National Security
Hijbullah
Dt: 23/6/14
Hijbullah
Dr T.H.Chowdary*
In a recent issue of Metro India, in the Edit page there was a short exposition on Hijballah. It is said that it means God’s party. In fact, Hijbullah now is a militant, armed jihadi outfit operating in Lebanon and in the Gaza Strip of Palestine vowing to throw out the Jews of Israel into the Mediterranean Sea. Hijbullah is god’s party . It is this definition and its understanding that are at the root of the mindless violence that members of the Hijbullah practise. It was unfortunate that the gods of the semetic religions, Judaism and Islam have their chosen people the Jews and Arabs respectively. The rest of the world’s people are sinners. They have to be saved only by converting them to the true faith, Christianity (following Judaism) and Islam. Their gods have enjoined upon the believers to convert the people of all other faiths to their own faith. In lies this mission the seeds of conflict because if one has to be faithful and true to his God, he must exert to convert others. That has been impossible . Christianity is more than 2000 years old. Yet, not more than 30% of the seven billion people in the world are Christians. Islam is about 1400 years old. Less than one third of the world’s people are Muslims. It is therefore clear that neither the God of Christians nor of Islam nor their followers have been able to convert the rest to their own faith. The Sikh guru Arjun Dev, when ordered to embrace Islam said, that “when your Prophet himself could not convert the entire world to his faith, how could a mere mortal like you, though an emperor (Jahangir) convert everyone to Islam”?
2. In contrast to the gods of the Semitic religions acclaiming their followers as the party of god, is Lord Krishna’s message in Bhagawadgita.
“samoham sarva bhuteshu, na me dhveshyosthi na priyaha”
- Bhagawadgita- Ch- 9.29
3. meaning, “All the created being are equal to me. None are despised by me nor are any the preferred. This means that since God is the creator of the universe of a animate as well as the animate, he cannot any of his own creation. It follows that all the created must be mutually respectful and preserving . This is the supreme message of sanatan dharma, that is Hinduism . It is the misguided faith of some people which drives them to convert others. Variety is part of nature. All the created things together make this harmonious universe and our planet. Preserving this harmony by respecting the variety is enjoined as the greatest virtue of a human being. Causing least violence to every part of creation is the virtue to be practised . All of us and all things are lived in by the creator (Isa vaasyamidam – the whole universe is inhabited by the Lord). Hinduism properly understood and truly practised leads to loka sangraha - that is, preservation of the created, the stars, the planets, the rivers, the forests, the deserts, the animals and birds, and human beings. It teaches that supporting one another, all can live in utmost welfare and happiness (parasparam bhavayantaha sreyo paramaabhyadha).
4. Finally this idea of Hijbullah, that Muslims being the party of god is a dangerous one. Once the learned Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was asked by his Muslim listeners as to which party should Muslims join ( Congress or Muslim League). His reply was: “ Muslims need not join any party because they are the party of God”. This idea has found legal validity in Pakistan which has enacted blasphemy laws. Any person alleged to have denigrated Islam or the Prophet or the Holy Book, Koran is liable to be executed. This idea of Hijbullah that is, some people being the party of god must be exorcised to avoid conflict and bloodshed among humans. (647 words)
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