AYODHYA: Despite the decades-old legal battle between Hindu and Muslim plaintiffs over the Ayodhya title suit, the construction of Ram temple seems to have blurred communal lines and triggered celebrations even among Muslim devotees of Lord Ram.
While Faiz Khan is carrying bricks for the temple from his native village in Chhattisgarh, there many Muslim Ram bhakts who will throng the temple town to witness Prime Minister Narendra Modi lay the foundation stone on August 5.
TOI spoke to at least five Muslim devotees, Raja Raees, Wasi Haider, Haji Saeed, Jamshed Khan and Azam Khan, who consider Ram as ‘Imam-e-Hind’ and the forefather of many Rajputs, who later embraced Islam. Talking to TOI, Jamshed Khan, Ram devotee and resident of Faizabad, said, “We converted to Islam and embraced a system of prayer according to Islam, but changing our religion doesn’t change our ancestors. We believe Ram was our ancestor and we will celebrate with our Hindu brothers.”
Saeed Ahmed, who has been to Mecca and performed Haj, is a devout Muslim, but also a Ram devotee. “We Indian Muslims believe Ram was Imam-e-Hind and I will be in Ayodhya to celebrate the construction of the temple,” he said. Awadh province in charge of Muslim Rashtriya Manch, Dr Anil Singh, also confirmed to TOI that Ram devotee, Faiz Khan’s arrival in Ayodhya with bricks from his home state Chhattisgarh. “There are many Muslim kar sewaks from across India, who are coming to the temple town to participate in celebrations,” he said.
Rashid Ansari, a resident of Faizabad, said, “It will be a blessing, if we get a chance to enter the sanctum sanctorum where the foundation will be laid by the prime minister. If the security ring prevents our entry, we will still celebrate the moment from the peripheries.”
Source: TIMES OF INDIA
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