Mohan Bhagwat Ji has suggested that Indian Muslims should follow 6 rules. We at Indian Muslims welcome his suggestions and we too strongly believe that Indian Muslims should follow his suggestions except one.
Bhagwat said: “Islam has nothing to fear in India.” But he added “Muslims must abandon their boisterous rhetoric of supremacy. We are of an exalted race; we once ruled over this land and shall rule it again; only our path is right, rest everyone is wrong; we are different, therefore we will continue to be so; we cannot live together. Muslims must abandon this narrative.”
We believe, most Indians do live in this narrative. Which is actually against Islamic Principles. Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) said, “No one is superior to another, except those who do good deeds in the eyes of Allah”. However, many Muslims today are far away from teachings of Allah, but still believe they are the super chosen one.
The six-point manifesto given by Mohan Bhagwat and our comments:
One, be Indian first, Muslim second. Put nation above religion. You earn your livelihood from India. Respect that.
Sir, we are Muslim First & Second Indian. However, Islam teaches us to protect our nation, and our neighbors and not break the trust of individuals. We assure you, as True Indian Muslims who have faith in Allah, we will be at the forefront to fight for our motherland and give our lives. As we did during the independence struggle. A Muslim who fights for the sake of his people and country is a martyr (Shaheed) in the eyes of Allah. However, I do understand your concern. There are many Indian Muslims who do not understand the true teachings of Islam. They fall prey to extremists and disrespect the country.
Two, don’t pray on public roads in an attempt to show defiance. It’s counter-productive and reinforces stereotypes of didactic Islam.
Sir, Prayer is an important pillar of Islam. And Muslims cannot miss it. It is obligatory for Muslims to pray five times a day. And a special prayer on Friday afternoon. People pray on the roads (usually on Fridays and on Eid) only because the mosques are full. We pray only with the intention to pray and not with the intention to show defiance.
Three, integrate with the mainstream. Some madrassas recently began giving English language classes to their clerics. Emulate them.
Sir, we do respect this opinion and we wish to empower Indian Muslims by following mainstream education along with Islamic Education.
Four, denounce radical elements in the Muslim community. Organizations like the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) and its campus affiliates have ruined Muslim lives. Boycott them.
Almost all Indian Muslims (I could say 99.9%) are neutral and do not carry radical ideology. We love our country as much as Hindus do. Most of the sincere Islamic Scholars do not come into media or indulge in debates. Unfortunately only few self claimed scholars come on media and further damage the image of Islam. True Indian Muslims are always peace loving.
Five, respect the fact that you have equal rights in a democracy where 80 percent of the population is Hindu.
As an educated Muslims. We do accept that Muslims are given equal rights. Unfortunately, few Muslim leaders do not encourage Muslims to prosper but infuse the feeling of being neglected by keeping them poor. We request the government to educated the poor Muslims about their rights and make them feel equal.
Six, stop voting in blocs for parties that have kept you poor and backward for 75 years while paying you lip service. They want your votes, not your welfare.
Unfortunately sir, every single party comes in this category. Including the one you support.
