Saudi Imam’s Visit: Was it meant to Foment Sunni-Shia Discord in India?

By Mohd Akram Nawaz, NewAgeIslam.com

The wave of pro democracy uprisings in the Middle East is the most defining mome
nt and a welcome step for the whole Arab World on the one hand; on the other it
is a frightening alarm for the American backed Sheikhdoms. The massive protest,
emanating from Tunisia, followed by successful mass revolution in Egypt forced t
he self styled Arab Monarchs to mull over to handover the power to the people, i
ncluding freedom of speech, basic civil and human rights and dignity. One of the
most remarkable features of this ongoing uprising is the wider participation of
women folk, who had been the most deprived section of the society. For almost h
alf a century, the Arab Monarchs kept the larger population bereft of their righ
ts. Col. Moammar Ghaddafi’s treatment of the rebels and common citizens is deplora
ble. But so is the condemnable act of allied powers led by France in the beginni
ng and now under NATO. West’s immediate response to Libya is a testimony to their
double-standards and smacks of some hidden motive because Arab League and the UN
did not approve of full fledged attack but a no-fly zone to deter Ghaddafi’s loya
l forces and masquerading militia. What could be the motive behind US, Britain a
nd France’s unilateral step is not difficult to imagine – it’s again, as in the case o
f Iraq earlier, seeking to control the wealth of oil. The same oil which inspire
d Bush to attack Iraq and decimate Saddam Hussain who stood against their imperi
alistic drive. Here in the case of Libya again, the West did not go by the actua
l UN Security Council resolution and went on to strike till their real objective
of regime change is attained. The Arab League support for a no-fly zone was an
extremely unwise decision; the Western powers were just looking for such an oppo
rtunity and the League helped them to grab it. From the very first hour of enfor
cing a so-called no-fly zone, they started attacking Libyan tanks as if they wer
e flying.
But what made Saudi Arabia and Qatar back the West’s unjustified attack on Libya i
s the moot question. Does Saudi Arabia really mean to bring Democracy in Libya w
hen Saudi government has itself banned any pro-democracy demonstrations terming
it as anti-Islamic from the viewpoint of Shariat. In fact, the Saudi government,
a well known US client state, is following the double standards of the US and f
ooling the people. Having no better excuse than Islamic Sharia, Saudi despot’s sta
nd on democracy and human rights lies exposed as 30 percent of the Saudi’s own Shi
a population are a victim of maltreatment, bias, and prejudice.
The recent and sudden visit by Dr. Shaikh Sudais, the Imam of Harem at Mecca, th
e holiest city of Islam, to India is considered to be a well thought step to ste
m the larger pro-democracy sentiments which had a considerable impact on Indian
Muslims who are Sunni in majority. Dr. Sudais visited India on a personal invita
tion of Maulana Arshad Madani to attend a conference on Azmat-e-Sahaba’, organize
d by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind in New Delhi on 26 March. Addressing the conference, at
tended by millions of believers, Sudais spoke at length on the life and contribu
tion of the companions of the Prophet Mohammad (SAW). He also led the Maghrib an
d Isha prayers at the Ramlila Ground, the venue of the conference.
But the motive behind the visit is more than what meets the eye. Sudais’s visit wa
s all about pacifying the Sunni Muslim world including India, which has the seco
nd largest Muslim population after Indonesia. And if that was not the case with
his visit, then why did Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind not hold the conference on any press
ing social issue like health, education, backwardness, and poverty. There could
have been a conference on other issues too - like unemployment, illiteracy, stat
us of Muslim women and caste discrimination in Muslim society in India.
Yes the motive was something else. In fact, it had nothing to do with freedom o
f speech and expression, civil rights, and life with dignity for the common peop
le as the Shia minority is subjugated in most of the Gulf countries ruled by Sun
ni kings. Saudi Arab’s intervention in Bahrain is the latest example. It brutally
 crushed the combined Shia-Sunni uprising against a dynastic Sunni Monarch Khali
fa. Rather than talking about democracy or other social and political problems f
acing the Arab monarchs, Sudaias in India focused in his lecture on establishing
institutions and councils in order to protect the companions of the Prophet fro
m vilification and execration. He said this in the backdrop of a tradition of Sh
ia Islam which allegedly engages in vilification and execration of some of the c
ompanions of the prophet (pbuh). Saudi government’s massive propagation of Wahhabi
Islam and blatant support to “Sipah-e-Sahaba” has already wreaked havoc in Pakistan
. Will Sudais’s India visit engender same kind of schism in Indian Muslim society
and polarize it into Shia and Sunni sects so as to crush the uprisings in Saudi
Arabia and other Arab countries and to protect their dynasties? Needless to say,
Iran is playing hatemonger against Sunni Muslims in the region and the present
Shia government of Iraq is following suit. This is not a good sign for maintaini
ng stability, peace and tranquility in the Muslim world in general and in the re
gion in particular.
The fact of the matter is that Asrhad Madani has lost his support-base and gone
into oblivion after the Jamiat was bifurcated between him and his nephew Mahmood
Madani. He no longer has any real influence beyond the boundaries of Deoband. H
owever, Arshad Madani got an opportunity far beyond his expectations to cash in
on Sudais visit. Arhad Madani, who was at the forefront in opposing Mohd Tayyib
Qasmi, the former Vice Chancellor of Darul Uloom at Deoband in 1980s along with
his brother Maulana Asad Madani, successfully tried to wrest the control of the
seminary into the Madani clan. Indeed, due to such opportunist and self styled l
eaders, many a Muslim bodies suffered division. The esteemed All India Muslim pe
rsonal Law Board (AIMPLB) witnessed such an unfortunate split. Later on, AIMPLB
was further divided into All India Shia Personal Law Board led by Maulana Mirza
Mohd Athar, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (Jadeed) led by Maulana Tauqir R
aza and All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board led by Shaista Ambar.
The sponsored visit of Sudais, organized by Jamiat, is nothing but a crude joke
on the Muslim sentiments. What is unique about it and what merit Indian Muslims
gained in praying behind Sudais? Absolutely nothing. With Sudais’s visit, only Jam
iat Ulamae Hind, Jamate Islami Hind, and Jamiate Ahle Hadith Hind and some oppor
tunist people like Arhad Madani, Imam Bukhari and others benefited. These so cal
led religious leaders and organizations try to make money in the name of Deen (r
eligion) and do little for the betterment of the Muslim community. Darul Uloom a
t Deoband and Madrasa Mazahir Uloom at Saharanpur, both the premier Islamic inst
itutions of the country, were divided in the name of Deen. Millions of rupees do
nated by the community for the students were spent lavishly for winning the suit
over the rival party and this is still going on in the latter seminary. Very re
cently the Jamiat Ulamae Hind was bifurcated in the name of Deen. Tablighi Jama,
at is still Ameerless (without chief). After the demise of Maulana Inamul Hasan
Kandhlawi no Ameer (chief) was yet elected fearing division. It is irony that th
e same greedy clerics appeal to the community and students at the Madrasas to ab
jure winning Duniya in return for Deen.
If I can bring in a personal note, through this writing my purpose is never to t
arget any specific person or organization. My intention, as an ordinary Indian M
uslim, is only to make the motives of the said elements crystal clear. I intend
only to unmask those elements who have been playing with the Muslim sentiments.
I do not want a Shia-Sunni conflagration imposed upon us as Saudi Arabia and Ira
n have already succeeded in doing in Pakistan. We Indian Muslims should try and
do everything possible to avoid the fate of Pakistan. Our Mullahs, as I have exp
lained earlier may indeed be leading us towards that fate. Hence, I urge upon al
l fellow Indian Muslims to avoid participating in such irrational and counterpro
ductive activities, and press these personalities and organizations to work for
the welfare of the society instead of indulging in divisive games on behalf of e
ither Saudi Arabia or Iran-Iraq. This will be in the best interests of the commu
nity. We do not need organizations like Sipah-e-Sahaba or Sipah-e-Mohammad or La
shkar-e-Jhangvi or Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Jafaria in our midst. We just do not want t
o become another Pakistan or Afghanistan, the playfields of Sunni monarchs or Sh
ia Mullahs.
A regular columnist for NewAgeIslam.com Mohd Akram Nawaz is a Research Scholar a
t Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
URL: http://newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamWarWithinIslam_1.aspx?ArticleID=4473

