Saif Ali Khan talks about interfaith marriage, and reveals how he teaches his children Taimur and Jeehuddin (Image source: Instagram)
Saif Ali Khan spoke candidly about raising his children with a holistic view towards religion, revealing that discussions about faith are a regular part of family life. Born to legendary cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, popularly known as Tiger Pataudi, and veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, Saif comes from a multi-religious family.
He later had two interfaith marriages – first with Amrita Singh, with whom he had two children, and later with Kareena Kapoor, with whom he had children Taimur Ali Khan and Jehangir Ali Khan.Speaking in the We The Women’s London edition, Saif said he enjoys discussing religion with his children, while admitting that he himself is not deeply religious.“It’s a conversation I like to have with them. Because I’m not the most religious person.
My mother taught me and my children that there is one God and He has many names. It’s that simple. You worship him in different places. “If your religion talks about love and tolerance for your fellow men, then that’s it,” Saif said.
He remembers growing up with prayers from different religions
The actor also spoke about his childhood, saying that he was exposed to different religions while studying in Christian schools.“I grew up in churches, in schools that start with being in the church.
I tried to refute it by saying that I was from a different religion, and then they asked Maulvi to come and talk to us. “It didn’t work,” Saif recalls with a laugh.He added: “But it was a completely Christian upbringing. The children would say prayers, followed by prayers from other religions. They celebrated Christmas as much as they celebrated Diwali. That’s the kind of upbringing I had. I never thought about it. It’s self-evident.”
Saif shares Taimur’s thoughtful answer about religion
Saif also shared a recent conversation with his nine-year-old son Taimur Ali Khan that left him impressed.“I asked him: What is the difference between religion and methodology?” Saif said.According to the actor, Taymur replied: “In religion we pray, but in methodology we do not.” Calling it a “good answer,” Saif added, “So, we constantly talk about these things. I’m lucky I didn’t grow up that way. My mother had an open mind about these things, and so does my wife. It’s more of a spiritual approach.”
