Paradigm Shift

few commnets here and there.

2010-11-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

http://taazahavaa.blogspot.com/2010/10/blog-post.html
http://indianwomanhasarrived.blogspot.com/2009/10/blog-post_07.html
http://janatantra.com/2010/02/14/shahrukh-wins-thackeray-defeated/
http://arspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/10/blog-post.html

2010-11-01T08:24:00.001-07:00

http://khabarworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1059:2010-10-28-09-57-20&catid=51:2010-05-25-09-20-47&Itemid=5

2010-11-01T08:21:00.001-07:00

	Sheeba Aslam Fehmi Invited
	♫ http://www.vichar.bhadas4media.com/tera-mera-kona/690-2010-10-28-05-22-58.html http://hastakshep.com/view_info.php?id=408#fragment-2 http://www.janatantra.com/news/2010/10/27/sheeba-views-on-ahmed-bukhari-the-so-called-muslim-leader/ http://lucknowbloggersassociation.blogspot.com/2010/10/blog-post_3788.html http://haqbaat.blogspot.com/2010/10/blog-post_27.html

Oshiya A New Woman

2010-06-08T21:58:00.000-07:00

Oshiya A New Woman

2010-05-29T06:55:00.001-07:00

http://www.tubaah.com/details.php?video_id=143082

2010-05-29T06:54:00.001-07:00

http://mohallalive.com/2010/05/19/interaction-on-media-and-literature-by-mohalla-live-janatantra-and-yatra-books/#comments

2010-05-29T06:53:00.003-07:00

http://nukkadh.blogspot.com/2010/05/blog-post_9971.html

How the World Works - Salon.com

2010-01-23T07:15:00.000-08:00

'INFORMATION IMPERIALISM'

http://www.salon.com/tech/htww/2010/01/22/information_imperialism/index.html?source=newsletter

गाहे-बगाहे: दिल्ली में ब्लॉगर मीट- जबरदस्ती ब्लॉग न पढ़वाएं प्लीज

2010-01-18T11:11:00.000-08:00

गाहे-बगाहे: दिल्ली में ब्लॉगर मीट- जबरदस्ती ब्लॉग न पढ़वाएं प्लीज

http://taanabaana.blogspot.com/2010/01/blog-post_10.html

जो न कह सके: शीबा को गुस्सा क्यों आता है?

2010-01-18T11:08:00.000-08:00

जो न कह सके: शीबा को गुस्सा क्यों आता है?

http://www.kalpana.it/hindi/blog/2009/12/blog-post_17.html

oppressed muslim women

2010-01-18T11:07:00.000-08:00

oppressed muslim women

http://mohallalive.com/2009/12/18/sheeba-ko-ghussa-kyon-aata-hai/

http://www.awamehind.com/admin/paper/20100103/3rdjan2010_06.jpg

2010-01-18T11:02:00.000-08:00

http://www.awamehind.com/admin/paper/20100103/3rdjan2010_06.jpg

Kartini Asia Logo

2010-01-18T10:50:00.000-08:00

Kartini Asia Logo

http://www.kartiniasia.org/events/23/divining-gender-religion-politics-gender-in-india/

Indien Online:Rapporter och kommentarer från det moderna och det traditionella Indien av Per J Andersson, till vardags reporter på Vagabond.

2010-01-18T10:31:00.000-08:00

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=sv&u=http://per-j-andersson.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html&ei=H6dUS4HQEZGgkQXu7OG_Cg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CBAQ7gEwAjg8&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsheeba%2Bfehmi%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26start%3D60%26num%3D20%26newwindow%3D1

AMANA Vol. 3

2010-01-18T10:22:00.000-08:00

http://www.arf-asia.org/amana/prod/images/stories/Magazine/Vol3Iss4/amanavol3iss4.pdf

Arre Kya Baat Hai!: June 2009

2010-01-18T10:21:00.000-08:00

Arre Kya Baat Hai!: June 2009

www.outlookindia.com |

2010-01-18T09:09:00.000-08:00

www.outlookindia.com |

www.outlookindia.com | Beyond The Burqa

2010-01-18T09:07:00.000-08:00

www.outlookindia.com | Beyond The Burqa

Gender Jihad column in HANS Hindi Monthly.

2010-01-16T21:43:00.000-08:00

www.hansmonthly.in

2009-11-22T02:08:00.000-08:00

From desi pundits.com, an important piece for us to know about.

Bad-Ad Project : Speaking volumes with your eyelashes

A couple of months ago I saw this ad which featured Brooke Shields touting a product, Latisse, which promised, thicker, fuller eyelashes in about 12-16 weeks. It was bizarre.

When I first saw this advertisement I couldn’t believe that they were serious. A product which treats the condition of not having thick enough lashes, inadequate lashes as the ad. puts it ! Is that even a condition ? Not enough lashes to bat around ? Use Latisse.

Oh, yes, now that you’ve tweezed your eyebrows, made up your face, removed all traces of bodily hair, worried yourself to death about the dreaded VPL, and in general made yourself presentable as per societal expectations, you also now need to consider whether your eyelashes are inadequate. And do something about them. Because God forbid, what if you were to bat your lashes at a man, and OMG, they weren’t enough, or thick enough, or full enough or dark enough to get his attention ?

