Don't Flaunt Your Love For Muhammad

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 25 September 2025 Naghma-E-Ishq Nahin Dahar Mein Aane Ke Liye Ye Fasana Nahin Duniya Ko Sunane Ke Liye Na Jalane Ke Liye Hai Na Bujhane Ke Liye Ishq Ki Aag Hai Seene Mein Dabane Ke Liye Ravish Siddiqi (The song of love is not meant for coming into the world/ This story is not to be narrated to all and sundry/ Neither to be burnt not to be extinguished/ The smouldering fire of love is to be entombed in one's heart) The fanatic proponents of 'I Love Muhammad' campaign must read the aforementioned quatrain penned by Ravish Siddiqi. Loving your Muhammad is good but flaunting your love for him is bigotry. You'll be flouted for flaunting your love for your Prophet. I wonder, what's going on in India? Hindus are chanting Jay Shri Ram, Jay Krishna, Jay SitaRam, Jay this one and Jay that one. Not to be left behind, now Muslims are openly displaying their love for Muhammad! Muslims are well aware of the fact that Muhammad is the most revered character in Islam. His name is uttered with great reverence. But where's that respect and reverence when you shout I Love Muhammad? That's flippancy, nay impudence. There's a famous Urdu saying, Maut, Maatam, Mamta, Muhabbat Aur Marz Ko Sikke Ki Maanind Nahin Uchhala Jaata (Death, Display of sadness, Affection, Love and Disease are not to be tossed around). A Muslim's love for Muhammad is Ishq-e-Haqiqi (spiritual, not quotidian or Mazaji ). It must be restrained and refined. We all have become too uncouth and boisterous in our display of religiosity. Every religious act of the followers of all faiths (barring Zoroastrianism) is accompanied by noise and nuisance. We've begun to wash our religious linen in public. If bellicose Muslims chant Allah-hu-Akbar, the equally foolish and belligerent Hindus will scream Jay Shri Ram, Jay Shri Krishna or Jay Mahadev ! Can't we all go beyond Ram, Sita, Ganesh, Bhagwan, Allah, Muhammad and all that jazz? Buddha advised his disciple Vaishampayan not to criticise and condemn all those who're still groping for fictitious gods in the Stygian dark alleys of religious obscurantism because they're to be pitied. Yes, all believers and theists are to be pitied. Are we evolved? Where will this religious zealotry take us to? These are the questions most of the humans prefer to evade. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/flaunt-love-muhammad/d/136972 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism