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My dad used to sing in a mosque, I was aware of Islam, says Priyanka Chopra

My dad used to sing in a mosque, I was aware of Islam, says Priyanka Chopra

Muslims are calling her out for knowing nothing about Islam.
20 Mar, 2021

After the explosive tell-all interview hosted with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex Harry and Meghan, Oprah Winfrey's show has once again made headlines, but this time for all the wrong reasons.

Guest Priyanka Chopra, who often prides in calling herself a "global citizen," was a recent guest on Super Soul and spoke about being a spiritual person apparently familiar with many religions.

Referring to her recently released memoir Unfinished, already a New York Times bestseller, which the Dostana actor had come to promote, she was asked whether she had a spiritual foundation, and here's how it went down in the two-minute teaser.

"I think I did. In India, it is hard not to. You're right. With the swirling number of religions that we have, that live within the country as well. I grew up in a convent school. I was aware of Christianity. My dad used to sing in a mosque, I was aware of Islam. I grew up in a Hindu family, I was aware of that. Spirituality is such a large part of India that you really cannot ignore it," she said.

She then spoke about how her family really believed in a higher power and having a sense of faith, saying she was a firm believer in her father's teachings who reassured her that all religions eventually point to the same God, but just have different faces to them.

But Chopra's boasts about spirituality offended many Muslims across the world, who called her out on the misinformation and said she knew little about the religion.

This is not the first time Chopra has been called out on her ignorance. A young woman from Pakistan called her out on being a warmonger and supporting violence while ironically being a Unicef ambassador for peace.

Chopra, during a time when tensions were at an all time high between Pakistan and India, had supported war and tweeted 'Jai Hind! #IndianArmedForces.'

Instead of properly replying to a legitimate question, she then went on to patronise the woman, saying: "I have many, many friends from Pakistan and I am from India and war is not something I'm really fond of but I am patriotic so I'm sorry if I hurt the sentiments of people who do love me and have loved me." She then proceeded to ask if she was "done venting."

Chopra's interview will premiere on March 20 as part of Oprah’s new series SuperSoul.

