Responding to ‘Welcome to the Islamic Republic of Sri Lanka’
Posted on December 19th, 2011
Hameed Abdul Karim
So now we know. WomenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s equality comes when they are allowed to buy a bottle of liquor at any public store according to Ms. Ameena Hussein (DM 15 Dec. 2011) and if that does not happen, along with other things less important we might degenerate into an Islamic state. What inspiring logic!
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Actually I am not surprised with what the writer has to say. What surprises me is the fact that the Daily Mirror thought it fit to carry this article with the provocative title ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Welcome to the Islamic Republic of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ along with a picture of Muslim women seated on the floor of some community centre somewhere in Sri Lanka probably waiting to be liberated with a shot of scotch on the rocks by the likes of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”liberatedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ women.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Some of us may not like it. But there is a thing called rules of culture that people abide by in any society. Not selling liquor to women or ladies is one such culture rule here is Sri Lanka. In some counties in the state of Austin in the U.S. sale and consumption of liquor are strictly prohibited based on the teachings of the Church. These are jokingly called ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”dry zonesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. Nobody calls them ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Islamic RepublicsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Having a Muslim name does not one a license to revile Islam or Muslims. Islam has strictly forbidden the consumption of liquor and to Muslims that is final. No apologies there. A Muslim is required by his or her faith to stop or at least speak out against social evils like the consumption of liquor. Obviously Ms. Hussain does not take this aspect of her faith too seriously, that is assuming she is Muslim. You wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t find even a drinking Muslim (and there are a few of them around) saying that drinking is not forbidden or that heƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s doing the right thing when consuming liquor.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The little Buddhism I know tells me the consumption of liquor is prohibited and if the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Mathata ThithaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ programme of President Mahinda Rajapaksa were to take hold among Buddhists, would Ms. Hussain then classify our country as the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Buddhist Republic of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢? Or would she have reservations on that score? I would be the first to welcome any foreigner to the Buddhist Republic of Sri Lanka with open arms if liquor (and gambling) is strictly prohibited in Sri Lanka. It will make Buddhist women happy with the knowledge that the money their husbands save will go to the feeding, education and general well being of their children and society at large. Not to mention the elimination of crimes like child abuse and deaths on the road caused by drunk drivers. Am I being a Muslim fundamentalist? Well, never mind.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The writer must seek the views of the Mahanayaka prelates on this subject of allowing women to by liquor. LetƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s see what they have to say, shall we?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
December 19th, 2011 at 8:36 pm
Hameed,
Liquor is not the issue here but the discrimination of the woman by Islam. Modern world and Buddhism does not allow this.
Liquor or any kind of evil including suicide attacks which kill innocent people in the name of a fake Allah is not prohibitted by Buddhism. Buddhism is a free religion, you can have any number of wives, drink, etc. But Buddha has taught us the consequences.
Killing, stealing, telling lies, adultary and consuming intoxicans are not banned in Sri Lanka. These actions will not be punished by stoning to death in public, unlike in Saudi Arabia. So, you cannot call it Buddhist Republic.
But to any foriegner who is waken up by Allah Hu Akbar loud and clear at 5 am it may sound like an Islamic republic, to be fair.
December 20th, 2011 at 2:42 am
If the Sinhalese remain passive and seek Nirvana (or extinction), I am not surprised, if Lanka follows other Buddhist countries in the Silk route and turn Muslim or even end up as a part of Tamil Nadu.
December 20th, 2011 at 9:39 am
Be they Buddhist or Muslim, Christian or Hindu, I agree with the writer that ‘Mathata Thitha’ is a good programme for all our fellow men and women in this country. Leave out all that degrading and political wit we hear about ‘Mathata Thitha’ aside; I haven’t heard anyone oppose it openly.
As this writer suggests however, Ms. Ameena Hussein could be a rare exception and dare I say; Daily Mirror only cares to boost its readership and to fatten its bank balance. Let me give an example: During RanilW’s rule in 2001-3, I have read many an article published in Daily Mirror and Sunday Times in which Muslim writers demanded establishing ‘shariya law’ for Muslims in Sri Lanka.
