Indian Muslims say they do not want the terrorists killed by the security forces during the attacks in Mumbai to be buried in Muslim graveyards.
The BBC is reporting that Community leaders believe the militants should not be called Muslims because they went against the teachings of Islam and killed innocent civilians. One leader went as far as to suggest that the militants had “defamed” the Muslim religion. Which most people would agree with.
The Mumbai attack cut short the lives of at least 172 innocent people, and nine militants also died. It is the burials for these nine that are in question.
The BBC reports that this may be the first openly defiant act against “Islamic terrorism”.
The Muslim Council in India have decided they will not allow the militants to be buried in Muslim graveyards anywhere in the country. The ramification being that these people are not martyrs, and there will be no 72 virgins in paradise for them.
Ibrahim Tai, the president of the Indian Muslim Council, which looks after the social and religious affairs of the Muslim community in India told BBC
“They are not Muslims as they have not followed our religion which teaches us to live in peace.
“If the government does not respect our demands we will take up extreme steps. We do not want the bodies of people who have committed an act of terrorism to be buried in our cemeteries.
“These terrorists are a black spot on our religion, we will very sternly protest the burial of these terrorists in our cemetery,” he said.
Other Muslim groups have written to their local assembly representatives to say that if the authorities force the militants to be buried in a Muslim graveyard they will protest en masse.
Perhaps we are witnessing a tide turn, a single act which could change everything. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step and India, which has the world’s second largest population of Muslims may be about to make that step.
