'There's one god...': Saif on teaching religion to kids
What's the story
Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan recently opened up about his approach to raising his younger children, Taimur and Jehangir, with a broad-minded perspective on religion. At the London edition of We The Women, he said that he tells them "there's one god and he has many names." Notably, Khan shares the boys with actor Kareena Kapoor Khan.
Inclusive upbringing
'My mother taught me, and I taught my kids...'
Khan said, "It's a conversation I love having with them. Because I myself am not the most religious of people." "My mother taught me, and I taught my kids, that there's one god and he has many names. It's as simple as that. You worship him in different places." "And if your religion talks about love and forgiveness to your fellow men, then that's it."
Family history
Khan's interfaith background
Khan's views are influenced by his own upbringing in an interfaith household. He is the son of the late cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and veteran actor Sharmila Tagore, who had an interfaith marriage. He also had two interfaith marriages, first with actor Amrita Singh and then with Kapoor Khan. Khan is the father of adult children Sara and Ibrahim, too.
Religious education
His experiences in Christian institutions
Khan shared his experiences of growing up in Christian institutions as well. He recalled spending time in churches and attending schools that began the day with a chapel. "I've grown up in churches, in schools which start with being at chapel," he said. He humorously recalled trying to skip chapel by claiming to belong to a different religion, but it backfired when they brought a maulvi (Islamic scholar) to talk to them.
Family discussion
Taimur's 'good' answer to a question on religion, methodology
Khan also shared a recent conversation he had with Taimur. He asked his son, "What's the difference between religion and methodology?" To this, Taimur replied, "In religion, we pray, and in methodology, we don't." Khan called it "a good answer" and said they are constantly discussing such topics. He added that both his mother and wife have an open mind about religion, describing it as "more of a spiritual approach."
Personal reflections
Interfaith relationships in the Khan family
Last year, Khan's sister, actor Soha Ali Khan, had spoken about the criticism she and her husband Kunal Kemmu faced for their interfaith marriage. Their mother, Tagore, had also spoken about converting to Islam before marrying Mansoor. Kapoor Khan had talked about their marriage at The Express Adda three years ago, saying people spent too much time discussing their interfaith relationship and age gap instead of focusing on what really matters between them.