Persecution of Hindus and ending it

I am creating this thread to move a discussion from the spirit forum on the request of Asuri here, where it is more relevant.

Overview:

Hindus are one of the most persecuted people in history, alongside the Jews. However, the history of persecution of Hindus is relatively recent, beginning around 7AD when the first Islamic invasions started. The Muslims were brutal with the Hindus, waging war after war, sacking every Hindu city, temples and place of learnings(building mosques using the rubble) and killing Hindus almost like a sport. Hindus have lost tens of thousands of temples, libraries, univeristies and other places of Hindu learning due to this onslaughts. Hundreds of thousands of Hindus were killed on the spot on many occasions. The Muslims hated the Hindus, calling them filth, pollution, idolaters, enemies of god, and routinely killed, maimed, raped, molested Hindus, treating them like third class citizens in their own country. It is estimated the population of Hindus went down by 80 million during Muslim rule.

The second round of persecution began with the Europeans, which held similar views about Hindus, calling them pagans, demons, heathens. The Portguese were the most brutal and started the Goa inquisitions where Hindus were routinely subjected to torture and the most inhumane treatment. The British who followed later subjugated the Hindu people. They enslaved Hindus, by forcing them to work for the East India company, outlawed their own industries, forcing them into unemployment and poverty. Many took to agicultural jobs, but even then the British empire demanded heavy taxes from them in the form of food grain(Lagaan) even during times of draught, sucking the people’s blood dry. The result was several famines that ended up killing tens of millions of Hindus. Not a single Indian state existed that did not experience depopulation. Not content with the economic destruction of heathen Hindus, the British outlawed the Indian education system, shutting down tens of thousands of Sanskrit schools and colleges, rendering future generations illiterate.

The British also proceeded to rewrite the history of India by representing it as always being a static, hopeless and poor country. They negated the 10,000 year history of India, its scholarship, it’s history, its contributions, and instead rewrote its history as being a country which has historically been invaded by white people, and any civilisation it has is the result of invasions by white people. This disgusting white supremist account of Indian history is still taught today.

These posts, edited by yours truly, are more relevant in this thread.

Muslim persecution of Hindus past:

The relentless savagry inflicted on Hindus, just because they were Hindus. This carnage began only 2 years after Mohammmed death, under his own appointed Islamic leaders. They were consumed with hatred for all non-Muslims and vowed to have them all destroyed, as per the explicit instructions in the Quran.
The following are all primary source historical records, recorded by the Islamic historians themselves, gloating about how they invaded India and killed and humilated the dirty infidels

The first jihads waged on Hindus for being - Hindu.

http://www.infinityfoundation.com/ma...u_frameset.htm

Ghaznivid Period

711-850CE

Amir Subuktigin’s First Invasion of Hind

After this victory he made frequent expeditions into Hind, in the prosecution of holy wars, and there he conquered forts upon lofty hills, in order to seize the treasures they contained, and expel their garrisons. He took all the property they contained into his own possession, and captured cities in Hind, which had up to that time been tenanted only by infidels and not trodden’ by the camels and horses of Musulmans.

Amir Subuktigin’s Second Invasion of Hind

When this intelligence reached the Amir, he considered it false, as being opposed to the usual habits of Jaipal, until repeated accounts to the same effect were brought, when the curtain which obscured the truth was withdrawn, and be knew that God had set his seal upon Jaipal’s heart, so that he might obtain the reward of his evil deeds, and had placed a veil between it and rectitude, so that he might obtain punishment for his wickedness and infidelity. The Sultan therefore sharpened the sword of intention in order to make an incursion upon his kingdom, and cleanse it from impurity and from his rejection of Islam. So he departed with his valiant servants and allies, relying upon the one God, and trusting in the fulfillment of the promise of victory, and he went on till he arrived with his troops in the country of Hind, and he killed everyone who, on the part of Jaipal, came out to oppose him.
The friends of God defeated their obstinate opponents, and quickly put them to a complete rout. Noon had not arrived when the Musulmans had wreaked their vengeance on the infidel enemies of God, killing 15,000 of them, spreading them like a carpet over the ground, and making them food for beasts and birds of prey. Fifteen elephants fell on the field of battle, as their legs, being pierced with arrows, became as motionless as if they had been in a quagmire, and their trunks were cut with the swords of the valiant heroes.

The enemy of God, Jaipal, and his children and grandchildren, and nephews, and the chief men of his tribe, and his relatives, were taken prisoners, and being strongly bound with ropes, were carried before the Sultan, like as evildoers, on whose faces the fumes of infidelity are evident, who are covered with the vapours of misfortune, will be bound and carried to Hell. Some had their arms forcibly tied behind their backs, some were seized by the cheek, some were driven by blows on the neck.

Battle of Waihind

When the Sultan had accomplished all his wishes and reduced all his enemies, in his happiness; he resolved on another holy expedition. He ornamented the entrance to his tent as well as, his standards, and marching towards Waihind, he encamped there in state, until he had established himself in that country, and had relieved himself from the toils of the campaign. News reached him of the Hindus taking refuge in the passes of the neighbouring hills, and concealing themselves in the forests and jungles, consulting amongst themselves about the means of attacking the Musulmans. He therefore despatched an army against them, to conquer their country, and disperse them. The army fell upon them, and committed such slaughter that their swords were covered with blood. Those who escaped death fled away like mountain goats, having seen the swords flashing as bright as stars at noonday, and dealing black and red death around them. Thus did the infidels meet with the punishment and loss due, to their deserts. The standards of the Sultan then returned happy and victorious to Ghazni, the face of Islam was made resplendent by his exertions, the teeth of the true faith displayed themselves in their laughter, the breasts of religion expanded, and the back of idolatry was broken.

