Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Awqaf have always remained an integral part of Islamic history, which aimed at improving economic and educational condition of the Muslims and provide them support in the welfare work and promotes prosperity. The waqf system is in operation since the time of the Holy Prophet SAW and it was through this medium that the welfare and development works were carried out. Awqaf constitute a collective asset of the Muslims, which have assisted different communities and societies in the promotion of their social and educational undertakings. The concept of Waqf is in vogue ever since the time of the Prophet SAW. The waqf introduced by Caliph Umar RA is a famous institution through which the land of Khyber was converted into a waqf property, so that the profit accruing from it could be used for the welfare works of the community. From the time of the Pious Caliphate up to the later Islamic periods, waqf properties were used for the   establishment of educational institutions, mosques, orphanages and hospitals.

IOS receives “Best NGO Award of the Year (National)” from Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP)

Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi, has been presented with “Best NGO Award of the Year (National)” in recognition of its outstanding contribution in Upliftment of Society and Nation Building at the 4th National Awards for Social Excellence 2024 held on 15th August, 2024 at Chennai. Mr. Mohamed Haneef Katib, Coordinator, IOS Chennai Chapter, received the award on behalf of the Institute.

The United Nations in 2022 declared March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia. Now it has decided to have a special envoy onboard to initiate specific actions to combat Islamophobia. DR MOHAMMAD MANZOOR ALAM hopes the decision will go a long way towards addressing the problem.

The two-party system is not good for the American democracy and, by extension, for the world. Smaller parties and their candidates must be promoted by the electorate, observes DR MOHAMMAD MANZOOR ALAM

The world is witnessing conflicts and wars on multiple continents besides being afflicted with economic inequality, environmental degradation, moral depravity and political chicanery. In such troubled times, Islam can guide us to the straight path, observes DR. MOHAMMAD MANZOOR ALAM.

The Caste Survey campaign – its intent and urge to challenge the Brahminical hegemony, is born out of Mandal doctrine which shook the political landscape in India in the past.

DR. MOHAMMAD MANZOOR ALAM argues the case for upholding the rule of law, resolving conflicts peacefully and strengthening respect for human rights.

At a time when the world is witnessing conflicts and wars on multiple continents, it becomes incumbent upon us to argue the case for peaceful conflict resolution, restraining the use of force, upholding the rule of law and inculcating respect for human rights.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Indian Constitution is comprehensive since it is secular in the first instance and embraces the rights of all groups, all classes of people and communities. The constituents produced a constitution which aimed at granting equal rights to all people, making it sure that no one has supremacy and privilege over others, no discrimination is made against any person, those communities and groups of people who were denied justice, equality and freedom, those who were deprived of human rights and subjected to oppression and barbarity- all of them should get justice, status of equality, no one should be despised on the ground of caste, region, language, or for any other reason. 

New Delhi, Dec. 15, 2023: With immense grief and sorrow, Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam, Chairman, Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi, offers his deep condolence on the sad demise of Prof. Dr. Syed Khalid Rashid, who passed away today morning after a prolonged illness in Malaysia, Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajewoon!

Save the Constitution and Freedom of the Country by Dr. M. Manzoor Alam 

Save the Constitution and Freedom of the Country - (islamicvoice.com)

Celebrated intellectual, General Secretary of All India Milli Council and Chairman, Institute of Objective Studies, Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam is seriously sick these days and under treatment at Delhi’s Max Hospital. Though bed-ridden, he has issued the following statement addressing thinkers, intellectuals, heads and responsible persons of different organisations:

“Climate change is affecting almost every aspect of human life. At times reports on the issue read like a horror story. The situation calls for action with great urgency,” observes DR MOHAMMAD MANZOOR ALAM

I’m reading a report on climate change and farming in the context of China in The Economist (‘A growing problem’, July 15th 2023). The report turns the spotlight on massive floods and scorching heat in the country and the toll they are taking on the farmers besides affecting food supplies. It seems the situation will get worse in future.

We need to bring about an urgent reform in the education system as a huge number of unemployed as well as unemployable youth could jeopardise India’s economic development, warns DR MOHAMMAD MANZOOR ALAM

I have always believed that education is the key to economic growth and human development. Good quality education is a necessary precondition for advances in social sciences and humanities, science and technology, as well as agriculture and healthcare sectors. It ensures efficient public administration as well as private sector growth. Above all, education guarantees an individual’s right to a dignified life.

