: “Our Hindu brothers are Indians by Chance, while we Muslims are Indians by Choice,” thundered Maulana Mahmood Madni, general secretary of the body and Rajya Sabha MP at Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind meet in Surat on February 4, 2011.
While Maulana Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi, the head of Darul Uloom Deoband, gave the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind meet a miss here on Saturday (February 4), Maulana Mahmood Madni, general secretary of the body and Rajya Sabha MP, called for reservation for Muslims for all-round development.
In his address, Madni did not speak on the controversy surrounding Maulana Vastanvi. “Muslims, Dalits and other low caste people in Hindu community are downtrodden till today. There has been no upliftment or development for them. The government should give them reservation in jobs and education sector for their as well as the country’s progress,” Madni said. He further demanded proper implementations of recommendations of the Sachchar Committee and Mandal Commission.
“Muslims had sowed the seed of freedom struggle in 1915 and later it was adopted by all the communities... and finally we got freedom. Mohammed Ali Jinnah had put forward the two-nation theory, which is absolutely unIslamic. Our grandfathers chose to stay in India and we should be proud to be called Indians,” he said.
On terrorism, Madni said Islam does not teach to kill any innocent person. “...Islam teaches us to love our own nation and its people and spread brotherhood.”
Swami Amrishanad of Hindu Milan temple, who was also present on the occasion, said: “We should build communal harmony so that a positive message spreads across the country. When two children fight in a house, their mother feels bad. Similarly, Hindu and Muslims are two kids of India and if they fight, Bharat Mata will be unhappy.”
Describing corruption as a major threat to the country, Maulana Mahmood Madni of Jamiat Ulema-e -Hind said, "The money kept in the banks outside the country should be brought back. A check should be put on corruption." He further said that, "In case of inaction on the part of the government, people of the country will topple it as it was being witnessed in other countries."
Madni, general secretary of Jamiat, was here to take part in a seminar organised by the Jamiat for communal harmony. On Naxalism, Madni said, "Why 200 districts out of 600 in the country are affected by naxal violence. This is because a few powerful people are trying to capture 96 per cent wealth of the country."
Madni told the Muslim youths "It is important to remember that in India whenever a Muslim is in trouble, our Hindu brothers fight for him. We are part of the country and should work to strengthen it."
He, however, refused to comment on Maulana Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi. When questioned about the possible ouster of Vastanvi from Darul Uloom Deoband on February 23, Madni maintained silence. However, his presence in the city is significant as it comes after Vastanvi statement to TOI about Gujarat's development which created uproar.
It is believed that the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind had organised the seminar specifically after Vastanvi's statement as it wanted to gather support from the community in south Gujarat. Islamic clerics and Hindu religious leaders from across South Gujarat were invited to the seminar.
Swami Ramvilasdasji, Swami Vishweshanandji, Swami Sitaramji, Swami Amrishanandji, Swami Bharatmunji and other saints addressed the gathering. Maulana Hakimuddin Kasmi, Maulana Rafik Ahmed Balodvi, Mufti Ahmed Devalvi, Maulana Ibrahim Tarapuri, Mufti Mahmood Bardoliwala were among the Muslim religious leaders who spoke at the seminar. The speakers advised the gathering of Muslim youths to maintain communal harmony and advocated justice to all.
Nik Aziz’s recent remarks: “I did not ask to be born Malay, as long as I am allowed to be a Muslim,” are very brave words indeed.
Malays should seriously reflect on it, and give it some thought. It takes a very wise and brave Muslim to utter such a statement.
With massive media blitz by the MSM in the past to discredit his reputation, Nik Aziz still stands tall. Most Malays has a soft spot for this great man, a living legend, and an inspiration to the Malays. Lovingly called Tok Guru, he is looked upon as the embodiment of Islam and highly respected by Muslims of all ages.
His insistence to live a simple life with a simple house and a simple car, forgoing the Menteri Besar’s Residence has rattled most politicians of the Opposition ( In Kelantan PR is the ruling coalition) who could not do without their little istanas, high powered limousines, and their flair for material wealth. They could only look on at Nik Aziz with disbelief.
Reigning over Kelantan, his government is corruption free and people friendly, and everyone lives in peace and harmony. Even Non Malay residents have little to complaint about the State government, yet somehow the Opposition saw it fit to try and charge him for corruption over a RM2000 layered cake.
Guan Eng, another passive leader of the ruling coalition who also shunned the statesmen lifestyle for a meagre one, is also a target of character assassination. It’s a wonder that boring, no nonsense and pious leaders like them makes such juicy news.
With countless attempts to discredit him, Tok Guru still soldiers on faithfully carrying out his duties to rule the state of Kelantan and continuing to be the Spiritual Advisor of PAS. Unlike his other counter parts like Hadi Awang and Nizar Jamaludin, he has stood the test of time.
Many Malays see PAS as a party that champions and upholds the principles of Islam. PAS must also prove to all Malaysians that it can uphold Islam without resorting to extreme measures. In the words of Nik Aziz: “that all races are the same, and what makes a person special is that he is a Muslim.” He also said that he was striving for Islam as a religion of moderation and was opposed to extremism which contradicted Islam.
