Scared of Minorities: Rise of majoritarianism and Hindutva in India, need for introspection among Muslims as well

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Often it happens, that some Muslims in India rue, 'we are not snatching their jobs, we don't have adequate representation, we are being demonized, we are being lynched, still why the majority doesn't understand us or feels sympathy'. Why there is hate or anger?

A lot of it is valid and as a person belong to minority community, it would seem so that they we are wronged. We want justice but are we doing justice? Just after the Ayodhya verdict, I saw posts in FB groups about pictures of RSS leaders with Muslim Ulema. On pix of Shia leader with Sangh-BJP leaders, there were comments that would disgust you.

After all, when we don't trust own minority, always suspect-accuse them, and forget how many of mainstream Sunni leaders go-meet, involved all sorts of parleys but still target 'own minority'. Many of us publicly act suave but we too are like a 'mob'. We want our minorities too to 'behave'. It is so easy to term any sect 'Kharijite' in normal conversation.

I don't generally talk about Pakistan. But see, when you don't consider Ahmadiyyas as 'Muslim', leave them alone or give them the rights for a non-Muslim minority but you are angry, as they are not on your path, so the less than 0.5% minority is always an eyesore.

So much energy is spent on conferences, morchas on the issue, as if Ahmadiyyas are a huge sect. No, they are not but the moment you have a leader or politician behaving against norm, you start whisper campaigns that he is 'Qadiani'. Why do you feel so insecure, so threatened?

Clearly, a minority has to abide by certain rules. So when you have a huge minority, not 0.2-.4% but 15% around in India, here too majority will feels 'threatened', that they were 'own people' who got converted and now creating trouble, similar feelings.

The majority may get upset if you retort or even if you talk like equals. So that's how mindset of majority works. The reality is that not everyone will get a good job or earn well. Rather than looking for reasons behind our failure, it's very easy to blame the 'other', the minority, believing that things would have been better without them.

And also 'hate' as a passion, drives people, gives them the 'jeene ka maqsad', the kick many need.
Just sometime ago, I got message (from Muslims) calling for boycott of Mulla (Bohra) businesses. Now imagine, in a country where we face it--calls for boycott of Muslims, and we feel so hurt, many of us do it so casually and no one is bothered.

We don't even 'see' or talk about this blatant badmashi. That's majoritarian privilege within the community. When leaders of Barelvi or Deobandi school go to meet right-wing leaders, whose boycott are you going to call for?

Anyway, the levels of majoritarianism also depends on how 1-2 leaders may succeed in a society or by misuse of mass media. All this needs to be analyzed and tackled. But we must also keep introspecting, when we expect justice, we should also do justice.

Sometimes we have to get out of the 'complaining mode' or tackle the media-created image of minority. It needs an effort but it is not impossible. There are several successful examples. But we must be ready to accept our own failures, our drawbacks and must not lose our cool the moment we hear a contradictory opinion or hear our criticism.

Right now, we are facing injustice, a lot has happened that depresses us, that takes us to negativity. But we are facing a group that worked hard for eighty years, the right-wingers who have democratically got power, worked extremely hard to achieve the objective. We need to improve ourselves, learn, introspect and work.

Sectarianism hurting Indian Muslims: Milli Council convention urges Muslims to shun sectarian differences, unite

The Milli Council's convention that was held in Bhopal, gave a call to Muslims to shun their sectarian differences.

"All attempts are being made to blow up minor sectarian issues and create greater conflict between Islamic sects", read the first line of the resolution passed in the two day conclave.

"The sectarian issues are hurting Muslims in a big way and they are being used to weaken the community, at a time when communal elements are trying their best to muzzle the voice and trample upon the rights of the minorities".

The Milli Council's meet agreed upon the point to bring leaders, clergymen, politicians and other heads together and run a 'Karwaan' in different states.

The aim is to defeat the grand design to divide Muslims by raising sectarian issues. Resolutions were also passed regarding the stand against any attempt to push Uniform Civil Code and against changes in history and educational policies.

"This is a fascist conspiracy. The aim is that Muslims fight among themselves, their energies directed towards finding faults with other sects and in process turning their eyes from the real attack on their constitutional rights".

This was the 18th conclave of the All India Milli Council, which is a platform of Muslim clergy, leaders and intelligentsia. Nearly, 250 delegates from all over India attended the event, which was held in Imperial Sabre hotel in  Bhopal. 

'Either Deobandi or Barelvi': Difficult to be simply Muslim amid growing sectarianism

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

More than the Shia-Sunni sectarian differences, these days you hear about Barelvi-Deobandi schism.

The Sunnis, who form a majority of population among Indian Muslims, are seen as 'Either Deobandi or Barelvi'.

