Karnataka Veil Issue: Should Muslims Choose the Veil Over Education?

By Arshad Alam, New Age Islam 21 January 2022 Quran And Hadis Mandate The Veiling Of Women, Linking It To Women’s Modesty Main Points: 1. The debarred Muslim girls continue to sit outside the classes as a mark of protest. 2. This demand is not coming from all Muslim girls but only from a tiny minority bringing out the contested nature of the veil within Muslim society. 3. If the veil is banned, what about Hindu religious symbols? Why such secularizing zeal is seen with regard to symbols of Islamic faith only? ------ Students in Government PU Women College for Girls in Udupi sitting outside their classroom. | @SalmanNizami_via Twitter ----- Trouble is brewing in a government college in Udupi, Karnataka over the issue of headscarf. Few Muslim students of the college decided to don the veil arguing that it was a manifestation of their Islamic faith and that such an expression of religiosity was protected by the Indian constitution. The college authorities, on the other hand, have a different set of understanding. They have debarred these students from attending classes. The college argues that the veil is against the ‘dress code’ of the institution. As an institution which can frame laws for the benefit of the students, they are well within their rights to debar these students from attending classes. But there are other parties to this polarized debate within the college campus. It was the Hindu right wing affiliated student body which at first objected to the usage of the veil in classrooms. Of late, Karnataka has been in the news for all the wrong reasons including passage of laws which explicitly target religious minorities like Muslims and Christians. The ruling BJP government has got bad press for wanton attacks in the state which targeted churches and other places of worship of the minority community. Hindu right-wing forces have become emboldened after the ruling dispensation came to power in the state. This seems to have been playing its part in the college too as the veil was certainly not an issue before the Hindu right wing student body protested against it. The impasse has not been broken till now. Girls with veils continue to sit outside the classes as a mark of protest while the college seems to be determined on its position. But why has the veil become so important that Muslim girls are willing to forgo their education for this piece of head covering? Should education become the casualty over the question of religious identity of Muslims? It is important to understand what the veil stands for. One of the many arguments that one comes across is that veils are a matter of choice. This argument lacks merit for the simple reason that in Islam it is not a question of choice but of an express commandment. The Quran and Hadis mandate the veiling of women, linking it to women’s modesty. So, these girls in Udupi are basically following what the religious scriptures demand of them. The other argument is that the law of the land does upholds right to religious belief and practice as akin to a fundamental right and therefore these girls should be allowed to wear what is deemed as an Islamic outfit. Certainly, the Indian courts have upheld the right to religion but have time and again pointed out that they will only protect the ‘essential attributes of religion’. Now it is debatable whether veils pass this test of essential feature in the court of law. There is certainly no consensus within the Muslim community whether veils are an essential feature of Islam. Some Muslims regard it as obligatory while others think that it can be dispensed with in contemporary times. Six Muslim girls were barred from attending class because of wearing a hijab. Credit: Twitter/Salman Nizami ----- Even within the college in question, there is no consensus within Muslim students. There are around 70 Muslim students in the college but the veil is an issue only for 12 students. Clearly then, not all Muslim students are in favour of the veil. The very fact that majority of Muslim girls in the college do not identify Islam with the veil brings out the contested nature of this head covering within Muslim society. At one level therefore, this is not a question of Islamic faith versus the college administration but of a few Muslims students insisting that their expression of Islamic religiosity be considered as the standard norm. Moreover, there are different kinds of face coverings which Muslim women wear depending on religious interpretation and the culture in which they are located. Thus, the Afghan face covering completely invisibilizes women making direct communication impossible. Within a classroom situation, it will be exceedingly difficult for any teacher to understand the facial expression of students with Afghan veils. This breakdown of dialogic communication will in turn lead to very poor pedagogic results. The girls in Karnataka, however, are not donning the full-face veil. One can see their faces and hence effective pedagogy is not being hampered. So, for the college, the only reason for barring these students is because of their religious attire. India is a land of immense religious diversity. Religion seeps into educational spaces even without people expressly acknowledging it. There are a number of government schools, for example, in which one would find a temple dedicated to Saraswati, the goddess of learning. Clearly it is a Hindu symbol but then most schools, parents and teachers do not have any problem with it. One can see religious symbols in colleges and universities too. The headgear of the Sikhs is a religious symbol but there is no debate whether it should be worn within spaces of higher education. There are married Hindu women who access colleges and universities wearing their mangalsutra. Should they be similarly asked to take it off before entering their classrooms? Why is it that this secularizing zeal is witnessed only with regard to Muslim religious symbols? Despite the rising Islamophobia, it needs to be underlined that in this case, Muslim girls have got their priorities wrong. Muslims are one of the recognized educational backward minorities in the country. When it comes to the education of Muslim women, the data is simply underwhelming. Girls like the ones in Udupi, who are fortunate enough to get to college, should think of those millions of their co-religionists who never get such a chance due to a number of circumstances. Should they be agitating for the right to wear the veil or should they be focusing on their studies and becoming role models for Muslim girls all over the country. Ideally one should not have to choose between the two but just in case one has to, what choice should one make? Making the veil as the first choice is an insult to all those Muslim girls who are forced to reside in their homes because Muslim men think that they should not step out. Making the veil the first choice is an insult to millions of Muslim women worldwide who are fighting against this censorship on their body and mobility. This insistence that they will enter the college classroom with their veils comes from a position of privilege. It is equally important to understand that those supporting these college students belong to organizations that are Islamists in their agenda. The first organization to come in support was the Campus Front of India which is a student wing of the Popular Front of India (PFI). The PFI is not exactly known for upholding values of secularism and democracy as it has been named in a number of violent attacks including the one on a college teacher in Kerala for allegedly blaspheming Prophet Muhammad. The second organization in support is the Fraternity Movement, a student and youth collective having close ties with the Welfare Party of India, which is a political platform floated by the Indian Jamat e Islami. For both organizations, the careers of these students come secondary; what is more important is the battle of positioning in which they want to foist Islamic symbolism in the public sphere. Amidst the intransience of the college administration and political Islam, one can only hope that the education of Muslim girls does not become a casualty. ----- A regular columnist with NewAgeIslam.com, Arshad Alam is a writer and researcher on Islam and Muslims in South Asia. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/karnataka-veil-muslims-veil-education/d/126200 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

Opposing View Points From Islamic Perspective

By Ibrahim B. Syed, New Age Islam 21 January 2022 Freedom Of Expression, Free Thinking, Free Inquiry Rights Are Denied To The Muslims Residing In Certain Countries Main Points: 1. Freedom of expression, free thinking, Free Inquiry, etc., are guaranteed by the Noble Qur'an to the Muslims. 2. Western countries have adopted these Qur'anic rights in their national Constitution. 3. Censoring somebody because they have a different point of view on something-religion, politics, war strategies, etc. is wrong! ------ Freedom of expression, free thinking, Free Inquiry, etc., are guaranteed by the Noble Qur'an to the Muslims. But unfortunately, these rights are denied to the Muslims who live in certain countries. However, many Muslims are unaware of this fundamental right. On the other hand, Western countries have adopted these Qur'anic rights in their national Constitution. For example, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states, Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press." One of the reasons for the stagnation of intellectual growth in the Muslim World is the oppression of these rights and also the right to disagree with others' point of view. About 200 years ago, a Western scholar Joseph Joubert said, "It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it." No one can deny that one should consider every variety of opinion in an attempt to determine the TRUTH. Opinions of authorities in the field should be examined, as well as of those that are considered radical, reactionary, minority and of others that are stigmatized by some other uncomplimentary label. History teaches that what were considered as unpopular, and even despised opinions eventually got accepted. Some good examples in this category are the ideas expressed by Ibn Sina, Al-Biruni, Al-Razi, Ibn Nafis, Ibn Haytham, Socrates, Galileo, Newton, Einstein, etc. David L. Bender, publisher of Opposing Viewpoints Series, San Diego, California, says, “To have a good grasp of one's own viewpoint, it is necessary to understand the arguments of those with whom one disagrees. It can be said that those who do not completely understand their adversary's point of view do not fully understand their own." We always think that our views are most rational and those of others are wrong. It may turn out that others views are correct and our own views are in error. One should remember to keep an open mind to the views and ideas expressed by others with whom we disagree. Wisdom lies in listening than in speaking, for more can be learned by listening than speaking. We become emotional and angry at those with whom we disagree and we treat them as our enemies. Instead we should treat their opinions objectively and treat them as different paths to a common goal. We need to develop a number of basic skills of reading and critical thinking such as: Evaluating Sources of Information; Separating Fact from Opinion; Identifying Stereotypes and Recognizing Ethnocentrism. These skills are details in "Science and Religion" Edited by Rohr and Szumski, Greenhaven Press, Inc., San Diego, California, 1988. Censoring somebody because they have a different point of view on something-religion, politics, war strategies, etc. is wrong! Rules about profanity, personal attacks-perfectly understandable; we can disagree on certain topics without things turning nasty. Now on occasion, some situations have turned ugly-and probably will again, once in a while; It is doubted if that can be avoided completely; it's because we are human- and feelings & emotions will sometimes get rubbed the wrong way. It happens! If people want to debate politics, what harm is it doing? What? There is NO REASON whatsoever, to exclude someone off the discussion just because one's political views are different from somebody else's; it is unfair censorship and it is wrong!! If one does not agree with someone else's point of view, so what? The world won't come to an end because of that, right? One should BE FLEXIBLE! Islamic Perspective There were many instances of judicial disagreement between the early fuqaha; differences that were not allowed to go beyond the academic or to cause hard feelings among the debaters and dissenters alike. Certainly, the differences between those early scholars never led them to lose sight of the higher purposes of the Shari`ah or their responsibilities. Muslims must be aware of the polemics to the subject of disagreement in general. Contemporary Muslims should follow many commendable examples of forbearance and understanding on the part of some of the greatest personalities and scholars in Muslim history. Differences of opinion are inevitable wherever people have both intellect and honesty. Complete consensus on every issue is possible only when everyone is dumb, so they cannot think of a different idea, or they are dishonest so they willingly agree with a position that they consider wrong. After all religious interpretations are not personal rights that can be sacrificed away. The problem occurs when we overstate these differences. There were differences of opinion in Fiqh among the Companions, their followers, and great Mujahideen. But they did not turn these into fights. They disagreed but they maintained respect and love for each other. The brotherhood remained intact. They had tolerance for the other view. How can we have tolerance for something we know is wrong? Of course, we cannot have any tolerance for anything clearly established as wrong by Qur'an or Hadith. We can never show accommodation for apostasy. We can never agree on changing the Shariah's established definitions of halal and haram. But beyond this there are issues about which Qur'an and Sunnah are silent or are subject to more than one interpretation. Here the mujahideen deduce the intent of Qur'an and Sunnah based on their best ability. Here disagreements are possible. As long as those involved are qualified mujahideen (like the four respected imams), their differing views have to be respected. We can follow only one opinion, and we should try and determine the one closest to the intent of the Shariah, but we cannot declare opposing views as evil. We exaggerate when we deal with people holding valid opposing views as if they were outside the bounds of Islam. Overstatement (Ghuloo) is the main cause of most fights involving our religious groups. It also happens with Islamic organizations. Most are doing useful work in the areas they chose based on their abilities and inclinations. Had they developed a spirit of cooperation and considered their differences as just a natural division of labor, together they could have become a formidable force. Unfortunately, each one of them considers their work and methodology as the only methodology for Islamic work. If a person leaves one of these organizations to join another, he is treated as if he had recanted his faith. This is ghuloo. It produces the tribalism of Jahiliya (the pre-Islamic period of ignorance) among religious workers. Pious people are not extinct today. What we sorely need is the reformers who can rise above their narrow perspectives and heed the universal and unifying call of Islam. Sunnis vs. Shias The major difference between the Sunnis and the Shi'a has to do with the issue of succession after the Prophet (S). That is to say, who had the prerogative to lead the Muslim community in temporal and religious affairs after the demise of the Prophet. The Shia view is that the Prophet (S) explicitly appointed (Nass-Ul-Jali) Imam Ali (RA) as his successor in accordance with the divine instruction. The Shias envision the Imam as someone who is endowed with grace and benevolence (Lutf), who can guide the community in all spheres without committing any mistake or error because he is infallible (Ma'soom) [Shaykhs Mufid and Saduq were of the opinion that the Imams are prone to committing small errors]. The doctrine of Imamate is at the heart of the issue which divides the Sunnis and the Shi'a. Of course, there are many other differences between these two main branches of Muslims but they are derived from the basic disagreement on the question of succession to the Prophet (S). In contrast, the Sunnis view the seat of the caliph as a political function that can be entrusted to a competent and trustworthy individual without any explicit appointment from the Prophet (S). To underline this salient feature, many works were composed in the classical and medieval times on the doctrine of Imamate. See the works of Hisham b. Hakam, Nu'man, Saduq, Mufid, Tusi, etc. The latest extensive work on Imamate is by Allamah Amini titled "Al-Ghadir." It is a monumental work and very much worth reading. Also, a good portion of "Al-Kaafi" is devoted to the issue of Imamate [Kitab-ul-Hujjah]. Some controversial topics in Islam are the following: Muta (Temporary Marriage) Hijab Halal Food Products Beard Rights Of Muslim Women Talaq (Divorce) Tolerance In Islam Jihad Islam Spread By Sword Women Attending The Masjid Women Praying Behind Barriers In Masjid Women Shaking Hands With Men Celebrating Birthdays Celebrating Prophet’s Birthday ------ Dr. Ibrahim B. Syed is Immediate Past President, Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc. 7102 W. Shefford Lane, Louisville, KY 40242, USA Phone: +1 502 423 1988 URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-society/opposing-view-islamic-perspective/d/126201 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

