seem to have happened yesterday. The Qutb Minar in Delhi reminds one
of Aibak and Iltutmish. One who visits the Taj Mahal of Agra,
remembers Shahjahan. Akbar andAurangzeb are still the talk of the
town. Truly has Bernard Croce said that all history is contemporary.
Our living presentis the extension of the past which in many ways is
still with us. No wonder then that Muslim state in India has not
ceased to exist. It is not known as Nizam-i-Mustafa, as, in the Indian
secular democracy, it cannot be known by that nomenclature. Butit has
been internalised in the Muslim psyche and is expressed in a number of
euphemistic phrases like Muslim Identity, Muslim Personal Law,
(Muslim) Minorities Commission, Muslim Waqf Board, Muslim (Madrasa)
Education, and so on. All in all, Muslims by their personal law and
separate identity represent aseparate system within the secular Indian
state, if not a separate state within the Indian state.
6.1. SEPARATE IDENTITY
The idea of Muslim exclusivenessand preservation of a separate
identity is nothing new. In Islam all human beings are not treated as
equals. It makes a distinction between Muslims and non-Muslims. This
distinction has been repeated in passages after passages both in the
Quran and the Hadis and observed by Muslims the world over. A
non-Muslim is a Kafir, an inferior being. Non-Muslims do not enjoy any
human rights in this world; they cannot enter Paradise after. death.
Let us repeat some of the"revelations" about non-Muslims to drive home
the point. "The unbelievers among the people ofthe Book (Jews and
Christians) and the pagans shall burn forever in the fire of Hell.
They are the vilest of creatures.""When you meet the unbelievers in
the battlefield, strike off their heads." "Do not yield to the
unbelievers but fight them strenuously." "Muhammad is Allah's apostle.
Those who follow him are ruthless to the unbelievers but merciful to
one another.' "Make war on them (theidolaters)." "Allah will chastise
them through you and humble them." 'Allah has promised the hypocrites,
both men and women, and the unbelievers the fire of Hell. They shall
abide in it forever - the curse of Allah is upon them. Theirs shall be
a lasting torment." "With chains and shackles round their necks they
shall be dragged through boiling water and burnt in the fire of Hell."
"Scalding water shall be poured upon their heads, melting their
skins... They shall belashed with the rods of iron.""Whenever in their
anguish, they try to escape from Hell, the angels will drag them back,
saying: 'Taste the torment of Hell-fire'." 1 On the other hand,
Muslims will repose in Paradise asportrayed in the Quran. "They shall
recline on coaches lined with thick brocade... They shall dwell with
bashful virgins - virgins as fair as corals and rubies." "They shall
recline on jewelled coaches face to face, and there shall wait on them
immortal youths with bowls and ewers and cups of purest wine.""The
righteous (i.e. believers) shall dwell in bliss... their Lord
willshield them from the scourge of Hell. He will say: Eat and drink
in joy. This is the reward of your labours." 2
All this and much more has already been cited before. The need to
repeat it is to emphasise the Islamic injunction that Muslims and
non-Muslims are distinct entities and the two cannot meet on terms of
equality. This separate identity was crystallized in the twenty
conditions laid down by Caliph Umar for the governance of the Zimmis.
The Zimmis (originally Christians and Jews and later Hindus) were
those subjects whose life was spared and who were a protected people
(although no punishment was awarded to a Muslim who attacked a Zimmi).
The conditionsare like this. The Muslims are to be respected. The
Zimmis are not to dress like Muslims. They must wear a humble dress so
that theymay be distinguished from Muslims. They are not to give each
other Muslim names. They are not to ride on horses with saddle and
bridle. They are not topossess swords and arrows. They are not to wear
signet ringsand seals on their fingers. They are not to rebuild any
old buildings which have been destroyed. Muslim travellers are not to
be prevented from stayingin their temples. They are not to mourn their
dead loudly. They are not to buy Muslim slaves. They are not to
propagate the customs and usages of polytheists among Muslims. If any
of their people show any inclination towards Islam, they are not to be
prevented from doing so. 3
One of the important condition was that the Zimmis were not to build
their homes in the neighbourhood of those of Muslims. There are clear
injunctions in the Quran for Muslims not to befriend
infidels."Believers, do not choose the infidels... for your friends."
The danger in the living together with unbelievers is clearly
spelledout in the Quran.....
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