Religion and Terrorism

No religion should be maligned for the errors of its followers. The term follower itself is misleading. Ordinarily religion is inherited and not chosen after careful deliberation. In the hustle and bustle of daily life, few people strive to unearth the truth in their scriptures. They only view religion as an identity. Knowing only the outer shell of religion, they are drawn to charismatic extremist leaders and willingly become pawns in their hands. Any ideology is capable of producing fanatics under these conditions. Have not we heard of environmental terrorists?

The Y behind the X

Internet makes the lure of anonymity utterly irresistible. It provides a new avenue for a second life on a scale never before imagined. Why do people clamour for this escape from reality? By withholding certain aspects of their lives, are they not indulging in dishonest behaviour? Or by keeping back those outer aspects of life, which are mere embellishments to the soul, does this anonymity serve to bring out the real person in them? Let us explore briefly the Ys behind the ‘X factor.’

Traditionally, nondisclosure amounts to untruthful behaviour. It implies the need to hide and indicates a dichotomy of identity and personality leading to hypocrisy. When outer life fails to accurately represent the inner life, there is a splitting of the mind. It often arises from the lack of courage or vision to bring one’s ideals into practice. It also portends a repressive physical and emotional environment that inhibits true yearnings and hence the need for an alter ego. However, anonymity becomes acceptable or even desirable in real life when dangerous truths have to be revealed in order to avoid threatening consequences.

On the other hand, Internet poses challenges that are unique. Identities are often stolen, misused or hijacked by undesirable elements. There is a constant need to fend off predatory behaviour. The degree of exposure to the unknown is considerably higher on the Internet than in the real world where monetary, physical or social considerations limit sense of adventure. Under such difficult conditions, a pseudonym becomes an attractive choice.

Apart from its protective aspect, anonymity also serves to be therapeutic. Painful secrets can be revealed and understanding sought in the form of comments and opinions that gives a sense of solidarity and relief. Many poignant stories are told in these secret exchanges in broad daylight. When the burdens of the heart are made lighter, solutions to long-held problems can be adequately framed. Relationships acquired through these exchanges also prove invaluable in tiding over times of great emotional upheaval. Unlike the real world, a person can open up to others without fear of any stigma or any repercussions that are binding.

In addition to the above sober considerations, there is a fun side to anonymity. Often people embark on such journeys just for a new experience. The freedom it offers is exhilarating. It also becomes an arena to explore new facets of personality. It could also be a litmus test to a person’s true worth in the absence of societal pressures or accountability.

Some people resort to a nom de plume to escape from an illustrious name and the preconceptions that accompany it. It then becomes an opportunity to get an unbiased readership and shun sycophancy. Anonymity lends a mystic aura to the writing. It provides a fresh slate, the hope of a new beginning.

As with anything that life has to offer, anonymity too has its pitfalls if it is not handled with equanimity. There is the danger of excessive attachment to the pseudo identity at the cost of reality. Self control, as always, is the decisive factor.

Thus as science opens up new frontiers of existence, the doors to novel experiences are thrown open. Old rules do not apply here. New ones are yet to arrive. In this twilight zone of unlimited freedom how man behaves will prove his true mettle.

Attrition of India

Within a couple of decades, there has been a drastic change in lifestyle in India. We have seen globalisation spawning new wealth, which has unfortunately remained in the hands of a few privileged. Economic growth has not been inclusive. That means the poor have remained poor. The lower middle class, a unique educated class trapped in low-paying jobs that had somehow managed to hold its head high over the years has eroded into poverty. There has however been a rise of a new upper middle class through IT and other high-growth sectors. This young and elite crowd has displayed an opulent lifestyle rivalling even that of the traditionally rich.

No, I am not going to vent self-righteous anger against the IT crowd and blame them for all evils. That is just plain stupid. When you are young, naïve, and suddenly exposed to a heady mix of wealth and easy accessibility to luxury, it is natural to stumble into the rabbit hole of materialism.

That brings us to the second point. Earlier, there was no way a moderately rich person could buy a Merc and live outside his means. That prevented unnecessary spending and acted as a check against overt consumption. Today, you just get a bank loan and voila! Move over ambassador, here comes the Skoda Bravia or a Jaguar or even a Ferrari?

Third point, it has led to wealth being concentrated in a few cities and occupations and overwhelming misery to other parts of the country and other means of livelihood. As people from villages flock to the city in search of a better life, abandoning their fields and livestock, cities have become more polluted, congested, and frankly unsustainable. Agriculture has collapsed, farmlands have been sold, artisans are in despair, and farmers are committing suicide.

