Washington Times in its report on May 1, 2003 by Janaki Krem titled ‘Mission in Kashmir’ said that 10,000 Kashmiri Muslims have converted to Christianity since 1990. SUNDAY (Indian) Express, on April 6, 2003, ran a big story regarding conversions in Kashmir and said 12,000 have converted since 1990. Secretary of Mirwaiz Ummer Farooq, Shamsur Rahman wrote an Urdu booklet Titled Spread of Christianity in Kashmir and its unholy designs in July 2004 with introduction by Mirwaiz. The booklet said 20,000 Muslims have converted. Mirwaiz, same year, formed a united platform of Islamic scholars and Imams (preachers) under the banner of Mutahida Majis-e-Ulema (United Front of Scholars) to counter Christian missionaries. Hundreds of people attacked a Christian School at Pulwama on September 15, 2006 and damaged the building, ransacked furniture alleging that students of the school were being persuaded by the staff members to convert. Then deputy commissioner Pulwama Meraj Ahmad Kakroo ordered the closure of the school. The school re-opened only after the management assured the district authorities that they would respect the faith of the students. The government had to close down the relief work by Christian missionaries in earthquake-hit Uri in 2005 after it received the complaints of Christian relief workers motivating the affected people for conversion. The research conducted by the Honour shows that the conversions have been taking place in Kashmir regularly in the past over 20 years, and the number of converts could be in thousands. The video of some boys and girls that caused furor is not an aberration as some people would try to make us believe. It is genuinely a matter of great concern that needs immediate attention. But I don’t see any merit in the allegations that this is “forced” conversion. In a society like ours, which is vocal as well as vociferous, it is not possible for an individual or a covert group to force someone change religion. Religion is the last of the thing one would like to renounce. So the onus completely lies on us. To accuse and abuse others is simply to shirk responsibility. Christian missionaries are doing what they are supposed to do. They are great servants of their cause and faith. It should have been the mission of Muslims to reach out to the non- Muslims with the message of Islam. It, in fact, is the fundamental duty of one and all Muslims. “Thus have We made of you an Ummah justly balanced, that ye might be witnesses over the nations, and the Messenger a witness over yourselves’ (2:143). Islamic scholars and commentators of Quran say that this position of standing witness before all mankind on behalf of God amounts to being invested with the leadership of mankind, which in itself is a great honour and a heavy responsibility. Muslims are expected to be able to make known, both in word and deed, the meaning of godliness and righteousness. To protect and project Islamic faith is not the responsibility of individuals only. It is rather societal obligation of the overall Muslim community, which, in fact, begins from the home. Parents have the primary responsibility to inculcate Islamic faith and values in their children. In a family it could be a father, mother and other elders that are role models for the younger members. Teachers, religious scholars, Muftis and imams come next. The society in general comes only later. This is a grim reality that our young boys and girls do find role models neither in their homes nor in mosques or at any other religious chamber and teaching centre. They know the Grand Mufti, who, on one day, issued fatwa against chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to seek repentance (perform Touba) over his remarks on Gandhi’s philosophy (Azad had said Islam secures the hereafter, the Gandhian philosophy of truth and non-violence was apt for success in the contemporary world) but, the next day, they saw the Grand Mufti attending Azad’s Eid Millan without performing the Touba Grand Mufti had asked for. Again some time later, we heard Grand Mufti banging on the gates of the Prime Minister’s residence to seek audience with him. Dr Manmohan Singh, as reports suggested then, did not find Mufti Sahab worth of spending some minutes with him. He instead asked his advisor to attend the Mufti. It is a sad irony that religion is not a belief but a profession for most of our Muftis, Imams, Khateeb’s, pirs, scholars and politicians. They practice or follow it only to a level where they can earn their daily livelihood from it. They have opened different counters and put Islam virtually on sale. I have heard of dozens of parents, who changed their faith, just to get admission for their wards in missionary schools. They follow a pattern. Months before the start of the admission process they begin to visit Church and missionary centres, build connections with the clergy, follow their religious practices and finally seek admissions into their faith. The only aim of reneging Islamic faith is to get admission for their wards in the schools run by the clergy. Children brought up in this atmosphere can be vulnerable to any rather all kinds of temptations. The conversions, in fact, are a serious reflection on our religious faith and trust. We are fickle-minded people, whose faith dither at every charm. Worldly gains are the only attraction for all we do and believe in. Money matters us most. Our social status and caste considerations are determined by our economic position. I know (in fact all of us know) several people, who are poor, being cursed as low strata in the society (though Islam strictly rejects caste considerations) for having a particular caste. But at the same time people of the same caste with high economic status are respected as “greats and nobles’
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:48:12 +0000
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