There are many non-Muslims who claim to have studied Deobandi and Barelvi sects, and have emerged as experts lately.

The truth is that the nuances and the nature of beliefs is such that they can't understand them. It is not easy to comprehend the complexities, similarities and differences, especially, for an outsider. Damn confusing, I must say. Worse, it is the sweeping generalisation, and nomenclature that has compounded the problem.

*Those who are not Deobandis, are all considered Barelvis.

*And those who are not Barelvis, are all termed Deobandis.

But the reality is not as simple. There is a huge Muslim population that may not fit in this caterogization, the identity is often thrust on them even though these terms are of recent origin, in the long history of Islam.

I'm writing this post after witnessing the huge amount of energy spent on social media by certain Muslims and also non-Muslim experts of Islam in recent times.  Initially it may be difficult reading but do read till the end, especially from point 7-10, and the concluding text.

1. Categorising someone is so simple. Let me first start with those Muslims who don't subscribe to Deobandi school of thought. By default this population is termed Barelvi but many of them may not have even heard of Ala Hazrat [Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi], let alone visited his shrine or have any special regard for him. 

2. Similarly, many non-Deobandis feel that anyone who is against visiting Dargahs, is a Deobandi [or Wahabi]. This is also untrue. Deobandi beliefs are seen more in sync with the Salafis who rule the Saudi Arabia.

However, it is the Ahl-e-Hadith sect in India, which has spread more in recent decades, and it represents the Salafis here. As rituals vary from region to region and even family to family, it ironically comes to the point that what one has seen in his household, is 'true' for the person.

3. Your parents didn't follow a ritual, so you believe that the other person who performs it, is not on right path. Those with some interest in discussions or debates get particular Hadith, that suits their own view, rather having a deep study or a broad view, awareness about all aspects, Islamic injunctions, real knowledge of Ahadiths. In the past I have seen, that people casually term a fellow Muslim, 'non-believer' just because he wears an amulet. But that shows immaturity and rigidity.

4. Many from both the sides may even be on the same page when it comes to women--issues like women going to a grave yard, but would still brand the other group and term something as an 'undesirable practice'. In fact, this is endless.

5. From participating in a 'Milad' to going to a 'Urs', any practice may be condemned. But if you belong to a sect that opposes it and yet it is your family tradition, you justify it.

6. Similarly, the counter-charge would be that the particular sect is trying to lessen the love for Prophet. With the Saud family's hold and the manner in which heritage has been destroyed in Arab, it makes for a strong argument. The Khanqahis [associated with Dargahs] are also considered as Barelvis by default.

7. Though there are Sufis whose love for Hazrat Ali reaches the stage where they are termed close to Shia doctrine, there also Pirs and Sufis who are now close to Deobandi beliefs. Of later, we have been hearing it too often that Barelvis are more liberal or accommodating.

8. But, when it comes to the sole Muslim public event--Muharram, both Deobandis and Barelvi stand on it, is known, not favourable. The mourning procession on the day of Yaum-e-Ashurah is generally 'believed' to be taken out by the Shias. But in North India, mostly Sunnis take out Tazias.

While Shias take 'alam' and perform 'maatam', it is only Sunnis or some Hindus who take out 'Tazias' or organise the 'akhadas'.

Shias don't take out Tazias. Now, all these Sunni Muslims are termed 'Barelvis'.

9. But Imam Ahmad Raza Khan's stand was quite harsh on these practices.

He opposed them, issued fatwas and his followers are also against these Muharram observances.

So who are these people who are on streets during Ashura?

Of course, Muslims--the Sunni Muslims, in fact, the ordinary Muslims, who mourn the killing of their Prophet's grandson and his family at Karbala. Unfortunately, it's so easy to compartmentalise and categorise!

Of course, they are Muslims, ordinary Muslims.

10. The Barelvis dislike them. The Deobandi too, who is more urbane, decides that these people are 'non-believers' or 'corrupt'. The 'elite' [moneyed] declare that these practices are not in sync with their sophisticated lifestyle and terms them as 'jaahil' [ignorant].

Even more recent phenomenon is that a section of 'elite Shia' are also seen avoiding self-flagellation or attending the mourning processions where blood is shed. Is it like elite Hindus these days who often claim that they don't play Holi like the louts and use flowers instead of colours!

Despite Islamic injunctions to avoid judging others, it has become routine to call the 'other', 'unbeliever' just because his/her sect is different. And there lies the real tragedy. Somewhere in between, may come the Tablighi Jamat enthusiast.

If he finds you are not inclined to go with them, they might look down upon you as someone of 'lesser faith'. This is all internecine Sunni differences. We haven't touched Shias as yet. 

--Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi was born in 1856
--Darul Uloom Deoband was established in 1866. Maulana Qasim Nanutvi was born in 1833
--Tablighi Jamat movement started in 1926


I REFUSE TO BE CATEGORISED, I REFUSE TO BE JUDGED BY YOU

The sectarian bug hurts the community.

Some people openly write on invitation cards that a person of other sect [in case he might have got the card by mistake because the sender wasn't aware of his sect], must not attend the wedding ceremony.

In many parts of the country, the grave yards are now separate for those belonging to these two different sects.

In real life and on social media [after debates], people shun old friends just because they discover that the other person performs a particular ritual or has a different take on certain things.

Again, it is the same obsession to turn everyone like yourself. To prove your point, you may bring your citations or examples, the other person also has his own.

What exactly is this sort of obsession and silly arguments over traditions and practices?

Not just Quran and Hadith, but innumerable other examples are given and this adds to more bitterness--the idea and the effort is just to bring the other person to your own position on each issue, every ritual.

Even more interesting is the lack of knowledge. As few read Quran along with the translation, and even few have gone through the Hadis [Hadith], the arguments are for the sake of argument and the aim is to somehow prove the other person wrong, as only your sect should be on right path.

In order to win argument, they ultimately go to the cleric of their own sect or search on internet--from websites favourable to your sect to videos on YouTube. Why all this effort? Ego trip, what else?  Aim should be to learn more, pray that we don't falter, worry about own mistakes and sins, rather than focusing on others and proving them wrong.

In the era of social media boom, when you find forwarded posts by friends and relatives on WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter, on every festival and observance--asking you to either shun or embrace some ritual, in order to fall in line, how do you cope? How much you can ignore.

It is damn irritating. Imagine, there are cities where people fear to go to a new mosque where they haven't gone before, because the way they offer prayer may incur wrath of the sect that controls the mosque.

In this backdrop, I am asking, is it possible to be 'Simply Muslim'? I ask this question myself, often. Still there is a vast majority of Muslims--simple Muslims, who are still not afflicted with this sectarian bug. However, the pace at which the sectarianism is growing, is worrying.

UPDATE: This article was written a few years ago. Now it seems that a lot of Muslims have realised that futility of endless discussions over sects & excessive focus on differences in schools of thought. On social media, there are some sectarian-minded people but on the other hand, a huge population that gives a call to shun sectarianism. This has more to do with rise in Hindutva extremism & lynchings. 

Growing sectarianism among Indian Muslims: Trend of criticizing the 'other' sects, terming their practices as 'un-Islamic'

(C) INDSCRIBE

The growing sectarianism within Muslims, especially, the Sunnis in India, which I exerienced this year on Muharram, has left me deeply disturbed.

The sects and sub-sects existed earlier too. The Shia-Sunni conflict was no issue on the street anywhere in India, except in Lucknow.

In fact, people from all the sects, observed Muharram as per their own traditions. In the last couple of years, I had seen hardening of attitudes within Sunnis.

It seemed neither the Deobandis, nor the Barelvis, whom I knew, 'approve' of the way Muharram is observed. [See the TEN POINTS below]

Most of these people have less issues with people of other religions, but for their co-religionists [other sects], they have nothing but obsessive hatred.

Over the years, I had observed that criticism of other sects was getting more common in sects. But it's during Muharram, you see the ire so openly. This is really sad as it is one of the most syncretic traditions in India, in which all communities including non-Muslims, actively take part.

I see our shared culture in the way Muharram is observed in India. The manner in which non-Muslims take part in Ashura, show the basic nature of the people the land--respect for all religions, coexistence and communal harmony.

This year, I realised the extent of sectarian hate that has penetrated the Muslim society in India too. In fact, over the years, it has steadily grown. This is all the more ironic that even after seeing the situation in neighbouring country, no lesson has been learnt.

Now let me give you just two examples:

A. A newspaper posts pictures of Shias performing 'maatam' during the mourning procession, on its Facebook page, where its news links are shared. Within hours, there was a deluge of comments on the post of the paper.

Young Muslim boys and girls recklessly commenting--criticising, condemning and straight terming it as 'un-Islamic'. There was rage and hate in their language. The zeal to run down the 'other' was sickening. People adhering to other religions made few comments, and they weren't harsh.

B. The moment a person talked about 'Muharram' within a Muslim group-forum on internet, there were angry comments, terming 'Shias as non-Muslim', or all those taking part in 'Akhada or carrying Tazia as 'outside the pale of Islam'.

For two days, I kept commenting and replying until I realised that one just can't talk to them. Even to most civilised comments, there were angry responses from people who were just not ready to listen to anything.

As I have earlier also pointed out. the hate was especially for 'other sects' within Islam. No issues with non-Muslims, of course. That's also a unique phenomenon. But if minds are closed in such a way, I don't have much hopes at all, on that front too.

