Recently, Hyderabad Islamic seminary Jamia Nizamia issued a 'fatwa' that Muslims should not chant 'Bharat mata ki jai' slogan. Their reasoning is that the birth land cannot be compared to mother. Only humans give birth to humans, not land. Hence, this kind of slogan is forbidden according to Islam. They further added that even though Muslims love their country, but they cannot chant such slogans to express their patriotism.
Now my question is what is superior to a human being? Is his religious identity or country of birth? If religious identity prevails over country of birth, then such 'fatwa' gets clean pass. But if country of birth should overhaul religious identity, then are these 'fatwa' legitimate? Most country's constitutions protect the rights of its citizens to practice their religious beliefs, or at least in the modern-day's democratic societies. But when one of the largest religion of the world tells its followers that country of birth is less prioritized than religious identity, then what message does it give to others about that religion? Does it not show that the followers of that religion would prefer to die for their religion than their country of birth? In the time of need, would those followers of that religion be willing to shed bloods to save their country from foreign invasion? Would they care if others try to buy their country, buy its people, buy its valuables, buy its richness? Would they feel any sympathy when invaders destroy national emblems, national symbols, national statues etc.? Would they jump in to save those from demolition at the time of necessity? What does that show to a neutral or atheist who does not believe in any God(s), that what (land) has sustained one (people) for so long has no value when it comes to saving its (land) honor?
Now my question is what is superior to a human being? Is his religious identity or country of birth? If religious identity prevails over country of birth, then such 'fatwa' gets clean pass. But if country of birth should overhaul religious identity, then are these 'fatwa' legitimate? Most country's constitutions protect the rights of its citizens to practice their religious beliefs, or at least in the modern-day's democratic societies. But when one of the largest religion of the world tells its followers that country of birth is less prioritized than religious identity, then what message does it give to others about that religion? Does it not show that the followers of that religion would prefer to die for their religion than their country of birth? In the time of need, would those followers of that religion be willing to shed bloods to save their country from foreign invasion? Would they care if others try to buy their country, buy its people, buy its valuables, buy its richness? Would they feel any sympathy when invaders destroy national emblems, national symbols, national statues etc.? Would they jump in to save those from demolition at the time of necessity? What does that show to a neutral or atheist who does not believe in any God(s), that what (land) has sustained one (people) for so long has no value when it comes to saving its (land) honor?