Challenges before Indian Muslims are ‘blessings in disguise’: Chishty

Mumbai: The kind of challenges confronting Indian Muslims today are actually ‘blessings in disguise’ that will not only help the community but also spur the country to emerge stronger in future, said Haji Syed Salman Chishty, world-renowned Islamic and Sufi scholar Salman Chishty, 38, who is the ’26th Gaddi Nashin’ (direct descendent and Hereditary Custodian) of the globally revered tomb of Sultan-ul-Hind Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishty, the 11th century Sufi Saint, at Ajmer, Rajasthan, took time off his busy schedule to address the issues facing the Muslims and minorities in India.
According to Salman Chishty, Muslims world over face obstacles of different kinds arising out of their faith, but in India these issues are ‘created’ by vested interests and politically ambitious elements who revel in denigrating Muslims, Christians, Sikhs or even Dalits and “push them to the wall”.
“I feel that is proving a blessing in disguise… It is encouraging the Muslims and minorities to do better and excel in all spheres of life like academics, professions, politics to become more self-reliant instead of waiting for the dole… This is ultimately a part of the ‘nation-building’ process and will help the country prosper in future,” Salman Chishty told IANS.
To the feeling of India having become an ‘undeclared Hindu state’, the Ajmer Sharif Dargah head dismissed any such suggestions, saying the Indian Secular Constitution cannot be overruled so easily.
“We have a strong Constitution… ‘Religious Secularism’ is the Soul of India… It has been practised only here since centuries, and just needs to be reinstated effectively in the current scenario. The antics of a handful of political leaders or a few television channels spreading communal venom cannot destroy it so easily… We are a great nation and a robust democracy,” Salman Chishty pointed out.