Interview of Master Amir

Ahmad Awwah (Q) : Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullah
Mohd. Amir (A) : Walekumassalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu
Q: Master Sahab, Abbi had asked me to interview you pretty long ago and what a pleasant surprise you are here today!
A: Ahmad bhai, its been my wish for long. Not for publicity but to be a source of encouragement to all dawah workers I wanted my story to find space in pages of Armughan. The world will be introduced to the kindness of my Lord, when He can guide a culprit like me, there are chances unlimited for the innocent ones.
Q: Please introduce your family.
A: I belong to a village in Panipat district of Haryana. Born on 6th December, 1970 in a Rajput family, my father was an efficient farmer and also served as head master of a primary school. He was a good human being and practiced the religion of humanity. He couldn’t stand oppression of any kind on anyone. Being a witness to the riots of 1947, he would often describe the incidents with pain and grief. “Killing of muslims is a blotch on the face of nation”, he would often say and had helped in rehabilitating the muslims left after the mishap. Even in his school, he would take care of the muslim students and education.
I was named Balbir Singh and studied in the village high school, then went to Panipat for intermediate classes. After Mumbai, Panipat is the next strong hub of Shivsena where its youth wing is ever expanding and lot of school going boys take part in its activities. I too joined under the influence of some friends. There is a lot of brainwashing regarding history of Panipat , against Babar and other muslim rulers. We were literally taught to hate them. When my father came to know about it, he tried hard at making me understand, to keep me away from participating in it. He narrated stories of just muslim rulers, of Aurangzeb and how well he treated the non muslim population. He said that the British had intentionally tampered history to divide the nation, my father also narrated to me gory incidents of 1947 but I didnot understand anything.
Q: While you were in Phulat, once you told us about demolition of Babri mosque, do tell us that incident.
A: The incident was like this- In 1990 when Advani ji set out for rath yatra, I was made incharge of many a important tasks and during those times we were so conditioned to hate the muslims that I took a pledge in the name of Shiva ji that alone would I demolish the building constructed on the site of Ram mandir. Due to my activism in the yatra, I was appointed president of the youth wing of Shiv sena. I went to Ayodhya alongwith my team on 30th October but was stopped by the police in Faizabad. Still I and few others made it to Ayodhya somehow but were late. There was firing and however hard I tried, couldn’t make it to the Babri mosque which infuriated me so much that I said to my fellows, “ In the land of lord Rama, at the place of his birth his devotees are being shot at only because of the Arab leaders; it is better that we die! It is gross injustice against us.” I was so bewildered with anger that I planned to suicide. The country saw various incidents of communal disharmony at several places and I was still thinking of demolishing Babri mosque with my own hands.
I waited and waited till the ill-fated day which I considered a day of celebration in those times. Alongwith a few others I reached Ayodhya on 1st December,1992. one of best friends, Yoginder Pal from a village of Sonipat was with me. His father was a land lord and supported humanitarian causes. Naturally he tried to stop his son from joining us but Yoginder succeeded in resisting.
It was the night before December six and we had reached very close to the site.we had spent the night on terrace of few muslims who lived nearby. I was afraid that we might return empty handed for a second time so tried to hurry up to the place but was checked by the organizer of the group who waited for orders by the seniors. Uma Bharti gave a fiery speech and ignited the karsevaks, I got down from the terrace, with a kudaal in my hand I went straight upto the mosque. Yoginder was with me. As soon as we heard the slogan of “ek dhakka aur do, babri masjid tod do (one more push to demolish the babri mosque)” my wishes were granted and I hammered the kudaal on the dome shouting Jai Ram. Very soon the whole building started crumbling down.
