कुछ समय पूर्व तक हम दूसरे धर्मों के पूजनीय व्यक्तियों का आदर किया करते थे

फेसबुक पर जिस प्रकार की पोस्ट देखने को मिल रही हैं उन्हें देख कर मन पीडि़त हो उठता है। कुछ समय पूर्व तक हम दूसरे धर्मों के पूजनीय व्यक्तियों का आदर किया करते थे। आज भी अधिकतर लोग ऐसा कर रहे हैं। परन्तु एक सोची समझी साजिश के तहत दो बड़े धर्मों के बीच दूरियां पैदा करने की कोशिश की जा रही है ताकि अपने धर्म से प्रेम करने वाला बेचारा आम आदमी इनकी चालों में ग्रस्त होकर एक दूसरे का दुश्मन बन जाए। इंसान जुलमत के साए में ऐसा भटक गया है कि अपना उल्लू सीधा करने के लिए किसी भी हद तक जाने को तैयार है भले ही उसका अगला जीवन अंधकारमय हो जाए।

इनमें कई फेसबुक आईडी ऐसी हैं जो हिन्दुओं के नाम से बनी हैं और वह मौहम्मद और उनके धर्म पर ऐसी ऐसी टिप्पणियां करते हैं जिनका सत्य से कोई सम्बंध नहीं। यही नहीं यह लोग कई प्रख्यात किताबों का भी उल्लेख करते हैं जिनको हिन्दु तो दूर मुसलमानों ने भी नहीं पढ़ा। कहते हैं यह हदीस उक्त किताब से है परन्तु यह केवल झूट पर आधारित बातें होती हैं।

दूसरी ओर मुसलमान नाम की आई डी से ऐसी बेहूदी बातें की जाती हैं जो हिन्दु देवताओं और देवियों के प्रति घोर अपमान है। तमाम सीमाएं लांघ कर यह ऐसी घृणित बातें करते हैं कि मैं उनको नकल करने की सोच भी नहीं सकता।

जानना चाहते हो अचानक ऐसा क्यो शुरू हो गया? आज तक जुलमत अर्थात अंधकार की ताकत हर धर्म के मानने वाले को ईश्वर तक पहुंचने के मार्ग से भटकाती आई है। उसने हिन्दुओं को सत्य मार्ग से दूर किया, फिर दूसरों को और अंत में मुसलमानों को भटका दिया इस हद तक कि मुसलमानों को पता ही नहीं कि अहलेबैत का रोल ईश्वर की इस सृष्टि में क्या है। परन्तु सत्य सामने आया तो धर्मों की दीवारों गिरने लगी और ईश्वर का सीधा रास्ता सामने दिखाई देने लगा। जुलमत के पास कोई चारा नहीं बचा सिवाय इसके कि वह विभिन्न धर्म की पूजनीय हस्तियों पर ही हमला प्रारंभ करा दे। परन्तु उसे क्या पता कि ऐसा होगा इसकी भी भविष्यवाणी उपनिषदों ने पहले से कर दी थी। ब्रहद अराण्यका उपनिषद बताता है कि कैसे हर हमले में देवता प्राजित होते दिखे परन्तु अंत में उनकी जीत हुई।

मेरे पोस्ट “The True Content of the Vedas (Part – V) में मैंने लिखा थाः

Third Brahmana of Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad talks of the knowledge related to the Divine Creation Plan. It says that this knowledge is so important that even the devas used this knowledge to gain victory over demons. Demons who did not chant the Udgitha and tried to replace it with evil, perished in the end. Says Anandagiri: “The fact that this knowledge is the Udgitha can be understood by word ‘proksitam’ meaning sanctified, mantra-samskrtam.” Unfortunately, this knowledge has remained lost to us till now and the perishing of demons that has been talked about has not happened yet but will happen in the near future when the true knowledge about the true path surfaces.

This Brahmana starts with the description of demons and the devas. It clearly states how the fight between men of demonic character and devas has continued in all times. Evil men have tried to corrupt this knowledge again and again, and the devas have tried to fight them, and have not refrained from sacrifices, even if it meant giving their lives.

It is unfortunate that commentators have taken this to mean some prehistoric occasion when devas and demons fought a prolonged battle. Once this meaning was understood, several myths grew around this, thus substantiating the aforementioned view. Truth is that at all times, it is we men, and the evil among us, who have fought with the devas and killed them. This fight between good and bad is still going on in this world. The devas are ceaselessly trying to lead us to God, while the demons representing the Force of Darkness (zulmat) wants us to corrupt that knowledge so that we do not come close to the straight path that leads to God.

See how the fight between devas and demons is described in this Brahmana.

I.III.1
There were two classes of the descendants of Prajapati, the devas and the demons.” “The gods (read devas) said, come, let us overcome the demons at the sacrifice through the Udgitha.

I.III.2:
They said to speech, chant (the Udgitha) for us; ‘so be it’, said speech and chanted for them. Whatever enjoyment there is in speech, it secured for the devas by chanting: that it spoke well was for itself. The demons knew, verily, by this chanter, they (devas) will overcome us. They rushed upon it and pierced it with evil. That evil which consists in speaking what is improper, that is that evil.

It is evident from aforementioned verse that some speech was given to the men; the devil among them realized immediately that they would be defeated because of this speech. Therefore, they corrupted the speech with evil, so that nobody could recognize the true face of the teachings. We will prove later that the Udgitha too stands for the 14 devas. Therefore, it is clear that the demons pierced the speech, so much so that none takes the name of the 14 devas now. Likewise, they did the same to life-breath, as is described in I.III.3.

I.III.3:
Then they said to the life-breath, chant (the Udgitha) for us. ‘So be it’, said the life-breath and chanted for them. Whatever enjoyment there is in the life-breath, it secured for the devas by chanting; that it smelt well was for itself. The demons knew, ‘verily, by this chanter, they will overcome us.’ They rushed upon it and pierced it with evil. That evil which consists in smelling what is improper, that is that evil.

After this, in I.III.4-6, it is described that demons did the same to eye, ear and mind. Every time the Udgitha was chanted, they pierced the knowledge with evil thereby effacing the true teachings of devas from the eye, ear and mind.

I.III.7:
Then they said to the vital breath in the mouth: ‘Chant (the Udgitha) for us.’ ‘So be it,’ said this breath and chanted for them. They (the demons) knew, ‘verily, by this chanter, they will overcome us.’ They rushed upon him and desired to pierce him with evil. But as a clod of earth would be scattered by striking against a rock, even so they were scattered in all directions and perished. Therefore the devas became and the demons were crushed. He who knows this becomes his true self and the enemy who hates him is crushed.

The men of demonic character, who had corrupted the real position of devas and obliterated their names from speech, life breath, eye, ear and mind, failed when they tried to remove their names from the vital breath. Consequently, the demons themselves vanquished.

This shows the lofty position of devas in relation to our life. We know now that the cosmos was created after the creation of the devas. But what we do not know yet is the fact that the cosmos was created out of the noor or light of the devas and they continue to be an important constituent of the entire cosmos, including us. Upanishads that explicitly describe how the 14 devas – the fourteen guardians of the spheres and the rulers of our organs of senses and action – are part of our beings, so much so that when the last of the deva on earth is killed, the entire cosmos will be destroyed. That the world is heading towards dissolution is evident from the fact that 13 of the Ahlulbayt have already been killed and only the last remains, waiting for the suitable time when Vishnu would ask him to appear. That day is not very far away.

तुम्हें पता होना चाहिए मौहम्मद कौन हैं? इंद्र ही वह देव हैं जो जब धरती पर आए तो मौहम्मद कहलाए। क्या तुम जानते हो भोले नाथ कौन हैं? शिव ने जब मानव शरीर में धरती पर जन्म लिया तो अली कहलाए। विष्णू ईश्वर अर्थात अल्लाह की वह पहली खिलकत है जिसे कुरान ने अल्लाह का चेहरा बताया। कृष्ण के शरीर में विष्णू द्वारा बनाया गया नूर अवतरित हुआ। अली के बेटे हुसैन का सिर काटा गया तो शिव के बेटे गणेश अर्थात अग्निदेव का भी सिर काटा गया।

आज हिन्दु मुसलमानों की किताबों से मुसलमानों के धर्म पर हमले कर रहे हैं तो मुसलमान हिन्दुओं की किताबों से हिन्दुओं पर हमले कर रहे हैं। तुम जानना चाहते हो इस प्रकार की भ्रमित बातें किताबों में क्यों आ गईं। इस लिए कि पहले दिन से जुलमत अर्थात अंधकार की ताकत नहीं चाहती थी कि लोग नूर के रास्ते आकर विष्णू तक पहुंचे क्योंकि ऐसा होना ही जुलमत की हार थी। जुलमत ने कोई कसर नहीं छोड़ी कि नूर के पथ से लोगों को भ्रष्ट करे और हकीकत के आगे ऐसे जाल डाल दे कि कोई हकीकत तक न पहुंच सके। जब मौहम्मद और अली के शरीर में नूर अवतरित हुआ तो भी जुलमत ने हर कोशिश की कि ऐसी क्हानियां प्रचलित करा दे कि लोग उनके मार्ग से विचलित हो जाएं। जरा सोचो, जिस प्रकार की कहानियां इंद्र के लिए प्रचलित हैं उसी प्रकार की क्हानियां मौहम्मद के लिए प्रचलित हैं। क्यों? क्योंकि दोनों एक ही हैं। जुलमत की ताकत जो इनके विरूद्ध काम कर रही है वह भी एक ही प्रकार के हमले कर रही है। मौहम्मद के जाने के कुछ समय बाद से तमाम मुस्लिम दुनिया की हर मस्जिद से जुमे के खुतबे में अली को बुरा भला कहा जा रहा था। क्या सोचा जा सकता है कि इस जमाने में किताबों में उल्टी सीधी हदीसें नहीं डाली गई होंगी?