Beauty companies nowadays flood us with ads. designed to think women need improvement, i.e.; your natural self is just not good enough. Face too dark ? Lighten it ! That worry solved, now let’s get down to matching up body color to face color, because if they don’t all hell would break loose. If it isn’t your “dark” skin, your hair needs help. Hair frizzy, straight, curly, the wrong color ? No worries we have a product for that ! If the head on your hair is fine, have you ever thought that the natural hair growing on your legs and arms can actually hold you back from achieving your full potential ? Wax, shave, depilate, depilate, depilate !

Once that is done, wear makeup artfully so that noone can tell you’re wearing any. To look taller the fashion industry provides really tall heels, the wearing of which will probably result in some sort of a foot injury after a while, but hey, at least you’ll look good sitting down.

Lashes are important because they prevent stuff from getting into your eyes, so most of us have some of them. I have short, not so thick lashes, but I figure they are sufficient for what they do. New drugs and the research which goes into them is important because they are solving important medical issues, sometimes essential life-saving ones. But I’m put off by the pop-a-pill approach to most problems. Allergies – take a pill a day. Foot fungus – take another pill a day. Inadequate lashes (I feel ludicrous even saying it) ? Apply Latisse once a day. And here’s the wonderful thing about these products – you stop taking them, EVERY SINGLE DAY OF YOUR LIFE, and the problem reappears. Allergies come back, foot fungus reappears, lashes go back to normal growth patterns.

Latisse costs $120 per month, about $4 a day. And it has contra-indications – it might cause a change in skin color, and change in iris pigmentation. Also it could grow hair on ANY skin it comes in contact with. It might also cause itchy/red eyes.

Latisse is supposed to treat “Hypotrichosis” which wikipedia describes as a condition of abnormal hair growth. Basically sparse hair, which could result from a medical condition or chemotherapy. And in those cases I think it’d be a good thing. But it is being marketed at the general public, at women like you and me. Otherwise healthy women, who suffer from “inadequate” lashes. Oh, poor us !

And at times like this, when I think about the pressure already on women to adhere to impossible standards of beauty, that I think that people who think up stuff like this and market it must be demented. Not only for pushing potentially harmful, unnecessary stuff on women who might buy it because it helps them feel beautiful (and hence they say better), but also for introducing this facet of “beauty” into a realm where my daughter (and other young women like her) in a few years might not be able to ignore it, and might wonder if not only her body, her legs, her waist measures up, but even whether her lashes are thick enough ?

And even though it’s been a while since I first saw Latisse being advertised, I’ve been meaning to write about it. And looking around the Net, found a few other women who were fuming about this, but an article on Salon said it best :

How much do you have to hate your body to shell out $150 a month for a mysterious product that might ruin your eyes?

Indeed !

2009-10-08T02:03:00.002-07:00

EDIT/OP-ED

Stop Herding the Muslims

Sheeba Aslam Fehmi

How can the All India Muslim Personal Law Board decide for the entire community? Why have Indian Muslims given them this legitimacy?

In the last three decades, we have seen the ostrich-like approach of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board towards almost everything it has involved itself with, be it matters regarding Shari’ah laws, the Babri Masjid case, the Uniform Civil Code or the family planning issue. The controversy over triple talaq and birth control have been unnecessarily raked up recently, although the triple talaq issue has been settled by the apex court.

But the board is giving the impression that if the debate is still at its initial stages, it is authorised to arrive at some conclusion that would be acceptable to every Indian Muslim. In the process, it’s trying to make us believe in the impossibility that the Ahl-i Hadith, Shia and Ismaili sects, a minority among Muslims, also practice ‘similar’ personal laws or are ready to sink their theological differences to come under the umbrella of the Sunni personal law.

It’s impossible to even think of such a possibility. However, it’s about time to ask the board if it’s ‘competent’ enough to correctly interpret Shari’ah laws itself.

Not Allowed: women peep at Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin’s dargah in Delhi photo by sharad saxena
It’s a farce. Not a single member of the board is a legal or academic expert on personal laws! But for the third president of the board, none of its four presidents so far have had professional expertise on Muslim personal laws. The ordinary members, incidentally, who are most vocal and visible and seem to be at the helm of affairs, are regulars from different fields: teachers, NGO operators, journalists, chartered accountants etc. They are deciding the fate of millions of Muslims in the fragmented Indian civil society. (Surely, the mockery of women’s representation in the board demands a separate exposé.)

Another paradox lies in the representation of different schools of Islamic thought in the board and their ideological positions. There are representatives from every Islamic school but all of them are lobbying for the Sunni Shari’ah law only. Indeed, there are four major schools among the Muslims: Hanafi and Shafai, Ahl-i-Hadith (Sunni), Shia and Ismaili (a Shia sect). The animosity and intolerance among these four sects is so deep that none enters another’s mosque to offer prayers — even in an emergency. Besides, there are strong social mores, personal laws, interpretation of the Quran and religio-social traditions etc., which act as natural or artificial divisions. A Dawoodi Bohra will not enter an Ismaili mosque or a Shia mosque though these are all sub-sects of the Shia stream. The level of tolerance is abysmally low. And every school of thought has its own personal laws.

