----- Original Message -----
From: yogi sikand
'Periyar' ('great man'), was the founder of the
Dravidian Self-Respect Movement in Tamil Nadu. The
movement sought to challenge Brahminical hegemony in
the name of Hinduism and sought to provide the Shudras
and the Dalits, the vast majority of the people of
Tamil Nadu, with a new Dravidian identity. Although he
was not a believer in God, Periyar believed that
religious conversion was an important vehicle for
promoting this identity. In particular, he saw
conversion to Islam as a means for the social
liberation of the Dalits, who have been for centuries
enslaved by the caste system and the Brahminical
religion that sanctifies it.
Below are translated extracts from some speeches
delivered by Periyar on various occasions on the
subject of Islam. I have taken these from the booklet
titled 'Periyar on Islam' by G.Aloysius (Critical
Quest, New Delhi: criticalquest@hotmail.com)
1. The Untouchables In Crowds Should Become Muslims
Comrades, 69 Adi-Dravidas have become Muslims. I am
pleased not because all their sins are forgiven, or
that the heavens are now within their reach, or that
they have now become identical with God. I do not
accept any of these, nor do I advise others to accept
them. Besides I do not agree that merely on account of
a man's religious conversion his beliefs and behaviour
would be rewarded differentially.
It is only superstition to believe that on account of
religion, that if a Hindu consumes cow's meat, it is
sin and if a Mohammedan does, it is no sin; both the
beliefs have no meaning. All religions of the world
are raised on superstition. Therefore I am pleased,
not on the basis of sin and virtue or heaven and hell.
If you ask me what else is the reason, it is because
the 69 Adi-Dravidas, said to have converted from what
is called the Hindu religion, have been freed from
their ascriptive degradation; and also that ftiey are
liberated, to some extent, from an animal stage of
idiocy and uncivilisation and also from ignorance. I
am pleased for this reason.
That is, as far as the above-mentioned 69 persons are
concerned, untouchability is gone. Hereafter no one
can degradingly call them, Paraiah, Chakkili or
Chandal. They too need not any more stand at a
distance, , considering others as swami; they do not
have to fall at their feet and worship them; they do
not have to live outside the village; and they do not
have to be harassed anymore with no water to drink or
bathe. With no services of the washer men and barbers,
they do not anymore have to go about living in dirty
clothes, bear-like long hair, an unseemly sight for
the onlookers. Hereinafter they could walk about in
all the public streets; go for any sort of employment;
compete with anybody; participate in politics. Even
with regard to religion they now have the right to
enter their temples without any hesitation and to read
the Vedas.
Therefore, when I think of the fact that they somehow
have been freed from economic difficulties, social
degradation, lack of self-respect and political
marginalisation, I cannot but be pleased. Because, my
passionate desire, that unendurable cruelties in the
name of religion, Vedic Shashtras and gods, such as
untouchability, unapproachability and unseeability,
all should be rooted out, gives me these thoughts.
Therefore, my humble and honest view is this: in our
country those who are of the opinion that, cruelties
such as untouchability should go, social harmony must
be established, people should be instilled with
self-respect, most importantly, not oppose the
untouchables becoming Mohammedan.
Some have written to me objecting that the Mohammedan
religion engenders violent nature. I am of the
opinion, that if this is true, then that itself is a
good reason for recommending Islam to the Untouchables
in order to abolish their untouchability. If it is
true that Islam gives birth to violent tendencies,
won't it be that those who have joined it, at least
hereinafter not behave so slavishly? And again, won't
it be that others considering their violent nature
would, out of fear, likely to be respectful towards
them?
The character of the Mohammedans, if it cannot be
termed as violent, has to be viewed as unbeatable
boldness that would not easily submit to humiliation
and degradation. If those who are considered
Untouchables today manage to acquire such a nature,
that could even be sufficient and there is no need for
conversion. However, as long as they remain Hindus,
such a character cannot easily be acquired and I would
also say that those who are said to be of upper castes
would not allow the Untouchables to become so
courageous.
Therefore, until the Hindu society achieves true
equality and unity, there is no way out for the
Untouchables other than becoming Muslims in crowds. On
this count, we are not in a position to raise any
objection in the matter. Besides, those who are
concerned either with religion or Hindu society, if
they have any problem in this, could easily come
forward to remove the cruelties and degradation
endured by the Untouchables. I am always willing to
cooperate with them also.
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2. Islam Is The Effective Antidote For The Ethnic
Degradation (Of The Dravidians)
Colleagues, our malady, the malady of being Shudras
and bastards is a serious, indeed a very serious one.