दूसरा कारण यह है कि सच्चाई को समझ न पाने के कारण लोगों ने विभिन्न प्रकार की क्हानियां गढ़ लीं। तुम जानते हो कि पैगम्बर मौहम्मद के देहांत के बाद मुसलमानों ने अली के घर के दरवाजे में आग लगा दी, उनकी पत्नी फातिमा अर्थात देवी के गर्भ में बच्चे को शहीद कर दिया और अली के गले में रस्सी का फंदा डाल कर उन्हें खींचते हुए मस्जिद तक ले गए। गले में फंदा डाल कर खींचने का वर्णन वेद ने पहले ही कर दिया था। परन्तु उस समय कौन समझ सकता था कि वह देवता जिनके अधीन सारी सृष्टि है उनको कोई गले में रस्सी डाल कर खींचेगा। यह किसी को नहीं पता था कि वही देवता जब मानव शरीर में आएंगे तो आम इंसानों जैसा व्यवहार करेंगे। वेद के मंत्र में देवता का नाम, रस्सी, फंदा, दुश्मन, आदि शब्द आए थे। तो वेद के ज्ञानियों ने अनुवाद किया कि देवता रस्सी के फंदे से दुश्मनों को पकड़ते हैं।

हकीकत वेदों में ही छिपी है। परन्तु अहलेबैत की जीवनी को जानते हुए वेदों को फिर से पढ़े बिना तुम हकीकत को पहचान नहीं सकते। कुरान कहता है तुम ने एक चाल चली, हम ने एक चाल चली, अल्लाह से बेहतर चाल कौन चल सकता है।

STATUS OF WOMAN IN ISLAM [Part – II]

It is reported that someone once asked Mohammad whether he was happier in Makkah or Medina. Prophet replied that he was happier in Makkah. This amazed the questioner as during the 13 years of life as Prophet in Makkah, Mohammad was never allowed to live in peace. There were cases of the Makkans throwing camel skin on Mohammad’s back as he prostrated before God. He was beaten, children used to aim stones at him while an old woman used to throw garbage on his head almost on daily basis. Those who supported him too were not allowed to live in peace. They were abused and beaten and at times several of them died of torture. For three years, Mohammad and his family were thrown out of the city and out-casted to live a life of misery at Sheb-e-Abi Talib, a barren land near Makkah where there was no food and no water available for days. Mohammad and his companions had to eat stalks and stems of trees and raw grass. At times Mohammad even used to tie stone on his stomach to relieve him from hunger. Mohammad’s beloved wife Khadija couldn’t face the hardships at Sheb-e-Abi Talib and died immediately after the 3 year-old dictate of Makkans ended and Mohammad and his relatives returned to Makkah. Finally, when the plot to kill Mohammad was unveiled by God, Mohammad migrated to Medina, where he lived for another 10 years.

Yet, Mohammad said that he was happier at Makkah. When asked the reason, Mohammad said that his wife of 27 years – Khadija - was the reason. When Mohammad used to return home after the day’s toil and hardship it was Khadija whose presence at home served as a soothing balm. Khadija’s words of encouragement made him more determined than ever to propagate his teachings with renewed force the next day.

There is no doubt that Khadija was the most beloved of all wives of Mohammad. Till she was alive Mohammad never thought of marrying anybody else. Khadija passed away when Mohammad was 52 years old. He migrated to Medina at the age of 53. It was here that we hear of 9 more wives.

Fact is that Muslims have never given the place to Khadija that she deserves. When books related to Islamic traditions were written about 200 years later, we find an attempt to portray two wives as the closest. These two wives were incidentally the daughters of the first two Caliphs. In an attempt to show that these wives were the closest, a lot many stories were concocted, which has nothing to do with reality. The concocters of these stories vied with each other to put down ridiculous events and incidents, to the extent that even today Mohammad’s character has come under scanner. What were they gaining from concocting such stories is obvious because, we will show later, it was in accordance with the Umayyad and Abbasid rulers’ scheme of things that certain people were portrayed as closest to Mohammad. It was natural that when two of the wives were being projected as closest, several stories related to sexual behaviour were concocted. This was done unmindful of the fact that such stories tarnished the image and the very ideals that Mohammad stood for.

I invite you to have a glance at two plus two once again. Quran says hearts of two of the wives of Mohammad were not upright and there is no attempt by Muslims to find who these two wives are. It is these two wives who are portrayed by later day Muslims as being most intimate with Mohammad to the extent that several encounters of sexual orgies and stories of unnatural sexual behaviour are described with them. No other wife, not even Khadija who remained the wife for 27 years, has been found to describe any such incident from Mohammad’s life. Answer is obvious?

Ali was the divinely appointed Imam but Muslims chose the fathers of these two wives as the first and second Caliph respectively. Ali lived a secluded life but even then all attempts were made to malign his character from public platform by Muawiya who usurped the Caliphate from Ali. It was Muawiya who pushed one of these two wives to wage a war on Ali when Ali was sworn as the 4th Caliph. The later day rulers too knew that the Divine Command for Imamate was in the name of Ahlulbayt and a good number of people considered the Umayyads and the Abbasids as usurpers. They had never embraced Islam but were worldly rulers who used the garb of Islam to fulfil their material desires. Consequently the monarchy, that Prophet Mohammad took so much pains to abolish, was reinstated only a few decades after his death. It was this guilt that they were occupying the throne whereas the Divine Will for Imamate was for Ahlulbayt propelled them to kill and imprison the Ahlulbayt at the smallest concocted pretence. And it was this guilt alone because of which two of the wives of Prophet, who were daughters of the first two caliphs, were projected as the closest. After all Ahlulbayt meant ‘People of the House’ and these rulers wanted to show that certain other dwellers of the house of the Prophet were closer than the Ahlulbayt. Hence such concocted narrations which actually go on to tarnish the character of Mohammad, contrary to all his teachings. Little did these people realize that Ahlulbayt were not the ‘People of the house (of Prophet Mohammad), but were ‘People of the House (of God) [Keep in mind that Baytullah (House of Allah) was close by and Quran when addressing Mohammad has also included Mohammad in the category of Ahlulbayt. Since Quran had taken guarantee of purity of Ahlulbayt and attempts were made to show that by Ahlulbayt not ‘People of the House (of God) were meant but ‘People of the House (of Mohammad) were meant, certain wives were given prominence through falsely concocted traditions to confuse everyone regarding who were the actual People of the House.

Since the Umayyad and Abbasid rulers were not Muslims at heart, they had no problem tarnishing the image of Ali from the pulpits of mosques all across the Muslim world despite the great Divine Role that Mohammad and Quran had bestowed on Ali. They did all they could to tarnish the image of Ali and rest of Ahlulbayt but failed. They would have done the same in the case of Mohammad but they knew that they were enjoying the fruits of kingdom and consequent loyalty of a good number of subjects only in the name of Mohammad. Hence, while the rest of Ahlulbayt were tortured and imprisoned and killed, they adopted a different strategy in case of Mohammad by doing all they could to malign his character and change the spirit of his teachings. They maligned Mohammad’s character through circulating concocted traditions related to Mohammad. There are several such traditions from people like Abu Huraira that have found place in books of traditions considered most authentic by the Muslims. It is these traditions that are used by people who are bent on attacking Islamic teachings. Such people are least bothered about checking the veracity of these traditions, they are least bothered about trying to know why these two wives alone are the center of all such traditions that malign the character of Mohammad and they also overlook that Quran itself points at two wives in a negative manner.

Fact is that Islam had, for the first time, bestowed equal rights on men and women. Such equality was not even dreamed off before. There are traditions in Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sahih Tirmizi, Sunan-e-Ibn-e-Dawood which give equal place to woman. Raising of girl child has been encouraged. It is said that a girl is a boon and if someone raises two girls, he is guaranteed a place in heaven. Quran says that woman is equal to man in terms of worship and reward with the only difference that she has been exempted from armed combat. This has been done keeping the basic nature of woman and her feminine character in mind.

Fact is that today we have wrong notions of equality. For instance, if there is a 3 year old boy, 30 year old young man and a 90 year old man, equality is not in giving 3 loaves of bread to each one of them. For the 3 year old child may need just one loaf, the old man may need 2 loafs and the young man may need 5 loafs. Islam also does not have a concept of equality that is present when 3 lakh is kept as the minimum yearly income when someone will have to pay tax. Imagine an employee who has inherited good amount of property and has only himself to take care of. At the same time, there is an employee who has wife and 2 children who go to school, ailing parents who need medical attention on daily basis and 2 sisters, one of whom is spastic, to take care of and lives in a rented accommodation. Both earn 3 lakh and will have to pay 10% as tax. Is it equality? Islamic concept of equality is different. As per this, after meeting the basic needs of the family, at par with the social status of the family, what is left after meeting all the expenses is the amount that is taxable. Therefore, even if two people are earning 3 lakh each and one pays 20000 as tax while the other pays nothing, it is greater equality than both paying 30000 each as tax.

Quran also says that women are the ornaments of man; woman has been described as man’s solace. When this woman becomes a mother, Quran bestows such regard on her that it is forbidden for sons to even say ‘uff’ (the smallest syllable of dissent) to her. There is a tradition that someone came to Mohammad and said that I have done so much for my mother, have I been absolved of my responsibility. The Prophet said that this was not even equivalent to the one incident when the mother sacrificed her sleep by changing your wet clothing when you were a kid.

That Quran talks of two female witnesses instead of one male and also gives half share in the parental property to female descendent should also be seen keeping in view of this Islamic concept of equality. It is against the very nature of woman, who is temperamentally emotional and caring, and will feel out of place in the harsh world of being a witness. Likewise, women also inherits property from her husband and hence has been given half a share in parental property compared to her brothers. We have to keep in mind that these laws were made when women were themselves considered properties and had no say in property or society, neither in Europe nor in Asia, including India. Likewise, when woman is exempted from offering prayers and fasting during her menstrual periods, it is basically to honour her feminine character rather than reduce her days of worship. As per Islam, worship is not offering of prayers but obedience to God’s command. That is why there are specific commands when the prayers cannot be offered. Likewise, not offering prayers and fast during menstrual periods becomes worship itself when done with regard to obedience of Divine Command. It is equivalent to the command which says that if you are offering prayers and hear that a man is dying whom it is possible for you to save, it is obligatory for you to leave your prayer. Since God commands you to leave prayer, if you still do it, you are on the wrong.

There is one more area that is criticised by detractors of Islam. There is a specific verse in Quran which talks of abstaining from sex and if women still doesn’t change her ways even slapping or hitting her. I have seen long debates here on social media where people who are attacking Divine Command in Quran. They say that Islam allows beating of women. Islamic scholars on the other hand go on defensive and say that only mild slapping or flogging has been talked about. One scholar has even commented that this flogging has to be done with a very frail stem of a tree. Both the attackers and the defenders overlook the other part of the command where it is specifically mentioned that abstaining from sex and beating has to be carried out if the women is seen to be disloyal.

It is in fact a very noble feature of Islam that it does not allow the man to go to the extreme even when loyalty is under doubt. If the woman is cheating on her husband, she already has no regard to the sanctity of a married life. In such a situation, if you do not even want the man to punish her mildly, you are acting against the basic nature of man. If a woman wants proximity with another man other than husband, she can talk and get out of the marriage. If she is still continuing with marriage and still acting in such a manner that husband has become suspicious of disloyalty, if Quran allows minor beating keeping a male nature in mind, how can we be critical of it?

No mention is there of divorce even in such a situation. Fact is that Islam despises divorce. But since the rules were made for entire humanity and for all situations and times, it was necessary that divorce be given sanction as the final alternative, if all other options have failed. ¬Look at the societies like India and Europe that had no concept of divorce. Is it not the fact that even these societies had to add the concept of divorce because without this concept equality of some people was getting compromised? Unfortunately these societies have incorporated the concept of divorce, they are still far away from incorporating the stress that Islam has laid to try to continue the marriage.

This also brings us to another point. That 4 witnesses have been made necessary to prove that sex outside marriage have taken place. If there are 4 witnesses available who vouch that adultery has taken place, then the severe most punishment is prescribed. Detractors of Islam criticize this rule as well, saying that Islam is a barbaric religion. The other day there was a gentleman here on social media who even said that what difference it made if sex took place outside or inside religion.