Therefore, the concerted campaign by non-Sunni members to support the Sunni personal law in its present form is complicated by the fact that the Sunni laws in their contemporary form and praxis are obscurantist and retrogressive, and particularly harsh on women. If these members of Ahl-i Hadith, Shia and Ismaili school of thoughts believe that the law is the correct interpretation of the Quran, then they should start practicing it in their own personal matters. If they are adhering to their comparatively liberal faiths, then why are they lobbying for the monolithic ‘practice’ of a personal law for the whole of the Indian Muslim community? This can only be termed as a fraudulent and misleading gesture of the power-hungry ‘theological chieftains’ who never hesitate to unite whenever they face critical, rational, progressive and secular dissent.

There are uncanny questions the board just cannot hide. What are its aims and objectives? Who appoints its members? What are their eligibility conditions and duties? To whom are they accountable?
Another malignancy grips the board: its retrogressive approach towards non-issues ultimately end up helping all kinds of Muslim-bashers and fanatics in India. This year it was triple talaq and family planning, in 2002 the board created a meaningless controversy out of nowhere by demanding that Muslim children should be exempted from the Sarda Act (Child Marriage Prohibition Act) of 1923. In its 75 years of existence, not a single individual (Hindu or Muslim) has been convicted under this Act. When the law is practically defunct, then why should a contentious controversy be created, which only pushes Indian Muslims into a perpetually regressive and difficult corner?

The big question is, shouldn’t there be a ‘minimum marriageable age limit’? Islam was the first religion to introduce the ‘minimum marriageable age’ concept to let the girl child attain at least puberty — as the then Arab society was harsh towards women and considered them a scourge or stigma and looked for ways to get rid of them, including through marriage. Besides, the board should be aware that even countries like Bangladesh, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Algeria, Indonesia, Somalia, Tunisia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Egypt etc., all Islamic nations, are practicing the ‘minimum marriageable age’ limit for a long time now. If they can bring such progressive laws to improve their socio-economic conditions then why can’t we, the largest Muslim population of the world, follow a new code?

Alternatively, is there a subtle synchronisation between RSS’ pseudo-phobia of Muslims overtaking Hindus in numbers and the one-dimensional, orthodox response by Islamic religious heads in India? Is it not true that the Uniform Civil Code issue has been kept alive by fundamentalists on both sides?

As for triple talaq, the board has only exposed itself by rejecting the directives and interpretations of the authoritative book Majmu’a-e Qawanin-e Islam, brought out by the board itself under its third president and the ‘only personal law scholar and expert’, Maulana Mujahidul Islam Qasmi. It shows its members’ simulated commitment towards reforms.
Surrounded as we are by the neo-conservative forces of the Right, who are celebrating the clash of civilisations, it is all the more crucial to resurrect and reinvent the sense and sensibility of a modernist, progressive and sensitive stream of consciousness, which does not fall into the terrible abyss of feudal values
This book was quoted and a judgement was ordered based on its directives by the high court of Maharashtra (Aurangabad bench) in the Dagdhu Pathan versus Raheembi Dagdhu Pathan case: the court ruled that Muslim husbands will have to ‘prove their talaq and all preconditions prescribed by the Quran has to be duly fulfilled before resorting to the drastic act’. In response, the board tried to precipitate an agitation against the judicial directive. It only shows insincerity and lack of knowledge of its own history when it comes to the un-Islamic and unjust use of the concept of triple talaq.

There are too many uncanny questions the board just cannot hide. What are its aims and objectives? Who appoints its members? What are the eligibility criteria and duties? To whom are they accountable? How do they claim to represent the entire Indian Muslim community? What is the ‘model Muslim society’ they are aspiring for?

Should the crucial issues facing Indian Muslims be left to the apathetic, self-appointed and semi-informed group of people (who treat the community as a herd) just because they claim to lead an insecure minority community by hook or by crook? Or should it be left to the court of law which was authorised by Indian Muslims to implement the Shari’ah, as it is the only institution which can ensure that: Quranic provisions are followed; wanton acts are checked before the drastic plunge and girls of the community are not colonised as slaves under the medieval fetish of a macho orthodoxy.

These questions are in the domain of the civil society and it’s time the civil society wakes up and engages with its own reality of contradictions, mental shackles, unfreedoms and bad faith. This is the essence of the crisis facing the Muslim community in India.

Between the ‘abc’ of enlightenment and cultural and political equality in the contemporary era, Indian Muslims must realise their unique position in a secular, pluralist and diverse nation. Surrounded as we are by the neo-conservative forces of the Right, who are celebrating the clash of civilisations, it is all the more crucial to resurrect and reinvent the sense and sensibility of a modernist, progressive and sensitive stream of consciousness, which does not fall into the terrible abyss of feudal values. It’s a tough trap which Muslim women in India must break.

The writer is editor of a Hindi monthly, Headline Plus, based in Old Delhi, December 25, २००४

2009-10-08T02:03:00.001-07:00

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main9.asp?filename=op122504stop_herding.asp

apni betiyon se darey huey log!

2009-10-07T15:28:00.000-07:00

viuh csfV;ksa ls Mjs gq, yksx

viuh csfV;ksa ls Mjs gq, yksx!

