ALBANY, N.Y. — <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-restaurants-bars-other-sla-licensed-entities-must-close-person-service" rel="nofollow">New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s order</a> limiting the size of a congregation for in-person services at Catholic churches and other houses of worship does not target religious gatherings on “the basis of their beliefs,” but is based on “the documented fact of their COVID-19 super-spreader potential.”

This is the argument New York Attorney General Letitia James, representing Cuomo, laid out in the state’s response to the Brooklyn Diocese’s Nov. 12 filing with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking an injunction against the governor’s order.

The diocese is challenging Cuomo’s order on religious freedom grounds. The state of New York filed its response by the Nov. 18 deadline set by the court.

The diocese said the order’s provisions “violate the free exercise clause” of the First Amendment by limiting “in-person ‘house of worship’ attendance to 10 or 25 people” but allowing “numerous secular businesses to operate without any capacity restrictions.”

“There is nothing more important than the safety of our parishioners. That is why we have worked diligently to implement strict COVID-19 safety rules that go above and beyond state requirements,” Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio said in an October statement, after Cuomo issued his executive order.

When he issued his order Oct. 6, James said, Cuomo “went to great pains” to say it was not aimed at religion and was “about mass gatherings. One of the prime places of mass gatherings are houses of worship.”

Backstory: Bishop DiMarzio of Brooklyn says ‘religious freedom … being unjustly attacked’ by Gov. Cuomo, new restrictions

“The diocese’s interest in holding indoor religious gatherings of potentially hundreds of people … does not outweigh the need to prevent” the spread of COVID-19 in already severely affected areas, said James, who told the Supreme Court the diocese’s application for a writ of injunction “should be denied.”

On Nov. 16, Agudath Israel of America, an umbrella organization that represents affiliated Orthodox Jewish congregations across the U.S., and two Orthodox congregations in New York City filed an emergency application with the high court for an injunction to stop Cuomo’s order. The state had to file a response by Nov. 20.

In the meantime, the Brooklyn Diocese announced Nov. 18 that its 69 Catholic schools and academies in Brooklyn and Queens, the two New York boroughs that make up the diocese, will continue in-person learning.

The announcement came in response to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decision to close New York City public schools indefinitely starting Nov. 19.

“I am frustrated that the mayor’s announcement was made as Catholic schools and academies throughout Brooklyn and Queens were dismissing our students” for the day, said Thomas Chadzutko, diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools. “I want to make it clear to parents, teachers, staff and students that the mayor’s announcement only pertains to New York City public schools, and our schools will be open tomorrow (Nov. 19).”

He added, “We have worked tirelessly to ensure that our school community remains safe for everyone, and we will continue to ensure strict compliance with all health and safety protocols.”

Haroon Moghul has contributed essays to a half dozen major news outlets, written three books, served on the Advisory Committee on Cultural Engagement at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, and helped establish the Islamic Center at NYU. Impressive. But Moghul would say, “My bio makes me seem like I do a lot of things, but I really just sit on Zoom calls all day. Although that’s everyone nowadays.”

On one of Moghul’s most recent Zoom calls, he was joined by some twenty-odd Etown students and faculty for a conversation hosted by the Bowers Writers House. He wished to discuss something old.

Moghul made a name for himself when he landed in the unenviable niche as a spokesman for Islam — right after 9/11. Appearing on news shows to help calm the waters during a disastrous time for Muslims in America, the pundit’s mental and spiritual states underwent great strain. Of being in the public eye in the capacity he was, Moghul would “not recommend it.”

To cope with pressure and prejudice, Moghul sought relief through writing. His book, a tongue-in-cheek memoir called “How to Be a Muslim,” was in some ways an exercise of self-healing. Moghul discussed this work at the Bowers Writers House six years ago.

Not catching a break, Moghul’s book tour coincided with another all-eyes-on-the-Muslims event, the 2016 election. Without missing a beat, the writer began to pen a second book to unwind from the stressful scrutiny of selling the first. This volume, titled “The Future of Islam is in Your Hands,” works to introduce Islam to a mainstream audience.

