I shared this clip with my father today, these are my favourite verses from the Holy Quran and I liked the fact that how beautifully it was recited by someone who does not speak Arabic, it is a lovely message for mankind, which should be read, appreciated and spread regardless of what one's religion is. No one has copyright on God and His words.
Only to find out that my poor father got lectured by someone half his age about how inappropriate it was for him to praise this since her head is not covered and that " someone" contacted the Religious Scholars too with in 5 minutes to endorse the Fatwa.
And that's exactly why we Muslims are suffering. This thought process, this negativity, this criticism, this Holier then Thou attitude and these 5 minutes Ulma Fatwa is not doing us any good, my dear Someone.
Islam is love, peace, tolerance, mutual respect and harmony for heaven's sake. If you can not help in the process, do not make it harder!!!
Only to find out that my poor father got lectured by someone half his age about how inappropriate it was for him to praise this since her head is not covered and that " someone" contacted the Religious Scholars too with in 5 minutes to endorse the Fatwa.
And that's exactly why we Muslims are suffering. This thought process, this negativity, this criticism, this Holier then Thou attitude and these 5 minutes Ulma Fatwa is not doing us any good, my dear Someone.
Islam is love, peace, tolerance, mutual respect and harmony for heaven's sake. If you can not help in the process, do not make it harder!!!
Comments
Muhammad Ali Ben Marcus DEAREST KIRAN
I just gave my four-year-old her milk and ‘honey’. It is past midnight, and everybody is sleeping, including the baby. The two young ones sleep with me. I just went to bed after a whole night and day of baby caring. When I checked my phone, I saw your message. O, I got up because replying to you is more important than my sleep.
Vickie Jacobs I a long-time friend correspondent and she is a believing and practicing Christian. As a Muslim and sincere friend, I do exercise great caution when I am invited to write about Christianity. I was pleasantly surprised to see that she was open-minded and was never offended by what I wrote, which are not opinion, but the conclusion of my lifetime research and experience. This is the reason or one of the reasons why most ‘readers’ can never challenge me with any success.
Kiran Javed, being a Muslimah, I will exercise great caution too when I write about Islam with the hope that I will not offend her, insha’Allah! One warning though: I am just an amateur writer, but a deep thinker, and whatever I write is always meant to teach. I rarely give my opinion, but I always respect the opinions of other as long as they are founded on truth and expertise.
My immediate impression is that the lady in question looks quite oriental to me. Her Arabic is perfect, and her voice is sublime. SHE CHANTS AS ANY MUSLIMAH WOULD AND SHOULD! If she has not yet reverted to Islam, SHE WILL, as HER HEART IS PURE LIKE THAT OF A TRUE MUSLIMAH!
I will proceed now to write a few line about this matter as invited to do, insha’Allah, with one warning though. Like George Bernard Shaw, I never can write a few lines! My introduction are often much longer than the main corpus. And, I love it! I will post it on my Blog a well, thanks to Kiran Javed!
BAFS
1 A.M.
Saturday 19th of August 2017 (P..S. Jennifer Grout resembles Kiran in many ways!)
ManageI just gave my four-year-old her milk and ‘honey’. It is past midnight, and everybody is sleeping, including the baby. The two young ones sleep with me. I just went to bed after a whole night and day of baby caring. When I checked my phone, I saw your message. O, I got up because replying to you is more important than my sleep.
Vickie Jacobs I a long-time friend correspondent and she is a believing and practicing Christian. As a Muslim and sincere friend, I do exercise great caution when I am invited to write about Christianity. I was pleasantly surprised to see that she was open-minded and was never offended by what I wrote, which are not opinion, but the conclusion of my lifetime research and experience. This is the reason or one of the reasons why most ‘readers’ can never challenge me with any success.
Kiran Javed, being a Muslimah, I will exercise great caution too when I write about Islam with the hope that I will not offend her, insha’Allah! One warning though: I am just an amateur writer, but a deep thinker, and whatever I write is always meant to teach. I rarely give my opinion, but I always respect the opinions of other as long as they are founded on truth and expertise.
My immediate impression is that the lady in question looks quite oriental to me. Her Arabic is perfect, and her voice is sublime. SHE CHANTS AS ANY MUSLIMAH WOULD AND SHOULD! If she has not yet reverted to Islam, SHE WILL, as HER HEART IS PURE LIKE THAT OF A TRUE MUSLIMAH!
