Don’t promote new divisions among Indian Muslims

Urdu Section

15 Mar 2009, NewAgeIslam.Com

Don't promote new divisions among Indian Muslims

A New Evil is knocking at the Door  The reality is that-the entire community is affected by backwardness but some people are identifying a few castes and declaring them as backward to initiate efforts for the promotion of their social and political rights. This convention is not a good omen from the point of view of unity and integrity of the Muslim community. To differentiate Muslims on account of backward and forward classes by dividing them into different groups is totally against the Islamic concept of unity in the Muslim fraternity.... Muslim leaders should surely try to unite the Ummat-e-Islamiah on the basis of Kalmah-e-Tauheed, not to conspire to divide them on the basis of caste, colour, creed and region. -- Maulana Nadeem Al-Wajidee Translated from Urdu by Syed Raihan Ahmad Nezami, Najran Saudi Arabia URL:  http://newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1246 -----------------------------    Don't promote new divisions among Indian Muslims A New Evil is knocking at the Door   A Point of View by Maulana Nadeem Al-Wajidee           General elections are at hand. Muslims can present themselves as a mighty political force to be reckoned with in the country if they demonstrate communal unity coupled with political intelligence and maturity. This is a secular and democratic country where the rule of the law and constitution is established. The citizens, here, have got the fundamental right to elect the members of the Parliament and the Legislative Assembly every five years through the democratic process.                The population of the Muslim citizens is quite high and they too have got the constitutional rights to elect the members of the Parliament and the Legislative Assembly of their choice. Being in a decisive position in at least 200 constituencies, the Muslim vote bank is the centre of attraction for all the central and regional political parties. Some political parties consider the Muslim votes as their personal property, but some other communal parties try to unify and obtain the Hindu votes by raising Anti-Muslim slogans and spitting poisonous statements. This negative attitude itself highlights the significance of the Muslim votes but, alas! The Muslims themselves are unaware of the importance of their votes.                         Due to lack of genuine leadership, the Muslim voters are scattered all over and split into several groups.  This crack among the Muslims is being felt now more than on any other occasion in the past. More or less, the tragic plight of the Muslims in this country is well-known to every conscious voter as sadly enough; they could not have established themselves as a mighty political force even after 60 years of independence, though they possess extra-ordinary numerical voting power which plays a pivotal role in the formation of the government. After the elections, when the power and post are distributed, they almost get nothing and are pushed at the margin.               The Muslims in this country are forced to lead a life even worse than the backward classes or scheduled castes, it's not my opinion; rather it's the finding of the Sachar Committee- -          That we are not holding high offices. -          That neither we have command over the internal matters nor we are influential in the foreign policy. -          That our presence is almost zero in the educational institutions, financial and economical sectors and government jobs.   What is the solution for this extreme misery and haplessness? How can we overcome this frustrating situation?  The vibrations of these questions are being heard in the atmosphere for over 60 years but nobody has given the answers. The so-called leaders of the Muslim community don't intend to reply to these questions as their answers are hidden in one word only i.e. Unity.   These tricky questions can be answered only by being united for the sake of the welfare of the community leaving aside all the personal interests and selfish gains.   How can a community be united, which has thousands of so-called leaders treading separate paths, conflicting aims, ambitions and goals? Tragically we are divided in many sects – Shia, Sunni, Deobandi, Barailwi, Muqallid, and Non-Muqallid etc. Then every sect is divided in different sub-sects and sub-sects into even smaller groups, every group in numerous sections - it means there are various groups within a group and all of them are busy in trying to humiliate others by disparaging remarks and offensive actions. Our community looks like a scattered flock of sheep in which every sheep is running in different direction and taking an opposite path. But the unfortunate part of this tragedy is that no one is keen to discontinue this awful practice and accumulate the communal fold.   