'khck vlye Q+geh

irk ugha Fkk fd ukjhoknh rdksZa ds fy;s et+gc dk cpko djuk iM+sxk +

exj bu et+gch csod+wQ+ksa us et+gc dk ,slk Hkql&Hkjk fd ;g Hkh djuk iM+k +

jktsUnz ;kno th o ^gal* ds cqf)thoh ikBdx.k eq>s eqvkQ+ djsaxs +

fiNys dqN fnuksa ls rlyhek uljhu dks ysdj tks fookn py jgk gS mlesa flQZ+ ,d gh ckr mHkj dj vk jgh gS fd fo”o dk nwljs uEcj dk lcls cM+k ¼eqfLye½ lekt ,d ,slh dBiqRyh gS ftls /keZ ds uke ij dksbZ Hkh upk ldrk gSA ;g ,d Hk;kØkar lekt gS] bruk cM+k vkSj QSyk gqvk gksrs gq, Hkh vkSj bl nkos ds ckotwn fd ;g lcls rst+h ls QSy jgk gS] ghu Hkkouk ls xzLr gSA eqfLye lekt fo'o iVy ij ,d fpM+fpM+k] Mjk gqvk vkSj vkRedsafnzr lewg tku iM+rk gS] tks fd brus cM+s vkSj yxHkx loZO;kIr lewg ds fy;s [k+klh vViVh fo”ks’krk gSA

‘rlyhek izdj.k’ ds eísut+j dqN vge loky mHkj dj vkrs gSa ftu ij eqlyekuksa dks vkRe eaFku djuk gh gksxkA rkyhe ;k¶+rk] rgt+hc ;k¶+rk] rjD+d+h ilUn vkSj bUlku&nksLr lekt vkt /keZ dks ihNs NksM+ pqdk gSA mldh ft+Unxh esa /keZ gh ,d igpku ugha gS ftlls og ca/kk gSA mlds ikl nwljh dbZ igpkusa gSa tks vftZr gSa] vk/kqfud gSaA blfy;s /keZ mlds vfLrRo dk dssanz fcUnq ugha jgkA ysfdu blh fo”o iVy ij dqN ,slh izfØ;k,a Hkh py jgh gSa tks /keZ ds vkMEcjh; :i dks lkewfgd igpku ls tksM+us dh çfØ;k dgh tk ldrh gSaA blh ds lkFk lkewfgd :i ls /keZ ds fy;s ,d rjg dk vigilantism Hkh mHkjk gSA ftlds rgr dqN yksx /keZ dh j{kk ds fy;s ges”kk rS;kj jgrs gSaA ijUrq ;gh yksx vius&vius /keZ dks lcls T;knk uqDlku igqapk jgs gSaA tgka rd bLyke dk loky gS ,d vthc fojks/kkHkkl O;kIr gS blds ekuus okyksa esaA

vki fdlh Hkh bLykfed tkudkj ls ckr djsa] dqN [k+kl nkos mHkj dj lkeus vk,axs( fd bLyke rdZ] balkQ+ vkSj HkkbZpkjs ij vk/kkfjr gSA fd bLyke vkSj foKku ds chp dksbZ ruko ugha gSA bLyke ' dk izcyre gkeh gSA ox+Sjg ox+SjgA

ysfdu eqfLye lekt dh fo”'o Hkj esa Noh blds foijhr D;ksa gSa\ vkt ;g lekt fo'”o Lrj ij ‘?ksVks’ esa th jgk gSA ,d ,sls xzhugkml’ dh rjg tgka u ckgj ls dksbZ u;k fopkj vanj vk ldrk gS u vUnj ls dqN ckgj fn;k tk ldrk gSA ekuks dgus] crkus] tkuus yk;d lcdqN lkroha lnh esa dg fn;k x;k vkSj nqfu;k vc mUgha tkudkfj;ksa ds lkFk jgsA blls vkxs c<+us dh dksbZ t+:jr ughaA

tgka rd balkQ+&ilUnh dk loky gS eqfLye lektkssa us viuh vkSjrksa ds lkFk D;k&D;k crkZo fd;s gSa vkSj dj jgs gSa] lcds lkeus gSA lj d+ye] laxlkj ls ysdj lkewfgd cykRdkj rd dh lt+k, vkSjrksa dks bLyke ds uke ij nh tk jgh gSaA gkykafd ;g lc x+Sj bLykeh gSa] ysfdu eqfLye lektksa esa gh budk pyu gSA ;g fcydqy ^Åaph nqdku Qhdk idoku’* dgkor dks pfjrkFkZ djus okyh ckr gSA

eq>s ekywe gS fd ;g dgrs gh eq> ij bLyke dks u tkuus ds vkjksiksa dh ckSNkj gksxhA ilan dgsaxs fd eSa bLyke vkSj mlesa fufgr vkSjrksa ds vf/kdkjksa] muds ekuokf/kdkjksa] 'kkSgj&choh ds chp cjkcjh] vkfn ds igyqvksa dks u tkurs gq, ‘jktsUnz ;knoh;&fMLdksslZ’ esa iM+ xbZ gw¡A eq>s ekywe gh ugha fd tc bLyke vk;k ml le; vjcksa esa yM+fd;ksa ds lkFk D;k&D;k T+kqYe gksrs FksA mUgsa ft+Unk xkM+ fn;k tkrk FkkA mUgsa xqyke cuk;k tkrk FkkA mudh dksbZ bT+t+r ugha Fkh ox+Sjg ox+SjgA

