Swami Rama Tirtha's Meeting with the Muslims

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

Since i have picked up this book of " Freedom through Self-Realisation " by A.M.

Halliday, which is a series of lectures on the Yoga of Self-Knowledge, i have

noticed that Swami Rama Tirtha is mentioned quite a lot. From my own spiritual

experience, i can see the truth in so much of what he explains, which is also in

spiritual alignment with the teachings of Truth of Shri Mataji and of Christ and

others.

 

That's why i looked up more on him, and found an interesting article on his

meeting with the Muslims, who respected him, and asked him questions also, which

he duly answered, giving them knowledge they did not possess. When he gave them

the answer to their question, they said:

 

" You are a Sufi (Vedantin), and, as such, you may be entitled to say 'Hamaost'

(I am He). But we have not yet been able fully to define our relation with God,

as his devotees. Will it not be a sin or Kufra for us to say 'Anal hacq' (I am

God) as the Sufis (Vedantins) do? We cannot even dare to change the present form

of the Kalma. "

 

But you will have to read the appended article, to know the answer he gave

(smile).

 

Enjoy!

 

violet

 

 

 

SWAMI RAMA TIRTHA'S MEETING WITH THE MUSLIMS

 

This article first appeared in the Winter 2002 edition of Self-Knowledge Journa'

when Swami Rama Tirtha returned from his years in America, his fame as a man of

God became widely recognized in India. He had demonstrated his power to appeal

to those brought up in a completely different tradition and had shown the

validity of his vision of truth outside the Indian tradition. Like Shri Dada

before him, his teachings were universal in scope. In the hands of both these

enlightened Jnanis the spiritual teaching had become a means of reconciling and

uniting those of all faiths rather than a divisive force. And in India, as in

Europe, history gave all too ample proof of the divisive potential often exerted

by religion in the history of the people. In India itself the conflict between

the Moslem and the Hindu traditions was a simmering cause of unrest in the two

communities which had often flared up into major civil disturbances, as it was

destined to do again, on a scale unprecedented hitherto, when India was given

her independence after the Second World War.

 

There are many examples of Shri Dada's meetings with the Christians or the

Muslims in the pages of The Heart of the Eastern Mystical Teaching, but equally

interesting and instructive is the account we have of the discussion between

Swami Rama Tirtha and the Muslims held over two days in Lucknow in the year

1905. It provides a perfect example of the way in which the clear vision of the

holy truth of non-duality can dispel the prejudices and misunderstandings of the

unenlightened mind. In the course of these discussions Swami Rama was not only

able to break down many of the prejudices of his Muslim questioners but also to

give them a much deeper understanding of the teachings of their own religion.

 

The confrontation between prejudice and truth, and the consequent dissipation of

the narrow view by the light of the universal truth, like the dissolving of the

morning mist by the rising sun, was exemplified from the first moments of the

meeting, when the Muslims entered the room and offered Swami Rama the

traditional salutation (Adab `Arz). The Paramahansa responded by saying 'OM' in

serene and peaceful tones. To this the Muslims at once took exception. They

wanted to know why Rama had not returned their greeting in the same way and what

was the secret reason for which he was saying OM in reply to their greeting.

 

Swami Rama answered them with great love and told them that he had no mysteries

to hide and no mental reservations; plain talk (he said) was easily

understandable, while complicated talk was only likely to be misunderstood. The

truth was (he said) that a person can give to others only what he possesses and

that Rama himself only possessed OM and that alone. That OM, which was Rama's

sole possession, represented the non-duality of Vedanta.

 

Pressed to explain what he meant, Swami Rama replied that God is really

nameless, although people call him by various names such as Ishvara or Allah.

Men of different faiths and persuasions feel their oneness with God by

establishing some sort of relationship with him. It can be any relationship, but

the truth or reality is only one. He is what he is, one without a second,

indescribable and far beyond being circumscribed in words. But the ancient

Rishis and Saints have called him and known him through the significant symbol

OM.

 

Swami Rama went on to expound the special place of OM as a universal name of

God, but the Muslims objected that they had never seen any mention of OM in

their own holy scriptures and asked him (if what he said was true) whether he

could quote any reference to OM in their Koran.

 

Rama replied gently: 'Please listen to what is now being said. In the very

beginning of your Koran, at the top, are three letters, alif (A), lam (L) and

mim (M). Can any of you or any learned Mulawi of Islam explain what these three

letters mean?' The Moslems replied that this was a secret which Allah had kept

to himself.

