Q & A

 (Q) I am Vyas, retired central government employee -I have questions to ask. I thank organisers for this very nice meet, and here is already our -And if there are many more meetings like this… to highly enlightening, and we have learnt many new things which we did not know about Islam. Really I should say, a very good meeting, and I congratulate the organisers. My question is, freedom of expression is universally accepted principle -then why is a death sentence imposed on Salman Rushdie? scontinuation, what are the fundamental, ideological differences between shias and sunnis, which lead to their interminant clashes…what are its remedies? Thank you.

(Ans) Brother has asked a very good question -that does Islam permit freedom of expression?… if so than why have the death sentence, given to Salman Rushdie? Brother, the complete answer is given in this cassette, in the Press debate organised by the Bombay Union of Journalists.

Focus in Islam ending……………………

The Times of India , Indian Express Journalist, Bombay Unit of journalists and the topic was …‘Is Religion a fundamentalism a stumbling block against the freedom of expression?’ It was held after the death sentence was passed on Taslima Nasreen, who wrote the book ‘Lajja’. This gives the detail, and in this debate there was a Hindu priest, there was a Christian priest, there was a person who translated Lajja into Marathi… Ashok Sahane, and myself from the Islamic side. This is a very good debate… this gives the detail about the Religious freedom. Some people say… ‘That in other Religions, there is total Religious freedom… anything you can say’. Some people say that… ‘Religious freedom is a stumbling block, in the freedom of expression’ - While the other speaker camp and said that… ‘There is no stumbling block in Islam. It depends upon the situation - I cannot give a blanket… yes or no. In short, I would say… If the freedom of expression is given - for example… for anyone to praise anyone, to glorify anyone, if he wants to praise anyone or glorify anyone, etc., Islam gives full permission… as long as he does not harm anyone and it is with proof.

Point No.1: He can say anything, as long as it does not harm anyone - If it does not harm anyone, it is fine. 

Point No.2: If it harms anyone, these are two things with proof, and without proof. If it harms anyone, for example… abusing anyone.

