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Muslims in Bhutan
By: T. Zayn al-'Abidin
Australia
Hidden deep in the Himalayan Mountains, Bhutan is a small Kingdom located between China and India. With a population of a little over 1,800,000, Bhutan is the only country in the world that has Mahayana Buddhism as its official religion.
5% are Muslim
The origin of the people of Bhutan can be traced back to Nepal, Northern Burma, Northeast India and Tibet. The majority of the people are Buddhist and 5% are Muslim. Other minority religions include Hinduism and Christianity.
In response to the destruction of the giant Buddha statues in Afghanistan earlier in the year, monks, farmers and school children all asked the question “Why?” The emotion they felt was clearly pain. In previous years, when thousands of Shiah Muslims from the same region were slaughtered by the Taliban, they said nothing.
The country has magnificent scenery of huge mountain peaks and lush valleys, ecology and wildlife. In 1627 a Jesuit priest, Father Estevao Cacella, journeyed through the region and studied the religion of the Bhutanese people. It was said that they "are very critical of the Muslims and Muslim is a word they use to describe a very bad man".
The Western media has been extremely successful in extending this concept beyond the borders of Bhutan. No other religion is represented in the media, other then Islam, in the irrational concept described, such as on the SBS World News and CNN, where there is constant reference to "Islaaaamic rebels", "Islaaaamic terrorists", "Islaaaamic badguys" ...etc. The SBS in Australia does not continue its description of criminals by virtue of religion, such as: "Buddhist bag snatcher" for example, "Catholic rapist" for example, "Hindu bank robber" for example. The media has a lot to answer for in inciting hatred towards Muslims in general.
Worship Only One God
It was also discovered that the people of Bhutan worship only one God and have well made images of him—the King showed an "image" of one whom he called God, which was made of yellow metal. It was very well made, simple and artistic, which he held between his hands, and with a vase of water, he told that the water was the symbol of how God washes our souls from sin. He also showed a "painting" of what he called God, on dark blue cloth. When it was remarked that the cloth was a strange colour, he explained that God (to him) was painted thus, not because He was of that colour, but because His abode was in Heaven and therefore, He was portrayed in the colour of the sky. He also showed another painting of the sky with a square house in the middle where God supposedly lives, according to him. It is generally believed that God is infinite and that therefore he is everywhere.
A few years ago when the Dalai Lama visited Australia, when asked the question:
"Do you believe in God?", his response was:
"I cant say that there is a God and I cant say that there isn't a God".
Maybe the Bhutanese and the Tibetans have different ideas.
And Allah says in the Qur'an:
"Praise belongs to Allah, Who hath created the heavens and the earth, and hath appointed darkness and light. Yet those who disbelieve ascribe rivals unto their Lord."
(6:1)
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