Kashmir is an interesting example that appears often as one of the potential sources of international terrorism and violence. Culturally, it is composed of Aryan, Mongol, Turk and Afghan ethnic groups. Before the arrival of Islam, conflicts were between Buddhists and Brahmans. In 1320, Rinchan, a Buddhist governor, embraced Islam in its Sufi branch and was followed in that faith by thousands of Kashmiris. In 1981, India and Pakistan verified in the censuses that, in the part governed by India, Kashmir had 5.987,389 inhabitants, of which 64.2% were Muslims, 32.25% Hindus, 2.23% Sikhs and the rest Buddhists, Christians and Jainists. In the part controlled by Pakistan, with a population of 1.983.465, 99.8% were Muslims and the remaining, Ahmadis, Christians and Hindus. The five century-government of Muslim leaders has been one of a Sufi Islam, that aspirates at unity among men in their spiritual journey for the reunion with the source, the Divinity. For a Sufi Muslim, Jesus epitomizes Sufism, and Jalaludin Rumi considers Him his inspiring master. In Masnavi, Rumi tells a singular history.
Moses once heard a shepherd praying as follows: “O Lord! Where do you live that I might serve you there? I’d mend your battered shoes and comb your hair; wash your clothes and kill the lice and fleas; serve you milk to sip from when you please; I’d kiss your little hand and rub your feet; sweep your bedroom clean and keep it neat; I’d sacrifice my herd of goats for you.”
Moses couldn’t bear it anymore: “What’s that I hear you say?” “I speak to my Creator there on high, the One who also made the earth and sky.” Moses rebuked him: “You’ve truly lost your way; you’ve given up the faith and gone astray. It’s gibberish and babble, stupid twit. You’d better learn to put a cork in it! Your blasphemy pollutes the atmosphere.” Moses continued reprehending the shepherd who, feeling his way of loving was erroneous, repented, threw away all his belongings and fled away into the desert.
A revelation came down instantly to Moses. The voice of God: “Wherefore have you driven away My servant? Your office is to reconcile My people with Me, not to drive them away from Me. I have given to each race different usages and forms of praising and adoring Me. I have no need of their praises, being exalted above all such needs. I regard not the words that are spoken, but the heart that offers them. I do not require fine words, but a burning heart. Men’s ways of showing devotion to Me are various, but so long as the devotions are genuine, they are accepted. I know when men’s hearts have humility. The heart is the essence, words are mere effects: The heart is what matters; hot air He rejects. I’m tired of fancy terms and metaphors; I want a soul which burns so much it roars! It’s time to light one’s heart with pure desire. God’s lovers stand beyond all faiths, as they are shown by God Himself a higher way.”
Islam that touched the Kashmiris was of this type and it lasted from 1320 to 1819. Between 1819 and 1846, the Sikh governor Ranjit Singh of Punjab took care of Kashmir and, in 1846, in the Anglo-Sikh war, the British sold Kashmir to the less-represented ethnic group for 7,500.000 rupees! Appeared the Dogra Dynasty that was deeply discriminatory and cruel to Muslims. Thereafter, the history of Kashmir counts the biggest atrocities, massacres and violations. India has been promising free and democratic elections, under UN observation, but there is no hope of self-determination. The youths have more education, but there is mass unemployment. And the Jihadist radicalism wins followers, promising a better life after death.
The question that we should ask is: “What makes a Muslim youth of Sufi inspiration to change into a cruel and inhuman being?” In the Islam faith, it is difficult to find an answer but social sciences should be able to explain such phenomena. www.publico.pt
