Muslims must learn from own experiences under right-wing majoritarianism, shouldn't pester own minorities over sectarian, inter-community issues

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

There is a context and it is important but first let me narrate this incident.

Once there was an event & suddenly lot of people in Bhopal began condemning the Bohra community.

They quickly forgot that one Bohra man had set up Saifia college in the region after independence & generations came up, thousands of graduates in Bhopal alone, from 1960-1990s.

Saifia College created an educated middle class in Bhopal, people in jobs in India, foreign, Middle East for long, you met and they told, 'We from Saifia'. Bhopalis should be indebted to Mulla Sajjad Husain and Mulla Fakhru but if just ine point, quick to forget & blame 'all'.

Exactly same majoritarian mindset that 'we know, what we believe is final, we decide, they must prove, be loyal to us..'.RW too feels Muslim ninority must prove. Even if you hold anti-terror conf or stand against cow slaughter, they sayprove more, onus. 'Ye aise hi hain'...

When there is bias, hate, suspicion, then there is no end to such behaviour. As Muslim what we fight against and what angers us, the same is our behaviour towards our own minority. This is no way, rather, it shows inability to learn from own experience and suffering.

If you dislike someone because of their religious sect or different belief, say it openly, no need to make an argument that I know 5-10 or 15 such people out of 2 crore so they all are bad. Try to understand our own majority privilege.

Then comes the line, 'Bolna chahiye, saamne aana chahiye'. Har cheez par prove karein bolein to tum sun rahe ho, kuchh pata bhi hai. Standard set karo. Its the same when we hear that we aren't rashtravadi & all should behave and be like 'Kalam sb'. 

If there is one Wasim Rizvi. The sudden rush to link him with other Shias, not being aware of local politics, the fact that Shias have denounced him lot of times, openly opposed him, yet putting onus on the entire sect, it's all similar to right-wing majority mindset.

LESSONS MUST BE LEARNT FROM OUR SUFFERINGS

I remember very well how when an artist painted a photograph that was considered to have hurt Hindu sentiments, Muslims were opposing but Hindus said, 'they don't oppose enough'. A top editor had also written a piece, that 'Muslims should come out to protest'. 

Though there were open protests but they were not covered in papers and TV. It is always the same--suspicion, putting the minority in the dock. Even if the minority does what you want them to do, they say--'it's just their plan, doesn't come from their heart, just an eyewash, their intent is different'.

Similarly, when media would link Muslims with terror, all over India, Muslims would repeatedly come out, hold demonstrations, even Ulema led protests, issued fatwas against violence and terror. Every other day it was done but we kept hearing it, 'not enough' and that 'Muslims don't condemn terror'.

Majority doesn't feel that it has to prove anything to anybody. Either a Sunni majority or a Hindu majority. Whoever has more numbers, feel it is is the ruling class. So a normal Sunni doesn't need to prove anything when Tarek Fatah, Salman Rushdie or Ayan Hirsi Ali, Tasleema Nasreen attack Islam and even our holy figures.

We don't even bother. As majority wants minority to 'behave'. But if one Shia does it, entire Shia community must be questioned and names of other Shias who haven't lived up to the standards of Sunni majority, must be counted, and these 4-5 or 10 names are enough for point blank charge against all Shias. 

If sectarian differences become a shield for majoritarianism and end up leading to harassment of minorities, then it's a shame. Compassion, love and unity give way to blind hatred, prejudices and accusations--that's the tragedy for us, Muslims.

[The author is born in a Sunni family. This needs to be mentioned that because it's our job to take stand, speak up when our minorities are made to prove certain things and looked at with suspicion. In this situation, we must clearly take stand and say it]

[This is first part of the series. Lot of people pretend as if there is no such widespread prejudice, pressure or charge, reality is even on social media, it's too common to question Shia beliefs and even use extremely objectionable words about them. Next part will deal with it.]

Photo: Mulla Fakhru, leading educationist of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

Indian Bohras: Muslim sect's emergence as a vibrant community

A huge gathering of Bohras at Burhanpur recently in Madhya Pradesh

The Bohra Muslims have successfully carved a distinct identity among Indian Muslims.

For long considered a close-knit community largely engaged in business, the Bohras are now emerging fast as a more visible minority.

Until a few years back, Bohras were seen as a small sect mostly concentrated in Gujara, Maharashtra, Western Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. And it was common to label them as Muslim banias.

