The Hindu : Front Page : <I>Fatwa</I> against terror, advice from mahant

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 28, 2006

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Front Page

Fatwa against terror, advice from mahant

Meena Menon

153 citizens, who lent a helping hand to victims of Mumbai serial blasts, honoured

— Photo: Vivek Bendre

IN GOOD COMPANY: Mahant Veerbhadra Mishra of Sankat Mochan Mandir (right) and Maulana Mufti Usmani of Deoband at a meeting organised by the Citizens for Justice and Peace in Mumbai on Thursday.

MUMBAI: "There is a world of difference between Islamic jihad and terrorism," proclaims Mufti Fuzail-ur-Rahman Hilal Usmani of the Darus Salam Islamic Centre, Punjab.

Addressing a public meeting on Citizens against Terror, organised by the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) and other groups here on Thursday, the Mufti said that in Islam, a jihad is that ultimate stage when you give your life to break the shackles of slavery so that human beings can be free.

"In total contrast to this, terrorism is aimed at terrorising people, at creating a climate of terror that snatches away from people their right to life," said Mr. Usmani, also Mufti of the Darul Uloom, Deoband, dispelling some commonly held beliefs on jihad.

"Every human life is precious in Islam and the killing of even one innocent person is akin to the massacre of all humankind. In Islam as in any other civilised social order, acts of terror are heinous and despicable crimes," said the Mufti in this unusual fatwa.

Message of peace

The message that went out from this well-attended meeting from every one of the speakers, which included Veer Bhadra Mishra, the Mahant of the Sankat Mochan temple in Varanasi which was attacked in March this year, was one of peace and the need to remain united in the face of terror. The CJP and others also honoured 153 citizens of Mumbai who helped the victims of the July 11 serial blasts in Mumbai.

Dr. Mishra, who is no stranger to bomb blasts, spoke of how he had enforced calm after the attack on March 7 and brought back a semblance of peace. Nothing should be done in hatred and fear, he said, adding that people should be alert about what was happening around them. Don't look at what was happening in isolation, he warned. Recent events had to be examined in the context of what was taking place in Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries.

Mumbai is an important nerve centre and its people must be vigilant so that the situation does not worsen, he said. No support should be given to those who indulge in terrorism. Politicians should not play games to divide people on communal lines and communities must think ahead and stop the spread of such actions stemming from hate, he added.

Mumbai's citizens like Vijay Shukla were among those honoured for their role in saving the victims of the blasts. Mr. Shukla said that even though he was scared after seeing the bodies and mutilated people, he and his friends worked hard to get the injured to hospital. Usman Wakharia too spoke about the hideous scenes he witnessed after the blast and how he tried to help people. "I want to ask who has done this crime and what did they want to achieve? Anyway they have not been able to break our unity," he said.

Free treatment

Pramod Patil from Mira Road said that he and his friends decided to ensure that people got their dues from the government and they approached the authorities to make sure people were treated free of cost. There were people who were not even on the list of injured and not entitled to compensation. "We made sure we did all that," he said.

Ravindra Raghuvanshi from the Bhakti Vedanta Hospital Health Forum said t rickshawallahs helped the most by taking people to hospitals. At the Bhakti Vedanta Hospital, Mira Road, people were treated free of cost.

Mukhtar Khan spoke of how he went to the smaller clinics and hospitals preparing a list of victims and making sure they were treated free of cost.

People like Salim Qureishi from the Al Hind Ekta Society and his friend Mohamed Yusuf jumped onto the tracks and helped take commuters to hospitals.

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