Capture of Mathura

The Sultan then departed from the environs of the city,28 in which was a temple of the Hindus. The name of this place was Maharatu-l29 Hind. He saw there a building of exquisite structure, which the inhabitants said had been built, not by men, but by Genii, and there he witnessed practices contrary to the nature of man, and which could not be believed but from evidence of actual sight. The wall of the city was constructed of hard stone, and two gates opened upon the river flowing under the city, which were erected upon strong and lofty foundations, to protect them against the floods of the river and rains. On both sides of the city there were a thousand houses, to which idol temples were attached, all strengthened from top to bottom by rivets of iron, and all made of masonry work; and; opposite to them were other buildings, supported on broad wooden pillars, to give them strength.

In the middle of the city there was a temple larger and firmer than the rest, which can neither be described nor painted. The Sultan thus wrote respecting it: “If any should wish to construct a building equal to this, he would not be able to do it without expending an hundred thousand thousand red dinars, and it would occupy two hundred years, even though the most experienced and able workmen were [p. 40] employed.” Among the idols there were five made of red gold, each five yards high, fixed in the air without support. In the eyes of one of these idols there were two rubies, of such value, that if anyone were to sell such as are like them, he would obtain fifty thousand dinars. On another, there was a sapphire purer than water, and more sparkling than crystal; the weight was four hundred and fifty miskals. The two feet of another idol weighed four thousand four hundred miskals, and the entire quantity of gold yielded by the bodies of these idols was ninety-eight thousand three hundred miskals. The idols of silver amounted to two hundred, but they could not be weighed without breaking them to pieces and putting them into scales. The Sultan gave orders that all the temples should be burnt with naphtha and fire, and leveled with the ground.

1009-1024 CE: Expeditions into Hindustan

When Yaminu-d daula Aminu-l millat Mahmud Ghaznavi had rested for some time from his toil, he again, in order to strengthen the religion of the Prophet, evinced a desire to make war on the infidels of Hind, and accordingly marched in that direction. When his standards, the symbols of victory, cast the shadow of their arrival over capacious Hind, Pal bin Andpal,1 who, for his excessive wealth and numerous warriors, was more distinguished than the other princes of Hind, opposed Mahmud, and a terrible battle took place. The standards of the faithful became exalted, and those of the infidels were depressed. [p. 146] The Sultan himself having pursued the pagans, killed multitudes of them with the sword, and having arrived at the fort of Bhimnagar,2 he encamped his victorious army in its vicinity.

Expedition to Kanauj

From that place the Sultan proceeded to a certain city, which was accounted holy by the people of the country. In that city the men of Ghaznin saw so many strange and wonderful things, that to tell them or to write a description of them is no easy matter. There were a hundred palaces made of stone and marble, and the Sultan, in writing a description of these buildings to the nobles at Ghaznin, said "that if anyone wished to make palaces like these, even if he expended a hundred thousand times thousand dinars, and employed experienced superintendents for 200 years, even then they would not be finished. Again, they found five idols of the purest gold, in the eyes of each of which there were placed two rubies, and each of these rubies was worth 50,000 dinars: in another idol there were sapphires, which weighed 600 drachms. The number of silver idols upon the spot was more than 100.5 In short, Sultan Mahmud, having possessed himself of the booty, burned their idol-temples, and proceeded towards Kanauj.

When Mahmud returned victorious from this expedition to the royal residence of Ghaznin, he built a general mosque and a college, and endowed them with pious legacies. Some years after these events, Sultan Mahmud, of praiseworthy virtues, formed the design of taking Somnat, and of slaying the detestable idolators. On the 10th the Shaban, 416 H. (1025-6 A.D.), he marched towards Multan with 30,000 cavalry, [b]in addition to a multitude of [p. 154] men, who also bent their steps thither for their own pleasure, and for obtaining the reward of warring against infidels. Having arrived at that city in the middle of Ramazan, he resolved to travel the rest of the distance, by the way of the desert. The soldiers were obliged to carry water and forage for many days, and in addition the Sultan loaded 20,000 camels with water and provisions, so that the troops might by any means become diminished in number. Having passed that bloodthirsty desert,7 they saw on the edge of it several forts filled with fighting men, and abounding with instruments of war, but the omnipotent God struck fear into the hearts of the infidels, so that they delivered the forts over without striking a blow. Sultan Mahmud went from that place towards Nahrwala,8 and he killed and plundered the inhabitants of every city on the road at which he arrived, until in the month of Zi-l ka’da of the above year, he arrived at Somnat.

http://www.infinityfoundation.com/ma...u_frameset.htm
Tenth Expedition-Thanesar. A.H. 405

The Raja’s brother, with two thousand horse, was also sent to meet the army, and to deliver the following message: ‘My brother is the subject and tributary of the king, but he begs permission to acquaint his majesty that the temple of Thanesar is the principal place of worship of the inhabitants of the country; that, although the religion of the king makes it an important and meritorious duty to destroy idols, still the king has already acquitted himself of this duty, in the destruction of the idols in the fort of Nagarkot. If he should be pleased to alter his resolution regarding Thanesar, and to fix a tribute to be paid by the country, Anandpal promises that the amount of it shall be annually paid to Mahmud; besides which, on his own part, he win present him with fifty elephants, and jewels to a considerable amount.’

"Mahmud replied: The religion of the faithful inculcates the following tenet: ‘That in proportion as [p. 31] the tenets of the Prophet are diffused, and his followers exert themselves in tile subversion of idolatry, so shall be their reward in heaven;’ that, therefore, it behoved him, with the assistance of God, to root out the worship of idols from the face of all India. How, then, should he spare Thanesar?

http://www.infinityfoundation.com/ma...t_frameset.htm
Twelfth Expedition – Kanauj, Mathura

"Proceeding from this place, the king arrived at Mathura, which was a very large city full of magnificent temples. It is the birth-place of Krishn (or) Basdeo, whom the Hindus venerate as an incarnation of God. When the Sultan reached the city no one came out to opposed him. The Sultan’s army plundered the whole city and set fire to the temples. They took immense booty, and by the Sultan’s order they broke up a golden image which was ninety-eight thousand three hundred miskals in weight; and there was also found a sapphire weighing four hundred and fifty miskals.

