His wisdom is reflected in his attempt to use the Islamic tradition and the authority of Quran to formulate a political theory for Indian Muslims to join with Hindus and resist the oppressive colonial regime. The struggle for freedom he said was anchored on concepts that lay at the heart of Islam; establishment of justice, equality, fraternity, and humanity.It was two months after August 1947 when the worst communal killings had taken place that he addressed the Delhi Muslims from the steps of Jama Masjid. These killings would rip apart the very essence of amalgamating existing diversities into a union. A nation that had liberated itself from the colonial clutches was confronted with communalism that had seeped into its gullies and mohallahs. Azad as prophet and witness explained, once again, his ideals and philosophy to the dispirited and disillusioned Delhi Muslims.“It was not long ago when I warned you that the two-nation theory was dead knell. ‘Leave it’ I said. These foundations which you trusted are breaking up very fast. To all my remonstrations you turned a deaf ear. Times sped by fast and now you have discovered that the so-called anchors of your fate have set you adrift.” Then he said, almost plaintively, with the pain of a father whose progeny had gone wrong, “The partition of India was a fundamental mistake. The manner in which religious differences were incited, inevitably, led to the devastation that we have seen with our own eyes.”Today on his 64th death anniversary India is experiencing deadly convulsions within the currents of politics of hate that are swirling around. Azad’s words spoken at the 1940 Congress Convention about the ‘joint wealth of Hindu Muslim ittehad’ are confronted today by calls for Muslim genocide at Dharam Sansads and cartoons of 38 Muslims hung by judicial order. The story is too long for a single article so let me end it with a couplet of the poet Sauda which he quotes in a letter about the death of his wife while he was incarcerated in Alipur Jail.Sauda Khuda ke wastey kar qissa mukhtasar/Apni to neend ud gayi tere fasane se. (For Godsake shorten your tale O Sauda/Your tale has blown away my sleep).
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