Toward a Marxists-Muslims Dialog - Part V (conclusion)

As C. Wright Mills (1960) puts it: "Before the world is made safe again for American capitalism or Soviet communism or anything else, it had better be made safe for human life." [Smith, p. 86]

Human life might be the starting point for all of us to refocus. The life, property, and honor of every individual is sacrosanct. Respecting and defending each other's rights as human beings is essential for a viable and better future of all of us. [A person asked, O Prophet of God (p), whose Islam is excellent or the best (afdal)? He replied: "From whose tongue and hands the people (an-nas: irrespective of Muslims or non-Muslims) are safe." Musnad-i-Ahmad, #6762; narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr]

The problems does not lie as much in most of the religions/philosophies as in its practice/praxis. Otherwise, parallel to the unselfish and dedicated comrade Muzaffar there are so many other comrades that are just comrades by identity. Similarly, there are Muslims who are supposed to be
"not a believer who fills his tummy while his/her neighbors go hungry", yet there are so many among us who are Muslims, but couldn't care less others.

I am not sure how this message of dialog would be taken by others. I won't be surprised if a good number of Muslims find such a message unworthy of their attention; indeed, the same probably could be said about others (including Marxists) as well.

The purpose of this introductory series was not to deal with the topic exhaustively. Rather, it is merely an invitation to recognize and appreciate the issue at hand, particularly in the context of the conflict-ridden society of Bangladesh. We need a new, reinvigorated culture that de-emphasizes differences. Whether this series makes any contribution in this regard or not, we would need to think more and even harder to address our problems.

One can just see successful businesses and their products. Just look up the time on your watch/clock, NOW, and it should remind you of the fact that the watch is working containing parts as well as workmanship drawn from a vast array of individuals, groups and even countries that do not necessarily ideologically are in unison. Just think how their coming together has made that watch - or simply watch many other things around you - possible. The same possibilities are there for Bangladesh or any other country or people. But it would REQUIRE streamlining our culture to reduce our differences to a minimum, and it would also REQUIRE that our religion or ideology does not stand in the way coming together, whenever we can and we need.

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"We have a Bill of rights. What we need is a Bill of responsibilities."
~ Bill Maher ~

"The world basically and fundamentally is constituted on the basis of harmony. Everything works in co-operation with something else."
~ Preston Bradley ~

"Always try to do something for the other fellow and you will be agreeably surprised how things come your way -- how many pleasing things are done for you.
~ Claude M. Bristol ~

References:

Stanley Aronowitz, The Crisis in Historical Materialism: Class, Politics and Culture in Marxist Theory (Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1991, 2nd ed.)

Dr. Sushilkumar Gupta, Nazrul Choritmanosh (Calcutta: Dej Publishing, 1988)

Marx-Engels Archive (http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1837-pre/1835-ref.htm )

Ali Shariati, Marxism and Other Western Fallacies: An Islamic Critique
(Berkeley, CA: Mizan Press, 1980)

Clagett Smith (ed.), Conflict Resolution: Contributions of the Behavioral Sciences (London: University of Notre Dame Press, 1971)

Robert Tucker, The Marx-Engels Reader (Norton, 2nd Edition, 1978).