South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

bullehshah · September 3, 2007, 5:17am

The religious South Asians have inherited the Arabization complex, being proud in wearing their Keffiyeh and thobes. While the non-religious South Asians have inherited the Western complex, being proud in the overt sexualization of Bollywood movies and being satisfied with each and every encroaching Western footprint on their culture.
What is clear is that South Asians have been marginalizing their own historical legacy of Islamic spirituality and arts for some time.
The Wahabi/Salafi movement, and the creation of ideologies spawned from it, have only furthered the Arabization, forcing people to choose between Islam and their own culture. The number of anti-cultural movements such as that of Jamaat e Islami (and its offshoots) have all but eliminated the Qawalli, the beautiful Naat, the notoriously complex and enchanting poetry, and the tradition of sending Salaams to the Prophet (Salalalahu’alaiheewassalam) in unison after gathering. In the West these aspects of South Asian tradition are virtually non-existant.
Another manifestation of the marginalization is the rise of a circle of speakers which is distinctly non-Eastern. Today we see crowds of all-generation immigrant Muslims who are standing in line in the cold to listen to speakers who share their faith but not an ounce of their heritage and culture. This is absolutely monumental achievement in one sense, but it is also something that is not safe from all criticism. The one immediate question is: Why is nearly every speaker on Islam in the West a convert or a card carrying member of the Arabized Al-Madinah University ideology?
At a recent Islam in the West symposium held in New Jersey, while the key organizers were South Asian, there was really no hint towards their cultural influence in the art booths, in the music presented on stage, in the food being eaten, or in the clothes being sold. Islam in the West was largely empty of the multicultural ideal of the American promise in the first place. Islam in the West was, for the South Asian attendee, all about showing off how white or black we had become (while staying Muslim).
Other manifestations are extremely evident in second generation youth. They have to do with the humorous routes the youth take towards dealing with “Uncles”, making fun of speech, dress, and politics. South Asians have already dealt with the socially accepted profiling of their profession and accents by non-Muslims in shows like the Simpsons and numerous roles of cab drivers in films and TV. At the same time, South Asians youth have joined in the chorus, producing excellent clips such as an Al-Maghrib skit insulting the intelligence and religious knowledge of those with South Asian accents [link here]](http://hosna.almaghrib.org/dawah_failure.mp3). The general idea of most Arabization movements, such as that which is coming from al-Maghrib Institute, is the empowerment of the youth and the targeted striking in the cracks between them and their past.
It is clear when the tradition of Sufism has in itself become marginalized that there is very little needed in terms of additional examples. This is the tradition of grounded Islamic spirituality which brought large numbers of South Asians into Islam in the first place, and it is largely unknown to today’s second-generation youth. In fact, it is now largely considered a reprehensible innovation by most American Muslims. There is no better example of self-hatred or ignorance of South Asian culture and faith than the fact that the children proclaim their fathers as the ultimate sinners: Mushriks.
South Asian Muslims are shockingly unaware of huge characters in their own history. Even amongst the circles of so-called “traditionalists,” one finds a reprehensible dearth of information about the South Asian contribution to the preservation of Islam. While one may understand that the Wahhabi project is fundamentally against the mere mention of the great Sufi saints of India, it is curious that institutions that I have deep respect for speak little of the history of Islam in South Asia. While such circles will literally go to China to find knowledge, as seen with the recent infatuation with Haji Nooruddin, they literally fly over India when talking about Muslim history. Thus, the rich tapestry woven by the Mughal Empire, as well as the deep roots sown by the Sufi saints, as well as the Ulema, in India, are totally forgotten. Indeed, this lack of mention seems to imply that South Asia has no contribution to Islam; a grave misconception.
Islam in India has been a dynamic force since it arrived into the Subcontinent. While Muhammad bin Qasim first brought Islam militarily, it was the Sufis who spread Islam in India. Richard Eaton, a leading scholar on conversion to Islam in South Asia, states in his book “The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier,” that the traditional theories of Islam being spread by (a) the sword, (b) an egalitarian ideal, (c) social pressure, and (d) power center, are not viable. He states instead that Islam was spread by groups of Sufis who mixed with farming peasants who tended the land for their Mughal “zamindars.” (Link to book). These seeds led to the rise of some of the greatest scholarship seen in the history of Islam, as well as a deep spirituality.

Excellent read here guys.

http://www.yursil.com/blog/2007/06/american-islam-and-the-marginalization-of-south-asian-culture-part-4/

This blog post reinforces the need to resist Arabization. We are not Arabs and never will be so why should we continue to adopt backward Khaleeji Arab garb for the sake of being better Muslims when our actions and our hearts better determines our dedication to the faith?

