كليدواژه :
Islam , Muslim Women , Identity , Human Rights
چكيده فارسي :
India is home to a remarkable variety of religions, and a major challenge that the country faces today is that of conflict between various religious communities. This has taken on menacing forms in recent decades. Incidents of violence between Hindus and Muslims, in which often agencies of the state play a central role in directing anti-Muslim violence, have now become endemic in some parts of the country. This form of communal violence, generally instigated by right-wing Hindu forces, is sought to be given religious sanction and is also projected as a crusade to save the Indian “nation”, which is described and portrayed in Hindu terms. Communal violence and anti-Muslim pogroms in various parts of the country have resulted in mounting human rights violations, particularly of marginalised communities such as the country’s Muslims, who number more than 150 million. To add to this is the pervasive neglect of Muslims by the state. Responding to this context, various Indian Muslim organisations and Islamic movements are today seeking to promote peace and inter-community dialogue and solidarity, particularly between India’s Muslims and the dominant Hindu community, arguing that not only is this crucial for safeguarding Muslim lives and protecting and promoting their interests but, more importantly, that this is an Islamic duty and necessary for promoting Islamic missionary work or tabligh among India’s non-Muslim communities. What, in effect, they are articulating are contextuallygrounded Islamic perspectives on peace and inter-faith solidarity. This paper examines the approach that a major Indian Islamic movement, the Jamaat-i Islami Hind, has adopted in promoting peace and inter-community dialogue in the Indian context. It is based on a content analysis of the movement’s literature as well as an overview of some of the movement’s practical efforts in this regard.
