Temple or Factory

Temple or Factory

1985 3 March 15-16 Temple or Factory (477) It is said that Somnath Temple, in Gujrat, India, was destroyed by Mahmud of Ghazni on January 6, 1026, and then rebuilt. Recently, as the Times of India reported on September 1, 1984, discontent has reared its head at this historic temple. The upkeep of the temple is in the hands of some 125 employees, who are paid between Rs. 250 and Rs. 400 for their services. With the rising cost of living, this amount appeared inadequate, and the temple-servants have gone to the labour court demanding a pay rise.

The president of the temple trust is Mr. Morarji Desai, former Prime Minister of India. He and his colleagues contend that the temple is a religious trust, and its affairs should be dealt with under the Religious Trusts Act. The employees, on the other hand, want their dispute to be settled under the Industrial Disputes Act. They claim that their work comes under the category of industry. Should it be agreed that they are industrial workers, then they will be entitled to certain special privileges, which they would not be able to claim if their dispute was settled under the Religious Trusts Act. They would also be able to take their dispute to the Labour Court, where their demands would be treated with more sympathy. It is thus in the interests of the workers that their dispute should be settled under the Industrial Disputes Act, while as far as the management is concerned it would be better to reach a settlement under the Religious Trusts Act.

It may seem odd that people who are working for a religious cause should be so preoccupied with their worldly interests. If one thinks carefully over the matter, though, one will see that all people of religion – including Muslims – have the same attitude.

Modern Muslim leaders make Islamic teachings sound just as the public wants to hear them, for that is the only way they can win popular support. If they were to follow truth rather than the will of the people, then they would be left stranded without any popular support. They make Islam fit in with the times so that each and-every person may join their bandwagon. No one will hop on to their boat if it appears to be swimming against the tide of time.

Religion should be directed towards the next world. But few are ready to adopt religion in this way. Making religion a means of obtaining the next world holds no promise of profit as far as this world is concerned. So everyone makes religion a thing of the world rather than of eternity, a source of material rather than spiritual gain.

It is not only the inmates of Somnath Temple who have made religion a means of obtaining the world. The descendants of the destroyers of Somnath Temple act in exactly the same manner.