Though there was praise from different quarters about their honest trade practices and the fact that they stayed away from politics or agitations. But it's not the situation anymore.

Bohra youths are now becoming doctors, chartered accountants, hoteliers, writers, artists, software professionals and they are also getting active in social work, which is important considering the lack of social groups run by Muslims.


[Courtesy: Beyondmountains.wordpress.com]

Currently, the Dawoodi Bohras are more in the news. As events being organised to mark the celebration of the birth centenary of their spiritual head or 'dai al-mutlaq' Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin. The programmes show the vibrancy of the community.

Either it was Bohra women's Athletics championship, youths participating in motorcycle race or the Feed a
Sparrow competition, all such events show the community in positive light.

Nearly 5,000 bird feeders were distributed as part of Save the Sparrows campaign. Newspapers and channels are also covering these events extensively.

Bohra women's Athletics event

When women in colourful burqas thronged the stadium, it was a unique sight for non-Muslims, many of whom consider burqa as a sign of oppressive dress. But here the burqa clad women were taking part in 100 m and  200 m sprint competition [along with other sports] with elan.

It is not healthy when a community gets the image that it is on street only for a protest or for demands. There are numerous other facets of life. It is in this context that the events either for awareness regarding environment or sports competitions, organised by Bohras should be praised.

Like other groups Bohras also have their own internal and internecine issues. There are often accusations of harassment and the Bohra leadership is also under attack at times. Frankly, religious beliefs are an individual's personal matter while with regard to social or community related issues, there are various forums available in a democratic society to air your grievance and seek redressal.

Sects among Bohras

Bohras are also not monolithic though the overwhelming majority in India belongs to Dawoodi Bohras. There are also Sulemani Bohras and the small Alvi Bohra sect other than Udaipur group, who call themselves Progressive Bohras' and the Nagpur-based 'Atab-i-Malak jamaat' amongst others.

The Bohras have a number of shrines including the tombs of their former spiritual heads [dai] in the country. But we don't get to read or hear much about them in media. What is more surprising that even Urdu newspapers hardly print anything about them.

Once in a while you might find the Bohra Biryani's recipe in English newspapers' magazine section, however, there is little about them in English journals brought out by Muslims also, let alone Urdu newspapers and magazines.

However, the recent events and their attempts to engage with media in the last couple of years are a positive sign. This indicates that the Bohras are no longer going to stay aloof, and want to make their presence as a vibrant community.

I had written a post on Bohras on this blog in the past. Read

The Bohra divide in Udaipur & the recent clash among the two sects

The clash between two groups of the minuscule Bohra community in Udaipur made headlines in national media on Saturday but it's an age-old schism (nearly a century old) and the dispute over claim on mosques also dates back to several decades.

It was in the 70s in this Rajasthan city when a section of local Bohras had revolted against the religious establishent and formed the Progressive Bohra community. The Dawoodi Bohras are a sub-sect of the Ismaili Shia community (there are some Sunni Bohras as well) and have the reputation of a hardwork businessmen.

number around a million (10 lakh) in India and have main concentration in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Malwa (Western MP). Udaipur has a population of 15,000 Bohras. The Bohras here got divided first in the early 20th century over alleged misappropriation of Jamaat funds.

The rebel 'aamil' could be buried on his death only after the intervention of the ruling family of the princely state. In the 70s, the local religious leadership that was allegedly under corrupt influence asked the Bohras to vote for certain candidates but the popular Youth Party candidates won as they got overwhelming votes.

Subsequently, misappropriation of Jamaat funds, corruption and high-handedness of local Bohra clergy became a major issue and the rift kept widening. The majority of local Bohras supported the Youth Party ie the reformist movement.

The problem took a serious turn when members of Progressive group were ex-communicated and there relatives in other parts of the country had to shun contact with them. In those days Jaiprakash Narayan and other prominent leaders of stature tried to intervene.

As far as I know, the group that calls itself 'Progressive Bohra' don't claim to be another sect and also don't question the authority of Syedna Sahab. The images from Bohravadi (Udaipur) surprised many as Bohras concentrate on trade (and also education) and stay away from such street fights over trivial issues.

I wonder why the Bohra establishment doesn't try to settle this old dispute and win over the other smaller group, if there is no theological issue involved. Of course, it's an outsider's opinion as Bohras better know if it's just an old dispute, a problem of ego or something else!