This fatwa gives rise to many questions. Some of them are as follows:-
(1). If bowing before the motherland is against Islam. Then bowing before saints like Khwaja Moin-ud-din chisti, Nizam-ud-din Auliya etc should also be against Islam. When these people have no problems with Muslims visiting the shrines of these saints at Ajmer and Delhi, then why do they have problems with Vande Mataram?
(2). Going for Hajj by using the government subsidy is also against the principles of Islam. So why don't they issue a fatwa against the Hajj subsidy? Why this double standard?
(3). Many cough syrups have alcohol. So will we now see a fatwa against cough syrups as well?
(4). To the best of my knowledge, Islam does not recognise national boundaries. So will we see a day, when they will refuse to call themselves Indians by using the excuse that the concept of national boundary is against Islam?
(5). Population bomb is a major concern in India & the world. But will they remain stuck in their medieval period mentality? Will they continue to encourage the Muslims to produce a dozen kids just because birth control is against Islam (as stated by few Muslims)?
(6). In India, Muslims are given reservation in jobs, preferential treatment in loans, hundreds of crores as Hajj subsidy, hundreds of crores to madarsas - which are breeding grounds for terrorists, grants to Aligarh Muslim University - which pays for the court case of the terrorists nabbed in Batla house encounter and many more facilities. Why should the nation continue to give a preferential treatment to a religion whose followers have a problem with the national song of India ? National song is a symbol of India's dignity. Issuing a fatwa against it is a blasphemy towards the nation.
India is a secular country. The state allows every religious body to practise and propagate its religion freely. However, no religious body has the right to disrespect the symbols, values and ethos of the country.
The Muslims keep complaining that they are not a part of the mainstream. But with a 5th century mentality like this, will the mullas of the Jamait ever let them become a part of the mainstream? The backward mullas are the termites who are eating Islam from inside. And its time the Muslims realise, that their real enemy lies within. They will have to fight an intense internal battle against the radicals who have hijacked their beautiful religion to satisfy their personal whims.
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12 comments:
Some people are experiencing problems in opening the first link about the lady being beaten up by her husband for saying 'Vande Mataram'. Those of you can read that news by using this link:-
http://in.jagran.yahoo.com/news/national/general/5_1_5878478.html
Rest of the links are working fine.
Why to generalise the entire religion. Those people issuing fatwa are only looking for attention why not to leave them alone and quarantine them or if you want to talk about them then give them such a punishment that the later gets the attention as talking about them give them more publicity. These are those people who don't even know their 'wahjud' how will they understand the meaning of motherland.
Well said Anil. Even I am against stereotyping and generalisation. This article of mine is only against the radical elements who have hijacked Islam.
It is good to see your blog and most of the points are correct however as far as your knowledge about Islam is concerned, I must say that you are lacking in that. Let me inform you that bowing down our head before anyone other than Almighty GOD is strictly prohibited whether he is Khwaja Moinuddin chishti or Hazrat Nizamuddin even our beloved prophet Hazrat Mohammad ( S.A). Even I love my country more than my life and I can die for it and its Islam who tells us that always be faithful for your country and obey the laws of country except those are against Islam (like idol worship and worship other than Almighty GOD who is the creator of all humankind and everything on the earth) however as far as I know there is not a single verse in holy scripture of Hindu (Vedas, Puranas & Upanishads) which tells us to worship other than Almighty GOD. Every Indian must love its country and motherland regardless he is Muslim or Hindu but if it comes between us and the Almighty GOD then we will have to choose the the GOD first who has created all the living and nonliving things on the earth. Since you have studied all your holy scriptures, is there any verse which is asking you to worship other than the Almighty GOD ?
If it is all about only to salute the motherland than we muslims do not have any objection even we feel proud to be Indian and love to salute our country however if its translation is to bowing down before motherland or any of its stanza which means that we are worshiping the motherland then those lines are strictly not to be sung.
@ Shoby
Very good points Shoby. Am glad to see some matured comments. Let me address few of your points now:
Since you have studied all your holy scriptures, is there any verse which is asking you to worship other than the Almighty GOD ?
A small correction. I haven't read all the scriptures (There are 4 vedas, 108 Upanishads, 2 epics, 18 Puranas and many uppuranas, and it is next to impossible to read all of them). But yes, I have read many of them. The most important being the Bhagwad Gita. Now coming back to your question, in Hinduism, it is not even mandatory to worship the almighty god. Hinduism is based upon the concept of Karma (righteousness of actions). So in Hinduism, it is more important to be a good human being than worshipping god.
