Girish Chandra Sen was the first person to translate the Qur’an into Bengali language in 1886. He was not an upstart but a scholar who read extensively on Islam for some years before embarking on the translation of Qur’an in Bengali. He was a Brahmo missionary and did so at the behest of Keshab Chandra …
The term ‘Hinduism’ was introduced into the English language in the 19th century to denote the religious, philosophical, and cultural traditions native to India. This tempted many to say that Hinduism is something very new. What these people fail to appreciate is that Hinduism as we see it today is a conglomeration of different religious …
If at all there is an Allah, then the religion (Islam) propagated by his messenger should naturally be for the betterment of the lives of his followers. But this betterment of lives of the believers of Islam rejects the betterment of lives of non-believers. Anybody having the knowledge about the last decade of the life of prophet …
Leaving one’s religion for another or atheism is utmost difficult in Islam. Islamic laws prescribe that the apostate should be killed by any Muslim(s). Some Islamic countries have legalised this practice, others practice it anyway. It is like mafia gang. No one can leave the gang. The cruelty in such killing of apostates is sanctified …
Mutazilites of eighth and ninth centuries Basra and Bagdad (Iraq) tried to bring rationalism and reasoning in Islam. During that period their theology received patronage from Caliphs also. Mutazilites disagreed that Qur’an is divine and constant and tried to reason out each aspect of Islam. However, in the later part of ninth century, orthodox group got upper …
In the history of Muslim ruled India, only Akbar showed religious tolerance (and stopped ‘zizya’ on non-Muslims). Rest all actively participated or supported in forceful conversions. Moreover, the burden of being ‘Dhimmi’ under Muslim rule also compelled many to convert to Islam. The role of ‘Sufi’ saints was also not free from forceful conversion. Most of …
