Answer the following in two or three sentences each :
1. What does the word secularism imply in the Indian context ?
In the Indian context, the word secularism implies all inclusiveness, religious, pluralism and peaceful co-existence. It is sarva dharma samabhavana which means equal respect for all religions expounded in Upanishads.
2. Why was there no blood shed in the name of religion under the feudal system ?
Under the feudal system, there was no bloodshed in the name of religion because there was no competition between different religions. They co-existed in peace and harmony though at times inter religious controversies did arise.
3. State the reason why Ashoka and Akbar have a place of great significance in the religious life of India ?
Ashoka's edicts clearly spell out policy of religious tolerance and Akbar used to hold inter-religious dialogue among followers of different religions. He followed the policy of tolerance and even withdrew the jizya tax on Hindus.
4. What was the approach of Sufis and Saints to the power structure of their time ?
They were highly tolerant and open to the truth in other faiths. They never adopted sectarian attitudes and were never involved in power struggles. They kept away from power structures.
5. What was Dara Shikoh's contribution to enriching religious harmony in India ?
Dara Shikoh wrote a religious book Majmaul Bahrayn (co-mingling of two Oceans- Islam and Hinduism ). Quoting from Hindu and Islamic scriptures he showed both religions had similar teaching. the difference was of languages ( Arabic and Sanskrit ) and not teaching. Thus he contributed richly to inter religious harmony in India.
6. How did British succeed in sowing the seeds of religious hatred in India ?
The British rules adopted the policy of divide and rule. distorted medieval Indian history to make Muslim rulers appears as tyrants to the Hindu elite. This distorted history was taught in new school system, which was established by the British rulers. Thus they succeeded in sowing the seeds of religious hatred in India.
7. Why, according to the author, were the Muslims left far behind in the race for progress ?
The Muslim ruling elite resisted new secular education system and also could not take to commerce and industry. thus the Muslims in India were left far behind in the race for progress.
8. Why, according to the author did the Muslims hitch their wagon with the British rulers ?
When compared with the Hindu elite the Muslim elite felt less secure in the emerging power structure. So they hitched their wagon with the British rulers.
9. What do the articles 14 to 21 and 25 of our constitution uphold ?
According to Articles 14 to 21, all will enjoy same rights without any dissemination on any ground. According to Article 25, all those who reside in India are free to confess, practice and propagate religion of one's choice subject to social health and law and order. Thus conversion to any religion of one's choice is a fundamental right.
10. What are the factors that have contributed in the wide prevalence of religious among people of all religious in India ?
The wide prevalence of religious tolerance in India can be attributed to the influence Indian doctrine that truth is one, but is manifested in different forms. The Sufi doctrine of wahdat alwujud ( Real Being is One ) implies that there is only one real Being and all of us are mere manifestations of that Real Being.
Answer the following questions in about 100 words each :
1. Write your on religious tolerance in the medieval society ?
The medieval society in India inherited the traditions of Ashoka and Budha. The Moghul emperor Akbar followed this tradition in state affairs and in his own private life. India had Sufi tradition in Islam and Bhakti tradition in Hinduism. Both were based on respect for different religions. They recognized the truth in other religions. They never adopted sectarian views and never involved in power struggles. The great Sufi Saint of 13 - 14th century saw the times of five Sultans, but never stooped before any of them. He refused the request of the last Sultan of his life time to come to the court. Dara Shikoh, the Hinduism. he wrote a book Majmaul Bahrayn ( co-mingling of Two oceans - Islam and Hinduism ). Quoting from Hindu and Islamic Scriptures he showed both religious had similar teachings.
2. Express your views on unholy alliance between politics and religions ?
Politics is social and religion is personal. Politics deals with the political life of society in general. It is concerned with the material life of citizens. But religion should deal with the spiritual life of individuals. each has its own sphere of activity. But the Indian scenario is quite disquieting and now-a-days it is alarming. Self seeking politicians seek to forge unholy alliance with religious and communal organizations in order to grab political power. The British rulers sought to divide Indians on grounds of religion. United Indian was thus divided into two countries- India and Pakistan. Even after Independence we see this tendency flourishing in India. This holy alliance between politics and religion has attained prevalence threatening to shatter the very fabric of secularism in India. this leads to appeasing one religions to vote and this in turn prompts the members of other religions to organise themselves to become a bargaining power. this will ultimately lead to division and hostility.
Essay Question
What are the author's observations on Indian secularism ? What is the present threat to communal harmony and peace ?
