"A number of Indians have tried to define secularism as sarva dharma samabhava (equal respect for all religions). I cannot say whether they have been naive or clever in doing so. But the fact remains that secularism cannot admit of such an interpretation. In fact, orthodox Muslims are quite justified in regarding it as irreligious. Moreover, dharma cannot be defined as religion which is a Semitic concept and applies only to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Hinduism is not a religion in that sense; nor are Jainism and Buddhism, or for that matter, Taoism and Confucianism."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Girilal Jain, "Limits of the Hindu Rashtra", in : Elst, Koenraad: Ayodhya and after, Appendix I
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Sarva_Dharma_Sama_Bhava
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava
17 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava →
Related Quotes
"This view of Sarva Dharma Samabhava has been turned into a political principle in modern India. ... The correct term …"
"Hinduism applauds diversity and consequently accepts that people of different temperaments, circumstances and levels …"
"There is no similar record of any Islamic authority who has said that Shiva and Allah are one, nor Ram and Rahim, nor…"
"Great debaters like Yajnavalkya or Shankara would not be proud to see modern Hindus fall for anti-intellectual soundb…"
"The only mention of religion is the worn-out Gandhian slogan (which numerous Hindus wrongly believe to be “Vedic”) Sa…"
"The confusion has by now become very widespread, and is symbolized by the sanctimonious slogan of sarva-dharma-samabh…"
"Starting with the Swadeshi Movement in Bengal, this flattering of Muslims by praising Islam culminated in Mahatma Gan…"
"What has caused confusion and misunderstanding about his Hinduism is the concept of sarva-dharma-samabhAva (equal reg…"
"Sarva-dharma-samabhava was unknown to mainstream Hinduism before Mahatma Gandhi presented it as one of the sixteen ma…"
"Gandhi's sarva-dharma-samabhava did not stop at equal respect for all religions; it went much further and stood for e…"