Comments

GK Mar 20, 2021 12:02pm
Does Islam has any spirituality to it? I think it is more political governing laws of the past.
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Gary Mar 20, 2021 12:12pm
Some people pray far more than others and yet, they are the ones who comit more crimes than all others combined.
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Amant Ali Mar 20, 2021 12:16pm
Her intentions were good. Let her be and let’s concentrate on the positive folks.
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Saira khan Mar 20, 2021 01:28pm
She is just being propped up by Jewish controlled media because these days the powers that be need india for their selfish purposes.
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MBA Mar 20, 2021 01:30pm
What can you expect from a promotion tour from a relatively young person writting a memoir? It is all about selling and getting attention. Just ignore her, instead of giving her more publicity.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Mar 20, 2021 01:35pm
Singing in masajid and mosques is forbidden in Islam.
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Falcon1 Mar 20, 2021 01:37pm
@GK Instead of posting a question on a Pakistani newsite, why don't you take the time to study and find out from authentic sources - if you are really interested?? Keep it up and people will start questioning how worshing a cow is 'spiritual'??
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Kidan Mar 20, 2021 01:44pm
People are more mingled in India than you can imagine in Pakistan.
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Pakboy Mar 20, 2021 01:59pm
She is a liar who always get caught.
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Pranav Kumar Mar 20, 2021 01:59pm
Anyone ever seen a Muslim singing in temples
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jaredlee007 Mar 20, 2021 02:04pm
@GK Hope some day when you read about the basics of Islams you'd notice that it is all about spirituality. Muslims, over the centuries have made Islam political because of greed for power. Read Rumi and you will see that the core of Islam is spirituality.
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Mahmood Mar 20, 2021 02:05pm
@Gary Therefore, keep yourself in meditation, prayers and worship mode all the time - so you won't have the time to sin!
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jaredlee007 Mar 20, 2021 02:05pm
Priyanka is at best superficial. She has no idea of what spirituality is and how it differs from religiosity.
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Rumi Mar 20, 2021 02:07pm
I have seen Priyanka's MMS and I have to agree she doesn't make sense sometimes.
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Venkat Mar 20, 2021 02:22pm
Singing in Mosque...where are these maulvis.
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Chrís Dăn Mar 20, 2021 02:27pm
A phony woman ,devoid of the real spiritual depth in her personality.
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Chrís Dăn Mar 20, 2021 02:28pm
@GK yes Islam has its own share of spirituality like every other religion of Holy Books on this planet.
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Chrís Dăn Mar 20, 2021 02:29pm
@Gary same with all religions. Thakurs go shrine and in return torture their workers.
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Bilal Mar 20, 2021 02:52pm
She is just an RSS bot masquerading as a secular star. Nothing more than that.
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D’Souza Mar 20, 2021 02:54pm
Beautiful and Great woman. Most people are jealous of her.
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D’Souza Mar 20, 2021 02:56pm
@Rumi “ I have seen Priyanka's MMS and I have to agree she doesn't make sense sometimes.” You seem to not make sense all the time.
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Bilal Mar 20, 2021 02:57pm
I think she misspoke a little. Should have been .... we have so many religions in India that some of them we lynch just for fun.
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Ali Mar 20, 2021 03:19pm
Singing in a Mosque? I have never found “Goras’” that fake to be honest.
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Pakboy Mar 20, 2021 03:26pm
@GK worshipping a cow has spirituality?
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Hawk Mar 20, 2021 03:33pm
She believes in co-existence which is missing in Modi regime.
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MAK Mar 20, 2021 03:45pm
Thanks pretty face! I wonder what her father used to sing in mosque: song, qwaali, bhajan ? I like her for the attitude..say what is appropriate for the occasion
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Sohail Mar 20, 2021 04:21pm
@GK your spirituality talks
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YKZ Mar 20, 2021 04:27pm
She does't know that singing is nowhere allowed in the Mosques (Masjids). So how did her father use to sing in one.
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Farah Mar 20, 2021 04:27pm
“Muslims are calling her out” Pakistanis, not Indian muslims. India and Bangladesh Sufi mosques have tradition of islamic spiritual songs being sung. There is youtube video of her father singin one.
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Fast comment Mar 20, 2021 04:49pm
Instead of arguing, please let her exercise her right of promoting interfaith harmony. No doubt her intentions are wonderful, and she’s ambassador of love.
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Jaredlee007 Mar 20, 2021 04:53pm