Infact the most basic difference in between Hinduism and Abrahamic religion is the fact that, Hinduism says that if you are a good human being, then even if you don't worship god, you will not be punished. Wheras Abrahamic religions say that no matter how good a human being you are, if you don't worship god, you shall be punished on the 'Judgement day'.
There are many verses supporting my argument in Bhagwad Gita as well as in Vedas. If you wish I can quote the same for you.
Let me inform you that bowing down our head before anyone other than Almighty GOD is strictly prohibited whether he is Khwaja Moinuddin chishti or Hazrat Nizamuddin even our beloved prophet Hazrat Mohammad ( S.A).
I know this, and this is precisely my point. Islam prohibits any one from bowing down in front of any one except Allah. Despite that millions of Muslims go to the shrines of these saints and bow down before their mazar. So why isn't a fatwa issued against it?
Similarly, Islam also prohibits people from going to Hajj by taking loans or subsidies. So why don't they issue a fatwa against the Hajj subsidy by the government too?
Even I love my country more than my life and I can die for it and its Islam who tells us that always be faithful for your country and obey the laws of country except those are against Islam
And I trust every word of yours Shoby. You are as much an Indian as me (who knows you could even be a better Indian than me). Personally, I would not want Vande Mataram to be made mandatory on anyone (even the supreme court says the same). I am only against this loud & explicit expression against our national song. In my humble opinion, it's perfectly ok if some one does not want to sing Vande Mataram. But it's not right to vilify this song or show disrespect towards it by issuing a fatwa against it. After all, it's our national song.
If it is all about only to salute the motherland than we muslims do not have any objection even we feel proud to be Indian and love to salute our country however if its translation is to bowing down before motherland or any of its stanza which means that we are worshiping the motherland then those lines are strictly not to be sung.
The original Vande Matarm had many stanzas. But owing to the objection of the Muslim community, only the first stanza of the song was made the national song. The first stanza does nothing but praises our country - India. And I don't think there is anything wrong in praising one's country !!
This is the English translation of Vande Mataram:-
My obeisance to Mother India!
With flowing beneficial waters
Filled with choicest fruits
With Sandal scented winds
Green with the harvest
O mother! My obeisance to you!
Ecstatic moonlit nights
The plants blooming with flowers
Sweet speaker of sweet languages
Fount of blessings,
Mother, I salute you!
Asit,
You rightly said that being a good human being is more important than all the approaches. I hundred percent agree with you my dear friend but you may have some misconception about Islam so let me try to vanish them.
Infact the most basic difference in between Hinduism and Abrahamic religion is the fact that, Hinduism says that if you are a good human being, then even if you don't worship god, you will not be punished. Whereas Abrahamic religions say that no matter how good a human being you are, if you don't worship god, you shall be punished on the 'Judgment day'.
I would like to add on that a Muslim can not be a good Muslim if he is not a good human being. If he is not a good human being, he can not be a muslim.
But just being a good human being is not sufficient. Human is obliged to worship of his Creator (GOD).
Islam tells us about righteous deeds as mandatory. Only worshiping the GOD is not the guarantee to enter into paradise.
Quran says in Chapter 103
1.By (the token of) time through the ages,
2.Verily man is in loss,
3.Except such as have Faith, and do righteous Deeds and (join together) in mutual teaching of Truth and Patience and Constancy.
That clearly states that the criteria for going into heaven is the combination of three (Faith in only one GOD, righteous Deeds and inviting people towards the Truth and Patience and Constancy).
Even one of them is missing, there is no guarantee to enter into heaven. Please remove this misconception from your mind that only worshiping the GOD is enough to get entered into Jannah. There is much more to do like your Karma.
Moreover Allah can forgive any sin and even thousand of sins once you pledge HIM and ensure that it will not happen again. However HE will not forgive the person who has hurted someone. Only that hurted person has the rights to forgive him at the day-of-judgment. If he does not forgive him, that person will be punished and may go to Hell directly.
Similarly, Islam also prohibits people from going to Hajj by taking loans or subsidies. So why don't they issue a fatwa against the Hajj subsidy by the government too?
You said absolutely truth that Islam prohibits (Haraam) to get the Loan not even for Hajj even for any of your need. But as far as I know the Loan means returning the money with interest. Islam strictly proscribes the transactions of interest. However at the time of Hajj Indian Government financially helps the muslims to perform the hajj and this is not based on returning the money with interest. That means in Islam it permissible to get the financial help for Hajj (which is not based on interest).
Hinduism says that if you are a good human being, then even if you don't worship god, you will not be punished.