The Verses Of Jihad In Quran: Meaning, Reason Of Revelation, Context, And Background - Part 12

By Badruddoja Razvi Misbahi, New Age Islam (Translated from Urdu by Newageislam.com) 20 January 2022 Explaining Verses 41:27 And 41:28 Out Of 26 Verses Presented By Wasim Rizvi In Supreme Court Main Points Discussed In Part 12 1. The critics have offered just verses 27 and 28 for their malicious objective, neglecting verse 26, which discloses the criminals' culpability. 2. The Quran is in fact the book of Allah in which He Almighty has compiled all the realities of the world. 3. According to the great scholars, “There is nothing in the universe that Allah's Book does not mention”. 4. Despite their exceptional eloquence and rhetoric, the eloquent Arabs failed to respond to the Holy Quran. …… فَلَنُذِیْقَنَّ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا عَذَابًا شَدِیْدًاۙ-وَّ لَنَجْزِیَنَّهُمْ اَسْوَاَ الَّذِیْ كَانُوْا یَعْمَلُوْنَ(۲۷)ذٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ اَعْدَآءِ اللّٰهِ النَّارُۚ-لَهُمْ فِیْهَا دَارُ الْخُلْدِؕ-جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَانُوْا بِاٰیٰتِنَا یَجْحَدُوْنَ (28( Allah Almighty says, “But We will surely cause those who disbelieve to taste a severe punishment, and We will surely recompense them for the worst of what they had been doing. That is the recompense of the enemies of Allah - the Fire. For them therein is the home of eternity as recompense for what they, of Our verses, were rejecting.” (41:27-28) In verses 26, 27, and 28 of Surah Fussilat (41), Allah Almighty has revealed both crime and punishment; yet, the critics have offered just verses 27 and 28 for their malicious objective, neglecting verse 26, which discloses the criminals' culpability. The Quran is in fact the book of Allah in which He Almighty has compiled all the realities of the world, as Ibn Suraqah relates from Abu Bakr ibn Mujahid in Kitab Ul I'jaaz, who says, “There is nothing in the universe that Allah's Book does not mention." (Al-Itqan, Volume II, p. 160) And it is narrated by Ibn Burhan that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “There is nothing except it is in the Quran, or the origin of everything is mentioned in the Quran, whether it is near or far.” (Al-Itqan, p.160) This hadith implies that the Qur'an contains knowledge of everything. Now, if Allah has provided the seeker the ability of comprehension and understanding, he can extract knowledge of everything from the Qur'an according to his understanding. “Whatever you ask me about, I will tell you that it is in the Qur'an, that is, I will answer it from the Qur'an,” Hazrat Imam Shaafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) once remarked in Makkah. (Al-Itqan, p.60) More evidence of this type can be found in Al-Itqan. The Quran is a miraculous book of Allah Almighty in terms of language and expression. Despite their exceptional eloquence and rhetoric, the eloquent Arabs were unable to respond to this holy Book. In various places, Allah Almighty challenged them, saying that if they are committed to their pledge that the Quran is not a divine book, then they should bring forth a speech like this. Allah says, “Then let them produce a statement like it if they should be truthful” (52:34) Then Allah Almighty challenged them to answer any ten Surahs of the Quran if they couldn't answer the entire Quran. Allah says, “Or do they say, "He invented it"? Say, "Then bring ten Surahs like it that have been invented and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Allah, if you should be truthful.” (11:13) Then Allah Almighty challenged them, saying that answering ten Surahs is a big deal, so they should just answer one of them!! Allah says, “Or do they say [about the Prophet], "He invented it?" Say, "Then bring forth a Surah like it and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Allah, if you should be truthful.” (10:38) In this way, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) continued to challenge the Makkans in several dialects, but they were unable to respond to even a single verse of a single Surah. This challenge continues to this day. If Wasim Rizvi or anti-Islamic groups claim that the Quran is not a divine book or that some of its verses are a combination of human and divine language, they must not respond to the entire Quran, but simply to the verses about which they have expressed doubt. Despite their zeal to reject the Quran and extinguish its light, the erudite Arabs were unable to respond to any verse of the Quran. They would have responded to the Quran if they had the power to do so. The fact is that they were secretly impacted by Quranic influences, as Ibn Abbas related when Waleed ibn Mughirah came to the Prophet's house and he read Qur'anic verses that caused Waleed ibn Mughira to feel sympathy. This news was communicated to Abu Jahl. He approached Waleed bin Mughira and said, “O uncle! Your people want to amass some wealth for you.’ Why Waleed inquired? Abu Jahl explained, “they want to give it to you because you go to Muhammad (peace be upon him).” He [Waleed] remarked, “The people of Quraysh are well aware that I am the wealthiest of them”. Abu Jahl said, “Then, say something about Muhammad that indicates how much you despise him”. “By Allah, you know perfectly well that there is not a man among you who is more knowledgeable about poetry and its composition than me,” Waleed added, expressing the truth. I am well-versed in the many forms of rhymes and poems, as well as in the poems about the Jins. By Allah, what he [the Prophet] says does not resemble any poetry. By Allah, the speech which he utters is sweet and graceful, and, indeed, the upper half of his speech is full of tasty fruits, while the lower part is devoid of dry leaves and branches. The words of God Almighty are about to rise. They can't be lowered by anyone. Anyone who steps on them will be trampled to pieces. (Al-Itqan, Part II, pp. 140, 150). When the Quraysh of Makkah were unable to respond to the Quran and realized that the Quranic influence was growing and the Quraysh and nobles of Makkah were also embracing Islam, they grew obstinate and began insulting the Quran, claiming it was a work of magic. They would refer to it as a poem at times and claim that these are the stories of people from the past at other times. They even prepared for war, torturing and killing the Muslims. They began to persecute and imprison the poor Companions, legitimizing the shedding of their lives and plundering of their property. As they were still unsatisfied with that, they began to persuade their people that they should not be silent when Muhammad [peace be upon him] recited the Qur'an. Instead, they should make a loud noise, clap, and whistle so that the words of the Quran do not reach their ears. Verse 26 of Surah Fussilat refers to this situation, and it is this verse that the critics have ignored during their objections. In this verse, Allah says, “And those who disbelieve say, "Do not listen to this Qur'an and speak noisily during [the recitation of] it that perhaps you will overcome.” (41:26) It was their ignorance and delusion that they would be able to defeat the founder of Islam and wipe out Islam in this manner. Since Allah Almighty is the Helper of His beloved Prophet, all obstructions would be eliminated. Allah Almighty outlines the punishment for their most heinous crime and repulsive behaviour in verses 27 and 28 of this Surah. All of this means to say, “O, ignorant!" You will know what you did after your result comes, and you are severely punished. The divine law of kama tudin tudan, which means "Just as one condemns, one will be condemned" or "What goes around comes around," was in effect, and governments around the world are following the same path. ----- Maulana Badruddoja Razvi Misbahi, Principal of Madrasa Arabia Ashrafia Zia-ul-Uloom Khairabad, District Mau, UP (India) is a Sufi-minded, well-mannered, classical Islamic scholar, an expert teacher, an excellent writer, a good poet and orator. He has authored numerous books, some of which are as follows: 1) Fazilat-e-Ramazan, 2) Zad-ul-Haramain, 3) Mukhzin-e-Tib, 4) Tauzeehat-e-Ahsan, the commentary on the well-known logical book “Mulla Hasan” 5) Muhazarat fi Halle Qutbi Tasawwurat, 6) Tahzib al-Faraid commentary on “Sharh al-Aqaid”, 7) Atayib al-Tahani fi Halle Mukhtasar al-Ma’ani, 8) Commentary on Sahih Muslim Other Parts Of The Articles: The Verses of Jihad: Meaning, Denotation, Reason of Revelation and Background- Part 1 The Verses of Jihad: Meaning, Denotation, Reason of Revelation and Background- Part 2 The Verses of Jihad: Meaning, Denotation, Reason of Revelation and Background- Part 3 The Verses of Jihad- Meaning, Denotation, Reason of Revelation and Background- Part 4 The Verses of Jihad in The Quran - Meaning, Denotation, Reason of Revelation and Background - Part 5 The Verses of Jihad in The Quran - Meaning, Denotation, Reason of Revelation and Background - Part 6 The Verses of Jihad in Quran: Meaning, Reason of Revelation, Context and Background - Part 7 The Verses of Jihad in Quran: Meaning, Reason of Revelation, Context and Background - Part 8 The Verses of Jihad in Quran: Meaning, Reason of Revelation, Context and Background - Part 9 The Verses of Jihad in Quran: Meaning, Reason of Revelation, Context and Background - Part 10 The Verses of Jihad in Quran: Meaning, Reason of Revelation, Context and Background - Part 11 ------ URL: https://www.newageislam.com/debating-islam/verses-jihad-quran-revelation/d/126192 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

