The interview of Gazala Wahab on media ‘The Wire’ (https://www.youtube.com/
(1)- Though (anchor Karan Thapar assured that her book is graphical, anecdotal, frequently analytical, full of interesting research and illuminating history) much of the issues Gazala has raised and much of what she has narrated in this book was already in public domain. Still her book is of-course a good read and one can’t help but to read it almost from cover to cover for two reasons (i)- It compiles all the issues, opinions and incidents in a manner which makes sense (in the service of the cause) (ii)- It rightly puts religion at the top of the hierarchy (of the importance of the fields) which will be crucial for the solution of the problems of Indian Muslim that is why Gazala gives a clarion call in this book for ‘reclaim religion’ [to each Indian Muslim to become an integral part of its (Islam’s) positive evolution and change] if Indian Muslims want to not only solve their problems but also ‘If Islam is to truly become a religion for the entire mankind and for all time to come’
(2)- But her book reminds me of the situation in India in 60s when hockey was more popular game than cricket and India was faring increasingly poorly in all international games especially against Pakistan At that time the commentators used to say on media that Indian hockey team is quite capable of taking the ball up-to the D but unable to convert it into the goal. The same applies to this book of Gazala because it still misses the crucial issues of Indian State & religion.
(3)- First and foremost Gazala will have to understand that Islam in modern times is a religion rightly as per (as Gazala quoted in this book) Maulana Maududi who launched ‘the Jamat-e-Islami’ in 1941 and who criticized Jinnah that Jinnah and his acolytes would kill Islamic State in India because they in Muslim league were pretenders and not true Muslims. Maulana Maududi believed in transition from ‘Khilafat to Mulkiyat’ (from Caliphate to nation State) though due to lack of integrity Maulana Maududi later supported Muslim league which caused India’s partition in addition due to support to partition on the basis of religion by Hindu leaders (including Gandhi, Nehru, Patel etc in Congress) as mentioned Gazala too in this book.
(4)- This means that Islam will have to patronize (promote & protect) the State (which is law, national & international) of India. This idea is nothing new as it is the core principle of Jainism which was started by its first Tirthankar (prophet) Adinath, the Rishabh Dev much before any of the Abrahamic religions came into existence. But presently Jainism (with Jains merely about 1 % of Indian population) has lost its steam due its failure to update it hence Islam (with about 700 million Muslims in Indian subcontinent, the mini-SAARC region of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan) can realize the objective of ‘Khilafat to Mulkiyat’.
(5)- The partition of India on the basis of religion is legally not wrong but when population transfer on communal lines was not envisaged in ‘Indian Independence Act 1947’ then the forced population transfer (which reportedly resulted in about 1.5 million killed and about 15 million displaced in most gory situation, as Gazala has also mentioned in this book) makes partition of India illegal and (as per international law) this needs to be rectified, also in the interest of solving the problems of Indian Muslims. Another issue which is affecting the Indian Muslims adversely is Kashmir issue (as Gazala has also mentioned in this book) which needs to be resolved as per international laws otherwise Indian Muslims will not get peace. But for protecting the Indian State and rule-of-law in India (which is crucial for any State) the Indian Muslims will have to give-up the un-Islamic cowardice and it is precisely here that Gazala can help the Indian Muslim in particular and the Indian State in general.
(6)- Gazala will have to take one more matter seriously, namely the religious leadership of Indian Muslims. Whether people (including Gazala) like it or not, every religion needs religious leaders to practice the core principles of any religion. General public (the mass followers of any religion) is like the hockey team of India (as mentioned above) which can take the ball up-to the D but it is only religious leaders who know how to convert it into goals for the team. Therefore instead of criticizing the prominent present religious leadership of Islam in India, Gazala should say that which other religious leadership of Islam in India she supports or otherwise she should try to develop some one as an alternate leadership of Islam in India and if this also doesn’t work then she herself should become religious leader of Islam in India. After-all in modern times when Indian Muslim women are also having equal political rights in secular democracy (with universal adult franchises) then there is no reason why Muslim ladies should keep on criticizing male religious leaders of Islam in India and instead should not try to become themselves (ladies) the religious leaders of Indian Muslims. Therefor if Gazala is really serious about solving the problems of India Muslims then should do the following about Indian State and Islam :-
(A)- Should persuade the Indian Muslims to move the the Supreme Court of India (SCI) with following 4 petitions / writ petitions (as mentioned at https://chauthiduniya.com/
(i)- For complete justice under Article 142 of the Constitution for reviewing the so-called final judgment in Ayodhya dispute and for legally expected restoration of Status-quo-ante of Babri Masjid (which was demolished in 1992 in the presence of the Observer of SCI) before any legitimate final judgment in Ayodhya title suit because otherwise it shall be lowering the authority of court which is criminal contempt even on the part of SCI under section 2 ( c) (i) read with section 16 of Contempt of Court Act. [Gazala should not forget that this is the main issue which is the cause of rise of communal Hindutva forces (which has brought BJP in power at Center and in many States) which is presently the source of trouble for Indian Muslims (as Gazala has mentioned in this book). Therefore, without restoring rule-of-law about the Babri-masjid issue, if Indian Muslims think that their problems can be solved, then they are living in their make believe world].
(ii)- Under Article 13 & 14 of the Constitution for quashing of discriminatory (especially against Muslims) all Reservation laws which, in the name of backward castes, is giving reservations to also those castes of Hindus which once ruled in India
(iii)- Under Article 13 & 14 of the Constitution for abolishing (because discriminatory against Muslims etc and favoring Hinduism in a secular India) all the laws related to cow protection, beef eating etc which are causing lynching of Muslims and even of so-called ‘Dalits’ in India
(iv)- Regarding fixing the responsibility under sections 129, 130, 131 Cr.P.C. and punishment to executive magistrates and armed forces (who failed in promptly stopping riots Delhi 1984 & Gujarat 2002) so that any future riot (God forbid but if any) can be stopped promptly and effectively.
(B)- Writ petition in the SCI for:-
(i)- Plebiscite in united J&K [by getting united J&K free from outsiders as mandated by 1947 Instrument of Accession (IoA) of J&K to India
(ii)- Directing the GoI to work for plebiscite in Balochistan who’s IoA was taken by Pakistan under military pressure despite contrary resolution by its Parliament / Jirga.
(C )- for ‘dual-citizenship’ for about 160 million forcibly displaced and descendants of such forcibly displaced Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims (as there was no provision of population transfer in ‘Indian Independence Act 1947’).
(D)- Should herself become a religious leader of Indian Islam if no other person is available (or comes forward) as per the religious-standards of Gazala.
