Murder in the Name of Allah — Page 40
Murder in the Name of Allah. Psychology is not an absolute science and it is still evolving, but. Maulana Maududi's 'obsession' seems to fit the theory we have discussed. That is not to say, of course, that there might not be another explanation of his obsessive behaviour. Whatever the explanation, the. Maulana's vision has undoubtedly been blurred by obsession. He trips and, at times, stumbles into paths which have been traversed before him by the enemies of God. It is this obsession which causes him to support capital punishment for those who switch religions. This punishment has always been demanded for prophets and their followers who change from their traditional religion. It is the same obsession which impels him to put a sword into the Holy Prophet's hand and, in doing so, to support those enemies of Islam who paint a gory picture of Muhammad³ª. Since persuasion and force are mutually exclusive, the Maulana adopts the sword as a means of reform and rejects reasoning as a method of conversion. Persuasion and reasoning are difficult tasks of which he is or feels himself to be incapable. They entail sacrifice and long suffering in the face of opposition, as the Prophet'ssa Meccan life showed. So the Maulana rejects them as objects of negative valence. . Force through political power seems to meet his present needs, so he adopts it and relates it to the Holy Prophet's life with a process of arduous thinking. . When I refer to the Maulana's obsession, I do not mean to show him any disrespect, although, by putting a sword into the hands of my Lord and Master Muhammad he has shown disrespect to the Prophet and all he stood for. Reviewing Israel Shenker's book, Coat of Many Colors, a collection of essays on Judaism, Hugh Nissenden says: 'Mr Shenker dramatises his obsession in a way that makes the history of his people accessible and illuminating to everyone. '10 I only wish the Maulana could put his obsession to good use. Instead, he justifies force, not only as legitimate, but also as an essential method of reform. He says: 'It is not possible that they [the enemies of Islam] would sacrifice their interests in the face of persuasion and reasoning. All that one can do is to acquire political power¹¹ and force them to stop their mischief. "12. This method of reform seems to be effective and also easier than persuasion, which requires patience and persistence in the face of ridicule, rebuffs and snubs. It is so easy to convert people by force. There is no comparison between the two methods. One is easy and quick; the other difficult and time consuming, requiring the patience of Jobas. All reformers have had to endure ridicule and rejection. This is how the 40