New Delhi, Dec 23 : The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind on Tuesday strongly criticised comments made by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, in which he suggested that Muslims should worship the sun, rivers and trees, saying the remarks reflected a serious misunderstanding of Islam and Indiaâ??s pluralistic ethos.

Jamiat president Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani said Hindus and Muslims have lived together in India for centuries, and that the core principles of Islam are well known to any educated person.

He stressed that Islam is founded on the belief in Tawhid, or the oneness of God, and worship of God alone, adding that even a minor deviation from this belief places a person outside the fold of the faith.

Expressing regret over the statement, Maulana Madani said senior RSS functionaries appeared to show little seriousness in understanding Islamic beliefs.

He underlined that while Islam encourages love for nature and protection of the environment, this should not be confused with worship. Asking Muslims to worship natural elements, he said, demonstrated an inability to distinguish between what is revered and what is worshipped in different faith traditions.

The Jamiat chief said such remarks raise questions about the RSSâ??s capacity to provide national guidance, or indicate an unwillingness to engage responsibly with Indiaâ??s diverse social and religious reality.

He added that Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has consistently worked for communal harmony, dialogue and mutual respect, and has made efforts in the past to address misconceptions about Islam among RSS leaders and other Hindutva-oriented groups.

Referring to earlier interactions, he recalled that dialogues were held with former RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan and others, and said the organisation remains open to sincere and meaningful dialogue even today.

However, he expressed concern over what he described as a growing tendency among some RSS leaders to adopt provocative and exclusionary positions.

Maulana Madani reiterated Jamiatâ??s view that the foundation of Indian nationhood lies in the shared homeland, with all citizens constituting one nation irrespective of religion.

Citing B.R. Ambedkar, he said Indiaâ??s unity rests on constitutional values, pluralism and mutual respect.

/IANS