Why India Must Salute its Muslims
By Arshad Alam, New
Age Islam
29 April
2021
Despite Being Religiously Targeted, Muslims Are
Selflessly Serving Everyone In These Harrowing Times
Main Points:
1.
Not very long ago, they were
denigrated as indulging in corona jihad; disparaging images of Muslims
‘spreading’ the virus were being circulated on the social media.
2.
Despite this, Muslims are doing their
best in helping anyone irrespective of caste or creed.
3.
For these deeply observant Muslims,
Islam is all about serving human beings, irrespective of anyone’s faith.
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The second
wave of COVID-19 has really hit the country hard. Not a day passes when we do
not hear the news of a relative or a friend down with the virus. Battling the
virus is one thing, but the health infrastructure, quite another. There are
harrowing tales of patients being denied hospital beds or left gasping for
breath due to lack of adequate oxygen. Many such death could have been
prevented had the government been sensitive to the lives of people.
Since it
has become fashionable to replace the word government with system, let us say
that the ‘system’ did not have the foresight to see this coming. Partly due to
its hubris, even saner warnings fell on deaf years. Worse, they were ridiculed.
The argument was that everything was under control. And anyone who did not
agree with this was ticked off as anti-Indian and consequently put under the
attack of paid trolls. Today, reality has dawned and we have come the bitter
realization that the health system has not collapsed, it has merely been
exposed.
Amidst so
much gloom and despair, we see news which lifts our spirit and reposes our faith
in shared humanity. Minorities, and special mention must be made of Muslims,
are putting their best effort in trying to help anyone irrespective of caste or
creed. This is indeed a solemn time for most practicing Muslims as they fast
throughout the day during the holy month of Ramzan. The corona virus is much
deadlier now as compared to its earlier avatar. It needs a special kind of
courage and commitment to human values to venture out in the open and to help
those in need. At times, when even close relatives have shunned Covid patients,
Muslims and Sikhs have volunteered in large numbers to offer care and support.
Especially for Muslims, working on empty stomachs with a dehydrated body and
yet being available to serve others is nothing short of salutary. Anyone who
does not recognize this today has lost his or her humanity.
This is not even remotely to suggest that only minorities are putting their lives in danger in trying to help the needy. Well-meaning people from all religious traditions are doing whatever they can to help people directly or even indirectly. And all such efforts must be lauded specially when the ‘system’ has very nearly collapsed. However, when it comes to minorities, the only discourse from the state which we hear about them is in terms of integration. Religious minorities are assumed to be less integrated within Indians society and hence are the target of special policies. The ongoing pandemic has proved that none in this country in more integrated than its religious minorities. Despite being vilified, ridiculed and criminalized, their selfless service for their fellow citizens can only mean that they can teach a lesson or two in solidarity and integration to others. Those who cast aspersions on their commitment are the real alienated souls in this country.
Minorities
have also been the target of hate and systematic discrimination since decades.
There was a time when Sikhs were presumed to be terrorists until proven
otherwise. Now it is Muslims who are at the receiving end of a vicious
campaign, often aided and abetted by those in power. Not very long ago, Muslims
were denigrated as indulging in corona jihad. Disparaging images of Muslims
‘spreading’ the virus by spitting or simply by praying were being circulated on
the social media by right wing Hindus. Muslims haven’t forgotten what harrowing
ordeal they had to go through just six months back. And they haven’t forgotten
what happened to them in the recent Delhi pogrom. They haven’t forgotten that
many of their fellow Muslims are languishing in jail on trumped up charges.
They haven’t forgotten the case of Dr. Kafeel Khan, who was put in jail,
despite proven testimony that he was saving the lives of people. In short, they
haven’t forgotten that Muslims have suffered in this country simply because
they are Muslims.
Yet,
leaving all this behind, they are serving the needy, not just from their
community, but anyone who seeks their help. This extraordinary courage, empathy
and sacrifice of Muslims should be remembered for a long time to come.
Self-made
billionaire Pyare Khan (India Today photo)
-----
Mention
must be made of Pyare Khan of Nagpur, who has spent nearly 85 lakhs rupees to
supply much needed oxygen to various hospitals. Groups of individuals have
volunteered to cremate dead bodies in the event of it being unclaimed or left
unattended by families and relatives. In Mathura, Muzaffarnagar, Indore, Delhi
and elsewhere, such individuals and groups have been working round the clock
without thinking of their own safety. Institutionally, Muslims have come
forward to transform many of their mosques into covid treatment centres and
people of all religions to access these facilities freely. Sometimes back, the
same Muslims were being disparaged for their appearance. Undeterred, they continue
to serve humanity with the same attire. Today, those who recognized them by
their clothes and tried to polarize society must hang their heads in shame.
There is a
new breed of scholars of Islam, mostly on social media, who think everything
that a Muslim does for a non-Muslim is deigned either to convert or to destroy
him. Most right-wing Hindus, who have become famous because of their hatred of
Muslims, must today be very disappointed at such a development. So would also
be those third-rate Mullahs who have for a long time preached that a Muslim
should not have any solidarity with non-Muslims. For both these category of
people, ‘real’ Muslims are those who only help other Muslims and exclude
everyone else from their purview.
However,
Muslims who are selflessly helping others are deeply observant. Their
commitment to help fellow humans comes from their own understanding and
interpretation of Islam. For them, Islam is all about serving human beings,
irrespective of anyone’s faith. This is Islam at its best and Muslims who are
committed to this ideal are its finest ambassadors.
-----
Arshad Alam is a
NewAgeIslam.com columnist.
URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/india-salute-muslims/d/124758
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