A while ago, secret talks were initiated in the guise of Malay unity talks to repair UMNO –PAS rifts. There was talk that PAS may rejoin UMNO. Nik Aziz on finding out furiously retorted that PAS should never ever entertain any thoughts of rejoining UMNO. Doing so, would forever close the door to a true Malaysian democracy. True Muslims will not take the bait, and Malays will not want to see it happen.
PAS has since reinvented itself with the infusion of young moderate professionals, and projecting a more moderate outlook. It has trimmed down on its fiery religious rhetoric and corporatized its image.
When Pakatan Rakyat won in Perak, Malaysians look on in astonishment, as DAP offered the post of Menteri Besar to PAS. That showed the excellent cooperation of the PR coalition for the common good.
Nizar also proved to be the perfect candidate, gaining instant approval of Perakians. In an instant Malaysian’s perception of PAS had changed. Nizar was the perfect gentleman in his western suit, so unlike the regular garb that was the trademark of PAS. If not for the Toyota Camry incident, Nizar will still have a government to rule.
However, the stigma is still there. The issue of Hudud Laws, amplified to maximum by the MSM continue to haunt Muslims and Non Muslims alike. Careful study has shown that Hudud is more a preventive than a punitive law, requiring 4 witnesses to certify proof, therefore affording adequate protection to the accused. This issue has been taken out of context by the MSM. PAS was crucified to the maximum, with the public shunning the party like a blood sucking leech. PAS was also made out to be an extremist party with talibanistic goals.
PAS sees it as a religious duty to implement these laws, but Non Malays will object vehemently, unless total understanding and acceptance is taught. But like any other policies, these laws must be thoroughly explained and accepted by the general populace. Failure to do so will only reflect on PAS suitability to rule.
So if PAS wants to win over the Non Malays it really has got to have good Public Relations and projects itself as a modern, professional Political Party with a moderate outlook.
A recent incident involving PAS Youth chief Nasruddin Tantawi, over Valentine’s Day was immediately condemned by non-Malays as extreme. Grossly misquoted by the MSM, Poor Nasruddin had to trip over himself, apologizing profusely for the misunderstanding to all quarters.
If PAS Youth continues to be trigger happy in their stand on religious controversies, without taking into consideration the sensitivities of other faiths, it will negate all efforts PAS has made to mollify the nation.
PAS, unlike DAP and PKR opens its membership to Muslims and Malays only, and this does not augur well with the public, who sees it as an elitist party.
PAS is seen as the backbone of the PR coalition. Until now it has done its job well, but its enemies will continue to find faults to crucify this party.
And finally, if Malays can understand the real meaning in Nik Aziz’s statement, we should put our differences aside and declare that we are Muslims first, followed by Malaysian next.
As for race, we can throw it out of the window. Only racists will put race first. It should be a dirty word, deleted from our IC’s, and our History Books. Nobody should ever have to go through the humiliation of writing our race on any forms.
Those who disagree, please leave this country, go back to Yunnan, Indonesia, China, India or where ever. Full stop!
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has admitted in his autobiography out today that he has Indian blood but maintained that he is still Malay “and proud of it”.
“I admit that some Indian, or more accurately South Asian, blood flows in my veins, but from which part of the Indian subcontinent my ancestors came I do not know,” he wrote in the book titled “A Doctor in the House: The Memoirs of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad”.
“I am a Malay and am proud of it. I am a Malay not just on paper. I am also a Malay in sentiment and in spirit,” the former prime minister said in the 809-page tome which finally came out nearly eight years after his retirement.
“Some claim that my father was Malayalee and was fluent in both Tamil and Malayalam. Some have even written that he was a Hindu who converted to Islam to marry my mother. Others say they have seen documents clearly stating my ethnicity,” he wrote in the book.
“Nearly every Malay in Malaysia has some non-Malay blood. But that fact doesn’t make them any less Malay,” he said.
Dr Mahathir noted that Malays in the past did not keep track of their lineage, although most of those with Arab blood can trace their roots to Yemen and know which family they belong to.
The country’s longest-serving prime minister also said being Malay was no longer a question of descent but a legal construct.
“One is a Malay if one satisfies certain legal conditions. Constitutionally, a Malay is defined as a person who habitually speaks Malay, practises Malay customs and is a Muslim,” he wrote.
Dr Mahathir said any individual who met these conditions is a Malay and would be entitled to “certain rights that go with this legal personality”.
Malays and the native tribes of Malaysia, collectively known as Bumiputeras, have a special position under the constitution.
The provision is used by some lobby groups to justify race-based policies such as the New Economic Policy that prescribes affirmative action for Bumiputeras.
Dr Mahathir has in recent years stepped up his defence of the constitutional position of the Malays, and has been criticised for lending credibility to right-wing groups like Perkasa.
His strident tone has resulted in accusations that he was playing the race card in an attempt to shore up support for Umno.
Dr Mahathir, who ruled from 1981 to 2003, also dismissed last week claims that the Malays are immigrants just like the Chinese and Indians, arguing instead that Arabs, Indians and Indonesians had become constitutional Malays through assimilation.
He said in his book that as prime minister, every time he “made a mistake or an unpopular decision, people were ready with their ‘dim-witted Malay’ slurs”.
“But when I made good decisions, those that brought progress and prosperity to the nation, it was always because I had Indian blood,” Dr Mahathir said.
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