It is like cancer and leprosy, a long-standing malady
It has only one remedy and that remedy is Islam. Apart
from this there is no remedy If not this, one has only
to endure the misery Through other sleep-inducing and
soporific drugs one could get rid of the pain but
would continue to move about like a stinking corpse.
On the other hand, in todays context, if one wants to
get well and go about one's business, then Islam,
which means, giving up of Hinduism, is the medicine.
That alone would give you well being, make you walk
upright and is a source of courage.
Do not think that Islam means the religion of Mohammed
Nabi, or of those wearing hmgi and keeping measured
beard, or of those known as Sayabu,
Rowthar,Marakkayarand Mappilas.
The religion of the Dravidians is anterior to that of
Mohammed Nabi, Christ and the Buddha, but also of
Krishnan, Raman and Vishnu of the Aryas. Islam is the
Arabic term for peace, humility and dedication. Islam
means brotherhood, and that is all. Look up the
dictionaries of a hundred or two hundred years old. I
would say that if instead of saying it in Arabic, the
same is said in Tamil, it is a religion having the
characteristics of one God, worship of a formless God
and peace, unity, mutual humility, devotion and
fraternity. Kadaui is Dravidian, God, English and
Allah, Arabic; and it is not a God or principle alien
to the Dravidians. Just like recognizing other
religions by the smear of ash or vertical lines on the
forehead or tuft of hair at the top of head, do not
judge Islam by shaved head, beard or lung,. The
Muslims of this country are not the sole proprietors
of Islam. The Mappillas of Malayalam are another. The
Egyptians are yet another. The Islamic peoples of
Germany and Japan are also other members. So also are
the African, Negro and Abyssinian Muslims. For all
these there is only one God and that too without a
form, having no wife and children and demanding
neither food nor drinks. What is common to all are
fraternity, equal rights and discipline and all the
rest depends on the traditions of the different
countries. Precisely because of these common elements,
the sixty crore peoples, though living in different
parts of the world are fraternal among themselves. The
world is in fear of them. If you say you are a Hindu,
what is common to all the fifteen crores of the
peoples? Where is dignity? Where is fraternity? Where
is unity? Where is humane discipline? Why get merely
provoked and angry?
Dr. Ambedkar, though he is successful now, when his
enthusiasm dies down, if he calls himself Hindu again,
he would certainly be added once again to the list of
the Panchamas. Better than transforming this country
into a Hindu country Hindustan, what is wrong in
changing it into Dravidastan, or if the Brahmins could
not tolerate this name, into Pakistan, a different
name but embodying the same Dravidian ideology?
People cannot live without a religion. That is, the
kind of religion I am talking about is not the one
that establishes a relationship between god and men or
awards fate, forgiveness or reward in the upper world
of heaven. It is of the other kind, of humble respect,
love and devotion, and peaceful, fraternal, united,
disciplined and mutually helpful life between man and
man. It is for your understanding, that I am using the
term religion with which you are accustomed. My own
preference is to call this a social principle. But I
do not object if you want to call this, religion.
Without such a 'religion' it is hardly possible for
men to live in society. Therefore, along with the ten
crores of people who are already living united in the
name of such a principle, at least another two and a
half crores of Tamils, of the four crore Dravidians
joining, and together if the twelve and a half crore
people live unified on a single principle, achieving
dignity, abolishing degradation and with humane
rights, I demand to know who loses what? Or what is
the great loss?
Or let some one suggest an alternative remedy to this
Brahminical abomination, I am willing to listen. If we
in the Dravida Nadu become Islamic, then that Islam
would be what we determine it to be and not according
to the sweet will of some Sayabu or Mulla. I know the
Islamic practice of this ten crore of Muslims. A
country's preference is its majority's preference,
unlike in the case of Hindu religion in which a
handful of Brahmins dictate to the overwhelming
majority, saying, "Keepyour distance,you cannot be
educated, you are a Shudra, you are a bastard, you
cannot claim equal rights, employment or
representation". Islam is not like that; on the other
hand, it is a way of life, humility, peace and true
frater nity. Despite whatever else, it is a path
characterised by unity and discipline and this no one
could deny. I am not an agent of Islam nor do I preach
Islam. This is the truth, the real truth. I do not
have any uncommon attachment and friendship for,
confidence in, or co-operation with the Muslims more
than you all do. But in order to kill the devilish,
dangerous and cruel snake of Brahminism and Hinduism
or at least to escape from the effect of its poison,
this is the antidote." Those desirous of learning
properly about Islam should go and find out in
England, Egypt and Turkey
The swaravyam that is approaching is going to be a
great disaster for us. While about 75 of the 100
Dravidians continue to live like Hanumans and
Vibhishnans, others like comrade Avinasilingam and
certain others, the so-called Pundits and Sirs,
attaching belled-tails to themselves, singing Ram
bhajans, that is Arya bhajans and following the
Aryans, seek to crush us.u What a shameful thing it
is. In my country, in the rule that is being carried
on with my tax-money, and on my behalf, if I do not
have representation, proportionate employment and
human dignity, and to get these I have to petition the
Aryans, fall and worship them and beg and dance before
him, I demand to know, is this self-respect? If some
handful of traitors calls itself as Brahmin slaves,
that is Hindus, should we also call ourselves Hindus,
that is, servants, serfs, dogs and slaves? I demand to
know this. For the removal of degradation the magic
word is Islam, that is, 'I am not a Hindu', and this
alone can make us human beings. I am not saying this
today or yesterday. Right from 1919, 1920 until today
for twenty-eight years I have been saying this and I
have not lost my popularity. The main reason for this
being, there is no other remedy for the removal of
this degradation. In the attempt to cure this malady,
the medicines of all great doctors have only failed.