blfy;s ;gka ij ;g lkQ+ dj nsuk t+:jh gS fd ^bLyke /keZ* vkSj ^eqfLye lekt* nks vyx&vyx ;FkkFkZ gSaA gkykafd ;g vDlj ,d nwljs esa xMeM gq, fn[krs gSaA bLyke us t+:j ml le; og jkLrk fn[kk;k gksxk ftlls ;g bruk yksdfiz; gqvk fd brus de le; esa nqfu;k dk nwljs uEcj dk /keZ cu x;kA ysfdu ,d lekt ds rkSj ij vkt eqlyeku nqfu;k ls dVs&dVs] 'kadkyw] Hk;kØkar vkSj cUn lekt gh gSaA

dBeqYyksa dh lÙkk esa eqfLye lekt dk og Lo:i mHkjk gS tks rdZ&fordZ] foKku] cjkcjh] vkSj lfg’'.kqrk dks udkjrk gSA ,d ,slk lekt ftlesa vius Åij yx jgs vkjksiksa dk tokc rdZ vkSj balkQ+ ds vk/kkj ij ugha cfYd ^gYyk&cksy* }kjk fn;k tkrk gSA 'kkg ckuks] bejkuk] vkSj rlyhek izdj.k us bl lekt esa O;kIr Mj] ?kcjkgV] vkSj vjktdrk dks mtkxj fd;k gSA

rlyhek uljhu viuh vki&chrh’ vkSj ^yTtk*’ ds dkj.k e'”kgwj gqbZaA ^yTtk* eas mUgksaus ckaXykns'k eas vYila[;dksa ij gks jgs T+kqYeksa dks mtkxj fd;kA Hkkjrh; eqlyekuksa dks blesa D;k vkiÙkh gS le> eas ugha vkrk\ Hkkjr esa fgUnqRo vkSj jk'’Vªh; Lo;a lsod la?k vius vYila[;dksa ds lkFk tks dj jgk gS mlds c;ku ij rks vke fganqvksa dks dksbZ ,rjkt+ ughaA cfYd ogh Hkkjrh; vYila[;dksa dh lcls eq[kj iSjoh djrs gSaA ysfdu eqlyeku vius vYila[;dksa ds lkFk tks djrs gSa ml ij *eqfLye balkQ+&ijLrh* gj vkokt+ dks [k+keks'”k dj nsuk pkgrh gSA ;gh ugha tc f'k;k&lqUuh Q+lkn gksrs gSa rc Hkh ‘eqfLye balkQ+&ijLrh’ ^lqfUu;ksa* dks dB?kjs eas ugha [kM+k djrh] gka tc fgUnw&eqfLye Q+lkn gksrs gSa rc Hkkjrh; yksdra=] lafo/kku] U;k;O;oLFkk lc ij lokfy;k fu'kku yx tkrk gS vkSj lsD;wyfjT+e dh nqgkbZ gj mnwZ v[k+ckj nsrk gSA

jgh ckr rlyhek dh ‘vki&chrh’ dh rks ;g vkSj Hkh vthcks&x+jhc ekeyk gSA vkSj ;g flQ+Z ,d rlyhek dk ekeyk ugha cfYd rd+jhcu gj vkSjr ij] dqN T+;knk dqN de] ij ykxw gksrk gSA

?kj dh pkjfnokjh esa] lxs fj”'rsnkjksa }kjk] fir`lÙkkRed O;oLFkk esa] gj lekt esa xS+j cjkcjh vkSj ukbalkQ+h O;kIr gSA ;g flQ+Z eqlyekuksa dk ekeyk ugha gSA ysfdu rlyhek ds vkjksi vxj lekt ij u gksdj bLyke ij gSa rks Hkh mldk tokc rlyhek ds lkFk nqOZ;ogkj ls ugha fn;k tkuk pkfg;sA vxj /keZ esa [+kqn ij yx jgs vkjksiksa ls [+kqn dks cpkus dh rdZ '“kfDr ugha rks og dB?kjs esa [kM+k gh gksxkA rlyhek gh ugha vkt fo'o Hkj esa eqlyeku vkSjrsa vius&vius lektksa esa O;kIr fyax Hksn ij loky [kM+s dj jgh gSa ysfdu bLyke ij geyk cksy dj ughaA muds ;gka /keZ vkSj lekt dk Q+dZ lkQ+ gSA og bLyke eas jg dj bLykeh U;k;fiz;rk] cjkcjh vkSj vkt+knh ds n'kZu ls vius fy;s jkLrk fudky jgh gSaA og eqlyeku enksZa ls T+;knk Li'V gSa bu eqíksa dks ysdjA rks fQj eqlyeku enZ ;g D;ksa ugha dj ldrs\ njvly rlyhek ds lkFk tks gks jgk gS og fir`lRrk dh Hk;kØkark gSA /keZ rks flQ+Z mldk eq[kkSVk gSA dgk tk ldrk gS fd /keZ fir`lRrk dks Qyus&Qwyus dk ekSd+k nsrk gS ysfdu ftu lektksa us /keZ dks ihNs NksM+ fn;k gS D;k os fyax&Hksn vkSj L=Ah&neu ls eqä gks x,\ ugha! pkgsa iwathoknh if'”pe ;ksjksi gks ;k lkE;oknh O;oLFkk ds ns'k tks vc iwathoknh gks jgs gSaA ukjh&neu fdlh u fdlh :i eas lHkh txg gSA cfYd fdUgha ekeyksa esa viuh ijkdk'’Bk ij gSA dqN ‘fycjYl’ ckt+kj dks ,d egku lekurkoknh O;oLFkk ekurs Fks ij tc ckt+kj vk;k rks mlus Hkh mUgha lkaLd`frd fcEcksa dk T+;knk csckdh o csg;kbZ ls bLrseky fd;k ftuds lgkjs lfn;ksa ls ukjh&neu py jgk FkkA cfYd ckt+kj us ukjh nsg dks ,d u, Lrj ij ys tkdj fcdkÅ cuk;kA