“Artificial Intelligence can revolutionise our economy and society; however, it should be regulated to make it humane,” observes DR MOHAMMED MANZOOR ALAM

French poet, playwright and novelist Victor Hugo once remarked, “You can resist an invading army; you cannot resist an idea whose time has come.” Today Artificial Intelligence (AI) is such an idea.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

In democracy people are the mightiest. Who will hold the supreme authority, which party will form the government are the decisions people make, but practically this is demonstrated when people exercise their intellect, they are awakened, they know their rights and the power of their vote.  When people understand the power of their vote, they exercise it judiciously and entrust power to a party which shows concern for the welfare of the people, ensures peace in the country and respects the rights of the people. 

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has again created history after winning Turkey’s presidency that cements his two-decade long tenure as head of the state.

I have closely watched Mr. Erdogan’s phenomenal rise from being a mayor of Istanbul in the 1990s to becoming prime minister in 2003. And now he becomes president for the third time.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

We take pride in the fact that India is the world’s largest democracy. We feel fully justified in celebrating our democracy as we have independent institutions such as judiciary and election commission, for checks and balances. If a peaceful transition of power is a mark of a mature democracy, we can claim that we are a mature one. Above all, we have a wonderful constitution that promises us liberty, equality, fraternity and justice. This remarkable document intends for our country to be governed by the rule of law. It is based on the principles of “inalienable rights of citizens, independence of judiciary, free and fair elections and freedom of the press”.

New Delhi, Feb. 20: Prof. Akbar Husain (Retired), Department of Psychology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, and Member, General Assembly, Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi, was invited by the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Chikushi Jogajuen University, Fukuoken-ken, Japan, to deliver Open Guest Lectures on Psychological Well-being on February 09, 2023 and Social Well-being in Indian Context (Global Psychological Support Possibilities) on February 10, 2023.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Since time immemorial, India has been home to various cultures, customs, and traditions, and it has accommodated followers of several religions who have been conducting their social life according to their own customs and personal law. India is also a secular and democratic country, but here the meaning of secularism is different from how it is understood in Europe, where secularism means distancing from religion, in other words, not believing in any religion.

New Delhi, January 20, 2023: With immense grief and sorrow, the Chairman, office-bearers, and members of staff of the Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi, offers its deep condolence on the sad demise of Dr. Nafees Ahmad Siddiqui, who passed away yesterday morning at New Delhi.

The book under review is an outcome of understanding the social exclusion, ethnoreligious discrimination, and current political system and culture in India. It dwells on the exclusion and discrimination of Muslims in the sphere of power, opportunities, and equality.A collection of nineteen essays of reputed academicians focus on the concept of minority, understanding communalism, crucial aspects of the Constitution, the judiciary’s response, enforcement agencies, sociological study of Muslim labourers, and educational backwardness of Muslims in the country.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

When we assess the progress of a country, it is often the social indicators that decide the country’s development and the well-being of its people.  India has repeatedly scored poorly on social indices in many sectors in recent times. When we talk about the progress of any society, one of its indicators of development is lower crime rates which consequently open a series of multilayered discourses on prison and its inhabitants.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

G20, a strategic intergovernmental forum, was established in 1999 as a response to the financial crisis of the 1990s. Comprising of 20 members (19 countries and the European Union) that constitute the world’s 85 per cent share of the GDP and 60 per cent of the world population, the main objective of G20 is to deal with the pressing global economic and geopolitical issues. G20 members include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. The members meet annually to deliberate on achieving economic stability and delve into other critical challenges faced by the member countries and their impact on the global economy. 

Uploaded on November 26, 2022

The following letter dated 24th November 2022, was sent by Dr. M. Manzoor Alam, Chairman, Institute of Objective Studies, to Datuk Seri Dr. Anwar Ibrahim, Newly-Elect Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

The dates for upcoming assembly elections of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh have been declared, and it is our responsibility and duty to take part in them with open eyes and awakened sensibilities. It is very interesting to note that, unlike many first-world countries, independent India adopted a very progressive approach in granting voting rights to everyone without discriminating on the basis of class, caste, gender, etc.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Democracy is defined by the participation and free will of the people it governs. Democratic states are ought to maintain the quintessence of democracy—equality, justice, liberty, and fraternity—that sets it apart from other forms of governance. The landscape of the world’s largest democracy, as decided by its framers, was set at the core of supremacy and freedom of choice of its ordinary people, empowering the people to have a voice in matters relating to their socio-economic, cultural and political well-being. The strength of India’s democracy has been compromised, following multiple incidents that violated the essence of democracy in the last few years, especially for the last eight years. The lack of accountability and the deafening silence showcased by the authority has further deepened the withering of democratic ethos.

Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi has been presented with Mahatma Award 2022 for Social Good and its Impact on October 1, 2022 at IIC, New Delhi

The 'Mahatma Awards' were constituted and inspired by the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi in 2017 in the United States and for the past few years national and international organizations have been awarded in New York City and New Delhi. The year 2019 on the eve of 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi the award was brought to India and awarded to Organization and Individuals from Government, Corporate Sector, Nonprofit, Development Sector and Public Sector in India. The Award is supported by Aditya Birla Group and Eternal Gandhi Initiative.

An article of Zafar Anwar - Published in Akhbar-e-Mashrique on 2nd September 2022

The Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi, with a consistent 36 years tradition of contributing always to nation building through objective studies and healthy practices of academics, took part in the ongoing celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, an initiative of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India to  commemorate the celebration of 75 years of  Independence of India,  and organised a flag-hoisting programme at its premises followed by a lecture on "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav: The Significance of Tiranga"  delivered by Prof. M. Afzal Wani,  Pro-Vice Chancellor, IILM University, Greater Noida, Vice-Chairman, Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi, and Former Member of the Law Commission of India on August 13, 2022. 

Uploaded on August 10, 2022

Viewpoint

WHY DISPARITY IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF LAW?

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Legislation and its implementation are very significant in any society, country and organization for the preservation of peace, security and the protection of human rights. Every institution is guided by rules and regulations. Laws and the Constitution are framed to run every ordinary institution and country so that a well-organized course of action is in place to ensure peace, security and complacency for everyone. Therefore, laws are defined as a system devised on the basis of accumulative principles, which any institution enforces to organize a particular society; this serves as the foundation of the collective attitude, affairs and performance of any society.

The following letter was sent by Dr. M. Manzoor Alam, Chairman of IOS to Mr. Joe Biden, President of United States of America on August 2, 2022 through H.E. The Ambassador, The Embassy of United States of America in India, New Delhi.

Over the years, technology has changed by leaps and bounds. The technological advancement in each sector has revolutionized our society and economy to a great length. We cannot escape and ignore technology at any cost. The use of technology has changed how we work, access information, learn, teach, etc. The abundance of access to technology and its tools in contemporary times is a testimony to prophecies made in reference to technological advances. 

 “FOLLOWING RAMADAN DEMONSTRATE PERSISTENCE AND PRUDENCE!”

Message given by Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam on the eve of Eid-ul Fitr 

In an interview with the Millat Times (Urdu daily, Delhi), published on May 2, 2022, on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr, Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam, General Secretary, All India Milli Council, said that the Blessed Month of Ramadan is bidding farewell. Guided by the Divine help, we tried to benefit ourselves from this month; we kept fast, offered prayers, recited the Holy Qur’an, tried to understand its meaning and commentary, gave charity and did our best by all possible means to create strong bonds with our Lord.  We should also think if, in the context of the prevailing circumstances, we are ready to get necessary lessons from the Noble Qur’an. Dr. Manzoor Alam said that it is necessary to reflect on such questions.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

The development of any society and country depends on the delivery of justice. Social justice, harmony in society and the prevention of riots guarantee the progress and growth of humanity. A country or society can be called developed in the real sense only if justice thrives there, and people’s life, property and honour are secure; where people are allowed to speak the truth and live with full freedom, feeling safe; where people are confident that if they are oppressed, action will be taken against the transgressors who will be booked under the law of the land, and criminals will get due punishment for their misdeeds. When there is assurance that the Judiciary will deliver justice and police will perform their duty honestly, while investigative agencies will act without any bias, and if it happens, the transgressors and criminals will not dare to oppress and coerce the innocent in future. 