We came down happy and proud. Ram lala was finally placed there and we touched our heads upon it. We carried two bricks to our homes and as a sign of victory showed off to friends in Panipat. Everyone congratulated me and in every speech my name was mentioned. I was the first young Shiv sainik to have attacked the Babri mosque. Once I reached home and narrated to my family I found that my father was very very angry with me. He expressed deep pain and agony and clearly stated that either he or I would stay in that house. “You have demolished the house of God, I don’t want to see your face. Don’t ever come back till I am alive,” I was told. I could have never guessed this would happen, I even shared all the praises and what people were saying so highly of me but all in vain, my father would not listen. He started to move out of the house himself saying the country will be lead to destruction at the hands of such cruel people. I stopped him from leaving and said I myself would not live in a house where devotee of Ram was not paid any respect. I came back to Panipat.
Q: Tell us about how you embraced Islam?
A: Dear brother Ahmad, My Allah is so merciful that He guide me to light of I slam from the depths of darkness of shirk without me even asking for it! He is so great that He showered His mercy on me, me- the tyrant who demolished His Holy mosque.
Q: actually it so happened that Yoginder brought the bricks to his village and announced in the general public that all were invited to urinate (mutradaan) upon the bricks of mosque constructed on Ram janam bhoomi. A large number of people gathered , each one degrading, urinating upon them.
But He, the owner of the house had to show His signs and within four or five days, Yoginder lost his senses. He went completely crazy and started roaming about naked. Lots of people tried various remedies, many a tantriks, sayanay etc were contacted but nothing could help him. His father went about seeking Lord’s forgiveness, giving alms and charity but Yoginder’s condition only worsened day by day. Imagine! The son of a reputed landlord and he even tried to rape his own mother. She was saved by the people and Yoginder was chained. His father, a respected man decided to shoot him and put an end to it when someone suggested the name of a maulana who visited Sonipat Idgah. They went to meet him but it was found out that he visits only on the first of every month and Chaudhry Sahab(Yoginder’s father) was very disheartened. He still tried to find some other who could help him and went to meet a Qazi Sahab, incharge of the madarsa. He too was not available at that time. Some shopkeeper gave him address of the maulana’s residence in Delhi and also informed him of his plan to visit Bawana the day after. He chained his son and took him to Bawana. The imam sahib there was a mureed of your father and had been inviting Maulana Sahab for many days when he finally found time to offer Zohar prayers there and so the program was organized for the day after. The imam said to Chaudhry Sahab that due to uneasy atmosphere before sixth December, many imams and members of madarsa had left for their homes in U.P and many had not returned. Regarding this Maulana Sahab had said in his speech in Sonipat, “If the muslims had conveyed the message and called their brethren towards Islam, introduced them to Allah and the mosque, certainly such incidents would have never occurred. In a way, even the muslims are responsible for the demolition of the mosque. Its time we wake up and start the dawa’ah work, then the ones who demolished the mosque will themselves construct mosques. Our master, Prophet Muhammad sallallaho alayhe wasallam would say at such incidents, “ Allahumma ahda qaumi fa inna hum la ya’lamun (Allah! Guide my people because they know not.)”
Imam of Bawana was under great influence of Maulana’s speech. When Chaudhry Sahab asked him to cure Yoginder’s mental illness, he said he does not do jhaad-phoonk since it involves frequent lies and meetings with women; its no more his job. Imam further added that Yoginder’s illness was a God-sent punishment and not witch craft, he was neither possessed by a spirit but suffering due to his own misdeeds. “You have a chance, when our Hazrat (Maulana) comes here tomorrow, I hope he can offer some solution but there is a condition, I say, if your son recovers you will have to become a muslim.” Chaudhry Sahab agreed.
