The Ghazwat-e-Hind and the Hypocrites of Doom
By
Grace Mubashir, New Age Islam
20 February
2023
The Expression Al-Hind Is Found In Hadiths
About The Three Regions. The Dominant Among Them And What Scholars Have
Explained As Hind In Hadiths Is Baswara In Iraq. However, It Has Nothing To Do
With The Post-Independence Modern India.
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Plans are
afoot from communal corners to drive wedges among Christian and Muslims in
South India. The ancient rivalry between the two Abrahamic religions —
Christianity and Islam — has often degenerated into bloody conflicts in other
parts of the world. But in India, the relationship between Christians and
Muslims has been shaped less by their differences and more by their shared
experience shared heritage. This common ground is beginning to erode in Kerala.
Christian
Association and Alliance for Social Action (Casa), a group in north Kerala
defined by its contempt for Muslims, is leading these vile attempts with active
support of some Christian leaders like James Panavelil. Unfounded allegations are hurled against
Muslims like ‘Narcotic Jihad’ and ‘Mark Jihad’ by these people vitiating the
atmosphere of peace. The recent comment
by Sebastian Punnakkal was insidious as he alleged that Muslims were conspiring
to subvert India, as he maliciously quoted from one Hadith. This article is
clarification of the allegation along with highlighting the need for harmony
among various religious groups in India.
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The
Ghazwat-e-Hind agitations that have taken place in Kerala in recent weeks,
especially on social media, are a clear illustration of how deadly abuses can
be and how such incendiaries can affect society. Communal sections are messing
with Islam and its precepts by twisting, cutting, flaking and misunderstanding
beyond what is possible. Social riots aim to create trouble in public and shout
like intoxicated market stalls. The hope
of peace lovers is that in a social environment where the Muslim community is
hiding and many others are waiting to reap the harvest in the fire of art, the
vast majority of Christians and Hindus understand the matter objectively and
reduce trust deficit among people.
Ghazwat-e-Hind
Some who
claim to protect the Christian faith have been spreading the word that Prophet
Muhammad has promised a great reward to those who attack India and therefore
every Muslim is anti-India and traitor and opposition to India is a part of the
Muslim faith. When wholesalers of nationalism and heretics gave it solid
support, the matter was taken up by many with great frequency. It was started
by a communalist named Sebastian Punnakal, who was hiding in a foreign place
and adopted communal friction as his main occupation. Others were found in the
clubhouse app and elsewhere. What more does it take for the country to become
polluted? Let us examine the Ahadith of the Prophet which they try to publicise
maliciously, the ones which refer to Ghazwat-e-Hind.
One:
عن ثوبان مولى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: قال
رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (عصابتان من أمتي أحرزهما الله من النار،عصابة
تغزوا الهند، وعصابة تكون مع عيسى ابن مريم عليهما السلام) العصابة:
الجماعة.أحرزهما: وقاهما.
On the authority
of Thawban, the freed slave of the Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and
peace be upon him, who said: "The Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and
peace be upon him, said: (Two groups of my nation will be protected by God from
Hell, a group that will invade India, and a group that will be with Jesus, son
of Mary, peace be upon them both)."
Second:
عن أبي هريرة رضي
الله عنه قال: (وعدنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم غزوة الهند، فإن استشهدت كنت
من خير الشهداء، وإن رجعت فأنا أبو هريرة المحرر)
On the authority
of Abu Hurairah, may God be pleased with him, he said: "(The Messenger of
God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, promised us the campaign of
India."
Abu
Hurairah (RA) said: "The Messenger (PBUH) promised war with the Hindus. If
I could become a martyr in it, I would be among the greatest of martyrs. Or if
I come back alive as a ghazi, I become the free (from Hellfire)
Abu Hurairah."
The second
given verse is quoted in four ways, but all of them are weak (zaif) according
to Hadeeth theory (see Tahdeeb but Tahdeeb 2/59, 1/427 11/17). The bottom line
is that the said word is unacceptable and it cannot be confirmed that the
Prophet (PBUH) said it.
The
scholars have stated that this is Sahih (accepted) about the first added word
narrated by Sauban (RA) quoted by Imam Nasa'i (RA- 3175) Ahmad (RA- Musnad
37/81) and Tabrani (RA). So, let's discuss this word.
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Also
Read: The
Myth of Ghazwa-tul-Hind: Misusing Religion in Pakistan to Justify Military Adventurers
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Hind,
India?
In the
hadith it is said that there is a group fighting against Hind. In order to
understand the meaning of the hadith, the first thing to check is naturally
which country is the Hind used in it. In any case, it is certain that the
modern India formed by the nation's leaders after independence in 1947 did not
exist 1450 years ago during the time of the Prophet (pbuh). Here and elsewhere,
there was society ruled by many local kings. It was during the rule of the
Mughals, and then the British, that our country became more or less uniform,
even though there were still over 500 princely kingdoms, mostly ruling
themselves. If not present-day India, then which one? Three possibilities can
be considered in response to this.