Till date, we had been victims of political and sectarian religious differences but at present a new devilish evil is knocking at our door i.e. the evil of caste and creed. Recently an All India Convention consisting of 118 backward caste communities had been organized at the Ram Lila Ground in New Delhi. The organizer was a renowned businessman of Delhi who has been active in the struggle for the protection of rights and justice for the backward castes among the Muslim community who have been deprived of their social and political rights. Various sections of the backward castes among the Muslim community Quraishi, Salmani, Mansoori, Saifee Darzi, Abbasi, Qassar, Raeen, Ansari, Gaddee, Dafli, Gujjar Madari, Rajput, Raomio, Ghosi and Malik among the Muslim community participated in this convention which was a big failure in the sense that it was not attended by large numbers of the aforesaid castes. So there was no big congregation and it was for the better. But the sad part of such convention is that some people are leaving no stone unturned in creating a rift among the Muslim community and dividing them on the basis of castes in different groups as forward castes and backward castes. If it has been attempted to prove by the participation of 118 groups of the Muslims that they are the backward castes and the rest are forward castes. It is absolutely contrary to the reality.   The Sachar Committee, which was formed by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in March 2005, had visited 13 states and union territories which have a considerable Muslim population and came to the conclusion that the Muslims are far behind other religious groups in term of development and economic progress. The Muslims are facing a variety of problems other than the lack of educational and economic development which are quite different from the problems being faced by the backward castes of other religions. Nowhere in the Sachar Committee are the Muslims mentioned as backward or forward castes; in my opinion the recent happenings are the first pre-planned attempt to instigae and strengthen the feelings of backward and forwards classes among Muslims and may succeed in widening the so-called rift between the higher and the lower, forward and backward Muslim castes.   Actually, the reality is that-the entire community is affected by backwardness but some people are identifying a few castes and declaring them as backward to initiate efforts for the promotion of their social and political rights. This convention is not a good omen from the point of view of unity and integrity of the Muslim community. To differentiate Muslims on account of backward and forward classes by dividing them in different groups is totally against the Islamic concept of unity among the Muslim fraternity.   Looking into the Past, about 1400 years ago, when the Quran-e-Kareem was revealed in the sacred valley of Makkah-e-Mokarramah, it was announced that the Almighty Allah-e-Kareem has created the human beings from a male and a female; they were informed that they are brothers even though they belong to different castes, creed, families and tribes. The first and foremost aim of this fraternity feeling is that no one should be considered greater and more exalted than others on account of nation, community, colour nor anyone is superior on account of tribe, caste, family, status or property with the Almighty Allah-e-Kareem. Because the people who possess such sacred qualities as perfect Faith in Islam, piety, purity of the soul, clarity of the heart, righteousness and noble characters, are only considered honourable with the Almighty Allah-e-Kareem which has been mentioned as "Al-Taqwa" in the Quran-e-Kareem.  The Almighty Allah-e-Kareem says, "O' Mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one other. Verily the most honourable of you with the Almighty Allah-e-Kareem is that (believer) who has "Al-Taqwa" (i.e. he is one of the "Al-Muttaqun" (the pious).                                                                             (Surah Al-Hujurat 13)   If the Almighty Allah-e-Kareem willed, He would have demolished the difference and distinction by creating the human beings into one nation but He maintained it because of His intelligent rules of nature and He Himself explained this point.     The Quran-e-Kareem says, "If Allah had willed, He would have made you one nation, but that (He) may test you in what He has given you; so compete in good deeds."                                                                             (Surah al-Maeda, 48)   There are various Ahadeeth Shareef in this context. According to one "Rawayat", the prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) asserted, "your Almighty Creator is one and your father is also one; so any Arabi over Ajami or any White over Black can't have distinction except on account of Al-Taqwa".                                                                        (Jama Al-Fawaed, 4142) The prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) demolished the concept of communal or tribal pride on the day of the victory over Makkah-e-Mokarramah in the following words. "All praise is for the Almighty Allah-e-Kareem who demolished the pride and dignity of the illiterates, O' Mankind, human beings are of two kinds only; one who are believers, pious, obedient, honourable with the Almighty Allah-e-Kareem and the others who are "Fasiq" and "Fajir" (deviant, disobedient), disgraceful and insulted with the Almighty Allah-e-Kareem, then He (Peace be upon Him) recited this Aayat, " Ya aiyyohan naso inna khalaqnakum".                                                        (Saheeh bin Habban: 137/9, 3828)   By this Makkah-e-Mokarramah Declaration, it was clear that all human beings are equal in the whole mankind; nothing can make you distinct and superior, although "Eman" is such a great boon which can make you proud and dignified.   