Everyone is aware of the word religion, but can anyone explain the exact definition of it? Religion is an extremely motivating force that motivates its followers. Religion is not limited to rituals and festivals. It is a mechanism that shows it followers the right way to live. Religion means laws, both moral and social that encourage the right way of living.

Humans are the only creation that have the power of transforming ideas, information and knowledge from one generation to another. That is how history is developed and civilizations are evolved. Today, when everyone is busy in a rat race of exceeding each other, and the world is at the verge of atomic destruction, religious harmony is the only solution. Religious harmony is the only way in which people around the world will be at peace and harmony with each other.  Every person has deep emotional roots with their religion. No matter what your religion is, you love and respect it and want it to be respected by others.

Human beings have been created equal and should not be discriminated against on any basis. In order to keep peace in the world, we all should make an effort to look into each others’ religion and find what is common between them. When this happens, we will be able to understand the basics of each belief and gain a sense of respect and dignity. When each religious group receives respect, they will ultimately agree to compromise, and a sense of universal brotherhood can be developed.

Prophets, saints and sages have appeared in different corners of the world in different ages. All of them have spread the message of love and peace. The government of every country should put their efforts toward bringing the people of different religions closer to each other. Peace and harmony acts have been passed, and many conferences have been held in many countries with the intention of promoting harmony and peace among different religions. If we can keep up with these, and the governments of every country take steps to protect every religion and its people, peace and harmony can be granted to everyone.

 

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What does it take to get multiple communities to co-exist in peace and harmony? This is a question that many a regular Joe, a politician, religious leader and even social observer has wondered but with little or no success if you were to look at results.

There is, however one situation that almost defies logic – all logic if you ask me personally. A little backgrounder for starters ought to be in order for those unaware of the typical communal situation in Hyderabad, India, to understand the gravity of what is going to be said in the paragraphs to come.

First and foremost, it is a city that has historically seen being populated predominantly by Muslims. The culture, the language, the attire and even the typical lifestyle has evolved over the last century, to have a unique flavour of Islam in it.

There have been movies made of the culture, Indian cinema typically tends to have the Hyderabadi as the comic character, Hyderabadis are recognised anywhere in the world to be distinct from other Indians, and most importantly, the lingo and Biryani has always won hearts and palates from all corners of the globe.

So everything ought to be hunky dory right? Wrong. Having lived in this city for over quarter of a century, I can assure you it is far from hunky dory. There is an ever-present danger of communal discord leading to riots and violence. Not a single religious festival passes without a stray incident of communal violence, be it just a boot hurled into a procession or a good old fashioned group brawl in the middle of the streets. The air is always tense…except during the month of Ramadan. Strange but it is true.

The answer is simple – the folks are just too busy eating Haleem. Hyderabadi Haleem as it is often referred to, is similar to the dish made in most Islamic regions, with its base in ground mutton or beef, stewed with wheat and flavoured with a whole host of spices…but the recipe is different here. Just as everything else in Hyderabad typically is…unique. The vegetarians are not spared one bit – they have their own sweet temptation in 100% pure vegetarian Haleem that doesn’t differ in taste from the original preparation. Hurricane Haleem Fever hits land and the city embraces the new Religion in town – Haleem.

Now – you may wonder how a dish could make such a difference…may brush it off as a load of tosh…or just laugh it off as a joke but it’s far from it. We are talking ground realities here. A strange reality that usually starts about two to three months before the holy month of Ramadan. A famous confectioner puts up their hoarding counting the days to the month of Ramadan and of course what they are most famous for – delicious Haleem.

Mouths begin to water, people begin to get restless as the countdown goes to single digits – the plans for having the first taste of Haleem for the year begin to be crystallised. And at 4 PM on the first day of Ramadan, a horde crowds to the local Haleem joint. A horde that usually has more Hindus, Christians and folks belonging to other religious beliefs, than Muslims who don’t break their fast until sundown.

All through the month of Ramadan, no one utters a peep. The newspapers and local television crew never have anything to report but about Haleem Eating Contests, Haleem Making Contests, a regular feature on the famous Haleem joints of the city, and of course one on whether inflation is affecting the Haleem appetite of the local populace. What one never misses, mostly because of the Haleem preoccupation, is the fact that there are no reports of violence. No riots. Not as much as a hint of anything untoward.

