Some Hindu groups in India began attempts to convert some poor Muslims and followers of some other faiths to Hinduism. Pamphlets were distributed by Hindu organizations calling people to donate generously in order to spend in the implementation of gharwapsi or conversion program.
There has been a great attention in the political and religious circles in India during the past weeks about Forced Conversion to Hinduism. Perhaps, members of these Hindu organizations think that they will succeed in this mission like predecessor Muslim preachers who succeeded in inviting Hindus to Islam.
I would like to highlight the reasons and motives that led to the success of Muslim preachers since their advent in the Indian subcontinent in the light of historical accounts on Islamic Da`wah in India. In addition, this article will compare the attempts of these Hindu organizations for the conversion of some poor Muslim families to Hinduism by allurements, promises and threatens with the success of Islamic Da`wah in the past and present.
In the light of Hindu faith system, such endeavors by Hindu movements may continue as long as there is money, power and enthusiasm in the Hindu activists, but they will fail sooner or later, rather, these activities will lead to the sectarian conflict and will spoil the national unity of India. This conclusion is based on the following reasons:
First: The history of Hindu philosophy is totally void of the concept of Da`wah and Hindu religious sources do not give any notion or idea on Da`wah. However, we find the idea of Da`wah, its principles, rules and regulations well-detailed in a comprehensive and perfect manner in the basic Islamic sources. This is a big difference between Islam and Hinduism regarding calling others to the religion.
Second: The Hindu religion includes strange beliefs, pagan rituals and detested practices that contradict even plain reason and clear logic. See, for example, the worship of the tortoise, snake, idols and cow. Also, the Hindus believe in the purity of cow dung and cow urine; rather they regard them sacred and they drink cow urine as a blessing drink. Such beliefs and ideas are enough to alienate people from Hinduism. How can a Muslim accept such beliefs and practice such religious practices after he has believed in the pure doctrine system of Islam and performed the five prayers of Islam with pure body, mind and heart?
Third:The Hindu religion is based on the caste system since the ancient ages that differentiates between people in dignity and respect making some people higher and nobler than others based on their race and origin. According to Hinduism, an ignorant and foolish Brahman is higher and nobler than an educated and righteous Shudra on the basis of their family origin. A person from outcasts or untouchables is not allowed to enter the temple of Brahmans and a Shudra cannot sit parallel to a member of the upper castes.
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There is no compulsion in religion. (Al-Baqarah 2:256)
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