RE: [mukto-mona] FW: Why We Need Words Like 'Islamist' :: Islamism is a distinct phenomenon and different from historic Islam

         When we look for knowledge we don't go to known psychopaths. 'Olpo bidya' is by and of itself harmless.  Indeed, who amongst us can claim to have much more than 'small knowledge'? Therefore, there exists a certain type of bully, crude show-offs for whom "olpo bidya bhayonkari' is the most apt description.
 
         Bankim did'nt just write novels.  He edited 'Bangadarshan' one of the most widely read (monthly ?) magazines in that newly emerging middle-class reading public. There must have been times when there were probably not enough submissions to fill an issue of Bangadarshan. So Bankim must have just sat down by the lamp, and wrote down essays on topics that were on his mind. I marvel at his mind! What a superb lot of essays they are! His was always the bold anti-imperial voice. Compared to his clear-thinking nationalism Vidyasagar was a wimp, and a lackey of the Brit.
 
        Bankim praises the 'pathan' period not only for patronizing Bengali language, but he hails that period as the Golden Era -- swarnoyug -- because the Brahmin scholars' intellectual acitivities such as the study of Naya and other branches of philosophy (works of various Tarkaalankar, Tarkaratna, etc), literature such as Gita Givinda, etc florished as never before or after. He says, "Raja bhin-dharmi hoileyi jati paradhin hoy na", and goes on to say that we were never as un-independent as we are now (circa 1888) under the British.  Clearly he was protesting the falsehoods of British propaganda of Muslim tyrannical rule that preceded the coming of the 'usurper' commercial company-turned-ruler.
 
         If you have Bankim Rachanaboli, Subimal, look up the vol. that collects his prose works other than novels.  You will be rewarded by your re-reading him with a fresh outlook. [In fact I would like you to post some direct quotes. My own beloved books are not with me, alas!]
 
                Cheers!
 
                 Farida Majid
 

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Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 11:07:08 -0800
From: subimal@yahoo.com
Subject: Fw: [mukto-mona] FW: Why We Need Words Like 'Islamist' :: Islamism is a distinct phenomenon and different from historic Islam
To: farida_majid@hotmail.com

 

I sent this to mukto-mona. Has not been published yet! Just wondering.

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: subimal chakrabarty <subimal@yahoo.com>
To: "mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com" <mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 5:04 PM
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] FW: Why We Need Words Like 'Islamist' :: Islamism is a distinct phenomenon and different from historic Islam

A funny response indeed although it testifies to the fact that Mr. Kamal Das always takes out of his pocket some stunning information to prove wrong some thing that is more or less well founded! Rabindranath could not go beyoond primary education and Nazrul did not pass matriculation exam. They are lucky that they have not been attacked by Das! From the top of my head I cannot exactly say on which pages Bankim has praised Pathan rulers, but I can assure you he has done it. As far as I remember Bankim has praised the Pathan rulers for their contributions including sponsoring Bengali language and literature. (I will find more about it. I have complete works of Bankim.)

 

"Alahuddin Hussain Shah (1493-1519) ------ who gave pride of place to the fledgling Bengali language, ruled the land without showing any discrimination between his Hindu and Muslim subjects and gave his kingdom a peaceful and prosperous period ...." ---From History of the Bengali-speaking people.  

From: Kamal Das <kamalctgu@gmail.com>
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 11:26 AM
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] FW: Why We Need Words Like 'Islamist' :: Islamism is a distinct phenomenon and different from historic Islam

 

Both Bankim and Bhudev were made to pass the B. A. Exam on grace.
There is no reason to take Bankim as a serious historian. Besides, in
which novel did Bankim call the Pathan dominated Bengal a golden era?
If Bengal had any golden period at all, it was under the rule of the
Buddhists. "Since I have studied the Medieval period of both Europe,
Islamic civilization, and Bengal's history I know how rich and
big-hearted that period was. Medieval Bengal under the Muslim rule (or
the Pathan period, as Bankim calls the era), for instance, was
considered the Golden Age by Bankim." Had this lady really studied so
much, she could not find that period 'rich and big-hearted'. Which
period does she define as medieval? Isn't Salafism another name of
Wahabism? In my opinion, the Deobandis are closer to Salafism than
the Jamatis. Whoever may outcast Moududi, Ali Shariati, the Guru of
the Islamic revolution in Iran worked on the model put forward by him.
The aim of Islam is global domination right from the beginning. Had
it not been eradicated from Spain in the fifteenth century, they would
have probably conquered the American continents, and be nearer to
their goal.

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