Are Hindus Ahl-E-Kitab? Farid Chaudhari's Rejoinder To Sultan Shahin’s Essay: 'Muslim Ulema Urgently

A Story by New Age Islam

For the last 3 / 4 centuries, however, Muslims have fallen on bad days and, as a result, are under attack of various kinds all over the world, both within their countries and from outside their countr

Muslims ruled over vast swathes of the world for at least a millennium. Muslims of today need only to delve a bit into historical records to discover that their jurists have said long back that it is only governments which should declare and or wage jihad (war).The reasons are not far to seek. Only governments, countries have territories, populations, finances, arms industries, etc. to undertake wars.

For the last 3 / 4 centuries, however, Muslims have fallen on bad days and, as a result, are under attack of various kinds all over the world, both within their countries and from outside their countries.

‘Terrorism’ is another term for 'Collateral damage'...this latter term is used by the west whenever their planes, tanks and guns fire indiscriminately some times by mistake but mostly by design. This is not something new: they did it during the Second World War, during the Vietnam war, during the bombardment of Baghdad 5 years ago and during the bombardment of Tora Bora mountains of Afghanistan while searching for Usama bin Laden more recently

Many centuries back they had done it when they conquered Jerusalem, and more recently when they had recaptured Delhi from the rebels in 1858....and more. This does not mean that I defend terrorism by Muslims...I simply find it possible to equate it to other events and to mitigate the condemnation that it attracts from the perpetrators of similar excesses. Very long struggles for independence began in reaction to imperialism and colonialism. In Muslim countries, these were described as Jihad. But I have also been saying that a Jihad, whether launched by a State or by a Rebel group, and even if justified, but which has not succeeded over say a long period , needs to be rolled back .I consider this to be eminently applicable to Kashmir and to Palestine, for example.

This Conference at Deoband has been effective in its purpose by the sheer number of its organiser parties and the sheer size of its attendees....which two points have concealed the fact that the Indian Muslims have, ab initio, no reason to have a role in the acts of terror perpetrated in India.

The Indian Muslim Community is hopefully getting ready to enter the stage of National politics...witness that the Jamiat ul Ulema is about to take part in the Panchayat Elections in W Bengal in reasonable strength. Jama'at-e-Islami is, as far as I know, committed to peace just as Jamiat-ul-Ulema is.

As for a change in the attitude of Indian Muslims towards the Hindu brothers, I agree that conciliatory steps need to be taken urgently. I have been suggesting this for no less than 20 - 25 years or so...including that we should give 12 % of our Zakat to poor Hindus.

I have not asked myself yet if they are Ahl e Kitab...but I find it to be a question worth pondering.