Rampant Violation of Human Freedoms in Islamic Societies

By Dr. Mohammad Ghitreef, New Age Islam 20 January 2022 Muslim Societies Are Still Being Governed By The Troika, Which Iqbal The Philosopher-Poet, Complained About Main Points: 1. Religion is not something to be policing on. 2. Without rethinking some relevant aspects of Islamic Fiqh we can not hope for a true Islamic Renaissance. 3. Muslims normally bitch about the West that there is exaggerated individualism. 4. Why impose on citizens or on foreigners a dress code approved by mullahs, ayatollahs, and clergy? --- During the first lockdown in 2020, I read several fiction and nonfiction books in English and Urdu. One of them was, "Among the Believers" by reputed English writer, the Trinidad based novelist of Indian origin, Nobel laureate V.S Naipaul. Naipaul in his rendering sounds a bit Islamophobic and unfriendly to Islamic societies. In this sense reading him may be an unpleasant experience, yet his writings reveal some facts too. This is important for us to know as facts on the ground have hardly changed from early 1980s. Naipaul had travelled to these Islamic countries following the Islamic revolution of Iran in 1978-1979. Naipaul's narration is spun around his journeys into some Muslim lands such as Pakistan, Iran, etc., and the personal experiences of meeting dealing, and conversing with officials, mullahs, gentlemen, and general people. He writes about insights and meanings he derived from these encounters. One of his derivations is that Muslim societies lack basic human freedoms and are still being governed by the troika, which Iqbal the philosopher-poet, complained about. Iqbal described it in his Persian poem as Muslim personality ‘’crushed by the trio, the kingship, the clergy and the priesthood” اي كشته سلطاني وملائئ و پیری) I myself had occasion to travel to Iran, Pakistan etc. Reading Naipaul reminds me of my journey to Iran. I recall when we were still airborne, our airplane bound to Tehran was nearing its destination, and when it was announced that we are approaching Tehran soon, I noticed a flurry of movements especially among the female travellers, a few amongst them were Muslim women, some non-Muslim and some westerners. All were resetting their dresses, sporting headscarves. When we finally landed, I understood the reason, the strict dress code for women prescribed by the Iranian regime. It was President Ahmadinejad’s reign. The question is that our mullahs are very vocal that Islam is all for individual freedom, human rights, women’s dignity, etc, then why impose on citizens or on foreigners a dress code approved by mullahs, ayatollahs, and clergy? Iran is supposedly referred to as a successful model for Islamists of all hues and colours in the world but the factual position is telling another story. Recently I have read an autobiographical book by Iranian Nobel laureate and noted human rights activist Sheren Ebadi's "Until We are Free.” She has been a human rights activist throughout her life. When ‘’Islamic Revolution” came into the country she welcomed the move because she was working against the ruthless “shah” and his cruel police state. She was a judge at that time. Now Islamic regime sacked her from her portfolio, for she, as a woman, doesn't fit to the post, as a rule, judge, or any big public office in the views of mullahs, no matter how much highly meritorious she was. After that, she continued her human rights work voluntarily and raised her loud voice against the flagrant violation of human rights by the regime. First, the revolutionaries tried in vain to buy her, invoking her loyalties to the nation and Islam, premising that human rights activism is a western creature to defame the Islamic revolution. When she received the Noble prize, her voice became much louder and she is heard around the world, posing a threat to them. They shut her office for human rights and prevented her from providing any legal help to the victims of the regime. In coming times, she would be compelled to flee the country saving herself and her two daughters' lives. Notwithstanding that, the Iranian intelligence agents did not stop here. They continued her harassment, mental torture, intimidation, threats to kill, ban on her entry into Iran and arrest warrant against her, and vicious propaganda by state television that she was a traitor playing in the hands of the West. The most obnoxious and vicious tool to torture her mentally they contrived was that they forced her faithful husband to utter this bizarre blame against his beloved wife in front of TV cameras which would be duly aired at the vantage point. Then they would manage a forced divorce from her husband after 32 years of loving and intimate relations. The hidden hands of the regime chase her even in London, while at home the establishment had confiscated her house, family property even her Iranian passport, and so on. Now anyone can see if this is what a model Islamist regime might do with a Nobel laureate as a punishment for the "crime" of taking up human rights of citizens, imagine what punishment they may give to ordinary citizens. This is the story of a model state for many Islamists around the world. I wonder what would happen if they one day would come to power in more countries? Possibly they will repeat the heinous examples of the dreadful ISIS caliphate as it is seen in Afghanistan under the Taliban today to an extent. The world is afraid because in their first innings the Taliban not only closed all schools and girls’ schools, in particular, but also destroyed the monumental Buddha statues at Bamiyan. They executed at random harsh Islamic punishments without fulfilling due processes of law, for they do not believe in the modern judicial system; they only believe in prompt and instant justice. Which ironically turned out in many cases that sodomy addict mullahs and their protégés had been executing punishments of adultery by stoning the culprits to death! One such incidents was described also in ‘’The Kite Runner” by Afghan novelist Khalid Husseini. Saudi Arabia houses the two holiest shrines of Islam; the Kaaba and Madina mosque, which is why it is very near and dear to every Muslim heart. It is unfortunate that it also witnesses the worst kind of religious imposition in the form Mutawwah institution and also in persecution and curbing of dissent, torture, and killing in cold blood of political adversaries. Now crown prince M.B wrongly is thinking that by holding open concerts, building new cities like Dubai and opening new open markets for tourists he will be successful in presenting a good and humane image of his kingdom before the world. Never, the world has seen the true and dreadful face of his despotic autocracy in the clandestine, brutal and inhuman killing of the US-based Saudi Journo Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi secret agents in the premises of the Saudi embassy in Ankara. Coming back to Pakistan, it is quite clear what is happening there in the name of blasphemy laws, as extrajudicial mob killing is every day happening there. Religion is not something to be policing on. Because in its core religion is a matter of heart, it purifies inner self first of all, then pervades all the aspects of human life. So you cannot purify heart by punishing, intimidating, and bullying. It could be done only with love and selfless service, as done by the holy prophet and his companions and the great Sufis around the world. Rumi and other great Sufis' teaching is that religion in its core is the love of God, love of his beloved messenger, and love of all fellow human beings. Love arose from the heart voluntarily and from within, you cannot impose love on somebody from without. If you impose your creed, your faith, and your religion on others by force you will end up wreaking havoc on a human being and imbibe duality in his personality, creating hypocrisy and double standards in human behaviour, demonstrating by their deed what they do not believe in their heart. Surely hypocrisy is the worst kind of human qualities as Quran call it. The hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the fire. (4:145) I have no problem if you keep a very long beard, or sport headscarf to cover your body from head to toe voluntarily, though I may not agree with that ideologically. Because it is your free choice, yet the moment you try to impose your choice on me I must be alarmed. To me, it is a brazen violation of Quranic injection لكم دينكم ولي دين (To you be your way, and to me mine,109:6) and لست عليهم بمسيطر (Thou are not one to manage (men’s) affairs, 88:22)in which the basic human freedoms enshrined for everyone. Muslims normally bitch about the West that there is exaggerated individualism and collectivity has no room there. The equal complaint I have concerning Muslim societies that there is normally no freedom for a man and individuality is of no importance. The end result is that the man or woman does no longer evolve at all. The potentials are strangled. Geniuses have to flee to the West due to lack of suitable environment. Therefore, Muslim nations are suffering from a brain drain now. Without delving deep into our grim situation and without rethinking some relevant aspects of Islamic Fiqh we can not hope for a true Islamic Renaissance. ----- Dr. Mohammad Ghitreef is a Research Associate with the Centre for Promotion of Educational and Cultural Advancement of Muslims of India, AMU Aligarh. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-society/human-freedoms-islamic-societies/d/126199 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