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COMMENTS
5/3/2011 8:33:23 AM Khushnuma, US
I agree with Mr. Akram Nawaz that Indian Muslims need to be vigilant not to get
swayed by the speeches of hatemongers of any side. All these leaders have their
own agendas, and selfish interests even if they use religion to influence people
. It is upto the people to decide who to follow, and they should not follow the
leaders who create trouble. In fact, the Indian Muslim community should find lea
ders who talk about free speech, women s rights and issues of education and empl
oyment.

4/18/2011 11:16:52 PM Ghulam Mohiyuddin

Car313 says, "whenever the ruling party in India wants to lick a pair shoes, the
y invite the pair."
Why make such stupid comment? If you have nothing to say, you don t have to say
anything.

4/18/2011 11:09:09 PM khusro

I have heard from very reliable Sunni sources that fanning anti-Shia and anti-Ir
an sentiments was precisely the main purpose of Mullah as-Sudais visit to India
. The Deobandis and Ahl-e Hadith regard anti-Shiaism as one of the tenets of the
ir faith. Hatred shapes the understandinng of their religion--hatred of everyone
but themselves.

4/18/2011 9:30:06 PM satwa gunam

@Anwar.
What a costly misunderstanding between shia and sunni which leads to mutual des
truction.
@car313,
I agree, our politicians will lick any minority leader shoe, only at the time o
f election for the votes after wards, business as usual.

4/18/2011 1:39:27 PM car313

The Imam s visitmight not have all those intricacies as we would like to suggest
.
Generally, whenever the ruling party in India wants tolick a pair shoes, they in
vite the pair. Most likely, Indian politicians wouldhave suddenly developed crav
ing for the leather on the Saudi King s shoes. Thatis most probably the reason h
e has sent his lackey, as King Fahd is a very busyman what with all the groovy p
arties he has to organize for his extended andextensible family.