VANDE MATARAM
The earlier description was not easy to comprehend. You must have surely concentrated a great deal, in order to understand the inter-relationships between the Devatas. Here, starting with our views on Vande Mataram, we present before you certain essays on diverse topics, but all related to our subject of discussion. Since they are essays written in different times, a few of the points might be repeated.
Many Muslim organizations in India have declared fatwas against singing Vande Mataram, due to the song giving a notion of worshipping Mother India, which they consider to be shirk (polytheism). This is particularly because the core of Vande Mataram is a hymn to goddess Durga, a fact endorsed by Rabindra Nath Tagore. In his letter to Subash Chandra Bose in 1937, Tagore wrote: “The core of Vande Mataram is a hymn to goddess Durga: this is so plain that there can be no debate about it.”
We think those who make this a communal Hindu-Muslim issue, more so for their own petty gains than in national interest, should know that the common Muslims’ aversion to singing of Vande Mataram is not because of any disrespect to the country or lack of patriotic fervour but more because worshipping someone else other than the One God is considered the biggest sin in Islam. Fact is that none but Hindus should give respect to this belief of the Muslims, since all scriptures dear to the Hindus also talk of One Absolute God and Krishna fought an entire war with those who were worshipping anyone inferior to the God, even so if they were the Devatas. In fact, Krishna called such people ‘dead’ and worthy of being killed, despite the fact that those in the opposite army included some revered sages and brahmins, including Dronacharya and Bhishm Pitamah.
Matsya Purana says there is only one Devi who was known in different parts of India by different names and with time people began to regard them as different Devis. Durga was the name by which people living in the region of Bengal adored this Devi. I have proved in my writings that even though a lot many common Hindus may be calling various Devis as goddesses, the Hindu scriptures do not consider the one and only Devi as God. Even in Hindu scriptures, God is One and Absolute. The word ‘Dev’ or ‘Devata’ or ‘devi’ have source in ‘divya’ or light (rather something illuminated), which is same as the ‘Noor’ of Quran, which as per Mohammad’s traditions, was working in the bodies of the Ahlulbayt.
Quran and traditions of Prophet Mohammad have talked of creation of ‘Noor’. Prophet Mohammad himself said that my Noor was created much prior to the creation of Adam. Thus, Mohammad too is a Devata (creation from Light/Noor). Several traditions have been cited linking Mohammad and his progeny with Noor that was created even before the earth, the sun, the moon and rest of cosmos was created. Likewise, Vedas say that the Devatas and Devi have been assigned a role to play in the universe created by God, but they are not gods, something which you will now have to agree upon. It is the misfortune of English language that it does not have appropriate word for ‘people created by Light or Noor’ (Devatas or Devi) and so translated it with ‘gods’ with small ‘g’.
There are other arguments that can be given to support our view. The word “Vandana” doesn’t mean worship. It is more used in the context of ‘praise’ or ‘salutation’. We don’t think any Indian Muslim will have objection to singing the praise or salutation for India. That we already do when we sing ‘Jana Gana Mana’. The real objection of Muslims is because of mention of Durga, and no Muslim can ever think of worshipping anybody else but the One God, who has several names. Since it is clear that Durga is not God (neither smaller god with ‘g’), as we have seen from the scriptures, we are of opinion that Muslims should have no issue regarding singing Vande Mataram.
The word ‘mataram’ meaning ‘my mother’ has been used for the nation. Nothing else but Hazrat Ali’s quote on this comes in support. It seems as if Ameer-ul-Momineen Hazrat Ali knew that this controversy would arise 1400 years later that he said (in quote 313 of Nahjul Balagha):
Ameer-ul-Momineen said:
People are the progeny of the world and no one can be blamed for loving the mother.
Who else but Ali’s view on the subject is a guarantee that revering the nation or world as ‘mother’ is no sin?
Fact is that when Indians sings Vande Mataram today, the thought that the song was set in a controversial novel Anandamath by Bankim Chandra Chatterji does not come to the mind. The only thought that comes is patriotism and love for the nation. Whatsoever be its origin or purpose, today there is no doubt that it is hymn to the motherland, akin to ‘Saare Jahan Se Accha Hindustan Hamara’ by Allama Iqbal. The song became symbol of patriotic fervour, post 1857 (in which it were the Muslims who shed maximum lives for the nation). It was a time when the British administration was trying to promote ‘God save the Queen’ as the anthem for Indian subjects, which the Indian nationalists disliked. Vande Mataram soon became the national cry for freedom from British rule during the freedom movement. Large rallies, fermenting initially in Bengal, in the major metropolis of Calcutta, would work themselves up into a patriotic fervour by shouting the slogan “Vande Mataram”, or “Hail to the Mother (land)!” The British, fearful of the potential danger of an incited Indian populace, at one point banned the utterance of the motto in public forums, and imprisoned many freedom fighters for disobeying the proscription. Rabindranath Tagore sang Vande Mataram in 1896 at the Calcutta Congress Session held at Beadon Square. Dakhina Charan Sen sang it five years later in 1901 at another session of the Congress at Calcutta. Poet Sarala Devi Chaudurani sang the song in the Benares Congress Session in 1905. Lala Lajpat Rai started a journal called Vande Mataram from Lahore. Hiralal Sen made India’s first political film in 1905 which ended with the chant. Matangini Hazra’s last words as she was shot to death by the Crown police were Vande Mataram.
This is ample proof that Vande Mataram has no other connotation than patriotism and love for the mother nation. The love of the country has been kept obligatory on all Muslims, as per a tradition of Prophet Mohammad. It is our duty to pay all respects to the country and its constitution.
In the end, we would say that there is no doubt that vices have crept within Muslims, just as so many vices have crept into the Hindu belief and system. But that’s not the issue of contention here. We may talk about it at some other moment. We, particularly the Muslims, should pray and work to remove the vices that have crept inside us during these end times. Ameer-ul-Momineen predicted 1400 years back (in quote 379 of Nahjul Balagha) that such times will come:
A time will come when nothing will remain of the Quran except its writing, and nothing of Islam except its name. The mosques in those days will be busy with regards to construction but desolate with regard to guidance. Those staying in them and those visiting them will be the worst of all on earth. From them mischief will spring up and towards them all wrong will turn. If anyone isolates himself from it (mischief) they will fling him back to it and if anyone steps back from it they will push him towards it. Says Allah, the Glorified, (in hadees-e-qudsi – i.e., the tradition in which Allah Himself speaks): I swear by Myself that I shall send upon them an evil wherein the endure would be bewildered, and He would do so. We seek Allah’s pardon from stumbling through neglect.
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