Interview: Maulana Abdul Wahab Khilji

Unity can be achieved only by adhering to Tawheed

MAULANA ABDUL WAHAB KHILJI belongs to Malerkotla, Punjab. After having received his post-graduate degree in Islamic Studies from Islamic University, Medina with specialisation in Dawah and Aqeedah, he served Jamiat Ahle Hadees as its general secretary for two consecutive terms and is one of the founder members of Milli Council. He was also chief editor of Urdu fortnightly Jareeda Tarjuman for 18 years.

Maulana Khilji (second from the right) attending a conference

At present he is member of different organisations, including All India Muslim Personal Law Board. In an interview with MOHAMMAD SHAHABUDDIN he said Tauheed (Islamic monotheism) forms the bedrock of Islam; without Tauheed unity of the Ummah cannot be imagined.

What Jamiat Ahle Hadees has been doing for the uplift of Indian Muslims?
Jamiat Ahle Hadees is basically an educational and Dawah organisation. It has constantly been striving to address the problems of Muslim Ummah. It tries its best to solve the problems in the light of the teachings of the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

What strides the Jamiat made during your stint with it as general-secretary?
We did our best to raise the standards of discipline in the organisation. You know, an organization cannot survive without abiding by certain rules and regulations, and discipline. In order to rejuvenate the organisation, we made trips to different cities, district headquarters, towns and villages. I personally visited Assam, Orissa, Jharkhand, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. These were the places where the organisation was fledgling. We also paid attention to the issues related to the youth, who, I believe, are the soul of the Ummah. I observed that some people were misleading youth regarding fundamentals of Islam and trying to attract them towards un-Islamic trends in society. Thus, we strived to encourage Muslim youth to take up some constructive tasks to be carried out. We called upon them to have Islamic approach. A large number of
youth gave positive response and renounced their extreme approach to the various problems. In order to unite I organised an all-India convention in 1989 in the Capital and launched a youth organisation Shubban-e-Ahle Hadees. But I am afraid, it couldn't delivered as was expected.
However, its message reached to different parts of the country. Apart from them, I tried to make a good rapport with different Muslim organisations and groups. We became, to a large extent, successful in removing some misconceptions about the Jamiat.

What part the Jamiat has played for Muslim unity?

We stood united along with other Muslim organisations and groups in the face of cropping up of any problem confronting the community so that we can solve it in the
light of Divine guidance. We try to reach the Muslims at large teaching them to be united.

What course of action do you suggest to be adopted by Muslim leaders and masses in order to strengthen the bonds of Muslim unity?

See, there are some prerequisites for unity in any section of society anywhere in the world. We have to resort to Islamic principles when we proceed to this direction. Tauheed (monotheism) forms the bedrock of Islam. Without following this belief in letter and spirit unity can't be imagined. This is why Allah, the Almighty, has proclaimed in His Holy Book: “And verily this Ummah of yours is a single Ummah and I am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore worship Me (and none other).” Whenever there is a diversion from this bedrock belief, there creeps in ignorance and arrogance.
It is a good sign that there are several joint forums of Muslims to tackle different issues like Muslim Personal Law Board, Milli Council, and Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat.

What is your opinion about Hindu-Muslim unity?
Unity with Non-Muslims can be achieved on the basis of the Qur'anic principle: 'Help one another in acts of righteousness and piety; and do not help one another in sin and transgression’.

Although you had been associated with a particular organisation, how it came to you to join Milli Council?
I have been associated with Mill Council since its inception. I was one of its founder members. I have been on its executive committee for a long time. I had close acquaintance with late Qazi Mujahidul Islam Qasmi, who was the founder of the Council. Qazi sahib proposed to me two times the post of general-secretary, but I actually had no time to spare since I was already occupied with the responsibility of the Jamiat, as its general-secretary.

What could be done to avoid the differences over seeing of the moon (before Eid), as impinges on the unity of the Ummah?

It is the responsibility of Ulema of various schools and representatives of Muslim organisations to sit together and reach a consensus.
We can also follow the case of other Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia. There if the moon is sighted anywhere in the country, Eid is celebrated across the country. This time in Delhi, the celebration of Eid on two different days was an unusual kind of incident. It happened due to communication gap. There were some people who didn't wait and declared in the early hours of night that the next day was not Eid. Newspapers had also been briefed. The witnesses were turned up late, thus, the people on this task opined that the declaration had already been made and then it would not be proper to revert it. But
according to my point of view, it was also not proper to observe fast when witnesses had approached the authority entrusted with this task.
Yes, it could have been done that the people who had witnessed the moon and those believing in their version could not observe the fast on that day, but wait for a day to celebrate Eid together with others for the sake of the unity in the community.

What are the aims of the Milli Council and what are its achievements?

Milli Council is an organization which has risen to heights in a short span of time. The Council has taken different initiatives to solve different issues related to the nation and the community. For example, the Council was the first to address the issue of TADA.

Some Muslims and a section of media refuse to accept the status of Muslim Personal Law Board as a joint forum of Indian Muslims - of which you're also a member?


There is a class of so-called modern Muslim intellectuals who have their own viewpoint regarding Islam and issues of Indian Muslims. The Press too has its own standpoints and prejudices. The AIMPLB is a united platform of Indian Muslims. There's not a shred of doubt in it. And it has achieved great success in its aims.


