Firoz Bakht Ahmed
September 20, 2007
The author is a commentator on social, educational and religious issues and the great-nephew of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. He can be reached on [email protected]
On behalf of all Muslims who believe in reason and sanity, I declare that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) affidavit (since withdrawn) questioning the existence of Hindu god Ram was vitriolic, scathing, unfortunate and blasphemous - not just to Hindus but to all those who cherish our pluralistic cultural heritage. How can a government decide the veracity of a figure like Ram?
He Ram ke wajood pe Hindostan ko naaz/Ahl-e-nazar samajhtey hein usko Imam-e-Hind!
Iqbal, the poet of the East, has written a wonderful and moving poem on the authenticity of the existence of Ram. Logic and science have their say but not in matters of faith. In a nation where religion percolates to all levels of culture, secularism and modernity, themes like Ram, Mohammed, Mary and Moses are all interwoven within the existence of the people. A denial can drive people into a frenzy.
As Sri Sri Ravi Shankar rightly puts it, one cannot dismiss Sri Ram as a mythological character just because a lot of miracles were reported in his life and there are no scientific evidences to prove them. There were unproven miracles in the lives of the religious figures of every faith. Just because we can't prove the parting of the Red Sea, we can't say that Moses was a fictitious figure. Just because there were miracles in the lives of Jesus, Moses and Mohammed, you cannot call them mythical figures.
Historical evidence of most of the eminent religious figures would be difficult to find. Nevertheless, the authenticity of Ram's reality cannot be doubted, as most legends and myths have their roots in real incidents and actual happenings of religious figures. So far as Ram is concerned, there are numerous places in India and Sri Lanka closely linked to his life including Ayodhya, Janakpuri, Dhanushkodi and Rameswaram.
The whole debate about whether or not Lord Ram existed or not is redundant. Even if he did not exist, this is not going to diminish his importance because he actually exists in the hearts of not only Hindus but also Muslims. According to Islam, 120,000 messengers were sent to the earth. According to Muslim belief, Ram not only exists but also is part of the community's religious legacy.
Nearly a billion Hindus believe that Ramayana happened and that Ram existed. If there is no archaeological evidence to this effect, it is something for ASI to keep in their records, not for a secular government to pronounce from rooftops.
To a Muslim it is a surprise that it is only the Hindu groups that have taken umbrage at this affidavit. The average Hindu is by and large silent. In contrast Muslims would have risen en masse in protest against such blasphemy.
Ram is entrenched deeply in the minds of a vast majority of people of all faiths, including Muslims of Indonesia. Ram is the Maryada Purushottam to all irrespective of caste, creed or faith.
Questioning a largely tolerant and pluralistic people to provide proof that their god actually exists is driving them to aggression. The weakness lies here with the Congress party, which time and again has failed to handle sensitive issues pertaining to faith.
However, the Congress was able to salvage some ground by withdrawing from the Supreme Court the offending affidavit questioning the existence of Ram. But the secular credentials of this government have been sacrificed.
Ram as Imam-e-hind
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Ram Setu row: TN court admits petition against Karunanidhi
Tirunelveli (TN), Sept 26: A local court today admitted a petition seeking action against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi for his reported critical remarks against Lord Ram.
BJP district general secretary Kuttralanathan filed the petition before the judicial magistrate-iii, seeking action against the DMK chief for having hurt the sentiments of crores of hindus across the world.
He said Karunanidhi, while addressing a public meeting in erode on September 15, had made derogatory remarks against Lord Ram.
The petitioner prayed action against Karunanidhi under Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion), 504 (breach of peace), 295, 295 (A) and 298 of the IPC.
Admitting the petition, Magistrate Hema directed the petitioner to submit, within two weeks, the newspaper clippings related to Karunanidhi`s speech at erode.
Faizabad court rejects plea against MK
Meanwhile, a local court in Faizabad isdtrict of Uttar Pradesh rejected a petition filed against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for his alleged derogatory remarks against Lord Ram.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Shailesh Kumar Tewari rejected the petition filed yesterday by Mahant Kanhaiya Das of Sankadik Ashram.
As the CJM was on leave yesterday, the ACJM-II, Gyan Prakash had heard the counsel of the petitioner and posted the matter for the decision today.
The counsel of the petitioner, Iqbal Bahadur, said the comments of Karunanidhi during a press conference had hurt the sentiments of crores of Hindus and saints as they worship Lord Ram.