Moghul’s presentation at the Bowers House focused on a single chapter which summarizes a story from the Quran for a modern audience. The author found great comfort in this narrative during the low points of his spiritual journey. While he hoped to do the story justice, he noted this was the first time he had tested his material on a public audience. And so, the guinea pigs listened to the tale.

Moghul explained that before our world began, a jinn named Iblis was one of God’s most pious servants. So holy was Iblis that he prayed to live forever so that he could live to pray forever. But then God created Adam. Iblis became jealous when God selected Adam to become his representative on Earth. Iblis exacted revenge and planned to convince God that Adam could not be his representative. From here, the story follows about the same beats as its biblical version with Iblis assuming the form of the snake in the Garden of Eden.

The principle difference is in God’s reaction. As opposed to the original sin idea — that humanity is sullied forever because their distant ancestors ate an apple — the God of Islam takes a more forgiving approach. While he still casts Adam and Eve out of paradise and onto Earth, he forgives them. He admires that they took the initiative to admit their mistake and beg for forgiveness. In trying to prove Adam could not be God’s representative, Iblis proved the opposite.

This, says Moghul, is the difference between man and the devil. Man can admit his wrongdoing and grow. The devil cannot. Moghul takes this story to heart. He believes nobody is perfect but that we are capable of improving ourselves and others — to become better citizens, better Muslims, or just better human beings.

This was an enlightening lecture. That Allah was more forgiving with Adam than the Christian God was something that passed by many. It probably passed by most Americans in the last two decades where our dialogue of the whole religion has been consumed with raving terrorists and stereotyping fear-mongers. Moghul says the intent of his career has been to inject some calmer ideas into a conversation that has become “shrill and harsh.” 

Moghul’s event, a wonderful example of theological storytelling, also points to the under-appreciated role of the Bowers Writers House. This little building on the far, far end of campus (you have to walk across a field to get there) hosts scholars from any and every discipline. The director of the house, Dr. Jesse Waters, says his job locating and talking with such a vast array of interesting people, makes him, “the luckiest guy on the planet.”

Dr. Leigh Shannon Haley-Mize, interim director of the Center for Global Understanding and Peacemaking, enjoyed Moghul’s lecture and is grateful to Waters for booking the writer. As Etown reorganizes to focus on interdisciplinary work, Shannon Haley-Mize believes the highly generalist Bowers Writers House has “great potential” to bring departments together. She looks forward to collaborating with Waters in the future. With any luck, perhaps this partnership between departments can help bring a little of Moghul’s quest for self-improvement to the College.

Seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last ruler of erstwhile Hyderabad State and the architect of modern city of Hyderabad, was a visionary who never discriminated against people on the basis of religion, says his grandson Nawab Mir Najaf Ali Khan.

He rues that immense contributions of his grandfather were forgotten while some elements are even attempting to tarnish his secular image.

“My grandfather was someone who never discriminated between people of any religion, caste or financial status. He was an excellent and just person who kept all the people under his reign at the same mounting,” Najaf Ali Khan told IANS.

He believes that present divisive political atmosphere in the country has given rise to things like ‘Hindu India’. “If such a thing exists it is solely due to the divisive political atmosphere of our country right now. As children and young adults we never knew what the difference between being a Muslim or a Hindu was. We never discriminated between people of any religion,” he said.

“I am as much an Indian as any other person of his country whose family has been here for more than 10 generations,” he added.

He is of the view that Muslims need to come together and align their goals for the betterment of the community.

For Najaf Ali Khan, his grandfather is a role model and his father Prince Hasham Jah Bahadur was the biggest influence on his personality. “My grandfather is a role model for me. I have been immensely inspired by him and tried my best to be a reflection of what he would expect from me. My father is also one of the biggest influences on my personality.”

Prince Hasham Jah Bahadur was one of the 16 sons of Mir Osman Ali Khan. The Nizam also had 18 daughters.