Ashgar Ali Engineer, an Indian Muslim and reformist writer, in his essay 'Secularism in India' examines the nature of Secularism in India. He defines what secularism has been in ancient India and what it is the present - day - India. Secularism is India has been totally different from what it has been in the West. in the west it means atheism. But the healthy secular traditions in India suffered a set back with the advent of the British rule. Their policy of divide and rule, distortion of medieval history, economic and political competitions among religions, all these led to the development of communal disharmony in our society.
Religion plays a very important role in the life of Indian people. But India has never been a mono religious country. Alien religions like Islam and Christianity co-existed with Hinduism, the main religion of India, in peace and harmony. The Upanishads expounded the world view of Hinduism - Sarvadharma Samabhavana, which means equal respect for all religions. Despite this, the caste system. which is prejudicial to lower castes, dominated Indian social life.
Even under feudalism there were no inter religious competitions. There never took Place blood shed in the name of religion. The policies of kings like Ashoka the Great and Akbar the Great contributed much to the fostering of religious harmony. the Sufi and this direction. these two streams attracted the poorer and lower caste Hindus to their fold. they never adopted sectarian attitude.
This warm and welcome atmosphere underwent a drastic change with the advent of the British rule in 19th century. They adopted the policy of 'divide and rule'. The British education system was aimed at this objective in view. Along with this, there developed economic and political competition between Hindu and Muslim elite leading to communal tensions. when the Hindu elite quickly adjusted to modern education system and commerce and industries, the Muslim ruling elite resisted the new education system and could not take to commerce and industry.
Secularism in India was more a political than philosophical phenomenon. the Muslim ruling class could not come to terms with power sharing arrangement and this resulted in the partition of the country. India was divided into two - India and Pakistan. While India remained secular, Pakistan adopted Islam as its State religion. Here, the main struggle was between secularism and communalism.
The main question raised in the post independent India is : how many people are against people of minority religions like Islam and Christianity and how many people respect them. the answer is very simple- majority of Indian people are secular. What we have to do is to keep up and strengthen the secular tradition of India; i.e., the Sufi and Bhakti traditions.
A major threat to secularism in is from the mingling of religion and politics. It is not mingling but mixing. religious group, both of majority and minority, organize themselves into political parties with a view to grab political power as a means of economic power. Secularism fails when opposing communal parties enter into politics. This is the main threat that our secular democratic polity faces today. It is politicians who divide people with the help of majority of religious leaders. They seek to mobilise votes on grounds of primordial identities like religion, caste and ethnicity.
1. What does the word secularism imply in the Indian context ?
In the Indian context, the word secularism implies all inclusiveness, religious, pluralism and peaceful co-existence. It is sarva dharma samabhavana which means equal respect for all religions expounded in Upanishads.
2. Why was there no blood shed in the name of religion under the feudal system ?
Under the feudal system, there was no bloodshed in the name of religion because there was no competition between different religions. They co-existed in peace and harmony though at times inter religious controversies did arise.
3. State the reason why Ashoka and Akbar have a place of great significance in the religious life of India ?
Ashoka's edicts clearly spell out policy of religious tolerance and Akbar used to hold inter-religious dialogue among followers of different religions. He followed the policy of tolerance and even withdrew the jizya tax on Hindus.
4. What was the approach of Sufis and Saints to the power structure of their time ?
They were highly tolerant and open to the truth in other faiths. They never adopted sectarian attitudes and were never involved in power struggles. They kept away from power structures.
5. What was Dara Shikoh's contribution to enriching religious harmony in India ?
Dara Shikoh wrote a religious book Majmaul Bahrayn (co-mingling of two Oceans- Islam and Hinduism ). Quoting from Hindu and Islamic scriptures he showed both religions had similar teaching. the difference was of languages ( Arabic and Sanskrit ) and not teaching. Thus he contributed richly to inter religious harmony in India.
6. How did British succeed in sowing the seeds of religious hatred in India ?
The British rules adopted the policy of divide and rule. distorted medieval Indian history to make Muslim rulers appears as tyrants to the Hindu elite. This distorted history was taught in new school system, which was established by the British rulers. Thus they succeeded in sowing the seeds of religious hatred in India.
7. Why, according to the author, were the Muslims left far behind in the race for progress ?
The Muslim ruling elite resisted new secular education system and also could not take to commerce and industry. thus the Muslims in India were left far behind in the race for progress.
8. Why, according to the author did the Muslims hitch their wagon with the British rulers ?
When compared with the Hindu elite the Muslim elite felt less secure in the emerging power structure. So they hitched their wagon with the British rulers.
9. What do the articles 14 to 21 and 25 of our constitution uphold ?
According to Articles 14 to 21, all will enjoy same rights without any dissemination on any ground. According to Article 25, all those who reside in India are free to confess, practice and propagate religion of one's choice subject to social health and law and order. Thus conversion to any religion of one's choice is a fundamental right.