The Delhi Sultanate:

http://www.infinityfoundation.com/ma...t_frameset.htm

1192-early 13th century

The Capture Of Benares

From that place the royal army proceeded towards Benares, which is the centre of the country of Hind, and here they destroyed nearly one thousand temples, and raised mosques on their foundations; and the knowledge of the law became promulgated, and the foundations of religion were established; and the face of the dinar and the diram was adorned with the name and blessed titles of the king. The Rais and chiefs of Hind came forward to proffer their allegiance. The government of that country was then bestowed on one of the most celebrated and exalted servants of the State, in order that he might distribute justice and repress idolatry.

When the king had settled all the affairs of the city and its vicinity, and the record of his celebrated holy wars had been written in histories and circulated throughout the breadth of the fourth inhabited quarter of the world, he returned to Ghazna. The standards of the Khusru,1 victorious in battle, were planted for some days on the fort of Asni, and the chiefs and elders all around hastened to his service with various kinds of rarities and presents, and his noble Court became the scene where the princess and generals of the world came to bow their heads in reverence.

http://www.infinityfoundation.com/ma...t_frameset.htm
1392-1398

The Emperor Timur - An Autobiographical Memoir

The History Of My Expedition Against Hindustan

About this time there arose in my heart the desire to lead an expedition against the infidels, and to become a ghazi; for it had reached my ears that the slayer of infidels is a ghazi, and if he is slain he becomes a martyr. It was on this account that I formed this resolution, but I was undetermined in my mind whether I should direct my expedition against the infidels of China or against the infidels and polytheists of India. In this matter I sought an omen from the Kuran, and the verse I opened upon was this, “O Prophet, make war upon infidels and unbelievers and treat them with severity.”

My great officers told me that the inhabitants of Hindustan were infidels and unbelievers. In obedience to the order of Almighty God I determined on an expedition against them, and I issue orders to the amirs of mature years, and the leaders in war, to come before me, and when they had come together I questioned the assembly as to whether I should invade Hindustan or China, and said to them, “By the order of God and the Prophet it is incumbent upon me to make war upon these infidels and polytheists.” Throwing themselves upon their knees they all wished me good fortune. I demanded of the warrior chieftains whether I should direct my expedition against the infidels of Hindustan or China. At first they repeated fables and wise sayings, and then said, in the country of Hindustan there are four defences, and if anyone invading this extensive country breaks down these four defences, he becomes the conqueror of Hindustan.

My wazirs informed me that the whole amount of the revenue of India is six arbs; now each arb is a 100 krors, and each kror is a 100 lacs, and each lac is a 100,000 miskals of silver. Some of the nobles said “By the favour of Almighty God we may conquer India, but if we establish ourselves permanently therein, our race will degenerate and our children will become like the natives of those regions, and in a few generations their strength and valour will diminish.” The amirs of regiments (kushunat) were disturbed at these words, but I said to them, “My object in the invasion of Hindustan is to lead an expedition against the infidels that, according to the law of Muhammad (upon whom and his family be [p. 11] the blessing and peace of God), we pray convert to the true faith the people of that country and purify the land itself from the filth of infidelity and polytheism; and that we may overthrow their temples and idols and become ghazis and mujahids before God.” They gave an unwilling consent, but I placed no reliance upon them. At this time the wise men of Islam came before me, and a conversation began about the propriety of a war against infidels and polytheists; they gave it as their opinion that it is the duty of the Sultan of Islam, and all the people who profess that “there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah,” for the sake of preserving their religion and strengthening their law, to exert their utmost endeavour for the suppression of the enemies of their faith. And it is the duty of every Muslim and true believer to use his utmost exertions in obedience to his ruler. When the edifying words of the wise-men reached the cars of the nobles, all their hearts were set upon a holy war in Hindustan, and throwing themselves on their knees, they repeated the Chapter of Victory.

Conquest of the Town of Sarsuti

When I made inquiries about the city of Sarsuti, I was informed that the people of the place were strangers to the religion of Islam, and they kept hogs in their houses and ate the flesh of those animals. When they heard of my arrival, they abandoned their city. I sent my cavalry in pursuit of them, and a great fight ensued. All these [p. 44] infidel Hindus were slain, their wives and children were made prisoners, and their property and goods became the spoil of the victors. The soldiers then returned, bringing with them several thousand Hindu women and children who became Muhammadans, and repeated the creed. Of all the braves who took part in this action, ‘Adi Bahadur Farrash was the only one who fell.

Massacre of 100,000 Hindus

At this Court Amir Jahan Shah and Amir Sulaiman Shah, and other amirs of experience, brought to my notice that, from the time of entering Hindustan up to the present time, we had taken more than 100,000 infidels and Hindus prisoners, and that they were all in my camp. On the previous day, when the enemy’s forces made the attack upon us, the prisoners made signs of rejoicing, uttered imprecations against us, and were ready, as soon as they heard of the enemy’s success, to form themselves into a body, break their bonds, plunder our tents, and then to go and join the enemy, and so increase his [p. 53] numbers and strength. I asked their advice about the prisoners, and they said that on the great day of battle these 100,000 prisoners could not be left with the baggage, and that it would be entirely opposed to the rules of war to set these idolaters and foes of Islam at liberty. In fact, no other course remained but that of making them all food for the sword. When I heard these words I found them in accord with the rules of war, and I directly gave my command for the Tawachis to proclaim throughout the camp that every man who had infidel prisoners was to put them to death, and whoever neglected to do so should himself be executed and his property given to the informer. When this order became known to the ghazis of Islam, they drew their swords and put their prisoners to death. 100,000 infidels, impious idolaters, were on that day slain. Maulana Nasiru-d din ‘Umar, a counsellor and man of learning, who, in all his life, had never killed a sparrow, now, in execution of my order, slew with his sword fifteen idolatrous Hindus, who were his captives.

