Are Good and Evil Context Sensitive?

Immediately after the strike on World Trade Centre, President bush vowed to eliminate terrorism from the face of Earth. Addressing American people, he said that the strike on WTC was not a plain terrorism act. It was a war and it was a war between good and evil. At that moment, President Bush's statement had a universal appeal. Everyone knew what was meant by good and evil. Everyone knew whom to side with. However, a week after the strikes on Afghanistan, the choice between good and evil is not so simple for a Muslim. He thinks that the massive air raids on Afghanistan assisted by a mobilisation of ground forces across central Asia is a direct threat to Islam. Everyone understands the brutality of September 11 but America's air raids have given a new perspective to Muslim thinking. Now, it is not evil being wiped out, it is Islam under threat from a super power flexing its muscle on poor, hungry Momins. According to Bush, everyone who is not with him is with Osama. For Osama, it is the bounden duty of every Muslim to protect his religion with all the strength he can muster. For Osama, either you are a Momin or you are a Qafir. Momin can only justify himself if he fights against America. For bush, the only test of good lies in fighting Osama and his brand of brutal inhumane terrorists. A civilised nation must prove its credentials by siding with America. For Taliban, a good Muslim must prove his credentials by siding with them and fighting America.

Indian Muslims too find themselves sailing two boats simultaneously. They understand that what happened on September 11 was wrong but they are under pressure from fanatics to condemn American air raids on Afghanistan. Fridays are especially sensitive due to the auspicious Nawaz. After the Nawaz, the Imam asks Muslims to rise against America and protest. Yesterday was a case in point. We witnessed violent protests in Hyderbad and Srinagar. Thirty people were injured in Hyderabad and a similar number in Srinagar. Muslims are made to shout "meri jan Taliban' or Taliban is my life. Symbols of American hood are attacked. We have not witnessed an incident like this in India yesterday but KFC building was raised to ground in Karachi. As air raids increase and followed by ground attacks, this phenomenon will definitely grow and rupture our social behaviour.

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