Tweet
Till now, I believed that the majority of Muslims in India, specially the educated bunch, who had internet access, would be Indians first, and Muslims later. I believed that their first loyalty would be to their nation, then to their religion, as is the ideal for any community.
Till now.
When even the educated, English-speaking (and therefore having a wider perspective), internet-accessing Indian Muslims, when asked in a public poll as to what comes first, overwhelmingly reply that their religion is their first priority, I just gave up trying to believe the "comfortable" but "correct" lie. I realised this when I saw the answer to this question, explicitly put, to a community of Indian Muslims on Orkut (a social networking site).
Visual proof, if any were needed:
For those who have Orkut access:
Link
The comments make fascinating, if sometimes shocking, reading.
Why this thread?
To put to rest the "correct" notion that Muslims, at least the majority of them, or if not the majority, at least the educated, or if not that, then at least the elite among the educated, will put the country before their religion, that their extraterritorial loyalties are their primary ones. We might as well accept that on any significant level, Muslims will put religion before country. We would do well to keep this in mind when discussing immigration.
This is the first time in my life that I have made a generalisation regarding the behaviour of Muslims as a group, because this is the first time that I have found actual, concrete evidence. I really hope I do not find such depressing evidence in the future.
Till now.
When even the educated, English-speaking (and therefore having a wider perspective), internet-accessing Indian Muslims, when asked in a public poll as to what comes first, overwhelmingly reply that their religion is their first priority, I just gave up trying to believe the "comfortable" but "correct" lie. I realised this when I saw the answer to this question, explicitly put, to a community of Indian Muslims on Orkut (a social networking site).
Visual proof, if any were needed:
For those who have Orkut access:
Link
The comments make fascinating, if sometimes shocking, reading.
Why this thread?
To put to rest the "correct" notion that Muslims, at least the majority of them, or if not the majority, at least the educated, or if not that, then at least the elite among the educated, will put the country before their religion, that their extraterritorial loyalties are their primary ones. We might as well accept that on any significant level, Muslims will put religion before country. We would do well to keep this in mind when discussing immigration.
This is the first time in my life that I have made a generalisation regarding the behaviour of Muslims as a group, because this is the first time that I have found actual, concrete evidence. I really hope I do not find such depressing evidence in the future.
Comment