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Islam and Politics ( 5 Dec 2024, NewAgeIslam.Com)

Reviving Unity and Strength: A Call for Action in Challenging Times for Indian Muslims

By Abdullah Khalid Khairabadi, Tr. New Age Islam

5 December 2024

Summary:

The Article, Originally Published In The Daily Inquilab Urdu Newspaper, Highlights The Challenges Muslims In India Currently Face, Where Religious Animosity And Division Have Tainted The Social Atmosphere. It Reflects On India’s Rich History, Where Muslim Rulers Played A Crucial Role In Shaping The Country's Culture And Development. However, Today, Forces Of Division Are Relentlessly Working To Erase This Legacy. The Author Calls On Muslims To Re-Establish Their Connection With The Qur'an And Sunnah, Exercise Patience, And Strengthen Their Educational And Moral Values. By Doing So, They Can Overcome Their Struggles, Resist Attacks On Their Community, And Restore Their Rightful Position In Society. The Article Ends By Urging Muslims To Adopt The Approaches Of Early Islam, Emphasizing Unity, Faith, And Resilience.

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In the current circumstance of India, hatred in the name of religion, mutual hostility, and un-Islamic and unnatural actions have severely poisoned the atmosphere of peace and tranquillity throughout the country. Our beloved homeland, India, once a paradise on earth, is now caught in a turbulent whirlpool of rivalries and enmities. The venomous serpent of division and discord is relentlessly trying to devour humanity. A significant share of the responsibility for this perilous situation lies with sectarian organizations and individuals who exploit religion and community as tools to manipulate the emotions of Indians.

Seventy-seven years have passed since our beloved country gained freedom from two centuries of British colonial rule. This independence was achieved after a prolonged struggle and immense sacrifices in terms of lives and resources. Millions of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, and Buddhists united to participate in the freedom struggle against the British.

Even at that time, there existed a group among the compatriots that openly sided with the British. Their hearts and minds were filled with the poison of communalism, and they harboured hatred for those Muslim rulers of India who, despite being conquerors, were known for their sense of justice and friendliness toward the land. These rulers were not preachers, Sufis, or scholars of Islam, but merely kings and rulers.

The practice of conquering lands to expand territories and consolidate power had been a global norm for thousands of years. Whether it was Mahmud of Ghazni, Shihabuddin Ghori, or Babur's campaigns, they all sought territorial expansion and the strengthening of their empires.

The land of India became so beloved to them that they forgot their own homeland and chose to make this country their own. They devoted all their wealth and strength to beautify and enrich this nation. As a symbol of love, they gifted the Taj Mahal, a masterpiece of purity and elegance. They constructed the grand Jama Masjid in Delhi, presenting a marvel of sanctity and devotion.

The magnificence and grandeur of the Red Fort continue to guard India’s independence even today, as the tricolour flag is hoisted there every year, and the Prime Minister delivers the annual Independence Day address from its historic ramparts. These architectural wonders still generate billions in revenue every year.

Yet, some short-sighted opponents are tirelessly working day and night to erase these very symbols of our heritage.

These Muslim rulers and sultans, instead of oppressing the majority Hindu population, dedicated themselves to their welfare and upliftment. They raised them from the depths of humiliation and degradation, restoring their dignity. As a result, the impoverished, oppressed, and suffering masses welcomed the arrival of these new Muslim rulers, hoping for liberation from the harsh laws of Manusmriti and the chance to live as dignified human beings.

The common people saw these Muslim rulers as a source of salvation and became their supporters. These sultans not only entrusted talented and trustworthy non-Muslims with significant positions but even appointed them as commanders of their Muslim armies and placed financial departments under their control.

However, this magnanimity was invisible to those who supported British imperialism and opposed the independence movement. Blinded by their hostility toward Islam, they ignored these acts of justice and fairness. The partition of India turned their enmity and hatred into a volcanic eruption. Day and night, they sought to harm Islam and envisioned India as a Hindu Rashtra based on their false and communal ideology.

Since independence, this group has continually worked against harmony, launching campaigns under the guise of “reconversion” (Shuddhikaran) or inciting Hindu-Muslim riots to further their divisive agenda.

One of the tragic episodes in India’s political history is that the Congress, which served as a platform for Hindu-Muslim unity throughout the freedom movement, failed to remain sincere to Muslims after coming to power. Moreover, it could not adopt a firm stance in controlling extremist organizations like the Hindu Mahasabha and the RSS, which are rooted in rigid religious ideologies.

