he Vishva Hindu Parishad in a letter to 13 Muslim bodies demanded that Indian Muslim clergy declares that Hindus are not kafirs and therefore jihad does not apply to them. Also that India is Dar ul Aman and therefore no jihad should be waged against it.
Most Muslims bodies have expressed displeasure at the letter calling it illogical and malicious. Now, as Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind stated, if we take the literal meaning of the word Kafir there is nothing derogatory in it. The word Kafir is derived from Arabic “kufr” meaning suppression or non-acceptance of truth or to disbelieve. If X does not believe what Y believes and Y does not believe what X believes; they are Kafirs in the eyes of each other. The President of All India Muslim Majlis–e- Mushawwarat Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan has succinctly explained this without mincing words. He says Muslims are kafirs to Hindus and vice versa. The first doesn’t believe what the other believes and the other does not believe what the first believes. To each his own religion! That should not stop them from sharing a cup of tea at the corner stall.
However, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, rightly again, suggests that the perceived meaning of the word “kafir” being somewhat like the meaning of the word “mallechh” used for Muslims which is indeed very derogatory, it is best that the word is not used to describe anybody. It is the case of the wrong usage of the word changing its meaning. As an example, the word “Miyan” is a highly respectful word. “Aapke miyan kaise hai?” one would ask a lady politely. Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan is respectfully addressed and referred to as “Miyan”. But Narendra Modi has totally changed the meaning of “Miyan” in Gujarat. “Miyans” are referred to with great disdain and contempt in Gujarat.
No comments:
Post a Comment