in the European parliament, said Aylan was fed and clothed, and died because of his parents' greed for the good life in Europe. Or words to that effect, which echo what we urban 'middle class' Indians often feel about roadside dwellers: Why did they have to come from wherever they are from? They wanted the good life in the big city. Why do they have to breed? Isn't parenthood a privilege meant for those with enough money?

Aylan's family was fleeing the Islamic State; Turkey, which reportedly treats Syrian refugees badly, would not give them an exit visa; Canada wouldn't accept them as refugees. An overwhelming majority of the hundreds of thousands of people risking -- and often losing to -- death to cross the seas into Italy or Greece, and then onwards wherever they can get some dignity, are fleeing Syria. Others are from equally war-ravaged countries: Iraq, Libya, Eritrea, Sudan, even Afghanistan.

Asia is also facing its own migrant crisis. Thousands of people keep setting sail on the Bay of Bengal, mostly from Myanmar and Bangladesh, in rickety human smugglers' boats that often sink or get lost. More than 100,000 such people have tried to get to Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia since 2014, and the UN has warned that fresh batches are expected when the rains get over and the seas calm.

The global migrant crisis is fed by hunger, driven by oppression, and boosted by lack of a future in large swaths of this planet. But as a brilliant post that struck out the word 'migrant' from a BBC news report and replaced it with 'people' -- wherever it occurred in the report -- explained, ultimately it's a humanitarian issue. It's a global crisis that will keep playing out in varying scales.

If strife is test of character, humanity has failed because faced with a global flood the people on dry land have chosen to close their gates. Throughout history, human beings have risked all to look for a better future for their children. Few with passports, many without. You can rationalise it and, of course, enforce it, but a border is a human construct. Someone drew an imaginary line and called it a country, or state, or town, or city.

And there's no end to drawing borders, between India and Bangladesh, between South India and North India, between Maharashtra and UP, between your gated community wall and that slum beyond.

Germany has said it will accept 800,000 refugees this year. We have people who are frothing at the mouth about a Muslim takeover of India even though census on census data shows the Muslim growth rate is declining.

If Aylan were a Bangladeshi boy on the border with Assam or West Bengal, would you call him an infiltrator?

Demographers point to an exodus of people from India's villages to the cities, which are bursting at the seams. The Maharashtra NGO we adopted from told us that many abandoned children are of 'migrants' from villages to the towns, from towns to the cities.

Meanwhile, alarm signals from the villages -- the reason why millions of people live in subhuman conditions next to first-world luxuries -- are lost in the neon and chrome of next big dam India.

We have Kashmiri Pandits, refugees in their own land. We are now even banning and hounding people who try to highlight stories from the Mahan depths of our country. And there are no dead Aylans washing up ashore, only eyes from beyond the car window at the traffic light. Eyes we have long evolved to ignore.

Mango Indian

President Kalam and Islam - by Najid Hussain

Kalam and Islam | Foundation for Pluralism | The Ghouse Diary.com 

Najid Hussain;

Your article, “Kalam and Islam” is one of the finest articles I have read about religious and social pluralism, and it resonates with me, and a reflection of my own understanding of religion.

This article has changed my opinion about you, although I have always respected your take on many an issues, I had erroneously placed you in limited understanding of Islam category – now your article changes all that. I am so glad you wrote it. 

Indeed, I chose to become a Muslim in the late 90's, and Bhagvad Gita is one of the three reasons to lead me there, I was irreligious for the previous 30 years of my life (several videos and write ups are available on the net).

Islam and Quran are not for Muslims alone, they are guidance for whole humanity – God is God of Universe, (Rabbul Aalameen), Prophet Muhammad’s message is message for whole humanity (Rahmatul Aalameen) and we have to become Muklooqul Aalameen (beings that embrace whole humanity)  to complete the equation. I have written extensively on the topic, some day, I will exchange that with you if you have the time. As I find the freedom in you to see the philosophical dimension of Islam as opposed to remaining entrenched in the ritual aspect of it.

It may be difficult for a few people to swallow that Religion, every religion is a beautiful gift of God to humanity and serve the same purpose – creating societies that function cohesively. God wants his creation to remain coherent.

The only thing that caused me to pause about your article is the use of the word "Only", “it is only Hindu faith that truly understands….” and “it is only Hindu philosophy….”   Five years ago, I was sitting in the Baptist Church in Dallas – Pastor Robert Jeffers claimed, “ Its only Christianity that teaches the purpose and meaning of life”… and I made extensive notes during his sermon that Hinduism, Islam, Baha’I, Budhism, Judaism, Sikhism and all other faiths that teach the purpose and meaning of life. (The whole story is at www.QuraanConference.com).

As beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, faith is in the heart of the believer. No mother is inferior to her offspring, and no faith is inferior to its believer. If we can learn to respect the otherness of others and accept the God given uniqueness of each one of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.

Najid, I am glad you wrote this piece and God willing, I will share this on my Pluralism, Islam and other sites. It is a good article. Congratulations.

Article is at Outlook Magazine - http://www.outlookindia.com/article/kalam-and-islam/216493

 Mike is a speaker, thinker, writer, pluralist,  TV-Radio commentator and a human rights activist committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His info in 63 links at MikeGhouse.net and writings at TheGhouseDiary.com 

Asia’s highest cross in Pakistan, congratulations.

ASIA'S TALLEST CROSS IN PAKISTAN | FOUNDATION FOR PLURALISM 
http://foundationforpluralism.blogspot.com/2015/06/asias-highest-cross-in-pakistan.html

This is good news, and a  good step forward. I hope with this Pakistan's tradition of Pluralism is rekindled. Let all religions flourish, let God be honored in every which way he can .  As any minority anywhere in the world, the Christian community of Pakistan has gone out of the way to build relationships with the majority and it is time to recognize this. Let the Government of Pakistan protect this monument.

When Barack Obama  became President of the United States, he gave hope to the world, that in a civilized nation, a person's skin color, religion, financial or minority status does not matter, as long as the person has the merit to serve the nation. Islam teaches and the Prophet reinforced the ideals of equal opportunity, access, schooling, housing, jobs or retirement with simple words in his last sermon - no discrimination of any kind and no one is superior to the other.  I am glad to see this cross, it is symbolic.

I hope someday,  the people will rise and make Pakistan once again a civil society and rip the discriminatory laws. I also hope some day a  Christian, Hindu, Sikh or an Ahmadi can become head of the state and uplift the psyche of the nation. Indonesia has done that with Djoko as its president.  That is a pinnacle achievement of a civil society.

I am delighted with this good news, as a Pluralist, may be some of us from Dallas join them in celebrating the opening of the cross.

May God bless Pakistan and  a genuine democracy emerge.

Mike Ghouse
www.foundationforpluralism.blogspot.com 
www.StandingupforOthers.com 

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Asia’s highest cross in Pakistan: A fitting tribute to selfless Christian community

May 29, 2015, 4:29 PM IST Sameer Arshad in Gray Areas | World | TOI

http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gray-areas/asias-highest-cross-in-pakistan-a-fitting-tribute-to-selfless-christian-community/

When Pakistani real-estate tycoon Parvez Henry Gill’s dream project would be a reality later this year, it would tower over Pakistan’s financial nerve centre — Karachi — as Asia’s highest Christian cross. Gill hopes to inaugurate the 140-feet religious symbol with large celebration in presence of Pope Francis, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Queen Elizabeth II and ex-US secretary of state Hillary Clinton. The inauguration would be of great symbolic value in a city with large Hindu and Christian population and a sprinkling of Parsis and Sikhs. It would importantly coincide with the implementation of the National Action Plan formulated to combat terrorism and radicalization, which led to massacre of around 150 children in Peshawar last year. The real test of the plan would be how it changes the lives of ordinary Christians and people from other minority communities, who are often at the receiving end of discriminatory laws. Pakistan’s efforts to root out terrorism and radicalisation would be inadequate as long as it does not fulfill the promise of equal citizenship the country’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah had emphatically made to the minorities. In case of Christians in particular, it would not be a favour but recognition of their selfless services to the country.

A 140-foot cross at the Gora Qabristan Cemetery (Getty images)

The Pakistani Christian contribution has not been limited to healthcare and quality education, which has given Pakistan some of its finest politicians, jurists, soldiers and sportsmen. The community has perhaps punched above it weight most in the battlefield, something that may surprise most. Christian officers have made their presence felt in upper echelons of Pakistani armed forces and have been decorated with highest gallantry awards. Air Commodore Nazir (Bill) Latif was one of the first Christian officers to make a mark in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). He has the distinction of commanding all PAF fighter wings besides its Fighter Leader’s School and the tactical wing. Bill came into his in the 1965 war when India overwhelmed Pakistan as its tanks crossed the border and had Lahore Cantonment within their range.