Leniency Towards TTP Will Cost Pakistan Dearly

Growing Influence Of TTP Has Become An Existential Threat To Pakistan Main Points: 1. Increasing influence of TTP and religious extremists had led Pakistan to the edge of a civil war. 2. Successive Pakistani governments have compromised with the religious organizations at the cost of the countries already shaky democratic values 3. Extremist outfits, from ISIS to Al Qaida and then the TTP may wage a protracted war against the ‘Kafir’ Pakistani secular government ---- New Age Islam Edit Desk 19 January 2022 Chaman Border Gate between Afghanistan and Pakistan (file photo) | Commons ----- The increasing influence of TTP and religious extremists had led Pakistan to the edge of a civil war. For the last few decades, the successive Pakistani governments have compromised with the religious organizations at the cost of the countries already shaky democratic values. The current Imran Khan government had made many concessions to the extremist organizations especially the TTP giving them an upper hand in political matters. The rise of the TTP in Pakistan and its increased strength post the ascent of Taliban in Afghan has become the cause of increased extremist violence in Pakistan as there were about 300 terrorist attacks in Pakistan in 2021 killing about 400 hundred people half of them being security personnel. Though the Afghan Taliban has officially denied any links with TTP, in practice, the TTP has gained strength only after the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan. In 2014, the army crackdown on the TTP had driven it to Afghanistan but after last year’s victory of Taliban, the TTP have come back in Pakistan and have been calling the shots since then. The situation has come to this passé because the Pakistani government and the military have always banked upon these extremist forces for political benefits especially in elections to defeat their political opponents. As a result, these extremist outfits demand their pound of flesh to further their religious agenda. In 2018 elections, TTP drove out ANP from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by assassinating key political leaders. Gradually Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has become a hotbed of religious extremism. Last year, the state government had issued an order asking all educational institutions to make it Abayas mandatory for girls causing strong criticism from secular and liberal quarters. The government had to withdraw its order for the time being. Now it is learnt that the TTP is demanding the imposing Shariah in the state. Once it happens, the state will go the Taliban way where women will be harassed and persecuted and kept from social and political arena. Moreover, the state may become a safe haven for extremist outfits, from ISIS to Al Qaida and then the TTP may wage a protracted war against the ‘Kafir’ Pakistani secular government. Praveen Swami’s article gives a deep insight into Pakistan’s speedy advance towards a civil war, a war that could push Pakistan in a situation similar to that of the Iraq-Syria situation in 2014. The choice is with the Pakistani political leadership and the army generals who have been ensconced in their comfort zones. Hobnobbing with religious extremists will cost Pakistan and the entire region dear. ------ Pakistani State Won’t Collapse. Choice Is Between Civil War And Short-Term Rise In Violence Islamabad's new national security doctrine, calling for peace and trade, is good news for neighbours like India. But it doesn't address a critical question By Praveen Swami 16 January, 2022 “For fourteen years, they raised every part of Afghanistan against me,” lamented the country’s Emir, Abdur Rahman Khan, in an 1897 letter to the imperial commissioner in Peshawar, about the network of the mullah of Hadda village, Najmuddin Akhundzada, “both in the plains country and in the hills, till thousands of men perished on both sides.” “What calamities are there that they have not suffered, and what blood have they not shed, by his senseless commands?” Khan asked. Two centuries on, the sentiment may seem familiar to the generals in Islamabad who are grappling with their own ‘Hadda Mullah’ — Noor Wali Mehsud, the charismatic cleric who has rebuilt the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) jihadi group from the ashes of defeat into a resurgent force that has shown the resolve to take on the Pakistan Army. Even as the generals were still gloating about installing a proxy regime in Kabul, expert Daud Khattak reported that the TTP had brought about a sharp increase in jihadi violence in Pakistan. Last year, there were 294 attacks, up 56 per cent from 2020, of which 45 were in December alone. Three hundred and ninety-five people, half of them security force personnel, were killed — numbers much higher than Kashmir. The ‘forever war’ that America has extricated itself from is, clearly, far from done. This week, Islamabad released a new, measured national security doctrine, calling for, among other things, peace and trade with neighbours. This is good news for countries like India, but offers little guidance on the real national security question: should Pakistan go to war against its Jihadis, as it did in 2014, or buy peace, as it tried in 2018? A Gathering Storm Like an onion, the answer to the question of Pakistan’s next move has many layers. The first of these is proximate. In the build-up to the Taliban’s victory, the scholar Antonio Guistozzi had written that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) tried, ineffectually, to rein in its jihadist clients in Afghanistan. “The Pakistani military severely curtailed support — both in funding and supplies — to the Haqqanis, who resisted the United States-Taliban agreement and were widely seen as trying to sabotage it,” he wrote. Estimated to make millions of dollars from trafficking narcotics and protection rackets targeting everything from mining to trucking, the Haqqanis simply deepened their relationship with Al-Qaeda to make good their military skills-set. Late last year, in an extraordinary closed-door briefing, Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and former ISI chief Lieutenant-General Faiz Hameed warned the political leadership of the gathering storm. As victory neared, they said, the Taliban just wasn’t listening to the Pakistan Army; worse, the TTP was growing in force and influence. From experience, the generals knew what would come next. In 2004, as the CIA had begun drone strikes against Al-Qaeda leaders hiding in Pakistan, retaliatory terrorism escalated. The Army responded by making deals with the TTP, ceding de-facto control of territory. In April 2004, Noor Wali Mehsud’s predecessor, Nek Muhammad Wazir had even shared the stage with XI Corps commander Lieutenant-General Syed Safdar Husain, promising that in a war with India, he would be “Pakistan’s atomic bomb”. In 2014, the Pakistan Army finally gave up on deal-making and went to war. Thousands of civilians were killed in the bitter fighting that followed before the Army finally succeeded in driving the TTP into Afghanistan. Friends With Benefits Soon after, though, the ISI again began reaching out to the Jihadis, in a bid designed to wean them away from the Islamic State, thus becoming a perpetual terrorist threat to the Pakistani State. Through the Haqqanis, ISI agents succeeded in securing several deals with TTP commanders like Aslam Farooqi — who returned the favour by staging suicide attacks against Indian interests in the region. The TTP also proved to be a ‘friend-with-benefits’ to the Pakistani generals for their domestic agenda. In the summer of 2018, it coerced the secular-nationalist Awami National Party (ANP) out of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province’s political landscape, assassinating key leaders Haroon Bilour and Ikramullah Gandapur. Like military ruler General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in the 1970s, the generals believed in shutting down politicians striving for democratisation and federal autonomy. The Islamists were a logical ally in that cause — even if there was a ‘bill’ for their services. Yet, things haven’t gone according to the generals’ battle-plan. A much-hyped ceasefire with the TTP, respected mainly in the breach by the Jihadis, collapsed in December last year. The Taliban, moreover, flatly refused to rein in the TTP. Negotiations between the government and Noor Wali Mehsud, announced soon after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, have gone nowhere and violence has steadily inched upwards. Inside The ‘Onion’ The core answer to why the TTP has again turned on its patrons, and why the Taliban isn’t willing to bail the generals out, is embedded deep in history. From the 1820s, what is now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa witnessed an extraordinary clerical revival, which led, among other things, to Sayyid Ahmed Barelvi’s famous, if failed, war against the Sikh Empire — the work of the eminent historian Sana Haroon teaches us. Sayyid Ahmed’s last stand was at Balakote — an inspiration to the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar Alvi, and many other South Asian Jihadis. Expansion of clerical power was enabled by generous cash subsidies from the regimes of Emir Dost Mohammad Khan and Emir Abdur Rahman Khan, as well as the British, all of whom competed to cajole compliance, purchase tactical leverage, or split adversaries. In the absence of competitive politics, the clerics also emerged as the sole mode of opposition to the often tyrannical rule of the maliks, or tribal chieftains. Imperial Britain was in a state of almost constant war with the border tribes, as it sought to secure its northern flank against Russian expansion. Independent Pakistan inherited its desire to subject the Pashtun to a central authority; indeed, the mess at the headquarters of the Waziristan Scouts in Wana still displays a portrait of its founder, Lieutenant-Colonel R.H. Harman, who was killed by a Mehsud tribesman in 1905. The lesson for clerical networks in the borderlands has been simple: War-making is a means of extracting concessions and revenue from both Islamabad and Kabul. The TTP and Taliban have now shown they understand this dynamic well. The TTP is, moreover, driven not just by ideology, but the products of three generations of conflict: Young men with little traditional tribal status but some limited education and, most importantly, a gun. For the generals, the moment of decision is fast approaching. Noor Wali Khan is now seeking a Shari’a-governed mini-State in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a demand that could be granted — but only at the risk of providing safe-havens for future existential threats to the country. The Pakistani State is unlikely to collapse, but a protracted civil war could lie ahead. The other option is to crack down on the jihadists and open the way to democratic political forces, like the ANP or Pashtun Tahafuz Movement. This decision, though, could lead to a sharp, short-term escalation in violence. Either way, the decision will guide Pakistan’s destiny. Source: Pakistani State Won’t Collapse. Choice Is Between Civil War And Short-Term Rise In Violence URL: https://www.newageislam.com/radical-islamism-jihad/existential-threat-pakistan-ttp/d/126186 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

Universal Verses Of The Quran Not The Contextual War Verses Form The Basis Of Islamic Behaviour

