Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

The Qasbah culture

Sir, — Mushirul Hasan's article in two parts under the above caption (July 22 and 23) narrates the traumatic changes in Islamic societies in India since the demand for a separate homeland for Muslims living in the Indian subcontinent began in the early Twenties of the last century. The Qasbah culture was basically a local entity, totally independent of religion and worship, gave birth to a highly integrated society where peace and harmony were essential features.

Religious fundamentalism sparked by Islam outside the subcontinent was imported into India and thus started a phase of intolerance and communal bigotry smashing the fine fabric of the Qasbah culture. A crisis of identity gripped the Muslim leaders in India and a similar movement was started by the Hindu hardliners which finally torpedoed the peace and harmony of Indian society.

Despite Koranic sanctions for the adoption of local customs, culture, language, etc., by the believers of Islam, the leaders of Islam preferred exclusiveness and separatism in culture for political advantage. The result is devastatingly horrible. Can we reverse this?

G.Azeemuddin,
Anantapur, A.P.

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