SPIRIT OF ISLAM FEBRUARY 2018

27 Spirit of Islam Issue 62 February 2018 when I returned to Islam. Science proved to me that there is one source managing creation.” Then why is religion often used to incite violence and terrorism? Jathedar Harpreet Singh laments that “while people are adopting religion, they have not understood the thought behind it. Till they do, violence will continue. Swarth , (selfishness), is also responsible for violence. Science has made life easier; it has provided us with luxuries; but, our desires have increased. Some want to acquire things even at the cost of killing others.”  Politicisation of Islam  Maulana says that the “Violence that you see in the name of Islam is not due to faith; it is politicisation of Islam for votes.” He cites the example of a person he knew in his youth, who made his money building mosques and pocketing half the donations. He would play on people’s emotions, saying, the donations they made for Mosques would ensure them Paradise. The problem is not that some people do not follow religion. The biggest problem is the rabble rouser; he is present in every faith, group, and community.” But for every rabble rouser, isn’t there a spiritual leader who can bring people back on the right path? Jathedar Harpreet Singh says, “People have always been drawn to materialism. The desire for ‘matter’ actually becomes a weakness. These people then follow a path that leads to fulfilment of desires, and they don’t think of right and wrong. Padarthwaad or materialism, overpowers religious thoughts. Materialism becomes number one, and religion, a poor second.” But Maulana says that he finds people who follow the Sikh dharma (religion), exceptional. “I went to Amritsar to know why the Sikhs never have gurus (priests) who provoke or instigate them, unlike the Muslims. I discovered that in Sikhism, the gurus made the Granth Sahib as eternal guru . The Guru Granth cannot be a rabble rouser. So, among Sikhs, there is lot of positive unity, and relatively, they are more peaceful. But Muslims instead of following the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet are following those who have interpreted Quran in any way. The differences among the two religions were created by Mughal kings, especially Aurangzeb. Otherwise, I think both religions have many similarities. It was Aurangzeb who politicised Islam.” The Jathedar adds, “As Maulanaji points out, the Guru Granth Sahib is both our Granth and Guru Granth Sahib talks about Aek Khuda, or Aek Rab— One God. Ishwar or Parmatman is One; He is the creator, Brahman; He runs the show. Gurbani talks of Aek Rab ka hukum—that the world operates according to the Supreme Being’s will.