I will proceed now to write a few line about this matter as invited to do, insha’Allah, with one warning though. Like George Bernard Shaw, I never can write a few lines! My introduction are often much longer than the main corpus. And, I love it! I will post it on my Blog a well, thanks to Kiran Javed!
BAFS
1 A.M.
Saturday 19th of August 2017 (P..S. Jennifer Grout resembles Kiran in many ways!)
Muhammad Ali Ben Marcus WELL, Jennifer Grout is indeed a revert to Islam, alhamdulillah!
Manage
Muhammad Ali Ben Marcus No one has copyright on God and His words. (Kiran Javed)
Jennifer Grout being indeed a revert to Islam, my perspective will be different.
In French, they have a nicer word for chanting a Holy Scripture: PSALMODIER. I do not like the term RECITE when we do not recite the Holy Verses, but CHANT them! If anybody wants to know why there is a PERMANENT WAR ON ISLAM and MUSLIMS, it I because of the POWER the Arabic language has over the HEARTS of so many humans! I am not a BELIEVER in the sense most Muslims are because I have a totally different concept of GOD, and PERCEPTION and UNDERSTANDING of Islam, which most Muslims will and have condemned!
It does not matter whether we believe in God or not, but the ARABIC of the Holy Qur'aan is MAGICAL and HYPNOTIC (MYSTICAL)! When we add to it the meaning inherited from all the Ancient Wisdom and Revelations, Islam is UNIQUE!
(To be continued)
ManageJennifer Grout being indeed a revert to Islam, my perspective will be different.
In French, they have a nicer word for chanting a Holy Scripture: PSALMODIER. I do not like the term RECITE when we do not recite the Holy Verses, but CHANT them! If anybody wants to know why there is a PERMANENT WAR ON ISLAM and MUSLIMS, it I because of the POWER the Arabic language has over the HEARTS of so many humans! I am not a BELIEVER in the sense most Muslims are because I have a totally different concept of GOD, and PERCEPTION and UNDERSTANDING of Islam, which most Muslims will and have condemned!
It does not matter whether we believe in God or not, but the ARABIC of the Holy Qur'aan is MAGICAL and HYPNOTIC (MYSTICAL)! When we add to it the meaning inherited from all the Ancient Wisdom and Revelations, Islam is UNIQUE!
(To be continued)
Muhammad Ali Ben Marcus "my poor father got lectured by someone half his age "? (KIRAN JAVED). I get lectured about Islam by teenagers as young a 13 or 14! In brief, those claiming to be Muslims KNOW IT ALL, and will never learn, with very few exceptions!
Manage
Muhammad Ali Ben Marcus Religious Scholars?
All those I have known or read about work for Shaytaan (the Dajjalic System). The true scholars are either in jail, or are being hunted down, and even murdered, for example, in Saudia (OCCUPIED ARABIA)!
ManageAll those I have known or read about work for Shaytaan (the Dajjalic System). The true scholars are either in jail, or are being hunted down, and even murdered, for example, in Saudia (OCCUPIED ARABIA)!
Muhammad Ali Ben Marcus “Islam is love, peace, tolerance, mutual respect and harmony for heaven's sake.” KIRAN JAVED
If you allow me to elaborate, my daughter, I will give here very concisely my understanding of God and Islam.
1. I went beyond Islam and God in order to come back to Islam and God! And I found out that GOD is what WE MAKE OF HIM, and Islam the BEST WAY OF LIFE that lead to God, that I, to OUR INNER SELF AS A CONQUEROR! This is why the Greater Jihaad was known as the JIHAADAN NAFS!
2. ISLAM IS PERMANENT STRUGGLE ON THE RIGHT PATH.
3. ISLAM IS UNRELENTING FIGHT FOR FREEDOM.
4. ISLAM STANDS FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR TRUTH.
5. ISLAM STANDS FOR JUSTICE.
6. ISLAM STANDS FOR THE MORAL WAY.
7. USE GOD AS A METAPHOR AND WE WILL NEVER GO WRONG! BELIEFS ALONE DO NOT MAKE GOOD HUMAN BEINGS!
“Love, peace, tolerance, mutual respect, and harmony” are just the result of the above.
ManageIf you allow me to elaborate, my daughter, I will give here very concisely my understanding of God and Islam.
1. I went beyond Islam and God in order to come back to Islam and God! And I found out that GOD is what WE MAKE OF HIM, and Islam the BEST WAY OF LIFE that lead to God, that I, to OUR INNER SELF AS A CONQUEROR! This is why the Greater Jihaad was known as the JIHAADAN NAFS!