 

Swami Rama laughed heartily at this remark and said: 'When God has revealed the

entire Koran for the benefit of mankind, as the Muslims claim, it is very

strange that he has kept its very heading a secret. No. It is not so. If you,

the Muslims who put full faith in the Koran do not know the secret of the

letters A, L, M, Rama will tell you what they signify. Alif, lam and mim are

nothing but alif (A), wao (O) and mim (M), that is, AOM or OM.'

 

The Muslims objected that the letter L is not the same as the letter O, but

Swami Rama pointed out to them that in Arabic grammar L is pronounced O when it

falls between a vowel and a consonant, as in the names Shamsuddin, which is

written Shamsaldin, or Nizamuddin, which is written Nizamaldin. The letter lam

(L) becomes silent and gives the sound of the Arabic letter pesh (O or U).

Therefore ALM is no secret; it is clearly and unambiguously OM and nothing but

OM. It is Kufra, heretical or a sin, to blame God for keeping it a secret.

 

The Muslims (who did not know Arabic or the rules of its grammar) were clearly

impressed by Swami Rama's explanation, but they caught on to his use of the word

'Kufra', meaning sin or heresy, and asked him to explain the meaning of that

word and the related word 'Kafir', which to a Muslim means an infidel. Swami

Rama was at first unwilling to say anything about them, maintaining that they

were the special words peculiar to Islam, and that as Muslims they should

understand them better than any non-Muslims. But when they pressed him on it, he

then said: It would have been better if you had not put this question to Rama,

because whatever he says would be according to his own notions. Rama likes

neither to flatter anybody, nor to injure the feelings of anyone. Truth cannot

be crushed. There is some truth in every religion. Rama is, therefore, not only

a Hindu, but also a Muslim, a Christian and a Buddhist. In answer to your

question Rama will speak politely and with love, but he may also have to indulge

in some plain speaking, without the least intention to hurt your feelings. Rama

loves all, like his own self. As such there should be nothing to hide from his

own self. Dear ones, the truth is that the followers of Islam have very wrongly

interpreted the words 'Kufra' and 'Kafir', and they have also made a very wrong

use of these words.

 

Swami Rama went on to point out to them with great love that Islam literally

means 'religion of peace', but that instead of preaching love for God seated in

the heart of each man and the brotherhood of all men, the so-called leaders of

Islam, on account of their superficial knowledge or ignorance, had injected a

spirit of hatred and alienation into the hearts of the ignorant Muslims. As a

result, the history of the Muslims testified to the fact that thousands of

non-Muslims had been butchered in wholesale massacres in the name of Islam.

Instead of teaching mankind how to live in peace with others, Islam had earned a

bad name for itself in world history by spreading its religion by tyranny,

oppression and despotism. This was because of the selfishness, love of personal

gain and narrow outlook of the Muslim autocrats, intoxicated with their own

domination and conquest in the name of Islam. It was all due to the wrong

interpretation of the words 'Kufra' and 'Kafir'. Dear friends, [he said], the

meaning of Kufra [sin or heresy] is to hide. What? To hide the truth or reality

is Kufra, and he who hides the truth is Kafir [infidel]. But how does a Kafir

hide the truth? He hides it behind the curtain of his Khudi or ego, which has

its roots in selfishness. In other words the person who asserts his ego or

selfishness as against truth is a Kafir. And what is this truth? Truth is that

which remains the same, yesterday, today and forever. But truth or reality is

only one. It is only God who is immortal, eternal and imperishable. Therefore

the person who does not implement this truth in daily life and who instead lays

stress on his ego or selfishness in his worldly dealings is as if hiding God,

the truth, behind the curtain of his egoism. In other words, he remains

unconcerned with God, as if there is no God for him. By such an attitude he

commits Kufra and deserves to be called a Kafir.

 

It is very painful to note that the protagonists of Islam, due to their blind

faith and bigotry, have brought a bad name to their simple and unostentatious

religion, causing havoc and devastation in the world, on account of their

misinterpretation and the wrong use of the words 'Kufra' and 'Kafir'. According

to them, a non-Muslim is a Kafir, however God-intoxicated or truly

religious-minded he may be. As such, it is said that a so-called Muslim has

every right to do away with a non-Muslim, if the latter does not believe in the

prophet Mohammed or the Koran...as if the non-Muslim had not been made by the

same God. It is also said that a Muslim will be forgiven by God for his sins

just because he is a formal Muslim. All this misbelief or blind faith is against

the fundamental principle of Islam.

