A persistent challenge confronting sections of the Indian Muslim community today is the tendency to respond emotionally to anything presented with an ‘Islamic label’ – whether a statement, institution, political position, or financial initiative – without adequately examining its intent, credibility, or long-term consequences. This reflexive acceptance, driven more by sentiment than scrutiny, has repeatedly led to confusion, exploitation, and strategic setbacks. At a time when Muslims face complex social, economic, and political challenges, allowing emotion to override wisdom has become not merely a weakness, but a serious liability.
A recent illustration is the enthusiasm shown by some Muslims over the construction of a mosque named ‘Babri Masjid’ in West Bengal. In a country where many new mosques are built at some or other place almost every year, the choice of this politically charged name is clearly symbolic rather than spiritual. Yet the naming was welcomed uncritically by many, ignoring the messaging it conveyed and the broader implications it carried. Once again, symbolism triumphed over prudence.
This pattern is not new. During the Gulf War, Saddam Hussein suddenly found admirers across the Muslim world merely because he inserted the term “Allahu Akbar” to Iraq’s national flag. That emotional response overlooked his authoritarian record: leadership of the repressive Ba’ath Party, brutal campaigns against the Kurds, the invasion of Kuwait without exhausting diplomatic channels of OPEC, Arab League, UNO, etc. A slogan overshadowed substance, and emotion displaced ethical judgment.
Overemphasising the Term “Jihad” in Public Discourse
A similar oversimplification appears in contemporary discourse surrounding Jihad. In recent years, several public figures, including Maulana Mahmood Madani, have frequently used the term in speeches to describe struggles against injustice. While the intention may be to reclaim a misrepresented concept, the outcome is often counterproductive. Instead of clarification, such usage invites misunderstanding, suspicion, and avoidable controversy.
What is often forgotten is that resistance to injustice is not exclusive to Muslims. Across India and the world, countless non-Muslim journalists, lawyers, activists, and social reformers fight oppression with a secular or humanitarian outlook. They do not frame them in religious terminology. They simply stand for justice, constitutional values, equality, and human dignity – the principles Islam itself strongly endorses.
The question then arises: why must Muslims insist on using emotionally charged religious vocabulary in civic and political struggles when secular language can convey the same ethical commitment more effectively – and often more safely and strategically? By framing public causes in overtly religious terms, leaders risk reinforcing stereotypes, triggering backlash, and narrowing what could otherwise be inclusive movements. Instead of building broad coalitions, the discourse becomes confined within communal boundaries.
True scholarship demands a clear distinction between Jihad as a profound Qur’anic conceptgoverned by ethics, restraint, and strict legal principlesand everyday socio-political activism shared with wider society. When this distinction is blurred for emotional appeal, sentiment overtakes strategy.
The Trap of ‘Islamic Branding’
The most damaging consequence of this emotional behaviour is evident in the financial sphere. Over the past decade, several ventures marketed as “Islamic,” “Halal,” or “Shari’ah-compliant” collapsed dramatically. Heera Gold, Barkat Islamic Investment in Mumbai, Markaz Islamic Finance in Hyderabad and the Gulf, and Al-Fahad Investment in Delhi, I.M.A. in Bengaluru– all exploited Islamic symbolism to attract Muslim savings, only to leave investors devastated.
In some cases, these ventures even received endorsements from well-known Ulama. Muslims trusted Arabic phrases, religious imagery, and clerical approval more than audited accounts, regulatory compliance, or transparent documentation. Emotion replaced scrutiny. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned against such blind acceptance: “It is enough of a lie for a person to narrate everything he hears.” (Sahih Muslim)
A Wider Pattern of Emotionalism
This pattern extends beyond finance. Social media has elevated emotionally charged preachers with limited scholarly grounding. Crowdfunding campaigns labelled as “Islamic causes” raise money without accountability. Political groups attract Muslim support merely by appearing sympathetic, regardless of policy substance. Businesses adopt Islamic names or Qur’anic verses to cultivate trust, only to collapse within a few years.
Across these domains, the pattern is consistent: sentiment triumphs over analysis. Opportunists benefit, while credible, professionally run institutions struggle for support.
The Qur’an’s Call for Reason
The Qur’an repeatedly urges believers to think, reflect, and verify before acting. “Will you not use your intellect?” (Afalāta’qilūn), “Will you not reflect?” (Afalātatafakkarūn), and “Will they not ponder deeply?” (Afalāyatadabbarūn) are recurring Qur’anic refrains. The Qur’an further cautions: “O you who believe! If a transgressor brings you news, verify it…” (49:6).
Wisdom (hikmah) is not optional in Islam; it is central to leadership and decision-making. The Prophet ﷺ exemplified foresight, restraint, and strategic thinking, notably in treaties, diplomacy, and community-building. Early Muslim civilisation flourished because it balanced faith with intellect, not because it surrendered to emotional impulse.
Reclaiming Strategic Wisdom
For a community facing complex socio-political challenges, emotional reactions are a luxury it cannot afford. There is an urgent need to evaluate ‘Islamic’ or ‘Muslims’ initiatives on merit rather than labels, to avoid unnecessary religious framing in civic struggles, and to demand transparency from institutions claiming to represent Muslim interests. Public discourse must be guided by authentic scholarship, strategic thinking, and ethical consistency.
Indian Muslims can regain dignity, stability, and influence only by reviving a legacy that once defined them: critical thinking anchored in faith, wisdom guided by knowledge, and the courage to separate emotional appeal from meaningful substance.
[The author is Secretary, Zakat Center India, Patna Chapter]