Aadha Musalmaan

Amidst all this madness, Jehaad as they call it, what role do I assume?

On being asked about his religious inclinations by a British soldier, the Master Poet Asad-ullah Khan Ghalib replied “I’m half a Muslim – aadha musalmaan hoon bhai” The puzzled soldier could not make much sense. This was the master’s explanation – “I drink alcohol, but refrain from eating pork – sharaab peeta hoon, suar nahin khata!”

Main aksar is juml-e pe gaur karta hoon –‘Aadha Musalmaan’ at moments I feel so branded!

The other day a professor in all righteousness stated in class that “…Malaysia is rather entrepreneurial; it’s a rather civilized nation in spite of being predominantly Muslim…” and I am sure I was the only one who registered this.

I have avoided this confrontation for quite a while now. Today I shall put it down in writing.

“Dil hi toh hai na sang-o-khisht
dard se bhar na aaye kyoun
rooyenge hum hazaar baar
koi humme sataye kyoun”

- Ghalib