Once every year. For one month. The people of Hyderabad are silent. Silent about everything save the hue and cry about when they had their last round of Haleem, or why they’re not having it three times a day – some do.

The Haleem Fever isn’t something that’s now limited to Hyderabad. 7 PM on the first day of Ramadan, I get a call from my childhood friend and true blue Hyderabadi, David. After the typical pleasantries, of “kya karra?” (meaning what’s up) the word comes out…he is digging into a bowl of Haleem from Pista House, delivered piping hot, in 3 hours flat, over a distance of 750 Kilometres or 465 miles.

What? Haleem? Before me who’s in Hyderabad? Impossible! Wrong! Pista House has a tie up with a local airline that delivers fresh from the coals Haleem to most major cities of India. And with a neat little supply chain set up with a logistics partner, the treasures of Hyderabad are delivered to one’s doorstep.

As I quickly hasten towards the nearest Haleem joint I slowly realise – everything else pales to utter insignificance in the light that I have been beat to the first taste of this year’s Haleem by my friend sitting a good 750 kilometres away!

When I approach the Haleem joint, I see a chap squatted on top of the oven dishing out bowls full of Haleem to the folks around…not Muslims, not Christians, not Jews, or Hindus…but an ever growing horde of Haleem lovers.

I walk back home with a stomach full of Haleem – one is never enough…a lingering taste of the delicate flavour of Haleem…and a smile on my face that seemingly nothing can wipe off my face and I begin to wonder. Is this what communal harmony is about?

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Now a question that Islamic culture is inherently intolerable is a topic of intense polemics in the western world, it needs still further inquiry and deeper deliberation into the Islamic history, prevailing Islamic culture of the past and the first Islamic society. In fact, Islamic history, since the death of the Holy Prophet [PBUH], received heavy blows when hypocrites who wanted to have their tribe dominant came into power through political maneuvering devoid of morality and Islamic values.

The values laid down by the holy Prophet [PBUH] demands that head must be an elected one but superior to others not only in courage, bravery, tolerance but also in knowledge and intellect. This went wrong shortly after the death of the Messenger of God. A dark night of dictatorial regime set on the Arabic world that spread beyond its borders up to present day Spain and even crept into India after that. Though Islamic culture thrived, but Islamic morality suffered. It is also necessary to see that Arabic culture must be separated from the Islamic culture which have several commonalities between them. For example Arabs were naturally brave, eloquent and hospitable. Islam also laid emphasis on the same qualities. Arabic culture was enshrined in tolerance as the Jews and Christians used to visit Mecca and Medina, though now they are forbidden.

The Holy Prophet [PBUH] first came into direct social contact with the Jews when the Muslims won the status of a dominant force in Medina after winning their first war. However, when Muhammad [PBUH] signed the Charter of Medina with the Jews, specifying that both communities would have full freedom to exercise their religious ritual, but would help each other in danger, it got clear that the Islamic culture being brought by the Holy Prophet [PBUH] was not only tolerant in nature, but also ensured full religious freedom. Every individual of both the communities have full religious freedom to act likewise.

There is also an instance that once Christians came to meet the holy Prophet [PBUH] and thy stayed in the mosque, the major center of the Muslim activities in Medina. They were treated with honor and respect. As far as the present day persecution of the other minorities in Islamic countries is concerned, it is neither compatible with the Islamic values nor with the Islamic culture. Just take the example of India 200 years ago, where a minatory of Muslims ruled India for four hundred years and that too very successfully. There were sometime communal rites but they were almost insignificant.

Moreover, Islam itself has stressed upon the Islamic government to respect and ensure rights of the other communities similarly as it is done for the Muslim citizens. To bar the members of other communities from taking part in their religious rituals or to stop them from taking part in the social activities or to ostracize them altogether has never been an Islamic practice, nor has it been propagated by any leading Muslim scholar. We can simply say that it could be the work of some local clerics having no knowledge of Islamic values nor teachings; otherwise, Islam has nothing to do with it. Even the holy Koran specifies the killing of an individual as the killing of entire humanity and this “individual” has not been associated with any religion. Hence this senseless killing of any minority community member in any Muslim state could be the handiwork of some outfits, not of the Islamic culture or teaching and Islam deserves better appreciate than condemnation that is often unleashed by some western scholars and writers alike.

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