Swaleha JOOMUN

Will the future reveal that the concept of ?nation arc-en-ciel? is a cliché? How sad and disheartening for a nation which has just celebrated its independence by singing ?as one people as one nation? to find out all this ?unité dans la diversité? is nothing, only just a pipe dream.

Let us not get sidetracked by juristic interpretations, politically expedient solutions; or the ambiguous rhetorics of the secular fanatics. Not forgetting of course the over-zealous ?fundamentalists?. It is not a laughing matter that excruciating damage has been done to an individual by 77 words, repeated 5 times on a daily basis, lasting 2 minutes each time, at a distance of 200 metres. The said damage is so irreversible, that no compensation can possibly equate the ?inconvenience endured?. Fair and square to the victim of this.

No point mentioning how ?damaged? is my own belief that God never desires our inconvenience. Or could it be that God HAS turned deaf as well with all this daily ?noise? coming from various minarets around the globe at various times and into the ears of some 1.2 billion people.

Thankfully, the ?rule of law? has been upheld here, due to the insight of our learned judge. Would it be inappropriate to ask as to how grounded this person is in religious matters? Guess it would be, since I, myself, am neither a religious scholar, nor that well-versed into the whole legal business. So let us not walk on eggshell here as to where the ?inconvenient noise? should be made inside or outside. Even our own imam is not seeking to clarify such issues, they are more concerned about making a lot of noise. Maybe to reach God?s ears... Some authority should definitely see to it that all this clamour is dealt with as soon as possible. There is ample evidence that constant exposure to noise does lead to some debilitating conditions, etc.

The question has to be begged here as to whether, the inconvenience of one citizen can be commensurate with the inconvenience of one Ummah? Kind of a conundrum, especially as it is written in indelible ink that ?saving? one life is like saving the whole of ?humankind?. Are we supposed to turn a deaf ear to this? Better leave this in the tribunal of God, for He may not be that deaf and blind after all!

Would it be naive to stop this litany by reminding ourselves that the prophet (pbuh) has said that ?salaah? (prayer) ?has been made for the coolness of my eyes?. Are we not turning this into a gimmick like the Muslim Personal Law? Is it not wiser and much more Islamic to remind ourselves that, instead of focussing on the call to prayer, we are overlooking the main essence of prayer itself. How about the force behind the united congregation in the mosque? Is this unity as flimsy as the so-called Mauritian unity and tolerance? The ?adhaan? is not just like an anthem ?sung? once a year. Why not cool our eyes, our hearts; are we not required to perform the ablutions to cool ourselves and clean ourselves? Surely there is much more to this than some rituals, Allah would not have thought of inconveniencing us in this way just to gather in a mosque. The ?adhaan? is not just this ?noise? preceding the gathering of angry mobsters in a mosque.

Instead of giving in to the unfounded belief of the choir who likes to equate Islam with terrorism, we should maybe remind ourselves that Allah does not like evil talk in public. We have been sent as a ?testimony? to others and warned that ?our detestation for a person must not move us not to be equitable?. If we feel we have been wronged there are ways to seek justice. Do we not do the ablution to appease our anger? Those aping others and trying to promote their own distorted views should maybe try and ?cool? their eyes in a more acceptable and humane way, not to say Islamic ways. Don?t you tell me I cannot admonish them in this way please! Your mistake if you have been biased into believing Islam is ! My leaders or representatives are not above the law. Disgraceful behaviour never becomes anybody, so please gentlemen ?arrete faire tapage?. You are not a ?drum vide? I hope. So why not prove it?

I cannot, but remember, with some sadness the words of one famous media figure who publicly admitted (in a debate at Reduit with Tariq Ramadan) how he ?missed? this beautiful ?noise? whilst he was studying abroad. To him the ?adhaan? was part and parcel of what living in Mauritius meant and symbolised.

<B>England (31.03.07)</B>