The Sayabus (Muslims) and the scheduled castes having
obtained their proportionate employments, if the rest
is left to the monopolistic enjoyment of the Brahmins,
what is your fate - the Dravidian or the Tamil, who is
neither Brahmin, nor Muslim, Christian or Adi-Dravidar
(scheduled caste), in other words, the Shudra, think
of it. In the State Legislative Assembly where is your
representative? The Scheduled Castes, Brahmins, the
profiteering businessmen and the tyrant Sancaracharya,
all of them have representatives. Think, where is the
representative for the Dravidian, who is perplexed,
'Why am I a Shudra?' Think with self-respect.
Employment alone is not our goal. Our degradation
should go. We should become a society that has no
Vibhishnan.
My dear Dravidian brother, tell me of a remedy other
than Islam for this. You do not have to tell right
now. Go home; consult Tamil savants, Sirs, Pundits,
advocates who have become so, having learnt English,
and other big officers.
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3. Why Should One Join Islam?
Colleagues, Among the many people who heard my speech
in Trichy on 18-3-47 and also those who read the
editorial in Kudiarasu, some ten, fifteen of them have
written to me and to the editor, some hesitantly
others pityingly, yet others censoringly,
condemningly, threateningly and even with fearfulness
but all at length. Some others came up directly and
conducted a war of argumentation. By way of assuring
all of them and also to inform others of the assurance
I gave to those who met me directly, I am writing
this. Without getting excited or provoked and with no
religious bias, do think about this. That only on
account of our animosity towards a religion, we tend
to hate the followers of that religion also.
The reason behind the hatred of the Hindus towards the
Muslims today is their hatred of Islam itself. Because
Islam is contrary to the Aryan religion (Hinduism),
the Hindus (the Aryans) hate Islam. It is contrary
because Islam demolishes the very foundation of the
Hindu religion. For the Aryan religion, which is alsc
called Hindu religion, there are so many gods having
also as many forms. \nd among the people there are
several caste discriminations. The caste has L een
devised according to circumstances of birth. The
people are divided into higher and lower castes such
as Brahman, Shudra and Panchama (Pariah). It is in
accordance with this principle that we have become
members of low caste.
In Islam on the other hand, there is no Brahman (high
caste) or Shudra (low caste) or Panchaman (least
caste). In other words, Islam is founded on the
principle of one God and one caste, that is, one
family and one divinity. It could also be said that
such a principle belongs to and needed for the
Dravidians. The so-called Hindu (Aryan) religion is
based on many gods and many castes, which are also
created by the gods. Through this arrangement of many
gods -many castes, the Aryans (the Brahmins) get good
benefits and privileges. The Dravidians on the other
hand, find only ruin, degradation and obstacle to
human rights. It is for this reason the Islamic
principle is very odious to the Brahmins. For the
Dravidians on the contrary, Islam is opportune for the
removal of degradation and achievement of welfare.
Therefore the Brahmins, the Aryans are constrained to
hate Islam.
If all people follow Islam there would not be a caste
or community called the Brahmin; the many gods as well
as the idol-gods also won't be there; the revenue from
offerings to these idol-gods also would cease. It is
on account of this, that Islam is hated by the Aryans.