What is the description of good human being. Who will decide what is good and what is bad ? Should it different for the people living in India and people living in Western countries.
For example, wearing shorts and skirts in Western country is common and it is considered modest. However if you go in Chennai and find any girl walking in shorts, you will call it immodest.
If you go in certain Arabian Countries, staring at woman is immodest. But in India as long as you do not touch a woman, you can talk her and you can look at her. When you greet, without touching you say Namaste. In Western country shaking hand between lady and a man is modesty. In some other western country kissing a woman on lips and cheeks is modest. In some western country you can do whatever you want the man and female. As long as you do it willingly it is modest. Who will decide what is good and what is bad.
A few days back I read in Times of India a new cruise a nude cruise. Everyone would be nude on the cruise. You tell me who will decide ?
I met with my American Friend and he told me that Indian women are immodest, I was shoked how come Indian women are immodest ? He told that when Indian women wear sari they show their belly. That means wearing the sari and showing belly is immodest in America.
In India sex before marriage is not recognized as legitimate, polygamy is forbidden by the Indian marriage act, consumption of alcohol proscribed, gambling is strictly forbidden in our culture but these all are considered lawful in western culture. And Life without these has no worth I western culture.
But yes, I have read many of them. The most important being the Bhagwad Gita. Now coming back to your question, in Hinduism, it is not even mandatory to worship the almighty god. Hinduism is based upon the concept of Karma (righteousness of actions). So in Hinduism, it is more important to be a good human being than worshipping god.
A common hindu believes in the philosophy of pantheism that means “Everything is god” like the sun is god, the moon is god, the human being is god and the snake is god. What muslims say “Everything is GOD’s” that means everything belongs to GOD like sun belongs to GOD, moon belongs to GOD, tree belongs to GOD and the snake belongs to GOD. The difference is apostrophes (‘). If this difference is eradicated the Hindu and Muslims will be united.
In Hinduism, it is not even mandatory to worship the almighty god.
As far as my study is concern I can quote many verses of the Holy Scriptures.
1. Bhagwat Geeta ch-7 Vser.20 says
-All those intelligence has been stolen by material desires they worship demigod.
Vedo akhlo dharmo moolam--- Vedas are the foundation of hindu religion
2. Yajurveda ch.32 vers-3 says
-Na tassi-patima asti (Sanskrit)
Of HIM there are no images/likeness and only HE should be worshiped)
3. Rigveda Book No.6 Hymm.45 Vers-16
-Ya ik it mushtihi (Sanskrit)
–Prays HIM alone.
4. Veda’s Brahamasutra says “ekkam brahma duti naasti, na nah naasti kincham (Sanskrit)
-Bhagwan ek he dusra nahi he. Nahi he, nahi he ansha maatr bhi nahi he.
There is only one GOD, not a second one, not at all, not at all, not in the least bit.
5. YajurVeda verse No- 40 says
-Andham tamaa preshanti ashambhuti mupaashate, tato bhu-ite ute tamusambhute rataam
Translation by Aacharya shri Ram Sharma-
-Who log ghor andhkar me he jo ashambhuti ki upasna karte he
Ashambhuti means (sun, moon, air, devil, angel, animals, earth, sky and stars, fire, water etc) natural things.
-Or usse bhi ziyada andhkar me who he jo apni banai hui murtiyon (statue) me raman kiya karte he.
6. Rigveda Book No.1 Hymm.164 verse.46 says
-ikkam satt vipra vahuda vadante (Sanskrit)
Truth (GOD) is only one but HE has been called by different attributed by sages)
7. The same thing is repeated in Rigveda Book No.10 Hymm.114 vers.5
8. Rigveda Book No.8 Hymm.1 Vers-1
-Ma chadinani sansad (Sanskrit)
- Praise HIM alone, he alone deserves worship
9. Chandogya Upanishad ch.6 sec.2 vers-1
-Ikkam ividatyam (Sanskrit)
(GOD is only one without a second)
If you have any query or any doubt about the Islam and if you think that there is a single verse of Quran and single basic principle of Islam is against humanity, please let me know I would love to persuade clarify the fallacy about islam. I will try my level best.
@ Shoby
But just being a good human being is not sufficient. Human is obliged to worship of his Creator (GOD).
And this is precisely what I wrote. In Islam, worshipping Allah is mandatory for one and all. No matter how good a human being you are, if you don't worship Allah, you shall be punished. Where is the question of confusion here?
But as far as I know the Loan means returning the money with interest. Islam strictly proscribes the transactions of interest. However at the time of Hajj Indian Government financially helps the muslims to perform the hajj and this is not based on returning the money with interest.