Very shallow.
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Farah Mar 20, 2021 04:58pm
@Pakboy Thats like calling dessert a ocean and asking random absurd questions. Improve your GK about others religion instead of asking non sensical questions
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Khany Mar 20, 2021 05:03pm
Singing in Mosques is disallowed. She must be confused or didn't know her father well.
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Ms. Ali Mar 20, 2021 05:13pm
A humble request , most Muslims would love to know about the mosque her father used to sing for that allow singing ?
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Haris Mar 20, 2021 05:33pm
Her father used to sing in the Mosque but how does she knows about Islam? I am puzzled.
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FAZ Mar 20, 2021 05:44pm
@jaredlee007 He is just another safronized and paid part time call centre op. Ignore please
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Ghani K Mar 20, 2021 05:50pm
@GK In 800 years of Islamic rule, those who converted to Islam must have found some spirituality , they were not converted by force.
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Browngirl Mar 20, 2021 06:44pm
She's more fake than my fake watch.
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MR Mar 20, 2021 07:12pm
If you don’t know then don’t boast :)
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well-wisher Mar 20, 2021 07:14pm
Priyanka, it's ok to say you don't know much about Islam or any other religion. But ignorance and pretending knowledge only makes you a 'fool'. Now you will have to work on what your father sang in mosques.
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well-wisher Mar 20, 2021 07:16pm
@GK You too are ignorant about the fastest growing religion, Islam. Learn.
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Mir Khan Mar 20, 2021 07:48pm
No singing is involved in the Mosques as an Islamic rituals.
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Fareed N Mar 20, 2021 08:01pm
Her father a Hindu singing in the mosque ! What a cockamamie , preposterous story.
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Ali Mehdi Mar 20, 2021 08:30pm
you can act cool but don't have to become a fool. why say things that you don't know and that too in a show that is so popular and watched by millions of people. lesson learnt the hard way
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Pramod Srivastava Mar 20, 2021 08:50pm
@Pranav Kumar You will be surprised - HUNDREDS of great Muslim singers sang in temples for centuries, and still do. Some very celebrated Muslim singers started out singing in temples. Ustad Vilayat Khan is just one example.
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Zulfiqar Mar 20, 2021 08:53pm
As much as people want to point out that singing is not allowed in mosques, please explain what do Qawals do in the courtyard of several mosques in India and some in Pak too. It’s completely plausible that a non Muslim person will perceive that as singing in a mosque. Some non Muslim also refer to azan as singing to call to prayer. Her viewpoint is that of a non Muslim person so please cut her some slack.
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Aatika Mar 20, 2021 08:56pm
@GK ok. Please let the world know how to contact you to learn more since you have such an authority over islamic principles.
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Aatika Mar 20, 2021 09:00pm
@Gary Im really surprised how hungary people are to vent out their hatred against islam at every chance they get, tell me one single piece of land where muslins are carrying out atrocities agianst innocent men women and children since decades..and then look up Kashmir, Palestine, Bosnia, Uighur, Burma, Afghanistan, Sheeshan, that is, if you have the courage to.
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Tasvir-e-Buttan Mar 20, 2021 09:25pm
@Pranav KumarThere are thousands; some of them very renowned Muslim singers.
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Saima Mar 20, 2021 09:29pm
@Fareed N In India even dargah is called a mosque. People sing islamic songs there. Her father has a whole album released singing one. Check that out. What she is saying is true.
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Tasvir-e-Buttan Mar 20, 2021 09:32pm
@Haris Are you saying that only Mullahs or an imbecile like you are knowledgeable about Islam?
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Karl Marx Mar 20, 2021 09:45pm
What she meant was Dargah and seems like no one's heard of Sufism here.
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Asim Mar 20, 2021 09:50pm
@GK only hindus have spirituality which they shows by killing innocent people daily in different parts of india.
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Rana Mar 20, 2021 09:57pm
@YKZ , dear u know nothing about Islam and islamic history except some war & battles.
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Glymendon Mar 20, 2021 10:00pm
@Haris You don’t know bcos Pakistan is an Islamic country and promotes Islam only. Indians learn about other religion and culture right from primary schools and daily life. Even Indian Muslims know much about Hinduism and Christianity much much more than Muslims of Islamic countries bcos your state don’t allow you to open your mind and learn about other religions and cultures. Sad but true. So you are so much half baked.
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Saima Mar 20, 2021 10:18pm