Kanhaiya Das said that he would soon file a petition in in the High Court on the issue.
Meanwhile, media incharge of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Sharad Sharma said the petitioner had also urged for filing of a case under CrPC 156 (3) but no order was given by the court.
Torch Karuna`s effigies on Dussehra: Bitta
Flaying Karunanidhi`s remarks on the Ram Setu and Lord Ram, Congress leader M S Bitta today asked people in Jalandhar to burn effigies of the DMK supremo on Dussehra.
"Statements of Karunanidhi against Lord Ram and the Ram Setu are attempts to spread religious terrorism," he told reporters here.
His effigies should be burnt along with demon king Ravana on Dussehra, the chairman of the All India Anti-Terrorism Front said.
Bureau Report
Tirunelveli (TN), Sept 26: A local court today admitted a petition seeking action against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi for his reported critical remarks against Lord Ram.
BJP district general secretary Kuttralanathan filed the petition before the judicial magistrate-iii, seeking action against the DMK chief for having hurt the sentiments of crores of hindus across the world.
He said Karunanidhi, while addressing a public meeting in erode on September 15, had made derogatory remarks against Lord Ram.
The petitioner prayed action against Karunanidhi under Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion), 504 (breach of peace), 295, 295 (A) and 298 of the IPC.
Admitting the petition, Magistrate Hema directed the petitioner to submit, within two weeks, the newspaper clippings related to Karunanidhi`s speech at erode.
Faizabad court rejects plea against MK
Meanwhile, a local court in Faizabad isdtrict of Uttar Pradesh rejected a petition filed against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for his alleged derogatory remarks against Lord Ram.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Shailesh Kumar Tewari rejected the petition filed yesterday by Mahant Kanhaiya Das of Sankadik Ashram.
As the CJM was on leave yesterday, the ACJM-II, Gyan Prakash had heard the counsel of the petitioner and posted the matter for the decision today.
The counsel of the petitioner, Iqbal Bahadur, said the comments of Karunanidhi during a press conference had hurt the sentiments of crores of Hindus and saints as they worship Lord Ram.
Kanhaiya Das said that he would soon file a petition in in the High Court on the issue.
Meanwhile, media incharge of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Sharad Sharma said the petitioner had also urged for filing of a case under CrPC 156 (3) but no order was given by the court.
Torch Karuna`s effigies on Dussehra: Bitta
Flaying Karunanidhi`s remarks on the Ram Setu and Lord Ram, Congress leader M S Bitta today asked people in Jalandhar to burn effigies of the DMK supremo on Dussehra.
"Statements of Karunanidhi against Lord Ram and the Ram Setu are attempts to spread religious terrorism," he told reporters here.
His effigies should be burnt along with demon king Ravana on Dussehra, the chairman of the All India Anti-Terrorism Front said.
Bureau Report
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TNN ]
Hey Ram! With these last words, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi breathed his last. What would he have thought of the current controversy over the historicity or otherwise of Ram, the epic hero?
It would be interesting to ask: What is the historicity of the wind or cosmos? Behind visual reality, there exists something one can call supernature. Beyond history, there is the realm of metahistory.
How can man with his arrested sensibility, give expression to eternal life or eternity, in a language which is itself man-made? When we do not have a recorded or authentic history of language how shall we be able to understand the word 'history' used in language?
The word Ram means causing rest, charming, loving and delightful. Gandhi knew from the core of his heart that Ram is the hidden centre of all apparent reality. It is the unchanging reality, underlying a shifting reality. Ram is part of metahistory. Ram possesses highest power but never reveals himself as a possessor of power. People with inferior power exhibit their power in mindless activity and vanish like a bubble.
Much of Bapu's philosophy was based on the substance of Indian thought. He did tend to believe in avatars or incarnations and believed in the saving power of the name 'Ram' in salvation through Lord Krishna. For Gandhi, the legend of Ram is so deeply embedded in the Indian way of life that it is difficult to think of India and Indian culture without any mention of his name.
The metahistory of Ram has inspired many poets and artists to depict his character with all its glory and transcendental splendour. After having understood the superficiality of so-called history Oswald Spengler had said in his book, The Decline of the West, that history should be the business of a poet.
