Nota kecil: Saya bertemu tulisan ini dalam fail lama. Saya siarkan di sini dengan harapan ada pembaca yang boleh beri komen apa sebenarnya yang ditulis oleh penulis dalam bahasa Inggeris. Mengapa menggunakan bahasa Inggeris? Siapakah Mazeni Alwi?
Mazeni Alwi’s “Tears for the Taliban” reads like a good narrative from Bush’s propaganda machine. It sounds like Mahathir’s familiar argument in rejecting political Islam, by propogating the so called “secular Islam”. Mazeni’s condemnation of the Taliban reads exactly like many analyses in the Western press, the only difference here is that Mazeni’s is more polite and subtle. Luckily Islamic intellectual history has a name for this kind of discourse, by calling it “hypocritical discourse”. While “praising” Islam for its brotherhood among believers, its quest for equality and its strive for justice, etc. etc., Mazeni’s main thrust is that Islam is a bygone religion, not suitable for the modern time. The conclusion is simple and looks falsely forceful: If you make Islam as a basis for modern administration, you will end like the Taliban. Sounds exactly like Mahathir’s argument.
My readings on the Taliban movement, especially after the American attack, show me a different picture. The Taliban was not given the chance to rule Afghanistan in peace because of its Islamic stand. The emergence of the Taliban movement was in response to the chaotic and anarchic situation in Afghanistan under the mujahidin government. With the defeat of the Taliban, the Northern Alliance emerges as the Hypocrites (Al-Munafiqun) by inviting the Great Satan and Russia to attack Islamic Afghanistan after failing to rule Afghanistan. Imagine the irony of this episode: the Mujahidin expelled the Russians, only to welcome them later as the saviours, giving the honour of establishing the first embassy in Kabul. Imagine how the Stalin of Afghanistan, Abdul Rashid Dastom, the very person who fought along the Communists, is now one of the great liberators of Afghanistan. These Munafiqun are happy to see the destruction of Afghanistan under the American attack, as they hope to be given another opportunity to rule again. Looking from this perspective, the Taliban emerges as the real mujahidin, who, given the freedom to rule Afghanistan in peace, will become a powerful Islamic force. Not only Russia and the United States oppose this development, Iran is also trying to quench the Taliban movement. The enemies of Islam, including the Shiite Iran, will not permit the emergence of a true Islamic state in a country as atrategic as Afghanistan. But the Taliban was welcomed by the ordinary people, who want to live a normal peaceful life. They praise the Taliban for discipline, bringing peace in the country where there is no theft and robbery. Even people who have been “captured” by the Taliban government are praising the Taliban’s kindness and fairness. The judges who sit on the Christian workers’ case declared that they will not deliver their judgement after the American attack because they are angry at that time, therefore they are afraid of being bias and unfair. This is a truly Islamic stand, if you are familiar with Islamic legal history.
It is not a crime to acknowledge the positive sides of the Taliban, even to praise them. I think it is too early to declare the Taliban movement as finished. Defeated momentarily perhaps, but definitely not vanquished. Like it or not, a new consciousness is emerging in the Islamic world arising from this Taliban phenomenon that the Muslims have no choice but to be more assertive and combative at the same time. They are not weak, in fact they are so strong in their belief that they have to be “tamed”. It is not for nothing when the ulama divide the world into “the world of Islam” and “the world of war”, as this is what happens in realpolitik. Osama bin Laden, like it or not, will be regarded as a hero by the Muslims, for his courage and sacrifices. It is not a crime to regard him as such, while definitely a great crime indeed to regard Abdul Rashid Dastom, the Stalin of Afghanistan, as the liberator. The West, especially the Americans, like to curse that Osama is the terrorist who hates America and the West in general; but the Muslims who understand their history regard him to be a brave man who loves Islam, as manifested in his humble behaviour and great sacrifices. Many books will be written and published about the Taliban and Osama, books that will highlight the kind of narratives that will make the Muslims aware of the sacrifices they are expected to suffer if they really love Islam and would like to see it emerging as a world power in the near future. Only Allah knows what will happen. But we can see this kind of change even in our country. Jamal Abdillah, the popular Malay singer, has proudly named his first child Usamah Yamani. See what I mean? A small beginning, no doubt, but under “Malaysia Boleh”, anything is possible. It is not a crime (yet?) to call your son Usamah, though he probably will not be permitted to enter the United States in the future. My hope is that Jamal Abdillah will not be detained under ISA for his courage and that we can still hear his songs. But his son will be welcomed in Muslim states. Welcome to the new world Usamah Yamani bin Jamal Abdillah!
Arslan Zamin Ambar
3 December 2001
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