 

It is now for you to say how reasonable, just and fair it is to preach to the

ignorant Muslim masses segregation in the name of Islam, which is obviously done

for political reasons with vested interests. Religion, you will concede, teaches

universal love, sympathy, fellow feeling, unity, etc., and not disunity or

hatred. It is, therefore, most essential for all of us, Hindus, Muslims,

Christians, Buddhists and so forth, to live together with love and unity...

 

Rama regrets very much to have to say all this. But since Rama has great respect

and regard for Islam due to its simplicity and direct faith in God and since he

takes Muslims as his own self, he does not feel any hesitation in speaking

frankly and fearlessly to his own self.

 

Swami Rama Tirtha was next asked about the Kalma, which may be called the Muslim

creed. And he said that the original Kalma consisted simply of the phrase: 'La

Ilah Ill Illah', which means 'there is nothing but Allah or God.' It expressed

(said Swami Rama) that God is limitless. Nothing can limit his limitlessness.

Nothing could be beyond God. He is everything, and everything is in him. The

Koran also says that God is nearer to you than your own aorta. The

interpretation of the Mulawis that it means 'there is only one god' is not

correct; it really means that there is nothing but one omnipresent God in this

universe.

 

The present Kalma has two portions. The second part is 'Mohammed Rasool Allah'

meaning that 'Mohammed is the prophet of God.' Swami Rama said to the Muslims:

You may or may not agree with Rama, but it is generally felt that this portion

has been added after the death of Mohammed Saheb... As you all know, Hazrat

Mohammed Saheb was a very simple God-intoxicated person. He never liked

ostentation and individual advertisement. He himself belonged wholly to God. And

he had totally surrendered himself to him. He was all God's. Nothing of his was

separate from God. As such, he could not have allowed during his life-time his

individual name or identity to be added to the original Kalma, but emphasised

'there is nothing but Allah.'

 

Then again, according to Islam, God is 'Wahduhoo-La-Sharik', that is, he is one

without any partner or sharer. How then could Hazrat Mohammed have allowed his

name to be added to God, even as a friend or prophet, when God is all in all,

when he is said to be limitless?... It therefore appears that the latter part of

the Kalma has been added by his devotees and admirers out of their intense love

for Mohammed Saheb after his death in order to perpetuate his memory,

so long as Islam continues to flourish in this world.

 

Swami Rama did not try to force his views on the Muslims. He told them it did

not matter whether they agreed with him or not, because he had no desire to

force his ideas on anybody. Everyone had the right to act according to his own

views. Rama had indicated his point of view simply because they had expressly

asked him to do so.

 

The Muslims were impressed by Swami Rama Tirtha's exposition, but they said to

him: Being a Sufi, the flight of your vision is high. Therefore you measure the

life incidents of Hazrat Mohammed with the same yardstick. Our intellect may

accept your version, but our hearts are reluctant to do so. As Muslims, we

cannot go against what our forefathers have been telling us. You may call it

blind faith, but Hazrat Mohammed deserves all our respect... You are a Sufi

(Vedantin), and, as such, you may be entitled to say 'Hamaost' (I am He). But we

have not yet been able fully to define our relation with God, as his devotees.

Will it not be a sin or Kufra for us to say 'Anal hacq' (I am God) as the Sufis

(Vedantins) do? We cannot even dare to change the present form of the Kalma.

 

To this Rama replies: The truth is that Rama, being a Vedantin, is convinced

that there is nothing but God and that 'I am God, as all others are.' The

reality is only one. God is infinite. That which is infinite cannot be rendered

finite by anything separate from him. He covers everything, and therefore it is

not a sin to say: 'I am God'; but it is certainly a great sin to reject the

reality just to project yourself as separate from or other than God.

 

In this way in discussions which he had with the Muslims over two days in 1905

the holy Paramahansa demonstrated clearly the true message of the Prophet

Mohammed and its identity with the essential truth of Advaita Vedanta: 'Sarvam

Khalvidam Brahman' (Verily, all this world is nothing but a phenomenal creation

of God the Absolute).

 

http://www.shantisadan.org/specials/srt.htm