2. ISLAM IS PERMANENT STRUGGLE ON THE RIGHT PATH.
3. ISLAM IS UNRELENTING FIGHT FOR FREEDOM.
4. ISLAM STANDS FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR TRUTH.
5. ISLAM STANDS FOR JUSTICE.
6. ISLAM STANDS FOR THE MORAL WAY.
7. USE GOD AS A METAPHOR AND WE WILL NEVER GO WRONG! BELIEFS ALONE DO NOT MAKE GOOD HUMAN BEINGS!
“Love, peace, tolerance, mutual respect, and harmony” are just the result of the above.
Muhammad Ali Ben Marcus In conclusion: THERE IS NO UMMAH OF MUHAMMAD ANYMORE! WA AN NAHATIHI UMMATUKUM UMMATAN WAHIDA!
For those of you who understand the Ayah :
“THIS IS YOUR UMMAH ONLY IF IT’S ONE UMMAH!” (MUHAMMAD AL-'ASI - HARB MEGIDDO (ARMAGEDDON) 2013) - http://muhammad-ali-ben-marcus.blogspot.co.uk/.../muhamma...
ManageFor those of you who understand the Ayah :
“THIS IS YOUR UMMAH ONLY IF IT’S ONE UMMAH!” (MUHAMMAD AL-'ASI - HARB MEGIDDO (ARMAGEDDON) 2013) - http://muhammad-ali-ben-marcus.blogspot.co.uk/.../muhamma...
HARB MEGIDDO (ARMAGEDDON) 2013! Dedicated to…
muhammad-ali-ben-marcus.blogspot.com
Muhammad Ali Ben Marcus I ALWAYS HAVE FAHAD IN MIND WHEN I CONTRIBUTE HERE! There is nothing more precious than our own children and grandchildren!
Manage
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JINNAH
More historical and more truthful than the Hollywood Gandhi one!
More historical and more truthful than the Hollywood Gandhi one!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnzvNBF9g5c
BELOW
Some RUBBISH examples of Hindu-Muslim "unity" in India, but very interesting!
(READ ONLY SERIOUS STUFF LIKE:
"Coming to terms with India's missing Muslims" by Siddharth Varadarajan
Global Research, November 5, 2006
BELOW
Some RUBBISH examples of Hindu-Muslim "unity" in India, but very interesting!
"Coming to terms with India's missing Muslims" by Siddharth Varadarajan
Global Research, November 5, 2006
6 Answers
Cricket:
Which was the Indian cricket team that didn’t have a mix of Hindus and Muslims?
Bollywood:
In which "Islamic" countries those guys will not suffer for performing an Idol-worship? THIS IS PURE RUBBISH TALK?
Watch out this bhajan:
Written by — Rajendra Kishan (Hindu)
Sung by — Muhammad Rafi (Hinduised Muslim)
Performed by — Yusuf Khan (DILIP KUMAR, a late Hinduised Muslim)
Music — Kalyan ji, Anand ji (Hindu)
"RACIST HINDU" Bollywood in particular has vast number of inter-religious marriages as well, like
Sunil Dutt-Nargis & Kishore Kumaar -Madhubala
*BUT, THEY NEVER TELL YOU THE REAL STORY BEHIND!
And this Hindu-Muslim unity is not a contemporary phenomenon but a historical cultural aspect.
Which is the most popular couple of Indian funny and witty folk stories?Akbar - Birbal
WHAT THE HECK???Even ruthless criminal thugs of India had a Hindu-Muslim mixed cult that worshipped Devi Bhavani
Then look at India beloved Shayar and his singer Gazal King:
Nida Fazli & Jagjit Singh
Hindu-Muslim unity of India is historical. When Babar stayed in this land and explored its vastness he realized that India is not one of barbaric lands that needs to be civilised by his rule, but on the contrary he has much to synchronizing with the grandeur of this land. He was still quite stubborn for he was the first of Mughals, but as it carried on till Akbar, Hindustan was a mixed culture. All his armies had majority of princely states that paid him only taxes but worked in their traditional forms preserving their culture to themselves. Akbar’s dearest people were many of Hindus, and to remove the possible barriers, he attempted to invent a new religion???, “Din-E-Ilahi” and a new language “Urdu”???, to get all his people synchronised.
It was later British policies that divided Indians in Hindu-Muslim bars. Whisky-drinking BARS???
