Rest In Perdition?

There is no doubt that we are an angry nation right now. Across radio stations, newspapers, television and the internet, our fury has broken loose - at the government, the terrorists, Pakistan..... Everywhere you look, the message appears to be the same - don't forget, always remember, don't get complacent.

Part of the anger is also manifesting in the notion of "sending the enemy a strong message." One powerful Muslim group in Mumbai has taken on that task in its own way. Excerpt from an AP article:

A Muslim graveyard has refused to bury nine gunmen who terrorized Mumbai over three days last week, leaving at least 172 people dead and wreaking havoc at some of its most famous landmarks.

[... ...]

"People who committed this heinous crime cannot be called Muslim," said Hanif Nalkhande, a trustee. "Islam does not permit this sort of barbaric crime."

While I genuinely admire the courage of this group, I am a little conflicted as to this decision. Quite beyond the fundamental philosophical questions that could fuel a separate debate, there is the matter of whether the message would really work. After all, had these men decided to be suicide bombers, they wouldn't have required a burial. 

That said, I hope it does send a message to those involved - that their Muslim "brothers and sisters" disown them emphatically, and that no whisper of prayers for their redemption will escape the lips of true believers and patriots.