"I see nothing wrong for a Muslim to recite Vande Mataram as long as it means salutation to the nation and does not amount to offering prayers," Shia scholar and All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Maulana Hameedul Hasan told IANS.
The declaration came close on the heels of a similar announcement by another renowned Shia cleric and AIMPLB's senior vice president, Maulana Kalbe Sadiq.
"That is why I feel there was a need to explain the meaning of every word in the national song. I am sure that once it is clarified that there was no element of offering prayers in the song, all this controversy over it would come to rest," Hasan pointed out.
This follows the Maulana's "heart-to-heart" talk with former Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief K.C. Sudarshan, who in an unprecedented move drove down to the former's residence here Sunday.
"The aim of the meeting was to find ways to bridge the Hindu-Muslim divide that arose primarily on account of prevailing confusions about each other's religious beliefs," Hasan said. "We have succeeded in breaking the ice and I am sure we will be able to resolve various issues that give rise to avoidable tensions between the two communities."
On Nov 3, the Darul Uloom Deoband, India's largest Islamic seminary, passed a resolution urging Muslims not to sing the 'Vande Mataram', saying the song went against Islamic principles. The resolution sparked a furore, both within and outside the Muslim community in India.
The Sunday meeting here was organised at the initiative of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, a RSS brainchild.
It was rare occasion when a Maulana talked about misunderstandings among Hindus about the Koran and a RSS bigwig eulogised the life and achievements of Prophet Mohammad.
"I told Janab Sudarshan sahib that the need of the hour was to remove all misunderstandings that many Hindus have about the Holy Koran, Islam as also about Indian Muslims who are unfortunately often labelled pro-Pakistanis," said Hasan.
"These misgivings can only be brought to rest through an open dialogue between the two communities. I am sure the RSS can play a truly meaningful role towards achieving the goal."
Seeking to dispel the common impression that Muslims were responsible for the creation of Pakistan, the Maulana said: "No Muslim has any soft corner for Pakistan. The bulk of Indian Muslims opposed the country's partition."
Interestingly, RSS stalwart Sudarshan also seemed to second the Maulana's view by adding: "It were the British who brought about the partition in collusion with Jawaharlal Nehru."
He termed the Hindu-Muslim divide a result of "vested political interests" while hailing Prophet Mohammad as "preacher, social reformer, commander and statesman".
Source: IANS
Muslims are also integral people of our Nation. Some of my Muslim collegues and friends know better than this Shia Clerics.
These so called authorities (if this article is fact & true), has no right to represent all Muslims of our nation. These are cheap publicity sake.
Starting from our former president (Dr Abdul Kalam) to the Music director (A R Rahman) knows how to respect National Song.
These RSS and Shia Cleric are nothing but, are the cause for creating confusion between Hindus and Muslims of our nations (offcourse, they can only succeed with illiterate Indians)
So, Educating People of India is topmost important to the Government of India and Government of all states/Union territories to come up with plan and executing the action of educating each and every Indians. THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY for being selected to hold His/Her Highness positions...
RSS is different from British Raj because they don't have any designs like the British to rule the country or to loot the country. They are just fighting for Indian nationalism which some sections of Islamic society are against it.
How would singing a national song be anti-Islamic ?. Just singing a song doesn't offend Allah ?. Allah is all merficiful and as a merciful god he will be happy if his followers are singing a national song.
National Anthem......Vande Mataram
What is then Jana Gana Mana by Tagore????????????
The writer and some of the comment maker of this article does not even know what is our national anthem.
DISGUSTING
All the scholars including Maulana Azad who opposed Vande Matarm for muslims were either stupid or do not have enough knowledge about Islam or Vande Mataram. Even Supreme Court of India took the case and made it very clear that the song is not compulsory for Indians to sing.
We, the Indians do not have any desire to understand the need of hour from Mr. K.S. Sudarshan who headed RSS, an organisation which was instrumental on killing thousands of Indians in Gujrat and other parts of the country. We have no desire or intention to learn the concept of nationalism from anti-national people like Mr. K.S. Sudarshan. It is RSS and people like Mr. K.S. Sudarshan who does not have faith in Indian Constitution and do not believe in the social fabric of the country and want to make India a country as per their whims and fancies.
India, one the great nation on this planet have given freedome to choose and follow your own religion and no one have the right to impose something which is against anyone's religious beliefs.
Let Maulana Hameedul Hasan and Mr. K.S. Sudarshan keep their advice to themselves and do not make a dead issue as alive for their political gains.
RSS doesn't believe in Hindu supremacy. If it believed in Hindu Supremacy it wouldn't have made any efforts to meet the Shia Clerics. Infact, the Sunny clerics are the fanatics who believe in Islamic supremacy. Atleast Shiates and Sufites practice some level of tolerance towards other religions and faiths. Good job to Sudershanji and Maulana Hameedul Hasan for trying to bridge the differences between Hindus and Muslims. Hope Indian politicians learn lesson from this example.
MyThinking and POokid are both wrong and are firing in the bush. Akhand Bharat or Hindu Rashtra is not against any religion. It is a concept to feel as one nation, one people. Even the Hindus have their own diversity, practice, language, rituals, community and politics. So you both are ill informed people jumping on emotional bandwagon with out understanding the issues.
The Shia clerics are right, there is nothing wrong in singing a national or patriotic song, only those objecting that on religious basis are creating the trouble. They are the one unnecessarily getting involved in issues outside the purview of religion. Religious people should concentrate on religious issues to guide the people and not in to politics.
The Ulema guys who issues fatwa against vandemataram are in fact idiots. Why did they not issue fatwa against the Islamic terrorist? Why did they not issue fatwa against Muslims engaged in smuggling, drugs, trafficking, black marketing etc.?
How can they practice yoga and then oppose vandemataram. Yoga is also a Hindu practice and surya namaskar is prayers to lord Sun. Sun and moon are said to be the eyes of Lord Vishnu.
So all these hullah-bullah is just nothing more than contradictions within the Islamic ideology of mixing religion with politics and up to terrorism. A modern citizen cannot be expected to be confined to the four walls of religious dogmas.
The RSS is doing the right job and it is to be judged based on its work and not talk of the critics.
We should not politicize this matter. If you are true Indian, it should automatically come from your heart and not by force or by pressurizing.
Shame on those who cant sing it. Shame on your existence (on the land of India).