By MAULANA AHMAD AWWAH NADVI
Q: Master Mohd Amir Assalaam-mu-Allikum
A: Wale-kum-Assalaam.
Q: Master Saheb my father is pressing me
hard for taking your interview for Armughan. It is good that you yourself came
to see me today.
A: Ahmad Bhai, I was keen to have my story
of acceptance of Islam published in Armughan, as the series of interview of
newly converts is very useful to encourage and help the mission of Daw'ah. This
is a glaring instance of blessings of Allah. He has rewarded a culprit like me
who actively participated in pulling down the sacred house of God. This is an
eye opener for misguided pagans.
Q: Please introduce yourself and your
family.
A: I belong to a Village in Panipat district
of Haryana. I was born in a Rajput family on 6th Dec 1970. My father was a
prosperous farmer and also head master of a local primary school. He was a very
good man believing in values of humanity and was dead opposed to any kind of
injustice and tyranny. He had seen the horrible riots of 1947 and regarded the
mass scale slaughter of Muslims as a grave national stigma. He helped a lot in
rehabilitation of Muslims and paid special attention toward education of Muslim
children in his school.
My personal
experience is that the destruction of Babri Masjid could never have occurred if
members of Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal and Hindu masses knew something about Islam,
Quran, mosques and Muslims. I am convinced that if Bal Thakre, Vinay Katihar
Uma Bharati, Ashok Singhal and like-minded persons possessed some basic
information about these things then they could have never committed this
shameful act. 99% of Hindus are now like my father and they believe in humanity
and respect Islam.
I was named
Balbir Singh. After passing high school, I got admission in intermediate
college at Panipat. Probably after Mumbai, Panipat was strongest fort of Shiv
Sainik. There I met many fanatic youths who poisoned my mind against Muslims by
giving wrong and distorted descriptions of historical events. When my father
came to know about my association with Shiv Sainiks, he tried to pacify me and
told me authentic stories of justice and good treatment meted to non Muslim by
Babur, Aurangzeb, and other Muslim rulers. He explained to me at length the
distortions made in Indian history by Englishmen to flare up bitter relations
between Hindus and Muslims of India. But unfortunately all his efforts to keep
me away from Shiv Sainik influence failed. I did not hear his advice of sanity.
Q: Please give details of your part in the
destruction of Babri Masjid.
A: In 1990, I was given an important role
during Rath Yatra of Mr Advani. The fanatics filled my heart with hatred and
enmity against the Muslims. I took pledge in the name of Shivaji to go to
Ayodha and pull down the structure of Babri Masjid from the premises of Ram
Mandir. I was appointed Chief of youth wing of Shiv Sena and on 30th Oct. I
along with my youth brigade went to Ayodha. Police tried to stop us and at some
places police opened fire on the violent mob of Kar-sewaks. I could not reach
near Babri Masjid but my feelings of hatred against Muslim were intensified.
Group of Shivsewaks, were outraged to see police bullets being fired at Ram
Bhagats in Ram Janam Bhoomi. I was in great rage. Sometimes I wanted to commit
suicide and sometimes I planned to go to Lucknow and shoot Mulayam Singh. Riots
broke out in the whole country and I counted days for razing down the Babri
Masjid. At last that day came. On 1st Dec 1992 I with my associates reached Ayodha.
There I joined Yogendra Pal, son of a Jat Zamindaar of a village near Sonipat;
he was my bosom friend and came to Ayodhya with me in the teeth of stiff
opposition from his father. We reached near Babri Masjid on 5th Dec and spent
the night on roof of some Muslim houses. All of us were impatient to start
destruction of mosque. Last year on 30th Oct we were prevented from doing so.
Now we decided to start Kar Seva, but our sanchalak stopped us and asked to
follow discipline. Uma Bharti with her fiery speech flared up our sentiments. I
took a pickaxe and climbed over the roof of the mosque along with Yogendra Pal.
As soon Uma Bharti raised the slogan "Give one punch more and pull down
the mosque" I struck my pick axe on the middle dome and raised slogan of JAI
JAI RAM BHAGWAN. After some time the mosque was raised down before our eyes. We
happily got down and bowed our head before Ram Lallah. We bought two bricks of
the mosque with us and showed them to the people of Panipat.