Nazir (Bill) Latif (Wikipedia)

In his 2011 obituary in a Pakistan newspaper, Bill’s junior, Air Commodore (retd) Sajad Haider, echoed criticism of Pakistani version of exaggerated exploits in the 1965 war as ‘unsubstantiated rhetoric’. But he credited men like Bill with ‘halting the juggernaut of the Indian invasion’. Haider wrote Bill’s last mission during the war ‘was the deepest penetration’ in Indian territory against ‘their farthest bomber base in Agra – with Mig-21s, SAM missiles and the inferno of light and heavy anti-aircraft shells emblazing the sky over the target’. He added Pakistan’s second highest military award — Hilal-e-Jurat —was created for him, which he got for the second time for his role in the 1971 war even as Pakistan was decimated and dismembered. Bill, according to Haider, was the only commander in his air rank to fly ‘dangerous daylight and night missions against the Indian deluge in Khokhrapar sector threatening Hyderabad (Sindh)’ in 1971.

Like Bill, Wing Commander Mervyn Lesley Middlecoat is known for his rare exploits in the otherwise disastrous 1971 Pakistani campaign. He was conferred Sitara-e-Jurat for the second time posthumously when he fell into the sea after he ejected from his aircraft as a missile hit it over the Gulf of Kutch while strafing aircraft at Jamnagar air force base in 1971. Middlecoat (31) was commanding PAF’s 26 Squadron in Peshawar before the war. He had opted out of a deputation to Jordon to take part in it. Middlecoat was among six pilots chosen for bombing heavily-guarded Jamnagar base. He had earlier been awarded Sitara-e-Jurat for the first time during the 1965 war for defending Karachi when Indian jets bombed the city. The Ludhiana-born Anglo-Pakistani had brought down two jets and earned the name of the ‘Defender of Karachi’. Group Captain Faisal Chaudhry, another Christian officer, too was awarded Sitara-e-Jurrat twice for his role in 1965 and 1971 wars.

Rear-Admiral Leslie Norman Mungavin, who had opted out of his posting in London as defence attaché to fight the 1971 war, has the distinction of being the highest ranking Pakistani Christian military officer. He served as a prisoner of war following his capture in Chittagong before becoming the deputy chief of Pakistani navy and National Shipping Corporation chairman. The two-star admiral had opted for Pakistan after partition and served its navy for 33 years. He commanded various war ships and was awarded Sitara-e-Pakistan in recognition of his services. Mungavin’s body was cremated and his ashes were scattered over the Arabian Sea following his military funeral as per his wishes in Pakistan following his death in UK in 1995.

In the army, Christian officers Noeel Israel and Julian Peter have achieved the third highest — Major General — rank. Many like Yubri Malven and Simon Simon Sharaf, who is now a leading member of Imran Khan’s party, have been Brigadiers. Sharaf’s brother, Captain Justin George Napoleon Sharaf, spent over a year in an Indian prisoner of war camp after he was captured following the fall of Dhaka in 1971. Allahabad-born ex-federal minister Shiv Kumar Tressler, a Christian, retired as a colonel before joining the Foreign Service, where he went on to become director general in 1994. Among the decorated Christian army officers, Major Sermecis Rauf was awarded Sitara-e-Basalat for bravery. In 2009, Major Julian James, a commando, was wounded while fighting the Taliban death cult in Swat.

But no Christian officer has captured the public imagination as much as fighter pilot Cecil Chaudhry, whose contributions go beyond the battlefield. He was first conferred Pakistan’s third highest bravery award for his role in the 1965 war. But his heroics became legendary in the 1971 war even though his country was decimated and disremembered. Cecil Chaudhry is said to have continued flying his plane at the height of 3,500 feet even as it took a hit. The plane caught fire as Chaudhry landed it on a minefield with broken ribs inside the Pakistani territory. He was decorated with his second bravery award as he insisted on continuing fighting and shot down two aircraft over the area, where his own plane had been hit. Cecil Chaudhry had been cleared for promotion in 1983, but was shocked to learn that military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq had blocked it as part of his poisonous policies of exclusion. The decorated officer resigned three years later as Group Captain after 28-year-old career.

Cecil Chaudhry (Wikipedia)

He used his stature to speak up for the victims of injustices in the Pakistani society till his death as an activist and educationalist. He fought Zia’s poisonous legacy in the form of draconian blasphemy laws. He mentored Shahbaz Bhatti, the Catholic federal minister who was killed in Islamabad in March 2011 for his campaign against the draconian laws often used to target poor Christians. Cecil Chaudhry vowed to continue his struggle against the draconian laws after Bhatti’s assassination even as he was battling lung cancer.