Finally, for those who tarnish all Mughals as barbarian rulers and present us an alternate history of complete Mughal oppression, we should remember whom did all the Hindu leaders like Rani Laxmi Bai and Tatya Tope opted to crown as the head of India if the Rebel of 1857 was successful?
They had willingly preferred a Mughal leader “Bahadur Shah Jafar”.
India got independence in 1947.
We are reaching the 71st Independence Day.
Not only Hindus and Muslims but Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains etc. cooperate and coexist happily.
There is not a bigger example of Unity in Diversity than India.
The three best examples of Hindu-Muslim unity in India are:
The ones who protect India at the border and also other armed forces. Try to find which person adheres to which religion from that pic.
The viral snap.
Cricket is one of those things that unites every single Indian.
But this answer asks for some examples of Hindu-Muslim Unity in India.
Below are a few more examples…
Temple holds Vegetarian iftar for Muslims who had helped them.
A temple in Kerala’s Muslim-dominated Malappuram district held an iftar party for Muslims fasting during the month of Ramzan, amid a row over a central notification regulating cattle sale and slaughter across the country, which is being seen as an attempt to target minorities.The Shree Narasimhamoorthy Temple in Punnathala had enough reasons to hold such the event on its premises after Muslims loosened their wallet generously for the restoration work that was recently carried out on its premises.Initially, the temple was planning a mass banquet but later changed its plan and decided to host an iftar - the meal with which Muslims break their fast during Ramzan. At least 500 people thronged the temple hall on Wednesday for the feast and, of course, there was no non-vegetarian dish.“For us, it is the festival of the area not of a particular community,” T Asainar, a teacher, said summing up the bonhomie.The neglected temple was in ruins when the shrine committee took up the renovation and deity restoration work and Muslims wholeheartedly supported the move. The centuries old idol of the presiding deity, Lord Vishnu in the Narasimha avatar, will be reinstalled on Sunday.“Here we live like a single family. We consult each other on important occasions. In fact, the suggestion to renovate the age-old temple came from some Muslim families of the area,” temple committee secretary PT Mohanan said, adding that a major chunk of expense (around Rs 20 lakh) was borne by Muslims.Youngsters from both the communities lined up in large numbers during the temple renovation work as well as the iftar party during Ramzan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar when Muslims abstain from food and water from sunrise to sunset and join mass prayers at mosques.Mohanan said the tiny village was a classic example of religious unity and that people who always think and work on communal lines should take a lesson from it.
Muslim family donates land for temple in Bihar.
In a gesture of communal harmony, a Muslim family has donated their land for upgradation of a temple in Bihar’s Gopalganj district, officials said.Tabarak Dewan and his son Manu Dewan, residents of Ahirauli Dubauli Tola Takia under Gopalpur police station, have donated their land near the NH 28, for construction of the main gate of the historical temple at Bathanakuti.They had purchased the land for Rs 12 lakh for setting up a business a few months ago.“By donating their costly land, the Muslim family has helped us to beautify the historical temple at Bathanakuti, which is under renovation. If they had refused to donate their land, it would have been impossible to construct the main gate of the temple. Thanks to their gesture now the temple’s main gate will be constructed on their donated land,” Amrender Kumar alias Pappu Pandey, ruling JD-U legislator of Kuchaikot, said.According to Pandey, another Muslim, Aali Raza also donated land for the construction of the same temple. Raza, resident of Ramaina village in Kushinagar district in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, termed it a symbol of communal harmony.“We have been living here for decades and taking care of each other. It is a gesture of communal harmony. We have decided to donate land for a good cause. All religions are the same,” Manu Dewan said.This is not the first time Muslims have donated land for temples. Two years ago, some Muslims in Bihar’s east Champaran district, in a demonstration of communal harmony, donated land to help build the world’s largest Hindu temple which will have the capacity to seat 20,000 people.“Muslims have not only donated land, they have also provided land at a nominal rate for construction of the world’s largest Hindu temple. Without help of Muslims, it would have been difficult to realise this dream project,” Acharya Kishore Kunal, secretary of the Patna-based cash-rich Mahavir Mandir Trust that is undertaking the ambitious project, said.Muslims have also helped build a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Durga in Bihar’s Gaya district, through donations and also by supervising the construction.Similarly, a Muslim donated his land for constructing a temple to Lord Shiva in Begusarai district. Mohammad Fakhrool Islam had given land for the temple in Muslim-dominated Bachwara village.Over three decades ago, some Hindus donated a piece of land for the construction of a mazar in the same village.