The viewers
praised us. The bricks were kept in Shiv Sena's Office and a public meeting was
held to facilitate the occasion. My name as the first Striker on the mosque was
announced and I got big applouse. I told all this to my father who became very
angry. He was heartbroken and told me straight by that he could not live with
me because of my shameful conduct. He asked me to leave the house because he
could not tolerate a person who pulled down house of God. He also told me never
to return home during his life time. I did not anticipate the degree of his
rage and tried to tell him about my popularity and my active part in
destruction of mosque. But he did not pay any heed and started leaving the
house himself. But I stopped him and told that instead I would leave his house
as I could not live with an anti Ram Bhagat person. I shifted to Panipat.
Q: Now tell us
about your embracing of Islam.
A: My dear Ahmed
Bhai. Allah was kind enough to bless me to come out from darkness of polytheism
and terror and gave me perfect guidance. This was His great reward to a wrong
doer who took part in the destruction of His house. One day Yogendra Pal took
out bricks of Babri Masjid and invited Hindus to come and urinate on them. A
big crowd assembled there and urinated on them with tormented glee. Now the Lord
of Mosque showed His majesty and after 4 or 5 days Yogendra become mentally
ill. He became mad and always remained naked. He was the only son of
respectable Zamindaar.
He used to tear away the clothes of his mother and
wanted to misbehave with her sexually. His father was very worried and took him
too many Maulvis and spell charmers. He prayed to God for forgiveness and
distributed alms but nothing worked. One day Yogendra Pal tried to molest his
mother but the neighbours saved her and enchained him. His father becomes so
angry and exhausted that he wanted to kill him. Then somebody told him to
contact a Maulana who used to come to a Madarsa in Sonipat Idgah. He went in
search of Maulana. A shopkeeper told him to contact the Imam of a Mosque at
Bawana where Maulana used to go regularly. Soon after destruction of Babri
Masjid the Maulana made a speech there and told the Muslims that to some extent
Muslims were also responsible for this tragedy. They failed to extent DAWAH to
Hindus and did not convey them the teaching of Islam. He used to pray for them
and made his mission to extend Dawah to them. Yogendra Pal's father Chaudary
Raghubir Singh approached IMAM of Bawana mosque and asked for spell or tawiz
for his son.
The Imam declined to do so and instead arranged his meeting with
Maulana Saheb. He told him that his son was suffering from torment of Allah and
its only cure was to embrace ISLAM on appointed time. Choudhry Saheb along with
naked and chained Yogendra reached Bawana to meet Maulana. He fell on his feet
and told him 'I tried my level best to stop him but this mean fellow under the
influence of some mischief makers did this heinous crime. Please forgive him
and save my family." Maulana Saheb sternly asked him to get up and narrate
to him the full story He said to Choudhry Saheb "Those people who
destroyed the sacred house of LORD CREATOR had committed such a heinous crime
that the entire world would have been destroyed by ALMIGHTY. This man suffering
is nothing for such a ghastly crime. But to some extent we the Muslims are also
at fault as we failed to convey the teaching of Islam to the destroyers of the
mosque. Actually all citizens of the country should pray and beseech
forgiveness from our Lord."
He also
asked Choudhry Saheb to do so. The Choudhry again fell on his feet and promised
to follow his instruction and requested to cure his son. Maulana Saheb offered
prayers and asked people to pray for Yogendra and his father. He offered some
snacks to Choudhry Saheb. People coming out of mosque were surprised to see
that Yogendra had covered his private Parts by his turban. All of them were
surprised but extremely happy. Imam Saheb reminded Choudhry Saheb to accept
Islam. He warned him that if he did not so Yogendra Pal could turn mad again.
He readily agreed and asked the Maulana to get him converted to Islam. When
Choudhry Saheb was going to the mosque Yogendra said that he also wanted to
become Muslim and work for reconstruction of Babri Masjid. Both of them
performed WUDHU and were named Mohd Usman and Mohd Umar.
They went back to
their village and soon the news of their conversion spread in the entire
region. In a meeting some influential Hindus decided to kill both of them but
this plan was leaked to the Imam of the local Mosque. They were sent to Phulat
and from there they went for 40 days with a group of Tablighi Jamaat. Mohd Umar
(Yogendra) performed three CHILLAS. His mother also embraced Islam and he was
married in a good Muslim family of Delhi. Now they are settled in Delhi and
running a factory. Q: Very Well. Master Saheb Yogendras' story of coming to
Islam is quite strange and interesting. Now please tell your own story. A: Bhai
actually that was first part of my story. On 9th March 1993 my father died. He
was grief stricken at destruction of Babri Masjid with my participation in its
destruction. He showed his anguish and despairs to my mother and wished to be
reborn among Muslims to bear such tyranny. He had strictly forbidden my
presence at his funeral and asked to be buried like Muslims. My mother acted on
his will and informed me after 8 days of his death. This made me very sad and
heartbroken. I began to realize that destruction of mosque was an act of
tyranny.
