Al Haqeeqa
Saquib Salim
In a post-9/11 world non Muslims often fear the teachings at mosques and madrasas. Many uninitiated people tend to believe that sermons in mosques instruct Muslims to wage Jihad against Kafirs. Maybe due to the communication gaps, many people fall for this propaganda.
As a Muslim, I can vouche for it that mosques do not preach violence; at least not in India.
Today, I offered Eid prayer in Muzaffarnagar, Western Uttar Pradesh. In his sermon, the Maulana stressed building a peaceful society. He said that all the prophets of God wanted to establish tranquility in the world. Humans need peace in their homes, mohallas, cities, nations, and the whole world. He said that when someone is living with stress, it does not matter if he is an engineer, doctor, or businessman. Islam wants us to establish a society with peaceful order; humanity doesn’t limit us to Muslims.
The sermon was no different from what I have been listening to since my childhood. I have heard similar thoughts from Maulanas in Muzaffarnagar, Aligarh, and New Delhi during my life journey. They often ask people to contribute towards the growth of the nation.
After prayers, Muslims make a supplication to Allah (dua). This act of asking Allah has an important place among Muslims. The leader of the congregation, Imam, makes a few supplications aloud and people respond with Amen. Today, at my mosque Imam asked Allah to establish peace in India and protect us against external aggression. The dua made was not very different from what I have been listening to earlier. I have seen Imams making dua for the protection of national borders, establishment of peace, removal of poverty, and Hindu-Muslim unity.
ALSO READ: Free India’s first Eid-ul-Fitr saw Hindus join Muslims in celebrations
I still remember during the Kargil War, the Imam of our neighbourhood mosque in Muzaffarnagar prayed for the Indian forces. It is not uncommon for Imams to make dua for the conservation of the syncretic culture of India. In fact, a few divisive communal Muslims I have known are not Imams or Maulanas serving in a mosque or madrasa. History tells us that Ulema (Islamic scholars) had opposed the introduction of religion in politics by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan; they also spoke openly against the Sar Tan se Juda (Beheading) campaigns.
Sermons at mosques preach peace, coexistence, and unity. As a poet puts it:
Pir Faqir to chup hi rehte hain
Duniyadar hi deeni baate karte hain
(People of God remain silent while worldly people talk of religion)