By S. Arshad, New Age Islam 17 January 2022 Contextual War Verses Were Revealed To Guide Muslims During The Initial Crisis Main Points: 1. The Quran preaches good treatment of neighbors, travelers and needy without mentioning their religion. 2. Contextual war verses were meant only for the time of war and confrontation. 3. Quran tells Muslims to treat their non-Muslim parents with respect and compassion. 4. Mixing the contextual war verses with the universal verses led to the confusion. 5. Some scholars interpreted contextual war verses as universal giving way to terrorist ideology. ----- The holy Quran is the fountainhead of Islamic Shariah. It is a book of guidance for Muslims on social, political and personal life of Muslims. But the Quran has two categories of verses. One, contextual verses that were revealed to guide the Muslims on how to deal with the enemies and what to do in case of aggression by the enemies during the life of the prophet pbuh. These war verses were meant for wartime. In the verses Muslims were allowed to fight the enemies to protect them and their interests. Two, there are universal verses that form the basis of Islamic Shariah. These verses advise Muslims to be considerate, compassionate while dealing with the Muslims and non-Muslims. These verses guide the Muslims in the time of peace and when we study these verses closely and keenly, we find that the holy Quran preaches peaceful co-existence with non-Muslims. Indeed, the Quran envisages a society where every individual will be concerned by the evils of the society and will continue to work to remove the social and religious ills. He will also continually work for the emancipation of the downtrodden and the oppressed and at the same time work to spread the message of unity of God. But he will never resort to pressure or violence or coercion to spread the message of God. God says in the Quran that he has endowed man with wisdom and intelligence and so he is himself responsible for what he does and for his beliefs. He has left food for thought in his creations and in his own body. So, the work of the Muslims is only to draw man’s attention towards the mastery in the creation in the universe and advise man to do good and abstain from evil. “We sent them˺ with clear proofs and divine Books. And We have sent down to you ˹O Prophet˺ the Reminder, so that you may explain to people what has been revealed for them, and perhaps they will reflect.” (Al Nahl:44) In no verse, does the Quran advise or instruct Muslims to be violent to the non-believers because the Quran time and again says that not all of the people on earth will believe in truth because of the disease in their heart. God does not bless wicked people with wisdom. In fact God says that He seals the hearts and ears of those who are wicked and do not want to hear the word of God and do mischief on earth. “And who does more wrong than those who, when reminded of their Lord’s revelations, turn away from them and forget what their own hands have done? We have certainly cast veils over their hearts—leaving them unable to comprehend this ˹Quran˺—and deafness in their ears. And if you ˹O Prophet˺ invite them to ˹true˺ guidance, they will never be ˹rightly˺ guided”.(Al Kahf:57) “This is how Allah seals the hearts of those unwilling to know ˹the truth˺”.(Rum:59) Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and their sight is covered. They will suffer a tremendous punishment” (Baqarah:7) “In the above quoted verses, God clearly says that He has sealed their hearts because of their mischief and so the even the messenger cannot guide them to the right path. Therefore, Muslims wont be able to bring them to the right path and so it will be imprudent to use violence against them as it will only cause collateral damage and cause anarchy in the society instead of establishing peace on earth. God also tells the prophet pbuh not to be distressed by their mischief and their disbelief because if they do not believe and do not listen to his words, it is because God has sealed their hearts. It is only the people with good sense who will listen to the word of wisdom and truth. “Now, perhaps you ˹O Prophet˺ will grieve yourself to death over their denial, if they ˹continue to˺ disbelieve in this message.”(Al Kahf:6) The Quran makes it very clear that the messengers were sent only as deliverers of the message of God and warners against the hellfire. Therefore, the Muslims should also not use violence against the disbelievers of wicked people. God says that whoever comes to the right path it is in his own interests and whoever does not listen to the message of truth it is to his own loss. No Muslim is responsible for the misdeeds of others. “We do not send the messengers except as deliverers of good news and warners”.(Al Kahf:56) “˹This is˺ the truth from your Lord. Whoever wills let them believe, and whoever wills let them disbelieve.” Surely We have prepared for the wrongdoers a Fire whose walls will ˹completely˺ surround them.(Al Kahf:29) Nor can you lead the blind out of their misguidance. You can make none hear ˹the truth˺ except those who believe in Our revelations, ˹fully˺ submitting ˹to Allah˺.(Al Naml:81) ” Then whoever chooses to be guided, it is only for their own good. But whoever chooses to stray, say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “I am only a warner.”(Al Naml:92) You surely cannot guide whoever you like ˹O Prophet˺, but it is Allah Who guides whoever He wills, and He knows best who are ˹fit to be˺ guided.(Qasas:56) Nor can you lead the blind out of their misguidance. You can make none hear ˹the truth˺ except those who believe in Our revelations, ˹fully˺ submitting ˹to Allah˺.(Rum:53) The Quran wants Muslims to become an example for the world and so preaches them to act with justice with all the people whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims. He is expected to behave with courtesy and decency in all the matters of society. The holy prophet pbuh was very compassionate with the Jews and Christians and the polytheists and would help them in need. He did not support unjustified violence against any body. “Indeed, Allah commands justice, grace, as well as courtesy to close relatives. He forbids indecency, wickedness, and aggression. He instructs you so perhaps you will be mindful.”(Al Nahl:90) The Quran envisages a society where the Muslims will live in peace with the non-Muslims and grant them their social, religious and political rights. At the same time, they will fulfill their duty of enjoining good and forbidding evil in a peaceful manner. It was because of taking the contextual war verses as the universal teachings of the Quran that the ideology of violence became popular among the extremist sections of the Muslims. They ignored the fact that war is only a temporary phase in the life of any community or nation. Muslims also passed through that temporary phase during the initial stage of Islam when it faced existential threat. After that period was over, the universal verses of the Quran preaching peace and peaceful co-existence came into effect. But the extremist interpretations of the war verses of the Quran considering them the universal message of Islam gave way to extremist and then to terrorist ideology. It gave birth to terrorist outfit that fed on this wrong interpretation of contextual war verses. The fact is that the Quran enjoins on Muslims to treat their neighbors, travelers, feed the hungry, help the needy without mentioning their religious background. Humanism is the core of the Quranic message. It also asks Muslims to treat their non-Muslim parents with respect because humanistic values are more important to the Quran. The sanctity of human life is paramount before the Quran. This is why the Quran says that killing one innocent person is akin to killing the whole humanity and saving one innocent life is akin to saving the entire humanity. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-ideology/quran-cotextual-war-verses-islamic-behaviour/d/126175 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

Forgiveness, A Divine Attribute And Merciful Practice Followed By The True Men

By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam 17 January 2022 Forgiving Someone Is A Quality That Not Everyone Possesses, But Only Those Who Are Sincere And Pious Highlights 1. Since we are the caliphs of God Almighty, we should beautify our character with the divine attribute which is forgiveness. 2. Historically forgiveness has been crucial in the expansion of Islam. 3. Islam does not preach any sort of forgiveness or pardon that encourages the opposing person or makes him more likely to commit sins. 4. The importance of forgiveness can be shown in the fact that "forgiveness" and "mercy" are referenced roughly 100 and 200 times in the noble Qur'an, respectively. -------- Forgiveness is a divine attribute and merciful practice. Since we are the caliphs of God Almighty, we should beautify our character with this holy character. One of many beautiful names of Allah is Al-'Afuw, which is an Arabic word and means "The Forgiver," "The Most Forgiving," "The Effacing," and "The Sin Eliminator,". Al-'Afuw, according to Islamic scholars, is more common than Ghafoor (the Forgiving). Since Ghafoor means to cover up sins while the sin remains in the sinner's book of deeds. But Al-'Afuw translates to erase the punishment as well as the natural effects of sins from the soul. It is better to forgive and erase the effects of sins than to forgive and cover up the sins. Furthermore, when Allah forgives the sins of His slaves, He does not simply eliminate their misdeeds; if the slave enlightens his faith after repenting and asking for pardon, and makes a positive change in his character, Allah forgives him and replaces his sins with good acts. Accepting apologies from sinners and perpetrators is a mark of a humble and honourable person, and persevering in the face of opposition and foes is the bedrock of a good and ethical community. Forgiveness is very essential in Islamic morality. This characteristic has been important in the expansion of Islam. This is the beloved attribute of Allah and has been repeatedly stated in the Holy Quran. The presence of life in the sky and on Earth is due to this trait. The system of the universe will be in disarray if forgiveness is removed from the planet. If forgiveness is not maintained, small offences will be detected, peace and tranquilly will be lost, life will become indigestible, an endless loop of retaliation will begin, and the world will become a hotbed of riots and mischief. Errors and omissions are common in human behaviour. If his flaws are overlooked because of his inherent frailty, he will feel guilt, embarrassment, and respect for the forgiver. He will become capable of doing nice actions. This instruction is not only for Muslims. Non-Muslims will also be impressed and love Islam if they are treated with forgiveness, as has happened on numerous occasions. Non-Muslims, according to the Quran, should be treated in this manner: “Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good” (3:134) The word 'Naas,' which means 'people,' is used in this passage to refer to all people, Muslims and non-Muslims. Islam does not preach any sort of forgiveness or pardon that encourages the opposing person or makes him more likely to commit sins. Forgiveness cannot restore lost rights, but it does eliminate bitterness, resentment, and malice from the heart, calm the spirit of vengeance, facilitate self-correction, and strengthen the social link, which is essential for people's togetherness. Forgiveness can be used as a corrective and training tool in this situation. That is why forgiving is a very praiseworthy act before Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty, through His Beloved Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), encourages all Muslims to work for forgiveness by instilling moral values in them. In Qur’an, Allah Almighty says: “Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” (2:222) We can deduce from this Qur'anic verse that if someone asks forgiveness with repentance, Allah would love him/her and will certainly forgive him/her, but there is one condition: he/she must not do the same error or mistake again. If someone wrongs another human being, the wrong must be made right with the wronged person or human being, who must be requested for forgiveness before seeking Allah for pardon. Human beings are taught to be forgiving in Islam, and if someone asks for forgiveness truly, the wronged person should forgive him. To encourage forgiveness, Islam says that you should not be harsh on other people's shortcomings, just as you would want Allah to forgive you for your misdeeds. This means that if we want Almighty Allah's forgiveness, we must be able to forgive others as well. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever suffers an injury and forgives (the offender), Allah will raise his rank and remove his sins” (Hadith reported by Al-Tirmidhi). We will be rid of the Shaytan (Satan) and its bad energy if we can sincerely forgive those who harm us, both internally and outside. Ignoring baseless comments is crucial since it is the first step toward tolerance. The importance of forgiveness can be shown in the fact that "forgiveness" and "mercy" are referenced roughly 100 and 200 times in the noble Qur'an, respectively. The Qur'an dedicates an entire chapter to the quality of kindness in the name of Surah Rahman. It is also necessary to prioritise forgiveness because, as the Qur'an has repeatedly stated, when a person goes beyond the limits of punishing the guilty, he frequently joins the ranks of the oppressor. As a result, forgiveness is valued in Islam. Forgiveness builds love, whilst chastising everyone for everything breeds hatred. We must remember that as the lamp of our lives goes out, so does our strength, power, and leadership position and we will be held accountable before our Lord. We will be given the opportunity to seek forgiveness from Allah Almighty, and despite His infinite strength, Allah Almighty will forgive wrongdoers and criminals. Rather than being enraged, this concept instructs us to forgive our subordinates with sincerity. The Sunnah of the Holy Prophet is to pardon the guilty. The Prophet (peace be upon him) is believed to have advised his Companions to show kindness to the captives of the Battle of Badr and to be hungry but to feed them. It is said that if you forgive the servants of God in this world, Allah will forgive you when there is no one else to forgive but Him. There is a tradition that a person who meets the people and is patient in the face of adversity is likewise thought to be superior to the one who worships in solitude. This tradition makes it clear that if a person wrongs someone, and he shows patience despite his strength and power, and forgives him, then he is in a better position than one who worships in solitude. Forgiving someone is a quality that not everyone possesses, but only those who are sincere and pious. The weak people are constantly willing to exact vengeance. Revenge is likewise inappropriate for a Muslim, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged Muslims to treat the people with kindness and forgiveness. Whoever, despite his strength and influence, forgives the excesses and atrocities of the people, Allah bestows a higher recompense on him. ... Kaniz Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-spiritualism/forgiveness-divine-merciful-/d/126174 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

