The Hindu Business Line : Keeping the faith, violently

Peace is a rare commodity in these troubled times. At the drop of a hat people seem ready to pull out a kirpan or lob a bomb. And all in the name of defending their faith.

Religion, supposed to spread tranquility, soothe, comfort, give inner strength and unite people, is ending up, time and again, triggering violence, death, destruction, hatred and further polarisation. With chilling frequency we see our society being torn apart by some form of religious frenzy or the other. Last week's explosion at Hyderabad's Mecca Masjid that killed at least 13 people — nine in the blast and four in the subsequent police firing to control the angry devotees who took to the streets in protest — is yet another example of the atrocities committed in the name of religion. The initial investigations point to an Islamic terror outfit, probably from Bangladesh.

And that leaves us with a mind-boggling question. What are these terror elements supposed to be fighting for? For their religion's fame and glory? And to somehow or the other suppress, or destroy, all `infidels' or non-believers? If that is really their objective, however justified or warped it might be, depending on which side of the fence you view it, then how come they chose to plant powerful explosives in a mosque that takes its name after the holiest name in Islam?

And who is their target? Nor the women who colour their hair or use make-up (Iranian women are now being targeted for such `sins'), or those who wear jeans (Kashmiri jihadis threatened to shoot them on the leg or throw acid on their faces).

Their targets were not even the "modern" Indian Muslim youth who, in their opinion, are moving away from the teachings of Islam towards "frivolous" pursuits such as a good lifestyle that is guaranteed by a good career, which comes when you are well educated and have a cosmopolitan outlook to life, your colleagues, your workplace and society, in general.

Their victims were the devout Muslims who faithfully responded to the muezzin's call for prayers at the Mecca Masjid on a Friday afternoon, the day, it is believed, the namaaz fetches you more of Allah's benediction than the other days of the week.

The objective?

If somebody can make sense of how the glory of Islam is spread by killing and terrorising faithful Muslims in a mosque, or how such jihadis would be vouchsafed paradise by killing devout Muslims, I'd be happy to be enlightened. But, then, one only knows too well that the aim was to confuse people, plant hatred in their hearts, incite them to violence — surely the terrorists had hoped that the blast would trigger Hindu-Muslim riots — so that the law and order situation gets undermined and the simmering cauldron of Hindu-Muslim differences comes to the boil once again.

One must note with pride that the response to the last few such terror blasts — whether in Mumbai or in Hyderabad — has not been knee-jerk; those targeted have not rushed out with swords/trishuls or more bombs against the other community. Of course, there was anger. And the Muslims of the congested Charminar area, where the Mecca Masjid is located, took out a protest procession and the police did what they do best — use force, not to wound, as they should have done, but to kill.

Punjab violence

While the southern States seem to be coming under the scanner of anti-Indian terror outfits from across the borders, with the clear objective of destabilising the country which is unmistakably on the path of an economic boom that our neighbours can only dream about, Punjab was another place where violence raged, once again in the name of religion. It didn't require much to bring back the Khalistan slogans to a State, which, one had thought, had forgotten them long ago.

The violence that erupted in Punjab, and the lives it claimed, proved yet again how a cinder can ignite people. The advertisement issued by the Dera Sacha Sauda that showed its chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, dressed in the attire of Guru Gobind Singh has not gone well with many Sikh organisations that have demanded an apology from the Dera chief. An expression of regret offered by the Dera has been rejected by the Akal Takht, which has demanded that all the Sacha Sauda's deras be shut down. And that only spells more trouble.

The Akali Dal, never to shy away from a fight, and the coalition Punjab Government headed by it, have got into the act and now we have it from the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Prakash Singh Badal, that the Dera chief would have to apologise and seek "atonement for his sins". He has said that only this would assuage the "hurt" sentiments of the people and prevent a further breakdown in the law and order problem.

One has to be excused for one's ignorance or old-fashioned view of things, but must not atonement for one's sins come from within? Apparently not, in the times we live in. One has to atone for one's sins not before one's maker, but before His "representatives"! The maker of Muslims, Sikhs, and others, has obviously taken a back-seat; and it His bandas (devotees) who decide who will atone for their sins and what form this atonement will take.

Or, which is the mightiest or most supreme religion in the world, how it should be practised, what clothes its practitioners will wear, how exactly its women should cover their hair, and no lipstick please... and any other whim that might strike the self-appointed guardians of each religion in times to come.

Surely, that lilting melody from V. Shantaram's classic movie Do Aankhen Barah Haath that had such a simple yet gripping message does not pass muster in the times we live in. It had this to tell the devotees of the maker: `Ae malik tere bandey hum, Aisey ho hamarey karam; Neki par chaley, aur badi se taley, Taki hastey huey nikle dum'. Even though an English translation cannot hope to adequately convey the beauty and power of its message, it shall be attempted nevertheless: The prayer is to the maker, saying that we are your devotees; may our destiny be such that we walk the correct path and avoid evil, so when it is time to go, we can pass away in peace.

Rare Commodity

But peace is exactly the commodity that is becoming more and more rare. At the drop of a hat people seem ready to pull out a kirpan or lob a bomb to defend their faith, and they don't seem averse to any act, however violent or heinous — from looting, burning and bombing, to raping or killing. After all the fight is for the faith.

Sadly, the days when religion was an intensely personal aspect of life, kept within the confines of one's home are long past. Faith has to be dragged out into the open, and professed, through processions, protests, or whatever it takes.

The larger the procession, the louder the chanting or the blast of the bomb and the greater the number of lives lost, the stronger the message that "my religion is the best; don't mess with it, or else... "

Response may be sent to rasheeda@thehindu.co.in