Iftar at Uduppi Krishna Mutt
In a first in the long history of Udupi’s famed Krishna temple/mutt, a gathering of Muslims broke their Ramzan fast and participated in ‘Souharda Upahara Koota’ (harmony breakfast meet) at the Annabrahma Dining Hall in the temple complex here on Saturday.The event was mooted by Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Paryaya Pejawar Mutt, who is presently in his fifth Paryaya.A gathering of Muslims broke their fast at 6.59 p.m. They were served banana, watermelon, apple, dates and cashewnut along with ‘kashaya’ made of black pepper, at the dinning hall.Vishwesha Tirtha Swami himself served dates to those who had gathered to break their fast.The seer greeted the Muslims on the eve of Id. Hindus and Muslims should both live together in harmony, he said.“Muslims have shown lot of affection for me in Mangaluru, Kasaragod and Bhatkal. They have given their offering during the Paryaya festival,” he said.“Karnataka, more specifically, the coastal region, should become a land of harmony. All are children of the same creator,” said the seer, who has been closely associated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.Thirty years ago, during his third Paryaya, he had organised a Hindu–Muslim Sammelan during the Id festival at Rajangana Hall here, the seer recalled.Later, after breaking the fast, the Muslims offered prayers (namaz) on the second floor of the dinning hall building under the guidance of Maulana Innayatullah, Imam of Anjuman Masjid.Earlier, Rahim Uchila, vice-president of the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party Minority Morcha, said this was a momentous occasion.M.A. Gafoor, chairman of the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation, said the message of peace and harmony, which began here, should spread throughout the world.
It doesn't matter whichever religion an Indian adheres to, they will support the following people with the same degree:
He's the GOD of a religion called cricket. ;)
They did not inspire people from their religion only.Saina Nehwal and P. V. Sindhu.
An example more familiar with ones who follow Malayalam Film Industry.The film industry in general is an example.
Grand Slam winners!
SOURCE:
- The Hindu
- Hindustan Times
- The Better India
- The GenX Times
- Emirates 247
- Mohanlal Fans Association
- AA Me In
- Indiatimes
- SheThePeople
#R3K
Recently one unfortunate incident happened in Jammu and Kashmir .
a group of Hindu pilgrims were going to Amarnath in bus . in mid way terrorists attacked on amarnath pilgrims . the driver of bus was Salim Mirza . he drove bus cleverfully and saved life of many Hindu pilgrims.
It is one of best example of Hindu- Muslim harmony.
True friendship knows no boundaries of religion,caste,countries,gender,color etc.
Razzak khan tikari who is resident of Chattisgarh.
Santosh who was friend of Razzak Khan .when Santosh died then his wife found herself in helpless condition because She did not have money to perform last rite of her husband in a proper manner. Razzak khan performed last rite of santosh .
Razzak khan set up example of Hindu -Muslim harmony .
People from Sikh and Hindu communities helped to repair old mosque in Ludhiana. a resident of village informed that they celebrate all together.
INCREDIBLE INDIA
I really like to answer these kind of questions as they always put a smile on my face :)
1.Muslims in bihar donated land for a Hindu temple
Muslims in the district of Champaran Bihar, donated 50 acres of land for the construction of the largest temple in the world that will outstrip the Angkor Wat in Cambodia. An ex-IPS officer was quoted saying “It is usual for Hindus to donate land for temple, but it is unusual for Muslims to donate land for the construction of temple”.
Few Muslims donated the land and others helped and supported the trust to purchase the remaining 150 acres of land at nominal rates for the temple. If the Muslims had not come forward, the temple project was sure to have delayed..
2.A Muslim caretaker for kashmiri Hindus.
Mohammed Yasin dar, an Orthodox Muslim has undertaken a rather unusual duty- to perform the last rites of the Kashmir' minority Hindu population. After the kasmiri pundit exodus of 1990 , many dead bodies were just left behind as no one had the guts to do so, owing to fear from extremist groups. The police would simply collect the bodies ,transport them in a van and burn them is mass pyres in a rather humiliating fashion.Dar, a father of three was hired to cremate them and he galdly did even going as far as to pressuring the management to restore temples burned by militant groups. Of course he was paid to do so, but considering the strict rules of islam when it comes to the dead and other religions…. This is truly heartwarming.
3.this one isn't very big , but it does have meaning.
In Tamil Nadu, the ganapathy Pooja procession holds great reverence amongst those who observe it. The Pooja is accompanied with great pomp and show, loud music, people dancing in joy, sweets etc. Truly an experience. In this case , as the procession was passing on, the participants encountered some of their Muslim peers, who were praying.
