Abdul Bari Masoudstudies the utterances made recently by Maulana Syed Arshad Madani, President Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (Arshad faction) and Maulana Mahmood Madani, President Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (Mahmood Madani faction) during the three-day 34th General Session of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (M) in Delhi’s Ram Lila Maidan.
The three-day 34th General Session of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (M) in Delhi’s Ram Lila Maidan concluded with the declaration that religious hatred and sectarianism pose the greatest threat to the unity and integrity of the country. However, the speech of Maulana Syed Arshad Madani, the President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (Arshad faction) has veered away from the event, claiming that “Om and Allah are the same” and explained everything about the existence of mankind.It did not go down well with some other faith religious leaders.
In an attempt to counter the RSS thesis that all Indians descended from Hindus, Maulana Arshad Madani reportedly said, “I asked dharma gurus when there was no one, neither Shri Ram, nor Brahma, then whom did they worship? Some people told me that they used to worship Om. Then I told them that this means that there is only one Om or Allah, and both are the same, and it is the only thing Manu (Maano) used to worship. There was no Shiv, no Brahma, but only one Om and Allah that was worshipped; Om is called Allah by us, Ishwar by you (Hindus), Khuda by Persian-speaking people (Persian) and God by English-speaking people.”
In an oblique reference to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s claim of Hindu ancestry, Arshad Madani claimed that Adam, the First Messenger of Allah, landed on the soil of India. He further said, “Hindus and Muslims have been living in the country like brothers for around 1400 years, and we have never forcibly converted anyone into Islam.”
“It is only under the BJP government that we heard that 20 crore Muslims should be sent home. By sending them home, they meant converting them to Hindus. These people don’t know anything about India’s history,” Arshad Madani said, who was speaking at the last day of the general session.
The Jain religious leader Dr.Acharya Lokesh Muni, who was watching Arshad Madani speak on the stage, took exception to his comments. After Arshad Madani completed speaking, Dr. Muni abruptly stepped up to the podium to criticise the assertion, saying, “We merely agree with living in harmony, but all the legends surrounding Om, Allah, and Manu are all nonsense. Madani severely ruined the session’s vibe.”
Dr.Muni said, “The stories he told, and I can narrate even bigger stories than that. I would even request him (Madani) to come for a discussion with me, or even I can come to meet him in Saharanpur.”
He added that it should be remembered that the first Jain Tirthankar was Rishabh, and his sons were Bharata and Bahubali, on whose name this country ‘Bharat’ was named. “You can’t erase this. We don’t agree with those statements,” a seemingly angry Jain leader said.
Then Dr. Muni and a few other religious leaders from the Hindu faith left the stage in protest. Several leaders from the Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, and Sikh faiths remained and addressed the gathering even after the walkout. Arshad Madani was supported by a religious figure from Haridwar,Swami ChidanandSaraswatiji Maharaj.
Interestingly, in his key address, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (Mahmood Madani faction) president Maulana Mahmood Madani too said on the same lines. He asserted that “the country belongs to him as much as it does to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat”.
“This is our country. As much as this country belongs to Narendra Modi and Mohan Bhagwat, it belongs to Mahmood. Neither Mahmood is one inch ahead of them nor are they one inch ahead of Mahmood.”
Mahmood Madani said it is wrong to suggest that Islam came from outside, while claiming that the “first Prophet of Islam Adam descended here”.
“The distinction of this land is that the first Prophet of Islam Adam descended here. This land is the birthplace of Islam and the first homeland of Muslims. Therefore, to say that Islam is a religion that came from outside is completely wrong and historically baseless,” he said on February 10.
He also urged the RSS to nudge its affiliates to shun “hate and enmity” and jointly work for making the country the most developed in the world. He also urged both Hindus and Muslims of the country to defy extremism and live with each other in peace.
Extending a hand of friendship to RSS and its political wing, he said,“We want to make it clear, that we do not have any religious or ethnic enmity with RSS and the BJP, but our difference is based on the ideology.
