Book Review [27] : Among the believers - An Islamic journey

2001 Nobel Laureate V. S. Naipaul is a master of English prose. His travelogues are awesome piece of English literature. They give a glimpse of daily life of the people as well the history of the events leading to current situation. His 'India: A million mutinies now' is socio-economico-political survey of Nehruvian India.  I read this book almost 18 months back. In last week i read his another  masterpiece but this time its a survey of the condition of Islam among the converted people of Pakistan, Iran, Malaysia and Indonesia. Among the believers: An Islamic journey is a thought provoking book as it was written in 1979-81 but it seems that its written in the current era. Naipaul starts his journey in Iran in 1979 (just after the revolution) and travels across Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia in a span of few months. His perceptions and experiences of these societies and the inherent struggle between the culture and religion is worth experiencing.

Islam was founded by Prophet Muhammad and so it has all the ingredients of Arabic culture. It was a phenomenal revolution in the desert life and for the people with no sense pf civilization. Prophet gave them a way out from the eternal darkness. He brought the idea of unity without any caste, money, language or region based distinction. It is an absolute concept in its pure form. The problem started  after the death of Prophet in 632 AD. Islam had to face its first great rival in the civilization of great Sassanian civilization. Islam overpowered that easily but in doing that it got a different version of its self. It is Shiite form of Islam that believes in the Shiite Imams. Almost all the Persians were converted to Islam (either willingly or by coercion).  But they were successful in giving Islam a great civilization in arts, music, science etc. Arabia gave religion while Persia gave Islam its true glory. Iran (aka Persia) even today has the same language that they used to speak when Alexander the great decimated them although they had to change the script because of Arab imperial master. But in all the last 1360 years Iran never accepted the Arab imperialism. 

Lets talk about Pakistan. Pakistan was a home to world's first great urban civilization 5000 years back. It was home to the great king Porus who was able to hold against the mighty Greeks. It was land where great Kushanas ruled, where great Buddhists monasteries and caves flourished. The ancient land of Hindus, Buddhists and Zoroastrians does not have any monument of that era and even if it has then its in great danger of extinction. The hordes of Mohammed Bin Qasim who decimated the power of Sindh is celebrated in that land. Pakistan has even named its missiles Ghori and Ghazni, the two notorious invaders who invaded Pakistan and destroyed and killed the people of Pakistan before then could get a foot hold into India. I can not understand how a country can glorify its invaders. This can only happen in subcontinent.   

People with no sense of history can not develop a civilization worth cherishing. Pakistan is suffering from that disease and if it really wants to cure itself then it has to learn from Persia. Islamization of a country does not mean destroying its old culture, art, monuments, music etc. But unfortunately its been happening in almost all the converted countries. Malaysia and Pakistan are prime examples. 

Every civilization is built on the ashes of others and this cycle is law of time. Be it Greek, Roman, Indian, Persian or Spanish but other ways are also possible. Civilizations can also co-exist and if this experiment was never done before then its worth doing now. The "Victory" of Islam should never mean the "defeat" of other religions. Amen.
Highly Recommended (9/10)