As the Qur’an says… ‘Do not call each other, by nick names’. Abusing anyone with proof or without proof… just for slandering, it is not allowed. If you speak against someone with proof …with proof, it is allowed, for example I am working in a company… if the company is corrupted… I am speaking against the corruption of the company, Islam gives full freedom of expression… full. I should go and say that… ‘This company is corrupted… that it is cheating the human beings, etc’... with proof. But I cannot say…‘The boss is cheating’… without proof. Without proof if I say - I have got no right. If I say… I allege anything against any human being, I should have proof. Again Islam… if I say anything to any woman… even if I put a small allegation against her chastity… against her modesty, Qur’an says… ‘Produce four witnesses - If I cannot, you get eighty lashes.’ That means, you cannot… like in countries like America, England… you can abuse the girl, and get away with it. In Islam, if you abuse the girl and spoil her any name - and if you cannot produce four witnesses, you get eighty lashes. That is, we prove it… the modesty, with proof. You are allowed… with proof. If you get for eg… If you are working in a company, and get the proof that… this particular boss is corrupting the people, that he is corrupted - I can do with proof… Islam gives permission of… full freedom of expression. There are certain things… with proof also you cannot say, for eg… if I am working in the Indian army… I have got proof about its secret - I cannot go and sell it to the enemy. So here, freedom of expression is not allowed… with proof. If it causes loss to the people who are working… if it is against the country, I am taking the secret and selling it to the enemy of Government. Why… to profit with it money… just to get and lakhs rupees - Islam does not give permission. So for freedom of expression… depending which type of freedom do you believe in. If you believe that I can slander anyone, I can abuse anyone, and then say… ‘Freedom of expression’ - Islam does not give permission. Same thing if you analyse… book was released in U.K. - the book on Salmaan Rushdie… it was released in U.K. - I have given my view on that. You can refer to the Video cassette… ‘That there was a person who came from America, and he used a four letter word for Margaret Thatcher’s policy - he was banned. England believes in freedom of expression, but since he spoke against Margaret Thatcher, he was banned. So the same Salman Rushdie… I know besides, he has done wrong things… he has abused our Prophet, he has abused our Mother, he has abused… he has done wrong. Besides that, he has abused the whole human kind - People are not reading the book properly. I do not want to say the things, he has said. The first page, he abused the wonders - I cannot use that word… it  is an offensive word… I cannot use it. He says… ‘Magi the…’ - He calls her… ‘The female dog’. Islam does not give you the permission. Do you have the proof to call her a female dog. I do not want to use that… uses a letter word. And he says to Magi, offensive things - Magi is short form for, Margaret Thatcher. So Islam does not give permission… he even abuses Ram and Sita, in that book - people do not know that. I do not want to say, what he wrote for Ram and Sita, I do not want to say that. The best things I would like to do, is to congratulate Rajiv Gandhi, the first person… the first prime minister of any country in the world… he banned the book… I congratulate him. He may not be knowing, that he abuses Ram and Sita in the book. Salman Rushdie abuses Ram and Sita… Rajiv Gnadhi may not be knowing. I have read the book thought it is banned in India. I have read the book sure that speak on the  book I have read the book. So if anyone abuses anyone… If anyone abuses even your sister or mother, without proof… it is not allowed. Even in the Bible… if you read, the Bible says in the book of Leviticus, it says… ‘Anyone that blasphemeth the Lord… stone him to death - Anyone that blasphemeth the Lord… stone him to death’. So if anyone, depending upon the severity of the crime, you can give punishment. So if anyone abuses anyone without proof… without anything, Islam does not permit. That is the reason certain people who call death sentences extra. There are four options given in the Holy Qur’an… in Surah Maidah, Ch. No. 5, V. No. 33 to 35, it say… ‘If anyone wages a war against God Almighty, and his Prophet, and creates mischief in the land… either exile him, execute him, chop off his opposite hands and limbs - left hand… right leg or right hand… and left leg - or crucify him'. Four options… either execute, either crucify, chop off his opposite limbs, or exile him. See… this is a strict punishment. Why?… to see to it, that no one takes undue advantage in Islam. If anyone commits rape… Capital punishment - People may think it is a barbaric law. People and tell me…‘Islam in this age of science and technology. Capital punishment.’ See all the Religions speak good things - Hinduism says… ‘You should not tease a girl, you should not rape a girl’- Christianity says that, Islam says the same. The difference in Islam is… Islam shows you a way, how to achieve a state, in which no one will rape any girl. Every man… when he looks at a woman, and any unbrazen thought comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze. Whenever he looks at a woman, Qur’an says… ‘He should lower his gaze.’ That is his hijab, for the woman - She should be covered completely covered. The only part that can be seen… the face and the hands, up to the wrist. If two twin sisters are walking down the street… one is wearing the Islamic Hijab… that is, complete body is covered… the only part that is seen, is the face and hands up to the wrist - and the other… she is wearing a skirt and a mini. If around the corner, a hooligan is waiting for a catch - which girl will he tease… which girl will he tease? The two twin sisters, equally beautiful, walking down the street… one is wearing a skirt or mini… one is properly covered. Who will he tease?…The girl wearing the skirt or the mini! The Qur’an says that…‘Hijab has been prescribed to you…’ in Surah Ahzab, Ch.33 V No.59 ‘…So that it may prevent molestation.’ In America… everyday more than 1,900 cases of rapes, take place… in America. And if any one rapes, Islamic Shariah says… ‘Capital punishment’. - People say it is a barbaric law. I ask Non-Muslims… ‘If some one rapes your wife or sister, and if you are made the Judge… what punishment will you give him? All of them said that… ‘I will kill the rapist’. If someone rapes your wife, sister and you are made the judge… what punishment will you give him? – ‘Death penalty’. Some went to the extreme that…‘I will torture him to death.’ I am asking the question…If you implement the Shariah in America, where more than 900 rapes cases take place everyday - that every man who looks at a woman, should lower his gaze - the woman should be properly dressed up, and after that if someone rapes… capital punishment! Will the rate of rape increase, decrease or remain the same? It will decrease. That  is the reason, why the lease rate of rape, any country of the world… is in Saudi Arabia. Religions speak good… but Islam shows you a way, how to achieve that good state. Therefore Islam does not believe in slandering any one. No one can abuse  my mother, and get away in a Muslim country - in other countries… Yes! Freedom of expression… Islam believes in freedom of expression, where it is beneficient to humanity. Qur’an  says in Surah Isra, Ch. No. 17, V. No. 81 to 82….(Arabic)....‘When truth is hurled against falsehood, falsehood perishes… for falsehood, is by its nature, bound to perish'. If it  is beneficient for the humanity, Islam promotes freedom of expression - if it is not, then Islam does not allow it. Regarding your second part of your question… What is the difference between the Shias and the Sunnis? Brother, the difference… it’s a political difference. Actually in Islam, there is nothing like Shia and Sunni - There is no ‘Shia’…. ‘Sunni’ mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.The Qura’n says in Surah Al-Imran, Ch. No. 3, V. No. 103… (Arabic)…‘Hold together to the rope of Allah, and be not divided’ - there is nothing like ‘Shia’…. ‘Sunni’ in Islam. These came in later centuries…afterwards, due to political differences in Islam. Muslims are only one category. Muslims that there one no sub categories like… Shia, Sunni or anything, in Muslim. Because Qur’an say clearly in Surah Anaam, Ch. No. 6, V. No. 159 that… ‘Who ever makes sects… divisions in Religion of Islam, he has nothing to do with Allah (SWT).’ Means, making sects is prohibited in Islam. The difference between Shia and Sunni is a political difference, and not a religious difference. Hope this answers the question.

