Jamiat-Ulema-i-Hind has endorsed a fatwa issued by Darul Uloom seminary at Deoband decreeing singing of Vande Mataram un-Islamic. It clearly implies that a Muslim is forbidden to sing Vande Mataram, the national song of India. Vande Mataram which is one of the most popular songs in the world (BBC World Service in 2003 declared it second in top 10 out of 7,000 songs selected from all over the world) is being targeted consciously to challenge nationalistic spirit that it represents. The controversy goes back to Muslim League days when while demanding Pakistan the issue was raised under separatist agenda by the Muslim leaders. To please the League further, the Congress decided to allow the singing of a song by Basheer Ahmad, reciting Quran and also a prayer in English in the Assembly but to no avail. After independence, setting all controversies to rest Dr.Rajendra Prasad, who was presiding the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950, made the following statement which was also adopted as the final decision on the issue: The composition consisting of words and music known as Jana Gana Mana is the National Anthem of India, subject to such alterations as the Government may authorise as occasion arises, and the song Vande Mataram, which has played a historic part in the struggle for Indian freedom, shall be honored equally with Jana Gana Mana and shall have equal status with it. (Applause) I hope this will satisfy members. (Constituent Assembly of India, Vol. XII, 24-1-1950).
Jamiat endorsement of fatwa cannot be seen as a casual event as some people have tried to portray it. It in fact symbolizes the will of such Islamic outfits to dictate terms on the line of Islamic tenets and theology. It not only tries to negate the history of national movement but also challenges the concept of nationalism as envisaged by founding fathers of the Indian constitution. It refuses to acknowledge the spirit of accommodation so essential in any democratic set up and brazenly backs separatist Muslim agenda. Jamiat in its "aims and objectives" openly claims to ‘foster and stabilize amicable relations' between different communities living in the Union of India, in accordance with the teachings of Islam thereby making its intentions very clear. It may be easily understood that amicable relations are not possible between Islam and non-Islamic community if the basis of that teaching is derived from Islamic edicts and fatwas. It has to be a forced relation wherein Islam as a dominant partner keeps dictating the terms. Vande Mataram issue is a case in point. For it MF Hussain choosing painting as his profession is not un-Islamic but singing Vande Mataram is in contravention to Islamic tenets. The separatist trends which dictated the terms in Indian freedom struggle and coerced Congress leadership to various kinds of compromises are replicating themselves again in post-partitioned India. In fact, partition has failed to satisfy the separatist Muslim leadership and appease them to become accommodative instead they are becoming more demanding with emboldened stances. Partition has taken away the territory but not the problems. The argument that Vande Mataram is un-Islamic is false and unacceptable. Everything cannot be Islamic in a diverse and plural world nor is the Indian nation. If Jamiat and Darool Uloom are so obsessed with adherence to Islam and its teachings, they are free to look for some place where nothing is un-Islamic.
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