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From Virag Pachpore
Seeking to distance Dharma from terrorism Baba Sayyed Hashmi Maharaj, an Islamic scholar categorically stated that no religion encourages terrorism in any form or shade.
Interacting with journalists recently Baba Sayyed Hashmi Maharaj said that the problem of terrorism was associated with land. He said that terrorism was a reaction while original Islam did not preach intolerance.
He said that there were two kinds of Muslims in Bharat; one who came here to grab the land and the other who came here to preach and spread the message of the Prophet. The first kind was represented by Jaheerooddin Babar who came here to establish the Moghal empire while the other was related to Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti or Baba Tajuddin who preached the religion of love.
The Islamic scholar further appealed to the Muslims of Bharat to associate themselves with the second line represented by Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti and Baba Tajuddin and dessociate themselves from the land-grabbers like Babar, Akbar or Aurangzeb.
?They should nurse their relationship with Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti and not with Babar?, he appealed to the Muslims of Bharat through media.
Tracing the genesis of present-day terrorism, Baba Hashmi held the Britishers responsible for the same. He said that with the help of one Mohammed-bin-Abdul Wahab the Britishers wedged a divide among the Sunni Muslims and established a fundamental sect called Wahabi sect. This Wahabi sect was further spread by Ismail Dehlavi, Ashraf Ali Thanvi and other fanatic leaders.
These Wahabis fanned the religious feelings on the borders, converted jehad into war against non-believers and unleashed terror against the non-Muslims, he said.
?Those Muslims who were arrested for their alleged involvement in acts of terrorism were undoubtedly Wahabis? Baba Hashmi Maharaj said adding that this Wahabi element attacked even the faith of ?majority of Sunni Muslims?.
Bharat could be more aptly described as ?Dar-ul-Aman? Land of peace.
He said that it was as difficult to identify these Wahabis as identifying different kinds of poisonous snakes. ?Had we been endowed with power and strength we would have crushed these Wahabis as Maryada Puru-shottam Shri Ram destroyed the mighty Ravana and his Lanka?, the Islamic scholar said without mincing words.
He also appealed to the government to conduct the census of Muslims on the basis of Shia, Sunni and Wahabi sects.
He also demanded that a close watch be kept on the institutions such as Dar-ul-uloom Deoband run by these Wahabis by the government to ascertain their involvement and role in terrorist activities.
In reply to a question Baba Hashmi said that solution to the vexed Ayodhya issue could be presented within minutes as the real problem was with the ownership of land.
Stating that Ayodhya issue was not at all a religious one, he said that if that land did not belong to Mir Baki, then his act of constructing mosque there was wrong. Mosque was not just a piece of land or building, it was a place of prayer and worship. According to Islam, so long as the owner donates the land to the waqf no mosque could be constructed. If the ownership of the land on which the Babri mosque stood was decided then the problem would be solved immediately. If it was proved that the land did not belong to Muslims, then they should give up their claim on it and hand it over to the Hindus.