The procession of Tazias in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Central India

PROBLEM WITH THIS MADNESS

1. FIRST problem with such people is that they instantly term any practice or tradition that has been observed for centuries, as 'un-Islamic'. There is no trace of tolerance.

The basic point is that when you belong to sect X, why do you expect member of sect Y to behave like you? Do they expect you to behave like them? But there is no answer to any such questions.

2. If you try to reason, the next line is straight, 'all those doing this [either mourning or taking Tazias] are 'non-Muslims'. Now, if you are all 'Ulema' and all are armed with the power to issue 'fatwa' terming any fellow Muslim as 'non-Muslim, then you should surely have no business with them. They are not Muslims, so ignore them. Why think about them?

EXPECTING OTHERS TO BE LIKE YOU

3. Perhaps, the 'anger' is more because you feel that 'they follow your religion (Muslim) and are acting otherwise'. But who decides what is correct or incorrect. Everyone has their own interpretations. Mostly, one learns things from traditions and elders of the family.

It is like the religion you are born in. You talk of your tradition, but it may be just 200 years old. The other tradition, which you see as 'corrupted Islam' may be 1,200 years old. Who will decide who is correct or incorrect.

NO SCOPE FOR DIALOGUE

4. If you feel they are incorrect and you want to reform them or turn them like you, it is also impossible. Just because they too would want the same. And by straight starting with contemptuous talk, branding them as 'un-Islamic' and 'outside pale of Islam', how do you even expect to start a decent dialogue!

Then, whom it helps? You just satisfy your ego, by recklessly commenting on others, because you feel just your sect is right and you are the truly guided. Isn't it? Because your comments won't help anyone, at all. They just increase the hate and widen the gulf.

SECTARIAN INTOLERANCE INCREASING

5. In fact, the minds are so closed that they are not willing to even listen. They instantly believe that a person who is walking with a Tazia, is performing idolatory, or someone who is hurting himself, is not a Muslim.

To you, your faith and beliefs, to them theirs--is the Islamic philosophy. Isn't it? Is it permissible in Islam to judge a fellow Muslim's 'iman' and term him as 'Muslim or non-Muslim'? Who the hell are you?

MISPLACED PASSION

6. This passion is not visible elsewhere. There are hardly such activism when larger values of liberty and justice are at stake in one or the other country. These are the basic Islamic values but there are no such passion visible then.

7. Why the sudden passion and madness when it comes to Muharram or a few other practices during other festivals. What's the source of this joy which you derive from critizing and badmouthing people of other sects?

Tazias lined up in Dharmpuri, a small town in predominantly tribal Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh, India

GETTING JUDGMENTAL

8. Who gave you the authority? A person who is truly religious would rather be concerned about his own actions and worry about whether God is pleased with him, rather than casting aspersions on others.

For over a 1,000 years, major Islamic Ulema, never passed such judgments even on sects that bordered on heresy. Why every Tom, Dick and Harry has become a champion in terming any other sect-walla as 'non-Muslim'. Earlier, too the sects were there.

But the people were then tolerant and there was no question of opposing others' practices. If they personally didn't follow something, they joined or simply stayed away, remaining silent. But now, it's objecting and terming others 'non-Muslim', which is disgusting.

YOU SOPHISTICATED MAN!

9. Many are dismissive of the 'rustic' or 'backward' looking rituals. The reality is that these traditions have evolved over centuries of co-existence and confluence of cultures--the strength of Islam, but your narrow-minded vision just can't see it.

For many, it smacks of a bad image of Islam. That's even a bigger joke. If the majority among us really had such worries about the image of Islam, no Western media or anything else [which you blame] would have tarnished our image to this extent.

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS OR CHEAP ARROGANCE

10. It is this madness--'Only I am Right, all others are Wrong', which is responsible for this situation. And all these are now supposedly educated but acting like the trolls on Internet. Seeing how people get hostile and make it difficult to even engage with them, is simply painful.

The bigotry, the sectarian intolerance and the madness to expect others to act the way it should happen in your view--it's utterly disgusting and moronic. Frankly, now I don't know which sect I belong to, and I am not joking.

The reason is that I am a Sunni, but for me Muharram symbolises Imam Husain's sacrifice. If such is the level of discord, I wish to be known as a sect-less Muslim. In the concluding line, I hope that better sense will prevail someday. But will it?

[Note: While Shias take out 'Alams', the Tazias are mostly brought out by Sunnis and often Hindus. Among Sunnis, official position in sub-sects may be against it now, but the lower middle class, those of artisan class and the poor participate actively in Muharram. Also, there are certain caste groups too who observe Muharram more fervently]

SEE EARLIER POST: Muharram traditions, pictures of Ashura from Central India