I heard the Indian prime minister say the other day that he will buy weapons from America and Russia. Let them buy weapons. But before that, they should buy wood. Because our lions, young men with broad shoulders, have left for Kashmir Valley. They will kill Indian soldiers. The families of these soldiers will need plenty of wood for their pyres. So I say again, let them buy wood before they buy weapons.

Hussein switched off the tape recorder. No one spoke as the recruits processed Nawaz’s blood-curdling message.

Finally, Hussein broke the silence. ‘So, you have a fair idea now of how these terror masterminds distort religion and facts to recruit impressionable young men. You can see how deftly they use questionable imagery and narratives to create accounts of the oppression of Indian Muslims, especially Kashmiris. Islam is a religion of love and peace, just like other great religions of the world, like Hinduism and Christianity. Criminals and deviants like Nawaz are not connected to any religion since no religion will have any place for a man like him.

‘I made you listen to him to understand the kind of threat that such people and outfits like LeT and HuM pose to us. The LeT and its allies in India, like the Hindustani Majlis and its charismatic absconding leader, Malik Sarfaraz Rehman, reject the Indian state. They want to establish a theocratic state by overthrowing the constitution-based system of our democracy.

‘LeT distorts religious, political and social issues for its own vested interests and those of its master, the ISI. They want to destroy India, plain and simple. During the medieval period, even the Arab, Turkish, Afghan and Mughal conquerors that came here had gradually developed an inclusive governance model, which considered non-Muslim subjects as protected, upon the payment of a religious tax. But in LeT’s extremist world view, there is no space for those who don’t subscribe to its ideology.

‘So, let me tell you a few things about Islam. Let us know who is a Muslim and what it takes to be a Muslim. What is their ideology, what are their beliefs and social practices? Pay attention to what you will be taught here as this information might save your life one day. Knowledge about the salient features of the religion will help you as you will be operating as Muslims in your upcoming assignment. I hope you all know that?’ Hussein asked.

‘Yes,’ Atharv said. The other trainees nodded in agreement.

28. KEY CONCEPTS

28

KEY CONCEPTS

‘Islam is the name of a religion whose followers are referred to as Muslims. Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam also emerged in the Middle East and is a world religion. Let us first talk about the basic practices and institutions of Islam. It is important for you to learn these as you should not be found lacking in your knowledge because knowledge, as they say, is power. And it can save lives too,’ Hussein said.