Thus having smothered our talents and pawned our resources leading to a gradual decline in self-sufficiency, there is greater dependence on other countries for food (physical, intellectual, political, cultural, spiritual, moral). We keep looking outwards for solutions forgetting that an inward gaze at any level is the best remedy.

As people flee from their natural environment, time-honoured practices are shelved. Many languages, art forms, and beliefs die. An indigenous culture that held together a vibrant pluralistic society is lost. Intolerance raises its ugly head. The rest is history.

Standing at the threshold of total bankruptcy, let us begin afresh.

Common sense of the Common Man

All ideologies are vulnerable to extreme interpretations. It is man’s innate tendency to always believe that his values are the best. From this pride arises all conflicts and violence towards others. All major religions including Hinduism and Islam advocate moderation and respect for divergent views. However, human nature as weak as it is sometimes succumbs to chauvinism. When we cease to merely tolerate others but start to love them, we will see differences as bright colours to be admired in the great palette of life. Paradoxically, religion practised in its purity serves to inculcate this love for others. Parents must instill in children a sense of respect for variety. The common man in India has always understood this rationale and hence the majority of the people have lived harmoniously over the years. It is up to the government and our political leaders to take up this common sense of the masses and show unity in protecting us against terrorism without maligning the reputation of any ideology.

Four wives and a funda

Of late, Christopher has been watching the debate on polygamy in Islam. He wanted to clarify a few doubts with Zubeida, his Muslim friend.

Christopher: What exactly does the Quran say about having four wives?

Zubeida: As far as I know, there is one particular verse in the Quran that deals with this clearly and it is as follows – “If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two or three or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one...." This can be found in the Chapter 4 titled ‘Women.’ That chapter also contains other verses on fair dealing with orphans and women.

Christopher: Who were these orphans?

Zubeida: In those days, because of war, there were a lot of widows and kids without any guardians. Muslims were obligated to offer them protection and dignity by receiving them into their family. It was a period of great social crisis when men were less in number and orphans were aplenty. When the men found it difficult financially or otherwise to take care of the orphans and the burden became too great for them and the existing wives, more wives were allowed--up to a max of four--to take care of the little ones. These women were themselves widows or orphans of marriageable age.

Christopher: Now I understand! Also the verse says that if a man cannot deal justly with so many wives, then he can have only one wife, right?

Zubeida: Exactly!

Christopher: It is hard to get along with one wife and I can’t imagine being fair to four! No way, man!

Zubeida: That about sums it up then. In fact, verse 129 from the same chapter kinda says the same thing. Polygamy is quite a controversial subject.

Christopher: Well, there is a rumour going around that one reason for polygamy is to allow men to fulfil their needs when they keep away from their wives during their monthly cycles. It also claims that when a man works abroad, he can take other wives.

Zubeida: I have already told you the only criterion for polygamy. Apart from this, nothing is mentioned in the Quran to the best of my knowledge and I have gone over it several times and read the opinion of experts in order to answer your questions accurately. Polygamy was merely tolerated and not encouraged in Islam. Anyway, marriage without mutual consent is not allowed and adultery is absolutely prohibited.

Christopher: I guess the best way to approach religious matters is with an open mind.

Ancient Wisdom

India is a paradox for foreigners who care to study it. Some of them often wonder why India does not show pride in its rich heritage. They feel that Indians berate themselves despite their achievements and lack true nationalism. To them, India is a young nation still coming to terms with its realities perhaps even bogged down by a turbulent past. They also wonder why Hindus often champion Muslim or Christian causes with such enthusiasm sometimes even to the detriment of their own. What they do not realise is that India is not a young child establishing its new identity who must first reject all that is alien and reclaim its rightful place.

India has in spite of all its sufferings not lost its continuity from the ancient times and is ever the wise mother who cuddles in her lap the eldest child Hindu, the youngest child Muslim and all the other sons and daughters. If she appears to be kinder to the youngest, it is only because she knows in her infinite wisdom that it is the most fragile. She has much hope and trust in her eldest, the wise one, whom she expects to be a shining example capable of carrying even the youngest on its wings. It is this karuna (compassion) and dharma of the eldest that is often mistakenly perceived as weakness by westerners but its tolerance flows not from frailty but a higher source of strength, justice, and steady vision rooted in true knowledge of the Vedas (sacred texts of Hinduism). Only the strongest can look inward and laugh at their own defects while extolling the virtues of others. The younger children must in turn imbibe from the eldest that knowledge, the most ancient of all that is the aim of life and only then will their own wisdom be complete.

