Does Indian Clergy Need Reforms?

Posted on Thursday, June 30, 2005 at - Post Comment

   Two events have taken place this month in the domain of religion. Both the events are not concerned with religion but even then have been initiated by religious gurus. One: the dictate of VHP on Advani and two: The dictate of Darul Uloom on Imrana, the poor woman raped by her father-in-law and thus it is haram for her to live with the husband though she can marry her father-in-law and thus become mother of her erstwhile husband in the same life leaving children in awe and fear in any case.

Let me quote from my article “God becomes Lonely as Religion Becomes Profane”. Can religion enter into the realm of profane in such a way that it affects the day to day life including the existence of the society? The reply is NO. The realm of religion and profane are two exclusive ones with religion dealing exclusively with God, Man and Nature and their interrelationship. The only commonality between the two realms is the man who not only theorises the existence/ non existence of the different players in the two realm but also devises the methods of how to elevate to the spiritual one from the profane one.

The issue then is then how those who profess to have knowledge and experience of the otherworldly, who see mundane not worth emulating, can get involved into mundane activities in all its details?  And if they do so then definitely it is at the cost of divorcing their spiritual hold  which in turn means becoming mundane and no more religious. Thus the authority to dictate about the spiritual including the moral values is lost. The spiritual leaders will then loose the shine and authority to guide the society and will have to stand in the same queue in which the politician ranging from the most enlightened ones to Pappu Yadavs stand. This is dangerous both for them as well as for the society. And why not? Ones the sadhus loose the spiritual space, aren’t there the dangers of them coming under the clutches of the Mukhtar Ansari’s, Sahabuddins,  Anand Mohans and Togadias using them for their political gains? The reply again is YES.

The VHP is forgetting that the sadhus are respected because they are supposed to guide us to the right path. The moment this thought crashes no more will they get the respect. A sadhu will not a spiritual guru the moment he starts showing his inclinations for the mundane themes. Hence VHP must not misuse and exploit the Sadhus for its own end and limit it only to the domain of dharmagurus who guide the society with the moral and ethical principles without crossing their own limits. The sadhus are the most revered section of the society from whom the commoner expects a lot for help and support. Let VHP not destroy this faith of the society.

Similarly the Ulemmas are forgetting that with the changing nature of the society as guided by the instruments of rationality reflected in the scientific approach, they can’t survive long in the modern world by confining only to the feudal world.

Indian Ulemma will have to see westward with respect to development in societies esp.technologies.

The muslims in US have accepted a woman as the priest of a Mosque. The muslim girls are fast learning modern education and are working along with the men folk in Islamic countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. Woman becomes prime minister in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

After all the knowledge about God and Man, whether expressed by the testimony, reason or experience doesn’t bars the humanity from looking outward and growing in other fields. It never bars the implementation of the concept of equality of sexes. It never bars girls heading the organizations and giving the leaderships to the society if they are capable of. It never bars creation of more wealth and facilities and sharing of the same. What it bars is cheating, deceit, theft,lies and the vices like these.

If the religious leaders refuse to look to the realities of the world they will be doomed to be marginalized. Their place of respect will be taken over by another set of religious leaders who mix up the ultimate knowledge with the inventions of modern science and technologies. And they will be more acceptable to the society.

 Therefore, the gurus, don’t be under illusion. God will leave you if you leave realities of the world. Just look out side. Open up your mind. Allow yourself also to be taught. The world will not wait more. You also go on a trip to the developed societies. Teach them morality and ethics there and allow us to develop rationality here. May God Bless You All.