Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

60
But, the exclusive allegiance to Prophet Muhammad and the Koran,
which Islam, as understood or practised by its followers, demands as a
primary obligation, has kept the Christians and the Muslims aparts as
hostile camps in parts of Europe and the Middle East. This point is
further emphasized by the life and death struggle in which the Christian
and Muslim communities, who belong to the same racial stock, are
locked at present in Lebanon. Unswerving allegiance to the Vedas
and the allied scriptures was a basic tenet of orthodox Hinduism, and
any deviation from this was regarded as a heresy. This was the plank
on which it had combated Buddhism were far more cardinal than those
between Islam and Christianity. As such, the hostility between the
Hindus and the Muslims was based on comparatively strong grounds.
Because, in addition to the diverse religious loyalties, the deep
differences between their theological concepts, and social and cultural
values, were complimentary forces all united in accentuating the
discord.
3. Mass Polarization
The Indo-Aryans started with a feeling of their own racial
superiority, pride in the fair colour of their skins, and with an
undisguised contempt for the dark-skinned natives of the country.
Their conflict with the latter must have sharpened this racial
consciousness, and their ultimate triumph must have added greatly to
their racial pride. Whatever its other demerits, this racial consciousness
and pride must have raised the level of the group consciousness of
the Indo-Aryans, in some degree at least, above that of the family,
clan and tribal loyalties. But, the antagonism between the Indo-Aryans
and the non-Aryans, gradually died down with the fusion of the two
races on a mass scale, and with the establishment of political and
social hegemony of the former, which the latter accepted without
even questioning its validity. Only a small coterie of the upper castes
continued to harp occasionally on the purity of their blood. Not that
it had a basis in reality any longer; nor was it an expression of racial
antagonism. It was now more an assertion of their right to social
distinction.
On the Aryam racial pride was superimosed the overweening