Ram Madhav beautifully defines what’s wrong with Indian Muslims

American Political thinker, Samuel P. Huntington in his book The Clash of Civilization has talked about the differences and conflicts in society considering the history, language, culture, tradition, and most importantly religion. His theory is compiled from the perspective of modern conflict. But, if we see the history of social struggle in Bharat then it can be analyzed that these phenomena are prevalent in India since the invasions of Islam and expansion thereof.

The indoctrination of mind and religious rigidity in Muslims has often resulted in mass conflict in not only India but around the world. The result of this Islamist zeal was that the Akhand Bharat broke into three parts and created the Islamic State of Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Hindus were suppressed, subjugated, and enslaved in a structured manner and the result of this policy is that they are on the verge of extinction in their respective States. And, the same layered structure is being followed in India and the recent rise in violence can be attributed to this plan.

Kaafir, Jihad and Ummah

Recently, Ram Madhav, RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)’s National Executive member, in an interview with the media has highlighted the problems of Muslims in India and their conflict with Indian society. In the interview, he said that “The three concepts of kafir (‘unbeliever’), ummah (a supra-national community tied by religion), and jihad (‘struggle’, often used in the sense of ‘holy war’) are hindering the assimilation of Muslims into Indian society at large”.

'Muslims need to give up 3 concepts – Kafir, ummah, jihad to kill, these are hindering the assimilation of Muslims into the Indian society at large', RSS senior functionary Ram Madhav tells @madhuparna_N. Watch #ThePrintInterview: https://t.co/lkuybUzg8P
— ThePrintIndia (@ThePrintIndia) June 8, 2022

Once Indian Muslims accept that their roots predate the Islamic invasions of the country and forsake the iconoclastic medieval history of Islam, Hindus will also stop talking about the destruction that happened hundreds of years ago”, He added.

Assimilation problem

His statement is the reflection of historical incidents of invasion and Muslims’ thoughts of inheritance of the same invaders’ Ideologue. Muslims in India have always seen their religion through the prism of geographical and cultural expansion. Religious beliefs are created to spread peace and love. But the bloody and violent history of Islamic expansion has always preached about religious rigidity and has often found itself in conflict with other religions.

Religious bigots have often seen the other religion and their followers from the exclusionist’s prism. They have seen followers of other religions, especially Hindus, as Kafirs. The connotation of the term is that those who do not believe in Islam are unbelievers.

The interpretation of their text and commentary thereof has created a difference between believers and unbelievers. Further, the invasion history of Islam created a throughout belief to convert all unbelievers into believers of Islam. This religious construct created differentiation and conflict, which are still prevalent in Indian society.

Ummah can be understood in terms of the boundary less nationalism of Islam. It gives the common consciousness of Muslims a common history with a common ancestry without any geographical boundaries. It is the political head of Islam that oversees the global expansion of Islam.

Jihad is the practical instrument of the expansion of Islam in the world. It provides for the armed struggle against unbelievers. The earlier invasions and modern terrorism are one or the other form of Jihad. Constant struggle against the modern state and society can be seen in the form. The constant political and armed struggle in Kashmir is a live example of Jihad discourse.

Ram Madhav’s argument that the Kafir, Ummah, and Jihad are hindering the assimilation process of Muslims in Indian society is true to these regressive mentalities. Until they do not disassociate themselves from these extremist ideas and realize the truth of modernity, they will not be able to live peacefully. The germination of these ideas brings an exclusionist mindset and provides the conflicting idea with a co-religionist. This all hinders the assimilation process and keeps the struggling ideas alive.