Dancing to Armageddon

Three Muslim girls wearing the hijab and dancing in a public place kicked up too much unsavoury controversy in Kerala.  The irony is that until a few days ago these same men from the Muslim community in the state were vociferously supporting a girl who converted from Hinduism to Islam in order to marry a Muslim youth whose personal credentials are allegedly tainted with IS connections.  When Akhila became Hadiya, the Muslim community called it personal freedom.  When three Muslim girls danced as part of an AIDS day awareness programme, it became a sign of the Armageddon. 

Such double standards make religion absurd.  If you advocate personal freedom when someone leaves her religion and joins yours, why can’t you permit the same personal freedom to girls of your own religion who dance for a social cause?

Why would three girls dancing bring the Armageddon on the earth?  The plain answer is that the menfolk want their women to hide themselves behind the veil, behind the burqa, and live lives without even an identity.  It is not about the Armageddon; it is about imposing the patriarchal order on women. 

A few girls dancing on the street may not bring about any miraculous changes vis-à-vis AIDS.  Perhaps, the girls did not intend to bring about any such miracles either.  Perhaps, they were asserting their personal freedom.  Perhaps, they were demanding certain rights.  The leaders should try to understand the feelings and aspirations of the girls.  Instead of suppressing simple human aspirations, the leaders should see how life can be made more meaningful and fulfilling for the new generation. 

One of the biggest mistakes of religion is to keep going back to ancient rules and regulations and thus making life obsolete and ossified.  Religion should update itself and make itself meaningful in the present day.  Music and dance have their relevance in religion too.  What is life without music and dance?