It has been so hated now for quite a long time, and
accusing the Muslims of various things, the mass of
people also is being induced to nurture the same
feelings of hatred towards Islam. In this way since
Islam is hated, the Muslims are also hated by the
Aryans and it has been so devised that the slaves of
the Aryan religion, the Shudras (Dravidians) too, hate
them. Therefore I say because of the Aryan hatred of
Islam, the Dravidian Hindus also are habituated to
hate the Muslims. The others, such as the Christian,
Sikh and Buddhist religions and Arya and Brahma Samaj
are not hated in the same manner as Islam is. Because
the Christian and Sikh religions being to some extent
antagonistic to Islam, these three, the Hindu, Sikh
and the Christian as its common opponents try to live
as far as possible in peace among themselves. Several
Brahmins too have embraced the Christian religion.
Several others are employees in Christian
institutions. Any Hindu who so embraces the Christian
religion here is permitted to hold on to the caste
principle. The Sikh also worships God more or less in
the same Hindu manner. But instead of the idol-god he
keeps the book in the place of God and worships in the
manner of a Hindu. The Sikhs too, like the Hindu,
though not to the same extent observe caste divisions.
Among the Sikhs also there is a group of people
considered and forced to be untouchable and low class.
Proportionate class representative right also has been
granted to the Sikhs. There also has been struggle for
separate electorate among them. But the Aryan
newspapers cover it up from being known. This
information I got directly when I had been to Punjab.
Among the Christians of this country also, there are
untouchables. Some of them, having been educated are
given teachers' posts. But that' is it. Otherwise, be
it among the Christians or among the Hindus, they have
not been given equal rights as in Islam. Therefore the
Aryans are friendly with the Christian and Sikh
religionists. Buddhism and Jainism also in practice at
least, being antagonistic to Islam and having
outwardly relations with the Hindus, the Aryans are
not so much inimical towards them.
Therefore, as the Brahmins on account of their
selfishness and casteism hate Islam, the Muslims are
also, out of superstition, hated by the
Aryan-Brahminic slaves. Even today, can any one tell,
that for the Hindu ideologues, besides making people
hate the Muslims, what is the core philosophy
principle and practice of the Hindu religious
preaching? Who created Islam? What else is it, if not
created by another reformer such as the Buddha and the
Christ. Why was Islam created? It was in order to
abolish multiple gods, idol-gods and ascriptive
discriminations among people and to create one God and
one society (caste), in order to abolish superstitions
and idol-worship and bring (people) closer to
rationality.
We have no objection, just as it is called the Arab
religion or the Turkish religion, if Islam is also
called Dravidian or the Dravidar religion. Whatever be
the method, the people should move away from caste
discrimination, birth-related superiority-inferiority,
polytheism and idol-worship. The Dravidians should
realize that we have said this with no intention other
than that they should be redeemed from their present
state of slavery to the Brahmins, a state in which
they are unable to raise their head.
It is not clear to us what shame is involved for the
Dravidian, who is devoted and friendly to the Brahmin,
putting on a guise and acting like him, but has
basically consented to remain a Shudra, to transfer
the same devotion, friendliness, guise and behaviour
to the Muslims and become a non-Shudra and continue to
remain also a Dravidian. We are either ashamed or hate
to live in brotherly relations in freedom and dignity
with the ten percent of the people but instead have
consented to lead a degraded life with the three
percent, feigning as though we belong here, in bondage
and indignity with people who, being different from us
treat us contemptuously The reason for this is, that
the Brahmin has made us all enemies of Islam by
projecting it as devilish, satanic and monstrous. Can
any other reason be advanced? What is the bad practice
in Islam that is not among us? Which reform or good
effort that we want to undertake and Islam prevents?
If the doctor advises to amputate a hand in order to
save life we agree to it; if he says, 'you will not
live unless your leg is cut off,' we agree; if another
hole is to be made for defecation; we accept and abide
by it; if uterus is to be removed, we also consent to
it; if any other important part of the body needs to
be removed in order to save life we do not hesitate to
do so. This being so, if we point out that a dishonest
horde, having conquered, enslaved and made us accept
through force and fraud a philosophy-like principle,
that we are inferior to them, and keeps us in a
degraded status, and that this needs to be abolished,
why so much of reluctance, opposition, hesitation and
fearfulness? When then and how else this degradation
is to go, I demand to know Those who are angry with
me, if they are so without suggesting an alternative
to this, won't the learned conclude that they are mere
fanatics?
Indignant comrades! The Shudra-label will not go by
merely consigning the Vedas, Shastras, Puranas and
Ithihasas to fire. It will not again go by demolishing
temples and breaking up idols. The Brahmin knows how
to turn all these to his own advantage just as the way
dosa is turned on the pan. The Shudra-tag will not go
by merely calling oneself Dravidian. In todays
context, it will not go even if you declare that you
are not a Hindu. The Hindu religion will not disappear
lightly. It is like a chameleon that won't die easily.