Now we come to the youngest, the Muslim. The Quran contains within it the exhortation to study and learn past scriptures. Thus every Muslim is obligated to learn the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, etc. I write this only because Islam is now a much misunderstood and maligned religion even amidst some of the most learned. The teachings in Islam if properly understood is a continuation of the ancient knowledge, a reaffirmation of all that came before. In truth, it claims not to be a new religion but only an extension. Allah is only the Arabic word for Almighty God, eternal and absolute and not any new name and as the Quran says all beautiful names belong to him. Is not Brahman the most beautiful of names? Thus at its core, there is no essential Hindu-Muslim conflict in ideology.

Selfish people in search of power have always corrupted religion, dividing men and causing inordinate suffering. This truth is grasped by our Hindu brethren unlike most of the Western world which does not understand the basic unity and spirituality underlying all religions and so India is the country that treats Muslims the best. I must also add one more thing because I am truly afraid. If the misconceptions about Islam continue to be propagated around the world by both terrorists and clueless western intellectuals, there might soon be great violence against innocent Muslims who are caught in between them. I have read Islamic and Hindu scriptures quite extensively and I earnestly state that there is nothing in both that encourages violence. It is merely a spiritual and moral guide.

Unfortunately in the hands of mischievous men, the most sacred of symbols and teachings get denigrated through misrepresentation and deliberate association with violence. Did not Aurobindo (Indian sage) grieve at the usage of the Swastika by the Nazis? Muslims grieve about the loss of the sanctity of noble words like Jihad, Islam, Mujahid, Muslim, etc. to such an extent that now being a Muslim has become synonymous with being a terrorist in certain parts of the world. If in India such paranoia has ceased to exist, it is because we know the truth and the Brahmins, the most learned men of India have taken the time and effort to study the Quran and found it to be true and in accordance with Sanatana (eternal) Dharma (right way of living). It is because of this magnanimity and clarity of thought that we have assimilated ancient wisdom with the new. It is because of this that India is the magnificent smorgasbord of plurality that defies logic.

Defining the Muslim identity

Christopher has been reading about ‘Islamic terrorism.’ When he met his Muslim friend Zubeida, he had many doubts that he wanted to clarify. Zubeida told him that though some terrorists may have Muslim names, they are not Muslims. The following is a fictional conversation between Zubeida and her friend Christopher.

Christopher: Who is a Muslim then?

Zubeida: A person who bows to the will of Almighty God. The word Islam means peaceful submission to the will of Almighty God. By this definition, many people who call themselves Christians or Hindus or Jews could be true Muslims, while many who have Muslim names are not.

Christopher: But how can a Christian or Hindu be a Muslim?

Zubeida: The Quran teaches us that only Almighty God can judge who really submits to his will. All people who believe in Him and live a righteous life are Muslims. For us Quran is not the only holy book. It is only the last of many sent out by Almighty God to instruct man on how to seek Him.

Christopher: Does this mean you have read scriptures of other religions?

Zubeida: Yes, but first of all, there is only one religion.

Christopher (Incredulous): What?

Zubeida: Submission to God might be called by different names but from the beginning Almighty God has taught us the same thing—to worship Him alone and be righteous. This message can be found in the teachings of Jesus-Peace be upon him-, Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, etc. and all the scriptures brought out through different messengers of God. In fact, Allah is only the Arabic word for Almighty God. It is not a name of a new God.

Christopher: But ..

Zubeida: One sec, let me give you an example. Say there is an author who has been writing countless books on a particular subject over several years. His knowledge, originally perfect, has not changed over the years and he writes the same things, sometimes in different languages, sometimes published by different companies, sometimes received by people in only one part of the world, sometimes released all over the world, etc.

Christopher: How is this relevant?

Zubeida: Messengers of Allah are like different publishers and scriptures are the books! So same message, same author, different messengers, different languages, different readers.

Christopher: Then why do people fight in the name of religion saying that their religion is the best?

Zubeida: The Quran explicitly warns against divisiveness. It says mankind is one and that people only differ amidst themselves due to selfishness. It emphasises the brotherhood of all those who believe and are righteous. This is the Muslim brotherhood. It includes righteous believers among those who call themselves Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, Jews, etc. as well. From now on when I use the words Allah and Muslim, you must remember its true meaning.

Christopher: Terrorists call themselves Muslims and all their outfits have Muslim-sounding names like Mujahideen, Jihadi, Islami etc. etc.

Zubeida: Terrorists bring destruction to themselves and those around them. Their violent actions are anything but righteous and hence they are not Muslims! Quran says that if you kill one person unjustly, it is akin to killing the whole of mankind. So, are you convinced now that terrorists are not Muslims and Muslims are not terrorists?