I had been at Delhi fifteen days, which time I had passed in pleasure and enjoyment, holding royal Courts and giving great feasts. I then reflected that I had come to Hindustan to war against infidels, and my enterprize had been so blessed that wherever I had gone I had been victorious. I had triumphed over my adversaries, I had put to death some lacs of infidels and idolaters, and I had stained my proselyting sword with the blood of the enemies of the faith. Now this crowning victory had been won, and I felt that I ought not to indulge in ease, but rather to exert myself in warring against the infidels of Hindustan. Having made these reflections on the 22nd of Rabiu-l akhir, I again drew my sword to wage a religious war.
[p. 75]

Again I mounted my steed, and as I did so intelligence was brought to me that in the valley (darra) of Kutila, two kos distant, a large number of infidels and gabrs had collected with their wives and children, and with property, goods and cattle beyond all estimate. The road thither was arduous, through jungles and thickets. When I heard this my first thought was that I had been awake since midnight, I had traveled a long distance without any halt, and had surmounted many difficulties, I had won two splendid victories with a few brave soldiers, and I was very tired, I would therefore stop and take rest. But then I remembered that I had drawn my sword, and had come to Hind with the resolution of waging a holy war against its infidels, and so long as it was possible to fight with them, rest was unlawful for me.

Destruction of the Gabrs in the Valley of Kupila—Account of a Stone Cow Worshipped by the Gabrs

The valley of Kupila is situated at the foot of a mountain by which the river Ganges passes. Fifteen kos higher up there is a stone in the form of a cow, and the water of the river flows out of the mouth of that cow. The infidels of India worship this cow, and come hither from all quarters, from distances even of a year’s journey, to visit it. They bring here and cast into the river the ashes of their dead, whose corpses have been burned, believing this to be the means of salvation. They throw gold and silver into the river; they go down alive into the river, bathe their feet, sprinkle water on their heads, and have their heads and beards shaved. This they consider to be an act of devotion, just as the Muhammadans consider the pilgrimage to Mecca a pious work.
In this valley there was a large concourse of Hindus, having great riches in cattle and movables, so Timur resolved to attack them. On the 5th Jumada-l awwal he set his army in motion towards Kupila. It was the will of Heaven that these infidels should perish, so in the pride of their numbers and strength they awaited his approach, and had the temerity to resolve upon resistance. At the rising of the sun our army reached the valley. The right wing was under the command of Prince Pir Muhammad and Amir Sulaiman Shah, and the left under some renowned leaders. Amir Shah Malik and other officers with the centre began the attack. When the cries of our men and the noise of our drums reached them, the courage of the infidels failed. In their terror they fled for refuge to [p. 138] the mountains, but they were pursued and many were slain. A few who, half-dead, escaped the slaughter were scattered abroad. All their property and goods became the spoil of the victors.

The country having thus been cleansed from the pollution of infidels, the army returned back on the same day and recrossed the Ganges. Then Timur returned thanks for his victories, after which he mounted his horse and marched five kos down the river and there encamped.


There is far too much information to quote, so I have only quoted the information that is most relevant to this discussion. Now let us look at some common themes in the above:

Hindus were called idolators, filith, pollution by the Muslims. The Muslims took great glee in slaughtering Hindus, sometimes killing hundreds of thousands at a time. They greatly admired the architecture, engineering prowess and wealth of the Hindus, but they took it as a duty as prescribed by thier prophet, to destry all infidel temples, places of learning and destroyed tens of thousands of these over India. The beginning of this campaign of death and destruction against infidels, begins during the life and time of Mohammed itself. The first invasion of India begins only 2 years after his death!

Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Hindus

Muslim Persecution of Hindus past:

Muhammed Kasim, invasion of Sindh

a subsequent communication, Hajjaj reiterated that all able-bodied men were to be killed, and that their underage sons and daughters were to be imprisoned and retained as hostages. Qasim obeyed, and on his arrival at the town of Brahminabad massacred between 6,000 and 16,000 of the defending forces.[8] The historian, Upendra Thakur records the persecution of Hindus and Buddhists:

“ When Muhammad Kasim invaded Sind in 711 AD, Buddhism had no resistance to offer to their fire and steel. The rosary could not be a match for the sword and the terms Love and Peace had no meaning to them. They carried fire and sword wherever they went and obliterated all that came their way. Muhammad triumphantly marched into the country, conquering Debal, Sehwan, Nerun, Brahmanadabad, Alor and Multan one after the other in quick succession, and in less than a year and a half, the far-flung Hindu kingdom was crushed, the great civilization fell back and Sind entered the darkest period of its history. There was a fearful outbreak of religious bigotry in several places and temples were wantonly desecrated. At Debal, the Nairun and Aror temples were demolished and converted into mosques.[Resistors] were put to death and women made captives. The Jizya was exacted with special care.[Hindus] were required to feed Muslim travellers for three days and three nights.[9]

Mahmud of Ghazni

Mahmud of Ghazni was an Afghan Sultan who invaded the Indian subcontinent during the early 11th century. His campaigns across the gangetic plains are often cited for their iconoclastic plundering and destruction of temples such as those at Mathura and he looked upon their destruction as an act of “jihad”.[11]

Pradyumna Prasad Karan further describes Mahmud’s invasion as one in which he put “thousands of Hindus to the sword” and made a pastime of “raising pyramids of the skulls of the Hindus”.[12][13]

Mahmud of Ghazni sacked the second Somnath Temple in 1026, and looted it of gems and precious stones and the famous Shiva lingam of the temple was destroyed .[15] Later the temple was demolished by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1706.[16]

Muhammad Ghori

Muhammad Ghori committed genocide against Hindus at Kol (modern Aligarh), Kalinjar and Varanasi, according to Hasan Nizami’s Taj-ul-Maasir, 20,000 Hindu prisoners were slaughtered and their heads offered to crows.[17]

Iltutmish

Another ruler of the sultanate, Shams-ud-din Iltutmish, conquered and subjugated the Hindu pilgrimage site Varanasi in the 11th century and he continued the destruction of Hindu temples and idols that had begun during the first attack in 1194.[26]

