The Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari addressed a gathering of religious heads, diplomats, social workers and the media on the occasion of Eid Milan get together at a glittering function in the Indian Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi on 13 July.
Addressing the gathering, Maulana Umari said inter alia:
We know that our country India has been the abode of various religions since time immemorial. Perhaps no other country is as diverse as ours in terms of religion, language and culture. We know that a large part of our history, we have lived together in spite of our differences in religious outlook, we have been talking to each other sorting out our differences and on the whole we have been living peacefully.
Even today a large part of our population believes in equal rights for all the citizens and our Constitution has also adopted the same position that all citizens are equal irrespective of religion, economic status and any other factors. But this principled position that all citizens are equal irrespective of religion, economic status and any other factors is strongly being attacked by various quarters. This trend is very dangerous as it postulates that minorities are unreliable and that they are not an asset but rather they are a burden to the nation. And, to be specific, Muslims are often the target and any terrorist activity that takes place in the country is invariably blamed on Muslims without any proof, without any evidence and without any proper investigation.
This is a violation of the human rights given to people duly acknowledged by our Constitution. We must realise that if you keep such a large segment of our population especially the minorities dissatisfied then this country cannot progress in any part of life. You know that minor issues are being magnified and baseless allegations against Muslims and other minorities are being levelled and some people are taking the law in their own hands.
On the whole, the government is silent and is not responding and not fulfilling its responsibilities. As far as Islam is concerned, its position is very clear. Islam wants mischief and disorder to be eliminated from this earth. Spreading this kind of mischief, disorder and disruption is not the characteristic of believers rather it is the characteristic of the hypocrites who do not really believe but only pretend to do so. Islam says clearly that it is the hypocrites who spread disruption on earth while Islam stands for the reformation of the human society.
As far as Islam is concerned, it says very clearly that there is no compulsion in religion. Religion is a matter of heart and conscience and hence compulsion has no role in it but one must state the truth and state one’s positon very clearly and leave it to the people to accept or reject it. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind wants to present Islam to the country.
It is doing its best to present Islam as guidance to all the people of this country in all walks of life. I greet you again on the happy occasion of Eid and confess that the prevailing circumstances have compelled me to talk about the current challenges facing our country. We must share each other in happiness and I pray to the Almighty that our get together may prove beneficial for us, our country and humanity.
Some of the prominent guests included Maulana Arshad Madni of Jamiat Ulema e Hind, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan of Ittehad e Millat Council, Yahya Bukhari, Swami Agnivesh and many others.
There is No Compulsion in Religion: JIH chief
The Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari addressed a gathering of religious heads, diplomats, social workers and the media on the occasion of Eid Milan get together at a glittering function in the Indian Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi on 13 July.
