Partition of India: When Maulana Azad encouraged Indian Muslims

It was in the days of 1947 when India was officially divided into two parts, India and Pakistan. A gruesome bloodbath was being played across the partition line. There was chaos everywhere. A strange process of migration had started. Someone was changing the country on the basis of religion, while someone was saving lives and dignity.

Still, at the time of the partition of India, there was a significant number of Muslims who did not want to go to Pakistan. Thousands of them had migrated to safe areas inland to save their lives.

One of them is India’s prominent educationist, writer and poet Sajda Zaidi, who locked her house in Karol Bagh in view of the massacre of Muslims in Delhi by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the most popular Muslim leader of the Indian National Congress at that time. Had to take shelter in his residence.

She writes about the situation at that time in her autobiography ‘Naoy Zindagi’: ‘The hearts of people and the walls of Delhi trembled. The ground of Delhi turned red and the sky turned black. The same situation was happening in Punjab. Same for Uttar Pradesh and same for Bengal. There was a 24-hour curfew in Delhi, yet rioters were killing Muslims in the inner streets. Cars full of dead bodies were coming and going. Humans’ worst instincts – killing, hatred, bigotry, brutality – were being unleashed. The veil of civilization was falling. The ugly face of politics had been exposed.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad writes in his book ‘India Wins Freedom’: ‘From the very second day of independence, the news of communal strife started spreading deep darkness over the capital (Delhi). The news was of murder and death and brutality.

It was found that Hindu and Sikh mobs attacked Muslim villages in East Punjab. They are burning houses and killing innocent men, women and children.

Similar news came from West Punjab. Muslims are killing Hindu and Sikh men, women and children indiscriminately. The entire Punjab was becoming a graveyard of destruction and death.

When the news of the bloodshed in West Punjab reached Delhi, a mob of rebellious people broke out on the Muslims of the city. Sikhs played a prominent role in organizing these murderous attacks in Delhi.

‘Talks of the dangerous principles of hostage-taking and revenge disturbed me. If the Muslims of West Punjab were guilty of killing Hindus and Sikhs, what is the justification to take revenge from the Muslims of Delhi?

‘This principle of hostage-taking and revenge was so monstrous that no decent or sensible man could utter a word in its defence.

‘Irrespective of the particular city, there were suburbs such as Karol Bagh, Lodi Colony, Sabzi Mandi and Sadar Bazar which had a large Muslim population. Life and property were no longer safe in all these areas. Neither was complete military protection possible under the existing conditions.

At one stage, the situation in these areas became so bad that no Muslim could sleep at night with the confidence of waking up the next morning.

“In those days of looting, killings, I visited different parts of Delhi accompanied by army officers. I saw that the Muslims were absolutely terrified and suffering from a sense of utter helplessness.

‘Many sought refuge in my house. The rich and well-known families of the city came to me in a state that they were completely destitute and had nothing left with them except the clothes of their bodies.

‘Some did not have the courage to come in daylight and were brought under military protection at midnight or early morning. Soon my house was full and I set up tents in the compound. Men and women of all kinds and backgrounds, poor, rich, young and old. They were huddled together in fear of their lives.

‘It soon became clear that it would be some time before discipline was established. It was not possible to protect the houses that were left alone in different areas of the city. If we had manned guards in one area, the attack would have been launched in other areas. That is why we decided that the Muslims should be rounded up and sent to security camps. One such camp was set up in the old fort.

‘There was no building left in it. Only the turrets remained. Soon these towers were filled with people. A large number of Muslims gathered in the fort and spent almost the entire winter months in these towers.’

Sajida Zaidi writes in her autobiography that Maulana Azad was always busy with relief work for the Muslims due to the circumstances: ‘Very thoughtful. Very sad And confused. The partition of India and all subsequent population transfers were against the will of Maulana Azad. Maulana’s Farast had informed them, the result of which was appearing in the form of this murder and bloodshed.

Maulana Azad’s ‘Historical Speech’

Rushda Shaheen is writing her PhD thesis on the topic of ‘Partition of India’ in the Department of Urdu, University of Hyderabad.

He said in a conversation with Independent Urdu that in the sad conditions that arose immediately after the partition of India, the Muslims who remained in India had become victims of extreme despair and sadness and a large number of them left their homes to save their lives. She was forced to camp in security camps.