STONECOLD · September 3, 2007, 7:22am

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

Anta Arabi ya habibi?

bullehshah · September 3, 2007, 5:49pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

Bump for the self-hating Pakistanis on this board who want to be more Arab.

legbreakgoogly · September 3, 2007, 6:00pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

Yes sadly there has been an Arabization of religious Muslims in South Asia. Its nonsense.

Hyperactive · September 3, 2007, 6:11pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

Can anyone explain what Arabization means?

bullehshah · September 3, 2007, 6:16pm

Re: South Asian Muslims’ Self-Hatred

It helps to check the link before asking such a question

Monk · September 3, 2007, 6:30pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

[quote]

The religious South Asians have inherited the Arabization complex, being proud in wearing their Keffiyeh and thobes. While the non-religious South Asians have inherited the Western complex, being proud in the overt sexualization of Bollywood movies and being satisfied with each and every encroaching Western footprint on their culture.

[/quote]
So that makes every one in south asia inferiority complexed.
That is some kind of statement.

Why stupid A@$ writers always think that they know every thing?????????
Isn't that some kind of complex in it self??????????????

Aliyish · September 3, 2007, 7:00pm

Re: South Asian Muslims’ Self-Hatred

I don’t understand , what exactly you are trying to portrait here , whatz the harm wearing any dress , which cover shahra.ee requirement , let it be pants and shirt or keffieyh , if the person is comfortable wearing them , let them wear it , people in villages wear dhoti , kurta , where in cities people wear shalwar qameez . It is not a complex to wear any dress according to your likeness and preference , it is a free world . People do follow their role models , if some one like Arab culture , he will wear keffiyeh , if another guy likes western stuff , he is free to wear it .

The only restriction , Islam puts on his followers is to wear a dress with comply shariyaat . The things asked to be hide , should be hidden and thatz all .

Muhammad ( PBUH) was an Arab , so traditionally all of his life he wore Arabic dresses , so here if some imitates him and feel happy wearing things he wore
as he does it as sunnah .

Whatz the point creating fuss ?

I know this is anti arab / anti salafi stuff as I read the very first line. I don’t follow any Fiqa , so my blood didn’t start boiling but in the end I did get a good laugh out of it .

On the only point , I slightly agree with Author is that one shouldn’t impose his interpretation of Islam on others and let them do what they want .
But one should also use his brain and ask himself whether the thing I m doing in name of Islam , was it in practice during the time of Muhammad , did he asked or ordered to do it any where , does quran says something about it ?

So the bottom line is if something clearly conflicts with quran and sunnah , a Muslim should restrain doing it .

The things you mentioned here , Qawali , Naat , Poetry are highly debated from centuries . Again one should research about them and if feel comfortable do it , if they are clearly against teaching of islam , don’t .

Now this is something racist and discriminatory , so here you are saying that we only gona listen to some one who will share our culture beliefs . Where Muhammad (PBUH) said in his last sermon:

You know that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. YOU ARE ALL EQUAL. NOBODY HAS SUPERIORITY OVER OTHER EXCEPT BY PIETY AND GOOD ACTION.

So for me it goes like , I will listen to any one , I feel more pious and god fearing then myself , whether he is white or black , Arab or non Arab . Pakistani or Indian . Because real islam is same for every one .

And before talking on Sufism go and read Sufism is , the rituals people do thesedays on dargahas has nothing to do with tasafuf , sufiism or islam . Dont fall for the trap Mate !

bullehshah · September 3, 2007, 7:19pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

[quote]
You know that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. YOU ARE ALL EQUAL. NOBODY HAS SUPERIORITY OVER OTHER EXCEPT BY PIETY AND GOOD ACTION.
[/quote]

Funny how so many Muslims conveniently ignore that, including your beloved Khaleeji Arabs, eh?

Aliyish · September 3, 2007, 7:55pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

^^ well if they ignore it , they will pay out for it , Allah wont ask ya to pay for their sins .

why dont we stop judging other people and worry about our self first ?

isnt it the message of sufiism you were yellin about , isnt it the teaching of sufis like bulleshah ?

Hyperactive · September 3, 2007, 8:05pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

[QUOTE]
The Wahabi/Salafi movement, and the creation of ideologies spawned from it, have only furthered the Arabization, forcing people to choose between Islam and their own culture.
[/QUOTE]

The bolded statement is enough to gauge the depth of the author's lack of knowledge...