On Wednesday morning, around 8 a.m Yoginder (wearing nothing and chained) was again brought to Bawana and Maulana Sahab reached as per the program before Zohar prayers. Chaudhry Sahab went straight to Hazrat’s feet and started crying, “Please save our family. I tried to stop him but my son went away with some man of Panipat” Hazrat strictly made him stand up and then listened to the whole story after which he said that by demolishing the house of the Lord of the worlds,the All-powerful, indeed they had done committed a sin; if HE ruins the whole world as its punishment, it wouldn’t suffice. Yoginder alone is suffering the wrath. Somehow we too are responsible for the crime since we never conveyed the message to them. Now it is out of our hands. All we can do is seek His forgiveness. You should also sit here and pray. Concentrate and pray earnestly for His forgiveness and know that there’s none but He who can forgive us. Chaudhry Sahab started to plead instead, “If I were the kinds to connect to Lord why would I see such a day? You are a pious man please pray for me.” Maulana Sahab told him that praying and seeking forgiveness is the only remedy now and he should do it. He proceeded to the gathering and left Chaudhry Sahab alone to pray. Hazrat offered the Zohar Namaz and then for the prayers, he asked every one present to plead to God and seek His mercy for Chaudhry Sahab’s family. The program ended and while proceeding to where Chaudhry Sahab was they all saw that Yoginder had by now covered himself up with his father’s turban cloth. He regained his sanity and was talking normally. Everyone rejoiced to see him. The imam Sahab was very happy and reminded Chaudhry Sahab of his promise. He turned to Maulana Sahab saying, “I am your slave, sell me off wherever you wish; my generations to come cannot repay you.” When Hazrat Maulana came to know of the promise Imam Sahab had asked for, he made him realize the mistake therein and shared his insightful words.
Chaudhry was going inside the mosque when Yoginder called to him, “Pitaji (father), where are you going?” He replied, “I am going to embrace Islam.” Yoginder said that it was he who has to become a muslim now and reconstruct the Babri mosque. Everyone was overjoyed. They were made to do ablution and then recited the kalma. Father was renamed Mohd. Usman and son Mohd. Umar. They returned to their village happy and content. In the small mosque in their village they met the imam who spread the word in the people. The hindus too came to know and some powerful in their meeting decided to kill the two. Someone informed the imam of their plans and he made them flee from the village to Phulat that very night. From ther they left for Jama’at of forty days. Umar went for three other jama’ats and later his mother also embraced Islam. He got married in a good muslim family in Delhi and has a factory there.
Q: Master Amir Sahab! This was the story of Yoginder, what about yours?
A: Actually its difficult to separate mine from his. Consider it the first part and here is the second- “On 9th March, 1993, my father breathed his last due to heart failure. He was in deep agony due to my participation in Babri masjid demolition. He used to say to my mother that he wished he was born in a muslim family; atleast then he would be part of the oppressed class which is better than to be part of the oppressors. He wished that I should not be allowed to take part in his last rites. His body was either to be buried or immersed in waters and not be burnt. The family obliged and I came to know only after eight days of his death. I was left heart broken and overwhelmed with guilt. What I considered a matter of pride the demolition now I started to realize was a crime and I was left in despair and gloom. Evrytime I went home my mother would cry seeing me. She held me responsible for hi s death and accused me. I could not go home.
It was month of June when Mohd. Umar returned from jama’t and met me in Panipat. He narrated his story to me. For the past few months I had been facing an unknown fear as if calamity would strike me from heaven above. Both- the demolition and then my father’s death had deeply affected my heart. Umar’s story aggravated my tensions. He suggested that I meet Hazrat Maulana on 23rd June in Sonipat and stay with him for some time. I made up my mind and reached there, Umar Bhai had already introduced me to him. When I went upto Maulana Sahab I was met with love and compassion. He told me, “if yoginder who acted upon your plans and suggestions can suffer the wrath of God, so can you! And the ones spared in this world are surely to suffer in the hereafter, and what unimaginable wrath that would be!”
It took me an hour to decide that in order to save myself from the punishment of my crimes and the fear that I had of calamity descending from above, I should become a muslim. Maulana Sahab was to leave for a two day tour and I decided to accompany him and my request was granted heartily. We went to Haryana, Delhi, Khurja and then reached Phulat after two days. I had decided by now to enter into Islam whole heartedly. I expressed it to Umar Bhai and he conveyed to Hazrat Maulana. On 25th June 1993, after Zohar prayers I became a muslim and was named Mohad. Amir. To learn Islam, Namaaz etc. I was to stay at Phulat; I had a wife and children so a separate house was arranged for me. I tried to make my wife understand and Alhamdulillah three months later, she too embraced Islam.