(Published in Radiance Viewsweekly, 12-18 December 2004)

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Interview: Maulana Muhammad Farooq Khan

The Qur'an is Replete with Elegance and Eloquence

MAULANA MUHAMMAD FAROOQ KHAN, an eminent Islamic scholar, poet and writer, was born in 1932 in Karpi village of Sultanpur, UP. He did his Post-Graduation in Hindi literature. He started his career with teaching at Azamgarh. Afterwards he switched over to writing, as he had a knack for it. His first work was translation of the Holy Qur'an into the Hindi language. His compilation of Ahadith (Traditions of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him) with commentary named Kalaam-e-Nabuwwat in four volumes has been widely acclaimed.

Besides this a number of books on various subjects like Dawah, guidance, personality development and comparative study of religions are to his credit. He writes both in the Hindi and Urdu languages. He has also translated many books from Arabic and Urdu into Hindi. His anthologies of poems Harf-o-Sada and Chitij ke Par have been published in Urdu and Hindi respectively.



Here is excerpts from his talk with MOHAMMAD SHAHABUDDIN


You are known as a writer, poet and translator of the Holy Qur'an. Which subject is of your greatest interest?
Qur'aniyat (Qur'anic science) is the subject of great interest to me. I have rendered the Holy Qur'an into Hindi and Urdu and also translated the Tarjuma-e-Quran with explanatory notes of Maulana Maududi into Hindi.


How did you start your career?
I started my career as a teacher. During that period, I also used to contribute articles to various Urdu magazines like Burhaan, Zindagi-e-Nau and Tajalli on various Islamic subjects. Later, I completely devoted myself to research and writing on different disciplines of Islamic sciences.

How did the idea of translating the Qur'an come to you?
I was teaching at a High school in Azamgarh. Once, Maulana Abdul Hai, a renowned Islamic scholar, set up a bookstall in a conference of the Congress Party. Many non-Muslim customers expressed their desire to buy Hindi translation of the Qur'an. But up till then no translation was published. Maulana Abdul Hai proposed to me to render the Holy Qur'an into Hindi. I got ready with all my heart. Maulana Kausar Yazdani

Nadwi, Maulana Amanullah Islahi and Maulana Sadruddm Islahi also helped me in this great task. Afterwards, the translation was published with short explanatory notes prepared by myself.



How did you find the Qur'an in the course of translation?
From literary point of view, I realised that the language and diction of the Holy Qur'an is closer to poetry than to prose. It is the most influential book I've ever studied. It works at two levels. For a man of letters and learning, the Holy Qur'an is replete with elegance and eloquence. And to a common reader it is simple and lucid.



You have done a comparative study of all the prominent religions. Did you find anything common in different religions of the world?


Yes, one thing that is common to all religions of the world is that they answer the most fundamental craving of man. Man is relentlessly in pursuit of perfection. He wants to attain spiritual peace and success. And this is what every religion claims to provide for him.


What are your engagements these days?

At present, I am compiling sixth volume of Kalaam-e- Nabuwwat. The fifth volume is already in press. It is a subject- wise compilation of Traditions of the Prophet with short notes and commentary.


If the Vedas propound the doctrine of Oneness of God then from where polytheism crept into the Hindu society?
Hindu brethren merely adore the Vedas in name, while they are more attached to the Puranas. which are 18 in number, and other books written later by scholars of Hinduism.


What should be Muslims' attitude to the Hindi language?
Hindi is the national language and a large section of the country speaks it. From Dawah point of view, too. We should learn this language, so that we could properly and intelligibly convey our message. We Muslims should contribute our due to the Hindi language and literature. For the dissemination of Islamic thoughts through the medium of literature there is a literary forum, Idara Adab-e-Islami Hind which mainly uses Urdu only. But we find no such forum for the Hindi literature.

In the Indian context, it is inevitable to form such type of cultural and literary forums for the dissemination of the message of Islam to the Hindi-speaking people. Hindi scholars across the country, who are willing to serve the cause of Islam, should be brought under one banner and encouraged to work. And why only in Hindi, in regional languages also, Islamic thoughts must make their entry in different literary genres like poems, short stories, novels, etc.

What remedy do you suggest for the present malaise of Muslim community?
The foremost thing that I would like to say is that all the Muslims across the globe should have Milli Shaoor (community consciousness). Islam is the natural way of life chosen by God Himself. Its basic principles are crystal clear. Many things of secondary importance in Islam have been left at the discretion of the believer. It gives ample flexibility to its believers in dealing with the affairs of life.

When there is freedom of choice, the differences in viewpoint are quite natural. Giving undue importance to minor issues in religion can lead the community to sectarianism. This is averse to the integrity of any community. Muslims have assignment from Allah to check all types of mischief and injustice. They have been deployed with a universal objective. Diversion from the true objective gives birth to narrow-mindedness. Therefore, they should adopt universal and broadminded approach to all the worldly affairs.


What do you think about the present system of education in Madrasas?
I believe there is an urgent need of reviewing and reconsidering the syllabus of madrasas. It is widely observed that the madrasa students feel themselves inferior to university students. They fall prey to a sense of inferiority and fail to do their religious duties properly. It is not necessary for every madrasa graduate to be a Maulvi (cleric).

Those who are willing to render their services in the religious field as Imams or madrasa teachers can do. It should be left to their own choice to adopt any profession in either religious or general fields. Such educational reforms should be made in madrasas as the students passing out from there may be able to avail all the opportunities being availed by university students.

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