Firuz Shah Tughlaq

Firuz Shah Tughluq was the third ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. The “Tarikh-i-Firuz Shah” is a historical record written during his reign that attests to the systematic persecution of Hindus under his rule.[27] In particular, it records atrocities committed against Hindu Brahmin priests who refused to convert to Islam:

“ An order was accordingly given to the Brahman and was brought before Sultan. The true faith was declared to the Brahman and the right course pointed out. but he refused to accept it. A pile was risen on which the Kaffir with his hands and legs tied was thrown into and the wooden tablet on the top. The pile was lit at two places his head and his feet. The fire first reached him in the feet and drew from him a cry and then fire completely enveloped him. Behold Sultan for his strict adherence to law and rectitude.[27] ”

Under his rule, Hindus who were forced to pay the mandatory Jizya tax were recorded as infidels, their communities monitored and, if they violated Imperial ordinances and built temples, they were destroyed. In particular, an incident in the village of Gohana in Haryana was recorded in the “Insha-i-Mahry” (another historical record written by Amud Din Abdullah bin Mahru) where Hindus had erected a deity and were arrested, brought to the palace and executed en-masse.[27]

In the Mughal empire

The Mughal Empire was marked by periods of tolerance of non-Muslims, such as Hindus and Sikhs, as well as periods of violent oppression and persecution of those people.[28] The reign of Aurangzeb was particularly brutal. No aspect of Aurangzeb’s reign is more cited - or more controversial - than the numerous desecrations and even the destruction of Hindu temples.[28] Aurangzeb banned Diwali, placed a jizya (tax) on non-Muslims and martyred the ninth Sikh guru Tegh Bahadur.[28]

During his reign, tens of thousands of temples were desecrated: their facades and interiors were defaced and their murtis (divine images) looted.[28] In many cases, temples were destroyed entirely; in numerous instances mosques were built on their foundations, sometimes using the same stones. Among the temples Aurangzeb destroyed were two that are most sacred to Hindus, in Varanasi and Mathura.[29] In both cases, he had large mosques built on the sites.[28]

The Kesava Deo temple in Mathura, marked the place that Hindus believe was the birth place of Shri Krishna.[29] In 1661 Aurangzeb ordered the demolition of the temple, and constructed the Katra Masjid mosque. Traces of the ancient Hindu temple can be seen from the back of the mosque. Aurangzeb also destroyed what was the most famous temple in Varanasi- the Vishwanath Temple.[29] The temple had changed its location over the years, but in 1585 Akbar had authorized its location at Gyan Vapi. Aurangzeb ordered its demolition in 1669 and constructed a mosque on the site, whose minarets stand 71 metres above the Ganges. Traces of the old temple can be seen behind the mosque. Centuries later, emotional debate about these wanton acts of cultural desecration continues. Aurangzeb also destroyed the Somnath temple in 1706.[29]

Writer Fernand Braudel wrote in A History of Civilizations (Penguin 1988/1963, p. 232-236), Islamic rule in India as a “colonial experiment” was “extremely violent”, and “the Muslims could not rule the country except by systematic terror. Cruelty was the norm – burnings, summary executions, crucifixions or impalements, inventive tortures. Hindu temples were destroyed to make way for mosques. On occasion there were forced conversions. If ever there were an uprising, it was instantly and savagely repressed: houses were burned, the countryside was laid waste, men were slaughtered and women were taken as slaves.”

Muslim persecution of Hindus, modern:

Hindus were severely repressed under the autocratic dictatorial rule of the Nizam nawabs in Hyderabad state. The Hindu majority were denied fundamental rights by the Nizams of Hyderabad state. Hindus were called gaddaar (traitor) by Muslims in the Nizam state of Hyderabad.[45] Many Hindus were murdered, looted and thrown to jail. Construction of temples were declared illegal and Hindu scriptures like Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana were banned.[46]

Hindus were treated as second class citizens within Hyderabad state and they were severely discriminated against, despite the vast majority of the population being Hindu. The 1941 census estimated the population of Hyderabad to be 16.34 million. Over 85% of the populace were Hindus with Muslims accounting for about 12%. Hyderabad was also a multi-lingual state consisting of peoples speaking Telugu (48.2%), Marathi (26.4%), Kannada (12.3%) and Urdu (10.3%). Nonetheless, the number of Hindus in government positions was disproportionately small. Of 1765 officers, 1268 were Muslims, 421 were Hindus, and 121 were “Others” (presumably British Christians, Parsis and Sikhs). Of the officials drawing pay between Rs.600-1200 pm, 59 were Muslims, 38 were “Others”, and a mere 5 were Hindus. The Nizam and his nobles, who were mostly Muslims, owned 40% of the total land in the kingdom.[47]

In 1947; Nizam, the ruler of Hyderabad refused to merge his kingdom with India. For the independence of the Islamic state of Hyderabad and to resist Indian integration, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, the then dominating political party persecuted Hindus and their 1,50,000 cadre strong militant wing named Razakars killed a number of Hindus under the leadership of Qasim Rizwi.[48]

In the Indian subcontinent

Although the Indian government allows for freedom of religion, its constitution provides lesser rights and protection to Hindus vs. non-Hindus paving way for government confiscation of Hindu institutes and places of worship. More-over, Minority institutes also receive government patronage in form of Exemption from 2005 Amendment to the Article 15, 95% grant-in-aid, College Scholarship to pursue higher education.[49][50][51][52]

What makes matters worse is that ruling political parties often subscribe to ideologies which are inherently hostile or prejudiced towards Hinduism. Thus, Hindu temples and institutes live under constant threat of ideologically motivated government take-over and subsequent destruction.