blfy;s flj ij ^LdkQ+Z* iguuk neu gS vkSj ^feuh LdVZ* vkSj ^V;wc VkWi* iguus yk;d+ ^fQ+xj esUVsu* djus dh etcwjh neu ugha] ;g ugha ekuk tk ldrkA miHkksDrk enZ ds vkxs ijkslus yk;d ftLe dk j[k j[kko] ftlds r;'”kqnk iSekus gSa] ftlds rgr Nkfr;ksa] gksBksa esa flfydkWu Hkjokuk iM+rk gS] furEcksa dks mNky nsus ds fy;s fo'”ks’'k dljr o vkUrfjd oL= iguus iM+rs gSa] ,f'”k;kbZ ewy dh vkSjrksa dks cky lqugjs jaxus iM+rs gSa vkSj uhys&gjs ^dkWUVsDV ySal* vk[kksa esa yxkus iM+rs gSa fd og vius enksZa dh ^xksjh&Q+sUVslh* dks lkdkj dj ldsa] vkfn vkfn neu ugha D;k\

Q+S”'kuijLrh] ckt+kj] VsDukWykth] miHkksDrk laLd`fr vkSj ehfM;k ^iwathoknh lsD;wyj fjyhtu’* }kjk vkSjr dks ncko eas ys pqds gSaA ckchZ xqfM+;k ls ysdj 70 lkyk izkS<+k rd ckt+kj ds fu;ekas dk f'kdkj gSaA ,sls le; esa] tc QS'ku ^yks&osLV* thUl dks pM~

cgjgky ukjh eqfä vkanksyu esa eqfLye vkSjrksa ds fgtkc ij cgl ,d if'peoknh lrgh cgl gSA T+;knk t:jh ;g gS fd ?kj&ifjokj ds nk;js esa vkSjrksa ij gks jgs T+kqYe ls futkr ds jkLrs lk/kkj.k ysf[kdk dks ^gkWV&lsyj* t+:j cuk nsrs gSaA

rlyhek dh ;g ekax fd ^dqjku dks iqufoZ'ysf"kr djus dh t+:jr ’gS*] njvly t+jk T+;knk ^Øakfrdkjh* 'kCnksa esa ogh ekax gS ftls eqfLye cqf)thoh enZ vkSj vkSjrsa bTrsgkn’ dgrs gSa] tks fd bLykeh /keZ n'kZu ds 'kq:vkrh nkSj esa vge fgLlk Fkk vkSj nk'”kZfud o lwQ+h dfo vy&x+t+kyh ¼1058&1111½ ds oDr eas fujLr dj fn;k x;k Fkk D;ksafd mUgsa yxk Fkk fd bTrsgkn ds uke ij bLyke esa izkphu ;wukuh Q+ylQs+ dk lekos'”k gks jgk gS tks fd bLyke ds cqfu;knh eqY;ksa dks Hkh izHkkfor dj jgk gSA vkt fo”'o Hkj esa eqfLye efgyk,a bTrsgkn dh okilh ij cgl dj jgh gSa tks fd bLyke ds nk;js eas jg dj vkt ds rd+kt+ksa ds rgr lekt lq/kkj dh ckr gSSA

/keZ dks lewy udkjus ds fy;s ekuork dks tSlh ifjiDork pkfg;s og vHkh nwj&nwj rd fn[kkbZ ugha nsrhA pUn cqf)thoh tks bl eu%fLFkfr dks izkIr dj pqds gSa os O;fDrxr thou esa bl ij fu.kZ; dj ldrs gSa ij vke tu ftuds fy;s jkt&lRrk] iz'kklu] U;k;oLFkk vkSj jk"Vª&jkt lHkh dsoy neudkjh rkd+rsa gSa vkSj muds ikl vk/kqfud igpku Hkh ugha] os /keZ dh '“kj.k esa tk,axs gh] fdlh dks ;g ew[kZrk yxs rks yxsA os /kkfeZd igpku ls yksdra= esa la[;k }kjk 'kfä vftZr djrs gSa vkSj jk'’Vª&jkt ls viuk gd+ Hkh ek¡xrs gSaA nfyrksa dk mnkgj.k lkeus gSA nfyrksa ls muds fgUnw /keZ dh igpku Nhu yh tk, rks vkj{k.k dk D;k vk/kkj jg tkrk gS\ blh rjg /kkfeZd vYila[;dksa dh /kkfeZd igpku gh mUgsa cgqla[;dokn ls cpkrh gS ojuk Ýkal esa lsD;wyj O;oLFkk us dSls >wBs cjkcjh ds vkn'kZ x<+s ge tkurs gSaA