Fact is that even the Muslim commentators have failed to understand the true nature of Islamic teachings. Islam values the fact that Forces of Darkness are very much a part of Divine Creation Plan. It also knows that the Forces of Darkness are equally powerful compared to the Forces of Guidance (or Light), if not more. Therefore it tries to keep the punishments at the barest minimum. So much so that upon suspicion of disloyalty too, the punishment that is prescribed is merely abstaining from sex and even then if the wife does not change her behaviour, then mild beating. Those who criticize Islamic rule should introspect what their reaction would be if they were suspicious that their wife was cheating on them.

Considering the fact that forces of misguidance are extremely powerful, Islam gives all opportunity to the person – whether male or female – to make amends. For disobedience to Divine Command, the punishment has been prescribed in the afterlife. Thus no punishment is to be given in this world if a person claims to be a Muslim but does not offer prayers all his life, does not fast all his life, does not go to Hajj, even does not participate in the religious war, in case it becomes essential to fight. So much stress has been paid on making atonements for sin that a sincere tauba (realization that one was on wrong and internal resolve that the sin would not be perpetuated again) washes the sin entirely. Though there are certain mandatory obligations that are to be met when one comes under the fold of Islam, which is basically acceptance of Divine Lordship over our entire self, greater stress is on good deeds and character and service of humanity. Quran explicitly says that God is the judge of the judges and both judges and the judge of the judges can forgive a person for some small amount of good deed committed by him or her. For one good deed, 10 times and even 70 times reward is prescribed but for one bad deed, only one punishment is prescribed. In spite of this, when it comes to cases where Islam prescribes punishment in this world, it too is harshest in nature. Why?

To know the answer, let us consider the punishments that are prescribed in this world alone. Chhandogya Upanishad and few other Upanishads describe the five greatest sins as following: Having sex with guru’s wife, theft of gold, murdering a Brahman, consumption of alcohol and giving company to a person who commits these 4 grave sins. Despite the fact that Chhandogya and other Upanishads had mentioned these sins, what we see in the study of the Upanishads is that mostly the Divine Creation Plan is being told to us and the path that would lead us to salvation is being shown. How to attain salvation has been told but what would happen if we do not tread on the path was not told. No punishments were being prescribed whereas rewards were being told. Even till the time of Krishna, while stress is on how to elevate oneself spiritually, there are mere hints regarding what would happen if we do not tread that path. The same Divine Plan had been followed in all parts of the globe. Why? Because it was the Satya yug, when there were more adherents on truth than non-adherents. So little was told of evil and more of good deeds. But at the onset of Kaliyug, when Mohammad came to conclude the teachings, it was but obvious that certain punishments too had to be prescribed. Thus Mohammad concluded the teachings that had come through various avatars and apostles through developing an entire way of life. This also explains why Quran makes it mandatory on Muslims to believe in the scriptures that came earlier and also in the teachings of Apostles and Avatars that were sent earlier. This also explains why Quran refers to so many incidents of previous Apostles and Avatars.

Have you ever thought why Upanishads have kept giving company to those who commit the 4 grave sins as the 5th most grave sin? This is so because as per Divine Plan, while it has been left on us to choose between right and wrong, while the punishment has been kept for the afterlife and that too it is not certain whether the person would be given punishment or would be forgiven for some of the good deeds committed by him, God wants to create a social order in this world so that everybody gets an equal opportunity to choose between right and wrong path.

Evil committed may be a personal affair but God does not want that evil to propagate and hence keeping company with the perpetuator of severe evils too has been termed as the gravest of all evils. If you notice, Islam too has prescribed punishment in this world to those evils only which were termed as the grave sins by the Upanishads with the difference that having sex with guru’s wife got changed to having sex with anybody’s wife, killing of Brahman got changed to killing of any innocent human being, theft of gold got changed to all kinds of thefts (including white collared thefts) and consumption of alcohol remained as severe a taboo as it was earlier.

These evils have been considered as greatest evil because when one commits these evil, the evil is not confined to the person itself. For instance, theft of money or gold or even electricity is an evil because it is another person or the Government who is being robbed. Murder is an evil because another innocent person’s life is being lost who too may be having loved ones and dependents whose life would be affected. If one commits adultery, he or she is actually cheating on other people with whom they are married to. Further it may ruin the family ties and affect the growth of the children.

But why 4 witnesses are required for adultery when a much milder punishment was prescribed when loyalty came under suspect? Normally, the detractors from Islamic teachings are of view that this is a very harsh punishment. But if we see it with an open mind we will conclude that Islam in fact has been too lenient on prescribing the punishment.

We will have to consider the spirit of Islamic teachings to come to this conclusion. We know for fact that innumerable cases of adultery are taking place around us. We are also suspicious and at times even know for certainty that this and this person are committing adultery. But even then as per Islamic law they cannot be punished openly.

A well-known weekly newsmagazine gave a survey long time back which said that the first initiation to sex that the young boys and girls were having was with the cousins. There are surveys being published every second day which tell how many men and women were cheating on their spouses. Stories related to live-in relationships, dating outside marriage, sexual flicks and escapades are being published on regular basis. If we truly understand the spirit of Islamic teaching, publishing such stories is a graver crime than committing the act itself. Not just this, highlighting of cases of rape and adultery too is against Islamic spirit.

Why? One who understands why giving company to perpetuator of the 4 grave sins was considered as the 5th grave sin would understand the spirit. Take the case of 16/12, the great coverage which the Delhi rape case got. I knew of certain specific boys and girls in my family ranging from 8 to 15 who knew that marriage was permissible in India only when the boy attained the age of 21 and the girl attained the age of 18. They knew that marriage alone is the option available to get a spouse. The great publicity that was given to the rape on news channels told them of another option. Now they know of rape, whereas earlier they knew nothing about it. Thus, telling of the crime resulted in propagation of the crime. If such a grave crime had been committed and it was publicized so extensively, it would have been wrong if the harshest punishment was not given to those who perpetuated the crime and even this punishment widely publicised. Otherwise, the media would have become partner in propagating the crime. A same happens with corruption. A few decades back, most men and women in Government offices were not aware of the various means to take illegal money. Some did it and when the issue was publicized, others got to know it, so much so that corruption continued to spread with each passing day. If we had strict rules to curtail corruption and strict punishment was given to anybody who got caught, right in public view, there would not have been so many cases visible. This is the Islamic spirit. It is lenient but it becomes extremely strict in matters where the society itself is getting corrupted.

Fact is that if we are to put an end to corruption, the society will have to come to conclusion that severe most punishments should be prescribed for a person who has been found to be a thief (corruption is a form of theft). Just imagine that if the four fingers of just 10 of the thieves (who have indulged in corruption and whose theft has been proven) are amputated in India, all citizens would think twice before committing such an act.

A brief mention of the Islamic concept of ‘gheebat’ need to be given here, which is basically aimed at confining the evil right where it was committed. As we have said earlier, if we do not know for certainty, we all are suspicious of or have heard of cases where certain people committed adultery. But as per Islamic law, we are not allowed to talk about this evil, even when we are certain that the person has committed it. Howsoever grave are the sins that a person is committing and howsoever much we are sure about the crime, we are not supposed to talk about it to a third person unless with an aim of admonishing or if we are the aggrieved party ourselves. Gheebat or talking about the evil that the other person has committed has been described as equivalent to eating the flesh of a dead brother’s corpse.

Now consider for a while. Who would commit adultery and then leave 4 persons as witness. Only a person with blatant disregard to social laws would commit such an act. Whereas Islam wants evil to be confined to the place where the crime has been committed, such a couple is acting in utter disregard of all societal customs and laws. Such a person is actually propagating the sin, rather than just committing it. It is for such a person that harshest of punishment in public have been advised.

All those who are adult must have seen that there was a time when attackers on Islam used to mock at the fact that Islam has prescribed flogging and stoning as the punishment for adultery (which has four witnesses). But a time came when Lal Krishna Advani (when he was the Home Minister) said that death should be penalty for a rapist. Today, after 16/11 and other similar cases, we have begun to demand the harshest punishment for rape and other similar evils. Are we not coming close to accepting the Islamic law?

Likewise, Islam never laid down any age limit for marriage. The day a boy or a girl attained puberty, all religious laws were applicable on him or her. The day this boy or girl felt they wanted marriage (a physical union), Islam didn’t restrict them from going ahead with the marriage. Was it not freedom, even for girls? Instead what we did in society was that we continued to delay the marriage of children in the name of education and career. I have read a specific view published in a leading newspaper which said that men were at the peak of their sexual lives at the age of 18-22. As per the prevailing urban custom, seldom is a youth married at this age. Are we not preparing our society for increasingly large cases of adultery and consequent societal corruption? I am reminded of the Arushi murder case here. If the stories related to what happened are true, her father found her in a compromising position with a servant. The stories also said that she was the only child, the parents showered all their love on her, showered her with gifts, celebrated her birthday with great pomp and were even preparing to celebrate the 14th birthday. Keep your hand on heart and try to think what you would do if you find your own daughter in such a situation. Nobody tries to think it the other way. That though just 14, Arushi had matured and her natural sexual instincts had been aroused already. If she had said to her parents that she wanted to marry, would the parents, the society or even the law had allowed her to do so?

Is it not true that Islamic laws are for the societal good?

A man is not allowed to go for second marriag, without the consent of his first wife. But considering the fact that Islamic laws are for all humanity, there are a lot many diverse type of situations which emerge. For instance take the case of Dharmendra, a successful actor who was married and even had children. But he fell in love with a lady to such an extent that he even accepted converting to Islam, albeit only for laws sake, so as to consummate marriage with her and give legality to the relationship. This is only one of the innumerable situations that could emerge. What if both husband and wife wants a child and know that wife is unable to conceive? What if the relationship deteriorates to such an extent that maintaining the relationship itself is a crime on both parties? Islam allowed second marriage but just as it had allowed divorce but made it despicable, it even bounded the person with ifs and buts, so much so that we find only a handful of people who have gone for second marriage. ¬¬What more conditions can be put than the affirmation of the first wife? Even if she gives permission, then it has been made obligatory that both are treated equally, so much so that equal time is given to both, equal gifts are given to both and equality is shown in all aspects, even if one is 50 year old and the other is 20 year old. If there are people who go for second marriage without paying heed to the conditions put by Islam, they are offenders and will get the rightful punishment.

We can give so many examples to show the equality that Islam bestows on women. From here onwards, I will copy down some of the narrations and verses that explicitly talk about women and their rights.

Book Sahih Muslim relates on the authority of Anas that “The Messenger of Allah said: He who brings up two young girls until they come of age will come in the day of judgment with me the same way like these two fingers.”

Books Sahih Tirmizi and Sunan-e-Abu Dawood state on the authority of Abu Sa’eed Al Khudri that “The Messenger of Allah said: He who has three daughters or three sisters, or two daughters or two sisters, and takes care of them and shows kindness to them, and fears Allah in their treatment, Paradise will be his lot.”

Quran commands all men and women to worship God alone faithfully and simultaneously, and at the same level of obligation, it commands us to be gentle and devoted to both parents of whom the mother is on higher pedestal.

Books Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim that a man asked the Prophet: “O Messenger of Allah! Who should I treat with reverence?” He answered: “Your mother.” The man inquired: “Who comes after her?” He said “Your mother.” Again the man asked: “Who comes after?” He said: “Your mother.” The man asked once more: “Who comes after?” He said: “Your father.”

