Islam does not preach terror: Shah Rukh Khan

As India’s city of dreams recovers from what seemed like an unending nightmare, there is an unsettling anger against terrorism and religious divides in India.

In an exclusive interview with CNN-IBN Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan lashed out against religious fundamentalism and stressed on the importance of the youngsters being delivered the correct interpretation of religious text.

PEACE AND TOLERANCE: Shah Rukh Khan slams fundamentalism in an exclusive interview with CNN-IBN.

“I am from Delhi. I have seen the riots in Delhi and when I came to Mumbai in 1993, I saw the blasts and now 26/11. More than a Mumbaikar, I feel like an Indian. And specifically because I would like to believe that I am an educated liberal Muslim, who has a Hindu wife and two kids,” Shah Rukh said.

Underscoring the need for proper interpretation of religious texts, Shah Rukh said that it is pertinent that the youngsters are provided the correct reading of the Qoran.

“Let me clarify, I have read the holy Qoran. It states that if you heal one man, you heal the whole mankind, and if you hurt one man, you hurt the whole mankind. Nowhere in the Qoran does it say that jihad will lead you to jannat (paradise),” Shah Rukh said.

“As a matter of fact,” he added, “the book says that in a war, you can not kill any woman, you can not kill any child and you can not kill any animal, or destroy any crops.”

The actor said that Jihad was supposed to be propagated by the Prophet himself but unfortunately now two versions of Islam exist.

“There is an Islam from Allah and — I am not being anti — very unfortunately, there is an Islam from the Mullahs. I appeal to all of them to please give the youngsters, the right reading of the Qoran,” he said.

“I appeal to everyone, if we want to win this time, let’s not allow ideological and religious stuff to come in our way. We’ve come together on a same platform. Let’s use this fear in a better way and put it to better use. Fear is the greatest uniting force in the whole world,” Shah Rukh added.

The actor also stressed the need for India’s youth to come forward and form a political party that is free of all religious prejudices and biases.

“There is corruption everywhere but if somewhere down the line someone moves away from it, I am there to support that person. Aamir said something brilliant in his blog that the youth need to form a political party. I am there to support them in any which way possible. There should be a law to ban all hardliner political parties,” Shah Rukh said.

Rajdeep Sardesai, CNN-IBN