Many organizations feel that Hindu label is a liability. It exposes them to ideologically inspired attacks, places them at a financial disadvantage and paves way for government confiscation. As a result, several entities like Rama-Krishna Mission, Arya Samaj, etc. have filed law-suits and done intense lobbying to declare them self a non-Hindu minority religion. For Instance, in west Bengal, Rama Krishna Mission whose colleges and schools were in danger of hostile take-over by Marxist government petitioned the courts to have their organization and movement declared a non-Hindu minority religion.[50][51][52][57]

Hindus from other countries hoping to come to India have also been treated unfavorably by the Indian government[58]

Jammu and Kashmir

Kashmiri militants have engaged in attacks on Hindu pilgrims in both Kashmir and neighboring Jammu. Kashmiri militants have attacked Hindus in the region, as well as moderate Muslims suspected of siding with India. Kashmiri Pandit Hindus, who have been residents of Kashmir for centuries, have been ethnically cleansed from Kashmir by Islamic militants.[59][60] In particular, the Wandhama Massacre in 1998 was an incident in which 24 Kashmiri Hindus were gunned down by Islamists disguised as Indian soldiers. Many Kashmiri Hindus have been killed and thousands of children orphaned over the course of the conflict in Kashmir.

Kerala

Kerala is a Hindu majority state but with the most slim majority in India.[67] Kerala has witnessed many riots and rebellions against Hindus throughout it history and more so in independent India; notably the Marad Massacre. Many Muslim organizations allegedly supported Love Jihad where Muslim boys targeted non-Muslim young girls, especially Hindu girls to convert them to Islam by feigning love.[68]

In Muslim countries:

Bangladesh

The HAF report documents the long history of anti-Hindu atrocities[69] in Bangladesh,[70] a topic that many Indians and Indian governments over the years have preferred not to acknowledge. Such atrocities, including targeted attacks[71] against temples, open theft of Hindu property, and rape of young Hindu women and enticements to convert to Islam, have increased sharply in recent years after the Jamat-e-Islami joined the coalition government led by the Bangladesh National Party.[72][73]

In October 2006, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom published a report titled ‘Policy Focus on Bangladesh’, which said that since its last election, ‘Bangladesh has experienced growing violence by religious extremists, intensifying concerns expressed by the countries religious minorities’. The report further stated that Hindus are particularly vulnerable in a period of rising violence and extremism, whether motivated by religious, political or criminal factors, or some combination. The report noted that Hindus had multiple disadvantages against them in Bangladesh, such as perceptions of dual loyalty with respect to India and religious beliefs that are not tolerated by the politically dominant Islamic Fundamentalists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Violence against Hindus has taken place “in order to encourage them to flee in order to seize their property”.The previous reports of the Hindu American Foundation were acknowledged and confirmed by this non-partisan report.[82]

On November 2, 2006, USCIRF criticized Bangladesh for its continuing persecution of minority Hindus. It also urged the Bush administration to get Dhaka to ensure protection of religious freedom and minority rights before Bangladesh’s next national elections in January 2007.[82]

On the February 6, 2010, Sonargaon temple in Narayanganj district of Bangladesh was destroyed by Islamic fanatics. Five people were seriously injured during the attack.[83]

Pakistan

There are a number of instances of persecution of Hindus in Pakistan. Minority members of the Pakistan National Assembly have alleged that Hindus were being hounded and humiliated to force them to leave Pakistan.[84]

According to the Sustainable Development Policy Institute report ‘Associated with the insistence on the Ideology of Pakistan has been an essential component of hate against India and the Hindus. For the upholders of the Ideology of Pakistan, the existence of Pakistan is defined only in relation to Hindus, and hence the Hindus have to be painted as negatively as possible’[85] A 2005 report by the National Commission for Justice and Peace a non profit organization in Pakistan, found that Pakistan Studies textbooks in Pakistan have been used to articulate the hatred that Pakistani policy-makers have attempted to inculcate towards the Hindus. 'Vituperative animosities legitimise military and autocratic rule, nurturing a siege mentality.

Former military dictator Gen Zia-ul-Haq under a general drive towards Islamization, started the process of historical revisionism in earnest and exploited this initiative. ‘The Pakistani establishment taught their children right from the beginning that this state was built on the basis of religion – that’s why they don’t have tolerance for other religions and want to wipe-out all of them.’[91][92]

1971 Bangladesh atrocitiesMain articles: 1971 Bangladesh atrocities and Operation Searchlight
During the 1971 Bangladesh atrocities there were widespread killings and acts of ethnic cleansing of civilians in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan, a province of Pakistan), and widespread violations of human rights were carried out by the Pakistan Army, which was supported by political and religious militias during the Bangladesh Liberation War. In Bangladesh, the atrocities are identified as a genocide. Many of the victims were Hindus, and the total death toll was in the millions.[94][95]TIME magazine reported that “The Hindus, who account for three-fourths of the refugees and a majority of the dead, have borne the brunt of the Muslim military’s hatred.”[96]

Forced ConversionsHindu women have also been known to be victims of kidnapping and forced conversion to Islam.[97] Around 20 to 25 Hindu girls are abducted every month and converted to Islam forcibly.[98] Krishan Bheel, a Hindu member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, came into the news recently for manhandling Qari Gul Rehman after being taunted with a religious insult.[99]

On October 18, 2005, Sanno Amra and Champa, a Hindu couple residing in the Punjab Colony, Karachi, Sindh returned home to find that their three teenage daughters had disappeared. After inquiries to the local police, the couple discovered that their daughters had been taken to a local madrassah, had been converted to Islam, and were denied unsupervised contact with their parents.[100]

In 2006, the last Hindu temple in Lahore was destroyed to pave the way for construction of a multi-storied commercial building. The temple was demolished after officials of the Evacuee Property Trust Board concealed facts from the board chairman about the nature of the building. When reporters from Pakistan-based newspaper Dawn tried to cover the incident, they were accosted by the henchmen of the property developer, who denied that a Hindu temple existed at the site.[101]

Malasiya

Approximately nine percent of the population of Malaysia are Tamil Indians, of whom nearly 90 percent are practicing Hindus. Indian settlers came to Malaysia from Tamil Nadu in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Between April to May 2006, several Hindu temples were demolished by city hall authorities in the country, accompanied by violence against Hindus.[126] On April 21, 2006, the Malaimel Sri Selva Kaliamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur was reduced to rubble after the city hall sent in bulldozers.[127]