The Almighty Allah-e-Kareem has tied the whole Muslim fraternity in one thread that is the chain of Faith above all the relations of caste, colour and creed. Faith creates a combined sensitivity and sense of brotherhood. The worldly physical relation diminishes after a certain period and finishes after some generations whereas the oneness of Faith remains fresh and strong forever.  If anything is obvious in the expression and absorbed in the hearts of the Muslims; that is the Faith. This Faith is a companion in the meeting; and a secret-partner in the solitude whose effect is exposed in every Salat, Saum, Zakat, Hajj, every prayer and every obedience even in the winking of the eye-lids, beating of hearts, in the senses, feelings and mind by which the Almighty Allah-e-Kareem has connected all the Muslims of the Mankind in a single thread. Whether they are in any direction – North, South, East or West, of any colour – White or Black, of any country – Arab or Ajam, of any status, affluent or impoverished in such a way that they seem to possess a single body. If a Muslim is hurt in the West, its pain is felt by a person living in the East.   What a wonderful compassionate narration the prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) has given to this mutual co-operation and connection!   "The example of the believers (Ahl-e-Eiman) who possess love and compassion for one another is like a single body which suffers from fever and pain if any of its part is sick".                                 (Saheeh Al-Bukhari: 2238/5, Hadeeth No.5665)   "No doubt one Muslim is like a building for the other Muslim of which different portions are inter-connected and inter-dependent on one another."                                 (Saheeh Al-Bukhari: 182/1, Hadeeth No.467)     The Quran-e-Kareem has compared this Faith with the Rope of the Almighty Allah-e-Kareem (i.e. this Quran) and ordered to hold it tightly and reminded that you were bitter enemies before you were bestowed this wealth of Eiman and Oneness of Faith. Now, your hearts are filled with the love and the compassion which bring the people together; develop the sense of co-operation and unity; combine their goals and purposes.     The Almighty Allah-e-Kareem says, "And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Quran), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah's favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it".                                                                           (Surah Al'Imran: 103)   The Almighty Allah-e-Kareem has been prohibited from creating differences and disputes to maintain and sustain this Oneness.   The Almighty Allah-e-Kareem says, "And obey Allah-e-Kareem and His Messenger (Peace be upon Him), and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength departs, and be patient. Surely, Allah is with those who are As-Sabirun (the patient)".                                                                               (Surah Al'Anfal: 46)     According to the Quran-e-Kareem and Al-Sunnah, if anything is a must for the sustenance and the development of the Ummat-e-Islamiah – that is the Oneness and the mutual unity among the Muslims which is the embodiment of strength, power and dignity of the Ummat-e-Islamiah. By this only, the existence can be preserved; and in its absence, neither peace and safety, nor security can be obtained, nor respect, status and dignity can be safe-guarded, nor the worldly development and divine piousness be achieved.  A lot of emphasis is given over the Oneness and unity among the Muslims in the Islamic teachings.    These resources have been pointed to on many occasions in the Quran-e-Kareem and the Ahadeeth Shareef of the prophets (Peace be upon Them); we can certainly achieve Oneness by practically following those teachings. After creating the Islamic kingdom, the prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) had given a practical shape to this Oneness by establishing fraternal relationship between the Muhajereen and the Ansars. Later on, the Khulafa-e-Rashedeen (May Allah be pleased with Them) too followed this practice as the brotherhood and Oneness had played a vital and unforgettable role in the development of Islam.   Today, we are passing through the worst phase of our history, tolerating great insult and disrespect; it is only because we don't have that Oneness and unity among us which used to be our hallmark during the reign of the Sahabah-e-Karam (May Allah be pleased with Them). The people who are trying to divide the Muslims between backwards and forwards by arousing their emotions to gain political mileage are obviously committing such a blunder that history will never forgive. If this convention or congregation would have been organized on the basis of the unity of the Ummat-e-Islamiah and any decision would have been taken on the topic of educational and economic development of the Muslims; they might have rendered a great service to the Muslim community which would have been remembered forever and whose results also would have been better. Muslim leaders should surely try to unite the Ummat-e-Islamiah on the basis of Kalmah-e-Tauheed, not to conspire to divide them on the basis of caste, colour, creed and region. Courtesy: Daily Sahafat 10 march 2009 Translated from Urdu by Syed Raihan Ahmad Nezami, Najran, Saudi Arabia   URL:http://newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1246