No religion preaches hate, yet there are people who use it to disrupt and damage society. Such people have often tried to pit Hindus and Muslims against each other, but while communal tension persists in many parts of the country, instances demonstrating communal harmony are also not unheard of.
India is a land of diverse religions. For decades, it has been an example of unity in diversity as people of different castes and religions continue to live in harmony in the country.
Despite the presence of dissenting voices, there are people that make us believe that humanity goes beyond religion, and that religion is not supposed to be a divisive force. So, here are some of the instances of Hindu-Muslim unity, that will move:
1. Muslim men in Varanasi organised a cremation for 19-YO Hindu girl. Read More
Representational Image – Wikipedia
In a heartwarming gesture, a group of Muslim men in Varanasi came forward to organise a funeral for a 19-year-old Hindu girl, who succumbed to Malaria. According to an IANS report, the incident took place in the city’s Harhua Deeh area. The girl, Soni, was battling a severe case of Malaria.
The men, some of them wearing their skull caps, made arrangements and then carried the bier on their shoulders to the Manikarnika Ghat for cremation. They followed every aspect of Hindu last rites religiously and even chanted “Ram naam satya hai”, along the way.
2. Muslims in Kanpur offer fruit and milk to devotees visiting Hindu temple. Read More
On Shivaratri, Hindus visiting the Shiv Temple at the Siddhant Ghat were pleasantly surprised as the Muslim community welcomed them to the temple with fruit, milk, juice and water; they also greeted the devotees. The Shiv temple at the Siddhanth Ghat is on the banks of the river Ganga, and is one of the most prominent temples of the city.
“While this is a Hindu festival, in an extremely touching gesture of brotherhood, the way the Muslims distribute fruit , juice, water and milk to the devotees is praiseworthy,” TOI quoted a devotee as saying.
3. A Muslim woman chants Hanuman Chalisa daily. Read More
A 42-year-old Muslim woman from Meerut recites the Hanuman Chalisa regularly. Shaheen Parvez has been reciting the holy verse since she was in college. She is also a member of Muslim Rashtriya Manch.
“The school where I studied, they taught us about every religion – Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism. It used to feel good when we used to recite it during that time,” she recalls. Shaheen has continued the practice even today.
4. Sikh elders in a Ludhiana village didn’t let a mosque built before partition, be demolished. Read More
It’s a story of villagers in Ludhiana taking care of a mosque despite having zero Muslim population. It’s been 70 years since Muslims in Ludhiana’s Hedon Bet left during partition. However, the pre-partition mosque in the village still stands tall and no one has ever spoken a word about demolishing it.
5. 100 Hindu jail inmates observed Roza along with Muslims across Delhi. Read More
Reuters
There are 31 Hindu woman inmates and 12 Hindu adolescent inmates who observed the fast during the holy month of Ramzan, this year.
Officials put up boards which display the sunset timings every day and ordered dates and rooh afza for all the fasting prisoners. According to prison authorities, ‘langar’ timings have been modified to ensure availability of prescribed meals for ‘sehri’ and other prayers.
6. A Muslim family has been caring for Assam’s 500-year-old Shiva temple for generations. Read More
ANI
For generations, members of this family have been looking after a 500-year-old Shiva temple located at the Rangamahal village in Guwahati.
Both Hindus and Muslims of the area strongly believe in the deity (Shiva) and offer prayers and perform all the rituals here. The caretaker, Haji Matibar Rehman also said that ‘Lord Shiva’ is like his maternal grandfather.
7. Ayodhya’s temple hosted Iftar during Ramzan. Read More
ANI
The Ram Janambhoomi and Babri Masjid case has proved to be a endless battleground for religious and political conflict. Amidst the communal tension that perpetually surrounds the area, Shri Sita Ram temple in Ayodhya decided to do something to uphold harmony.
It hosted an Iftar meal on May 20, in its premises. Hindus and Muslims sat together to relish the Iftar meal in the premises of the temple.
8. Muslims join hands with Pandits in Pulwama to restore 80-year-old temple. Read More
News18
To spread a message of love and peace, Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits joined hands to restore an 80-year-old temple at Achan village in Pulwama district after February 14 – the black day, when a convoy of CRPF was attacked and more than 40 soldiers were martyred. The temple which was abandoned years ago is located just 15 km from the suicide attack on CRPF convoy.
The temple and the mosque lie side by side, however as the mosque remained abuzz with worshipers and devotees, the temple stayed deserted ever since Hindus fled militancy in the valley in 1990s.
9. Jama Masjid in Meerut hosts Shiv ‘bhandara’. Read More
Representational Image – Jagran.com
A mosque in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh allowed its premises to be used for making food for Shiv bhandara on behalf of a local temple.
This happened in the Kotwali area where the premises of the local Jama Masjid were used to cook food for the bhandara on the occasion of the foundation day of Somnath Shiv Mandir. The temple is located in the Mohalla Chahshor in Meerut.
10. Hindus fast in Ramzan, Muslims offer milk and fruits to kanwariyas in Aligarh. Read More
The Muslim community in Aligarh offered milk and fruits to Kanwar yatris as the country celebrated Shivratri.
Social worker, Amanullah Khan, who was responsible for the Kanwar yatris who put up their camps on the Sasnigate crossing in Aligarh said, “I’ve been organizing this camp during #Mahashivratri since last 4-5 years to serve Kanwariyas, Bhole Ji gave me this opportunity to serve & I’m doing it. Hindu brothers also keep fast during Ramzan.”
11. Hindus, Muslims unite at a Dargah for iftaar during Ramzaan. Read More
People from different religions assembled at Dargah Hazrat Khwaja Dana in Surat for iftar – the meal consumed to break the day-long fast observed during the ongoing holy month of Ramzan.
Speaking to ANI, K Gheewala, a frequent visitor to the dargah, said, “I have been coming to this Dargah for over five years. Many Hindus come to this Dargah. It is a great symbol of religious harmony.”
For those caught in petty religious animosity, these incidents go on to show how none of that matters. In the end, we are human beings and while we might have our differences, we must learn to love and respect each other.