Re: Hafiz Hamdullah vs Marvi Sarmad...cat fight.
There is absolutely no place in Islam for things like burning girls, or burying them. Islam came to eradicate all of these barbaric practices which were practiced by the polytheists. There is an urgent need for education on what Islam is about, how to live according to it, and most importantly of all there is a major need to highlight the Life of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) because he is an example, and a role model for Muslims because he encompasses the best of characters. Nowhere in the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) have I read of any incidents where the mothers of believers reported any cruel punishment, or physical torture or abuse within the households.
Our scholars, especially from the sub-continent because that's relevant here need re-education because unfortunately, there are many instances where Islam is misused to further personal and political agendas, as well as exaggerating practices. There are so many practices which are so easily incorporated and presented to be compulsory as if they were a part of Islam, when infact there are not. If anything so many social practices have never been a part of Islam. We ourselves are wrong, and corrupt because we like to keep both doors open as a matter of convenience. When we find that Islam prohibits something, we use the tradition as the shield to carry out the act.
The blame is on the entire society as a whole, and for those of us who choose to target just the clergy are being biased and one-sided because clergy may be a part of the problem, but the problem encompasses other parts which as a whole present itself as the disaster we're facing in the shape of intolerance, lack of character regardless of gender, and at the top of the social pyramid sit the elites of the society who couldn't be trusted with a grape seed, let alone welfare of millions.
For those of us who feel that Quran or holy scripture needs to be "revised", are other extreme of the spectrum. Quran was perfected in its' revelation, and the form in which it was concluded remains the sole source of spiritual guidance for the believing. If someone does not want to believe, that's their business, and they themselves are held responsible.
Where some of religious zealots in our society err is that each person feels like they are the judge and jury and turn to harming others. That's not at all tolerable. There is a system of justice present in every society(though extremely slow, flawed, corrupt, etc. whatever your view of it may be), and legally only law enforcement has been given the authority to investigate, detain, and present people before the judge, who then according to sound arguments within legal framework makes the judgement which is carried out.
The bottom line as I see it is that in the past few years and times we're living in now, people tend to take up the role that they're not assigned. I'm myself guilty of that in so many ways, and often have to step back and re-evaluate myself. We all err, and we're all susceptible to act on our emotions, but for us to use Islam to justify our actions driven by emotions, and for others to blame the religion or scripture for our emotionally, personally driven actions, are both unfair and skewed. The truth is we neither learn our religion from sources of guidance, nor do we practice it. Though we like to take claim for all the good that is Islam, but we often forget that others see us as representatives of our faith and our actions unfortunately end up defining our faith to those who are not learned, or well versed in what Islam really is.
There could not be enough emphasis on education. Education and knowledge is a must for everyone.