Re-awakening India Challenges and Opportunities

India, on the verge of becoming the most populous country of the world, is a land of opportunities. It is a nation of nations and a big fraternity of religions, languages and thousands of ethnicities. We are inherently capable of facing the challenges and charting out a road to overall success. As it is almost…

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Ejaz Ahmed Asalm

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India, on the verge of becoming the most populous country of the world, is a land of opportunities. It is a nation of nations and a big fraternity of religions, languages and thousands of ethnicities. We are inherently capable of facing the challenges and charting out a road to overall success. As it is almost with the whole world, so it is with our country also. We have multiple problems, social, economic, political and additionally of ideological nature.

The present decade has thrown before us a formidable challenge which is essentially of theoretical nature. Whether we will hold fast to our precious traditions of democracy, justice and accommodative fraternity or lurch to authoritarianism, one-party rule, narrow thinking and communalism is a very fundamental question which is staring at the face of the whole country of 144 crore people. Projections indicate that by 2050 our population will reach 156/157 crore. For maintaining the pace of progress, we require a peaceful and congenial, strife-free atmosphere. It is impossible if we become the victims of parochialism and sectarianism.

Muslims, the 20/21 crore strong vibrant minority, one-seventh of population, are basically an ideological community, a part of the God-ordained universal Ummah which has been given the responsibility of supporting what is good for humanity and uprooting what is harmful for mankind.

No doubt, the times are tough, atmosphere is not congenial and many minds are prejudiced. There are open calls for the marginalisation of Muslims. Our response to such negative moves should be very positive and constructive. We have to counter evil with good, and fight hate with love. It is possible that the darkness of negative thoughts may clog the minds for some time and poison the atmosphere for a while. But human nature is essentially good. Almighty Allah reminds: “We have created man in the best of moulds.” (95:4) Sooner or later, in Sha Allah sooner than we hope, things will improve and our brethren will realise that love is greater than hate, cooperation is more valuable than estrangement and truth must be embraced from whatever side it comes. Rig Veda reminds: “Let noble thoughts come from all sides.”

History has proved again and again that falsehood and negativity reigns in the absence of truth and love. When truth reveals itself and illuminates the minds and souls, the masses embrace it wholeheartedly.

Indian cannot remain aloof from the positive and constructive trends in the world. Therefore we the 20/21 crore Muslims should reform ourselves fully and become the sincere well-wishers of the country and the countrymen. Our approach, behaviour and character should be so excellent and sympathetic that all our fellow citizens will be convinced of the beneficial nature of our message and join hands with us in reconstruction of our country on time-honoured principles of One God one humanity, one destiny and peace, prosperity and love and morality on earth and endless bliss of Allah in the everlasting world of Aakhirah. Let us hope and pray that the armies of disbelief, falsehood and hate dissipate and disperse and the light of reason and love illuminate our citizens and our Indian fraternity. Are we the Muslims ready for this great task of reawakening and rebuilding India?