Let Religion Incite Peace- Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights- December 10, 2008
Posted by rinnik on December 7, 2008
Muslim religious organizations’ call for muslims to tone down the celebrations of Eid-ul-Azha which falls on 9 December 2009 as a gesture of sympathy to the victims and families of the recent Mumbai terror attacks are reported in the Indian newspapers. The purpose of such call sounds genuine. Such attacks are never acceptable in a civilized society. It was ruthless. It was brutally cold.
I do not agree. I can’t believe Muslim religious organizations could could call for such actions. It sounds hollow. It doesn’t make sense. Religion per se is all for the good of us all. It inculcates in our stubborn and proud minds the path towards the truth, towards a glorious end, to be the ‘humane’ beings we were created to be.
Eid-ul-Azha ,commonly known as the Hajj, is a day of sacrifice. It is one of the five pillars of Islam, the foremost being the Kalima ( declaration),Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, Namaaz or prayers and Charity. Hajj is celebrated to commemorate the days when Ibrahim willingly offered his son, Ismael to Allah as a sacrifice.That was in Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. Since then , there has been a multitude of muslims all over the world who joined the pilgrimage to commemorate this day and multitudes more to do so. There are no kings, no masters, no servants.ONLY ALLAH.Everyone stands equal before HIM. Every man wears the same piece of garment and the women wear long dresses as the custom.And there is no segregation of men and women. This is the beauty and the significance, if I may be allowed to express, of this pilgrimage
Islam as all religions does not teach hatred. It does not teach violence. It inculcates love.It inculcates respect for all things created.And respect for human rights.The lesson learned from this very beautiful pilgrimage is very simply stated, the triumph of Good over Evil. What more can be a better platform to spread this message than this day?
And here we are, in this world of wide hypocrisy. Politics and Power has become the names of the games enacted by stage actors. We give credit and acknowledge that most governments of the world exist for the betterment of their citizens. However, it can’t also be denied that there are few who enact these games for the sole purpose of self-aggrandisement to the detriment of the lives of the people who chose them to serve for the better.
Politics and Power rule the world. Mostly for the good but the little that is left is catastrophic. That is where real deep-seated politics and power lie. Others may contend that religion is power by itself. It is. If used to its full ideals. But in this game of games,the very essence and ideals of religion itself is not spared. At what cost? Violence. Hatred. Death.War.And the very expensive violations of human rights. Religion is being used as a power to destroy.
Where hatred and discontent abound, Religion is a very powerful tool not to divide but to unite all people. Let religion be a vehicle to incite PEACE .It’s a solution to peace and a solution to live the decent lives we all deserve to live. The ‘ right’ message of religion should not be diminished. Its message has to be spread speedily.It is the moral obligation of every rationale human being to do so. It is the moral obligation of every ‘true’ religious organization.
What do we hope to gain in the end? Every single one of us is destined to move on to the next world ( if you believe in the Hereafter),for better or for worse,where life is immortal, where blessings are everlasting. Some may disagree and say ” You live in an illusionary world, in the ages past”in the context that ours is a world where everyone has the fundamental right to make one’s choice and live by the choice one makes. But I would still say,there is no time. Or is there? Today, we probably have time enough.Take a chance.The choice is yours.
Help make human rights a reality for everyone. Give peace a chance.
On the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 10 December 2008.
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