Behaviour of a religious community should be the measure of their religious tolerance rather than nitpicking of intolerant parts of their scripture

Last updated on 15th Sept. 2020

Tolerance of, or even appreciation of, other religions' scripture in general, beliefs and worship practices, as demonstrated in their behaviour, IMHO, are the vital barometers to judge such tolerance of religious communities rather than nitpicking intolerant parts of their core scripture.

Some comments in a recent post of mine (on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2943347345881823) led me to put up this post.

In my considered view, if one wants to find fault in core scripture of almost any major religion (including Hinduism), in today's context it will be quite easy to do so.

What matters are the belief and practices of religious groups. Now some sects (sub-groups) of a particular religion may strongly believe parts of their scripture that are intolerant of other religions. E.g. some people of a religion/sect may believe strongly that only followers of their religion/sect will be saved by God and that all people of all other religions/sects are doomed to burn in fire for eternity!

But all followers of that religion may not do so. These followers may have quietly rejected such intolerant of other religions' parts of their scripture and evolved to a more respectful of other religions viewpoint.

But how does one judge in today's times, whether a particular person or group of some religion is tolerant of other religions or intolerant of them? Well, I think one has to look at their behaviour. If in their behaviour, they show respect for other religions then one must take that into account and view them as people who are tolerant of other religions ***irrespective of what some parts of their core scripture may say that is intolerant of other religions/sects***.

Now I am a Hindu who is very reverential towards core Hindu scripture and beliefs in general. My Hindu religion of these early 21st century times has had the great benefit of enlightened spiritual and religious masters who have reformed Hinduism/Hindu practices to suit today's age. As somebody with a Hindu Brahmin background, it gives me great joy to see Dalit Hindu monks participate in big Hindu events like Kumbh Mela. Not too far back in the past, many Dalit Hindus were even denied entry into temples! Thank God for great Hindu reformers who changed all that with today's times having Dalit priests in Hindu temples.

In today's times, core Hindu scripture learning is no longer the privilege only of Brahmin caste men but is available to any person, even a non-Hindu to study, learn and practice. I think this change has happened only in the past few centuries. I am very happy with Hindu scripture being made available to all who want to study it, and not being limited to Hindu Brahmin caste men.

Key mantras like Gayatri mantra were not taught to even Brahmin women a few centuries ago - they were the sole preserve of Brahmin men! I thank God and all the great reformers of Hinduism in the past few centuries that powerful mantras like the Gayatri mantra are now accessible to all women, even non-Hindu women.

As a Hindu Brahmin caste background person, by the influence and grace of my parents and family in general, and great Hindu and other religions' masters and teachers, I am very respectful of people of other religions like Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism etc. who in their behaviour show goodness and tolerance of good people of other religions. I ***do not*** nitpick their core scripture to find out intolerant parts in it, and get into any judgement of them because of these parts of their scripture. Now if they profess those parts of that scripture - e.g. if they say that as I am not of their religion/sect, I am destined to burn in fire for eternity - then, of course, I would reject them and not be respectful towards them. But if they don't profess those parts of their scripture then I WILL NOT judge them as intolerant just because their scripture has these parts.

My own life in India has been greatly enriched by many people of other religions (non-Hindus), including many friends of mine. It has been my great good fortune to have enjoyed the great Mohammad Rafi's singing. Rafi was a devout Muslim and based in Mumbai/Bombay which is the city/metropolitan region where I was born, raised and educated and where I worked for a livelihood over most of the first four decades of my life. Yesudas is a great singer from Kerala who seems to be a devout Christian (going by his awesome Malayalam Christian devotional songs), and Kerala is the region where my parents were born and raised, and where their (and my) forefathers lived for a century or more (having migrated to Kerala from Tamil Nadu). I have also had great joy listening to Yesudas' songs in Hindi as well as a few Christian devotional songs in Malayalam (which I do not follow very well).

Today I came across the Muslim Mohammad Rafi and the Christian Yesudas singing this awesome Hindu devotional song live: (from Baiju Bawra film made in 1952) Oh Duniya Ke Rakhwaale | Mohammad Rafi | K.J. Yesudas | Hindi Song, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrf_BBGO5PI, 12 min. 54 secs.

I am blessed to see these awesome contributions by Muslim and Christian singers to Hindu devotional songs and through that to Hinduism of our times.

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15th Sept. 2020 Update giving Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's views on Islam and holy Koran

Given below are some of my comments (slightly edited) on Facebook post:  https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2944057112477513, associated with this blog post: 

Here's my blog post about Muslim students showing Holy Koran book to Sathya Sai Baba: Wonderful pic of Sathya Sai with Muslim student showing Holy Book of Islam to him, https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2016/05/wonderful-pic-of-sathya-sai-with-muslim.html. Please visit post to see the pic.

My understanding of this was that Bhagavan was happy with the Muslim students having reverence for the Holy Koran. That does not mean that any verses in it that get interpreted as promoting violence against non-Muslims, was being encouraged by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba would surely have discouraged such violence against non-Muslims interpretation.