One: The
Central Asian region, which includes countries like Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and
Kazakhstan. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Allah has
sent down five rivers from heaven. The river of the Hindus called Zayhun, the
river of the Balkhs called Jaihun, the Euphrates and Tigris of the Iraqis and
the Nile of the Egyptians." This hadith has been quoted by the likes of
Tabrani (RA) and Suyuthi (RA). Although this is not a strong enough document to
form a rule, it does have the term Hind historically. This is a testimony to
the ancient existence of such a thing. Sayhun (Sirdaryo in Uzbek), the largest
river in Central Asia (2700 km) which is quoted as the river of Hindus, ends in
Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.
Two: A vast
area that included present-day Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, and
parts of China and Afghanistan. Hind is the region mentioned in the sayings of
Prophet Adam (pbuh), who descended from heaven in Hind and went to Hajj many
times on foot from the great land of Hind. It is thought by many that the first
father landed in today's Sri Lanka, but when the word Hind is applied to that
place, it can only be understood in this way. No one can dispute that Pakistan
and Bangladesh were part of India before the partition of 1947.
Three:
Basara region, part of present-day Iraq. Many expressions of Al-hind are used
in this sense. Khalid (RA) says: "Umar (RA) wrote to me to go to Hind.
What we meant by Hind then was Basara." (Tabrani; Mu'jam 8/227,
al-Haythami; Majma-Ussawaid 7/310, Tabrani 4/116, Ahmad; Musnad 16860).
During the
time of Prophet Muhammad, Basara was called Arul Hind (The Indian
Encyclopaedia). This is a fact recorded by about 30 historical scholars.
This is the
gist of what has been explained. The expression Al-hind is found in hadiths
about the three regions. The dominant among them and what scholars have
explained as Hind in hadiths is Baswara in Iraq. However, it has nothing to do
with the post-independence modern India. And on the basis of which principle,
on what basis, rioters like Sebastian Punnakkal are tying and raising the war
of the hadith that mentions war to this free India we live in? Can these
Christians present any historical or documentary evidence for that?
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Also
Read: Ghazwa-e-Hind:
Revival and Re-Assertion Dangerous To Indian Security
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Provocation
Potential of Ghazwat-e-Hind
It has
already been said that Imam Nasa'i (RA) quoted the Sahih from Sauban (RA) in
the narrations related to Ghazwat-e-Hind.
The word in
question is عصابتان,
which is a dual form of عسابة. It basically means a small group of about forty members. They
cannot conquer a nation by force. Religion does not allow a faction that has no
hope of victory to go to war. It can be said that the interest is not a
linguistic concept, as some commentators of Nasa'i have said, but a larger
group. However, the reward of liberation from Hell is limited in both groups.
One is those who attack Hind. Two were with Jesus. Beyond this, it is not owned
by a third party or spans a continuum. That is, when one group does this, they
get the promise of reward mentioned in the hadith and the others become
ostracized. With this introduction let us judge something about the fulfilment
of Hadith prophecy.
Did this
holy war mentioned by the Prophet (pbuh) happen? The vast majority of scholars
say the same. Although there are differences of opinion about its context and
protagonists, the prophecy is fulfilled when it comes to happen. Not only is
such a thing no longer part of the Muslim faith, as Sebastian vomits; And
that's not likely to happen. To create fear among Hindus and Christians and
marginalize Muslims by highlighting the Hadith discussed in this generally
accepted opinion is a flagrant deception. The prevailing opinion (and there are
several sources) is that it was a victory at Basara (al-Hind) during the reign
of the second Caliph. Then it is trespass to create division by saying that
Muslims are coming to war.
Another
view is that there will be a battle in Al-hind in connection with the last
days. Readers should not forget the fact that even here we cannot be sure which
Hind it is. In addition to Islam, Christian and Hindu philosophies teach that
by the time of the end, terrible chaos will take place all over the world. Part
of this belief is that Jesus will return to destroy the Antichrist (Dajjal) and
that he will appear on a cross to destroy the wickedness that fills the world.
There is a similar belief in the Islamic tradition. If there will be war and
conflict not only in India, but all over the world, and if the devotees will
organize and fight against the Dajjals in those places, then we can expect a
strong advancement of Dharma even in India, which might be in full of darkness
then. A hadith (albeit a weak one) says that the group of the freed men from
hell who won the war against the Hind will meet Jesus at Sham, which supports
the above explanation. No matter how you look at it, this word cannot be used to
denote present day India and on that basis generate fear and Islamophobia. The
Muslim community has sacrificed tens of thousands of its members for the
freedom of India. Christians who dream up rebellion by twisting Islamic
scriptures can end with a Bible verse. Let's wait and see if that will be
acceptable to them. Jehovah says: Do not spread false news; don’t give false
testimony and help the guilty. Do not do evil with the majority. Do not testify
in court against justice with the majority. Abstain from false accusations…
(Exodus 23/1, 2, 7).
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For
reference I have added material from some reports whose links are here:
https://theprint.in/india/how-kerala-churchs-love-jihad-narcotics-jihad-taunts-are-hurting-muslim-businesses-society/739701/
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https://thewire.in/religion/kerala-syrian-christians-caste-anti-muslim-rhetoric
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A regular columnist for NewAgeIslam.com, Mubashir
V.P is a PhD scholar in Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia and freelance
journalist.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-terrorism-jihad/ghazwat-hind-hypocrites-doom/d/129153
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