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11. Being Muslim 
ATTIA HOSAIN: Here are people still but poor things they are fighting against bigger forces each day. I mean, this Gulf War [of 1990-91] devastated me. I was literally ill. And then what also made me feel angry was that every time anybody would question one, it was as if, you are Muslim, must have a different point of view for me. You, Hosain, must be related to Saddam [Hussein]. That attitude lying behind every question.So it had made one angry and also I am still after all a political animal, I can't ever get away from that. So that I grew up fighting an imperialism, that was always rather civilized. Yes, it murdered people in 1942. It did all kinds of things, well all rulers do, and it was my duty to fight it if it did that. But at the same time there were people whom one could sit and talk to and share certain ideas, who were here in their fight for their own democracy and their own liberties. Now who am I to talk to? The ones, poor things who are the ones that shared one's own ideas like the people who were anti-war, and such. All those people were being pushed into the background all the time. They could say it but the minute one opened ones mouth, one was reminded of Bradford Muslims doing this or that and nobody is asking me what I think of them, or whether they and I could confront each other and talk of the same religion and say what religion are you talking about? I am thinking of a religion that taught me that it's very name, what its called, means peace. You see, so people like me are dinosaurs. Q: But isn't it ironic that you left India in a way because you didn't want this Muslim identity thrust upon you, you've come to England and - AH: And it is thrust on me every day. Now I say to them before they can say anything to me, I say 'yes'. I am, and proud of it and now I'll give you a little lecture and tell you why you are not a Christian, why I am a Christian and you are not. When I say I don't believe in war, I am a Christian. I am a Muslim when I say if you turn on me and attack me and I have not attacked you, I would defend myself and add to you that my God is Rehman-o-Rahim [Beneficent and Merciful]. But you are saying that, and I am saying what Christ told you which is he never questioned any sinner, he never accepted any form of violence. He died because he did not - but he did have one episode of violence if you call it that - that from the temple he turned out the moneylenders and you do not, you welcomed them, so how are you Christian? Q: Well, that certainly is rhetorically very good. AH: Isn't it? > Image © The Literary Estate of Attia Hosain (LEAH) |
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