Cecil Chaudhry had his share of successes as an activist. He was instrumental in ending separate electorates system for the minorities, which was another poisonous Zia legacy of religious apartheid. Cecil Chaudhry saw this as a betrayal of Jinnah’s ideals. He had a very non-sectarian view of activism and believed powerful persecuted 90% of his countrymen. The celebrated fighter pilot passed away in June 2012. Hundreds of politicians, military officers, educationalists and activists bid him final farewell at Lahore’s Sacred Heart Cathedral. They celebrated his legacy that is at par with his countrymen like Victor Turner and Alvin Robert Cornelius, who was Pakistan’s first non-Muslim chief justice. Agra-born Cornelius belonged to the Goan Christian community, which along with upper caste Hindus and Parsis buck the general trend of marginalisation of religious minorities. Hindus in Pakistan mostly belong to the lower castes, while large numbers of Christians are descendants of converts from these communities. This is among the reasons of their marginalisation.

Goan Christians are among the most prosperous minority communities in Pakistan. The community has given Pakistan some of the finest journalists, soldiers, educationists, sportspeople, businessmen, jurists etc. Goan Christians began making a mark ever since they arrived in Karachi when the British occupied Sindh under Charles Napier in 1843. They were attracted to the sleepy coastal-village-turned-megacity as it offered them new opportunities in trade and commerce. Parsis and Goans in fact managed the city as majority of the Hindus left Karachi while Indian Muslims began arriving there in 1947. They ran educational institutions, hospitals clubs, pubs and wine stores. According to a Pakistani Goan Christian website, Goans in particular ‘were in the limelight of everything, from municipality to customs, judiciary to policing, sports, music and stage plays to ballroom dancing, and of course cuisiné.

Goan Frank D’Souza, who was the first Indian to become a Railway Board member under the British, set-up Pakistan’s railway system in 1947 on Jinnah’s request. Tollentine Fonseca wrote the musical score of Pakistan’s national anthem while Manuel Misquita was one of Karachi’s first elected mayors after the formation of Pakistan.

Anthony Mascarenhas, whose famous article in 1971 turned the tide against Pakistan in East Pakistan (Bangladesh) in 1971, was a Goan Pakistani Christian. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi cited his article, saying it shocked her deeply and prompted her to campaign globally to prepare ground for India’s intervention in East Pakistan. Mascarenhas was very close to the Pakistani establishment. This was the reason why he was handpicked along with seven other Pakistani journalists for a 10-day tour to East Pakistan. The tour was organised to ‘expose Bengali rebels’ for massacring thousands of people opposed to them. Mascarenhas’s colleagues toed the establishment’s line while he had an article published in the UK’s The Sunday Times headlined ‘Genocide’, detailing the extent of Pakistani brutality in East Pakistan. Mascarenhas later became the first journalist to report Pakistan had developed nukes in 1979.

In the battlefield, Goan Brigadier Mervyn Cardoza’s exploits won him Tamgha-e-Khidmat (seventh highest award). His brother, Colonel Eric Cardoza, Lieutenant Colonel David DeSouza, Major Joseph Lobo, Major Kenneth Cardoza, Brigadier Dr Hilary Zuzarte have received Sitara-e-Basalat. Air Commodore Charles Zuzarte was decorated with the Sitara-e-Basalat. Other prominent Goans, who have served the military with distinction, include Brigadier FG Pinto (army), Commanders Stanislaus DeSouza, Arthur Cardoza, and Lieutenant Commander Phillip Menezes (navy), Flight Lieutenants Reginald Nazareth and Rudy D’Souza (air force). Among the sleuths Blasé Mascarenhas, who retired as Intelligence Bureau deputy director, was decorated Tamgha-e-Khidmat, for their services. Maurice Raymond was the first Pakistani General Manager of the Karachi Port Trust, while Joseph D’Mello went on to become Pakistan Railway Board chairman and Sydney Pereira the head of Atomic Energy Commission. Among the sportsmen, Mathais Wallis, who batted with Hanif Mohammad’s during his record 337-run innings at Port of Spain in 1958, and Antao D’Souza played test cricket for Pakistan.

Most of these men grew up in Karachi, which has suffered the most as a result of Pakistan’s obsession with strategic depth in Afghanistan and the chronic extremism it brought to the city still known for its diversity. Gill’s record-breaking cross should be an important celebration of this diversity and Christian contribution to the city and the country. Pakistan needs to compliment it with more concrete measures that go beyond tokenism and combat radicalism corroding the society with greater sense of purpose. By attending the inauguration of the cross, Prime Minister Sharif should put the money where his mouth is to end the scourge of extremism, which cannot be ended with out rooting Zia’s poisonous exclusionary policies reflected in discriminatory laws against the minorities. Karachi is Pakistan’s soul and the cross coming up there is perhaps a good omen for Islamabad’s promised curative surgery to rid the country of the cancer of extremism.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.