A Sufi’s Vision of Himself and His Relation to Humanity

By Mohammad Ali, New Age Islam January 15, 2022 Sufis View Diversity In Thoughts, Culture, Race, And Even In Faiths, As Part Of The Divine Plan Main Points: 1. This essay discusses how a Sufi defines himself today. 2. It discusses the characteristics of Sufi ideas that help Sufi relate himself to other human beings on a humanitarian level. 3. It also discusses that the Sufi ideas of religious tolerance and equality are inspired by the Quran. ----- In the modern world, the term Sufi refers to numerous connotations. For some people, it could mean a person donned in rags, covered in dirt, indifferent to the world, and free from any religious obligation. And for some Muslims, Sufi practices are an utter innovation and heresy. These all understandings that have been attached to the word, Sufi, may have some sorts of anchoring points in real-life experiences. However, these meanings and representations of the word Sufi are misleading. Because this word is not about maintaining appearances and not subjecting oneself to a moral and religious code. It is about purifying one’s inner self from all types of negative feelings like anger, greed, enmity, jealousy, etc. that encourage a person to inflict harm to others. And a person can attain such purification only by abiding by certain moral principles which are provided by God Himself. By this understanding, a Sufi has a religion and follows a prescribed course of actions to purify himself/herself. Similarly, he can also not be indifferent to the world around him. For a Sufi, the creation is the manifestation of God’s attributes, meaning, the creation is a tangible display of God’s actions which one can experience and through it can attain the realization of God’s presence in the world. Every move a Sufi makes, every desire he wishes, he does so very cautiously, lest it may not be in violation of God’s command. His belief system is like that of the other Muslims in the world. However, the sole purpose of his exercises is to bring out the best of humanity from the inside of himself, which, he thinks, is the purpose of Islam as well. The purification of self is a difficult skill that can be excelled only under the supervision of a master. Throughout Islamic history, these Sufi masters took it upon themselves to teach these skills that they had honed for several years. They built Sufi hospices, and under their supervision trained novices, passing on their tradition and skills to later generations. Therefore, thinking about Sufis as those who are dismissive and unconcern about the world is deceiving. Through their hospices and Khanqahs, they have influenced the world, and their contributions to human society are significant. Sufis gave us a unique perspective about humanity. A Sufi envisions his relationship with other human beings of love and compassion. He tries to win people’s hearts, not through fear but kindness. Sufis draw inspiration for this idea from the Quranic conceptions about God and His Prophet Muhammad as a mercy for all creation in the universe. The Quranic idea that God and the Prophet are merciful for the entire humanity invites Sufis to imitate the attributes of God at their full capacity in order to get close to Him and His Prophet. Unlike Muslim jurists who divided humanity in legal terminologies, Sufis regarded all humans as the creation of God. Al-Khalqu ‘Ayāl Allāh (the whole creation is the family of Allah), is one of the formulas their lives are guided by. Sufis view diversity in thoughts, culture, race, and even in faiths, as part of the divine plan. The Quran says, Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation (united in religion). (Maidah, 48) But God did not do so, instead, He allowed people to follow their conscience. In this divine scheme, a Sufi imagines his role as a guide, who help people find the right course to lead their lives. There is a famous anecdote that relates that once in the morning, Khwaja Nizamuddin, a celebrated Chishti Sufi of Delhi, was strolling on the roof of his Jamat Khana (khanqah). He, then, saw some Hindus bathing and observing religious rituals at the banks of the Jamuna river. At the sight of the people of a different faith immersed in their religious practices, Nizamuddin uttered, everyone has his own religion and a distinct way of following it. This statement of Nizamuddin was a reflection of his sincere belief in the diversity and freedom of religion, meaning everyone is free to believe in the religion his/her conscience leads to. This also means that Sufis not only believe in diversity in faith, but they also do not believe in coercion in the name of religion. These views of Sufis are not the products of heresy. In fact, Sufis claim that the source of such ideas is the Quran itself. In many places, the Quran has declared that God does not allow coercion in religion. Faith should be a product of sincerity and purity of thoughts, which can only be attained if people are allowed to follow their conscience freely. This is the Quranic concept of freedom in religion, and this is what Sufis believe in as well. Another important characteristic of Sufi practices is establishing and maintaining peace with every individual in this world. The underpinning idea behind this practice is that a Sufi must always rely on God’s providence and live without the fear of others. Since a Sufi does not seek or desire anything from people, he does not have any reason to quarrel with them. It is noteworthy that by seeking peace with fellow human beings, irrespective of their religion, a Sufi actually contributes significantly to the spreading of peace in the world. Sufi’s emphasis on establishing peace with the people of other religions is also inspired by the instances that they find in the practices of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions. In the early days of Islam, the Prophet established brotherhood among the people of Mecca and Medina and made treaties with the Jews of Medina and other non-Muslim tribes of the Arabian Peninsula. He also forgave the polytheists of Mecca after the conquest of the city. After this brief discussion, it can be said that a Sufi is someone who is highly committed to the noble ideals that he has learned from the Quran and the life of the Prophet Muhammad, and he devotes his entire life to the propagation of those ideals in the society. A Sufi is not someone who is illiterate, rather a Sufi is a person who is highly trained in Islamic ethics and other sciences whom he acquires either through formal education in a madrasa or through the companionship of a Sufi master in a khanqah. In the modern period, the status of khanqahs deteriorated due to the lack of serious and excellent Sufi masters. However, there is still some reminiscence of the previous glory of this Islamic institution which can be found in some Indian khanqahs. And there are some Sufis who are trying to revive this age-old tradition. Note: this essay draws on the address of Sheikh Abu Saeed Shah Ehsanullah Mohammadi Safawi, which he delivered at Jamia Millia Islamia in 2018. This address was later published in Khizr-e-Rāh Monthly, July 2018. Sheikh Abu Saeed is a Sufi master and rector of Khanqah-e-Arifia, Saiyid Sarawan, Allahabad. ---- Mohammad Ali has been a madrasa student. He has also participated in a three years program of the "Madrasa Discourses,” a program for madrasa graduates initiated by the University of Notre Dame, USA. Currently, he is a PhD Scholar at the Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. His areas of interest include Muslim intellectual history, Muslim philosophy, Ilm-al-Kalam, Muslim sectarian conflicts, madrasa discourses. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-society/sufi-vision-humanity-diversity-faith/d/126166 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

