All The People Like Us Are We, And Everyone Else Is They

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 29 July 2025 "All the people like us are we, And everyone else is They." Rudyard Kipling,'s aforementioned quote encapsulates the pervasive distinction that exists between individuals who share a common bond and those who stand on the periphery. This insightful statement speaks to the innate human tendency to form close-knit groups and categorize those outside as adversaries or strangers. It serves as a reminder that we naturally gravitate towards those who mirror ourselves, appreciating their similarities while viewing outsiders as the unfamiliar and different. Kipling's words subtly highlight the need for empathy and understanding, encouraging us to bridge the divide between "us" and "They" and embrace the inherent interconnectedness that binds us as human beings. This dichotomy is disturbingly obvious in today's India. Not just Hindus and Muslims are being perceived as poles asunder, there're groups and sub-groups distinctly different from each other. Sunnis are different from Shias despite both the sects coming under the rubric of Islam. Though Ahmadiyas are also Muslims, mainstream Islam refuses to accept them. Qadianis are called heretics by the majority of subcontinental Muslims. Hinayana and Mahayana sects of Buddhism consider the followers of Vajrayan Buddhists as Tutiyan (Burmese word for the outsiders in religious matters) because the core Buddhism doesn't accept Vajrayana as it's seen as an extension of Tantra in Hinduism. So many groups, sub-groups, faiths, cults, sects and what not! Will there ever be a seamless scenario in the world? Agreed, two humans are completely different from each other, comparing them is like insulting nature. But it's not about individuality or individual uniqueness. It's about dissolving group or sectarian differences. To quote Persian mystic Jami, " Embrace all while retaining your uniqueness" (Hameye Jahan Ra Dar Aaghosh Bageer, Ama Khodet Bash). But at the same time, we must remember that we're all islands shouting lies to each other across seas of misunderstanding. Each individual, isolated in their own unique perspective, tends to project their subjective interpretations as absolute truths. As a result, we find ourselves shouting lies to one another, unconsciously perpetuating a cycle of misunderstanding. Here lies the importance of empathy and open-mindedness in breaking down the walls that divide us, allowing us to navigate the treacherous waters of miscommunication and forge genuine connections. While individual uniqueness is okay, it mustn't become the nature of a group or sect. In that case, it degenerates into ethnic supremacism. Na Hoga Koi Deen, Na Koi Firqa, Na Koi Tafaavut/ Insaan Faqat Insaan Hoga, Uss Ki Pahchaan Hogi Insaaniyat (There'll be no faith, no sect; nor will there be any disparity or difference / Humans will be endowed with humanity sans any discordance). Will we ever realise the essence of Moin Ahsan Jazbi's Urdu couplet? I'm not very sure. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/people-us-we-everyone-else-they/d/136334 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism