In the name of God!

The legend says that when I was born my dad was watching “The sword of Tipu Sultan” on Doordarshan and hence he named me Tippu. As a common factor in South India, my name was followed by an initial “S” which expanded to my dad’s name Sultan Mohideen. Thereafter, I became Tippu S. My mom took me to temples and I was well-versed with pujas and being in a Gujarati school, I learnt Bhagavad Gita. My parents took me to my dad’s relatives’ place and during one particular month of every year, we all had breakfast at 6 in the evening. I didn’t know why. My neighbor was a Christian and with her I went to Sunday classes. By the end of 12 years, I was utterly confused. Who was Allah, Krishna, Ganesh, Murugan, Ayappa, Jesus, et al.? Who were they and how important a part are they playing in my life?

I thought they were all different people who once existed on earth and different people follow different faiths based on their liking, culture and subscription. When I was young, I never thought that religion was a serious issue. Infact, I didn’t know what my religion was until I was 16 years old. Neither of my parents forced me to follow a religion and I never felt the need to be identified with a particular name.

Years went by and the question loomed large in head. I was racially abused for my confusion which was unique to me and I didn’t know if there was anyone to help me out. Not that I needed, but that was the moment the individual in me woke up. Which religion should I take to and there were no answers. I read a lot on Swami Vivekananda, accepted all his philosophies, but somehow couldn’t subscribe to Hinduism. I tried practicing Islam, but it was getting difficult day by day to learn and practice Islam. As people say it is most misunderstood religion in the world, I certainly can vouch for it. No one in the world can follow Islam strictly by the book. Neither did I know how to read Namaz nor did I know some history but, I am a Muslim at the end of the day. My name says so and I believe in God.

When we come into this earth, we are as clean and clear as a Lotus petal, but born in a muddy pond of social class, religion, caste and creed. Involuntarily we are corrupted by it and we attach a name to it and associate ourselves to it. Today we have wars everywhere, people killed and maimed in the name of religions and still, we celebrate our Eid, Diwali, Christmas, et al. and move forward in our life. It is impossible to abolish religions, but the least that we can do is to become tolerant. We don’t need these killings because we are here to live. Isn’t that’s what all religions preach? Wars are conflicts of personal ego overrated in the name of religion. Let’s avoid it because one day in this planet, we will eventually run out of oil!

Eid Mubarak!