Meditating On Life and Death from an Islamic Perspective

By Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam 14 January 2022 The Concept That Life and Death Are Trials Is An Opportunity For The Believers To Be The Best in Conduct Striking Points: 1. Muslims' perspective of death and the hereafter is based on the holy Qur'an. 2. God Almighty Created Life and Death To Test Who is a Good Human Being. 3. Islam prefers the quality of deeds to the quantity of deeds. 4. Remembering that we will be held accountable to our Lord after death Must Enable Us to Do Good acts and speak good words. 5. Fulfilling human rights should be founded on honesty and sincere faith rather than guile and deception, as has been the case with many so-called devotees of God Almighty. … The entire life for the faith of a Muslim is a trial and test, which determines his ultimate fate. For him, death represents the soul's return to its Creator, God. His views about death and the Afterlife are never far from his mind. This seeks to help him put his life and deeds into balance as he strives to live in expectation of what is to come, as a result of good deeds. Muslims' perspective of death and the hereafter is based on the holy Qur'an. Our search for the meaning of life and death will be inadequate unless we examine divine revelations. Why did Allah Almighty create death as well as life? Life is full of ups and downs, with people being either happy or miserable at times. Despite the fact that they like life, they find it difficult to contemplate death. Death is unavoidable; it comes to everyone, without exception, in an unexpected way. But what is the purpose of life and death? Is there a specific reason for death and life? The Holy Qur'an provides a clear answer to this question: “He Who has created death and life (so that) He may test you as to who of you is best in conduct. And He is Almighty, Most Forgiving” (67:2) From the foregoing, it is apparent that Allah Almighty created both life and death solely to test the believers to see who the best in conduct is. According to the Qur'an, life is a test, and we will get the results of our actions after death. The experiences of life teach us that this test is not to be taken lightly. It's impossible to conceive a test without difficulties. To achieve the position of being the finest in conduct, we are bound to face challenges such as grief, worry, starvation, devastation, oppression, corruption, loss of possessions and life, and so on. People who are constantly considering their mortality have a proclivity to do more and more good things. Without a doubt, every step of one's existence reminds him of his own weakness and helplessness in comparison to Allah's absolute strength, instilling in him the desire to live righteously. On the other side, the fear of death is the most effective technique of reforming one's behaviour, only when he believes that he will have to be accountable to his God on the Day of Judgment and that it would be a bad idea to observe the displeasure of his God on that Day. Death is an unavoidable reality of existence. When a person considers death, he must worry about his acts, for which he will be held accountable before God. If his actions are sinful, standing before God in the afterlife will be a humiliating experience for him. If his faith is sincere and his behaviour is pious, then the notion of death will not bother him. It's also critical to avoid pride, which is forbidden in Islam even for great accomplishments and pious deeds because God's reward for good deeds is fundamentally God's kindness. That we have been given the opportunity to do good deeds in this worldly life is definitely one of the blessings of God Almighty. According to a Prophetic Hadith, “death is adequate as a preacher, and assurance is sufficient as a cause of being free from needs.” [Tabarani] This hadith suggests that visiting the death moment or event of friends and family is adequate preaching. If that doesn’t work, then nothing else will. Witnessing the death, he must realize that everything will pass by his journey of life one day and that now is the moment for him to begin doing good deeds in order to create a pure relationship of love with God Alone. It's worth noting that Allah didn't say in the verse mentioned above, “Who of you commits more deeds,” but rather, “who of you is best in conduct”. This shows that it is the quality of deeds, not the quantity that counts. That is why, on the Day of Judgment, man's activities will be weighed rather than counted. In some cases, the weight of a single action is more than the weight of a thousand actions. What Is A Good Action? The Holy Prophet once recited this verse, and when he got to the words “best in conduct,” he stopped and clarified that this refers to the individual who abstains the most from the things Allah forbids and is always ready to obey Him, according to Hazrat Umar. [Qurtubi] What are the things that Islam wants us to refrain from is a topic on which we will not go into detail here. In short, we can better comprehend the division of rights in Islam between the rights of God and the rights of human beings. Along with fulfilling God's rights, we must also fulfil human rights with complete honesty. From an Islamic perspective, fulfilling human rights should be founded on honesty and sincere faith, rather than the cunning and dishonest attitude that has characterised many so-called devotees of God Almighty. So-called rights of justice, benevolence, peace, equal treatment and all other human rights must take their actual form. The reason for this is that Allah Almighty has forbidden humans from deceiving human beings by concealing hypocrisy in faith, love, peace, human rights, or anything else. So we can pass our exam and trial by abstaining from the prohibited deeds [Haram and Najayez]. The Quran reveals how Allah Almighty puts us to the test in the following way: “And We will most certainly test you somewhat by means of fear and hunger and a certain loss of wealth and lives and fruits. And, (O Beloved,) give glad tidings to those who observe patience” (2:155) Glad tidings are only given to those who exercise patience in all kinds of problems, such as those briefly outlined in the verse above. Those who prepare to conduct all possible bad activities, such as killing innocent people, bombing, destructing, stealing, and oppressing the helpless and minority, and so on; in order to satisfy selfish goals fail the test. In the two divine passages that follow, it is mentioned how individuals who are given good tidings exercise patience: “(They are the ones) who, when afflicted with some distress, say: ‘Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return” (2:156) “It is they upon whom are bestowed successive blessings and mercy from their Lord. And it is they who are the guided ones” (2:157) Individuals who do not show patience in the face of adversity and engage in wicked actions will not obtain blessings or mercy from their Lord after they die, according to the previous paragraphs. They're the ones who've fallen from grace. There are two types of consequences. One can either succeed or fail during one's probationary period. Both types of consequences are well-mentioned by Allah Almighty in the Holy Qur'an: “Indeed, We have created man in the best constitution” (95:4) “Then We returned him to the lowest state of the low (95:5)” “Except for those who believe and do good works. For them is an unending (i.e., everlasting) reward (95:6). First Allah Almighty created all human beings in the best constitution [Ahsane Taqweem], and then He gave their self (Nafs) insight between good and evil (91:8). Following that, a person who believes in Allah Almighty, His Prophets, Angels, Messengers, and Books, and behaves in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah, has retained natural virtue and the best constitution and has passed the test. And if someone acts in a way that contradicts all of these characteristics, he will degrade his natural position and fall from the ranks of mankind, going from the best constitution to the lowest state of the low. Allah Almighty also says, “Indeed, the one who purifies his (ill-commanding) self (from all vain and vicious desires and cultivates in it virtue and piousness) succeeds” (91:9) “But the one who corrupts himself (in sins and suppresses virtue) is doomed indeed” (91:10) It is now apparent that Allah Almighty created life and death in order to put a man to the test. This entire world is a test in which we encounter both good and bad deeds; but, when we perform good deeds, our Lord will be happy, whereas when we do wicked deeds, our Lord will be displeased. Many people today are unable to control their inner demons. The reason for this could be that they are negligent of God, forgetting that they will have to answer to Him on the Day of Judgment. Take for an example; many people over the world are frightened to conduct numerous criminal acts because they are afraid of breaking international or national law. Crime will rise if there is no legislation. Similarly, many people would not have abstained from doing good deeds in this world if God had not established the law of punishment in the Hereafter. There are many things to think about and understand, but in order to do so, we as Muslims or believers must remember that we will be held accountable to our Lord after we die, so we must consider our acts and words so as not to commit any violation. ... A regular Columnist with NewAgeIslam.com, Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi Dehlvi is an Alim and Fazil (Classical Islamic scholar) with a Sufi background and English-Arabic-Urdu Translator. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-spiritualism/meditating-life-death-islamic-perspective/d/126157 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

Was Muslim India Not A Secular State?

By Dr. Mohammad Ghitreef, New Age Islam 13 January 2022 Islam Reached India In Two Ways: Through Conquests And Through Merchants And Sufis Main Points: 1. Indo-Muslim age is generally seen as an unsecular era, while historian Mubarak Ali insists on this era being a secular age in spirit. 2. Some religious or semi-religious portfolios, such as Shaikh ul Islam, Qazis, and others, cannot make it unsecular and theocratic. 3. In South India, during Daulat Asif Jahi (Asafjahi rule), Maharaja Sir Kishan Pershad was the state's Madaar-ul-Maham, 4. Really in every brand of art or intellectual study, you will find Hindu and Muslim activists, artists, and scholars working side by side ------ The Indo-Muslim age is generally seen as an unsecular era, while historian Mubarak Ali insists on this era being a secular age in spirit. I use the term "secular" here for a polity not interfering in people’s religious creeds, customs, and rituals, not in the modern European philosophical sense. One may differ from this viewpoint, yet I found Mr. Ali’s theory accentuated on many counts. First of all, the state was not a theocracy. Some religious or semi-religious portfolios, such as Shaikh ul Islam, Qazis, and others, cannot make it unsecular and theocratic. Once, some Ulema insisted on Alauddin Khilji for imposing sharia law on his subject. He retorted that you people may be experts in your field, but politics is not your domain, so it would be better if you keep yourself out of that. I would better know what suitable policy is for my subject. (1) Yes, I concede, there were some exceptions too, like Aurangzeb Alamgeer, Ferozshah Tughlaq et al. Islam reached India in two ways: through conquests and through merchants and Sufis. In the conquests, there were wars with Hindus, bloodshed, and unhappy events, which are natural in the atmosphere of war. The amicability and cultural richness of Islam were manifested by the merchants and Sufis, and the local people were more impressed by it. Since then, Hindus and Muslims have been living together in this country for centuries with occasional clashes, confrontations, and conflicts between the two communities, but the proportion of exchanges of clashes has been less than that of exchanges of knowledge, respect for religion, reconciliation, tolerance, and humane behaviour. Now Muslims are being declared traitors of the country, guilty of dividing the motherland by hard-line Hindutva elements. This is apparently a matter of concern for every patriotic citizen. The question is that the animosity, hatred, and resentment between the two nations is now being seen to the extent that people belonging to a particular ideology want to change the names of the cities, historic buildings, mosques, etc. everything that reminds one of the Muslim past of the country. This tense situation between the two communities demands that its causes be assessed in depth and that the happy facts of the past of our mutual life be brought to the notice of the people again, when the Khwaja Dill Mohammad of Lahore, wrote Dill ki Gita, a commentary on Gita. When this exponential treatise was presented to a great Hindu seer of the time, he was not only impressed to read it and praise the work, but he also went to the Khwaja's house to meet him.(2). On the other hand, many Pandits and Hindu sages and scholars wrote on the biography of the prophet of Islam, and some did translations of the Holy Qur'an too. This rich contribution is still going on. Here are some misconceptions and misinformation about the whole Muslim rule needing an explanation. Among the Muslim rulers of India, most of the antagonistic propaganda has been directed against Aurangzeb Alamgir. Yes, he was in a religious frenzy and did misbehave with some dissident Hindus, but the fact of the matter is that he did not side-line the Hindu nation as a whole due to his strict policies. In his book "Aurangzeb Alamgir at a Glance," Shibli has listed the names of those Hindus who held important positions, especially military posts and positions of trust. In the reign of Akbar, in the Mughal court, we see that Raja Todar Mal was the minister of finance. And Raja Man Singh was the army chief. He won many forts for the Mughals.Raja Mansingh had built a prominent temple in Mathura, Bridaban (See Richard Eaten: (3) Mahmud of Ghazna was an invader who concurred and, of course, plundered many cities in India. Nonetheless, there are some prominent Hindu figures in his court. Tilak Rai, who took part in many campaigns of the Ghaznavids and was always considered loyal, also acted as an interpreter in their court. And according to the well-known historian Romela Thapar, the incident of Somnath was also a common occurrence like other incidents and did not affect Hindus much, yet it has now been widely propagated un-proportionately. She has written a whole book on it. (4) As far as Hindu religion and Hindu culture are concerned, Muslims, despite being victorious, did not ignore them. Apart from rendering famous Indian Sanskrit works in mathematics, philosophy, astronomy, political science, and Aurvada, produced by great Indian minds like Arya Bhatta, and Barhumgupta, the Sanskrit literature book Lailavati, and the Sanskrit verse collection Nal Waman, into Arabic and Persian, Among the works translated into Arabic and Persian were Bhagwat Purana, Mahabharata, and Panjtantra. Dara Shikoh, the Mughal scion who had many different interests, translated the Upanishads into Persian. He was a prolific calligrapher too. He wrote a book on Islam and Indian thought, Majma 'al-Bahrain. Its Hindi translation is available under the name Samadrasangam. In addition, he has been visiting or visited by many Hindu Pandits and Jogis. (5) formalised paraphrase regarding his conflict between the two brothers, Dara Shikoh and Alamgir, some religious zealots, untowardly adding salt and pepper to it, have made it a war of disbelief and Islam. Similarly, rulers, princes, and nawabs also used to participate in Hindu festivals and fairs like Holi, Diwali, Dussehra, Basant, and Shivaratri, which were celebrated with all the fanfare. Jahangeer, for example, used to celebrate Diwali and dance in it. He mentioned these things in his Tozak. Humayun also celebrated this festival. Apart from the royal court, if we come to the Indian masses, Hindus, Muslims, and others, the folk Urdu poet Nazir Akbarabadi’s poems on Hindu festivals are very popular. From the declining Mughal Empire in the 17th century, new states rose in Bengal, Awadh, Mysore, and the Deccan, in which the Asif Jahi Empire of the Deccan and the Kingdom of Mysore were the two most powerful states. Wherein Hindu loyalists and office bearers were many, the most visible name that comes to the fore is that of Pandit Purnia in Sultan Tipu’s court. In South India, during Daulat Asif Jahi (Asafjahi rule), Maharaja Sir Kishan Pershad was the state's Madaar-ul-Maham, or Prime Minister, and his name is well-known for his patronage of knowledge and literature. In Awadh, there were a large number of Hindus among the ministers, army generals, and courtiers. These nawabs and feudal satraps were equally popular and dear to the Muslim and Hindu masses. Unfortunately, a distorted version of history is now being used to create animosity between both communities. Keeping in mind this highly harmonious and rich cultural Indo-Persian tradition developed in pre-British India, the prominent European scholar Sir John Marshal observed: Seldom in the history of mankind has the spectacle been witnessed of two civilizations, so vast and so strongly developed, yet so radically dissimilar as Mohammadan and the Hindus, meeting and mingling together. The very contrast that existed between them, the wide divergence in their culture and their religions, makes the history of their impact peculiarly instructive. (6,) Muslim scholars and intellectuals also understood the dire need for reconciliation between the Muslims and Hindus of the country. For example, a prominent Alim from the Deoband school of thought, Husain Ahmad Madani, unlike other Ulama and Muslim scholars, advocated bonhomie among all Indians. He also endorsed events that are generally strongly opposed. For example, the actions of Akbar the Great can be He wrote: But the Mughal emperors paid special attention to this (interfaith understanding), especially Akbar, who wanted to uproot this idea and belief (ie Muslims are enemies of Hindus). Had his trick been successful and had the propaganda that Muslims are enemies of Hindus been buried, then the situation of the country would have been wholly changed and the well-wishers of Islam would be in the majority in India today.".(7) In terms of Hindus, men like Munshi Nawal Kishore of Lucknow were instrumental in publishing Arabic, Urdu, and Persian literature, as well as printing the Qur'an with diligence after the mutiny of 1857, when Muslims of North India were on the receiving end and felt all the burnt of that failed freedom movement. Iqbal, the philosopher poet, called Ramchandraji the Imam of Hind (the great leader of India). In praise of India, he wrote, "Sare Jahan se acha Hindustan hamara" (Our India is the best place in the whole world). Hasrat Mohani, a graduate of Aligarh, Sufi, king of a rare kind of genre called "ghazals" and relentless freedom fighter, performed Hajj several times, and each time he visited Mathura, the city of Shri Krishnji, as he felt soulful peace of mind there. At the end of British rule, the distance between the two nations began to widen for various reasons. Some English historians were also among the first to spread negative propaganda about the Mughal era, and now Hindutva historians are painting a bleak picture of it for the public. I would like to end this article with the noble words of Nobel Lauriat Professor Amartya Sen: ’I think it is important to emphasise that we cannot talk about the history of this period as if it could be split into Muslim activities and Hindu activities. Really in every brand of art or intellectual study, you will find Hindu and Muslim activists, artists, and scholars working side by side and interacting with each other. (8) Notes And References: 1-Mubarak Ali, Ulema, and Siasat Fiction House, 18 Musing Road, Lahore, p. 49. At least seven Urdu translations of the Bhagwad Gita are now available. For the details, see: Rafiq Zakariya, Indian Muslims Where have they gone wrong? P:38 3-Rechard Eaton, The Desecration of Temples in Muslim India. He said that the demolition of temples was purely for political reasons and not for religious purposes. He also said that many temples were built under the supervision and patronage of Mughal emperors. The Govinddevka Temple of Brandaban was built in 1550 at Mathura, a famous Hindu shrine by Man Singh. 4-Romila Thapar: Somnath: The Many Voices of a History Verso Books, 2005 5-Supria Gandhi, Dara Shikoh, the Emperor who Never Was, Apart from the book, you can also see her lecture on YouTube on the same subject, hosted by Carwan India. Rafiq Zakariya is an Indian Muslim. Where have they gone wrong? Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan, p. 9. 7-Najmuddin Islahi, Maktoobat ShaikhulIslam Moulana Madni, published by Maarif Azamgarh in 1952. 8-Rafiq Zakaria Rafiq Zakaria is an Indian Muslim. Where have they gone wrong.12th: ------ Dr. Mohammad Ghitreef is a Research Associate with the Centre for Promotion of Educational and Cultural Advancement of Muslims of India, AMU Aligarh. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-politics/muslim-india-secular-state/d/126148 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