To kill it, our own life span, why the life span of
our grandchildren also is not enough. So what is
possible within our own lifetime is, to move away from
the Hindu religion. If we do so move away, in today's
context, we need a name to declare who we are and that
is to be created new; that also needs to be
propagated; and the Gandhian government has to be made
to accept it; legal sanction, tradition and influence
have to accrue to it; representative right needs to be
determined and made legitimate. Are all these easily
achieved in the teeth of Brahminic trickery and
opposition, which has the support of the Bania also?
Could this even be thought of in our vegetative
society? Think of this. Instead of all these hassles,
and without being subjected to these obstacles and
impossibilities, what is wrong or the difficulty in
declaring that I have embraced a religion, a religion
which has already achieved influence and currency,
that has been established and accepted by all thinking
persons and which genuinely and rightfully embodies
our own philosophy and religion of social
egalitarianism? Think on this also.
Why such bitterness and anger at the mention of Islam?
Be first clarified as to why such sweetness and
satisfaction at the mention of Hindu. In the
alternative, suggest a way to abolish in your own
lifetime the contemptible Shudra-tag. I have stated my
thoughts; you state yours. Wasting time in endless
argument and counter-argument and useless gossips, are
we to die and leave our progeny also as Shudra? If we
so die, it will only profit the Brahmin, for our
progeny would offer him holy dates and worship him as
divinity; and he would see to it that such a process
would not end soon; instead he would bring about
dissensions and riots among us. Therefore diink, and
please do so deeply and in anxiety. Moving away from
the fanaticism of attachment to the Aryan religion,
think from the position of attachment to self-respect;
do not get provoked. If the issue is left without any
thoughtful conclusion, Islam and Hinduism and the
people of both the religions will clash in which the
loss, beatings and death all are for the Dravidians
only The Brahmin not only will not lose anything, but
there is income in it for him, in the court of this
world, fees and bribe and in that of the next, holy
dates and other orthodox rituals. Through what else
except these the Aryans today are living and
maintaining themselves in such high status on the one
hand, and on the other, have degraded us devising laws
and Shasthras, which condemn us as his slaves, progeny
of his concubines. Therefore think once again.
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4.I Am Ashamed Of Remaining A Shudra
[Response o/Periyar to a ktter concerning his lectures
in TrichyandKurnbakonam on the topic, Islam is the
antidote for the ethnic degradation (of the
Dravidians).]
Friend, I saw your letter dated 26-3-47. Forgive me
for not mentioning your name and place in this
response. I do not care for or feel sorry about your
scurrilous words. I am not afraid of Brahminism. I am
only ashamed that even today Brahminism has not only
kept me tied down and enslaved but also made me a
Shudra. I only request you, that in case you also are
desirous of not carrying on with the Shudra-tag, to
feel ashamed.
Those who have died in Naokali, Bengal, and Punjab and
in other places of North India are all same to us. The
non-Muslims of those places are not overly ashamed of
their Shudra-tide. What could we do by feeling sorry
for them? It is not that bad at all to die in the
course of efforts to abolish the Shudra-tag than to
live by merely multiplying one's progeny as Shudra It
is not a big loss either, if by becoming a victim of
death one could deny space for the Shudra-tag.
Whom do I advise to join Islam? I am advising only
those who hate the Shudra-tag and those who say that
the Dravidian society should have self-respect and
human feeling, that according to one's own choice,
leaving the Hindu religion, one could embrace Islam or
any other religion similar to Islam. Therefore the
others need not be perturbed. If there is any
alternative method please go ahead and demonstrate. Do
not blame, stop or harass, those who are making
efforts according to their own understanding of the
situation by your expansive veranda Vedanta (armchair
philosophy).
What is shameful about becoming a Muslim? To whom
would you become enslaved by so doing? Who could
degrade you if you become a Muslim? Who indeed are
those ten of the twelve crore Muslims of India? Who
are the forty or fifty of the about fifty or sixty
lakhs of the Muslims of the Chennai Province? Aren't
they those who were once Hindus and the Dravidians?
Muslims of such origin, to whom are they slaves now?
Where and what of, are they ashamed? Tell us and show
us! Whether educated as per the government's
requirement or not, they have received more than
proportionate employment; whether been to jail or not
they have achieved more than proportionate freedom in
the Swarajiyam, and proportionate representation
through separate electorate. Having gained equal share
among the High Court judges, members of Legislative
Assemblies and proportionate share in even small
committees, they lead a life of equality.
