The legacy of 'Shivaji'

Submitted by Frahad Navkhoda (United Kingdom), Apr 23, 2007 at 06:02

Dear Vishvas,

I read your comments with interest but with slight bewilderment.... your arguments are not constructive and if they referred to any other group of people, they would not be regarded as acceptable. I have read some of your previous comments on this forum which range from the delirious to almost profanity. I have replied to some under my name Frahad if you care to read.

You can not downplay the relationship between Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Islam seems itself as a continuation of true Christianity and as a true form of Judaism. Like Christians, Muslims also await the return of Jesus. It appears that you almost revel at the idea of conflict between these three great monolithic religions and that you are getting enormous pleasure in the idea that they are in a perpetual state of fighting.

You complain that Muslims appear not to apologise and indeed revel in the Idea of past victories and invasions. It seems that our Hindu brothers are constructing their own 'heroes' such as Shivaji. Need I remind you that he plundered and held to ransom several Indian cities and almost destroyed the Western port city of Surat. You band about statistic to justify your arguments. Even after centuries of rule on the Indian Sub-continent, Muslims only account for around two-fifths of the population and no more.

Yes, you are correct in your interpretation of the Geographical name 'Hindu Kush'. It does mean 'Killers of Hindu's' at a time when 'Hindu' referred to a people and not adherents of a religion. Hindu's at the time referred to followers of Krishna, Shiva and Vishna, Buddhists and Jains et al ( one wonders what lead to the demise of Buddhists and Jains in India! could it be the intolerance of followers of Krishna, Shiva and Vishnu?) The mountain range was called Hindu Kush as in prevented marauding Hindu armies from ever crossing into Persia. I will have to check your dating of the name as I believed that the name predated the Muslim advance on the Sind, I would like to establish that this is not an 'In-built lie' (your phrase). It is interesting to note at this point that Hindus have only recently learnt to differentiate between culture and religion and it took the British to unite the many kingdoms and states into one Unified country.

You infer that all Muslims are kept ignorant by their leaders. From the earliest days Muslims have been encouraged to seek knowledge 'even unto the gates of China' and education was encouraged for both men and women and for all sections of the community. I find your generalisation laughable. For Muslims, the relationship between God and Man is personal, i would not expect non-Abrahamians to grasp the concept of 'The final judgement'. Muslims, Jews and Christians are familiar already with this. From a culture where the Brahmin are the sole custodian for all religious knowledge and the rigid caste sytem promotes ignorance and servitude, maybe you should concentate on addressing and improving the lot of your own kinsfolk.

You have failed (delibrately?) to grasp the diversity of the various Muslim communities that represent a quarter of the world family, do you find it easy to deal with them as one dehumanised species?

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