The president of the Consumers Association of Subang and Shah Alam in Selangor State has been helping to organise efforts to stop the local authorities in the Muslim dominated city of Shah Alam from demolishing a 107-year-old Hindu temple. The growing Islamization in Malaysia is a cause for concern to many Malaysians who follow minority religions such as Hinduism.[128] On May 11, 2006, armed city hall officers from Kuala Lumpur forcefully demolished part of a 60-year-old suburban temple that serves more than 1,000 Hindus. The “Hindu Rights Action Force”, a coalition of several NGO’s, have protested these demolitions by lodging complaints with the Malaysian Prime Minister.[129] Many Hindu advocacy groups have protested what they allege is a systematic plan of temple cleansing in Malaysia. The official reason given by the Malaysian government has been that the temples were built “illegally”. However, several of the temples are centuries old.[129] According to a lawyer for the Hindu Rights Action Task Force, a Hindu temple is demolished in Malaysia once every three weeks.[130]

Malaysian Muslims have also grown more anti-Hindu over the years. In response to the proposed construction of a temple in Selangor, Muslims chopped off the head of a cow to protest, with leaders saying there would be blood if a temple was constructed in Shah Alam.[131]

Laws in the country, especially those concerning religious identity, are generally slanted towards compulsion into converting to Islam[132]

Analysis of the Muslim persecution of Hindus past and modern. It is clear to any objective reader the terror campaign that was inflicted on the Hindus by the Muslims. The Muslims have terrorized the Hindus for 1400 years, beginning in 700AD itself, just 2 years after the death of Mohammed. There were almost no peaceful Muslim invaders of India, they all treated the Hindus with absolute contempt and their places of worship were never spared, but systematically destroyed. Hindu women were according to Islamic law enslaved, raped and then converted to Islam(This lead to the phenomenon of sati or Hindu women voluntarily burning themselves alive to save their honour) This reign of terror was relentless, cruel beyond extremes, and Hindus were treated worse than animals in their own country. In modern times, the persecution continued wherever it could, in all Muslim countries Hindus were persecuted, their temples were demolished, women raped.

In Islam Hinduism is seen as idolatory, filth, pollution, pagans that must be removed of the face of the planet. Explicit sanction is given in the holy scriptures of the Muslim to kill pagans wherever they are found. It exactly with this sanction that the reign of terror began against the Hindus. In modern times, in Bangladesh Hindus faced genocide where millions of Hindus were killed. Although we remember the holocausts of the Jews, almost nobody remembers the holocausts of the Hindus, past and present by the Muslims, our equivalent of Nazis.

Correction to the OP, it is meant to say “Beginning around 700AD”

Sorry, did you say something? :wink:

One can only wonder what the Hindus did wrong in their past to have incurred such karma - referring to all the invasions and killings here.

[QUOTE=Pandara;54072]One can only wonder what the Hindus did wrong in their past to have incurred such karma - referring to all the invasions and killings here.[/QUOTE]

AWWWWWWW!!! Of course!!! If you believe in Karma, then this is just the effects of the cause!! Your a genius Pandara!!!

SD,

I apologise if my comment was used by YogiAdam in a context that was not intended and i am not a genius, I just want to understand.

I do strongly belief in the laws of karma and reincarnation. It is therefore important for me to understand how you as a hindu see what is happening and has happened to India from that pov. How do you as a Hindu explain all this killings and invasions of India and the rape of her people from that background, because these are two concepts as I undertsand it that is fundamental to Hindu thinking. I know that my hindu friends in SA always say they thank their good karma that they didn’t reincarnate in India, all of them always return after the first trip to India and vow never to go back.

I apologize for turning a serious point into a sarcastic joke. I was unaware that Pandara was being serious. They say most of human communication is body language, which is probably why it’s so easy to misinterpret what someone is trying to say on a forum… in my defense, it is obviously a good point. If you believe in Karma, than you don’t need to question why bad things happen.

I do strongly belief in the laws of karma and reincarnation. It is therefore important for me to understand how you as a hindu see what is happening and has happened to India from that pov. How do you as a Hindu explain all this killings and invasions of India and the rape of her people from that background, because these are two concepts as I undertsand it that is fundamental to Hindu thinking. I know that my hindu friends in SA always say they thank their good karma that they didn’t reincarnate in India, all of them always return after the first trip to India and vow never to go back.

I think it is rather unfortunate Pandara, that you would blame this on the karma of the Hindus. Do you blame the holocausts on the Jews? Do you blame the 10,000+ people who died in Japan’s earthquake? Do you blame women who get raped? Obviously, your understanding of karma is very simplistic and fatalistic, where whatever happens to you, has to be because of your own doing. In reality karma is a lot more complex than that.

Karma simply means the law of cause and effect. Every effect that takes place has a cause, but the ultimate causes are highly complex and depend upon an interplay of subtle forces in the universe. There are three kinds of karma which are recognised: potential karma, past karma and present karma. A potential karma is like a seed, it may or may not germinate depending on whether the conditions exist to allow it to germinate or whether the seed is still potent or not. Past karma, is karma which has germinated, and it is only a matter of time before you bear its effects. Present karma, is the most powerful karma, and that is karma that you create in the here and now. It has the power to weaken even past karmas.

Present Karma implies that we are free and autonomous agents. We can do anything with our present karma - such as go and rape an innocent person. This injustice done to the innocent person is not due to their own karma, but it is something that has been imposed on them from without. Innocent jews in Germany did not do anything wrong, they were simply born in the wrong place at the wrong time. Similarly, Hindus did nothing wrong, they were aggressed against by very evil, savage and barbaric people, for the very reason that they practiced a different religion to them. They did the same to the Persians, and exterminated them.

