WHY ARE most of the Muslims fundamentalists and terrorists? This question is often being raised to Muslims, either directly or indirectly, during any discussion on religion or world affairs.
When the world is having such a view of Muslims, Indian Muslims are also being targeted. India is home to nearly 150 million Muslims, and till date, no Indian Muslim is involved in the terrorist activities across the world. A majority of the world population has a positive opinion of Indian Muslims.
But after the few terror strikes in India, Muslims are becoming more vulnerable of being labeled as ‘terrorists’, the view that majority of the world holds. The situation in which a Muslim finds himself is very scary, pathetic and agonising. Perhaps observing all these developments, one of the most influential theological schools in South Asia, Darul Uloom Deoband, termed terrorism as anti-Islamic in convention held on February 26 in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh (UP). The images of more than 10,000 clerics chanting terrorism as un-Islamic overturns the stereotype of Islam. It has debunked the claim that the problem of terrorism is Islam. The convention was attended by top clerics including the representatives from Ajmer Sharif Dargah, All India Madrasas association and All India Muslim personal law board. They defined terrorism, “Any action that targets innocents, whether by an individual or by any government and its agencies or by private organisations anywhere in the world, constitutes, according to Islam, an act of terrorism.”
The Deobandis are one of the most orthodox schools within Islam. Besides inspiring the Taliban, these have been ideological beacons for other sects that support fundamentalist interpretation of Islam. Many, as the pressure from non-Muslim communities in India, also view this announcement. The clerics are often criticised for not coming out and out against the terrorism. They have also raised a point that Madrasas is not a breeding ground for terrorism. Many terror outfits have claimed links to Deoband seminary. But we have to keep in mind that Deobandi Madrasas in Pakistan is totally a different story. The mindset to generalise Madrasas as terror hub is very parochial and absurd. We will have to wait and see if the Deoband call in India resonates with scholars in Pakistan? But Deobandis announcement is certainly a clear signal to the rest of Muslim world that follows it.
I personally feel this as a remarkable announcement. I have always believed that in order to change the mindset of people regarding Islam, Muslim scholars need to think what can be done to delegitimise terrorism. The clerics have the power to influence hearts and minds of millions. They will have to do a lot to pull out the community from the current danger looming over it. This is certainly a start. Let’s hope that they will take it further.
Many of my friends say that Islam is the religion of mercy for all humanities. It is the fountainhead of eternal peace, tranquility, mercy, tolerance, equality and security. It is perhaps the essence of all religions. We need to keep secular fabric of India intact.