“To us, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikh, Buddhists, Jains are equal citizens of India, we do not make any distinction between human beings and do not recognise racial superiority. We welcome the recent statements of the RSS Sarsanghchalak encouraging mutual harmony and national unity. According to Islamic teachings, a hand extended for friendship should be held firmly and strengthened. Therefore, we warmly invite him and his followers to forget mutual hatred and enmity and embrace each other and make our beloved motherland the most developed, ideal, coexisting and peaceful superpower in the world.”
Mahmood faction also welcomed the Modi government’s outreach programme of so-called “pasmanda” communities among the Indian Muslims.
The declaration said,“Islam teaches equality and racial non-discrimination, but despite this, the existence of pasmanda communities among Muslims is a ground reality…. We congratulate the Government of India for its recent statement to uplift the backward communities and hope that practical steps will be taken soon for the welfare and progress of the backward communities irrespective of their religious affiliations.”
These remarks of Mahmood Madani came during his two speeches – one on Friday (February 10) evening and the other on Saturday (February 11)afternoon – during the annual general session.
In the plenary session, a message, also read out by Mahmood Madani, cautions “Muslims that they are the direct target of the internal and external enemies of our country, every tactic is being used to psychologically frustrate, incite and mislead them, but they should not despair, nor should they give up patience. The so-called organisations, which propagate extremist and violent tendencies in the name of Jihad are not entitled to our cooperation and support in terms of the country’s interest or the religion of Islam. They are using ‘Jihad’ in a completely falsified narrative. Sacrifice, loyalty, and patriotism to the nation are our national and religious duties, our religion and our country come first, this is our slogan, to give our lives to the motherland and die for its honour, is what our elders have taught us.”
Commenting on the content of the message, a political analyst underlined that the Jamiat (M) painted Muslims and Christians with the same brush.Speaking with Radiance, he asked which organisation is propagating extremist and violent tendencies in the name of Jihad.
Harping on its pet theme of composite nationalism, the message further reads:“…. the efforts of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and its leaders are also parts of the golden history of India’s past and present. The thought and philosophy of composite nationalism and Hindu-Muslim unity is the legacy left by our elders.
“Against this, the current aggressive communalism being promoted in the name of Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity does not match the soil and ethos of this country.”
Taking strong exception to the message, Prof.Baseer Ahmad Khan, President All India Muslim Majlis, told Radiance that both the factions of Jamiat lack the guts to call spade a spade, otherwise it would have not made such wild allegations against Muslim organisations. “Muslims, Christians and weaker sections of the society are the victims of the aggressive Hindutva communalism while the Jamiat is making them the aggressor.”
Prof. Khan, who is also a former Pro-Vice Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University, claimed that the statement was reckless and reeked of official capitulation.
On February 12, the event’s plenary session was held, during which a 17-point resolution was also adopted. Yet, the Jamiat stays silent regarding the radicalisation of Hindutva youngsters, their training in the use of firearms, and their open display of armaments.
If the assembly had passed a resolution, it would have been understandable that Jamiat was also concerned about the radicalisation of Hindutva youths.
Prof. Khan also took exception to Maulana Arshad Madani’s utterances about Adam and his contention about Allah and Om, saying it can opena fitna (corruption) and mental apostasy in the community.
Maulana Arshad Madan’s assertion regarding Manu also attracted Dalit ire. A top Dalit leader said,“You Muslims have again proved that you will go with Hindu Upper Castes to save your skin, rather than propagating Islam’s social justice message. Every Muslim ruler in the past 1,000 years has sided and ruled India via upper castes. It was expected that Muslims would not change their attitude. But you are again at the door of upper castes. And remember, whatever you will do, they will make you dogs, as they did to us, despite doing all the services to them. Good that your Maulanas have now recognised Manu Smirti…. Good for them to keep it along with the Qur’ān at their homes.”