Oh, Dravidians and Adi-Dravidians! What is your fate?
For this degenerate status of yours, what else is the
reason except the fact that you are Hindus? Therefore,
instead of being ashamed and pained for remaining such
a Hindu and instead of thinking on how your own life
could be utilized to remove such degradation, you are
turning and questioning me, Aren'tyou ashamed?' Is it
Fair? You write to me letters threatening that my
suggestion to become Muslim has turned the youth
against me. The mind of today's youth will not turn
against me and even if it so does, I am not afraid of
that. The youth of future will praise me. Even if they
do not praise me, they will, following what I say
today, lead a life of courage and dignity. Whether
right or wrong, since I am firm in myresolve, whatever
is the consequence, even if it is death, I will endure
and die without any complaint but with full mental
satisfaction. This I declare truthfully. When Mohammad
Nabi preached Islam in the beginning, people of those
times also opposed him. And so were the Buddha and the
Christ, hated by their contemporaries. That being so,
it is but natural that when I, an ordinary, a very
ordinary man, preach the same, people hate me too.
But today, on the contrary Gandhi, hated by none but
dirough massive publicity known as the India's
Mahatma, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, hailed everywhere as
the heroic and noble soul, who has reached the top
post of the Indian government both through legal
procedure as well as by the great assembly of the
Congress, and Rajagopalacharyar, the intellectual who
having given up many good things of life is really
labouring in public life in never-ceasing mental
anxiety, all these men are celebrated by people now;
but tomorrow or after several years when they will be
no more, what else would they leave behind except
their own autographies in order to point out their
achievement particularly on your behalf? Despite
having such recognition, support and comforts what has
been their endeavour to remove your degradation by
circumstances of birth? What is their distinctiveness
apart from the fact that as long as they lived they
protected 'tradition'? Isn't this all mere publicity?
Won't it all be also consumed along with them in the
cremation ground?
Raja Sir Annamalai has ten crores of rupees, Birla,
forty crores, the Sultan of Hyderabad four hundred
crores; Gandhi has publicity across the world and the
Acharyar is known as the intellectual all over India;
except for such fame and name what particular respect
do they command? In the same way you think about your
Hindu religion also. With the departure of the white
man, what has changed for you? The actual debasement
and the stumbling blocks, have they disappeared?
Consider the Muslims, at the departure of the white
man, they got Pakistan, but for you there is only
Shudrasthan! Therefore, if you listen to me, how much
you stand to benefit, what greatness for your progeny
and how much satisfaction for me!
The Hindus forever blame the Muslims and spread the
poisonous propaganda that many Hindus were forcefully
converted to Islam. Am I forcing you? What else is the
meaning of this, except that the Aryans and their
mercenaries are preventing by force those who are
changing their religion? What force do I use in this?
I beg of you, think before you come to a conclusion.
There is no force involved here. I have no power to
employ force. Has there been any complaint from the
ten crores of Muslims, from even a single one of them,
a hue and cry to the effect that he has been ruined
through forceful conversion to Islam? Or has there
been any Muslim apart from Gandhi's son, Abdulla
Gandhi, who on his own initiative became a Hindu? Even
of him it was said then, that he took money (out of
greed) and became a Hindu again.
In todays Swarajya government, there is no base
foryou, Dravidians. In the Constituent Assembly for
you, that is, those Dravidians who have rejected the
Shudra-tag, there is none to raise any question on
your behalf. In the Conference of Asian League, they
are not even aware of the very existence of your
community.17 In such a context, why at the mention of
Islam, agitate like a bull that has seen red, why such
anxiety, excitement and misery? Comrade Gandhi asserts
that the Koran and the Gita are the same; that the
names of Rahim and Allah refer only to Ram. He also
says, 'I forever am singing of Ram-Rahim. And while
dying also I will be uttering the names of Ram-Rahim'.
He further says, 'Unless I so utter the names of
Ram-Rahim, considering them as same, how can I show my
face to the Hindus of Naokali and Muslims of Bihar'.
(These are reported in Dinamam dated 5-4-47). When
things are being so, that is, for such a small matter
of having to save face and buy temporary peace, the
leader of the Congress himself preaches (unity of
Hinduism and Islam). I demand to know why people to
whom it is of no concern get provoked when I suggest,
to only those who are concerned with their
self-respect and averse to their present debased
status, that they should take to Islam, which merely
means one God, one caste and fraternal feeling, and
that too, for such a serious and sincere matter of
abolishing the pervasive debasement, achievement of
self-respect and human greatness and actualising along
with the several crores of people, fraternal feeling,
permanent peace, equality, equal rights and freedom.
