The Muslim Woman

Sharon Chadha has written for various publications, including RUSI Journal, the publication of the Royal United Services Institute, the world’s oldest security and defense think tank in London; RFE/RL Newsline, a publication produced by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Frontpagemag.com and the Middle East Quarterly. Her book, Jihad and International Security, has been instrumental in gaining her a prominent position, which she wrote in collaboration with Jalil Roshandel. In a recent e-mail interview with us, she disclosed the intricacies which led her to write for the Muslim world, so people whip yourself as I led you to the roller coaster ride of Sharon’s interview, 1. My first question is who is Sharon Chadha in flesh and blood? Sharon: I’m American who is married to an Indian. 2. What inspired you to write on Muslim world? Sharon: In 1999-2000, I tried to write a book about what life was like in Saudi Arabia for women. This was the first time I ever really thought about the Muslim world. After 9/11, I guess you could say events transpired to make what might have been a passing interest a source of endless fascination. 3. Sharon, would you please give us a brief synopsis regarding Jihad and International Security? Sharon: It is basically a primer on the modern jihad movement – where it came from, who fights it and how, who funds it, and what governments have done to counter it. 4. If you could sit on the shoulders of readers and reviewers, how would you tell them to regard your work? Sharon: What sets our book apart, I think, is that we confined ourselves to showing how jihadists see the world, and on the other side, to how governments try to counter the jihad movement. We don’t burden the reader with our opinions or politics. While we intended it to be an introduction, policy and security professionals have said they found it useful as well. 5. How far do you support America’s stand against terrorism in Iraq? Sharon: American policy in Iraq or anywhere else for that matter is too complex to take a blanket stand for or against it. I will say that I think America benefits from having its policies continuously debated and scrutinized. No other country has this advantage. 6. We’d like to have your opinion on ‘Islamophobia’? Sharon: I think it’s a worrisome affliction and directly traceable to jihadism. Prior to 9/11, who in the modern West ever worried about Islam? The jihadists have succeeded in casting suspicion on an entire religion, a substantial percentage of the world’s population, and centuries of Islamic history, in addition to all the widows and orphans they have created. It is unfortunate that Muslims who don’t terrorize people can’t command headlines. But that’s the way the media operates, if it bleeds it leads. 7. What according to you is the interpretation of Islam as postulated by al Qaeda? Sharon: I think Al Qaeda – and its imitators – are basically mass murderers masquerading as Muslims. Sure they construct fatwas to try and justify their despicable actions, but I find their interpretation of Islam to be, well, twisted. Look how Bin Laden perverts the concept of democracy. In his view, citizens who can hold their governments accountable at the ballot box can also be threatened with massive destruction and killing if they don’t elect the leaders he approves of. As I said, his logic is perverse. 8. What do you think, future holds for Taliban? Sharon: I can’t account for the Taliban’s excessive brutality but for some reason I cling to this idea that they are more ignorant than despicable – the inverse of how I feel about Al Qaeda, who I feel are more despicable than ignorant. I do acknowledge that this is probably just wishful thinking on my part. 9. What are your other interests? How are you able to snatch out time for other things? I would appreciate if you can share your working and lifestyle with us. Sharon: Well, I have the responsibilities that you would expect of a dutiful Indian daughter-in-law. Because my children are past the age of really needing me, however, I can’t say I’m really bogged down on the home front. I travel quite a bit to India these days as my husband has a lot of business there. I think I’ve been to India four times in the past year alone. Then I was just there in August and expect to back in October. 10. Where do you see yourself after five years? I mean, any dreams, or plans for the coming future? Sharon: I hope I write another book, a novel. It’s taken me years to get to a place where I could afford to write and I don’t want to blow the opportunity. 11. Any parting words of wisdom, you’d like to leave for our readers? Sharon: Be someone people can rely on. 12. Finally, we would like to have your thoughts on the Instablogs News Network and all its related sites. Which one is your favorite? Sharon: Well yours of course, Pooja! [Yes I knew it ] Quick bits: 1. What is the best/worst feeling in the world? Sharon: Feeling connected – perhaps because I’ve never been hungry or sick I suppose. 2. If you had to walk in another person’s shoes for a day, it would have to be? Sharon: On Tuesday, the sixth anniversary of 9/11, I got to thinking what if I could have been Ziad Jarrah, one of the hijackers? What if I had been him that day and instead of listening to a bunch of serial killers in Afghanistan I had found the courage to heed my own conscience? How many people would still be alive had I been able to walk in his shoes that day? Or had Ziad Jarrah been able to walk in the shoes of any of the thousands of victims he created? 3. If you could choose to make a dream come true, it would be? Sharon: I’d like to go to the Fesitval of the Desert in Mali and to Swat Valley in Pakistan, areas I have discovered tracking jihad – these are places where Al Qaeda is suspected to be hiding. I do think I’ll wait, however, until the jihad movement is over as another dream is to live long enough to see my kids get married, have kids, and even see their kids have kids too. I’d like to be a great grandmother one day, though an able-bodied one! 4. What is your favorite word or phrase? Sharon: Fantabulous – yes, I know, very corny but I like to be effusive. 5. Who is the most important person in your life? Sharon: My husband. 6. What would you like to accomplish in life that you haven’t yet? Sharon: Well, because I don’t think I can eradicate world poverty or reverse global warming, I’d be happy to learn a new language. Wow! This certainly is an amazing interview, thank you Sharon for sparing out time in doing a rendezvous, with us, it is greatly appreciated; also, I’d like to wish you success for all your future endeavors