@Mir Khan songs are part of indian muslim traditions in india. What she said is very common in that part of the world.
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Oz Mar 20, 2021 10:31pm
@GK the essence of Islam is spirituality. It is to know and love the Divine. To be of service to humanity and creation.
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C T Rao Mar 20, 2021 10:45pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Maybe in Pakistan not in India
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FM Mar 20, 2021 10:53pm
@GK Are you serious?? Why don't you google it, and you'll see a list of at least 50-60 of the most known Muslim spiritual thinkers and philosophers such as Rumi, Avecina, Bulleh Shah, etc - not to mention an entire branch dedicated to spirituality called Sufiism.
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Asad Mar 20, 2021 11:13pm
@GK, I recommend "Introduction to Islam" by dr. Hameedullah.
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Asad Mar 20, 2021 11:15pm
@Pranav Kumar, Buddy, No one has ever seen even a "muslim" singing in Mosque.
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Karl Marx Mar 20, 2021 11:31pm
@Saira Khan, the Jewish mafia is an old conspiracy theory,find something new like a Hindu mafia.
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Ifti Malik Mar 21, 2021 12:30am
People do sometimes sing in a mosque, for example Hamds and Naats are often sung in Barailvi mosques . Also in some attached to certain Sufi shrines in India. Maybe Priyanka's father used to do that ? It's a known fact that Rabindaranath Tagore's father used to read and recite /sing such devotional Muslim songs as well as poems by Hafiz, Rumi and other Sufis at Muslim functions in mosques and dargahs. He was a Hindu but a believer in Sufi Islam too. India is very eclectic in that respect . Maybe we should look at it as a multicoloured tapestry. Give the benefit of the doubt to Priyanka Chopra instead of taking a narrow mullah type view.
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Truth be told Mar 21, 2021 12:32am
@Amant Ali loser
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M. Saeed Mar 21, 2021 12:47am
@GK , if you know even abc of Islam, it is as much of a scientific and living religion, as developing life. Valid for all times to come.
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M. Saeed Mar 21, 2021 12:50am
@Amant Ali , then she should not have lied about her father because, no active mosque (Masjid) even in India can ever allow singing , let alone entry of a Hindu.
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rsultan Mar 21, 2021 12:59am
Come on guys and girls - may be what she meant was her dad sang qawwali at dargahs of which there must be quite a few where she grew up. I am guessing but I'm sure due to the sheer size and scattered populations there are probably more masajid and dargahs in India than in Pakistan.
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Sid Mar 21, 2021 01:23am
@GK read up on it and then decide
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Sarcasm Mar 21, 2021 01:24am
@Kidan - yeah we know how tolerant India is.
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ambreen Mar 21, 2021 02:14am
@Amant Ali Her intentions are to be recognized for something she is not . Poor Nick !
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Steve Mar 21, 2021 02:29am
Priyanka knows how to be in spotlight. What better plan to be controversial than on Oprah. So that people will talk about her. Very clever.
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Not a bhakt Mar 21, 2021 03:00am
@Bilal It’s a bit lazy and easy to generalise a whole country of 1.3 billion when one has no clue how multi culturalism works
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Moosa Al Athar Mar 21, 2021 03:01am
All religions have spirituality and Islam is no exception.
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Not a bhakt Mar 21, 2021 03:05am
India has a more syncretic tradition and Sufi influences. It can be a tad difficult for Pakistanis to understand. But why do they stand in judgement of India?
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Ebrahim Hassim Mar 21, 2021 03:18am
@GK Islam is a spiritual religion, undoubtedly. There is some controversy over this even amongst Muslims, but this is so because unfortunately "spiritual is not ever defined.
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Hassan Mar 21, 2021 03:33am
@GK Islam is full of spirituality. Read up!
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Nk Mar 21, 2021 04:48am
@GK I can say that same about yours too but better dwell in reality and find what Islam really is. Isn't it enough that USA from where all this hate mongering and Islamophobia started about Islam two decades ago the same religion has spread the fastest and picking more and more speed.
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Aejaz Awan Mar 21, 2021 05:43am
@GK study Rumi and ibn-e Arabi , if you get time.
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John The Baptist Mar 21, 2021 05:54am
@Pranav Kumar "Anyone ever seen a Muslim singing in temples" As an Indian, let me say YES! In the part of Southwestern India that I am from, there is a community of Muslims who are exclusively called upon to provide accompanying music in local Hindu temples, even when Hindu musicians are available. It surprised even me when I first saw this, and I am not sure if there is any history behind it, but for sure it is there. It is a rural village near Udupi town.
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skade Mar 21, 2021 06:16am