Concerning marital life, Quran says in Ar-Rum (verse 20-21): “Among His Signs is this, that He created you from dust; and then, - behold, ye are men scattered (far and wide)! And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): Verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.”

This verse implies that woman has been created as a source of peace and tranquillity for the man. Marital life, as per Quran, is established upon love and mercy.

In addition to the equality in the reward of the Hereafter, God has made most of His obligations so general so as to include both men and women. Quran says in Surah Ghafir: 40: “He that works evil will not be requited but by the like thereof: And he that works a righteous deed – whether man or woman – and is a believer – such will enter the Garden (of Bliss): therein will they have abundance without measure.”

And Surah Al-Ahzab verse 35 says: For Muslim men and women, - for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity and for men and women who take the name of God constantly, there is a great reward awaiting them.

And surah Al-e-Imran: 195 says: And their Lord hath accepted of them, and answered them: “Never will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female: ye are members, one of another.”

Surah An-Nahl: 97 says: “Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily to him will We give a life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.”

Surah Mohammad: 19 says: “Know, therefore, that there is no god but Allah, and ask forgiveness for thy fault, and for the men and women who believe: for Allah knows how ye move about and how ye dwell in your homes.”

Surah An-Nisaa: 124 says: “If any do deeds of righteousness, - be they male or female – and have faith, they will enter heaven, and not the least injustice will be done to them.”

Surah A-Tauba: 71 says: “The believers, men and women, are protectors, one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil: they observe regular prayers, pay zakat and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is Exalted in power, Wise.”

However, a certain degree of guardianship and leadership in order to provide for the needs of women, has been kept. Surah Nisaa: 34 of Quran says: “Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means.”

Women have joined men in acquiring knowledge in the guidance of Islam so that many of them became narrators of traditions, poetesses, writers, compilers in various kinds of science and art. It is unanimously agreed by all sects in Islam that men and women are all alike, excluding the special feminine characteristics such as confinement, nursing, exemption from fighting in battle, etc. as has been referred to earlier. The Prophet tradition that says: [Seeking knowledge is incumbent on every Muslim] comprises women as well, though the Arabic word (Muslim) is masculine in gender.

Islam has cancelled all that used to be practised among the Arabs and non-Arabs concerning the deprivation of woman of her right in taking possession or limiting the scope of her free hand over her own property. It has also cancelled the husband’s free hand over the property of his wife. The Islamic rules confirm to woman all kinds of taking possessions and lawful freedom of hand over her own property.

Woman has the full right to manage all sorts of ownership, sign financial contracts, without any wardship upon her, provided that she is conscious, sensible and legally major. She has a free hand in all forms and practices, such as buying, selling, renting, letting, donating, making a will or Waqf, giving in charity, lending, borrowing, mortgaging, sponsoring, trading, crop-sharing, speculating and so on. She is absolutely free in financial dealings and agreements.

Women can trade, or do any lawful job to earn a living. She can guarantee others and be guaranteed. She can transfer by will to any of those who don’t inherit her. She can sue anyone in order to restore what belongs to her, or to avoid being wronged.

Woman has all those practical rights without any intervention from her husband or patron, as long as her conduct is in accordance with the Islamic instructions and with her essential task as a mother and a wife.

Cancelling the wrong practice of depriving women of inheritance and restricting the heritage exclusively to men, Quran says in Surah An-Nisaa: 7: “From what is left by parents and those nearest related, there is a share for men and a share for women, whether the property be small or large, - a determinate share.”

Later, Quran (Surah An-Nisaa:11) defines the share of each heir or heiress: “Allah (thus) directs you as regards your children’s (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only.”
The wisdom behind this distribution of legacy is that Islam observes that the man as a husband and a father is charged to provide for the support of a wife or children.

Thus, the share of woman is practically the same as man and sometimes even greater, according to the situations. Suppose someone died leaving behind a son and a daughter, and a legacy of 3 million rupees. Now the son will get 2 million and the daughter 1 million. But when he marries, he will have to give mehr (dowry) to his wife, furnish a house and provide for his wife’s living, whether she is rich or poor. So the sum of 2 million does not belong to him alone. Perhaps his actual share is rather less than his sisters.

It is the father’s duty to take care of the children, in addition to their other. While his sister, getting married, will also get mehr (dowry) from her husband and her husband will be responsible for her expenses. So she can keep her share without expending or may even invest it.

If money is gained only through inheritance, women would be richer than men in most cases. So it is an honour to woman to be given half the share of man.

Woman is often too week to earn money and she is too busy in her household and marital life and all related troubles, to work for her living. It is neither wrong nor superiority to choose the man as the supporter of the family. Therefore, the share of inheritance for woman remains as a reserve, in case she didn’t marry at all, or her husband died leaving out nothing for her.

As regards to marriage, it has been made legal for both men and women. Quran (Surah An-Nur:32) says: “Marry those among you who are single, and the virtuous ones among your slaves, male or female: if they are in poverty.”

Keep in mind, ‘single’ means any man or woman with no spouse. And stress is on ‘virtuous’ even so in ‘poverty’. The right of woman to marry is lawfully decreed the same way like the right of man.
Quran (An-Nisaa: 127 says: “They ask thy instruction concerning the women, say: Allah doth instruct you about them: and (remember) what hath been rehearsed unto you in the Book, concerning the orphaned women to whom ye give not the portions prescribed, and yet whom ye desire to marry, as also concerning the children who are weak and oppressed: That ye stand firm for justice to orphans. There is not a good deed which ye do, but Allah is well-acquainted therewith.”

In Islam, the marital relation has been raised up to the highest level. It has been considered a mutual relation for achieving important goals in the life of the two consorts, the family, and the community as a whole. Woman has the right to choose her own spouse. She has the right to consent or disagree, when someone proposes to her through her guardian. The marriage contract will not be concluded unless she consents with her own free will.

In this concern, Prophet Mohammad has said: “A widow should never be made to marry without her conference, and no virgin would marry without her consent.”

Here we mention some Islamic rules concerning the marriage contract: (a) The perfect will and absolute satisfaction of both spouses. So no one can be made to marry a consort he or she dislikes. The head of the family has no authority to force any member of his family to marry against his or her free will. (b) Any marriage contract concluded without the female’s permission is null and void. (c) Due to lack of experience, some girls may dash into premature marriage. So the guardian is to supervise and explain the situation in order to look for the efficient spouse. (d) Islam forbids the guardians to block women from marrying for their own gains or benefits. Or even if they don’t like the spouse. Quran (Surah Al-Baqarah) says: “When ye divorce women, and they fulfil the term of their (‘Iddat), do not prevent them from marrying their (former) husbands, if they mutually agree on equitable terms.” (e) If the guardian refuses to conclude an efficient marriage contract with no excuses, his guardianship will be cancelled, and the judge has to conclude that agreeable marriage contract. Such behaviour on the part of the guardian is wrong, and the judge’s task is to prevent what is wrong. (f) It is essential for two witnesses to be present when the contract is concluded. Prophet said: “No marriage contract is valid without the consent of the woman’s guardian and the attendance of two male witnesses.” (g) Proclamation of the marriage ceremony and making it known among the people. Prophet Mohammad forbids to conclude a marriage secretly, saying: “Let marriage be declared even with a tambourine.” (h) Marriage is made lawful to be permanent in order to achieve social goals, such as psychological peace, upbringing children and mutual cooperation between consorts.

Likewise, dowry is imposed upon the husband for his wife as an indispensable obligation. It is forbidden to take any part of it without her own will. Quran (Surah An-Nisaa: 4) says: “And give the women (on marriage) their dower as an obligation; but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, take it and enjoy it with right good cheer.”

A learned scholar of Islam says: “The wisdom behind the dowry is gaining the wife’s acceptance of her husband as a guardian, and it is an honour to her as well.” Compare this with the present day situation where the bridegrooms are being sold every day. The more he is earning or better qualified, more is his price.

STATUS OF WOMAN IN ISLAM [Part – I]

It has been found lately that a lot many people, here on social media, are leaving no opportunity to criticize Islam and its teachings. Attacks are being made on Prophet Mohammad, as if he was a womaniser with least regards to morals and religious legitimacy. Most of these attacks are being made by those with vested interests (and some by those with little or no understanding of the true teachings of Islam). Some people try to portray as if Islam gives no rights to women. This is ironical considering the fact that Islam, for the first time, bestowed rights on women, at a time when rest of humanity was treating women as slaves. This was happening all over, be it in India or be it among the Jews and Christians. It is unfortunate that people whose books talk very little or practically nothing related to women’s rights are criticising Prophet Mohammad and his teachings without even bothering to verify the criticisms or the credentials of the critics. Some of these people are so much obsessed with criticizing anything that has any relation to Islam that when I of my friend commented about journalist Tarun Tejpal’s issue recently, a gentleman even went on to relate that too with Mohammad’s teachings. Such is the negative view that these people have formed regarding Mohammad and his teachings. The greatest irony of times is that it seems that God knew well beforehand what was to happen and had created a relation with Vedas and Islam several thousand years back.

I wish to make it clear that Islam has for the first time bestowed rights on women, true to their nature. I have been talking about the Forces of Noor (Guidance) and the Forces of Darkness (Misguidance) in my earlier posts. I have also attempted to prove that it has been the Divine Will that people, of all times, reach Paramatma (the Manifest Self) through the Divine Guides appointed by the Manifest Self. We have to identify the guides and adhere to their path in our lives in this world where the Forces of Darkness have been let loose to misguide or deviate us from the identification of the Divine Guides and from adhering to their path till death. We are also attempting to prove that these guides were identified by Vedas as Devas and later they took birth in the secret place of Arabia and were called Ahlulbayt [People of the House (of God)].

It is beyond conjecture that whenever and wherever an attempt was made by Paramatma to reveal the path or the identity of these Divine Guides, the Forces of Darkness left no stone unturned to ensure that mankind was removed from their identification and path to the extent that it continues to move in wilderness of misguidance. Forces of Darkness act in this manner because the day mankind will get to identify the Divine Guides and their Path, it will mean that the Forces of Darkness get defeated. This too is per the Divine Creation Plan.

I am sure the Muslims, with their present mind-set, will disagree when I say that Satan too is working under God’s command. But fact is that this is true. Iblis may not be working under God’s command but the Force of Darkness or Shaytan (which misguided Iblis) is definitely working under God’s command. Quran has shown this when it says clearly that on the Day of Judgment, Satan will distance himself from all humans and tell them that it was not he, the Satan, who misguided them but they themselves got misguided by obeying to Satan. Also, in the description of Prophet Ayyub, it is written that he was a handsome man with lot of wealth and 7 sons. Ayyub worshipped God extensively. Satan first said to God that he would acknowledge Ayyub’s worship if his wealth was taken away and he still continue to worship in similar fashion. It is written that God told Satan to take away the wealth which he did. Ayyub still continued to worship God with same intensity. Then Satan said to God that I would acknowledge Ayyub’s worship if his sons were taken away. God said to Satan to take away Ayyub’s sons, which Satan did but Ayyub still continued to worship God in the same manner. Then Satan said that I would acknowledge if Ayyub’s health was taken away and God asked Satan to do this as well, which Satan did. Entire skin of Ayyub had sores where even insects could be seen feeding on the pus and blood but Ayyub continued to praise God with same intensity even then. Most times we just read and pass on. Question is that if Satan had been expelled from heaven, why is he talking to God still? Why is it that God is allowing Satan to do work that is otherwise assigned to God Himself, to the extent that God even asks Satan to take away Ayyub’s sons, thereby meaning that power to give death is at times bestowed on Satan. These are just two of the many examples that may be given to prove that Forces of Darkness are very much the part of God’s Creation Plan and they would never ever allow man to identify the Straight Path of the Divine Guides and provide mankind enough respite to tread on that path without getting deviated yet again. But since we know that God has shown confidence in man’s ability, we can say for certainty that there will be a time when man, at least some of them, will defeat Satan’s game plan and will identify and tread upon the path of the Divine Guides to reach salvation.