On the other hand, the selflessness and sincerity of our freedom fighters, including the scholars and Ulama of madrasas and the elders of the Muslim community, were such that they withdrew from politics entirely after the partition of the country. Apart from a few esteemed scholars, such as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Maulana Hafizur Rahman Seoharwi, most scholars distanced themselves from political affairs.

The involvement of thousands of scholars in the freedom movement was undoubtedly for the sake of Allah’s pleasure. However, their withdrawal from politics left the Muslims of India, already grappling with the wounds of partition, entirely at the mercy of non-Muslim Congress leaders.

While many secular Congress leaders displayed tolerance toward the Indian Muslims, who had become a minority, they were still influenced by their religious beliefs and the natural resentment over Pakistan becoming a Muslim state. Throughout its rule, the Congress kept Indian Muslims distant from governmental sectors and key administrative institutions, effectively marginalizing them from sensitive state affairs.

Seventy-seven years have passed since the country gained independence, yet Muslims have been consistently pushed down from their previous position. Over the past ten years, under a government led by BJP’s divisive politicians, Muslims have faced various trials and tribulations. Despite this, they remain unwilling to learn from these challenges.

While the adversaries actively execute their plans, the plight of Muslims worsens with no end in sight. Mosques are being demolished, homes are bulldozed, restrictions are imposed on madrasas, and bans are placed on animal slaughter. Young Muslim men are falsely implicated in fabricated cases, and a range of oppressive measures is underway. Muslim girls are leaving their faith, Muslims are being economically weakened, and the Hindu majority is being encouraged not to engage in trade or commerce with them. All of this is being promoted at the governmental level.

Under the guise of cow protection, mob lynching is rampant. There are deliberate efforts to strip Muslims of their constitutional and legal rights. Yet, the Muslim community remains distant from action and reform, silently watching as spectators instead of stepping forward with resolve and integrity.

In the current circumstances, Muslims must adopt the same strategies for their revival and survival that were implemented during the early days of Islam by the Prophet of Mercy (peace be upon him). They must strengthen and solidify their bond with the Qur’an and Sunnah, exercising patience, self-control, and perseverance.

As the Qur’an advises: “If you are patient and steadfast and adopt piety, the enemy’s schemes cannot harm you” (Al-Qur’ān al-Ḥakīm).

Muslims must seek guidance from the wisdom displayed during the Makkan period of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and chart their path accordingly.

The true essence of Muslims lies in the Qur’an. As long as this essence remains intact, no force in the world can subjugate them. The principle is clear: “Truth always prevails and never succumbs.” However, when our faith and actions are severed from the “Truth,” how can we expect to inherit the honour and strength that truth guarantees?

Thus, it is imperative for Muslims to lead their lives with the full strength of righteous actions and exemplary character. When this becomes their reality, no power on earth will dare to oppress them, let alone confront them. This strength and power can only be achieved by living in accordance with the teachings of Islam.

In the current situation of India, it is crucial and necessary for Muslims to develop educational awareness and religious consciousness in order to respond effectively to anti-national elements. Education brings about a silent revolution. Muslim students, both male and female, should not only be educated along the right lines but should also be properly trained. This training must include character-building and the development of good conduct, as these are essential components and outcomes of the process.

By practicing Islamic teachings in their own lives, they will become role models who guide others through their actions and character. This will naturally resolve many of the complex issues facing Muslims, and, Insha’Allah, the enemies of Islam will fail in their conspiracies and plans.

Chhupa Kar Āstīn Mein Bijliyan Rakhī Hain Gardōn Ne

Anādil Bāgh Ke Ghāfil Na Baiṭhein Āshiyānōn Mein

Sun Āe Ghāfil Ṣadā Merī, Yih Aisī Chīz Hai Jisko

Wazīfah Jān Kar Paṛhtay Hain Ṭā'ir Bōstānōn Mein

Translation:

The skies have secretly kept lightning in their sleeves,

The birds of the garden, unaware, do not rest in their nests.

Listen, O heedless one, to my call: this is such a thing that,

Knowing its power, the birds of the garden read it as their prayer.

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(Courtesy: Urdu Inquilab Newspaper, New Delhi, December 01, 2024. Translated into English from Urdu by Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam)

Urdu Article: Hate In The Name Of Religion مذہب کے نام پر منافرت