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The 30th convention of the JAMIAT UL ULEMA-E-HIND held within the precincts of Darul Uloom, Deoband, the most prominent Islamic seminary of South Asia, on November 2-4 2009, continued to make media headlines for several days. One of the reasons for this was the revival of the controversy regarding the opposition of Muslims towards singing of the national song Vande Mataram on the ground of it being unIslamic. The other was the presence of some national celebrities including the Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram and yoga gurus Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (after the event) and Swami Ram Deo. The convention was reportedly attended by an audience of around 5,00,000 Muslims including some 10,000 clerics.
In 2006 the fatwa department of Darul Uloom had decreed that Muslims should not sing Vande Mataram as it was anti Islamic By a resolution passed by the convention on November 3, the Jamiat Ulama-i- reiterated the injunction to the Muslims not to recite Vande Mataram on the grounds that some verses of the National Song are against the tenets of Islam. The Home Minister who addressed the convention on 4 November eulogized the JUH for condemning religious terrorism and for its role in the struggle for the freedom of India but did not consider it fit to make any comment whatsoever on the denigration of the only song which had served as the battle cry of those who sacrificed their life and liberty in the struggle for freeing the motherland from foreign domination. On being criticized for his silence on the issue the Home Minister took the ridiculous plea that he was not aware of the offending resolution passed a day earlier!!
Swami Ramdeo, reportedly the first non -Muslim cleric to address a JUH convention, demonstrated some of his famous pranayams and tried to convince his audience that there was nothing objectionable for the Muslims in Yoga. and. "Yoga is not related to any religion nor is there any underlying idea behind it to promote any religion," he said, stressing it was a physical exercise to keep body and mind fit. Emphasizing the need for promoting communal harmony, he contended that the unity between Hindus and Muslims was the strength of the nation. "It was high time people realized that 'Ishwar' and 'Allah' were two names of one and the only god," he said. He has reportedly told his Muslim audiences that if they had any objection to saying "OM "during the pranayam they could say "Allah" instead. Press reports did not indicate if Swami Ramdeo had anything to say about the fatwa against Vande Mataram.
Spiritual Guru and founder of "Art of Living" Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who was also scheduled to address the JUH convention on 4 November but could not do so went to Deoband four days later on 8 November2009. According to a press statement issued by Sri Sri, the Deoband Maulanas including Maulana Marghoobur Rehman, Chief Rector of the Darul Uloom, Darul Iftah (fatwa section) in-charge Mufti Habibur Rehman who issued the (decree), Mufti Ehsaan Qasmi and Usman Mansoorpuri of the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind", softened their stand after a one hour meeting with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to say that they won't stop Muslims from singing the national song but the fatwa would stay. The clerics "have changed their stand on ‘Vande Mataram' to bring the Hindu-Muslim communities closer". The clerics, it was stated," do not have any objection to the national song" and have left it to the "conscience" of Muslims who should decide for themselves whether they want to sing it or not. Maulana Khalik Madrasi of the Darul Uloom was quoted as saying that the fatwa on ‘Vande Mataram' cannot be recalled now, but the Darul Uloom will not stop anyone from singing it. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Sri Sri said, "I told them that ‘Vande' doesnt just mean ‘puja' or prayer, but it is also thanksgiving. The first lines of Vande Mataram are not objectionable in any way. This issue should not be given undue importance. The country is above all and there should be no rift between Hindus and Muslims." Quoting a Supreme Court judgment, Sri Sri also said that no one should be pressurised to sing Vande Mataram.. .., Sri Sri also urged everyone not to rake up issues which could provoke sentiments of either community and said, "It is important to maintain communication links to avoid misunderstandings. Through peaceful talk and dialogue, we can solve any issue and transform any situation. We have to have a progressive outlook," the release said.
Last update : 15-11-2009 10:28
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Jai Prakash Sharma
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