Amid the debate on Vande Mataram in Parliament, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind on Tuesday said it had no objection to anyone singing the national song, but the poem carries polytheistic beliefs, and Muslims cannot associate anyone else with worship.
Maulana Arshad, the outfit’s president, said love for one’s country is one thing, and worshipping it is another.
He said Muslims do not need a certificate from anyone to prove their love for this nation.
“We have no objection to anyone reading or singing Vande Mataram. However, we want to make it clear once again that a Muslim worships only one God, and cannot associate anyone else with this worship,” Madani said in a statement.
He said that the contents of the poem Vande Mataram are based on polytheistic beliefs and ideas, particularly four of its verses where the homeland is explicitly likened to a deity and words of worship are used for it.
This is against the fundamental belief and faith of any Muslim, he said.
The Constitution of India grants every citizen freedom of religion (Article 25) and freedom of expression (Article 19), Madani said.
Under these provisions, no citizen can be forced to adopt any slogan, song, or ideology that goes against their religious beliefs or sentiments, he said.
“The unparalleled sacrifices of Muslims and the elders of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind in the freedom struggle, especially their efforts against the partition of the country, are as clear as daylight.”
“Their struggle for the unity and safety of this nation after independence can never be forgotten,” he said.
Madani emphasised that the debate on Vande Mataram must take place within the framework of respect for religious beliefs and constitutional freedoms, not in a manner of political blame-game.
“Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind appeals to all national leaders not to use such sensitive religious and historical issues for political gain, but to fulfil their constitutional responsibility by promoting mutual respect, tolerance, and unity in the country,” he said.
