The word Mullah is perhaps the most widely used word in a world post 9/11 to describe all the forces that are somehow pro-Islam or anti-West/America.The mostly negative usage of the term (frankly) makes me cringe and want to express my thoughts regarding Mullahs and Mullahism .This post is dedicated to all the Mullahs , the wannabe Mullahs , the confused Muslims , and Mullah haters who played a role in giving the term the negative feeling that it carries today.
Mullah Defined :
1) An Islamic religious teacher or leader. (Cambridge)
2) A Muslim trained in the doctrine of law of Islam ; the head of a mosque (The Free Dictionary)
3) A Muslim scholar, teacher, or religious leader: also used as a title of respect (The Free Dictionary)
4) An educated Muslim trained in religious law and doctrine and usually holding an official position (Merriam-Webster)
The dictionary meaning of the word (taken from different non-Islamic sources) has nothing to do with what the word is actually used for nowadays. What I have understood from how people (Non-Muslims AND Muslims) use the word , a Mullah is :
- A Muslim who sports a beard.
- A non-bearded Muslim who is anti-America (whatever may the reasons be)
- A non-bearded Muslim who emphasises on Islam and Islamic teachings.
- A person who wears his shalwar above his ankles or is involved in polygamy.
- A person who is considered to be backward just because he’s inclined towards Islam.
- A Muslim(bearded or non-bearded) against the violence caused by the war on terror.
- A Taliban and last but not the least
- A terrorist.
This perversion of the word is an ‘achievement’ of many minds – Muslim and non-Muslim. I would classify these genuiuses as :
The Non-Muslim Islamophobes
This is a set of people scattered throughout the world who are hostile towards Islam and Muslims and prefer understanding Islam as is fed by the bad apples of the community.All the bad guys , the Gulshan Grovers of the Muslim community are the real representatives of Islam for this group.’Islam is evil’ is their core belief regarding the religion. A person with a beard is a possible terrorist , a woman donning Hijab is an illiterate , oppressed , extremist **** who knows nothing about women rights.
Muslim-born-Wannabe-Atheists or the Muslim Islamophobes.
This category is influenced by the category above. These ‘intellectuals’ believe that they have been ‘fooled’ all their lives in the name of Islam and that Osama bin laden has come as a rescuer – helping them understand how barbaric the so-called religion of peace is. Any association with Islam for them is a matter of being an idiot blinded by illogicality. Allergic to beard and burqa , they try their best to flaunt their new-found hatred for the religion they were born into.
Wannabe Mullahs
These people are largely responsible for the misconceptions prevalent regarding the faith. The thirst to see themselves as the ‘flag-bearers’ of the community’s beliefs and its rights coupled with the half-baked knowledge about religious affairs results in some of the most ridiculous ideas that get associated with Islam. A Muslim who has little knowledge of and non-muslims who are completely unaware of what Islam actually says are duped by the claims of these aspiring soldiers of the faith. Their wrong-doings give Islam a bad name and the whole community falls victims to the wrath that is unleashed by the affectees after these saviours of the Muslim brethren display their ‘heroism’ in their lands.
Muslims who like to be tagged as Modern
This is a section of Muslims caught between the two extremes. They are the ones who want to retain their Muslim identity but not at the cost of being labelled as ‘backward’ . This fear of being considered backward stems from the thought prevalent in the not-so-developed East that anybody who does not follow West is outright down-market. Modernity is all about Westernization and anything that the West abhors is what they OUGHT to disapprove (in this case being a Mullah).
Take an example – Imran Khan is a non-bearded Mullah for the so-called ‘liberal’ section of the Pakistani society just because he speaks about the counterproductiveness of carpet bombing our own country to eliminate terrorism(anti-war on terror policy).
Mullahs
And last but the not the least, the learned lot itself is repsonsible for the colossol misconception(s). By not coming out aggressively against those tarnishing the faith’s image, they have allowed the false perception of Islam being brutal to strengthen in the minds of those not well-acquainted with the Islamic Ideology. They have not behaved as they should have or have behaved in such irresponsible manner that the title that was supposed to be an honour turned into a derogatory term. Jamiat-e-ulma-e-Islam(JUI) and Jamat-e-Islami (JI) in Pakistan are prime examples of mullah brigades giving a bad name to the whole mullah community.
I would conclude here by commenting that majority of the Mullahs are indeed peaceful people who talk sense but the ones who undeservingly attained this title need to be barred from spreading their versions of Islam. The Mullah label needs a complete re-positioning in the minds of all those who think the word is synonymous with terrorist sympathisers. It’s about time the Mullahs stand up for their dignity and of their religion , shunning the rotten eggs from amongst themselves and restoring the honour and pride that the title once carried.
http://natashasuleman.wordpress.com/2010/04/11/mullah-hatred/
