All that is black is not foul

As someone once said, change can either challenge or threaten us. A casual glance at a busy street in Kochi today reveals an eclectic crowd with khimar-clad women dominating the scene. Barely three decades ago, this exotic attire was a rarity. This visible transformation is but a harbinger of a deeper evolution.

Quran was a distant but deeply revered symbol of Islam then. Today it is widely read and understood.

Viewed superficially, these changes appear to represent a deepening diversion of Muslims of India from an earlier more local form of Islam. Therefore it is viewed with suspicion and as a distancing of Muslims from Indian culture and traditions. What essentially is the truth behind the scenes?

It is very important to acknowledge that the diversity of Indian Muslims is such that all cannot be painted in a single brush stroke. I am primarily taking a closer look at those who appear to be very conservative on the outside (wearing khimar, etc.) but there are hordes of Muslims who do not wear their religious identity on their sleeve but still adhere loyally to its tenets. There are also many who shun it completely and are Muslim only in name. The reason I am examining the former class of Muslims is because they are easily the clearest targets of Islamophobia and are viewed with suspicion and denigrated even by other Muslims.

(It is the fear of the unknown that primarily evokes this response. Then there is the inherent human affliction of believing in the superiority of our own beliefs and looking down upon anything seemingly alien. The fact that both the conservative and liberal camps are very aggressive in promoting their brand of belief does not help either. But I am digressing …)

The war in the Middle East (Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan), the destruction of the Babri Masjid, Srebrenica, the Gujarat riots have all significantly altered the outlook of the Indian Muslim. There is bitterness and fear. Nevertheless, it is a clear understanding of Islam that has led to a complete rejection of terrorism and prevents many an ignorant victimized Muslim from succumbing to its temptations. The newfound grasp of the meanings of Quran has only led to Islam in India becoming a more vibrant, rich, and living religion compared to an earlier mindless ritualism and ignorance.

Now, Muslim women armed with this knowledge are educated, tech-savvy, and aware of their rights. They reject dowry and demand their mehr (money paid by the bridegroom). They reach out to the poor and uneducated and strive to uplift them.

Muslims fulfill their civic duties and wholeheartedly respect, cherish, and celebrate this country that has given them their freedom and opportunities. It is the duty of every Indian citizen to work towards the betterment of our nation but for a Muslim it also becomes a religious duty. Now is that bad?