Why Ordinary Hindus Should Worry About the Radicalization of their Religion

By Arshad Alam, New Age Islam 13 January 2022 Like Radical Islam, Radical Hinduism Will Ultimately Devour Its Own Adherents Main Points: 1. Genocidal calls against Muslims were made at ‘Dharm Sansads’. 2. Muslim women were auctioned online reminiscent of ISIS’ trade in slaves. 3. Such anti-Muslim violence may not be new but the state’s response to it is novel. 4. The price of this Hindu radicalization will ultimately be paid by ordinary Hindus. ----- Recent events in India should put a serious spotlight on the nature of metamorphosis that Hinduism is undergoing. Anyone concerned with this hallowed philosophical tradition should take notice as to what is happening in their name. What we are witnessing is perhaps unprecedented in the nation’s history. Open call to arms and annihilation of Muslims is being advocated by so called Hindu seers, in full public view and people and clapping at such murderous appeals. The Dharm Sansads being held at various places like Haridwar and Raipur, all have one thing in common: the call to eliminate Muslims or make them into second class citizens. In this country, where someone can be arrested for a joke that he did not make, the organizers of Dharm Sansad roam around freely, spreading their poison to even larger audiences. Close on the heels of such genocidal meeting, came the news of Muslim women being auctioned through an online site. Much like the ISIS would deal and trade in slaves in the real world, we have a group of young Hindus who want to be part of the same fantasy. The Hindu right wing obsession with Muslim women’s bodies has been on display during various anti-Muslim riots which have periodically occurred within the country. Whether it was Surat, Mumbai or Ahmedabad, Muslim women’s bodies became the site on and through which Hindu male virility had to be proven. Centuries of being called effeminate, first by the Muslims and then by the British, meant that the Hindu male interiorized a deep feeling of insecurity vis a vis the Muslim male. The only way to prove that they were masculine enough was to teach a lesson to Muslim women, often in very macabre fashion. Feminists have often sought to portray women as somehow very different from men when it comes to perpetrating violence. This romantic notion now needs to be debunked. The online auction of Muslim women was not just the handiwork of men but we know that at least one Hindu woman was also an equal participant. Among those not allowing Muslims to pray in Gurgaon is a huge contingent of Hindu women who act as willing accomplices in this ideological cause. For every Babu Bajrangi, we always had a Maya Kodnani. It will be facile to understand this anti-Muslim bigotry as the product of the current political dispensation. Its roots lie deep into our polity. There is a tendency to understand this anti-Muslim hatred through what Muslims have done in the political and religious sphere. But Hindu violence should not be reduced every time to some other extraneous factor. This kind of analysis is nothing but a Hindu right-wing narrative which assumes that Hindus are inherently peaceful and tolerant as a community. And hence, if they are indulging in violence and diatribe, it must be the fault of others or they would have been provided into doing so. This ahistorical understanding fails to appreciate Hindu violence against certain castes as well as religions such as Buddhism which became almost obliterated in the land of its birth. Just as Muslim violence needs to be understood on its own ground; Hindu violence also needs to be explained as emanating from its politics and traditions. While it is important to underline that Hindu violence is not new, it is also important to point out that the state’s response to it is remarkably novel. Muslim victims of violence have hardly got justice whether it was Bhagalpur or the Nellie massacre. But the political culture of the state ensured that such incidents were at least condemned from the highest offices of the state; that there was a semblance of statist ritual through which remorse was communicated. Today, we have entered a phase in our political history where even such niceties have been dispensed with. Not only are the highest political offices of the country silent, even neutral constitutional functionaries appear to be partisan. After the genocidal calls against Muslims in the Dharma Sansad, it fell upon members of the civil society to point out that the police had the powers to take suo motto notice and take disciplinary action against the offenders. Till now, we have not seen the kind of state action which should have followed what some have rightly termed as the Adharm Sansad. One is sure that there is political pressure working on the case, but then one should also be sure that the sole casualty of such a partisan attitude is only going to be the perception of the state as a neutral agency. Ultimately, it will be the Hindu majority who will suffer if the state continues to run on the whims and fancies of few individuals instead of the rule of law. It is one of the deepest fantasies of the Hindu right to become like orthodox Muslims. Through what is called strategic emulation, they seek to make Hinduism a carbon copy of semitic religion. The inherent diversity of Hinduism is disliked for this very reason; that it inhibits the creation of a unified political community. Although it is early to say, but it appears that Hindu right is succeeding in its mission. From the wide diversity, in terms of caste, region and religious practices, a certain brand of Hinduism is arising which is levelling all such markers. The increasing participation of lower castes and women seeks to weld this version of Hinduism into a homogenous whole; through the sole strategy of otherising and demonizing Muslims. We have come to a situation where perhaps the Hindu society has reached the cusp of radicalization and only Hindus who think differently can put a stop to it. The Hindu society must not forget that the prize of Muslim radicalization was paid by Muslims themselves. In the short run, Hindu right wing might otherise Muslims. But in the long run it will be the ordinary Hindus who would pay the prize of this radicalization. ---- A regular columnist with NewAgeIslam.com, Arshad Alam is a writer and researcher on Islam and Muslims in South Asia. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-politics/hindus-radicalization-religion/d/126149 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