PM's counsel to Imams

The PM's call couldn't have come a day later, addressed as she has an issue of a great bearing on society's progress, cohesion and wellbeing. Religious leaders can indeed give a sense of direction to the people by correctly interpreting the teachings of Islam. The mass of the people look up to them for guidance and they have an unquestionable acceptability in society. Their involvement in fighting militancy has become all the more relevant as a section of misguided elements is now engaged in exploiting religion to serve their own agenda that has got nothing to do with religion as such. The situation has reached a stage where the Imams shouldn't remain silent any longer. For example, the arrested JMB chief said recently that he had ordered the slaying of the two judges in Jhalakathi under a divine decree. This is anything but Islamic, because religion doesn't sanction killing on any pretext. Who can assert it more powerfully than Imams?

Actually, the zealots are giving their own interpretation of Islam which could only mislead the gullible among the youth including madrassah students in particular. It is precisely here that the Imams as social leaders should come forward and put an end to indoctrination of militancy in the name of Islam. The damage that the fanatics are causing is great. They are scarring the image of not only the country but also that of Islam itself.

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The fanatics are a minuscule minority but while they make themselves felt by their vicious acts, the genuinely pious people are a silent majority. It is by inculcating the true spirit of Islam among the silent majority that they can be transformed into a force that is powerfully resistive to obscurantism.

As the country grapples with an unforeseen and ominous wave of religious militancy, it is the religious leaders who have to shoulder the responsibility of foiling the machinations of the extremists. It is thus that the Imams can strengthen the liberal and moderate image of the country.