There could not have been a person more important than Gangaputr Bhishm Pitamah or Acharya Dron in Hastinapur, men who could distinguish between true and false. But the fact is that during the humiliation of the kulvadhu by the over-proud Prince Duryodhan in the Mahabharat, both remained loyal and obedient to him. Later they commanded the armed forces despite their unwillingness, though the Kauro Sena were not in the right nor just in their cause, to fight against one who was: Bhagwan Sri Krishna. The truth is that sometimes one has to obey the master even against the voice of one’s heart. Every Muslim knows he must respect and honour Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) in every case and in all circumstances. But Yazid, for the sake of his kingdom, killed Imam Hussain, grandson of the Prophet (SAW), and his fellows, blood relations and even the six-month-old baby of Imam Hussain. Though reluctant, most of Yazid’s soldiers killed Imam Hussain and his 72 companions because regime dominated religion. Sultan Iltutmish knew that it was both wrong and prohibited in Islam to dismantle the religious shrine of any community or to replace the same, but even than he demolished some temples and constructed the Qutub Minar. Here I do not feel wrong to say that due to differences between Jain and Hindu religious leaders of that time, even the majority of the people could not oppose the decision of the ruler. It is also a fact that due to this violation of Islam’s teaching, some Muslim ulema criticised the construction of Qutub Minar. Another time, the head maulvi of the Delhi Sultanate, suggested to Sultan Balban to set up higher Islamic education for the princes and nobility. Balban refused, saying that to follow the rules of the Sharia and rules of governance were two separate things. The ulema were to do their job and he was to do his job. Not only this he appointed instructors to teach the Arabic translation of the Arth Shastr. Aurangzeb, so famous for his religious-mindedness and hard attitude, put his father and sister behind bars and killed his brother Darashikoh and several near and dear ones, just for the sake of his kingdom. Aurangzeb also beheaded the famous Sufi Sarmad and was very harsh to Shia Muslims and Sufis. None of this was “Islamic” nor related to any religion. Yet Aurangzeb would perform the shraadh of his grandmother and great-grandmother, regularly donate to the temples in Benares and be showered with Gangajal by the Shahi Pandit: for the sake of his regime! Deception and opportunism are the laws of rule. Religion is the pawn of rulership.
