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Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind, which is a Muslim clerics’ organisation, has mentioned that India’s national song, ’Vande Mataram’, has contents which are "against the religious principles of Islam".
A resolution had been passed yesterday at the national convention being held at Darul Uloom, Deoband, urging the Muslims not to sing the national song. The event had been attended by Hindu priests as well as Home Minister P Chidambaram.
Muslim clerics had issued the fatwa, or decree, against the national song in 2006. They contend that "Vande Mataram" means "Mother (India), I bow to thee!".
"Some of its lines are, of course, against the religious principles of Islam. We cannot bow before anybody other than the Allah. It is un-Islamic," Moulana Muizuddin of the Jamiat said.
"Islam teaches us to worship only one god, the Allah. We are Indians and there are other ways to express our feelings for the nation rather than bowing before it. Loving your country doesn't only mean worshipping it," said Muizuddin.
"We love our mothers. Islam doesn't even permit bowing before mother. We love the Prophet, but we cannot bow even before him."
Maulana Salman, who teaches at the Deoband seminary, said: "We are true Muslims and true Indians. There is no doubt about that. But we no longer remain Muslims when we offer our prayers to anybody else than the Allah. Patriotism is not only about singing songs. We are and will remain Indians without singing Vande Mataram."
