If you sell your soul to the devil, don't be surprised when he betrays you

Today's Observer newspaper carries an article that highlights a dilemma for practising Muslims. It describes the story of Bisher al-Rawi, an Iraqi refugee who was bundled off to Guantanamo by way of CIA extraordinary rendition.

Whats the big deal (if that wasn't big enough) you might ask. The big deal is that al-Rawi was at one time working for MI5 and keeping tabs on the likes of Abu Qatada.

I know that in some circles it would be deemed unacceptable to be allying oneself with the security services of this country, and its seen as equivalent to selling your soul to the devil.

Despite al-Rawi receiving assurances from MI5 that if he ever got into trouble they would come to his aid, when the CIA took him into custody MI5 didn't lift a finger, and in fact were complicit in his rendition.

So what's the message? The message is that you can denounce the lunatics as much as you want. You can even work for the security services if you want. But you'd be foolish if you believe that counts for anything if the Americans come knocking.

I'll end with this quote from the article which all Muslims and informants need to reflect on:

"He (al-Rawi) said an MI5 lawyer had given him 'cast iron' assurances that anything he told them would be treated in the strictest confidence and, if he ever got into trouble, MI5 would do everything in its power to help him."

I came across this old article about the Hindu caste system - a really backward, discriminating system, which has a lot in common with racism, and apparently its alive and kicking here in the West, imported by the brahmins and rajputs when they migrated here from India.

Unfortunately, something akin to the caste system exists amongst some Pakistani Muslims in the West too. Most often you hear about it in the context of the father of a girl refusing to allow his daughter to marry a certain brother because he comes from a "lower-status" family.

I remember speaking to a guy several years ago about this whole family status thing, and he told me that he was a Rajput, and that he would never allow his daughter to marry someone from a different social level and that this was not in contradiction to any of the teachings of Islam. And, this was a man who sat on the committee of our local mosque!

Just in case you're wondering... no, i wasn't interested in marrying his daughter :)

Thankfully my own parents were never into this whole caste/family thing, despite both coming from "high-class" families from back home, and thats good, because not only does it show good sense, but these traditions don't really mean anything here in the West. The second and especially third generation of desis here have generally embraced the idea of the equality of human beings and pour scorn on the whole idea of caste and "zaat" and it is no longer rare to see a desi man or woman in a relationship with someone who is non-desi. In another generation or two, i bet this whole system will have died out here.