Until recently, I have been preaching now for a period
of about twenty years that those who are desirous of
removing untouchability and the status of
untouchables, ought to become Muslims and I made those
communities also accept the idea. In Kerala
(Travancore and Cochin) too, from 1924 to 1925 I
preached among the Malayali Ezhavas and the other
so-called untouchables and made them accept this.
Having agreed to this and passing resolutions to that
effect in their conferences, about a total of 2000 or
3000 people here and about 600 or 700 in Kerala have
embraced Islam; and since then their degenerate status
gradually being removed, rights being granted, the
situation is successful, nearing even to the solution
of their problem. The right to enter temples in
Trivandrum and the right to proportionate
representation in Cochin came about due to what, Islam
or Hindu dharam?
Yesterday in Chennai Assembly when Doctor Rajan, a
Brahmin proposed the Temple Entry Bill, how did he
introduce it? "I propose this Temple Entry Bill so
that the Hindu society may not day by day decreasing,
be weakened (in other words in order to protect the
Hindu religion)". He did not so propose, so that
people could get the vision, grace or gift of god and
reach the heavens or that they could get their sins
forgiven and get to the heavens faster. What is the
meaning of this? Isn't it a conspiracy to keep the
Dravidians permanently as the Shudras? I ask,
shouldn't these dull heads who get provoked and
excited, know this? I am suggesting this idea to only
those who consider their Shudra-tag as a debasement
and not to those who aren't concerned about it. Even
for those who are so concerned about their degenerate
status I have suggested this plan, only after having
asked them for any other alternative, and certainly
not out of self-pride or on impulse. Therefore I
request those comrades who have been provoked and
written letters to me and those who instead of so
writing, go about slandering me and spread poisonous
propaganda in small groups, to ponder over and
consider the matter.
---------------------
5. A Celebration For Mohammad Nabi
(Public lecture at Chennai on 20-12-1953, as reported
in Viduthalai, dated 23-12-1953)
Celebration on the birthday of Mohammad Nabi has been
in practice for a long time in this country. The
preaching of Mohammad Nabi, all of them, though not
acceptable and conformable by one and all, people of
many kinds, different characteristics and divisions,
are participants in this celebration. The reason for
this is, that though several aspects of his preaching
are not acceptable to people of differential status,
life-style and thought-pattern, some ideals, morals
and principles of his are such as agreeable to all and
even unquestionable by any to whatever status,
life-style or thought-pattern they may belong. Also,
the Muslim friends of this country, in the matter of
spreading and preaching the message of Mohammad Nabi,
open-heartedly invite others to participate and give
them opportunity to speak; and they are much satisfied
hearing them speak in praise of Nabi s teachings.
Any ideal, if considered whether acceptable to people
of the whole world and suitable to men of all kinds,
despite it being claimed to be so agreeable and
reasonable in itself, there would certainly be some
who would oppose it. This is but natural. For it is
not possible that people of the whole world be of one
intention, character and culture. On the other hand
there would be differentiation among them. While there
could be various reasons for this, differences and
contradictions themselves are indeed natural. It is
not possible for any ideal that the entire 200 crore
people of the world should accept it uniformly
And again, it cannot be asserted that a single ideal,
scheme or reasoning has been devised in such a manner
as to suit all times, characters, statuses and
peoples. If it is claimed to be so, it is tantamount
to be saying that the preacher of such an ideal is a
sage who could see through the past, present and
future. Besides, do people continue to exist in the
same stage as in the past? Does time create people in
the same way as in ancient days? One has to think
whether traditions, aspirations and mental stages
continue unchanged.
Day by day people are changing; the changing times
also facilitate this. The conditions, ideas, goals and
aspirations of people, some 1000 or 2000 years ago,
were different from those of people today Similarly
people are not in the same stage today as they were
some five hundred years ago. This is true of even
people of some three hundred, one hundred, why even
fiftyyears ago. People of today are different from
those of fifty years ago in all characteristics and
spheres. And according to such changed ideas, desires
and aspirations, their conduct and activities also are
diversified.
Generally speaking life is self-centered. Moreover man
makes continuous efforts in the direction of
improvement of his own life, security, and comforts
and in all other aspects. In the process of increasing
his own comforts he also needs to change accordingly
When selfishness goes up in the life of some, in the
course of their search for their own exclusive
comforts and security they do not care for others and
the human society, but create organizations to serve
only their comforts. Let it be on one side. Why do I
say this? Human life, thought and conduct do not
remain fixed, but undergo continuous change according
to the different stages. When we look at it from such
a point of view, what one person had said sometime,
somewhere in some context cannot be expected to become
mandatory for all peoples and all times. That is why I
say this.
