When Maulanas become strong Indian Nationalists

Raziuddin Aquil 

Maulana Mahmood Madani has given to me a copy of this book on his grandfather by much respected Professor Barbara D. Metcalf, 'Husain Ahmad Madani: The Jihad for Islam and India's Freedom', Makers of the Muslim World Series, Oxford: Oneworld, 2009.

Several significant and interesting things may be noticed here. Maulana Husain Ahmad Madani (1879 - 1957) of the seemingly conservative Deoband school of theologians argued, in years leading to 1947 Partition, for a strong composite Indian nationalism (muttahida qaumiyat). The Deobandi ulama (religious scholars) understood the importance of subcontinental unity among Muslims rather than ruptures as Pakistanis, Indians and Bangladeshis (as the latter also broke away to form a nation of their own). Much as nationalism has emerged as a dubious category, Indian Deobandi theologians have continued to advocate for the geographical unity as a crucial marker of the nation and not a narrower framework of religion, which goes against the amazing cultural diversities that exists as in India and elsewhere.

This perspective emerges in Husain Ahmad Madani's treatise on inclusive nationalism, which rejected Muslim League's demand for Pakistan and saw a better future for all in a consolidated subcontinental political formation, rather than in divided nations which have seen so much violence against one another and creating internal difficulties as well. For, nation states formed on 19th-century European ideas are bound to fail.

Just as the Deobandis in India have persistently taken an intelligent position in relation to contemporary politics, they have also attracted some fine historians and scholars to speak for them. Professor Ziya-ul-Hasan Faruqi of Jamia Millia Islamia wrote an interesting short book on 'The Deoband School and the Demand for Pakistan'. Later, Professor Barbara Metcalf became a veritable 'Wahhabi' for the deep understanding she developed for the movement through her rigorous scholarly research on the 19th-century Muslim response to the colonial challenge and vilification. Her book, 'Islamic Revival in British India, Deoband, 1860-1900', is highly recommended. Professor Metcalf has subsequently published this biography of Husain Ahmad Madani, besides a number of articles on related themes put together in a volume called, 'Islamic Contestations: Essays on Muslims in India and Pakistan'.

The book on Husain Ahmad Madani has been published as part of the well-known series, Makers of the Muslim World, general editor of which is Professor Patricia Crone. The latter might be suspected as having continued to work with the older Orientalist framework, the enduring agenda of which was to demonise Islam, but issuing fatwas against anyone is not good. The series itself has brought out biographies of over two dozen leading historical personalities of the Muslim world, including several prominent political and cultural figures from the subcontinent - people who have left a lasting legacy for posterity. The biographies relevant to this discussion include: Amir Khusrau (by Sunil Sharma) and Akbar (by Andre Wink) from the medieval and early modern eras and Ahmad Raza Khan Barelwi (by Usha Sanyal) and Ashraf Ali Thanawi (by Muhammad Qasim Zaman) of the 19th and 20th centuries. 

Identity contestations and ideological arguments have often marred our understanding of the culture and politics in both the past and the present. The more advisable proposition is to develop a broad historical and philosophical perspective and, thus, steer clear of the pettiness of the time - maintaining what we like to call graceful historical distance.

As organic intellectuals and community leaders, the Maulanas need to politically intervene on issues of justice and for safeguarding cultural markers, as in the Indian case with reference to Islam and democracy. Some of them have played this role with considerable sophistication and responsibility, and, therefore, remain relevant in all contexts. In this case, showing light to others as strong patriots and nationalists!