Hindu culture has bride burning...Islam forbids setting a live person ablaze...

So, if an intelligent person who happens to be a Muslim, should he adopt the culture of Hinduism or Islam?

If that's Arabization then I am all for it...

bullehshah · September 3, 2007, 8:08pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

I'm sure you're for honor killings then, aren't you?

Aliyish · September 3, 2007, 8:11pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

^^ btw honor killing is part of south Asian culture mate !

sweet_taboo · September 3, 2007, 8:57pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

You racist bigot, Islam is beyond ethnicity and borders.

I don't know why Pakis are obsessed with mixing their culture with Islam and insisting on FOB clergy. I'll listen to whatever cleric who has something good to say be they White convert, Somali, Gujji, Arab or Paki...

I don't care for Naach-Gaana in Islam, that's not Islaam, stuff like that is so shallow and superficial, it's not spirituality, that sort of "Islaam" is nothing special, it's no different from other religions which rely on getting high of pleasures of the flesh.

I don't know why you are so against Kaftans, Shalwar Kameez is no more Pakistani than Kaftan, Shalwar Kameez was introduced to Pakis by Afghans anyway, declaring something our "national dress" or our "national chuddee" doesn't make them anymore Paki, even Quaid-e-Azam's Sherwani is from Persia.

Cultures mix, always have done, we live in a cosmopolitan world, a single international culture is in the making worldwide anyway, if somebody wants to wear a Kaftan let them, it doesn't mean they are trying to be Arab, my Arab friends' moms wear Bakistani suits (Shalwar Kameez) and they love it, Pakis wearing Kaftans doesn't mean they're trying to be Arab just as those ladies don't become Paki by wearing SK.

I personally wouldn't wear any sort of ethnic wear, I just wear pant-shirt as it's just more international wherever in the world you are, I think both Shalwar-Kameez and Kaftan is unsuitable for this country's climate and both are kind of outdated, I wouldn't wear either, ethnic clothes look scruffy (shalwar kameez/kaftan) or effeminate (sherwani). Women's Shalwar Kameez is ok though, but I don't like Saaris, they look naff.

There shouldn't be any such thing as Paki clothes or Arab clothes, we're all just the same anyway except for language. People should be allowed to wear, eat, drink.. what they want... Your style of dress doesn't define who you are.

Most Pakis in this country piss me off anyway, I get on much better with Gujjis and Arabs.

bullehshah · September 3, 2007, 9:00pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

[quote]
Most Pakis in this country piss me off anyway, I get on much better with Gujjis and Arabs.
[/quote]

You mean the "Pakis" that listen to Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed and other extremist Arab clerics?

sweet_taboo · September 3, 2007, 9:12pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

Yes them and Brit Pakis in general. they are scummy and have no manners.

Just today I went into town and I observed that every single person on the bus thanked the driver when getting off except for the Pakis, they walked off with akarr as though they own the place and not one had the decency to thank the poor guy, I've also observed that they don't seem to have any concept of "ladies first". It's ppl like that which give us all a bad name.

PS. Define Paki culture for me, there's like 5 different major cultures in Pak and even they are fading except for language and being replaced with an international culture like evrywhere else, everybody's the same now... Ppl who insist on their version of "Paki culture" annoy me, dressing up in gawdy colors and flappy clothes in the middle of Manchester is ugly and backward, Pakis need to move with the world, at least Arabs/Turks/Persians have a better sense of style (whether it's secularists or hijabis), the way they dress and act doesn't make them stand out like a wet bell-end, even 2nd/3rd generation Pakis are such FOBs, next they'll be blasting Qawwali (insane howling) from their cars.

mercenary2k · September 3, 2007, 9:27pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

Arabs are the most racist, extremist and hot blooded people on the planet

Captain1 · September 3, 2007, 9:27pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

I doubt the current dressing of Arabs is same as it was in Prophet Mohammed PBUH's times, and I know many Pakistani's who wore the Saudi dress not because of "sunnah" but more to look like Arab. been there, done that.

Captain1 · September 3, 2007, 9:28pm

Re: South Asian Muslims’ Self-Hatred

and this not a “racist” comment at all

legbreakgoogly · September 3, 2007, 9:47pm

Re: South Asian Muslims' Self-Hatred

How dare you generalize us like this! What type of Pakistanis do you live around. Surely they are a different species to the Pakistanis I know. I pride myself on my sense of chivalry and I know many others that do too.

Perhaps its you that attracts this crass band of Pakistanis?