If this is the Creation Plan, we must understand that the Forces of Darkness must have tried to corrupt the teachings (regarding the identity of the Devas, and later, when the Devas took birth in human form as Ahlulbayt) to the extent that man would get confused regarding their identity. Take for instance the case of Indradev, the head of the Devas, who took birth in human form and was named Mohammad – the head of the Ahlulbayt.

We have seen that all attempts were made to malign the character of Indradev, so much so that it is a general belief of people that Indradev remained intoxicated all the time, was surrounded by apsaras, and even came to earth time and again to impregnate virgins. Even today, there is a custom in some parts of India and Nepal, that when there is no rain, women plough the field naked at night, so as to please Indradev. It is believed that Indradev will get pleased upon seeing a naked body of a woman and would gratify the area with rain, the control of which has been bestowed in his hands by God. We do not even think for a while that if we keep such believes, we are even belittling God who bestowed provisions like rain and food on a person with such character. But this is not true. There are Upanishads which ask questions like where is Indradev, he has not come till now, and none has seen him. The various stories that are in circulation cannot be verified at all by the Vedas, the Upanishads or the Gita, thus proving that these were circulated at the behest of Forces of Darkness.

Let us come back to the initial years of Islam, when the Devas took birth as humans and were called Ahlulbayt. Undoubtedly, Mohammad was the head of the 14 Ahlulbayt and Ali was next most important of the Ahlulbayt. Mohammad declared that he was the Prophet when he was 40. During the next 23 years of his life as human being, he culminated the teachings of Islam. By the time Mohammad left this world, most of Arabia had converted to Islam and even the greatest enemies of Mohammad’s teachings embraced Islam when they felt that Islam was growing as a force and it would be best to remain inside rather than fight the path of Mohammad from outside. These were the hypocrites, who remained in Islamic fold but continued to work to change its teachings to their advantage.

Mohammad married Khadija when he was 25 and Khadija was a widow at 40. Khadija was still his only wife when Mohammad declared that he was the Prophet, at the age of 40. Khadija must be 55 year old at that time. Khadija lived for another 12 years or so, thereby meaning that Mohammad was 52 years old when Khadija died. Is it possible that a man who remained loyal to one wife would all of a sudden become a womaniser as some people are trying to project him? No. Fact is that the Forces of Darkness used all the skills at hand to project him as a womaniser, so much so that these attempts even found place in certain books to misguide the man of today from coming to the Straight Path. Is it not similar to the case of Indradev, who took birth as human being to be called Mohammad?

I have written time and again how the Umayyad rulers used pulpits of 70000 mosques all over their dominion, each Friday prayer, to tarnish the image of Ali. Merely a few days after Prophet’s demise, Ali was dragged in the streets of Medina with a rope tied to his neck. The door of Ali’s house, very next to the Prophet’s mosque, was set on fire by those who called themselves Muslims. Muslims even went on to push open this burning door and it fell on Fatima (third most important of the Ahlulbayt, daughter of Mohammad, wife of Ali and the mother of remaining 11 Ahlulbayt). Rips of Fatima broke and a child died in her womb. She died from the injury a few days later. After Mohammad, none but last of the Ahlulbayt died their own death; they were all killed by Muslims.

It is evident therefore that Forces of Darkness used all their powers to corrupt those who had embraced Islam from the true teachings of Quran and Mohammad to the extent that they showed no regard whatsoever to the very kin of Mohammad. They did not do so because they were merely daughter, son-in-law or grandsons of Mohammad but because Mohammad and Quran (supposed to be the word of Allah) had ordained a special position for them so much so that they had been made the door-keepers of heaven and following their path made essential for salvation. It is evident that Muslims were used by the Forces of Darkness to accomplish its task of deviating mankind from the true path. Only a true pursuer of spiritual heights would know the kind of forces that are used to digress a common man from pursuing that path. There is no point trying to identify those people or to reveal their name. But it is obvious that while some were truly working for Forces of Darkness (willingly or unwillingly), there were others who followed them out of ignorance.

When such extensive preparations were made to belittle the character of 13 of the 14 Ahlulbayt, when there were more enemies for them than friends in the Muslim world, when most of their lives were spent in house-arrests or imprisonment, why don’t we apply our minds to construe and conclude that similar forces must have been used to corrupt the teachings of Mohammad – the head of the Ahlulbayt – and also to tarnish his character? Since it was Mohammad who had brought the teachings which these later day Muslims were claiming to follow, it was not possible to reject out-rightly the Divine position of Mohammad, as they did for the remaining 13 Ahlulbayt. Therefore, all attempts were made to belittle Mohammad’s personality and malign his character.

The conditions of Muslims were so bad that no attempt to write history was made at least till about 50 years after Prophet’s death. What else, first attempts to ensure that Quran remains one and intact for all Muslims was made during the time of 2nd caliph, about 10 years after Mohammad’s departure. Contrary to Mohammad’s teachings, conquests were considered more important than spiritual pursuit and learning. The narration books considered most authentic by Muslims were written about 200 to 300 years after Mohammad. In the meantime, all the rest of Ahlulbayt were killed in succession. It is no wonder that some of these books show Mohammad’s character in bad light.

It is extremely sorry that when Quran (considered by Muslims to be the word of Allah) says that the hearts of two of the wives of Prophet Mohammad were not upright, there is no attempt by Muslims to find who these two wives are. On the contrary Muslims regard all the wives of Prophet Mohammad with equal reverence. This is despite the fact that most of the traditions which are being used by people with vested interests to tarnish the image of Mohammad are related to these two wives. This is also despite the fact that one of these two wives even came to fight a bloody battle with Ali, when the later became the Caliph of Muslims. You can judge for yourself whether the Muslims are obeying to the word of Allah?

Another unfortunate part is that Mohammad’s 10 wives is a subject of discussion among people whose own books talk of 11000 wives of Krishna. Several commentators try to explain this by saying that Krishna had not married these women but they came under his guardianship when a certain king who kept a great number of wives was killed. These people, out of their zeal to describe what has been already written, forget that the very text that writes of 11000 wives also talks of a much greater number of sons. If the sons too are talked about it shows that the books, when they were written, wanted to degrade Krishna’s character but the scholars of today failed to look at that aspect. Fact that only the number of sons is mentioned and no mention of daughters is made shows that daughters didn’t count during those times. In similar manner, Mohammad’s sexual encounters with two of his wives are being repeatedly put here on social media to tarnish his image but nobody is willing to accept that the books may have been written by people with vested interests or the two wives, as Quran confirms, may have been under the influence of Forces of Darkness.

Question arises that if Mohammad didn’t marry another lady till Khadija was alive and till he was past 50 years of age, why was there a need to marry 9 ladies in quick succession after Khadija’s death? If there is lust in a person’s character, the signs are first seen in early ages of youth or during the peak of manhood? If there is bestiality in character, it too is visible between 15 to 30 years of age. Have you seen a person who carried or showed no such traits in the first 50 years of his life, but suddenly develops a nature that is far removed from the life that he lived during the first 50 years? Also keep in mind that Mohammad was an employee of Khadija and Khadija married him only when he found her to be honest, upright and of good moral character. By the time Mohammad was 40, he was considered the most honest and truthful of all men in Makkah.

We will have to look at message that Mohammad had brought in order to understand his stance. Arabia was the darkest of all regions on earth when the Devas were born in human form and called Ahlulbayt. Men used to bury their daughters alive, because they felt that they would have to bend in front of some other man, whom she would marry. Child marriage was common. Dowry was common. Slavery was rampant. Sex with slave girl was accepted as normal. Even married wife was treated as slave not just in Arabia but also in Europe which was passing through a dark age. There was no concept of remarriage and widows had to live a life of disgrace. Despite this, sex was taboo and there was a need to frame laws.

Mohammad changed all this for better. Burial of girl child was stopped altogether. Instead of dowry a system was introduced where the bridegroom promised a sum to his wife. No father, no mother mattered but consensus between bride and bridegroom. Taboo associated with sex was removed so much so that it was made possible for both husband and wife to walk out of marriage. But at the same time, talaq was made despicable. Instead of parents marrying the girl at young age, Islam ordained that it was left to the will of the girl and the day she felt that she should marry, she was free to marry. This rule was far better than what we have now because it checked illicit relationship and sex outside marriage, but at the same time ensured that marriage would take place only when the girl (and also the boy) would feel the urge for sex (hence marriage). We in India have fixed 21 years and 18 years as the marriage age for bridegroom and bride respectively. But we have also seen how the cases of illicit sex outside of marriage are increasingly happening in youth. We have also seen how courts had to allow marriages at lower age and accept that some boys and girls mature faster than the rest.

Slavery was so deep-rooted and rampant that it was not abolished immediately but laws were framed regarding how to treat them. Great concessions in the next world were promised for someone who would release a slave. These concessions were so charming that gradually the entire system of keeping slaves ended. As regards to married wife, rules were framed for her as well, so much so that she was given equal (at times higher) position than her spouse. Concept of remarriage for widows and divorcees was introduced.

If we see Mohammad’s acts in the light of the law that he had given and upon which he was treading himself, we will realize the true significance of all his acts. You are invited to read the lives of Mohammad’s wives in details. You will be amazed to know that all of them (with the exception of one, viz. Aisha) were either widows or divorcees. During the last 10 years of his life, when 9 of the 10 marriages were solemnized, Mohammad was powerful enough to marry any young girl of his choice or even a beautiful wife of another person, something that we commonly see among powerful men. But the fact that these women were all widows or divorcees (some so old that one cannot fathom having sex with them) is enough to show that Mohammad had a particular reason for taking all these women in marriage, who were not being taken by anybody else because of the prevalent taboos. This was an attempt to deliver a message, a forceful one.

As regards Aisha, who is subject of much discussion, we must read her life history as well to come to the truth. Aisha, when a young girl of 6, was promised in marriage by his father, to a grown man. This is enough of a proof that this custom was prevalent. Aisha’s father accepted Islam but once he did so, the man with whom the kid Aisha had been betrothed refused to marry her. Aisha’s father recounted his fear to Mohammad. Clearly, as per the existing custom, when her marriage to the man with whom she was betrothed broke down, none would have married her. Therefore, Mohammad had to accede to marrying her, so as to push forth a message here as well.