The entire procession simply stopped impromptu, so that they could pray in peace .now,this might not seem like a big deal.. but stop such a holy procession is nothing short of sacreligious , that too for another religion .
4.the sabrimalai temple story.
Sabarimala a Hindu temple, is also associated with a Muslim leader by the name of Vavar who was a trusted friend of Lord Ayappa, the presiding deity of the temple at Sabarimala.
Hindu Pilgrims visit the mosque devoted to Vavar at Erumely on the way to Sabarimala. All the Hindus should visit the mosque before going to the temple. The Prasad in this mosque is, guess what, “Bhibuti”. Which is an ashen , frangrant powder that hold great religious sentiment amongst Hindus.
HOLY GARBAGE,THIS IS NOT ISLAM!
India is a secular state. All humans share 99.9999% the same DNA, the only differences are cosmetic. If we United and forget or national and religious differences, we could be so much more… a great space-faring race exploring the Galaxy. Not only Hindu and Muslims, but also Christians, Jews, Buddhists, jains and even atheists!! Are one and the same .. separated by differences of an ancient and ignorant past. Let's hope we can get aside these differences and unite as one race that is benelovent. Remember, we are one tiny rock orbiting a medium sized Star amongst 10 OCTILLION other star. We are very insignificant in the universe , like a grain of sand in an endless desert. Only together can we move forward.
Cheers!!
Really glad that you asked this.
You need to know of something I came across a few days back, in order to know your answer completely.
Fanatical people who judge everything based on a Hindu Muslim equation need to go through this story:
It makes for a wonderful read. Please do give it a read. And then, you will understand that secularism does not involve appeasement of any minority or debridement of any majority culture to appease the minority.
I don't know why there is this trend of judging every thing, every object, every person, by the religion involved.
For example, if you get a policy that eases Haj Yatra for Muslims, you will get hundreds of people complaining that it is meant to appease the minority. Can't we just take it as making something easier for some people? That's all there is to it, really.
Secularism is reflected in true, unbiased care for your fellow human being.
When I went on a pilgrimage to Vaishno devi shrine & encountered very bad weather, I realized on the trek that all the porters, horsemen and helpers were all Kashmiri Muslims who were helping the Hindu devotees. At people to people level, Hindus & Muslims get along very well but diferences are deliberately created and being played up by political leaders to draw mileage. The Britishers began pitting them against one another about a century ago to perpetuate the foreign rule. Unfortunately the focus remains fixed on differences rather than unity even after independence. In my office one day, a lady peon who was a Hindu escorted a Muslim lady and asked if she could say her prayers. I consented. She spread a mat in a corner and offered her namaz.
My father who belonged to D. I. Khan ( now in Pakistan) narrated many incidents of Hindu-Muslim amity. At public taps, his Muslim friends would ask him to drink water first lest he may feel reluctant later. Respecting others’ faith is a human quality!
Related Questions
- Is Hindu nationalism a threat to India's unity?
Achtung! HANDLE WITH GREAT CARE!
Posted: 24 June 2015 at 12:07pm | IP Logged
Jodha Akbar: Social Reforms Made by the Mughal Emperor Akbar- Indiaopines article
Mughal Emperor Akbar made several social reforms during his reign. Here we share most of them...
The Jodha Akbar serial often shows how Akbar, in order to please his awaam keeps on reforming his system. No wonder, Akbar did make several societal reforms during his reign. While some are popular, some are not that known to the world. Here we share almost all the social reforms made by him during his ruling period from 1556 to 1605.
He Abolished the Pilgrim Tax
In 1563 Akbar abolished the Pilgrim Tax so that he could win the favor of his Hindu citizens. This decision was opposed by his Muslim ministers who informed the emperor that eradicating the tax would involve huge losses to the imperial treasury. There was another argument which the ministers pointed out that since the Hindu populace where paying these taxes for the longest period of time, the tax was not unfair. As they say, "An old tax is no tax". Still, Akbar preferred to earn the goodwill of the Hindus even though it meant that he had to lose a sum of Rupees one crore annually.
Akbar Removed the Jizya Tax
After eliminating the pilgrim tax, Akbar moved towards the abolition of Jizya tax. This tax was paid only by the Hindus to their Moslem rulers. When Akbar abolished this tax, it also eliminated the entrenched cynicism in the minds of the Hindu citizens against the Moslem rulers.