Whenever I went to my mother she used to weep and hold me responsible
for the death of my noble father and condemned me. Then I stopped going home.
In June Mohd Umar returned from Jamaat tour and told me his whole story. I was
already afraid of divine curse or torment and his story made me more worried
and alarmed. Mohammad Umar suggested to me to meet Maulana Saheb at Sonipat. I
met Maulana Saheb. who welcomed me warmly. He said to me "The Lord of
Lords can punish you with same treatment as He did with wrong doer Yogendra. Be
sure if you do not get any punishment in this life you are doomed to horrible
torment in the next world." After pondering over an hour I decided to come
to Islamic fold to escape from divine punishment. I requested Maulana to take
me with him. We went to Haryana, Delhi and Khurja and then reached Phulat. On
25th June 1993 I recited Kalma after Zuhar Prayers. Maulana named me Mohammad
Amir and asked me to stay for some time at Phulat to learn Islamic literature
and know about prayers and other rites. A house was arranged for me and after
three months my wife also embraced Islam.
Q: What happened
to your mother?
A: She was
overjoyed to hear it and said that soul of my dead father would be happy. She
also became Muslim after some time.
Q: What are you
doing now?
A: I am running a
Junior High School with English medium and teaching Islamic subjects.
Q: My father told
me that you are also associated with the rehabilitation of deserted mosques in
Punjab and Haryana.
A: Yes, I along
with Mohammad Umar pledged to rehabilitate deserted mosques and build new
mosques to compensate for our ghastly act of destruction of Babri Mosque. We
have decided to cooperate with each other. I would rehabilitate at least 100
deserted mosques and Mohammad Umar would construct 100 new mosques during our
life time. Up to July 2009, 67 deserted mosques have been rehabilitated and 37
new mosques have been constructed. Our target is to rehabilitate one deserted
mosque and build one new mosque on 6th Dec. every year which is the anniversary
of destruction of Babri Masjid. This programme is picking up very well and Umar
Bhai is leading.
Q: What about other members of family? A: My family consists
of my mother and an elder brother who lost his wife four years ago. He had four
children including a disabled boy. His wife was a nice and caring lady. Her
death was a great shock to my brother. My wife looked after the children very
well like a mother. My brother was very grateful to her. I suggested to him to
embrace Islam. He was not happy with me because I had displeased and hurt my
father very much. Then I talked to my wife like this, “See our children are
grown up now. You are looking after my brother’s children very well. He is
heartbroken and leading a miserable life. If he accepts Islam and you agree to
marry him, then I will divorce you and after Iddat you become his wife. Allah
will bless this relationship.” First my wife flared up and did not agree to my
proposal. But after discussion and persuasion she consented. Then I started
negotiations with my brother. Initially he did not like this proposal and said
people would not approve it and it would lead to infamy of whole family. But I
argued that the proposal is logically sound and ISLAM permits this
relationship. Finally he agreed to become Muslim and married my wife after
completion of the Iddat period. Now he is living a happy life along with his
and my children.
Q: Are you still
single?
A: No. On Maulana
Saheb’s advice I married an aged convert Muslim woman and we are happy too.
Q: Do you want to
leave some message for readers of ARMUGHAN?
A: I request
every Muslim to realize his aim of life i.e. preaching of Islam to other human
beings and not encourage the sentiments of revenge or retaliation. Ahmed Bhai,
my personal experience has told me that destruction of Babri Masjid could never
have occurred if members of Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal and Hindu masses knew
something about Islam, Quran, mosques and Muslims. I am convinced that had Bal
Thakre, Vinay Katihar Uma Bharati, Ashok Singhal and like-minded persons
possessed some basic information about these things then they could have never
committed this shameful act. 99% of Hindus are now like my father and they
believe in humanity and respect Islam. My father died as a non Muslim because
nobody extended Dawah to him. I repent on infidelity of my father who did not
get any preaching and pass sleepless nights in anguish. I had to take sleeping
pills.
AHMED: Thanks so much. You are living like a true Muslim, and your life
is an open sign to prove the truth of Islam.
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