There are accounts available which show that Aisha was in her late teens when she was married to Mohammad. But for some strange reason, a good number of Muslim scholars have considered marriage at 6 and moving to husband’s house when 9 as more authentic. If the Forces of Darkness had a hand here as well cannot be said with certainty. But this is for sure that the Muslim world got involved in infighting to such an extent that they could not even unify on the date when Prophet Mohammad died. It is hard to accept but true how Muslims couldn’t keep count of the date of departure of the person who had brought Divine Teachings to them. Even today, Muslims are divided over the date of Mohammad’s death. That they are not bothered about checking which of the two wives are being described as having hearts that were not upright is not amazing. But what will you do if all the absurd stories of sexual fantasies, orgies, etc. are ascribed to two of the 10 wives in various books of narrations.

I invite you to read the following account (from a book) to see for yourself how Islam honours woman, how it values equality in all areas including human esteem, following religious introductions and obligations, faith, reward in the hereafter, participation in collective rituals and in enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, woman’s right in personal liberty and equality in speech, thought and belief.

To be continued…

NOTES ON BUDDHA AND HIS DHAMMA (PART - 2)

Now we come to the degradation of thoughts and morals that had enveloped the people of the time, which necessitated the coming of another Preacher. This is evident in Buddha’s cousins’ penchant for game and hunting. This is also evident in the hard labour that masters made their servants do. Even the priests, at the time of indulging in the ritual sacrifices, thrashed the servants or made them perform acts beyond their capacity. Greater example is that of the family priest Udayin, who gave the idea of construction of a harem to Buddha’s father Suddhodana “with very beautiful inmates” “to prevent the prophecy (regarding Siddharth Gotama becoming Buddha) from coming true.” This shows that the prophecy regarding Buddha was widely known among those who called themselves believers of Veda. This also confirms that Buddha and Veda are from the same source.

The priest, in order to prevent Siddharth Gotama from proceeding ahead with spiritual learning gave long lectures to him and tried his best to make him fall to beckoning of all the beautiful women in the harem. And Siddharth Gotama’s chief sin was that he “was addicted to the company of saints and sages”. Does this not show the degradation in morals and a very materialistic outlook of the priests and people of the period, including Siddharth Gotama’s father. Will any priest today suggest that a harem be built for a person indulging in spiritual learning? Or will any father of today go on to build such a harem for his son? This shows that the society had reached its nadir or lowest point. How could the Manifest Self viz. Paramatma remain a passive witness without attempting to rectify this by sending another Preacher? Thus another birth of Bodhisata, named Sumedha, as Mahamaya’s child, who was called Siddharth Gotama became inevitable.

* * * * *

Family priest Udayin’s words to the inmates of the harem built specifically for Siddharth show how the graceful movement, how the coquetry, grace and beauty of women have brought to naught all the penance, all the spirituality of great sages who have succumbed to the desires. Read the words of Udayin and see how Satanic forces have used women’s sensuality time and again to disrupt man from attaining closeness to God. Likewise, men’s ego and anger too has always worked against them and against mankind. See whether it is more apt in today’s world of peeping cleavages and displaying of physical contours. It is unfortunate that all this is being promoted in the name of equality whereas the real equality in terms of social benefits, etc. is being denied.

This the reason why nearly all the scriptures, including the Puranas, the Vedas as well as the sayings of Prophet Mohammad and Ali have repeated time and again that, towards the end of the world and prior to the appearance of the Divine Saviour, it would become extremely difficult for adherents to abstain from sins.

Udayin said: “Ye are all skilled in all the graceful arts, ye are proficient in understanding the language of amorous sentiments, ye are possessed of beauty and gracefulness, ye are thorough masters in your own styles.

“With these graces of yours, ye are able to move even sages who have lost all their desires, and to ensnare even the gods, who are charmed by heavenly nymphs. [The word in original text is 'deva' which has been translate as 'gods', thus confirming that Siddharth Gotama's family were worshippers of Veda.

“By your skill in expressing the heart’s feelings, by your coquetry, your grace, and your perfect beauty ye are able to enrapture even women, how much more easily men.

“Thus, skilled as ye are, each set in your own proper sphere, it should not be beyond your reach to captivate and capture the prince and hold him in your bondage.

“Any timid action on your part would be fit for new brides whose eyes are closed through shame.

“What though this here be, great by his exalted glory, yet ‘great is the might of woman.’ Let this be your firm resolve.

“In olden times a great seer, hard to be conquered even by gods, was spurned by a harlot, the beauty of Kasi, planting her feet upon him. [Again the word used us deva. This shows how people had developed wrong notions about the devas.]

“And the great seer Viswamitra, though plunged in a profound penance, was carried captive for ten years in the forests by the nymph Ghritaki.

“Many such seers as these have women brought to naught, how much more than a delicate prince in the first flower of his age?

“This being so, boldly put forth your efforts that the prosperity of the king’s family may not be turned away from him.

“Ordinary women captivate simple men; but they are truly women, who subdue the nature of high and hard.”

Does this speech not reveal the mindset of men who have used women for their own advantage, at times to subdue other men? It is this nature of women why we find some Buddhist sages speaking so ill of women on the whole. Christian priests tried to further suppress woman so much so that in the post-Jesus society there was a time when Christian women were to observe such staunch purdah that even the presence of another man in the house of a married woman was looked as sin. This was the other extreme. Islam tried to rectify this and give a middle path where the sensuality was to be subdued in the strictest terms and attempt was made to bring out the positive features of a woman’s personality. Unfortunately, the Muslim clergy misunderstood the Islamic teachings and attempt was made to make women a household slave, much on the lines of what was happening in Christian Europe at that time.

However, curtailing the sensuality necessitated that a dress code be made obligatory. Please remember, the dress code was never to wear a burqah or confine women to the interiors of the house but to wear clothes where the physical contours or too much of skin was not visible. The male dominated society of the Muslims couldn’t understand this and instead of making her work shoulder-to-shoulder with men, while adhering to the dress code, they confined her to the house, thus hampering her development. The result was that women who rebelled against this treatment started wearing clothes that left little to imagination.

* * * * *

In spite of all their attempts to wow and seduce Suddharth, his thoughts show that he understood that winning the world through physical beauty or trying to accomplish selfish goals through use of physical beauty which is temporary, is despicable. See Siddharth’s words: “What is it that these women lack that they perceive not that youth is fickle? For old age will destroy whatever beauty has?”

This is the reason why later day Messengers never allowed visual display of physical features even though women were free to do business or earn a living as Mohammad’s wife Khadija herself used to do. This is an evident example if you wish to see why the teachings of the Preachers should not be understood through the practice of the adherents. Mohammad married a woman who was the richest woman of the time and who had built her business through her own efforts. There was lot of mutual respect between Mohammad and Khadija and there are several evidences where they not only discussed the affairs but also helped each other. On the contrary, you know the present state of Muslim women.

Following are some of the terms used to entice Buddha. Is it not true that the same modes of enticement continue to remain in vogue even today? If religion puts a check on it, why blame it?

See: With their brows, their glances, their coquetries, their smiles, their delicate movements; urge by passion, pressed him with their full, firm bosoms in gentle collisions; leaning on him with their shoulders drooping down, and with their gentle-creeper-like arms; mouths spelling of spirituous liquor, their lower lips red like copper, whispered in his ear; with her blue garments continually slipping down in pretended intoxication, stood conspicuous with her tongue visible like the night with its lightning lashing; with their golden ones tinkling, wandered about here and there, showing him their bodies veiled with thin cloth; leaned, holding a mango bough in hand, displaying their bosoms like golden jars; another sang a sweet song easily understood and with proper gesticulations, rousing him…”

If all these are banned, why have problem or reasons to complain? Only one religion viz. Islam bans doing all this for men other than husbands. But yes, even the men are not allowed reveal their physical contours or sexual parts in front of women. This is conveniently forgotten.

* * * * *

Prince Siddharth’s response is noteworthy and we all need to salute him for his steadfastness in front of all attempts by the most beautiful women of the time. See what he said:

“This speech manifesting affection is well-befitting in thee; but I will convince thee as to where thou wrongly judgest me.

“I do not despise worldly objects, I know that all mankind is bound up therein. But remembering that the world is transitory, my mind cannot find pleasure in them.

“Yet even though this beauty of women were to remain perpetual, still delight in the pleasures of desires would not be worthy of the wise man.

“And as for what thou sayest as to even those great men having become victims to desire, do not be led away by them; for destruction was also their lot.

“Real greatness is not to be found there, where there is destruction, or where there is attachment to worldly objects, or a want of self-control.”

“And when thou sayest, “’Let one deal with women by guile,’ I know about guile, even if it be accompanied with courtesy.
“That compliance too with a woman’s wishes pleases me not, if truthfulness be not there; if there be not a union with one’s soul and nature, then ‘out upon it’ say I.

“A soul overpowered by passion, believing in falsehood, carried away by attachment and blind to the faults of its objects, what is there in it worth being deceived?

“And if the victims of passion do deceive one another, are not men unfit for women to look at and women for men?

“Since then these things are so, thou surely wouldst not lead me astray into ignoble pleasures.”

We invite you to read this statement of Buddha again? Is it not clear that he has very clear views about existence of soul and its role? I fail to understand why people get misled into saying that Buddha denied the existence of soul. There is no doubt that Buddha’s true views are yet to be understood.

B.R. Ambedkar himself is perplexed at his. He writes: “The third problem relates to the doctrines of soul, of karma and rebirth. The Buddha denied the existence of the soul. But he is also said to have affirmed the doctrine of karma and rebirth. At once a question arises. If there is no soul, how can there be karma? If there is no soul, how can there be rebirth? These are baffling questions. In what sense did the Buddha use the words karma and rebirth? Did he use them in a different sense than the sense in which they were used by the Brahmins of his day? If so, what sense? Did he use them in the same sense in which the Brahmins used them? If so, is there not a terrible contradiction between the denial of the soul and the affirmation of karma and rebirth? This problem needs to be resolved.”

There seems no doubt about Buddha’s belief in the presence of soul. As you progress reading, we will give several more examples to prove this. Our view is that there is not an iota of difference in this regard, between the theory propounded by Krishna and Rama and that propounded by Buddha. Did Buddha say that his God was different from the God of Krishna? Did he ever say that his path was different from that of Rama and Krishna? Is it not sad that we take them to be preaching two different religions? If Krishna and Rama owed their origin to one source and clearly it must be as we all believe that there is but One God, their definition and understanding too must be the same. Problem, if any, lies with the self-proclaimed experts who sit down to write commentaries on their respective subjects of expertise.

* * * * *

This is one more thing we wish to highlight. Imagine a man living in present society who is fully given up to materialistic pursuits. There can still be found men who maintain harems. But do such men boast about it in front of the society, more importantly, their sons. Even in the present society, when morals are fast loosing ground, it will be difficult to find a person who talks about his own carnal life to his son, lest make preparations to have his son succumb to the lust of a carnal life. On the contrary we find Suddhodana and his ministers spend a great deal of their time “in consultation hoping to find some means to draw Siddharth to the pleasures of carnal life and thus to dissuade him from the likely turn which he may give to his life.”