Akbar tried to remove the custom of forced Sati
Though the practice of Sati was abolished completely during the modern times when British came to India, one cannot forget the contribution of Akbar. Akbar was the first Mughal emperor who made an attempt to stop the Hindu custom of Sati. He also passed a farman in 1590-91 that no woman can be burnt against her will. He had also appointed special inspectors keep a watch on the forced as well as volunatry Sati.
He discouraged the practice of child-marriage
In the Jodha Akbar serial, the issue of child marriage was brought up when Adham Khan wanted to marry a girl half his age. This incident infuriated Akbar so much that he changed the marriage laws. While, this was with respect to the serial, let me tell you in reality too Akbar was against child marriages. He had passed a law which stated that no boy below the age of 16, and no girl below the age of 14 can marry. What's more, he had passed the law wherein consent of the bride and the bridegroom was necessary for any marriage to take place.
He disapproved the system of high dowries & Polygamy
While the dowry system is still here even in the modern India, Akbar himself disapproved the system of giving or receiving high dowries. It is interesting to note that Akbar also condemned the system of polygamy. According to him it not only ruined the happiness and the health but also the tranquility of a person's mind. It is said that Akbar in his later days realized how he should have married only once instead of marrying several times.
Voluntary Inter-communal marriages and Religious Conversion were encouraged.
If a Hindu was converted into Muslim during his childhood, he was given the right to convert back into his religion. What's more, he even encouraged inter communal marriages. No wonder, he and his sons had several wives who belonged to different religion.
It was Akbar who had abolished the Jagir System
Akbar abolished the Jagir system, thus ending the problems of the farmers. After this reform the state directly collected the taxes and the officers carrying out the duty was paid salaries for their job.
Siddharth Varadarajan
Coming to terms with India's missing MuslimsNovember 04, 2006 00:00 ISTUpdated: March 22, 2012 10:16 ISTShare ArticleSiddharth VaradarajanThe reality of exclusion and discrimination can no longer be denied. But the remedy requires political courage on the part of the Manmohan Singh Government and wisdom on the part of those claiming to speak for Muslims.WHEN THE Justice Rajinder Sachar committee submits its report on the socio-economic status of Muslims, the full extent of the community's exclusion will be obvious to all. Especially those who have made political careers out of the canard that Muslims in India enjoy special privileges and have been "appeased."Based on the data leaked so far, it is evident there are entry barriers Muslims who account for 17 per cent of India's population are unable to cross in virtually all walks of life. From the administration and the police to the judiciary and the private sector, the invisible hands of prejudice, economic and educational inequality seem to have frozen the `quota' for Muslims at three to five per cent. Thanks to a hysterical campaign run by the Bharatiya Janata Party and some media houses, the Sachar committee was denied data on the presence of Muslims in the armed forces. But even there it is apparent that the three per cent formula applies.This gross under-presence of Muslims in virtually every sector is presaged by substantial inequalities in education. Muslim enrolment and retention rates at the primary and secondary levels are lower than the national average and this further magnifies existing inequalities at the college level as well as in the labour market. For virtually every socio-economic marker of well being, the Muslim is well below the national norm not to speak of the level commensurate with her or his share of the national population and the evidence suggests these inequalities are not decreasing over time.This bleak statistical picture is rendered drearier still by new trends visible in many cities. Muslims, for example, find it extremely difficult to rent and buy property outside of "Muslim areas" in some metros. Apart from several journalists, I even know of one former Muslim Union Minister in Delhi whose Hindu colleagues had to intercede to find him a flat. In Mumbai, the situation is perhaps worse. Many Muslim businessmen have problems accessing credit, besides having to run the gamut of uncooperative officials who look upon them with suspicion at every turn. Even in politics, as Iqbal A. Ansari's recent book, Political Representation of Muslims in India, 1952-2004, has shown, Muslims have consistently been under-represented in the Lok Sabha and all State Assemblies since Independence except Kerala. Only half as many Muslim MPs and MLAs get elected as one might expect based on their population share. In the absence of our political parties throwing up a large enough number of Muslim elected representatives, clerics and obscurantists are only too willing to step into the breach.The `war on terrorism' has added a new layer to this already intolerable situation as policemen across the country give free vent to their ignorance and religious prejudice. The tendency of law enforcement agencies to target Muslims during incidents of communal violence is well known. The complicity of the police in the Gujarat pogrom of 2002 was reprehensible but not so different from what the country witnessed at other times in other places. As for legal redress, neither government nor judiciary shows any sense of urgency. Terrorist crimes such as the Mumbai blasts are prosecuted energetically and this is a good thing. But no