THE month of Ramazan brought with it some positive news. According to media reports, more than 150 Hindu inmates of Tihar Jail of Delhi were keeping roza, the dawn-to-dusk fast during Ramazan, along with over 2,300 Muslim inmates. The holy month of Ramazan commenced on June 29 this year. Tihar Jail authorities said the Hindu inmates started keeping rozas’ along with the Muslim inmates from the very first day and have said they will continue the month-long fasting to its completion (The Times of India, July 7, 2014).

Behind this surprisingly wonderful event is a law of nature, which is invoked by living together. When people live together, there is bound to emerge automatically a natural process of bonding and understanding between each other. The above event is the culmination of this natural process.

When people live together, there is bound to emerge automatically a natural process of bonding and understanding between each other.

The present age is the age of interaction. It is a very positive phenomenon, but Muslim leaders have failed to understand the wisdom behind it. They have taken it as being dangerous for Muslims. They have adopted the policy of separatism in the name of preservation of Islamic identity. Under this obsession they have established a separate Muslim culture and separate Muslim state, institutions, and colleges. This policy culminated into its worst result, that is, the development of a ghetto mentality among Muslims.

Present Muslims are victims of this 'ghettoism' all over the world. This policy of separatism in the name of Islam is the main reason why Muslims are lagging behind in the process of development as compared to other communities in the modern age.

Muslim leaders place the blame for this lack of development on the socalled enemies of Islam. But, in fact the blame rests entirely with the Muslim leaders who have misled the Muslim community.