Nimmy – please look at the flip side. Don’t such bizarre arguments convince you that you are so smart. It can be a big let down to argue with people who are so intelligent to know what makes a difference. But with such moronic arguments don’t you get convinced that with such lousy intelligence, getting ahead becomes so much easier. Sometimes I just read the blogs to feel good about myself.

Supreme Court, 1954 SC, pp 388/392:
“Religious practices or performances of acts in pursuance of religious belief are as much a part of religion as faith or belief in particular doctrines.”

The Constitution is fairly explicit on the concept of religious freedom and the Supreme Court, too, has consistently been attempting to strengthen the country’s secular fabric. Therefore, it is a matter of great regret that some political parties have been unscrupulously generating useless controversies.

“Vande Mataram” was composed a century ago for a particular community in a particular language and under a totally different societal structure. It directly invades into the monotheistic religious ethos of Islam. So, whenever any attempt is made to elevate it to the status of National Song (not Anthem), it is opposed by Muslims.

Muslims love the country as much as Hindus or Sikhs or Christians do. However, to love one’s country is different from worshipping it. Love for the country overcomes societal and religious barriers, but the concept of bowing one’s head has a religious connotation that cannot be imposed upon those people whose religious convictions do not permit this. Muslims, therefore, should not be forced to sing Vande Mataram.

And for the record, Jan Gan Man was written for British India to eulogise the British monarch. Strangely, we hear no hue and cry on this, though!

The reason I mentioned Saudi Arab in my article is because it a total anti-thesis of what India is and aspires for. Our religious extremists are trying to go that route as well. And I am against it. I am calling a spade a spade. I am also calling an axe an axe.

And your point is?

Comparing Saudi Arabia with India is not justified, for one being a theocratic country and later a democratic.
But still even in Saudi arabia the Govt. wont force the non-muslims to pray five times a day.

But about this post, I have some problems.

For how long will we put our self-interest, our religious and regional interests above the nation?

Muslims must realise more than Hindus that it is more upto them than us to convince people about their patriotism. I don’t know.. this might be a lame conviction on my part, but one reason that I will issue in support of my view is that Islam has been mainly a conquering and devastating force in India. It has ruined millions of lives. And especially the lives of the ancestors of today’s Muslims, for it is mostly under the power of the sword that they converted. (perhaps this is a misconception, you can clear it if you like.)

With this in mind, if some Hindu still sees himself the Muslim being obstinate about Islam, that has an all negative influence on the progress of India, what is he to think of him?

Just put things aside and sing the song for a minute on the national festival. Wouldn’t it help?

Btw.. it would have helped your cause had you typed exact translations of the verses you have problem with. At least I would have appreciated it, for I wish to know what is there in those verses that you disagree with.

Peace! And power to your blog!

We muslims talk about the phrase ‘out of context’ every now and then.Isn’t the whole so called controversy too about a song taken out of context from the novel?? I like the song,its music and stuff,so i’ll sing it..If you don’t like it,don’t sing it..( and i know that is the point what the author tries to convey)

BJP is a bored party picking at lame issues and some mullahs are even more bored,that they found this a reason to issue a fatwa..Again,at the end of the this discussion ,it only helped in adding color to the portray that muslims are against national integrity,are unpatriotic bla bla bla…

I don’t know why some people are too rigid in their beliefs..I don’t think Allah will be offended just by you or me singing a song..Its Islam all about ‘intention in heart’..Wouldn’t it make sense if we sing the song along with fellow citizens,just for the sake of having something in common,and not take those words literally and bow down to mother or diety or whatever it is..Is the whole frame so complicated??Err,maybe my small brainy processor can’t deal with it..Sorry,but i choose to sing the song..I don’t even know the meaning of the song,and i am not interested either..

10 more minutes wasted..Pls don’t reply to my comment