10. What are the factors that have contributed in the wide prevalence of religious among people of all religious in India ?
The wide prevalence of religious tolerance in India can be attributed to the influence Indian doctrine that truth is one, but is manifested in different forms. The Sufi doctrine of wahdat alwujud ( Real Being is One ) implies that there is only one real Being and all of us are mere manifestations of that Real Being.
Answer the following questions in about 100 words each :
1. Write your on religious tolerance in the medieval society ?
The medieval society in India inherited the traditions of Ashoka and Budha. The Moghul emperor Akbar followed this tradition in state affairs and in his own private life. India had Sufi tradition in Islam and Bhakti tradition in Hinduism. Both were based on respect for different religions. They recognized the truth in other religions. They never adopted sectarian views and never involved in power struggles. The great Sufi Saint of 13 - 14th century saw the times of five Sultans, but never stooped before any of them. He refused the request of the last Sultan of his life time to come to the court. Dara Shikoh, the Hinduism. he wrote a book Majmaul Bahrayn ( co-mingling of Two oceans - Islam and Hinduism ). Quoting from Hindu and Islamic Scriptures he showed both religious had similar teachings.
2. Express your views on unholy alliance between politics and religions ?
Politics is social and religion is personal. Politics deals with the political life of society in general. It is concerned with the material life of citizens. But religion should deal with the spiritual life of individuals. each has its own sphere of activity. But the Indian scenario is quite disquieting and now-a-days it is alarming. Self seeking politicians seek to forge unholy alliance with religious and communal organizations in order to grab political power. The British rulers sought to divide Indians on grounds of religion. United Indian was thus divided into two countries- India and Pakistan. Even after Independence we see this tendency flourishing in India. This holy alliance between politics and religion has attained prevalence threatening to shatter the very fabric of secularism in India. this leads to appeasing one religions to vote and this in turn prompts the members of other religions to organise themselves to become a bargaining power. this will ultimately lead to division and hostility.
Essay Question
What are the author's observations on Indian secularism ? What is the present threat to communal harmony and peace ?
Ashgar Ali Engineer, an Indian Muslim and reformist writer, in his essay 'Secularism in India' examines the nature of Secularism in India. He defines what secularism has been in ancient India and what it is the present - day - India. Secularism is India has been totally different from what it has been in the West. in the west it means atheism. But the healthy secular traditions in India suffered a set back with the advent of the British rule. Their policy of divide and rule, distortion of medieval history, economic and political competitions among religions, all these led to the development of communal disharmony in our society.
Religion plays a very important role in the life of Indian people. But India has never been a mono religious country. Alien religions like Islam and Christianity co-existed with Hinduism, the main religion of India, in peace and harmony. The Upanishads expounded the world view of Hinduism - Sarvadharma Samabhavana, which means equal respect for all religions. Despite this, the caste system. which is prejudicial to lower castes, dominated Indian social life.
Even under feudalism there were no inter religious competitions. There never took Place blood shed in the name of religion. The policies of kings like Ashoka the Great and Akbar the Great contributed much to the fostering of religious harmony. the Sufi and this direction. these two streams attracted the poorer and lower caste Hindus to their fold. they never adopted sectarian attitude.
This warm and welcome atmosphere underwent a drastic change with the advent of the British rule in 19th century. They adopted the policy of 'divide and rule'. The British education system was aimed at this objective in view. Along with this, there developed economic and political competition between Hindu and Muslim elite leading to communal tensions. when the Hindu elite quickly adjusted to modern education system and commerce and industries, the Muslim ruling elite resisted the new education system and could not take to commerce and industry.
Secularism in India was more a political than philosophical phenomenon. the Muslim ruling class could not come to terms with power sharing arrangement and this resulted in the partition of the country. India was divided into two - India and Pakistan. While India remained secular, Pakistan adopted Islam as its State religion. Here, the main struggle was between secularism and communalism.
The main question raised in the post independent India is : how many people are against people of minority religions like Islam and Christianity and how many people respect them. the answer is very simple- majority of Indian people are secular. What we have to do is to keep up and strengthen the secular tradition of India; i.e., the Sufi and Bhakti traditions.
A major threat to secularism in is from the mingling of religion and politics. It is not mingling but mixing. religious group, both of majority and minority, organize themselves into political parties with a view to grab political power as a means of economic power. Secularism fails when opposing communal parties enter into politics. This is the main threat that our secular democratic polity faces today. It is politicians who divide people with the help of majority of religious leaders. They seek to mobilise votes on grounds of primordial identities like religion, caste and ethnicity.
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