The first such epic is the Ramayana, composed by Sanskrit poet Valmiki who is believed to be a contemporary of Ram. The whole of the Ramayana consists of 24,000 stanzas or 96,000 lines. It is a great work of art with many dramatic passages. Apart from the Ramayana other important epics of Sanskrit literature which characterise the life of Ram are Raghvansh by Kalidas and Uttar Ramcharit by Bhavbhuti. Ram gained immense popularity through the writings of Tulsidas, too, who depicted Ram's character with such devotion and sincerity that Ram became the inseparable part of the collective unconscious of the people.
Abhinand, Kshemendra Jaidev, Pravassen, Kritivas Kambhan and at least 40 other poets have eulogised the greatness of the legendary Ram through their writings. So it is not difficult for any one of us to utter the name of Ram consciously or unconsciously as Gandhi did. Although Gandhi was acquainted with the basic tenets of all religions, he was deeply moved by Christ's Sermon on the Mount. Gandhi's passion for sustainable living and development was inspired by eternal and universal principles of faith in the oneness of religion and humanity.
Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence, truth and simple living was derived from a belief in the power of the very same principles epitomised by Maryada Purushottam Ram - the ideal personality - immortalised in the legend's story, the Ramayana, narrated in as many languages, forms and cultures as its plural versions.
Hey Ram! With these last words, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi breathed his last. What would he have thought of the current controversy over the historicity or otherwise of Ram, the epic hero?
It would be interesting to ask: What is the historicity of the wind or cosmos? Behind visual reality, there exists something one can call supernature. Beyond history, there is the realm of metahistory.
How can man with his arrested sensibility, give expression to eternal life or eternity, in a language which is itself man-made? When we do not have a recorded or authentic history of language how shall we be able to understand the word 'history' used in language?
The word Ram means causing rest, charming, loving and delightful. Gandhi knew from the core of his heart that Ram is the hidden centre of all apparent reality. It is the unchanging reality, underlying a shifting reality. Ram is part of metahistory. Ram possesses highest power but never reveals himself as a possessor of power. People with inferior power exhibit their power in mindless activity and vanish like a bubble.
Much of Bapu's philosophy was based on the substance of Indian thought. He did tend to believe in avatars or incarnations and believed in the saving power of the name 'Ram' in salvation through Lord Krishna. For Gandhi, the legend of Ram is so deeply embedded in the Indian way of life that it is difficult to think of India and Indian culture without any mention of his name.
The metahistory of Ram has inspired many poets and artists to depict his character with all its glory and transcendental splendour. After having understood the superficiality of so-called history Oswald Spengler had said in his book, The Decline of the West, that history should be the business of a poet.
The first such epic is the Ramayana, composed by Sanskrit poet Valmiki who is believed to be a contemporary of Ram. The whole of the Ramayana consists of 24,000 stanzas or 96,000 lines. It is a great work of art with many dramatic passages. Apart from the Ramayana other important epics of Sanskrit literature which characterise the life of Ram are Raghvansh by Kalidas and Uttar Ramcharit by Bhavbhuti. Ram gained immense popularity through the writings of Tulsidas, too, who depicted Ram's character with such devotion and sincerity that Ram became the inseparable part of the collective unconscious of the people.
Abhinand, Kshemendra Jaidev, Pravassen, Kritivas Kambhan and at least 40 other poets have eulogised the greatness of the legendary Ram through their writings. So it is not difficult for any one of us to utter the name of Ram consciously or unconsciously as Gandhi did. Although Gandhi was acquainted with the basic tenets of all religions, he was deeply moved by Christ's Sermon on the Mount. Gandhi's passion for sustainable living and development was inspired by eternal and universal principles of faith in the oneness of religion and humanity.
Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence, truth and simple living was derived from a belief in the power of the very same principles epitomised by Maryada Purushottam Ram - the ideal personality - immortalised in the legend's story, the Ramayana, narrated in as many languages, forms and cultures as its plural versions.
Thanks Munir for sharing this. MSMS says in his memoir:
"Muslims indeed know no limitation merely to the Prophets of Israel; they are ready to admit that there were similar Divinely inspired messengers in other countriesGautama Buddha, Shri Krishna and Shri Ram in India, Socrates in Greece, the wise man of China and many other sages and saints among peoples and civilizations, trace of which we have lost."
"Muslims indeed know no limitation merely to the Prophets of Israel; they are ready to admit that there were similar Divinely inspired messengers in other countriesGautama Buddha, Shri Krishna and Shri Ram in India, Socrates in Greece, the wise man of China and many other sages and saints among peoples and civilizations, trace of which we have lost."