vr% /keZ dks udkj] ;k ukfLrdrk ds iSekuksa }kjk lekt dk ldkjkRed fo'ys"k.k fQ+ygky gesa cgqr nwj ugha ys tkrkA ftl bLyke /keZ us vkSjrksa dks ^rykd+* dk vf/kdkj nsdj 'kknh tSlh vkfn laLFkk dks d+kuwuh&d+jkj dh ifjf/k esa yk iVdk] ftls fo”'o Hkj dh blkbZ] fgUnw ] eqfLye] flD[k vkSj ;gwnh vkSjrsa viuh ft+Unxh dks fookg :ih ujd ls fudkyus ds fy;s bLrseky dj jgh gSaA ftl bLyke /keZ us csfV;ksa dks firk dh lEifr esa fgLlk fnyk;k] ftl /keZ us ngst ds ctk; esgj dh ijEijk nh] ftl /keZ esa fo/kok fookg] iqufoZZokg vkSj f”'k{kk esa fyax Hksn dks [k+Re fd;k ml /keZ dks dBeqYyksa ds d+Cts+ ls fudkyus dh t+:jr gS] ftldh dksf”'k'”k fofHkUu Lrj ij i<+s fy[ks eqlyeku L=h&iq:'’k dj jgs gSaA ;g yksx rlyhekvksa dh ^fop&gfUVax*’ ugha djrsA rlyhek ij gYyk&cksy flQ+Z eUncqf)] vifjiDo o Mjs gq, cspkjs ^enZ* djrs gSa D;ksafd muds ikl bLyke ij lhfer tkudkjh gS ;k og bLyke dks flQZ+ viuh tkxhj le>rs gSaA

os tkurs gh ugha fd eqfLye efgyk,a bLyke esa jg dj tsUMj&ftgkn’ dj jgh gSa vkSj dBeqYyksa dh lRrk dks jkSan jgh gSaA iM+kslh eqYd ikfdLrku tgka f”'k{kk] yksdrkaf=d ewY; vkfn viuh '“kS'”okLFkk esa gSa] ogka eq”'kjZQ+ ds f[k+ykQ+] yksdra= ds gd+ esa tks izn'”kZu gks jgs gSa mlesa vkSjrksa dh Hkkxhnkjh fofLer djrh gSA Hkkjr esa lkjh vkt+knh ds ckotwn fefMy&Dykl esa tq>k: efgykvksa dk dSlk VksVk gS\ ;gh ugha bZjkd+&bZjku] baMksusf”'k;k] rqdhZ] ckydu jkT; lHkh txg eqfLye vkSjrsa eq[kj gSaA vizoklh eqfLye lektksa esa bTrsgkn’ vkSj tsaMj&ftgkn’ ,d fopkj/kkjk ds rkSj ij mHkj dj lkeus vk jgs gSaA i<+h&fy[kh] dekÅ] tkx:d vkSj vkRefo'”oklh vkSjrsa pkgsa eqlyeku gksa ;k bZlkbZ ;k fgUnw ] vius&vius enksZa dh c[+kwch udsy dl jgh gSaA

^eqlyeku* efgyk gksus ds ukrs eq>ls Hkh ,d nks ckj ;g vkxzg fd;k x;k fd D;k vki esa rlyhek tSlh fgEer gS viuh ^^vki&chrh** lekt ds lkeus j[kus dh\ igys rks eSa lksp esa iM+ xbZ fd ^gk¡ D;k ,slk dj ldrh gw¡!* ysfdu cgqr [kaxkyus ij Hkh dqN gkFk ugha yxkA rc le> esa vk;k fd eqlyeku efgyk’ gksus ds ckotwn eq>s rlyhek uljhu u cuus nsus esa esjs fj'rsnkjksa ¼pkpk&ekek vkfn½ dk ‘"kM+;a=Adkjh gkFk gSA vkSj ;g Hkh le> esa vk;k fd rlyhek dh ^vki&chrh*’ dk ysuk&nsuk bLyke ls ugha fir`lRrk ds 'kks"k.k ls gSA vkSj ;g fdlh Hkh /kkfeZd&lewg esa gks ldrk gS] blds fy;s dsoy ^bLyke* dh ekStwnxh t+:jh ughaA bfly;s et+gc dks dB?kjs esa [kM+k djus ds ctk; ml vkfn O;oLFkk dks dB?kjs esa [kM+k dhft;s tks bLyke ;k blkbZ;r ls cgqr igys ls gS] ftldk ft+Ø Ý+sMfjd ,atsYl us vius fucU/k ^vksfjftUl vkWQ+ Qs+eyh] izkWbosV izkIVhZ ,.M LVsV* esa fuft lEifÙk ds mnHko ds uke ls fd;k gSA

