After ‘Om And Allah’ Remark, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Chief Arshad Madani Says ‘We All Are Born To Same Parents

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Chief Maulana Arshad Madani was recently in the eye of a storm for saying that “Om and Allah are one”.

NEW DELHI: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Chief Arshad Madani, who had recently triggered a controversy by saying that “Om and Allah are one,” has now changed his tracks and said that “we all are children of the same parents.” Madani, who was invited to a Holi celebration event organised by BJP leader Colonel Rajiv at his Bhayala village residence, stressed on universal brotherhood and unity in his message to Hindus and Muslims

Speaking on the occasion, the noted Muslim cleric said that “We all are children of the same parents. We should rise above caste and religion and live in peace and harmony.'' During his speech, the Madani stressed on Hindu-Muslim unity and warned the two communities not to fall prey to those who fuel the divide, sow seeds of distrust, and spread hatred by constantly spewing venom against each other. 

The noted Muslim scholar urged the two communities to uphold the age-old Ganga-Jamuni tradition and defeat the secessionist forces. It may be noted that Madani, president of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (Arshad Madani faction), was recently in the eye of a storm for saying that “Om and Allah are one”.

“When there was no one (no Gods), the question is who did Manu worship?… Very few people know that when there was nothing in the world, Manu would worship Om. I asked, ‘Who is Om’. Some said Om has no colour, no shape. Like the air, it is everywhere. It made the skies and the earth. I said this is what we call Allah. You call the same thing Ishwar,” Madani said.

The Muslim cleric, who heads the Arshad Madani faction of the outfit, said that he asked the "dharma gurus" as to who was worshipped when there was no Shri Ram, Brahma or Shiva.

Madani made these remarks while addressing the three-day general assembly of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH) at Ramlila Ground, with Hindu, Jain, Christian and Sikh leaders in attendance.

During the same event, his nephew Maulana Mahmood Madani also claimed that India is the birthplace of Islam and asserted that the country belongs to him as much as it does to Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat. The cleric stated that it is wrong to suggest that Islam came from outside while claiming that the "first Prophet of Islam, Adam, descended here".

However, the Hindu Sena – a right-wing outfit – later lodged a police complaint against Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madani and his nephew, Maulana Mahmood Madani over their controversial remarks.

In its letter to Delhi Police Commissioner, Hindu Sena alleged that the statements of Maulana Mahmood Madani and Maulana Arshad Madani have hurt sentiments of Hindus.

The letter also stated that the remarks made on the second and third day of the 34th general session of the Jamiat at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi could cause an "environment of instability" in the country. The right-wing group even urged Delhi Police to register a case of religious frenzy in the matter.