This Ramzan, A Look Back At Everyone Who Taught Me Love, Respect And Equality

Ramzan Mubarak to all of you, no matter where are you from? What Faith you are following or even if you do not believe in anything. What I strongly believe, religion must be or should be in only personal spheres, in the democratic society or country.

These days entire world is passing through the unprecedented crisis, due to Pendemic like COVID19. As I have learned about the Islam during my days stayed in my native village in the Bihar, I have not studied anything specific about the religion, but I have learned love compassion respect responsibility or most important thing about equity, not in the textual knowledge instead, seen to my elders or their   interaction with people of all faith or background with equal respect and love.

I can recall one instance, when I was in class 8, my father was started searching good tutor to teach us at our home in the village, lastly, he found one young gentleman, his name was Ram Kishun Ram, he was very good in the subjects like Math and Science. He started coming to our home to teach me. Many people inquired with my father and shared discomforts about, why people from dalit community is coming to teach us at our home. My father himself was teacher at High School, his respond was plain and simple, this is qabil (qualified) and we needed teacher to teach our kids. I don't look, what someones caste or religion. Subsequently, he became the not only good teacher but close family friend.

One other lesson, I have learned in my village from the Islamic scholars, both of them are no more in the world, I had enough chances to listen them during religious congregation in our village and beyond that, I was lucky, one they were friend of my father and second one was close to our grandfather. These days , often  I ponder about the vision and thoughts of those scholars, they never talked about any hearted for any religion or sect for that matter, always focused on rationality, their entire messages were used to based on brotherhood love and compassion. They were well versed about the contemporary issues as well  about the nation leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehrue and Mulana Abul Kalam Kalam

I cannot forget my great teacher, Devendra Nath Jha, of our high School in the village, Bhandar, East Champaran, Bihar. He was true follower of Mahatma Gandhi. He can teach any subjects. His own subjects used to be literature and Sciences. He used to even take Urdu classes, whenever our Urdu teacher were not available. He was great teacher, even I would recall, his entire life was moving around the service to people, after closing the classes , he used to take extended class for students of needs. He was also well versed in the primary health care, right from early morning, people used to visit him or in some cases, Devendra babu himself has to go to treat poor people. in the Tolas (Hamlets). I used to call him Babu, that’s was the culture in our place. Whatever, I had learned about Devendra babu, that cannot quantify in the word but I always tried to implement in my own life.

I had great learning experience with my family as well, I still remembered, when I started learning about Karl Marx and his taught, I can recall my conversation with my father, about the religion as an "Opium of the People", even both us walking towards Masjid for namaz during chilling cold evening, my father never discourages me to think critically.

This is reality difficult time for human beings, and this month of Ramzan can be used to extend help for all the people, no matter what is his or her religion, there should be no distinction based on sexuality or races. Muslims should learn from Shiks brothers sisters, how they are organizing food and others necessary things for needy.