Would love to hear from my learned maulana friends here
@niaz @Oscar @El Sidd @Joe Shearer @TheLahoriGuy @Nilgiri and others on the latest going ons in our sacred land.
Regards
Permit me to point out that “Maulana” literally means my Maula (my lord). In the subcontinent, we have altered its meaning and usually use it for addressing the religious scholars as a word for veneration similar to Sir in English or ‘Shree’ in Hindi. Occasionally we also use it while being sarcastic.
Since I am neither lord nor a mullah, it could be sarcasm; nevertheless, I am honoured that you ask for my opinion. Here it is.
Even though homosexuality was unknown, ancient Indian culture had been fairly liberal in the matter of sex as evident from the books like Kamasutra. Even polyandry has been mentioned in the Mahabharata (Draupadi, common wife of the 5 Pandavas). IMO the puritanical element crept in around 11th Century AD probably after the contact with the Muslims. However, it was mostly the menfolk who had multiple sexual partners.
One of the reasons why many religions preach that place of a woman is in the “home” being that more people you come into contact with, more likely it is that you would meet someone who you like more than your spouse.
Women generally accepted their inferior status primarily because they were dependent upon their husbands for their sustenance. Time never stands still. The struggle of women for their independent which started with the suffragette movement of the early 20th century has now matured. In European countries, both the partners work and sometimes the wives earn more than their husbands. Hence female of the species can now break out of the monogamous relationship and feels free to experience the conjugal bliss with a variety of male partners.
In the UK laws were changed quite some time ago to grant marital rights to the long-standing sexual partners and their offspring. I am not the least bit surprised that India is finally catching up. I am sure that sooner than later Indian parliament would also be obliged to amend the family laws accordingly.
Being a Muslim, I am of the view that all human beings would one day be judged according to their actions by the almighty. In the Hindu religion, your status in the next reincarnation is guided by your actions in the current one. Therefore, in my humble opinion unless one is breaking the law of the land or causing injury to another human being; he /she has every right to live as it pleases him or her and face the consequences in the afterlife or in the next incarnation.