blfy;s loky f'”k{kk vkSj vkfFkZd Lokoyac }kjk vkRe fo'”okl] vkRe lEeku vtZu dk gS uk fd rlyhek cuke dBeqYyk’ tSls fMldkslZ esa bLyke dks dB?kjs esa [kM+k djus dk] D;ksafd tkxzr eqfLye vkSjrsa bLyke dks Hkh c[+kwch tsaMj&lsfUlfVfoVh ds u, vorkj esa yk jgh gSaA ;fn /keZ dks udkj ugha ldrs rks oD+r ds rd+kt+ksa ds vuqdwy cuk ldrs gSaA vkf[k+j f'”k{kk vkSj vkfFkZd lEiUurk ds cy ij [+kqeSuh ds bZjku dh vuq'ksg valkjh fcuk vius 'kkSgj] firk] HkkbZ ;k iq= ds] pkj uk&egje enksZa ds lkFk] varfj{k esa vkB fnu dh lSj dj vkbZaA mUgsas D;k Q+dZ+ iM+rk gS fd ^gt* djus vxj ^egje* ds lkFk tkuk iMs\+ blfy;s vc ^nhu vkSj nqfu;k* rks blh rjg lkFk&lkFk pysaxh fe;ka!

Published in Hindi Monthly “HANS’ in Oct 2007.

sheeba_atplus@yahoo.com

2008-12-17T10:56:00.000-08:00

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/specials/thenewmuslim/jha.shtml

Leading a Fight

Sheeba Fehmi's philosophy is simply this: “There are issues of poverty, exploitation, illiteracy and corruption that need to be attended to; I have my plate full. Is there time for anything else?”

Leading a fightSrinand Jha New Delhi, October 29
Amidst the nondescript and packed structures of the smoke filled and crowded by-lanes of Delhi’s Jama Masjid locality, Deen Duniya House – once the residence of the Nawab of Bhopal – stands out as an anachronism.
This is home to Deen Duniya, an Urdu monthly that has been disseminating for the last 70 years as much obscurantist Islamic values as the “Kalyan” – a Hindi monthly that promotes fundamentalist Hindu philosophy. That Sheeba Fehmi lives and works out of Deen Duniya House is one oddity. The second is that she is so unassuming and soft-spoken, that she is hardly likely to be seen as a firebrand activist. But don’t underestimate her: she has caused huge miseries to none other than the Jama Masjid’s Shahi Imam, Syed Ahmed Bukhari –chipping away at his larger-than-life image and authority.
Sheeba’s own explanation of the peculiarities of her circumstances: “The insider is the one who brings about meaningful societal changes and not intellectual paratroopers who drop down once in a while.”
Sheeba may not quite be a Rama Bai Saraswati (India’s first feminist who delved deep into Hindu texts before she turned a rebel), but she is not far behind. She is not into any of the “isms”; is not associated with any political party – and does not even run a registered voluntary organization.
Her philosophy is simply this: “There are issues of poverty, exploitation, illiteracy and corruption that need to be attended to; I have my plate full. Is there time for anything else?”
For one accustomed to the multi-cultural life of a cantonment, the cluttered environs of Jama Masjid can come as a cultural shock. Particularly for individuals like Sheeba – who have enhanced notions of moral and social values. For three years from 1993, she edited and published a daily from Kanpur (where her father was stationed in the defense services) focusing on civic and social issues. She launched a monthly in 1996 and – shifting to Delhi the same year after marriage – she ran a magazine called Headline Plus for 13 months.
Her reason for these ventures: “Instead of having emerged out of some phase of renaissance, democracy in India has been imposed from above – and there is a need to constantly push forward the multi-cultural and democratic discourse. Propagation of such values through the media can be one of the strategies.”
Her view is that Muslims have continued to remain victims of the minority syndrome. “In the name of minority rights is being pushed the patriarchal values and culturally acquired malpractices of the Islamic faith – there is a need for a debate on the minority question within minority.”
In association with husband Arshad and other colleagues, she has run a poster campaign against the illegal encroachments allegedly done at the instance of Bukhari; campaigned aggressively against the cleric’s call to float a political party for the Muslims; has been going hammer and tongs against the politician-police-bureaucracy-Mullah nexus. Over past years, the Shahi Imam has had more than his fill of the Fehmis.
On several occasions, the family were threatened and attacked. Sheeba’s justifications for persisting under such adverse circumstances with what is perceived as a personalized campaign against the Imam: “The Shahi Imam represents the worst form of institutionalized corruption. Rather than being involved in religious, philanthropic or humanitarian activities, his concentration has been on amassing wealth through wrongful means.”
Imam Bukhari refused to comment on Sheeba’s campaign saying, “She has no standing or stature.”
Sheeba has some very committed supporters, people inspired by her. Reshma, for one. She is herself illiterate but is sending two of her daughters to school, inspired by Sheeba. Just like Iram and Nusrat, who are determined to get their children educated.
“English education is the ticket to prosperity and my children must have it,” said Ismat, a sweeper in a government school. There is a silent revolution happening as the numbers of first generation learners (with illiterate parents) has been growing exponentially in the locality. Sheeba part-finances the education of some children.
In the Jama Masjid area, a fascinating process of sociological change is at work and dominant myths and stereotypes about Muslim women in particular are getting shattered. There is a greater emphasis now on girls’ education than ever before. Blame it on the economics of more earning members in a family, but it’s happening.
Sheeba is dot on target when she says: “There is more to Jama Masjid than the wonderful eateries and the marvelous lighting on Ramzan day.” But she will never say how much of it is because of her.