(Q) Good evening ladies and gentlemen - My name is Balachandran - I work for an advertising agency in the city. This question of mine pertains to the Indian Muslim ‘In today’s world as thinks… the Indian Muslim has two indentities. One is the Religion indentity… which you get by the virtue of the fact that your one a Muslim - and secondly it is the allowed indentity, which compresses basically of an ‘Hindu element’ and there is seen to be a conflict in the minds of the Muslims… at least some of them. To cut a long story short… I have some friends, in this august audience, who observe certain things which are essentially ‘Hindu’ in nature. There are people, who consult astrologers, with their horoscope… Muslim friends - People who observe Rahu Kalam. If this is a conflict… is there a conflict? Should there be a conflict… should this conflict exist?… What Qur'an says about it. Those people… would you disuade them, saying that they are lesser Muslim than you, or anybody else here. I hope that Dr. Zakir Naik will throw some light on it.

(Dr. Zakir) Brother has asked a very good question, regarding the Indian Muslim. As a matter of fact, it can be posed to any Muslim in any part of the world, that if you are a Muslim, can you follow the aspect of any other race, any other community, any other Religion, any other particular nation… whether it be India, or America, whether it be Europe. Basically, a Muslim by definition, as I said in my talk… ‘Is a person who submits  his will to Allah (SWT)… is a person who submits his desire, to God Almighty’. We can follow Indian culture, American culture, Western culture, as long as brother… Islam you can follow. If it does not go against the principle of Islam, you can very well follow. For e.g., people tell me…‘Can a woman wear a sari... It  is an Indian culture.’ Yes she can wear, if she follow the six criteria. The six criteria for Hijab in Islam, for a woman is that, her complete body should be covered - the only part that can be seen, is the face and the hands, up to the wrist. The clothes that she wears, should be loose, should not be tight… where it reveals the figure, Third is, it should not be transparent, that you can see through. Fourth is, wear                                                     . Fifth, it should not be that glamorous, that is attracts the opposite sex. Sixth, is it should not resemble that of an opposite sex. And if you want to wear a sari, the Islamic way… the pallu that you take, should cover your head… not a single strand of hair should be seen - Even the belly should not be seen…no other part of the body, should be seen. If you follow this,, you are following the Indian culture, without breaking the law. But if you say…‘I want to wear a sari, which is without a blouse, and showing the belly - so Islam does not give permission. Similarly, if you say in America, that…‘I want to wear a skirt, or mini’… it is not allowed. So you can very well follow the culture, as long as the culture does not go against the principle and teachings of Allah (SWT) - because for us, the teachings of our Creator, is more important because… He has created us.

