Muslim scholars challenge Salman Rushdie to debate on Islam

By Dilip -
NB: This is a welcome step. Since some of these gentlemen were at the forefront of the storm of intimidatory speeches & remarks about both Rushdie and Taslima, it is for them to arrange the debate, presuming Rushdie accepts the invitation. The first step would be an unconditional guarantee of personal safety to persons who disagree with them.  After all, threats have been issued even this year. The Muslim scholars have every right to criticise and even stage public protests against writers they dislike, but this must remain within the bounds of law, and must never include physical threats and hooliganism on the streets.  Don't they realise that such behaviour undermines the constitutional freedoms that they too, must depend on?

 Taslima Nasreen has been given asylum in India, and must be allowed to live in a city of her choice, Kolkata if  she likes. Why should anyone oppose her entry into this or that city merely because she spoke her mind about religion? The scholars should arrange a public debate with her as well and invite others to participate. Doing so will enhance their stature and help reduce communal tension in the country - Dilip

 MUMBAI: A group of scholars who are also members of the powerful All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has invited controversial author Salman Rushdie to debate on Islam and the Prophet' s life. This is a significant change of position from the general Muslim view which has opposed Rushdie's visit to India ever since his controversial novel The Satanic Verses created a storm in the 1980s.

The scholars who favour a dialogue with Rushdie were participating in a seminar on Azmat-e-Rasool (the Prophet's greatness) on Sunday in Mumbai. Rushdie reportedly wants to visit Mumbai to promote Deepa Mehta-directed movie Midnight's Children, based on his novel of the same name. Many at the seminar, organized by Wahdat-e-Islami Hind, an NGO not known for its charitable views on Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasreen, were surprised when senior lawyer and member of AIMPLB Yusuf Muchala proposed: "Instead of opposing his visit to Mumbai, let us invite Rushdie to this city and answer our questions. If he has the guts he should explain to us why he wrote such a blasphemous book."

Muchalla, who heads the personal law board's legal cell, also appealed to the Muslims not to resort to violent protests against Rushdie. Echoing Muchala, Dr Shakil Samdani, a professor of law at Aligarh Muslim University and a speaker at the Wahdat-e-Islami Hind seminar, told TOI: "Rushdie should listen to the sane voices of the Muslims. Instead of issuing death threats against him and opposing his visit to India, Muslims must try to engage him in an informed debate." 




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