Having been ruled by the Mughals, the Brits and then the tactful socialists the Hindus never had a good time of their own. The Brits rigidified caste divisions were solidified on party lines, their deities were mocked and their history books were thoroughly distorted, and like the allowed anti-US rants in Stalinist Russia free speech in India remained anti-Hindu alone. And when Indira Gandhi's turn came to be the PM and to impose Emergency, a mischievous addition of the words secular and socialist was done in their constitution. It was only when the Net arrived and offered the freedom of speech and unity, which in turn unlike the Iranian Islamic Revolution brought a Hindu Revolution through the ballot box in 2014. Following that yes the Indian economy grew much faster - even despite the #coronavirus problem and the lives of the poor became better with the available facilities and the gadgets. Of course, the routine Hindu Muslim riots stopped and instead equal treatment of all became a routine. In fact, giving a reply to ones fearing ‘Hindu Pakistan’ a Hindu CM even made minorities of other states want him. However, with temples and educational problems remaining the same, education reservations not going the Hindu way, Hindus being easily arrested on any controversy, Hindu killings not even invoking an expression of sadness from the rulers, latter seen as minority appeasing and the rulers feeling assured of Hindus not having an alternative party to vote Hindus feel they are still 2nd class citizens in their own country. Yes, numerically, Hindus are in a majority but are divided and not in power and they are lynched and killed like a member of any other creed in the mass of billions in India. But, as if what happened inside the country wasn't enough, the outside hasn't been better either. Despite that and the 1st Knesset meet thanking India for being the only country where minority Jews did not face any persecution, both the Abrahamic and atheistic lenses see the majority in numbers as the persecutor of minorities especially when they see a Hindu Nationalist Party at the governing seat. So, when the stalwarts in the West say Hindu rulers are oppressing minorities, this viel issue only becomes a symptom of that misunderstanding. The Constitution Given Rights: With the writers of the Indian constitution not being experts and seeing religion as prayers and peculiar festivities alone, they did not see the implication of their ‘everybody is free to profess his or her religion’ As if to mend their ways, they also gave powers to the institutions like army, the police and some educational institutions to assert dress code irrespective of religions. It wasn't that simple, however, and it did not end the complicated issue, for Sikhs were allowed to use their turban in the army and the police. There was a catch, however. To be allowed in such a way, any item had to be religious - not just cultural! Now, in this situation, the glaring question is, is the veil a part of Islam? In all this, what does Islam actually say? Understanding Islam: Business today booms in Mecca and skyscrapers even uncomfortably almost overhang the Kaba. But, after showing some disregard for Hadiths, even if the entire Saudi Royal family becomes atheists, they will still allow the Hajj pilgrimage. But, with historians asserting Mecca not being a business centre then, Dan Gibson finding Petra instead similar to Mecca and the writings about the prophet found only 200 years after the prophet’s demise it is difficult to assert the historicity of Islam. Thus, rightly or wrongly one has to rely on the oral Quran put into Quraysh codex by the 3rd Caliph Uthman and the Hadiths organized 200 years later by Al Bukhari - who was compelled to reject 95% of the false Hadiths. It is the suspicion rising out of this latter fact that has divided Muslims into the full set of Quran, Hadiths/Sira, Izmz (consensus) and Iztehad (reasoning) believers and the Hadiths rejecters. The first complete 8th-century biography of the Prophet by Ibn Ishaq as 'Sirat Rasul Allah' is generally called the Sira. All these help in the understanding of Islam. In the Quran itself, the angel Gabriel did ask the prophet to read. Though it's not clear if he complied, Muslims maintain that he wasn’t lettered (he did not know how to read or write). Irrespective of that, he was a very aware person. Yes, he was aware of the practices of what he called the ‘People of the book’ and the ways of the Jewish prophets. But more importantly, he wanted the ways of his and his followers’ to be distinct. Since every word uttered by him or act done by him formed a part of the religion there are many laws for Muslims. a. The niqab indeed started with the protection and the hiding of the identities of the prophet's wives following their harassment during their outdoor toilet ventures, but the commanding Quranic stanza (Qur’an 33:59) specifically says '..and the believing women'. So, it is for all Muslimas not just for the mothers of Muslims (Prophet's wives). NEXT

Hindu Revolution 2014

Tall buildings surrounding Mecca

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