In Indian Armed Forces ,a batallion has one room which is for all religious rituals.Hindu pooja,,singhing,Sikhs Kirtan,Mosqye for Friday prayer and Christan for Sunday service,easter etc.Some times religious priest of one religion performs services of other religion if priest of that religion is not available for some reason. Self being former Indian Army Officer have witnessed the cross Priests performing services
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hussain Mar 21, 2021 06:32am
if you don't have knowledge on a particular topic or a religion then there's nothing wrong in saying so but people make up things just to give a certain image of themselves.
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hussain Mar 21, 2021 06:33am
@GK well you'll have to define spirituality. in Islam it's about the believer becoming more closer to the creator, seems you're as ignorant as the person in question.
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Shahan Mar 21, 2021 06:36am
She will become well aware of it on the day of judgment but then it will be too late. Carry on with your idiocy
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hussain Mar 21, 2021 06:36am
@Kidan spare us this notion of diversity, just as blacks and whites rarely mingle in the USA , the Muslims and Hindus of India rarely mingle.
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Wolf Mar 21, 2021 06:43am
Problem is that she is a street learning and her learning has not come from a concerted learning effort but learned from word of mouth. That is why she gets her facts wrong time to time.
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Toni Mar 21, 2021 07:14am
Once a loser, always a loser, she fakes well, bless her though, everyone learns eventually.
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aditya Mar 21, 2021 07:17am
He probably sang in some dargah but for the ease of everyone's understanding she said mosque.
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Toni Mar 21, 2021 07:18am
She means her father sang in *Babri mosque after it was desecrated by Hindus. *Babri Masjid, also called Mosque of Babur or Baburi Mosque, formerly Masjid-i Janmasthan, mosque in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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Baloch Voice Mar 21, 2021 07:32am
Next time she will say since childhood her father used to distribute beef in Jain temples to feed the poor so humanity is in her genes.
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Tahir malik Mar 21, 2021 08:05am
Pretty indeed but a loose illiterate ( zero guidance big bang) canon on the deck.
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Nidz Mar 21, 2021 09:08am
This shows the true picture of "secularism" Of India ( how bad it is)
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truth Mar 21, 2021 12:37pm
Trolls below should understand she is talking abt India and there the religious climate is different from yours. There are sufi sites where other religion ppl visit n pray. So just dont jump on anything u see...silence is golden
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Wolf Mar 21, 2021 02:52pm
Problem is that she is a street learner and her knowledge has not come from a concerted learning effort but has come from word of mouth. That is why she gets her facts wrong time to time and gets her into trouble.
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Ali Mehdi Mar 21, 2021 02:53pm
People want to belong to something which is better than them. The preferred group. It’s okay if she wasn’t entirely correct whilst bragging about her father purportedly having that strong link with the Muslim community.
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its me Mar 21, 2021 04:03pm
@GK or rather your westerner ideology!!
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El Cid Mar 21, 2021 04:52pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Forbidden in Islam but not in India where they can legally pull down mosques and churches. BTW note the more than usual congregation of Indian trolls here with their whataboutism telling about Islam.
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El Cid Mar 21, 2021 05:10pm
@Farah "Dessert" is a sweet dish that usually concludes a meal. Perhaps you meant "desert" which is a barren area of landscape where there is little rain. I guess they did not teach you the finer points of the English language when they sent you over to cudgel PakBoys.
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El Cid Mar 21, 2021 05:13pm
@Tahir malik Pretty, if you please, but only if you prefer chubby women.
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El Cid Mar 21, 2021 05:34pm
A mosque, and for that matter a synagogue, is defiled should a Hindoo enter - and has to be cleansed physically and spiritually. Hindoos are prohibited to enter a mosque or a synagogue. And even Christians are prohibited from entering a synagogue. And it is the ultimate sin for a Jew to enter a Christian church or a Hindoo temple. However Muslims and Jews have prayed in each others houses of worship through the centuries.
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Karl Marx Mar 21, 2021 11:38pm
@Browngirl you only have a fake watch to show for yourself.
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Karl Marx Mar 21, 2021 11:44pm
All the " more Arabic" than Arabic Muslims commenting here, maybe the reason why India is not a member of OIC is this racism. Sufism looks good for Pakistanis only on Coke Studio.
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SAk Mar 22, 2021 01:22am
