Atir Khan

 In a recent interview, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat tried to assuage communal issues. Some politicians are sceptical that his statements are in any way a genuine effort to change the present situation.

The RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat's statement on communal supremacy has various hues. The simplistic reading suggests it has a message for assimilation. But political reading takes us into the zone of scepticism and speculations.

A glass of water is half-empty or half-full. It’s the way you look at it. Bhagwat’s New Year message to Indians also has different interpretations.

Bhagwat told Panchjanya that Muslims should not live in any fear, there is no harm to Indian Muslims. If they wish to stick to their faith, they can. If they want to return to the faith of their ancestors, they may. It is their choice.

He also said that Islam has nothing to fear. But at the same time, Muslims must abandon their boisterous rhetoric of supremacy. All those who live in India- whether Hindu, Muslim, or Communist must give up a sense of having a higher moral ground.

It is a fair and balanced statement. There are people in all three groups, who do indulge in the rhetoric of supremacy. 

Last year Bhagwat visited a madrasa and made several conciliatory statements. He also met Muslim intellectuals and gave a patient hearing to their concerns.

In this backdrop and Bhagwat’s latest statement on “Hindus at war” is being seen by some people as a shift from his earlier position. But in a way is trying to suggest that Muslims should come out from the margins. And become participatory in the mainstream, rather than going into further isolation.

Some prominent Indian Muslims who met Mohan Bhagwat

Muslim clerics such as Maulana Shahabuddin Rizvi, Asad Qasmi, Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, and Maulana Saif Naqvi have welcomed some of his utterances.

Though some of them have criticised his justification of ‘Hindu aggression.’ They say this is condoning a violent attitude. It is also against the ethos of Hinduism, which has always stood for inclusiveness.Bhagwat’s engagement with Muslims has certainly brought some positive impact. There is a reduction in communal clashes. There has been a sobering effect on the fringe Hindutva elements. They are now dealt with as per the law of the land. FIRs are being registered against them too.

Among many other issues, he has tried to address the root causes of differences between Hindus and Muslims. This has evoked a strong political reaction from opposition ranks.

Asaduddin Owaisi, Brinda Karat, and Kapil Sibal have given critical reactions. They say who is he to tell Indians what to do and what not to do? They have questioned his locus standi and implied that his statements have a deeper meaning than what’s there on the surface. And that there may be as they say -' some market risks involved.'

Some people believe, he is preparing grounds for the larger things to happen. Perhaps the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code and consequent removal of the personal laws. Others think what Bhagwat said were his personal views, nothing more than that.

Sceptics are even questioning why only Indian Muslims have to give agnipariksha. Why is morality directed towards a particular community? Is it not true that RSS considers Hinduism to be a supreme religion? These and a volley of many such questions have been posed.

In this environment of trust deficit, the problem is what Bhagwat sees as empowering Indians is not seen as empowering the Muslims. When seen in perspective, Bhagwat's statement may appear to be didactic and condescending, but the reality is that there may be some truth in it.

uslims have played a major role in the Indian Independence struggle. In Independent India, they reposed faith in Hindu political leaders to lead them and believed in the values as enshrined in the Constitution.Indian Ulema have also played a salutary role in guiding the community all through. And preventing them from straying towards aggressive religious influences spreading like a virus in the rest of the world.

While the world Muslim theologians have proclaimed their authority on the interpretation of Islam as a supreme religion, Indian ulema have been moderate in their approach and have encouraged peace and harmony.

They insulated Indian Muslims from extremist views. However, a section of Ulema and Muslim society has been influenced by foreign Islamic radical views and false notions of supremacy. To a great extent revolution in the communication technology through the Internet has been responsible for this infection. Ideally, every Muslim should interpret Islam as per their reading and understanding of the great religion, rather than following what Islamists dictated them to follow.

After the 11th Century Muslims worldwide moved away from science and reason and took interest in theology.

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Students in a Madrassa

This has also affected a section of Indian Muslims, who have largely been motivated by Sufism. But a small number have been pulled into strong currents of radicalization, which tends to motivate with the ideas of supremacy.

Islamic history says that great Muslim scientists such as Ibn Sina and Al Khwarizmi, were side-lined by the Ulema. Many Muslins regret that only if such geniuses were allowed to prosper in their thoughts would Muslim identity have been positively influenced. These scholars later enlightened the Western world. But today if you ask a Muslim boy, he won’t even know that they made great discoveries in Medicine and Algebra and they have left a rich legacy. But if you ask a madrasa student about theologian Ibn Hanbal, he might have a ready answer.

There were three cultural projects in Muslim society in the mid-11th Century worldwide. First Islamic Scholars and theologians’ and the second pertains to philosophers and scientists. The third one was led by Sufis.

Over the centuries Muslims worldwide got most influenced by the first category- the theologians, who gained the currency due to various churning in religious thoughts.

They confined the community to reasoning based on the Holy scriptures only and did not allow any scope of reasoning to evolve, even within the boundaries of the religion. This phenomenon discouraged exposure to the outside world and cut them off from the outside world. Rationalists, scientists, and philosophers became the least important lot. Sufis were making inroads and did some crisis management with their message of peace and maintained equidistance with theologians and pure reason.

Unfortunately, even today the central questions worrying the Ulema today are not in sync with the changing times. They do not match with the real questions the rest of the world is asking today.

Poverty alleviation, unemployment, population control, external wars, climate changes, and sinking economies are more important topics for deliberation than religious supremacy.

These questions do not form a part of their collective consciousness. Therefore, Muslims are perceived as being aloof and a closed community.

But sceptics do have some valid questions about Bhagwat's statement as well. That if Muslims do act on the wish list will Mathura and Kashi’s binary come to an end? They also question whether or not Muslims have a choice not to fall in line with the suggestions made by the RSS Chief.

May that as it may Indian Muslims need to undo past mistakes. For their good, they need to combine all three cultural projects of the past into one. Combine the progressive views of responsible theologians, academics, scientists, and Sufis to create an inclusive narrative for India.

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In the light of RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s assurance to Muslims, together, they must chart the way forward. Only then any assimilation is possible.