The following video has been making rounds on internet: social networking websites, blogs and twitter. I also received it through a couple of forwarded emails.

The video asks you to Stand up for the Champions. No. Not any football league, not the T20 champions. This time it seeks applause for Mujahideen, Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Usama Bin Laden and others. The video shows clips and images of Usama and others glorifying them as Muslim heroes fighting America or maghrib.

Reality Check: Champions and music

1. Taliban banned Music in Pakistan for being haraam in Islam. ( Details )
2. Afghan Mujahideen only allowed religious songs and Taliban chants. ( Details )
3. Jamia Hafsa and Islamabad Music/CD shops. ( Details )
4. “Taliban burned down cinema houses, shot video shop owners, smashed satellite dishes and drove women off the streets“. (Ref: Rashid 2000, p. 194.)

Reality Check: Who wants us to stand up ?

The Mujahideen-fans who have been so in love with this video might also like to know who is the person behind this music track.

1. Stand Up for the Champions is a track by a British band named Right Said Fred.
2. The track has been extensively used by National football leagues in USA.

Its an irony that people don’t even realize that they are glorifying Taliban for fighting US and its allies (UK etc) but are using popular maghribi/Western music – the same West they hate so much; the same West fighthing against which Taliban are being glorified.

Even more surprising is the fact they are glorifying Taliban who banned music and all forms of cultural activities/arts but are making, sharing and ‘liking’ music videos like these. Lest I miss to mention, Taliban even put a ban on videos, TV, satellite dishes as well.

Glorification for such anti-technology, anti-modernization, anti-culture, anti-arts morons using technology and arts – and that too maghribi. Shame. Imperialism whether American or Arab should be rejected but for heaven’s sake use the coconut when doing so.

I leave you with an excellent essay by Eqbal Ahmed on Taliban and music/culture:

In a Land Without Music