This example shows the extent to which materialism and pleasure exploits had enveloped the society at that time. Therefore, it was but natural that Buddha would have addressed this problem with great intensity. When materialism existed to such extent, it was but natural that people be asked to leave all and proceed to forest. This was the only solution available. But we must remember that all the messengers gave solutions to the problems that were more topical in nature during that particular period. It is this reason why we find Krishna criticizing the evils of sanyas and ritual worship in Gita. Because in Krishna’s period the basic problem facing the people in general was not materialism alone but also wrong understanding of the Vedic teachings and false rituals that got attached to societal living as well as to the lives of the sanyasis.

This is the reason why these messengers appear to be saying different things. Otherwise, if you go deeper into what they have to say, you will find all saying one and the same thing.

It is this reason why we find that when the sanyas itself got misunderstood, Messengers had to work to bring the people back to living in the cities. We find one such incident in an Upanishad where the forest of Bimbisara is described to be buzzing with people who had brought all their materialistic evils to the forest and Narada had to tell them to first go and live for a particular period in the city and then come to live in forest. Remember, Messengers also have to keep in mind the mindset of the people and the affect of their teachings would have on them. When all the people had come to live in the forest, then if Narada had ordered them to go back to city life, nobody would have obeyed. Such was the intensity with which people adhere to their beliefs, even if they are on wrong. Our role is to find the truth about the ideal way that God wants us to lead – the right path – that we are supposed to tread from the teachings of these messengers. Go deeper and you will find that all talk of one and only one path.

* * * * *

Leaving Kapilavatsu, Siddharth Gautama halted at the hermitage of a Brahmin woman Saki, then at the hermitage of another Brahmin woman by name Padma and then at the hermitage of the Brahmin sage Raivata. This is interesting indeed. That was the time when while there were harems, with multitude of women ready to present themselves to the desires of men, existing on one side, there were also women who lived in hermitages or rather had their own hermitages. We know from history that the quick rise of Buddhism was followed by an equally quick decline in India. This was followed by centuries of waywardness during which time there was no religion whatsoever existing in general and only a handful managed to keep the teachings of their respective religions intact. It was only in the ninth or tenth century A.D., nearly 300-400 years after coming of Mohammad and his assertion that he was the last of the Prophets, that attempts were made in India at reviving Hinduism and commentators like Ramanuja and others sat down to reinterpret Vedas and Gita and rewrite Puranas and other religious scriptures. But during these centuries of collective waywardness or lack of religiosity, the system of women running hermitages slowly got extinct and all we know about women during these dark centuries is again in the form of erotica from the innumerable temples like Khajuraho and several others that suddenly appeared during the 9th and 10th centuries A.D.

But why erotica on temples too? Judging by the sheer number of these temples which came up, it appears that they may have been a byproduct of vengeance or vehemence to a certain way of life. If this is not true, then the other logic can be that there were a certain segment of people who wanted the public to remain engrossed in materialistic pursuits, just as Suddhodhama wanted from his son Siddharth so as to shield him from the call of his conscience or the call of truth.

To be continued...

COMING OF MOHAMMAD FORETOLD EVEN BY BIBLE

ANOTHER VINDICATION OF ALL THAT MOHAMMAD ALVI HAS BEEN SO FAR. PROPHET MOHAMMAD IS ONE OF THE DEVAS WHOSE COMING AS HUMAN BEING WAS FORETOLD BY ALL THE EARLIER AVATARS AND PROPHETS.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2105714/Secret-14million-Bible-Jesus-predicts-coming-Prophet-Muhammad-unearthed-Turkey.html

NOTES ON BUDDHA AND HIS DHAMMA (PART - I)

[Based on the book: “The Buddha and His Dhamma” by B.R. Ambedkar]

In his book, B.R. Ambedkar writes: “Bodhisatta, named Sumedha, appeared before Mahamaya in her dream and said, “I have decided to take my last and final birth on this earth, will you consent to be my mother?” She said, “Yes, with great pleasure.” The dream was interpreted by Brahmins in these words: “Be not anxious. You will have a son, and if he leads a householder’s life he will become a universal monarch, and if he leaves his home and goes forth into a homeless state, and becomes a sanyasi, he will become a Buddha, a dispeller of illusions in the world.” Buddhists are of opinion that Buddha obtained enlightenment only on the basis of his own quest. If that is so, then what is the relevance of this story? Who is this Sumedha who has continued to take births and who is taking a final birth, knowing fully well that this is going to be the last birth? Does this not show Buddha’s link to some other power?

The interpretation of the dream by the Brahmins shows that the high and the mighty, including the universal monarchs, owe their position to somebody else’s plan. If kingdom has to remain in the hands of one who is given this kingdom by God, how can we conclude that the spiritual teacher has no relationship with God and is merely a worldly guru. Such a teacher, one who shows us the true path, has to be appointed by God.

* * * * *

As per Ambedkar, Buddha was born in the year 563 B.C. on the Vaishaka Purnima day.

* * * * *

B.R. Ambedkar writes that when the child (Siddharth Gotama) was born, “there dwelt on the Himalayas a great sage named Asita,” who “heard that the gods (read ‘devas’) over the space of the sky were shouting the word “Buddha” and making it resound. He beheld them waving their garments and coursing hither and thither in delight.”

This statement showed that this child’s birth made the gods (translation for the word devas) happy. Buddha surely was a person of great eminence who had descended to show the right direction and path. But this statement also shows that there were some beings – the devas – translated as gods by commentators, who were clearly of higher position than Buddha and were greatly happy at the birth of Buddha. These devas are one, who kept sending spirits in this world to accomplish the task that they had voluntarily taken upon themselves at the beginning of creation – to lead the entire cosmos to the worship of One God.

Asita came to Sidhharth Gotama’s house at the time of his birth. Does this not show that it was a selfless act by Asita, based on what he had seen and observed? This also shows that it was certain even at birth that Buddha was the enlightened one. Those who claim that Buddha reached enlightenment, after self-study and at a particular age, are invited to introspect.

Some people say of Prophet Mohammad that he was given Prophethood at the age of 40. Their view too is based on falsehood. Miracles at the time of Prophet’s birth, the predictions of the Christian Priest upon seeing Mohammad in his youth and several other incidents from Mohammad’s life show clearly that his position was a predestined one and if he did not talk of it during the initial phase, it was either because he was waiting for the right time or he wanted the people to recognize the higher traits of his personality, acknowledge that he was one who was always just and truthful, before delivering the teachings.

If you have reading our views of the Upanishads and the Vedas, you must have seen that at innumerable instances these scriptures talk of an invisible Absolute God creating a visible form, to which it bestowed the power of creation, preservation and destruction. The beings emanated from this power and to keep them on the true path always, messengers or avatars were sent from time to time. That Rama and Krishna formed part of this chain is evident. Siddharth Gotama too formed a part of this system created by the Manifest Self. Proofs of this are manifest in Siddharth’s mother, Mahamaya’s dream wherein Bodhsatta named Sumedha spoke of his last and final birth and also in the incident regarding Asita.

* * * * *

Asita was a person of such great eminence. B.R.Ambedkar writes: “Surveying with his divine eyes the whole of the Jambudvipa, Asita saw that a boy was born in the house of Suddhodhana shining with all brilliance and that it was over his birth that the gods were excited.” Let us accept for a moment the theory that Buddha attained enlightenment at a latter stage. The fact that gods were happy over his birth proves that they were aware of the events of the future. If events of the birth and life of devas are disclosed through Vedas, why should we have doubt.

Asita wept at the fact that he was old and would not be able to live till the day Buddha “attain supreme and complete enlightenment and having done so, will turn the supreme wheel of the Doctrine that has not been turned before him by any other being in the world; for the weal and happiness of the world will he teach his Doctrine.” This statement shows that supreme and complete enlightenment was to be attained at a later age.

Perhaps at a predestined time or when people had already started acknowledging the high traits of Siddharth Gotama’s personality. 

There is one more point! Krishna says in Gita that the self inside us has two parts – lower and upper. Lower part leads the person to the material world and it is the duty of each of us to transcend this and dwell in the higher part of the self, which is directly related to the Manifest Self. Purushottama or the Ideal person even transcends this stage and starts showing the characteristics of the God Himself. This is true enlightenment that leads to salvation, called nirvana by Buddha. You will agree that this does not prove that the person who has attained enlightenment gains supremacy over the God or His Manifest Self, which, we repeatedly proved, is visible in fourteen forms.

Any person who takes his self to the stage where it gets directly attached to the Manifest Self, starts getting revelations from the Manifest Self directly? This is why we see a similar pattern of evolution of teachings all across the world. Wherever any person uplifted himself to the stage where his self got attuned to the frequency of the Manifest Self, he became an Arahat, as per Buddha’s terminology, and became the teacher of the true path. That is why when a revered Brahmin of the time came to Buddha and said that an Arahat should not tell others of his position, Buddha had to explain to him why it was necessary for an Arahat to say so and preach the true teachings to all.

However, we are of the opinion that though becoming an Arahat is prerequisite for Divine Messengers, it is not necessary that all Arahats are Avatars having direct relationship with Noor or Manifest Self. This is evident in the example of Asita, who had reached a stage where he was able to hear and see the devas move and who could search with his divine eye where the child was born, but who was not a Divinely appointed Messenger and who even wept at the fact that he would not be alive to witness the time when Buddha would reach the highest level of Arahatship and would be given the position of a Divine Messenger. As Asita said: “The religious life, the Doctrine, that he will proclaim will be good in the beginning, good in the middle, complete in the letter and the spirit, whole and pure.”

“Just as an Oudumbara flower at some time and place arises in the world, even so at some time and place after countless cycles, revered Buddhas arise in the world.”

This statement of Asita further shows that such people of great eminence, who may also be the teachers of Doctrine of True Path (Messengers) keep appearing from time to time and birth of Buddha was perhaps the last of the Messenger in a region (say India) or the last birth of a particular spirit assigned this task.
After this, Asita again tells the reason why devas were happy and what is expected of all of us. He says:

“So also, O Raja! This boy will without doubt obtain supreme, complete enlightenment, and having done so will take countless beings across the ocean of sorrow and misery to a state of happiness.”

Is the same not the theme of Krishna’s conversation all through Gita?

* * * * *

Buddha’s chief role was also to remove the ills in the society which earlier messengers were unable to accomplish fully. This, however, does not mean that they did not try or impart teachings in these areas. Just as those claiming to be his followers are not adhering to most of Buddha’s teachings, the adherents of the doctrine preached by earlier Messengers too had forgotten their teachings.

One of the chief reforms ascribed to Buddha was to eradicate the age-old belief as per which “a worker was born to serve and that in serving his master he was only fulfilling his destiny.” You will be surprised to read that even Krishna was against the evil of casteism, and if he did not dwell too much on the subject it was either because he was engaged in dealing with more pressing problems or because of the fact that we know too little of his teachings during his life-time, other than those mentioned in Gita.

* * * * *

To be continued...

