The controversy regarding singing of Vande Mataram crops every now and then. I think it is not a controversy rather a discussion among people with no understanding of either the song or Islam. I am very clear about my singing of the song. I DO NOT and I CAN NOT sing it. I have the reason. I will explain it here.
I was reading an article this morning in Time of India about the resolution passed by the Jamiat-e-Ulema-i-Hind on the singing of this song. I just want to answer / explain to a few questions / points asked / raised there. At one point it is said that "The rival Jamiat, headed by Maulana Arshad Madani (Mehmud Madani's uncle), alleges that the resolution is part of a conspiracy to create communal tension, instigated by Americans who had met the Mehmud faction in July.". I would like to tell Mr. Madani to please stop that old trick of blaming America for all the controversies. We are wise enough to think over our issues. We are no more fools that any outside power can create some controversy and divide us. And we also are no fools to believe in people like you.
Mr Asghar Ali Engineer says "both uncle and nephew have forgotten the Jamiat's glorious tradition of participation in the freedom movement, of which Vande Mataram was an inseparable part,''. Some one has correctly answered this question by telling that we love our country, respect it, are 100% patriotic but we do not worship anybody other than Allah. Not even our mother. We do not even bow to our parents to get their blessings. It is not in our religion. We keep patriotism to our heart, and so do we keep our religion. We do not need to prove it by singing the song. Mr Asghar do not find any objection to the translation of the song as he says "I bow to my motherland, what objection can there be to doing so?". But I do find, as I do not bow to anybody other than Allah. He says "The Mughals made courtiers bow to them and perform sajda (respectfully lowering and then lifting your hand to your forehead repeatedly). Why was this not condemned as un-Islamic?". I would say that it was surely unislamic and I do not even consider the Mughals as the practising Muslims. Akbar started his own religion. Jehangir used to drink heavily. ShahJahan was busy building Taj Mahal and other magnificent buildings with public money. We Muslims do not follow kings, we follow Quran, Hadith etc. Kings do not define Islam, nor do the Sufis.
Writer Sajid Rashid says "The Deobandis consider even singing salaams to Prophet Mohammed's glory as haraam". I would ask Mr Sajid as to which salaam he is telling about. In Islam there are only two festivals, Id-ul-Fitr and Id-ul-Adha. Islam does not tell to celebrate Muharram, not even tell to celebrate Prophet Mohammed's birthday which is celebrated in India as Milad-un-Nabi. Regarding the singing of salaam to Prophet, I would say for Muslims Prophet Mohammed is the most respected and loved human. But here also, some Muslims show so much love and affection towards the Prophet that their love towards Allah fades in front of their love shown towards the Prophet. Muslims should consider that Prophet was a Messenger of Allah. We should pray to Allah and try not to go astray.
Finally I would say that I am a practising Muslim. I am a true Indian too. So I sing Jana-Gana-Mana since my childhood days. The anthem do bring goose-bumps on me. But I do not sing Vande Matram, since my school days. So do not consider me as a follower of these Fatwas also. I do my independent thinking.
As for the meanings and translation of Vande Matram, I would suggest Wikipedia and one other website.
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