One of the karmas to explain the fall of India is the rise of Kaliyuga itself in 3102BCE(approx the beginning of the Mayan calender as well) The cycles of time are directly aligned to astronomical cycles, and when we enter certain stages, vice or virtue can increase on the planet. In this current epoch India was one of the most virtuous countries on the planet, having cultivated so many sages and masters and having a society centralized around spiritual development, and until the 18th century played a huge part in shaping the world and dominated the world economy commanding a 32.9% share of the GDP from 1AD to 10AD, without ever invading another country. It was the first country to have planned cities, univesities, hospitals, schools of philosophy and scientific medicine. However, in an age of vice, virtue is a liability. Virtue does not get rewarded in an age of vice.

We are living in an age where military power is respected over spiritual power; rote knowledge and fancy use of words is respected over wisdom. Where corruption is respected over honesty. Again, we can blame the Kaliyuga for this degradation of humanity, but most of all we should blame humanity for allowing this to continue.

[QUOTE=Surya Deva;54085]I think it is rather unfortunate Pandara, that you would blame this on the karma of the Hindus.[/QUOTE]

This is insane!! If you believe in Karma… you have your answer. If Karma exists, then you can’t escape it. You can’t pick and choose Karma’s applications to suit your arguments. You either believe in karma or you don’t. And if you do, your question is answered… period!

SD,

Pandara shared his POV and asked you a simple question. And honestly, it is a good observation and question. I think he understands karma quite well. But why must you take everything everyone says and turn it into something negative?

[QUOTE=lotusgirl;54088]SD,

Pandara shared his POV and asked you a simple question. And honestly, it is a good observation and question. I think he understands karma quite well. But why must you take everything everyone says and turn it into something negative?[/QUOTE]

Obviously cause he just spent the last 9 hours glued to his computer typing and typing and typing, and the answer was so short and simple :smiley:

[QUOTE=YogiAdam;54081]I apologize for turning a serious point into a sarcastic joke. I was unaware that Pandara was being serious. They say most of human communication is body language, which is probably why it’s so easy to misinterpret what someone is trying to say on a forum… in my defense, it is obviously a good point. If you believe in Karma, than you don’t need to question why bad things happen.[/QUOTE]

YogiAdam,

thank you and accepted, I perhaps didn’t express myself initially very well and that might have led to the misinterpretation.

[QUOTE=Surya Deva;54085]I think it is rather unfortunate Pandara, that you would blame this on the karma of the Hindus. [/QUOTE]

SD,

I think it is rather unfortunate that you read “blame” into my words from your side, as this was not my intention and I nowehere have mentioned that I blame anybody for anything. Thanks for the rest of your explanation.

I am somewhat disappointed by your reply to me. If I may make an observation here SD (without getting attacked for it and being labelled evil westerner etc.), I see this as one of your biggest obstacles in reaching people on this Forum. We ask questions, we make observations and then we are attacked for saying those things. Instead of trying to inform, enlighten and further understanding you turn it into a negative, you against us. I am sad to say you have just lost one of your greatest supporters on this Forum - me!

[QUOTE=Pandara;54106]SD,

I think it is rather unfortunate that you read “blame” into my words from your side, as this was not my intention and I nowehere have mentioned that I blame anybody for anything. Thanks for the rest of your explanation.

I am somewhat disappointed by your reply to me. If I may make an observation here SD (without getting attacked for it and being labelled evil westerner etc.), I see this as one of your biggest obstacles in reaching people on this Forum. We ask questions, we make observations and then we are attacked for saying those things. Instead of trying to inform, enlighten and further understanding you turn it into a negative, you against us. I am sad to say you have just lost one of your greatest supporters on this Forum - me![/QUOTE]

My reply could have been far more negative than it was. You said something highly insensitive, that the genocide of Hindus at the hands of Muslim invaders, was somehow their fault. Rather than - and here is another indication we are living in an age of vice - empathizing with the plight of the Hindus and what they have to face and feeling the suffering of countless generation of Hindus, you tell me in a round about way that it was the Hindus karma that they suffered so, and to add insult to injury you tell me that your Hindu friends thank their karma they did not reincarnate in India, and when they visit they turn away and never go back.

Had you said something similar in a professional work place in Europe regarding the Jews by intimating it was their karma to face the holocausts, you would have received more than just a “negative” response. An English football manager was sacked for saying that disabled people had done something bad in their previous life. I find it ironic you would say such an insensitive thing, being a gay person yourself, and we all know how much prejudice and discrimination gay people face and the sensitivity of discussing homosexuality with a gay person.

In any case I have now corrected your understanding on karma. No, the person being raped is not responsible for being raped.

[QUOTE=lotusgirl;54088]SD,

Pandara shared his POV and asked you a simple question. And honestly, it is a good observation and question. I think he understands karma quite well. But why must you take everything everyone says and turn it into something negative?[/QUOTE]

I still find it interesting that despite reading this thread on what the Hindus have had to face by Muslims, you have still not said a word in the favour of Hindus who had to go through this suffering, or a word of condemnation on the Muslims, but rather have been quick again to criticising a Hindu(me) for finding an insensitive remark suggesting Hindus did something wrong to face so much slaughter, insensitive. You are the same person who was condeming Hinduism for the caste system, dalits, dowry murders in the “Is Yoga Hinduism thread” and openly congratulating anti-Hindu posters.

I think Neitzsche is right about you.

[QUOTE=Surya Deva;54112]My reply could have been far more negative than it was.[/QUOTE]

That says nothing!!.. one of my Facebook friends kept writing negative things in responds to people’s status updates, and I rang him to see if he was OK, and he said that there was something bad he wanted to write on my Facebook page, but decided not to… as if that’s suppose to be admirable!!.. the very fact that you can think of something more negative to write says more about your mind than it does about anyone else’s. YOU are responsible for YOUR actions, not anyone else… so you can’t say “Oh, I was being negative, but I could have been worse”… cause that just makes you look even smaller than initially thought… you described my lifestyle as cheap earlier… this very comment you make here is as cheap as one can get.