We feel ashamed for admitting not knowing about something that we actually don’t know. We have opinions/assumptions instead of knowledge and we Defend/insist about them. This behavior is common in subcontinent.
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Lasani Mar 22, 2021 01:28am
@GK Islam is all about spirituality, you have been misguided if you think it as political governing laws of the past.
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Lasani Mar 22, 2021 01:29am
@Amant Ali sure but you uave to correct them because our religion is not a joke.
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Glen D'Abreo Mar 22, 2021 01:39am
Miss Chopra is only about her career and nothing else. She claims to have Pakistani friends but what has she done to bring the two sides of cultural artist exchange ? India has changed in press freedom and she needs to accept that for sure?
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Shaaz Mar 22, 2021 04:11am
Sing in the mosque, taalawat at the mandir and pooja the christ , with a burning piece of log(fire) in his right hand. To all celebrities out there :- just model and shoot. Don't put your leg everywhere.
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Patrick Mar 22, 2021 11:26am
I have visited so many Islamic countries and never found a mosque where they sing? May be she meant , a church? Indeed, little knowledge is dangerous to have!
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ws Mar 22, 2021 01:15pm
@GK You think you know enough about islam? or confusing your 'perception' with the 'knowledge' about ISLAM?
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INDEPENDENT Mar 22, 2021 02:13pm
@Kidan Yes, that is how you target and kill Muslims and other minorities in India. Hindu is not a religion. Basically, those who live in Hindustan are called Hindu. You need to explore your religion and faith before you lecture the world. India is no more secular and far from the norms of being democrat.
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INDEPENDENT Mar 22, 2021 02:16pm
Not all celebrities are stupid.
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LeftTrack Mar 22, 2021 03:23pm
@GK , Rumi ?
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Abdul Baqi Mar 22, 2021 03:59pm
To many Hindus of India Dargah and mosque are the same. So she may have been confused.
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KAZIM REZA Mar 22, 2021 05:28pm
Probably, she had meant Islam based Gazal with ordinary song that sometimes mistaken as Hamd or Naat ! that should be clarified and Islam does not forbid other religion followers visit at any mosque barring Holy Mecca and Medina.
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JustSaying Mar 22, 2021 06:48pm
@Browngirl " She's more fake than my fake watch. " You have a Watch...???
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rehan Mar 22, 2021 07:40pm
her dad was in army , her dad was doctor too , now her dad was singer also, i think her father was super human. tomorrow she will tell that her father was teacher then what else left ? lawyer ? and farmer ? will be next
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Jasim Khan Mar 22, 2021 09:16pm
@GK you think? Anyone can think, few back it up by evidence.
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AFriend Mar 23, 2021 08:16am
We are the same people divided by politicians who use religion to further their own ambitions.
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AFriend Mar 23, 2021 08:18am
Sufis sing outside the dargah.
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truth Mar 23, 2021 11:28am
@rehan A bit of common sense cud help u. Check internet or wiki to clear ur doubts before writing nonsense
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truth Mar 23, 2021 11:31am
@El Cid you shd look at ur pretty body before commenting on others
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Zak Mar 23, 2021 05:40pm
@AFriend Sufis sing outside the dargah. But never in mosques. Sufis also don't sing but chant and recite.
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Zak Mar 23, 2021 05:41pm
@GK Does Islam has any spirituality to it? I think it is more political governing laws of the past. Islam is spirituality.
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Zak Mar 23, 2021 05:42pm
@Gary Some people pray far more than others and yet, they are the ones who comit more crimes than all others combined. Then it's their own failing not the teachings.
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Zak Mar 23, 2021 05:43pm
@Amant Ali Her intentions were good. Let her be and let’s concentrate on the positive folks Most hypocritical women. Hope Pakistan bans her.
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Zak Mar 23, 2021 05:45pm
@Gary Some people pray far more than others and yet, they are the ones who comit more crimes than all others combined. In an exam hall, the teacher gives exam paper to all students and tells them the rules. Many students don't cheat but some do, so is it teachers fault.
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Zak Mar 23, 2021 06:28pm
Never forgot that incident. Ayesha a real hero! In a video that started circulating on social media, we see Ayesha saying, "It was hard hearing you talk about humanity, because as your neighbour, a Pakistani, I know you're a bit of a hypocrite, you tweeted on February 26: 'Jai Hind! #IndianArmedForces.' You are a UNICEF ambassador for peace and you are encouraging nuclear war against Pakistan."
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