A Matter of the Heart and Spirit

[Guest guest]

1"> While the western world, generally, sees it to be an issue of

free speech versus faith-based intolerance, the reality is something different.

In order to gain an accurate understanding of the crisis, one needs to immerse

oneself into the realm of ancient traditions of the heart and spirit.

For a Muslim, the Prophet represents everything hopeful, liberating,

forgiving, honorable, just, and sacred in a profane world. There is gratitude,

warmth, love, friendliness, and kindness in the one figure of Mohammed.

0in 0in 0pt"> In ancient cultures, the relationship between the

faithful and the object of faith is not just one of belief, it is a matter of

the heart and spirit rather than a part-time activity or a whimsical

flavor-of-the-month approach to spirituality. The traditional approach to

faith is intensely personal. So when the Prophet Mohammed is ridiculed, it is

as if a burning arrow has pierced the heart of every Muslim. Not so much

because of any religious based emotional belief system, but because a

personality dear to the heart and spirit is being abused. The love and

gratitude of the Umma for Mohammed’s message is the basis of

their intense displays in defense of Mohammed. The global Hindu

community shares a common heritage with a majority of the world’s Muslims.

Traditional concepts such as familial loyalty, communal solidarity and

respectful recognition of matters of the heart and spirit are the foundation to

harmony, stability, and a productive community. They are not optional, but

rather are the bedrock of civilization. Therefore, it is no surprise that

Hindus understand the angst and consternation of the Islamic community when the

very essence of their spirit is ridiculed.

For a Hindu, all spiritual _expression is sacred and worthy of respect. This is

evident by the vast and diverse Universe that is Hinduism. Thus, the Hindus

stand in solidarity with the Muslims and condemn the media’s blatant

misrepresentation of Mohammed the Prophet. It can only be hoped that a common

cause of respect, honor and courtesy can be developed amongst Muslims and

Hindus. Unfortunately, such solidarity is not the normal state of affairs.

The world is quite familiar with the calls for justice and respect in regards

to Islam. Unfortunately, such a concern is rarely, if ever, displayed by

Islamic leaders and personalities in regards to the sensitivities of

non-Abrahamic communities. Interfaith efforts by the Islamic community rarely

involve anyone other than the “Peoples of the Book” i.e. Jews, Christians, and

Muslims. The historic record is riddled with atrocities and

outrages committed against Buddhists, Sikhs, and Hindus. Yet a majority of

these incidents are ignored or denied. The blatant destruction of

Afghanistan’s ancient Buddha’s of Bamiyan in 2001 was by far one of the most

brutal assaults on the heart, spirit and traditions of the ancient world, yet

the Islamic community was unmoved. For American Hindus, Mr. Saleem

Syed’s “Young Tarang” radio show incident is still a raw memory. In this

Houston, Texas Islamic radio show, Dr. Syed Mohammed Khaliq completely

misrepresented the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita, and the beloved Lord

Krsna. As an outsider to the Hindu tradition, Dr. Khaliq quoted the wrong

source and presented a completely skewed view of Krsna. Lord Krsna has been a

subject of intense research, devotion, and admiration for thousand of years.

His various activities have been the focus of scholarly interpretation and

inspiration. Similar to the Muslims

who do not accept misrepresentation of Allah and His Prophet Mohammed, Hindus do

not accept the concept of an unfulfilled divinity. In the Hindu scriptures,

Krsna is never represented with the hankerings and cravings of a mortal being.

In other words, when Lord Krsna steals the clothes of the Gopis and performs the

Rasa Dance, he is engaging in Divine play or ‘lila’ that is a direct response to

the aspirations of the faithful. It is not His own urges He seeks to fulfill,

for Krsna is already complete. Thus not only did Krsna steal the clothes of

the Gopis, He also lifted a mountain on His little finger. Krsna also claimed

to be time itself and exhibited the gigantic Universal Form. Ancient sources

reveal a Krsna that

is greater than a mere role model, but a focus of worship and devotion for

billions of people. As long as those unfamiliar with a tradition publicly

present inaccurate and questionable perspectives, outrage and anguish is sure

to follow. So while condemning the questionable and inaccurate portrayal of

Mohammed, the Hindu community is disheartened that to this day Dr. Khaliq and

Mr. Saleem Sayed’s “Young Tarang” radio show have yet to apologize for its

misrepresentation of Lord Krsna. When the heart of a community is in pain,

that trauma needs to be addressed. For whether it is an assault on the heart

of Muslims or of Hindus, it is still the heart that is being savaged. If the

Muslim community begins to value the sensitivities of Hindus and others as much

as they value their own, a new era of communal harmony can surely be

attained.Tired

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