Who is a Hindu?
THE debate has started one again after Mr. Mohan Bhagvat's assertion that people of Germany are called German, those of England as Angrez etc., therefore people of Hindustan should be called Hindus. I beg to differ. By his logic we should be called Hindustanis.
BUT the issue remains. Here won't involve Dr. Radhakrishnan (Hindu View of Life) or Supreme Court, who said that Hinduism is a way of life. I would rather prefer to quote Dr. Zakir Niak or Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza, who have/had same views on Hinduism. Dr. Naik, a Pakistan national, holds Ph.D. on Comparative Religions.
BY simple logic, followers of Jesus call themselves Christians (after Jesus Christ) and followers of Prophet call themselves Muhammdan or Muslim ( after Prophet Muhammad). Who gave the name Hindu to Hindus? It were Arabs, who pronounce s as h. They called those living across Sindhu (i.e. Indus) as Hindus. Therefore, Hindu is a geographic entity, not religious. Following Dr. Naik, all of us, living in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are Hindus, irrespective of our ritual practices. Our ancient texts too never mention Hindu religion but Sanatana Dharma whereby Dharma is one of the four Purusharthas and can not be equated with religion.
SO, the debate is deliberately being forced on us by the so called secularists to create a wedge between different sections of Indian society to gain the lost ground, politically. Beware!
BUT the issue remains. Here won't involve Dr. Radhakrishnan (Hindu View of Life) or Supreme Court, who said that Hinduism is a way of life. I would rather prefer to quote Dr. Zakir Niak or Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza, who have/had same views on Hinduism. Dr. Naik, a Pakistan national, holds Ph.D. on Comparative Religions.
BY simple logic, followers of Jesus call themselves Christians (after Jesus Christ) and followers of Prophet call themselves Muhammdan or Muslim ( after Prophet Muhammad). Who gave the name Hindu to Hindus? It were Arabs, who pronounce s as h. They called those living across Sindhu (i.e. Indus) as Hindus. Therefore, Hindu is a geographic entity, not religious. Following Dr. Naik, all of us, living in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are Hindus, irrespective of our ritual practices. Our ancient texts too never mention Hindu religion but Sanatana Dharma whereby Dharma is one of the four Purusharthas and can not be equated with religion.
SO, the debate is deliberately being forced on us by the so called secularists to create a wedge between different sections of Indian society to gain the lost ground, politically. Beware!
Dear Sir,
ReplyDeleteThe above information provided me a valuable clarification on HIndu, If Possible please write few topics on Tribals contemporary issues also sir, when you have some free time.
Thanks again for sharing your opinions.