Many such articles in Daily Mirror and Sunday Times at the time degraded Sinhala Buddhists as extremist. But Sinhala papers of the same publishing house dare not publish any such write-ups. We were offended because those articles castigated Sinhala Buddhists as culprits but never published our retorts. During those troubled times and until RanilW was chased out we Sinhala Buddhists only had the solace of listening to Ven. Soma.
Coming back to the point, whenever I walk pass our downtown liquor shops, it’s a usual seen that crowds of our village folks striving hard to buy its ware; often from legally and illegally distilled liquor in similar bottles in same crates. In spite of speechifying by Ameena Hussein in Daily Mirror publicizing it, the fact that there aren’t any women hanging amongst that afore mentioned crowd so far is indeed a good fortune and hope it will remain that way.
Leela
December 20th, 2011 at 2:52 pm
By law any man or woman IRRESPECTIVE OF ETHNICITY/RELIGION over the age of 18 CAN buy liquor in SL.
And that’s how it should always remain.
I think I can make out what Ms. Ameena Hussein says.
She is not saying women should go and buy liquor. What she says is that EXAMPLE would prove SL is a CIVILISED, DEMOCRATIC and LIBERAL nation. The woman who buys it may throw it in a garbage dump! Doesn’t matter. What matters is the FREEDOM of choice.
SL law is superior to Islamic law and that’s how it should remain. Islamic law is INFERIOR to SL law.
If it changes, then SL becomes another disgusting Islamic republic (= HELL).
Glad a Muslim lady brought this up which shows there are intelligent and free thinking Muslims in SL. We should promote this trend. [Certainly not liquor consumption!]
Having said that she should have found a better example than buying liquor.
e.g. The day Muslim Ladies College has most kids wearing what non-Muslim girls wear instead of that Arabic goniballa dress
e.g. When a Muslim lady can wear a decent yet attractive (attractive to most SL men and women alike) dress of HER CHOICE and walk through Kathankudy loudly praising the God without getting beaten to death or worse.
e.g. When a ladies fashion store patronised by Muslim ladies is adjoining a mosque and they all remain cordial and at peace.
e.g. When Muslim girls in thousands participate in the “Puttlam annual Muslim girls’ one mile swim” wearing what is normally worn by women for such occasions without being harassed, hooted, stoned or murdered.
December 20th, 2011 at 5:56 pm
Lorenzo
I’d like to add a few to that list
** When a Muslim girl can marry the non-Muslim person she is in love with without having to live in hiding for the rest of her life.
** When a Muslim child can chose the faith, doctrine or philosophy he or she prefers to follow even if it is atheism.
** When a Muslim girl can visit an Internet cafe to check her facebook account or email without being accused of watching pornography (http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=13898)
** When a Muslim woman need not live in fear of receiving “Talaq Talaq Talaq” via SMS.
** MOST IMPORTANT – When Rizana Nawfeek is finally free after being on death row for a crime she didn’t commit.
December 20th, 2011 at 7:53 pm
Mjaya,
“MOST IMPORTANT – When Rizana Nawfeek is finally free after being on death row for a crime she didn’t commit.”
Ameen.
But there is a better one.
When one man can legally marry only one woman at a time. This disgusting Arabic barbarian practice of polygyny should be banned and those who do it should be punished with castration.
December 20th, 2011 at 8:37 pm
Lorenzo,
Bible says when a man rapes a woman he should marry that woman. It does not ask about woman’s agreement with that.
It is the time that we do not talk about stupid texts in various stupid religions and talk about Buddhism, like Gon Silva.
Gon Silva and his extiction theory goes on forever !
Fool of the centuray !
December 20th, 2011 at 11:36 pm
Dham,
That is in the old testament at a time when women were not regarded in equality. Nowhere in Christianity it says so.
Polygyny is more than stupid. It is BARBARIC and UNCIVILISED today.
Credit goes to Buddhism that NEVER justified polygamy, polygyny or polyandry. That is why SL women were always given the due place in society and equal rights as men.