For Brother Shafi A. Khaled,

No, Professor Syed Ali Ashraf was not a Director General of Islamic Foundation in Bangladesh, but he was Director General Of the Islamic Academy in Cambridge.

Those who want to see sorrowful scenes from refugee camps where victims of Hindu militancy were staying after the massacre in Gujarat, India, in 2002 can visit www.kalamullah.com.

Mr. Romesh Chander is always critical of Muslims. It seems he sees everything through a yellow glass. He wrote: "It is the muslim rulers who want to sell oil (and hence destroy the environment)".
Who discovered atom bomb? Who bombed Hiroshima and Nagasakki? Who used Agent Orange ? Who were major players in World War I and World War II ? Who was Hitler and Mussolini ? Who was Stalin ? Who wrote 'Bunch of Thoughts?' Inspired by 'Bunch of Thoughts' written by Golwalker, Hindu militants killed and maimed thousands of people in India.
Instead of burying, Hindus burn thier dead bodies for hours which lead to severe air pollution. Thousands of Idols coated with poisonous chemicals are dipped in lakes and rivers of India during some Hindu religious celebrations. Environmentalists of India had protested against such activities.
Hindu militants had killed more than 1000 people and had burnt tens of thousands of shops in Bombay in 1992. They killed more than 1000 people in Gujarat, India in 2002. Some of the victims were burnt alive. Tens of thousands of shops owned by Muslims were also burnt in Gujarat. I think , apart from huge loss of valuable human lives, all these inhuman acts created high air-pollution in the subcontinent.

Non-Muslim countries are major consumers of Oil. Western countries are major contributors of Air and Water Pollution. They send ships carrying dangerous sewages to dump in poor countries. Refrigerators, Air-conditioners, Vehicles and Industries are major causes of Air Pollution. All the above items are widely used in the West.

First, a question: Is the founder of Darul Ihsan University a former Director General of Islamic Foundation of Bangladesh?

Next, to the three comentators: Where is the focus? Clearly, the starting commentary is disingenuous and flippant, lacking in sincerity. I am reminded of a test some young people were taking. The essay was about "The Cow". One of the students had studied about the river, but not about the cow.

So, he started by describing the cow and how it liked to munch on grass, and which occurred in abundance along the river. So, he made the cow graze along the river. Then he wrote a long essay, not about the cow, but about the river!

God has given us reading and writing skill, time, computer and internet connection. Our thankfulness is exhibitted by our proper and respectful use of them, not by off the cuff, off the mark, irrelevant commentary.

Better decision next time!

Mr Gumel:

If you read my post carefully, you would have noted the irony -- the hypocrisy of muslim rulers and clergy. It is the muslim rulers who want to sell oil (and hence destroy the environment). But that is asking for too much for self criticism by muslims.

It is not my intention to engage with Romesh Chander on issues in this forum but the problem with him is he never finds anything good with any muslim wherever they may be. The author is just concerned with the humanity while Romesh Chander dwells on individual's problem specifically mentioning so and so which is not fair. Well they say great people speak of ideas while small people speak of others like Romesh.This is the problem with our critic Romesh who only finds fault with our Muslim brothers and sisters no matter whatever good they do he has to find the usual fault.His other side of the coin unfortunately he never finds similar or such faults with his comrades in the other religions only Muslims are always at fault. To me and all fair minded people this is is not fair and just.We know the Muslims like any other human beings in general have their problems but we can confidently say they don't go on hunting and killing spree relishing the destruction of humanity and crops round the globe at the same time blaming the others unnecessirly. Is it fairnesss and who is doing that could Romesh tell the forum? He only wants blame the Muslims unnecessarily. We love our Muslim brothers and sisters wherever they are and we pray to Allah to help them overcome their problems making them successful like ever other human being in Duniya and Akhirah at the same time we pray for the guidance of the whole humanity including Chander himself but he should always be fair and objective sign of following the truth.

The author writes "Now, who is responsible for this destruction? Man and man alone. And who most to blame, among men? Sadly, the answer is men with education -- men whose education made them arrogant, greedy, selfish, pleasure-seeking and irresponsible.".

Now who are these men? Saudi rulers, Kuwait rulers and other petrosheikhdoms, all muslim rulers. Without the oil income, no grand mosques in Mecca / Medina, no modern railways in Mecca, no modern airports in Saudi/Kuwait/ Dubai, no 100 story 6-star hotel in Mecca, no Dubai with its mega buildings and businesses and ports, etc. And the same Saudi oil money finances mosques and schools and books worldwide.

What does oil do? It destroys the environment. Burn oil and destroy the environment. And everybody wants more and more oil, and at ever lower prices. Bangladesh wants more oil. Pakistan wants more oil. US wants more oil. And the school run by the author could not survive without oil; it needs the books and electricity and water to run the school. We have all become arrogant, greedy, selfish, pleasure-seeking and irresponsible.

Looks like Islamic education has not been able to avoid the destruction of environment. May be that is another way of Mahdi / Jesus / Messiah coming to the earth and destroying it -- this time, they will let the man himself do the job, but slowly and slowly.