‘There were some of them who were waiting for a good opportunity to migrate to Pakistan, but the majority were those who did not want to migrate but were very worried about losing their national and political identity and their future. ‘

Rushda Shaheen says: ‘As expected, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad came forward and took responsibility not only for the protection and care of the Muslims left in India, but also encouraged them through his speeches and instilled self-confidence in them. of

In this bloody environment, many other personalities were also involved in cheering the hearts of Muslims and making the atmosphere happy, but Maulana Azad played an important leadership role.

“Maulana gave a historic speech on October 23, 1947 from the wall of the historic Jama Masjid in Delhi, which inspired the Indian Muslims who were troubled by the tragedy of partition and massacres to stay connected to their homeland and soil.”

Zafar Ahmad Nizami writes in his book ‘The Story of Maulana Azad’ that Maulana Azad’s ‘Historic Speech’ delivered at the Jamia Masjid in Delhi influenced Muslims so much that many people who left India changed their minds.

Those planning to leave India were ready to stay and settle here. The tied beds were opened and the running footsteps of the people stopped.’

Excerpts from ‘Historical Speech’

In most of the books written in Urdu on Maulana Azad, Partition of India or Tehreek Azadi, this speech has been loosely copied without crediting the original source.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was a staunch opponent of the ‘two-nation theory’, so he began his speech at Jamia Masjid Delhi by pointing out the ‘political mistakes of Muslims’.

‘You know what brought me here. For me, this gathering in this memorial mosque of Shah Jahan is not a new thing. I have addressed you from here in this age, during which many cycles of Lial and Nahar have passed. When there was satisfaction on your faces instead of despair and confidence instead of doubt in your hearts. Today, when I see the anxiety of your faces and the desolation of your hearts, I can’t help but remember the forgotten stories of the past few years.

‘You remember, I called you, you bit my tongue, I picked up the pen and you penned my hands. I wanted to walk, you cut my feet. I wanted to take the crotch, you broke my back. Even in the youth of the bitter new politics of the last seven years, which has been given to you today, I scolded you on the highway of danger, but you not only avoided my voice, but you renewed all the sunnahs of neglect and denial. do. The result is known that today the same dangers have surrounded you whose fear had taken you away from the straight path.

‘I feel wounded and my heart is shocked. Come to think of it, which path did you take? Where did you get to and where do you stand now? Isn’t this a life of fear? Have you not lost your senses? You have provided this fear yourself. These are the fruits of your own actions.

Not much time has passed since I told you that the idea of ​​two nations is a death sentence for spiritual life. Leave it alone. These are the pillars on which you have trusted. They are breaking down very fast. But you have equalized Suni in Suni and did not think that time and its speed cannot change its rules for you.

‘The speed of time does not stop, you are seeing that the scaffolding you trusted in abandoned you and handed it over to fate. The destiny which has a different meaning from the purpose of your mental dictionary, i.e. lack of courage is called destiny according to them. I have always tried to keep politics away from personal life, I have not stepped into that precipitous valley. This is the reason why many of my words are taken from the side of Kanayas. But what I have to say today, I want to say without hesitation, the partition of United India was fundamentally wrong.’

In his speech, Maulana advised the Muslims remaining in India to consider the politics of ‘Muslim League and its leaders’ as a thing of the past and go with the changes.

Now the direction of Indian politics has changed. There is no place for Muslim League here. Now it depends on our own minds whether we can even think in a good way or not. That is why I have planned to invite the Muslim leaders of India to Delhi in the second week of November. Invitations have been sent.

‘The season of decline is temporary. I assure you that no one can subjugate us except us. I have always said, and I say again today, leave the path of hesitation, lift up the hand of doubt and abandon wrongdoing, this unique three-edged dagger is more effective than the two-edged sword of iron whose wounds are in the stories. I have heard the words of your youth.

‘Consider this life of flight which you have adopted in the holy name of emigration, strengthen your hearts and train your minds to think, and then see how urgent these decisions of yours are. Where are you going and why are you going?

‘Look, the high minarets of the mosque are asking you, where have you lost the pages of your history? It was only yesterday that your caravans performed ablution on the banks of the Yamuna and today you are the one who feels fear while living here. Although Delhi is soaked with your blood.

