Comments on: On Zia Sardar and the Power 100

By: Julaybib

Julaybib — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 23:13:09 +0000

It’s also worth noting that Zia Sardar flew to Tehran right in the middle of the Iranian revolution, at the time Khomeni had assumed power. He was instantly arrested and, by his own account at least, was extremely frank about his views. He is also alleged to have to have insulted Musharaf to his face after calling him a “tin pot God” in print. I just think that his bullish frankness does too easily tip over into controversalism. That’s why I stick to reading his serious stuff. Truly independent Muslim intellectuals are thin on the ground, but he can claim that at least.

By: Thersites

Thersites — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 11:07:09 +0000

Nothing like a little judicious levity, Y.S.

If people believe absurdities it’s more courageous to remind them of the fact when they have power over you than when they don’t.

Charming, intelligent and apposite as ever, Dr Masbuse.

By: DrM

DrM — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 10:29:32 +0000

I hardly takes courage to act like such an idiot, therShites. You read like a gimpzoid teenager splashing spit onto the monitor. Don’t you ever have a point beyond giving your fingers some exercise by dancing them randomly over the keyboard?

By: Yusuf Smith

Yusuf Smith — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 10:26:55 +0000

Thersites: I’m not Shi’ite and don’t share that belief, but to insult someone’s religion when they are doing you a favour isn’t most people’s idea of courage, but of ingratitude and (if he happens to be driving you through a remote part of a strange country) stupidity. There may be a time for being facetious, but that certainly is not it.

By: Thersites

Thersites — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 09:00:39 +0000

‘He once suggested to a Shi’a driving him through Iran than the 12th Imam didn’t go into occlussion, but “might have fallen down a well”. ‘

Doesn’t just take a ‘love of controversialiam’ but genuine physical courage to say that to an Iranian shia. It’s also a much more probable explanation, which may be why the shia was so upset.

By: mo

mo — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 20:56:55 +0000

also the owner of http://www.muxlim.com should have made the list for his contributions on the internet

By: mo

mo — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 20:55:30 +0000

i think a award should go to baba ali http://ummahfilms.blogspot.com/

By: Julaybib

Julaybib — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 08:40:06 +0000

Zia Sardar has said a lot of very sensible and intelligent things, in my view, but mainly at length in serious journals and in books. But one facet of his character that comes out in his autobiography is his desire to pour water on people’s fires, just to listen to the hissing! He once suggested to a Shi’a driving him through Iran than the 12th Imam didn’t go into occlussion, but “might have fallen down a well”. Deservedly, the driver stopped in the middle of nowhere and told him to get out!! Sadly, Zia didn’t learn his lesson and journalism only feeds his love of controversalism. Shame, really, because his serious works deserve to be read more widely, in my view. For example, his ‘Orientalism’ is arguably a more cogent, contemporary and accessible take on this concept that Edward Said’s original classic. Indeed, I would suggest he is far less of a ‘modernist’ than you might imagine from his journalism.

Wasalaam

By: amad

amad — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 02:06:58 +0000

assalamalikum br. yusuf… i just wanted to say jazakallahkhair for your comments re: qadianis on Hakim’s blog. I was very disappointed by Hakim’s comments with regards to mine, but the brother has the right to run the blog as he wishes, so in respect of that, I did not post any further comments to the sweet-talking liar evil “well-wisher”. I do appreciate that you and Dr.M helped set the record straight and provided some support so the evil-wisher doesn’t misguide anyone.