In the name of God

Ambika Sharma

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Known for his beliefs and thinking, Khushwant Singh, the noted writer and journalist, who translated various religious texts, calls himself an imposter for failing to repose faith in religion, despite translating various religious texts.

The book is an anthology of his earlier works and presents his doctrine on religion based on his personal experiences with various religious leaders. He calls himself an agnostic for whom drinking while undertaking virtuous tasks like translating religious scriptures was no big deal. He believed in what was logically justified. He was very critical of blindly aping prohibition of eating certain foods and drinking which served no purpose.

He learnt the first lessons of religion from his grandmother, who advised him to recite hymns to overcome fear at the age of four, when he had a little understanding of what he was chanting.

The book liberally mocks at the blind faith reposed by people on God whom none has seen and who appears to be an abstract entity. Unflinching faith of sportsmen on God, who attribute their achievements to him on the field, were instances which amused him but made him wonder, how merely their belief had helped them attain their best. An atheist by nature, Khushwant also mocked at how pilgrimages made one a better person as no discernible changes were visible.

He lauds the virtuous religious beliefs like Guru Nanak’s crusade to rid the society of superstition and believed Guru Nanak wanted to create a community embodying the fine qualities of humanism, while keeping himself away from the illogical tenets of Hinduism and Sikhism.

His writings brazenly attack blind beliefs which fail to do any good to humanity and he seeks to rid the society of superstitions. He is unsparing in criticising beliefs like blind chanting of religious scriptures without comprehending its meaning and felt scriptures should rather be read and understood and not venerated.

He liberally quotes various poets from Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, a 13th century Sufi poet, to an Urdu poet Sauda to Fitzgerald and Sikh and Christian scriptures and dwells on imbibing high virtues and aptly emphasises how scholars too tried to purge the society of blind beliefs.

History has bore testimony to the fact that messengers have been glorified by intolerant fanatics. Practices like holding congregations in religious places with blaring use of loudspeakers serves no purpose than to impose one’s belief on others. He feels belief in God was no guarantee to make a man good or bad human being and one’s religion should be based on what suited one the best.

The book also reflects at length on the Buddhists musings on religion where great significance is attached to karma and its influence on reincarnation, while also referring to his meeting with their spiritual head The Dalai Lama.

He has also written about several high-profile ashrams which have sprung up all over the country and where religion has virtually been put on sale. He espouses the need to rid such places of fiefdom of select few.

He met various religious preachers while trying to comprehend issues like reincarnation and existence of God, who he believes is an abstract entity. Questions like why virtuous people face hard times while God fails to protect them often haunted him.

The book is an attention-grabbing account of Khushwant Singh’s brazen views on religion where he makes no bones about even the morality of people revered by thousands for their religiosity.

Having failed to find answers to his questions--like reasons behind his existence-- he ruminates on his ignorant self and avers that all men, whether atheist or theist left the world the same way.

Khushwant also refers to his intuition about kicking the bucket soon and wondered whether he too would be reincarnated in another form in this world.