Person a Muslim by faith, not dress or birth, says Maulana Arshad Madni

After the recent episode of radicalisation of a Kalyan youth, a leader of your organisation said just because a person is born in the community does not make him/her a Muslim. Your comments.
That is true. Any person born into a Muslim family isn't necessarily Muslim. Aqeeda and faith decides a person's religion. A person is Muslim by faith, not by his dress or birth.

There are increasing instances of youths getting radicalised or taking up violent jihad. What do you have to say about that?
The youths do not understand the religion. They have understood something (a part) and have gone ahead. That has been the biggest complaint of ours with the government, that religious teachings need to be introduced so that the youths know what it's all about. If people are not taught about it, they will not have a good value system. Once religious education is imparted, this kind of a problem will not exist. The problem is that government will give protection to Taslima here and Salman Rushdie in the West. Muslims feel that their religion needs to be protected. Also, when thousands are against something like the cartoon, it should not be done.

There is a lot of negativity towards Islam because of terror acts. How do you feel about that?
The root of all the problems (for Muslims) is America's policy towards Israel. All their angst rises from there.

Recently, the love jihad issue was in public domain. What have your actions been on the Ghar Wapsi programme?
Love jihad and other such things are all vahiyat (outrageous) talks. Muslims marry non-Muslims, and it's the other way round as well. Those who want political power spread these things to tell the public that if they are not voted (into power), (their) religion will be out.

A few days ago an article from a community member stated that Ulemas shouldn't shirk their responsibility by simply saying that a Muslim involved in a terror act is not a Muslim. What do you have to say about that?
This is rubbish. What have Ulemas got to do with this?

The state DGP has advocated teaching different religions in schools and madrasas. That, according to him, will give children a better understanding of other religions. Will you be thinking of having some kind of a teaching arrangement on the suggested lines?
In madrasas we teach about the Quran and Hadees. They talk of nothing else but loving everyone.