आज 10 मौहर्रम है।

आज 10 मौहर्रम है। इस दिन को रोजे आशूर के नाम से जाना जाता है। यह वह दिन है जिस में पैगम्बर मौहम्मद के नाती और पंजेतन - पांच तन - में से पांचवे - हुसैन अर्थात वेदों के अग्नि देव को, उनके भाईयों, बेटों, रिश्तेदारों और साथियों के साथ तीन दिन का भूखा और प्यासा शहीद कर दिया गया था। करीब देढ़ सौ पुरूषों जिनमें बच्चे और बूढ़े शामिल थे उनका सामना कम से कम 30000 और दूसरी रिपोर्ट के अनुसार कई लाख की फौज से था। मरने वालों में मुस्लिम बिन औसजा और हबीब जैसे बूढ़े थे तो 5 वर्ष का हसन का बेटा और छह महीने का हुसैन का बेटा अली असगर भी था। अली असगर वह आखिरी कुरबानी थी जिस के बाद हुसैन तनहा रह गए और आखिरकार हुसैन को भी ऐसी हालत में शहीद किया गया कि वह ईश्वर के आगे नतमस्तक थे। अपने भाई बहनों के समान अली असगर भी कई दिन का भूखा और प्यासा था यहां तक कि उसकी मां का दूध भी सूख गया था कि वह छह महीने के बच्चे को पिला सकती। अली असगर हुसैन की गोद में था कि यजीद की फौज के एक सिपाही ने निशाना लेकर तीर मारा और छह महीने का बच्चा भूखा प्यासा बाप के हाथों पर शहीद हो गया। मारने वाली तमाम फौज अपने को मुसलमान कहती थी लेकिन अपने ही रसूल के नाती और उसके साथियों को कत्ल कर दिया।

10 मौहर्रम को मुसलमान जगह जगह पानी की सबील लगाते हैं ताकि करबला की प्यास को याद कर सकें। लोग सिर पर पानी के बर्तन रखकर जुलूसों में चलते हैं ताकि सब को पानी पिला सकें। दिन भर हुसैन की कुरबानी की याद बाकी रखने के लिए जुलूस निकाले जाते हैं।

हम पहले ही बता चुके हैं कि वेदों और उपनिषद में हुसैन को अग्निदेव कह कर बुलाया गया है जो जब मानव शरीर में पैदा हुआ तो हुसैन कहलाया। न केवल अग्निदेव बल्कि दूसरे देवताओं का मानव शरीर में धरती पर आने का वर्णन है। हम ने अनेक उदाहरण दिए हैं परन्तु एक उदाहरण यहां प्रस्तुत है।

प्रोफैसर मैक्स मुल्लर के अनुवाद के अनुसार ब्रहदअराण्यका उपनिषद का मंत्र 4 कहता हैः

The Maruts according to their want assumed again the form of new born babes.

(V.H. Page 141)

जब सबूत के तौर पर इस प्रकार के मंत्र मैं सामने रखता हूं तो कुछ लोग कहते हैं कि अंग्रेजों के अनुवाद पर न जाएं क्योंकि यह अनुवाद झूठे हैं। इन लोगों को पता होना चाहिए कि जब इन ईसाईयों ने अनुवाद किए थे तो उन्हें सपने में भी नहीं पता था कि वे अनुवाद किन हस्तियों की ओर इशारा कर रहे हैं।

मंत्र 4 से पहले के मंत्र यदि हम पढ़ते हैं तो पता चलता है कि वे इंद्र और मारूत के सृष्टि के प्रारंभ में पैदा किए जाने की बात कर रहे हैं। उपनिषद साफ शब्दों में कहता है कि यह भी ईश्वर की पूजा करते थे। इससे साबित हो जाता है कि खुदा का वर्णन नहीं हो रहा है बल्कि उनका जो समय आने पर बच्चों के रूप में पैदा होंगे। शब्द श्ंहंपदश् का उपयोग बताता है कि पहली पैदाईश जो नूर की शक्ल में थी के बाद फिर से पैदाईश होगी जो पैदा हुए बच्चे के रूप में होगी।

इस तथ्य को न समझ पाने के कारण ऋषि दयानंद सरस्वती ने इसका अनुवाद जैसे किया है वह आपके सामने पेश हैः

“After the heat of the sun, the winds bear the water-carrying form. Before the rain, the winds (monsoons) are full of watery vapours.”   

क्या कुछ भी समझ में आया? क्या यही बताने के लिए ईश्वर ने वेद भेजे थे?

देखिए कुछ अन्य सबूत। साफ शब्दों में इंद्र को नूर के रूप में स्वर्ग के वास से धरती पर बुलाया जा रहा है।

From Yonder, O traveler (Indra) come hither, or from the light of heaven, the singers all yearn for it.

मंत्र 10 में इंद्र से सहायता मांगी जा रही है चाहे वह स्वर्ग में हो या धरती पर हों या आसमानों में हों। मैक्स मुल्लर अनुवाद करते हैः

We ask Indra for help from here, or from heaven, or from above the earth, or from the “Great sky.”

और मंत्र 1.2.5 में साफ शब्दों में कहा जा रहा है कि जिस समय यह देवता धरती पर चमक रहे हों तो उस समय जो इनके लिए आहुती अर्थात कुरबानी पेश करेगा तो वह कुरबानी उसे वहां ले जाएगा जहां इन देवताओं का एक खुदा हैःरू

Whosoever performs works, makes offerings, when these are shining and at the proper time, these in the form of the rays of the sun lead him to that where the one lord of the devas abide.

मंत्र 1.2.6 में कहा जा रहा है कि हमारी आहुती इन्हें बुलाती है कि आओ आओ और आहुती देने वाले को ब्रहमा के स्वर्ग तक ले जाओ। इससे भी साफ हो जाता है कि इन देवताओं के द्वारा ही ब्रहमा के स्वर्ग तक पहुंचा जा सकता है। अर्थात इनके मार्ग पर ही मोक्ष हैरू

The radiant offerings invite him with the words, ‘come, come,’ and carry the sacrificer by the rays of the sun, honouring him and saluting him with pleasing words: ‘This is your holy world of Brahma won through good deeds.’

साफ शब्दों में देवताओं का ब्रहमा से सम्बंध और उनका हमारी मोक्ष प्राप्ति से सम्बंध बताया जा रहा है। यह भी साफ है कि पिछले जमाने के लोगों को देवताओं के रोल की पहचान थी परन्तु समय के चलते लोग इस ज्ञान को भूल गए और वेद केवल औपचारिकता बनकर रह गए।

तथ्य यही है कि उपनिषद और वेद बार बार बता रहे हैं कि इन देवताओं को आसमान से मानव रूप में धरती पर आना था और जब वह आएंगे तब इनका साथ देने का आहवान किया जा रहा है। अग्निदेव की कुरबानी की चर्चाएं भी उस समय आम थीं और उस समय के लोगों ने विभिन्न प्रकार की आहुती इसी कुरबानी की याद को बनाए रखने के लिए दी थी। वेदों को फिर से समझने की कोशिश होगी तो आप जान जाएंगे कि अली असगर तक की कुरबानी का उसमें वर्णन है। जिस प्रकार आज अली असगर के प्यासे मारे जाने की याद बनाए रखने के लिए आज लोग पानी की सबील लगाते हैं और सिर पर पानी के बर्तन रखकर लोगों को पानी पिलाते हैं ठीक उसी तरह उस समय के लोगों ने इस कुरबानी की याद को ताजा रखने के लिए गंगा तक पैदल जा कर वहां से पानी लाने की रस्म बनाई ताकि लोग भूल न जाएं कि जब वह समय आएगा कि हुसैन के साथियों पर पानी बंद किया जाएगा तो हम पानी लाकर उनकी प्यास को दूर करेंगे। आज भी असंख्य कावड़ी कई कई दिन की पैदल यात्रा करके गंगा जल लेने जाते हैं और जल को लेकर आते हैं। जैसा मैं पहले बता चुका हूं कि उस समय के ज्ञानी लोगों ने कपड़ों के भीतर जनेउ पहनने की रस्म इसलिए बनाई थी कि आने वाले समय में लोग उस रस्सी को न भूल जाएं जो उन्हें ईश्वर तक पहुंचाएगी उसी प्रकार यह रस्म भी बनाई गई ताकि लोग अग्निदेव को भूल न जाएं और जब वह मानव शरीर में आएं और असुर उन्हें घेर लें तो ईश्वर की याद दिलों में रखने वाले सनातन धर्मी उनकी सहायता के लिए जाएं।

देखिए कैसे ब्रहद अराण्यका उपनिषद बता रहा है कि यह सारे देवता एक समान हैं। पैगम्बर मौहम्मद भी बार बार कहते रहे कि हम 14 के 14 अहलेबैत एक समान है।

I.5.13: These are all alike, all endless. Verily, he who meditates on them as finite, wins a finite world. But he who meditates on them as infinite wins an infinite world.

जो उन्हें असीमित मानता है वह असीमित दुनिया पाता है जो सीमित मानता है वह सीमित दुनिया पाता है। प्रश्न उठता है कि यह कैसे हो सकता है कि वे सीमित भी हैं और असीमित भी। उत्तर उपनिषदों में कई दूसरे स्थानों पर दिया गया है। नूर के रूप में यह देवता असीमित शक्तियों के मालिक हैं परन्तु जब यह मानव शरीर में धरती पर आएंगे तो सीमित शक्तियां लेकर। आज के मुसलमान इन्हें उसी रूप में जानते हैं जब यह धरती पर जीवन व्यतीत कर रहे थे। उन्हें इनका असीमित रूप जानना है तो उन्हें वेद और उपनिषद पढ़ने होंगे। यह रूप जानकर ही उन्हें असीमित दुनिया मिल सकती है अर्थात स्वर्ग का वह स्थान मिल सकता है जहां से कोई वापसी नहीं है।

पुराने समय के लोग इस प्रतीक्षा में थे कि देवता मानव शरीर में पृथ्वी पर आएं तो वह उनकी सहायता कर सकें। पर जब कोई व्यक्ति मरने लगता था तो वह अपने पुत्रों से कहता था कि मेरे समय में तो वे नहीं आए परन्तु यदि तुम्हारे समय में आएं तो उनके लिए कुरबानी देना अर्थात उनकी सहायता करना। ऐसा करके पुत्र अपने पिता को भी मोक्ष दिला पाएगा।

I.5.17: When a man thinks that he is about to depart, he says to his son, ‘you are Brahman, you are the sacrifice and you are the world.’ The son answers, ‘I am Brahman, I am the sacrifice, I am the world.’ Verily, whatever has been learnt, all that taken as one is knowledge. Verily, whatever sacrifices have been made, all those, taken as one are the world. All this is indeed this much. Being thus the all, let him preserve me from this world, thus. Therefore, they call a son who is instructed ‘world-procuring’ and therefore they instruct him. When one who knows this departs from this world he enters into his son together with his breaths. Whatever has been done by him, son frees him from it all, therefore he is called a son. By his son a father stands firm in this world. Then into him enter those divine immortal breaths.

समय के साथ यह ज्ञान लुप्त हो गया। और कुरबानी की याद दिलाने वाले मंत्र केवल तेल में आहुती देने के लिए प्रयोग होने लग गए।

I.5.21: In whatever family is a man who knows this, they call that family after him. And whoever strives with one who knows this shrivels away and after shriveling dies in the end.