Reform, former hardline leader tells Ulemas

Twenty four years in jail seems to have mellowed the hardline Islamist militant leader Altaf Ahmad Fakhtoo alias Dr Mohammad Qasim, who has called upon the Ulema (Islamic scholars) to clean up Islam from the extremist ideologies and work for the reforms among Muslims.

Dr Mohommad Qasim, Ameer (chief) of Muslim Deeni Mahaz (MDM) who is serving life sentence for killing human rights activist HM Wanchoo, when he was the commander of Jamait ul Mujahedeen in early nineties, said unless the moderate approach is adopted by Muslims, the strife in the societies will not end.

"Islam has discouraged extremism in everything, be it beliefs or any other practical field of life and preaches moderation. It is therefore imperative upon scholars that they should first clean up Islam from these extremist ideologies and then work for reforms among Muslims," Dr Qasim said through his spokesman.

Dr Qasim, one of the longest serving Kashmiri convict, is serving life sentence for allegedly killing human rights activist HN Wanchoo. A simple commerce graduate when he was first arrested in 1993, Qasim utilised his jail term to pursue higher education and completed his PhD in Islamic studies, besides earning Moulvi Fazil degree. Dr Qasim is also the husband of Aasiya Andrabi, the chairperson of hardline women separatist group Dukhatran-e-Milat.

"Muslims all over the world have been torn apart by internal strife and external aggression. Therefore need of the hour is that Muslims remain alert about these two extremist ideologies. Those ulemas and scholars present Islam as a way to usurp power," he said.

MDM leader said Islam is a religion of justice and moderation. "It encompasses the principles for beliefs, modes of worship, lawful and prohibitions and morality. Islamic teachings gives appropriate importance to all these," he said.

Elaborating, he said the Muslim society has been divided into two extremist ideologies that have led to internal discord and disputes amongst Muslims.

"One of the ideologies is that the only aim of Islam is government formation and the other is that Islam has no relation with politics or state. The outcome of these two ideologies has been strife in Muslim societies. The former ideology has degraded the importance of ibadaat( worship) in Islam and has brought it closer to communism in the passion of grabbing power," he said.

Another ideology, he said, has separated Islam from the politics, economics, society, judicial system and education. "This has led to secularisation of Muslims. Today Muslims feel no harm in accepting the sovereignty of unbelievers. Therefore until these two extremist ideologies are shunned and intermediate and moderate approach is adopted by Muslims, the strife in their societies won't end and the ever increasing secularization won't be contained," he said.

WHO’S QASIM?

• Dr Qasim, one of the longest serving Kashmiri convict, is serving life sentence for allegedly killing human rights activist HN Wanchoo.
   
• Dr Qasim, who did his PhD while in prison is also the husband of Aasiya Andrabi, the chairperson of hardline women separatist group Dukhatran-e-Milat