In any religion, even a single matter considered most
serious is not accepted as such by all. Is it even
accepted so by people of the same religion? Even if
accepted, has it been possible to follow it in
practice? We see among many belonging to and under the
discipline of the same religion lack of consensus on
even a single most important matter. If one division
in any religion upholds a particular thing as very
significant another division from the same religion
comes forward to oppose it. Such differentiation
arises naturally according to the different and
particular time-space situation and convenience.
Therefore I say it would be a miraculous thing for a
set of principles, all of them to be unquestioned and
acceptable uniformly by all. Even if there be a few
principles which could be so acceptable to all it is
already a big thing. Seen from such a point of view,
several aspects of Mohammad Nabi's teachings,
principles and activities are indeed unchallengeable,
nay, agreeable to and acceptable by all. And this is a
great and praise worthy thing.
Friends, I do not consider Mohammad Nabi, a great soul
or someone with superhuman powers. As far as I am
concerned, I consider Mohammad Nabi as a special man
with all the qualities of a human being and not of a
status said to be higher than that. This I make clear.
But there are enough ideas from among the important
ones of Mohammad Nabi, which are acceptable and could
be supported and held up as ideals even by people like
us who do not see any divine nature in him and also by
those reformists belonging to other religions.
What did he say? God is one and not many You might
ask, 'Mohammad Nabi could have said so, that there is
only one God, but what is your opinion?'
As far as I am concerned, I say that, Mohammad Nabi is
so much better than those who in the name of the
divine, labour under thousands of gods. Let people
first come to the stage of accepting the principle
that many gods is false and one God is true. Beyond
this we could consider later. Think how beneficial a
teaching is this for our country and people.
What Mohammad Nabi said next was that in human society
there is no high and low, discrimination or difference
among people and that all of them are equal by birth.
This also is very important. Among us also many great
men said the same thing. They said many things such
as, 'One human kind and one Divine Being'. But they
all remained in mere writing and have not come into
practice. On the other hand, in Muslim society,
one-God-worship and non-discrimination based on birth
among people are in actual practice. This is only as
far as they are concerned. That is, though it is said
to be operative only among members of their own
religion, the Muslims do not display the
discrimination and differentiation, which is practiced
among non-Muslims though abiding by the same
discipline. Today this feeling, that is, how those who
follow the teaching of Mohammad Nabi believe in the
unity of godhead and practice brotherhood among
themselves, the same feeling and idea has begun to
appear among us also. Besides, such a feeling has also
become fashionable. What is the reason for this? It is
because the teaching of Mohammad Nabi is in actual
practice.
Next, even in those days, Mohammad Nabi had forcefully
condemned idol-worship. On this he was quite
insistent: 'Muslims should not worship idols; anyone
who does so worship is not a Muslim at all'. To such
an extent he condemned idol-worship that he has made
his followers also hate it. This also is a highly
praiseworthy and appreciable thing, besides being a
great teaching for our people to follow, I would say
Apart from these things, Mohammad Nabi has said one
more important thing. Among his teachings, attention
is to be paid in particular to this; what he has said
is this: 'In whatever I have said, if you have any
doubt, investigate the matter using your own
reasoning'.
Friends, I am bringing to your mind once again:
Mohammad Nabi has said that there is only one God for
all of humanity; the entire humanity is of one race;
people should not surrender to idol-worship; and that
whatever he might have said one ought to investigate
it with one's own reasoning.
Finally he also said one other thing: T am the last
Nabi (Prophet). And after me no prophet will appear'.
Whatever you may think of this and whatever may be the
conclusion you arrive at, it is true that after him
until today, no one has appeared who has articulated
principles and teachings superior to his on these
matters. To that extent Mohammad Nabi has given high
philosophical instructions on all spheres of
human-social life. Few hundred years ago some great
men appeared and expressed many rare and valuable
ideas as far as the economic sphere is concerned.
Concerning even that, comrade Jeevanandham has
commented that Mohammad Nabi had said on those matters
also. That too is a matter of much satisfaction; and
besides, no believer has said anything nobler than
what Nabi has said.
We ought to register in our mind these matters and
principles of Mohammad Nabi and make efforts to follow
them. This is our gain from this celebration. Besides,
just as the Muslims invite others to participate in
their religion-related principles and practices and
seek their appreciation, other religionists also
similarly in their own religion-related matters ought
to invite other religionists and try to seek their
appreciation. Only then a way for progress would
emerge.
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