In the past week there were probably an innumerable number of videos that were avidly circulated on various social media platforms which depicted many Muslims youngsters violating the lockdown imposed nationwide. The group of individuals in these videos also mocked the extremely vital concept of “Social Distancing” which has proved quite useful in impeding the spread of the COVID-19 virus. There were many such videos and the most infamous of these was a poor quality video clip of an old Muslim vegetable vendor who spat on the vegetable he ought to sell.
All these videos helped in conceiving a feeling of prejudice towards everyone who followed Islam altogether. People discontinued buying stuff from shopkeepers or vendors who were Muslim. This was the first occasion in this immensely diverse country when a vegetable vendor or a shopkeeper was asked what religion did he/she belong to before purchasing anything from them, and if the answer was, “I am Muslim,” the customer would instantaneously leave, having an inhibition that the poor vendor was spitting in his goods with the intent of infecting a large number of people.
I ponder that if the answer to the question ‘ what if that vendor wanted to effectuate the so called ‘bio-jihad? ‘ was a ‘yes’, he/she wouldn’t have been sitting beneath the sun, risking their lives, just because you needed imperative commodities, just so your life could go smoothly. NO, the entire clique of Islam doesn’t need this type of exploitation from us, even they deserve respect. NO, the entire community isn’t the same as the irresponsible Tabligh-e-Jamaat, the Muslims in the mainstream of your society want to co-exist and want to deliver the message of Assalam-Alaikum (may peace be upon you), but he also expects Valaikum-Assalam (may peace be upon you too).
By Devansh Thakker
IMAGE SOURCES
- https://www.google.com/search?q=the+Indian+muslim+vendor&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjcm6P1uIjpAhWHHrcAHb7-B-wQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=the+Indian+muslim+vendor&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzoECCMQJzoCCAA6BAgAEB46BAgAEBhQhY8BWIClAWCYpwFoAHAAeACAAdEBiAGmB5IBBTAuNi4xmAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWc&sclient=img&ei=MrqmXty6LYe93LUPvv2f4A4&bih=678&biw=1422#imgrc=sFw9rueEqnvBDM
- https://www.google.com/search?q=the+indian+muslim&sxsrf=ALeKk02Vicb0OStiz5bUyQaM5Sriw9MDmA:1587985733619&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiw5L3su4jpAhVTIbcAHYtLA7EQ_AUoAnoECBQQBA&biw=1422&bih=678#imgrc=aTk_7ZIx-XI8lM
- Clicked by author