Q: What about your mother?
A: I told her that I had become a muslim and she expressed happiness. “it will bring peace to your father’s soul,” she said. The same year she also entered Islam.
Q: What are you doing these days?
A: I run a junior high school where we provide both Islamic and English education.
Q: Abbi was telling us that you do try to revive the mosques (abandoned) in Punjab and Haryana.
A: I and Umar bhai had decided that to repay the big loss of demolition, both of us should not only build new mosques but try to habilitate the old ones where people no more visit. Our aim is hundred. By sixth December 2004, 13 abandoned mosques have been rehabilitated and in areas of Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Meerut Cantt. and Umar Bhai has constructed 20 new mosques. It is paart of the plan that every sixth December foundation for a new mosque is laid and people start offering prayers in an old mosque that was abandoned. Alhamdulillah! There hasn’t been a single miss since then; hundred is a distant goal however. In the next few months we have some eight mosques coming up, much of the credit goes to Umar Bhai who became source of light in my life.
Q: What do the people of your family think?
A: Other than my mother, I have an elder brother whose wife died four years ago. He was married after me and has four kids; one of them differently abled. Bhabhi was a good wife to him and her death left him deeply aggrieved. My wife took care of his children after her death and brother took grateful note of it. I invited him to islam but due to my past, he didn’t consider anything I said, father’s death had hurt him a lot and he held me responsible for it. I sought my wife’s help. “ our children are grown up. His small kids need your care. If I divorce you and he agrees to marry after becoming a muslim, it would be in the interest of both.” She disliked the liked and wouldn’t approve of it but I insisted and pleaded her to understand the situation, she agreed. Next I went to my brother who got angry at the idea. “where are your kids going to get a mother’s love from? Consider their needs, for their sake, understand please,” I said. He was basically afraid of what people might say so I persuaded with logic and after mutual consent and completion of duration of Iddat they were married. Bhai recited the kalma and they live happily, mine and his children together.
Q: Do you live alone?
A: On Maulana’s advice, I also got married. She is a revert and Alhamdulillah we live happily.
Q: Message for the readers of Armughan?
A: I request each and every muslim to realize his aim in life and convey the message to people, its their amanat (trust). Don’t think of revenge against who appear to hate muslims because I can say from my own experience, if the Shiv Sainiks, the Bajrang dali, hindus knew what Islam is and what mosques are; they would plan construction of mosques, no question of demolition. I can guarantee that even if people like Bal Thackeray ji, Vinay Katyar ji , Uma Bharti, Ashok Singhal knew the true picture of Islam and if they knew its their own religion and is to be their way of life, they themselves would start spending money to construct Babri mosque. Ahmad Bhai! There are very few known for their ill feeling towards Islam but what about those 99 crores – the likes of my father, true humanitarians who hold the principles of Islam dear to hearts. “My father (crying) was a muslim by nature but because the muslims did not convey the message to him, he died an unbeliever’s death. Is it not cruelty on our part? I know it’s a big crime, a sin to destroy a mosque but is it not a greater sin that due to their irresponsible behaviour, my father burns in the hell-fire. Maulana Sahab says and rightly so that muslims are in a way responsible for the demolition. We destroyed the mosque while we did not know but muslims despite of their knowledge are letting people burn in the hell fire. Whenever during the night I think of my father I am deprived of sleep weeks together. I have to resort to medicines then. I wish muslims would realize this pain.
Q: Thank you very musch. Mashaallah, your life is such a testimony of The Lord, Haadi (the Guide’s) grace.
A: No doubt Ahmad Bhai; that’s the reason I wished all this would go into pages of Armughan and may it awaken the muslims, Ameen.
(Armughan Urdu monthly magazine, June,2005.)