Yes Islam strictly forbids the taking or giving of interest. But I am not talking about interest at all. I am talking about the financial help which the Muslims take from the Indian government to perform Hajj.
As per Quoran, only those persons who are financially sound, and can bear the expenses of Hajj on their own, must perform Hajj.Now there are Islamic scholars who say that there is no harm in taking monetary help from some one and performing Hajj. But there are those, who are against it.
This is what Islamonline.net has to say:
" Since Islam teaches us to be self-reliant and not to become a burden on others, scholars are of the opinion that it is not even desirable for a person to go for Hajj if he has been offered financial help by others. Such financial help makes him obliging unto others. This ruling of the jurists demonstrates to us the sensitivity of the Shari`ah towards safeguarding the honor and self-esteem of its adherents.
Source:- http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1124781357713&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Hajj_Umra/HajjE/HajjE
What is the description of good human being.
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know this. If you mean good to everyone, if you don't knowingly cause or intend to cause any harm to anyone, and if you are a gentle & a pure hearted man, then you are a good human being. It's as simple as that.
For example, wearing shorts and skirts in Western country is common and it is considered modest. However if you go in Chennai and find any girl walking in shorts, you will call it immodest
What you are talking is nothing but cultural difference. It has got nothing to do with a person being god or bad. A lady wearing short skirt can also be a good human being and a lady wearing a Saree can also be a good human being. Similarly both of them could be bad human beings as well. A dress of an individual does not make him/her good or bad. It is his thoughts and actions which make him good or bad.
The same logic stands true for all the other examples cited by you.
A common hindu believes in the philosophy of pantheism that means “Everything is god” like the sun is god, the moon is god, the human being is god and the snake is god. What muslims say “Everything is GOD’s” that means everything belongs to GOD like sun belongs to GOD, moon belongs to GOD, tree belongs to GOD and the snake belongs to GOD.
I am sick and tired of reading and explaining this copy paste work from Zakir Naik's website !!
No the sun, moon, snake etc are not gods. As per Hinduism, god is one and he is formless. However he is capable of taking any form and is capable of being present everywhere.
The worship of a snake or a human being as a form of god, has a deeper symbolic meaning. It means that if I can worship the creations of god as one of his forms, then imagine the respect and devotion which I will have for the almighty lord himself.
You may want to go through the following verses from Hindu scriptures:
Subtler than the subtlest, stable in the midst of great confusion, the creator of all, bearing many forms, holding the entire universe in his embrace, when one knows him as the auspicious, a great peace shall descend upon him.
Svetavatara Upanishad; chapter 4:14
You are woman. You are man. You are the son and also the daughter. As an old man you walk with a stick. being born you assume faces in many directions.
Svetavatara Upanishad; chapter 4:3
Even those devotees who worship other demigods(sun, moon etc)sincerely and steadfastly, they too worship me only, O kuntiye, though improperly and inappropriately.
Bhagwad Gita; chapter 9:23
As far as my study is concern I can quote many verses of the Holy Scriptures.
Once again your study is based exclusively upon the copy paste work from Zakir Naik's site.
The verses quoted by you are advisory in nature. They encourage and recommend people to worship the almighty god. But they don't make it mandatory for an individual to worship him. They don't say that you will be punished if you don't worship the almighty god.
In Bhagwad Gita, Lord Krishna categorically says that if a noble man worships him with complete devotion, then he will attain salvation and will go directly to him. However if an individual worships a demi god (and not him), then also he will fulfil his wishes.
Read the rough translation of the following verses:
Those under the influence of their respective nature, with their wisdom consumed by various desires, worship other demi gods.
I am in everyone's heart as the Supersoul. As soon as one desires to worship the demigods, I make his faith steady so that he can devote himself to some particular deity.
Endowed with such a faith, he seeks favors of a particular demigod and obtains his desires. But in actuality these benefits are bestowed by Me alone.
Bhagwad Gita; chapter 8:20-22
Those who worship demi gods go to them. Those who worship their ancestors go to their ancestors. Those who worship elements go to the elements. But those who worship me come to me only.
Bhagwad Gita; chapter 9:22
If you have any query or any doubt about the Islam and if you think that there is a single verse of Quran and single basic principle of Islam is against humanity, please let me know
Thanks for the wonderful offer. However, I will have to politely turn it down.
First and foremost, I don't think that Islam or for that matter any religion is against humanity. Secondly, the English version of Quoran as well as commentary on the same is readily available on the internet. So if needed, I will prefer to read it myself rather than seeing it through a prism provided by some one else.
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