It
is futile to make generalizations about people and any group. BBS is referring
to the Halal issue as a plan by the Muslim community to spread their philosophy
and impose it on people. It is far from it, as most Muslim people never wanted the
halal certification, and are now forced to adhere to it because it is there,
and not demanded by the Muslims in general. It therefore was a way to force
Muslims to use halal saying if it is not certified then you should not! This is
AN underhand way to further reinforce halal on first Muslim and then optionally
on others.
Do
not accuse the whole Muslim community for the plans and ideas of a few,
sometimes well meaning at other times devious people with personal agendas. No
different to what the BBS is. They cut from the same cloth just different
sides!!
I
have many Muslim friends and their habits most fundamentalists will describe as
heretical. However they believe in their faith very strongly, they are
headstrong, many female, who wish to have freedom to do as they please. They
are able to justify their behavior with the teachings of the Koran and do not
wish any Mullah other than the one who pastors to advise them. They are like
most of us in Sri Lanka, working, caring for their families and surviving with
no intention to dictate.
It
is clear one can come to terms with one’s religion, with a sense of respect but
not blind adherence to rules laid down strictly interpreted by some
fundamentalists. There were certain situations at the time of the beginning of
Islam, that determined how and why rules of behavior were set up, and it is the
fundamentalists that interpret it in a way that does not make sense to many and
worse to non-Muslims, resulting in fear, misunderstanding and worse religious
tension.
In
the end what I believe, and what many Muslims have told me is how they lead
their lives, not judging others, is what is important. There are differences of
opinion with the Shia Sunni sects, so one does not have to accept one method as
true and all others false! They fast, they pray, they don’t eat pork, and try
and ensure the meats are halal, but they maintain, that it is absurd to check
that every product is certified, by checking processes ingredients and how foods
are prepared. What is the logic for a water bottle to be halal certified, when
a certification does not guarantee it and only offers peace of mind, not fool
proof certification? It is how God wants them to behave. It is about being
modest, not covering one’s hair. They are the most wonderful of my friends and
are never critical of what I do, nor I of them. The principle of not being
judgmental is at the heart of live and let live, as we MUST NOT create a
non-existent monster to divide our amity.
3 comments:
Actually it speaks volumes of the experiences, prejudices and a lack of appreciation by the BBS that any community is a collection of individuals with different opinions.
We use a method to impose our opinions on others, and MUST do so using a rational approach. If we engage in fear, racism, and lies to get a following, sooner or later that following will evaporate.
So let us appeal to people with common sense to resolve this issue amicably, and sock it to the maniacal extremists on both sides, spewing hate and venom on initially an ignorant section, who then get locked in to a force fed myth of theirs.
The BBS has by their words and deeds succeeded in creating a truly horrifying ‘Goni Billa’ in the minds of many Buddhists based on the Halaal Certification System administered by the ACJU. The BBS basically claims that this System benefits only the Muslim Community in Sri Lanka and is detrimental to the interest of the Majority Community. However, as you correctly point out in your Post, the Muslims never asked or demanded the introduction of Halaal Certificates for local products.
Sadly, the BBS has chosen (deliberately or otherwise) to ignore the greater beneficiary of the Halaal Certification System – the 24 Exporters of Food & Herbal Products to Overseas Muslim Markets. The banning the Halaal System would have drastic consequences on the Income of these Companies and on the employment opportunities that they currently offer. This in turn would at the end of the day have a serious negative impact on the Economy of our Motherland.
At least one such Exporter has finally expressed his frank opinion in this regard.
http://www.lakbima.lk/news/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7528%3A2013-02-27-04-59-46&catid=34%3Anews&Itemid=62
I hope many more Exporters will find the courage to step up to the plate and reveal the true extent of the benefits accruing to their Organizations from the Halaal Certification System.
http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/26092-british-push-to-expedite-tangalle-killing-probe.html
Looks like the Brits are finally doing something as you challenged them to do in one of your previous articles.
Odd how is is bing done though an MP instead of the Foreign Office.
Me thinks the Foreign Office has been doing nothing, and that the family had to try and push through other channels.
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