We have to support our nation…but the Person who gave life to us in their world, is God Almighty. So we owe more respect to Him, than anyone in this world, to any other government in this world - Otherwise we have to respect other people. If it does not go against the teaching of Allah (SWT), you can follow it. Regarding Astrology, you said that… ‘Can we talk about fortune telling, etc.?’ There is a verse from the Holy Qur'an says, from Surah Maidah, Ch. 5, V. 90… (Arabic)….‘Having intoxicants, worshiping anyone besides Allah (SWT), and fortune telling… these are Satan’s handiwork - Abstain from such handiwork, that ye may prosper’. I am not saying, that anyone can predict the future or not - Most of the people who say… ‘They can predict the future’… are pulling a fast one. Qur'an does not say that… one can predict, or people can predict. There may be few people who may having… have learnt this science. But every person to whom you go to, you say that… ‘See the person to whom I go to, is  a very good Jyotish’. Most of them, they take you for a ride. There are computers in which, you put the age, and you get the answer. There was a survey done in America, that one professor of Psychology, he thought a student of… classroom of 100 students, and at the end of the… end of the week, after the time of one week, he said… ‘I will write each one’s nature on the chit, each one’s nature on the chit… what did he do… what did he do’, on the piece of slip. And after I tell everyone… ‘Open the chit simultaneously, and then give your opinion… whether I was right or wrong. So the professor wrote… Student A, what his nature, about future, etc., so everyone, he gave a chit. Then afterwards, everyone received the chit - the professor said… ‘Now open the chit, and read, so everyone opened the chit and read it and they gave the opinion that… more 90% of the students said that… ‘The professor was 100% correct… professor was 100% correct’. The remaining 8 to 9% said… ‘He was 95% correct’. After that, the professor said that… ‘I wrote the same thing for all 100 students. So if I say… ‘Anything bad is going to happen to you in one month… something bad is going to happen’ - Even if thousand good things happen, something bad is found to happen. If I say… ‘Something good happened to you last year, even if a thousand bad things happened… something good things is happened. So these are vague statements, which are always true. So when you read in the paper, Libra is this… and so and so is this… and Leo is this - All this, is just pulling a fast… pulling a fast. So Qur'an says that… ‘Do not indulge’. There may be few people, who may be expert - I am not saying… ‘No’, but the Qur'an says that… ‘If you know things that you should not… how it will cause you more harm. Qur'an tells… ‘Abstain from fortune telling’ - Why?… because the things which you should not, now will cause you more harm… if you  will come to know. For e.g., if you go to astrologer, and he says that… ‘You are going to fail’. That person has come out first in the classroom always - The astrologer says… ‘He is going to fail’ - and he does not study… and he fails. And he blames who?… he blames God Almighty. See the person pulled you a fast one. The Astrologer came out to be true - Why?… because the person had blind believe in him. If he would have studied, he would have passed. Therefore Islam says, the Holy Qur'an says… ‘Do not indulge in fortune telling’. If any Muslim does that, goes against the… against the commandment of the Holy Qur'an - Surely he is not a good Muslim, he is not following this principle of Islam…  other principles he may follow - Hope that answers your question.

(Q) What is the difference between the idelology of Islam, and the ideology of Hinduism?

