Fresh debate on the issue of nationalism.
By Dileep Thekkethil
A fresh debate on nationalism has sparked off after Darul-Uloom in Deoband in a fatwa proclaimed that its followers must refrain from chanting the slogan ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’.
The Islamic seminary released the fatwa after thousands of Muslims across the country questioned if chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’ would be against the Islamic faith.
The fatwa, released today by a group of eight muftis, say that ‘Bharat Mata’ is represented in India as a goddess with a trident in one hand and worship of any idol is against the teaching of Islam.
According to religious experts, the Muslim seminaries that release fatwas doesn’t have the power to impose it or implement the dictates that it announces from time to time. But it has to be noted that many thousands of Muslims still view muftis from Deoband as influential people and follow their orders without question.
The fatwa read: “Hindus treat ‘Bharat’ as a goddess and worship it. We Muslims see India as our motherland and have all our love for it, but Islam sees only Allah as god. Prophet Muhammad is the most revered figure in our faith, yet our religion does not allow us to worship the prophet. So, chanting slogans for a goddess goes against the tenets of Islam.
“The fatwa refers to an earlier instance when a demand was raised to make ‘Vande Mataram’ a mandatory morning prayer in schools across the country, thereby compelling Muslims to recite it. “Ab Bharat mata ki jai ka naara lagane ko majboor kiya jaa raha hai (Now Muslims are being forced to chant Bharat mata ki jai),” it read,
The fatwa added, “When the issue of Vande Mataram was raised, we had said India is our motherland and we love it. But we cannot worship it as god. So Muslims should be exempted from singing the song.”
Arshad Usmani, the spokesperson of seminary’s told The Times Of India: “We had been receiving thousands of letters from all over the country seeking clarity on the chanting of the slogan. To clear the air on the issue, the muftis (legal experts) sat together and studied the matter under the light of Hadees teachings and the holy Quran. We then arrived at a consensus that the slogan, which is in reverence of a goddess, is un-Islamic. At the same time, India is the land of our ancestors and we love our country very much.”
Soon to react to the fatwa was the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the Hindu right wing organization closely related to the ruling BJP government. They said that the fatwa reflects the Wahabi mindset of Darul-Uloom.
VHP joint secretary Surendra Jain was quoted by The Times of India saying: “Earlier they had opposed Vande Mataram. Now they are opposing this slogan which was the country’s battle cry during the freedom struggle. Even today, army jawans shout this slogan while defending the country’s borders.”
Congress party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said one should often chant ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’ with pride. “I feel that opposing it for some reason, is wrong, childish,” he said.
Congress leader Rashid Alvi, told The Hindustan Times that chanting ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ in Urdu and Persian meant saying “Madre vatan Zindabad”.
“There is no harm at all to say Madre vatan Zindabad. Religions do not come in between,” the former Congress spokesman said.