‘Create a fundamental change in yourself. Just as your excitement and enthusiasm was misplaced some time ago today, your fear and dismay is also misplaced today. Muslims and cowardice or Muslims and incitement cannot coexist.

True Muslims cannot be moved by greed or fear. Don’t be afraid of a few human faces disappearing. They gathered you to go. Today they have withdrawn their hand from your hand, so it is not a fault. Look, your hearts did not leave with them.

If the heart is still with you, make it a place of God’s presence, who said 1300 years ago through an Arab mother: There is no fear and no sorrow.” Winds come and go. Although it is Sarsar, its age is not much. Now the season of suffering is about to pass, change as if you have never been in this state before.

‘I am not accustomed to repetition in words, but in view of your neglect, I have to say again and again that the third power has left behind its pride. What happened happened. Political mentality has broken its previous mold and now a new mold is emerging.

If even now the matter of your hearts has not changed and the pricking of minds has not ended, then the situation is different. But if you really want to change, then change the way history has changed towards you.

Even today we have completed a revolution. There are some blank pages in the history of our country and we can become the headlines in these pages but the condition is that we are ready for it.

‘Let’s go with the changes, don’t say we weren’t ready for the change. But get ready now, the stars are broken but the sun is shining. Ask him for rays and lay them in those dark paths where light is sorely needed.’

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, referring to the glorious past of Muslims in India, said: ‘I do not ask you to get a certificate of loyalty from the madrasa of sovereign power and to adopt the same life of Casa Lacey as the pledges of foreign rulers. I have been your motto.

I say that the ancient carvings that you see in this India as a monument of the past were your caravan. Don’t forget them. Don’t leave them. Be their heir and understand that if you are not ready to run, then no force can run you away.

“Come pledge that this country is ours and we are for it and the fundamental decisions of its destiny will remain incomplete without our voice.”

‘Today you are afraid of earthquakes, once you were an earthquake yourself. Are you trembling in the dark today, don’t you remember that your existence was a light? These clouds have rained dirty water, you have put up your pants for fear of getting wet, they were your ancestors who went down to the seas, trampled the breasts of the mountains, smiled at them when the lightning came, laughed when the clouds thundered. He answered, when the rascal got up, he turned his face away, when the storms came, he said to them that this is not your way.

It is a loss of faith that those who play with the necks of the emperors today started playing with their own necks and have neglected God to such an extent that they never had faith in Him.

I have no new recipe for you. It is the same old recipe from years ago. The prescription brought by the greatest benefactor of mankind. That version is the declaration of the Qur’an that ‘do not lose heart and do not be sad if you are believers, you will be victorious.’

‘Today’s company is over. I have said what I wanted to say in brief. Then I say and I say again and again that control your senses, provide your own life around you. It is not a matter of market to buy you. It can be obtained from the store of the heart itself with the cash of good deeds.’

Advice to Muslims

Zafar Ahmad Nizami writes in his book that ‘Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was deeply traumatized by the partition of India because he believed that partition was not the solution to the problems.

There was fear that new problems would emerge from this (partition). Now their fears were proving correct. However, he tried his best to establish peace in the country. Let the fire of revenge and hatred disappear from people’s hearts and strengthen the roots of Hindu-Muslim friendship in an atmosphere of love and brotherhood.

‘The Maulana tried to remove every sense of fear from the hearts of the Muslims of India. Instilled confidence in them to eradicate inferiority complex from within them. In this regard, he met the Governor General, Prime Minister and all other ministers.

‘This was a time of great trouble for Maulana. They had neither peace during the day nor rest at night. He used to keep changing the crotch on the bed all night long and kept looking at the situation of the country. In fact, this was the period when the discussion was everywhere that “What should Muslims do now?” In order to answer this question, a Muslim conference was organized in Lucknow on Maulana’s Emma.

Abdul Qavi Dasnavi writes in his book ‘Hayat Abul Kalam Azad’ that the purpose of this meeting (conference) of Indian Muslims held at Victoria Memorial Lucknow (Begum Hazrat Mahal Park) on December 27, 1947 was that now four and a half crores in the newly independent India. How Muslims can live a life of dignity, happiness, contentment and peace by being a part of a great democracy.

Zafar Ahmad Nizami writes: ‘Maulana advised the Muslims to end the politics of sectarianism. Eliminate political parties that wanted the partition of the country and were held responsible for the partition.

Along with this, he also asked the Muslims not to form any party based on sectarianism in the future, but now they should join a party which is progressive and not based on sectarianism. , which fulfills their objectives, which does not understand the difference between Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian.

“Maulana Abul Kalam Azad clearly said that for him such a progressive party is just Congress and Muslims should join it.”

Maulana Azad: From Mecca to Delhi

Mohiuddin Ahmad known as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was born on November 11, 1888 in Makkah. His mother Alia bint Muhammad was a resident of Medina, the second holiest city of Muslims.

Maulana’s ancestors were associated with the Mughal Empire. After the first war of independence in 1857, his father Muhammad Khairuddin migrated from India and settled in Saudi Arabia. He was a famous religious scholar of his time.

Maulana Abu Nasr, the eldest son of Muhammad Khairuddin and Maulana’s elder brother, also had a distinct place in the intellectual and intellectual world, but he died at the age of just 21 years. Maulana Azad’s father died in 1908.

Maulana Azad, who spent his childhood in Makkah and Madinah, received his early education from his father and Arabic was his mother tongue. He was proficient in Urdu, Persian, Arabic, Turkish and English languages.

Maulana Azad started his academic and literary life by writing essays and poetry. At the age of just 14, he started writing literary articles in a literary magazine called ‘Makhzn’.

In 1900, Maulana Azad, at the age of only 12 years, started the publication of an organized journal ‘Nirang Alam’ and also started editing the weekly newspaper ‘Al-Masbah’ of a man named Musa.

In 1903, he published the monthly magazine ‘Lisan al-Sadiq’. In the same period, he was also the editor of the literary section of the well-known magazine ‘Khadang Nazar’. Apart from the pamphlet ‘Al-Indoah’ published by Maulana Shibli Naumani, he also took over the editorship of the newspaper ‘Dar-ul-Sultant’ published from Calcutta.

In 1912 started Urdu weekly ‘Al-Hilal’ which was a political newspaper. It was one of the first Urdu newspapers to give equal importance to content and presentation, including layout and design. It was decorated in the style of Egyptian newspapers, but its greatest asset was its influential content.

‘Al-Hilal’ gradually became a problem for the British because of creating revolutionary ideas among the people. Due to this, in 1914, the government took over the “Al-Hilal Press” and confiscated it.

In 1914, he published a new journal called ‘Al-Balag’. Like ‘Al Hilal’, he also wrote against the policies of the British in it.

Maulana Azad got close to politics at an early age during the partition campaign of Bengal. He was also detained in 1919 and released by the government in 1920.

Later he was greatly influenced by the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi, especially the ‘philosophy of non-violence’. His political activities increased day by day. In 1920, he was appointed as the President of the Khilafat Committee.

Maulana had the distinction of being elected as the youngest President of the Indian National Congress in 1923 at the age of 35. He held this position till 1946.

After the partition of India in 1947, he joined the first government of ‘Azad Bharat’ as the Minister of Education and served in this position till his death in 1958.

Maulana Azad actively participated in the freedom struggle, especially the ‘Non-Cooperation Movement’, the ‘Quit India Movement’ and the ‘Khilafah Movement’. He was strongly against the policies of the Muslim League and the ‘Partition of India’.

It is said that he was not only a politician but also a prominent writer, fine poet, bold journalist, commentator, scholar and fiery orator.

Among the famous works of Maulana are ‘Ghabbar Khater’, ‘India Wins Freedom’, ‘Tehreek Azadi’, ‘Tarman Al-Quran’, ‘Antakah Tazkira Maulana Azad’ etc.

‘Ghabbar Khatri’ is an important collection of his letters which he wrote between 1942 and 1946 during his imprisonment in Ahmednagar Fort.

According to Indian educationist Amna Kishor, although Maulana Azad’s family was very conservative, he was passionate about music.

He has written very interestingly in ‘Ghabbar Khatri’ about his weakness for good tea and good cigarettes. Of all things in his life, he loved a cup of tea the most.’

Maulana Azad died on February 22, 1958. His mausoleum is under the cover of Urdu Bazar Jamia Masjid Delhi. In 1992, the Government of India awarded him posthumously the ‘Bharat Ratna’ meaning ‘Jewel of India’ for his distinguished services in the field of science and literature.