one is able to explain what happened to the cases stemming from the killing of Muslims in Mumbai in 1992 and 1993 nor why the Srikrishna Commission recommendations against erring policemen remain unimplemented.The media are a corrective but only to a limited extent. If one section has sought to highlight the plight of Indian Muslims, another section is constantly ready to inflame prejudice by staging debates on irrelevant issues, giving undue prominence to ridiculous statements by unrepresentative `Muslim leaders' or broadcasting marital disputes within Muslim families (as one channel did last week) as proof of `Muslim backwardness.'In the U.S., the old journalistic adage was `Jews is News'. In India, it seems, anything that shows Muslims as ignorant or fanatical helps propel TRP ratings, while rational comment is frowned upon as unhelpful. A Muslim MP was asked recently to take part in a TV debate on whether there should be reservation for Muslims. He agreed, but added that he would argue against it. The channel's reporter then tried convincing him that "surely your community needs reservation." When he didn't agree, the channel lost interest in putting him on air. One studio guest recently advised Muslims to shed their `persecution complex' and to not forget that theirs were the "hands that built the Taj Mahal." Though no one would dare accuse Dalits of "doing nothing" to uplift themselves, Muslims are blamed for their poverty and poor education. They are gratuitously advised to study hard, as if the problem of lack of schools, delinquent teachers, inadequate books, and poverty can be remedied by will power alone.The reservation trapIt is against the backdrop of this highly vitiated atmosphere that the Manmohan Singh Government must formulate a response to the Sachar committee's findings. The reality of systemic inequality cannot be wished away and the Government must find the political courage to confront this situation head on. So serious are the implications of Muslim marginalisation that the Congress must open a channel of communication with other parties, including the BJP, to evolve a consensus on the necessity for urgent corrective measures.Among the remedial measures to be considered, the least helpful in substantive as well as political terms will be reservation. Whatever they do, Muslim leaders and those who claim to speak in favour of Muslims, must avoid the trap that the demand for reservation is. Sixty years of affirmative action have led to some improvements for Dalits and Tribals but it is clear that the country and its rulers have used the sop of reservation as an excuse to do nothing about the persistent, underlying causes of caste-based inequality.It is now universally recognised that the pursuit of "equality of outcomes" and "equality of opportunity" must go hand in hand. Even equality of opportunity has a formal and a substantive aspect. `Formal' equality means ending discrimination on the basis of caste, religion or gender. `Substantive' equality means overcoming the barriers (or benefits) children of equal native talent inherit from their parents so that none is advantaged or disadvantaged by birth. The India state pays lip service to the idea of equality of outcomes (through quotas) but completely ignores the necessity of crafting expenditure policies that can provide equality of opportunity. Nowhere is this more glaring than in the field of education where the increased notional access of Dalits and Tribals to university is undercut by high dropout rates and underperformance at the school level.In a 2000 paper, Julian Betts and John Roemer model the amount of differential expenditure the United States government would have to make to provide equality of opportunity to its citizens. In a typology where they define four categories of males based on whether they are White or Black and whether their parents have `High' or `Low' education levels, Betts and Roemer conclude that the `equality of opportunity' expenditure on education must be nine times higher for members of the `Low Black' group than the `High Whites'. They also found that the `High Black,' `Low Black,' and `Low White' groups must all receive more than their per capita share of educational resources if equality of opportunity were to be guaranteed.Both in the U.S. and in India today, the actual allocation of educational resources is regressive in that those who are affluent and socially privileged corner a greater share of social allocations for education than their relative size in the population. In reality, then, existing affirmative action or reservation is for the privileged and the goal of public policy has to be to reverse that by using the target of public expenditure. An important finding in Betts and Roemer's work is that economic targeting alone won't alter the relative distribution of income across cohorts. The targeting has to be aimed at the discriminated or excluded cohort.In India, the first task of the government must be to guarantee formal equality of opportunity by dealing firmly with discrimination in the labour, housing and credit markets as well as educational system. Without instituting a system of reservation which would generate more political heat than tangible benefit for Muslims the Government must send out a clear and unambiguous message that the social cohesiveness and future growth prospects of the country require government departments and private firms to encourage the recruitment of Muslims. But in order to generate substantive equality of opportunity and uproot inequality and exclusion from their roots, the government has to guarantee better access to education at every level for Muslims, Dalits, Tribals, and OBCs.
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