“An anecdote about my father is that an extraordinary gazette was issued on his birth in 1912 and holiday was announced state wide to commemorate his birthday,” said Najaf Ali Khan.

Ten of Nizam’s sons and daughters were issueless. He had 104 grandchildren, some of whom have passed away.

About 400 family members of the Nizam clan, mostly 5th and 6th generation, are settled in Hyderabad, other parts of India and abroad.

Mir Osman Ali Khan, who ruled Hyderabad State from 1911 to 1948, was considered the richest man in the world with a fortune of $2 billion.

“As the Nizam had 16 sons and 18 daughters our family is quite large. All are well educated and the young generation is paving the way in terms of new opportunities,” said Najaf Ali Khan, one of over 100 legal heirs to Nizam VII.

According to him, the late Nizam did outstanding philanthropic work for all religions and one of the very few rulers who lived solely for the welfare of his subjects. “This was evident from the fact that his funeral was the largest. A sea of over one million people attended his funeral irrespective of caste and religion and the Government issued an extraordinary gazette and declared it a State holiday,” he said.

After Hyderabad State acceded to India, Mir Osman Ali Khan was appointed Rajpramukh and he held the administrative post till 1956 when the title was abolished.

“One of the late Nizam’s countless contributions is the donation of 5000 kgs of gold for National Defense Fund in 1965 which he donated without any reservations for the welfare of the country and advancement of its defense. This donation is unmatched in the history of India,” said 56-year-old Najaf Ali Khan.

Seventh Nizam also built the Nizam Orthopedic Hospital for the poor people who didn’t have the means to travel for their treatment. He also founded the Nizam Charitable Trust for the poor irrespective of any religion. “He led a Spartan life with very few comforts and luxuries and felt that he had a fiduciary duty towards the people.”

The historic city is dotted with several landmarks built by Nizam. Osmania University, Osmania Hospital, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS). In recent years there have been demands by some parties to change these names.

“It can be only viewed as an attempt to erase his heritage and take erroneous credit for the enormous philanthropic work that he did. It is nothing but trying to erode history as we know it.”

He pointed out that successive governments ignored their requests to include a lesson on Nizam in history textbooks or to organize the birth anniversary of the late Nizam as an official event every year in recognition of his umpteen contributions to transform Hyderabad into a modern city.

According to Najaf Ali Khan, Mir Osman Ali Khan was a great ruler who made far-reaching contributions to the development of the region, served humanity and loved his subjects that make him stand out.

He recalled that on the last Nizam’s demise, the then Andhra Pradesh government remembered him by issuing an extraordinary gazette.

The government declared state mourning on February 25, 1967, the day when he was buried. State government offices remained closed as a mark of respect while the national flag was flown at half-mast on all government buildings throughout the state.

On his death, the gazette described the Nizam as “deeply solicitous of the welfare of the depressed classes and through the unremitting labour of his Government many new schemes for promoting their welfare were enunciated”.

It said that he kept up the tradition “to observe absolute impartiality in matters pertaining to religions of different communities in the Dominions” and was well known for his philanthropic activities. He made “substantial contributions to a variety of institutions belonging to all creeds and communities such as the Banaras Hindu University, Bhandarkar Institute, Santiniketan, Aligarh Muslim University, etc.,” the gazette said.

The gazette also noted that he established the Osmania University in 1918, the first of its kind in India to have an Indian language as the medium of instruction. He took personal interest in the construction of the buildings of the University, which possess elements of Hindu and Muslim architecture blended with beauty, and Buddhist, Jain, Chalukyan, Bahamani and Qutub Shahi styles of architecture harmonised into one.

A business consultant to Indian and foreign companies, Najaf Ali Khan is also working for the welfare of the Nizam family as president of Nizam Family Welfare Association.

He has been in the forefront to fight for the legal rights of the family members and is currently waging a legal battle to get their share in 35 million British Pounds.