But Bhagavan would have surely encouraged interpretations of Holy Koran that promote peace, love, kindness, charity and righteousness towards all humanity (including towards non-Muslims).

Let me share words of a Muslim lady who taught at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning - Prof. Zeba Bashiruddin. From http://saibaba.ws/articles/saibabaandislam.htm:

"I have come not to disturb any faith but to reaffirm each one's belief, so that a Muslim may become a better Muslim ..." After reading these assuring words of Baba, who would like to proclaim that mankind is lost? The Covenant, for me, strikes a double cord. It reminds me of an ancient promise of the Gita and the Quran that God guides mankind from darkness to light. Also, it brings home the truth that in order to improve, one has to seek within one's self.

At Baba's Feet I have learnt many facts of my own faith. For instance, when the cobwebs of cliches and external impositions are removed, one realises that all search for the same meaning in life, all seek happiness that is unchanging. Only one has to change the focus of one's priorities. This change of focus happened to me several years ago with Baba's injunction: "You don't even know your own religion, how can you know Me?"

That has been the beginning of an inward journey. Baba has always assumed a presence that remains with me - the "I" in me. The meanings of several words and concepts have appeared in a new light in the process of growth; for example, surrender, ideal and the goal of life acquire a different dimension.

The term surrender is the literal meaning of the word 'Islam'. Dissolution of "otherness" from cosmic force is surrender. It signifies giving up the illusion that man is merely a physical body. Is this not what Baba has been repeatedly telling us? When the awareness is uprooted from the temporary and the transient values and planted in the soil of the eternal, the process of surrender is completed. In Baba's words it is ALLAH. Phonetically 'A' is Atma and 'L' is LAYA. Hence Allah is a state of awareness where "otherness" merges into Atma.

Surrender also means, according to Baba and the Sufis, we seek Allah without a desire for reward or fear of punishment. Baba has indicated how you become a devotee.........when you surrender yourself completely and are ready to carry out every command of the Lord." (Gita Discourse Page: 12) The devotee concretises this ideal and his life becomes a pattern for the community to follow. In Islam this ideal devotee of the Lord is presented in the character of Prophet Mohammed.

----end extracts from saibaba.ws website ---

What has Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba said about Islam? Let us read from Sathya Sai Vahini - http://www.sssbpt.info/english/vsathyasai.htm :

From Chapter XXIII. Modes of Worship in the above book, http://www.sssbpt.info/vahinis/Sathyasai/Sathyasai23.pdf :

Mohammedan worship (Mohammadan-upasana). “Acquire self-confidence and place all burdens on God; have implicit faith in the power of God every moment of living; recognize it at every step (Imaamdaaree khaldaamey ho, Pygambar mey bharosa)” —these are the rules for meaningful life. One has to evidence one’s rectitude in the court of the Lord, when one lays down one’s body. So, one has to follow the straight path laid down by the Lord until the very end. For this, the holy Koran is the guide; it has to be revered and observed down to the very letter. This is the spiritual instruction to be observed in this worship.

“Allaho Akbar; La Illah Ill Allah.” This sacred formula of Islam signifies that God is the supermost sovereign; Allah is the undisputed unexcelled ruler of creation. He alone is worthy of worship. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says, “there is nothing higher than Me.” The Koran formula says the same. The Mohammedan worship is a form of the same spiritual practice, based on the same truth.

--- end extracts from sssbpt.info website ---

The above are words penned by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Himself!!! There will be no question I think, in any reasonable reader's mind that Bhagavan is offering a goodness and nobleness oriented interpretation of holy Koran.

Now some may choose to have different - more literal perhaps - interpretations of some verses of the Koran as encouraging violence towards non-Muslims. I am not getting into discussion of those interpretations.

But Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba offered a different interpretation focused on peace and goodness of the Koran without singling out any verses as not good as they encourage violence on non-Muslims. I think that is just the reality on the ground.

If some people want to have different interpretations of Holy Koran other than Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's interpretations - that's their prerogative. But what they should NOT DO is distort how Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba (and Bhagavan Sri Shirdi Sai Baba) interpreted Koran and other Islamic teachings/scripture. If they do that, it is my considered view, that they are doing a great disservice to the messages (paigam) that Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and Bhagavan Sri Shirdi Sai Baba took form (came as Avatars) to deliver to mankind, promoting goodwill between people of different religions (and atheists too).

Attached pic below from https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2016/05/wonderful-pic-of-sathya-sai-with-muslim.html post for convenience of readers.

This post covers a sensitive topic. Most people prefer to just avoid it. But I am happy that I have expressed my moderate Hindu view on it which is respectful of good Muslims (and good people of other non-Hindu religions like Christians) who mean no harm to Hindus.

BTW I taught the two Muslim students in above pic, during my stint as free service teacher in Sai university.