The Holy Qur'an says that… ‘Allah is the beginning, and He is the end.’ -  ‘Wal Awwal Wal Aqhir’. The Hindu Upanishads also say… ‘God is one… He is present in all’, means what is your comment please?Brother’s questions are very good - What are the similarities between Hinduism and Islam?… What is the difference in the ideologies?  And the Hindu Upanshads which even I have read, says that… ‘God is one… God is present everywhere’. And the Holy Qur'an also states that ‘Allah is the beginning, and the end’. The major difference, if you analyze… between Islam and Hinduism, that if you ask a common Hindu, that… ‘How many gods does he worship?’ Some may say… ‘Three’, some may say… ‘Ten’, some may say…‘Hundred’, while other may say… ‘Thirty three crores’… that is, ‘Three hundred and thirty million’. But if you ask a learned man, like the advocate who had mentioned very well, from the Scripture, that… ‘How many gods do the Hindus worship’. They well tell you… ‘One’ - But they  believe in the philosophy know as…as, Anthrophormorphism. Many people believe in the philosophy known as Anthrophormorphism -  that means, ‘God Almighty, he takes form... God Almighty’. The philosophy is good - that if you analyze... if you just hear it - In the face of it, it says that… ‘God Almighty’… and it  is many Religions… it  is not only Hinduism, but many other Religions say… like Christian, it says that ‘God Almighty… He is so Pure, and He so Holy, that He does not know that… how human being feel when he is hurt, how does a human being feel, when someone troubles him . So God Almighty came down in the form of human being, to lay down the rules for the human being… ‘What is good and bad, for the human being’. On the face of it, it is good logic, that… ‘God Almighty, He is so pure… He set the rules for the human being - He came down to face of the earth, to the set the rules for the human being - because He is so Holy, He is so pure… He does not know what is good, and what is bad, for the human being’. I give the example… ‘Suppose I create a VCR… a Video cassette recorder - I am an engineer, and if I create or manufacture, a Video cassette recorder, to know what is good or bad, for the Video cassette recorder’. No… I just write on instruction manual, that… ‘When you want to play the cassette… insert the Video cassette, press the play button… it will play. Press the stop button, the Video cassette will stop. Do not drop it from a height… it will get damaged. Do not immerse it in water… it will get spoilt’ - I write an instruction manual. If you say… ‘Human being is a machine’ - I would say… ‘It  is the most complicated machine’. Does it not  require an instruction manual? For the human being…it is the Holy Qur'an… it is the Holy Qur'an - The do’s and dont’s, for the human being. The last and final instruction manual is given in the Holy Qur'an - What is good and what is bad, for the human being. The common Hindu... he believes in the Philosophy of Pantheism... Pantheism - that means, ‘Everything is god’. What the common Hindu says is... ‘The tree is god, the sun is god, the moon is god, the human being is god, the monkey is god, the snake is god’. The major difference between the Hindu and the Muslim is - what we Muslim say is that... ‘Everything is God’s - God with apostrophe ‘s’. If we can solve difference of apostrophe  ‘s’... we  Hindu and Muslims, will be united. How will you do it... The Qur'an says in Surah Al-Imran, Ch. No. 3, V. No. 64. It says ...(Arabic)….That there is no God but Allah…(Arabic)…‘That we associate no partners with Him, that we create not from ourselves, Lords and Patrons, other than Allah. Now if then, they turn back...then say: At least we are Muslims, bowing to Allah’s will’. How do you come to common terms... by analyzing the Scriptures of the Hindus and the Muslims. If you read the Bhagvagita... the Bhagvagita says in Ch. 7, V. 19 to 23... ‘All those who worship demi gods, all those do idol worship, they are materialistic people’. Who says that? - The Bhagvadgita says that - I am giving the reference... Ch. No. 7, V. No. 19 to 23, Among the Holy Scriputres... are the Vedas, the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samveda, and the Arthervaveda. The Rigveda deals with Songs of praises... the Rigveda deals with Songs of praises, the Yajurveda deals with Sacrificial formulas, the Samveda deals with melody, and the Arthurveda deals with Magical formulas. If you read the Yajurveda - the Yajurveda says on Ch. No. 32, V. No. 3... ‘Natasya Pratima Asti’... ‘Of that God, no image can be made’. The same Yajurveda, Ch. No. 40, V. No. 8 says... ‘God is image less, and body less - He has got no form, He has got no body’. The Same Yajurveda, Ch. No. 40, V. No. 9 says... ‘All those who worship the Asumbhuti, the natural things like air, water, fire... All those who worshipping the Asumbhuti, are in darkness’. And the verse continues...     ‘They are entering into more darkness. who are worshipping the Sambhuti - Sambhuti means... the created things. Who says that I am not quoting the Qur'an – I am quoting the Yajurveda Ch. No. 40, V. No. 9... ‘If you worship the Sambhuti, the created things... the table, chair, etc., you are entering more into darkness. The Hindu Scriptures says... ‘Ekkam Braham’.

‘There is only one God, not a second, not at all, not at all, not in the least bit’. The same Rigveda... which is the most sacred of all Vedas. The Rigveda says in Vol. No. 8, Ch. No. 1, V. No. 1 .                                           ‘All praises are due to Him alone’ - Alhamdullilah Hi Rabbul Alamin. Same as the Holy Qur'an, Surah Fathiha, Ch. No. 1, V. No. 1 to 2... Alhamdullilah hi Rabbul Alamin. The same Regveda, Vol. 6, Ch. No. 45, V. No. 16 says...‘There is only one God... Worship Him alone’.  Kul Huwallahu Ahad’...Say: Allah, He is one and only’. So if we read the Scripture of the Hindus and the Muslims, and if we analyse, we know that all the religious Scriptures, of all the various Religions, speak about Tawheed... speak about the concept of One God. So if you read the Scriptures, and if we know the difference of apostrophe ‘s’...

The Hindus and the Muslims well be united. Hope that answers  the question.