New Delhi, April 28, 2022: An Iftaar program, followed by dinner, was hosted by the Institute of Objective Studies for its staff members in the conference hall of the Institute yesterday. It was joined by the staff of All India Milli Council, Ta’awun Trust and Feature and News Alliance (FANA), besides the Chairman of the IOS, Dr. M. Manzoor Alam, General Secretary, Prof. Z.M. Khan and Finance Secretary, Mohammad Alam.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

The main objectives of government formation for building the country and establishment of democracy revolve around giving rights to people, creating equality in society, ensuring justice to every individual and guaranteeing people’s freedom. Several departments are established to implement this basic agenda; such departments are kept apart from each other and are given functional autonomy.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Oh, you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may learn piety and righteousness” [Quran, 2:183] 

Islam categorizes the month of Ramadan as sacred, contemplative, and full of kindness and positivity. Muslims are given one dedicated month (Ramadan) to reflect on their deeds and try to become the best version of themselves. This Holy month is not just about fasting; fasting is just one of the many aspects. It opens many avenues to seek refuge under the guidance of Allah and repent for all the sins committed knowingly or unknowingly. 

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

It is an obligatory duty of every society to secure women’s rights, making their freedom certain, granting equality and protection by all means. Islam and the Merciful Qur’an have paid special attention to this aspect, stating all kinds of rights given to women. Besides Islam, other religions too have emphasised women’s rights, focusing on their freedom and protection of their modesty and chastity. Yet, there exist, even today, several societies where women are not given respect and protection; women there are exploited, denied equality and freedom.

Political Empowerment of Kashmiri women at the grassroots level

By Zafarul-Islam Khan

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

The framers of our Constitution dreamt of an ideal nation, which aspired to be inclusive and respected the nation's rich diversity. Striving at the nation's prosperity and progress, India's Constitution embraced a democratic ethos that was ahead of its time. The far-sightedness of these leaders could be summed up as phenomenal. The extensive constitutional debates at the time of its formation is a testimony to the efforts put in by the founding fathers of our nation to make India an inclusive country that it intended for.

BOOK REVIEW

Malika B. Mistry (2021). Muslim Women in India Education and Exposure to Media. New Delhi: Genuine  Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd., pp. 212, price INR 895.00.

By N. Benjamin, Professor, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune, Maharashtra.

Jharkhand Journal of Development and Management Studies
XISS, Ranchi, Vol. 19,  No. 4,  October-December 2021,  pp. 9067-9069

Muslim Khawateen aur Hijab: Fikr ke Naye Goshe by Kethirine Bollock

Rethinking Muslim Women and the Veil: Challenging Historical and Modern Stereotypes by Katherine Bullock

The discourse around hijab or headscarf being oppressive is not new. From European to South-Asian countries, all of them have, at some point, made it controversial to an extent to get this piece of clothing banned (France). 

Assembly elections 2022 in five Indian States will be held between February 10 and March 7 for which polling will take place in several phases. Elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur have assumed great significance in the present environment. Among the five election-bound states, Uttar Pradesh is the most important state, which is presently under Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) rule, and BJP has in its kit bag nothing but prejudices and promises. 

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

The pandemic metamorphosed into tragedy for people across countries. It was more brutal for the unprivileged who suffered on many fronts. In India, the second wave turned people’s lives upside down; many lost their lives, loved ones, social and economic security, mental health, etc. In a democracy, if a country undergoes a tragedy, the government is expected to function accordingly, especially keeping in focus the needs of marginalised sections, who bear the brunt of such humanitarian crises. The budget is one such policy that gives people hope for a better life, where all the sections of society eagerly lookout for schemes and plan for their representation in society with equity.

Throughout the freedom struggle movement of India, Muslims played a quintessential role, which remains largely sidelined in the nationalist narrative of the nation. The exclusion of Muslims in the narrative is manifold- the historical bias and hatred leading to "othering" of the community, to say the least. In the present times, Muslims are often questioned by the Hindutva forces and asked to prove their patriotism to the country. Clearly, it is in conflict with the historical facts of Muslims and their contribution to the making of Independent India.

The IOS has been proactive in bringing Muslims and their experience into the mainstream narrative of India at large through research, academic programs, publication, etc. Below is a list of literature based on the historical facts published by the IOS to highlight the glorious participation of Muslims in the independence movement of 1947.

The book Vision 2025 Social Economic Inequalities: Why Does India’s Economic Growth Need n Inclusive Agenda is an excellent work by Amir Ullah Khan and Abdul Azim Akhtar on the exclusion study of Indian Muslims. The book is very successful in representing the socio-economic status of the Indian Muslim in-depth, systematic and full of evidentiary articulations. 

Book Review

QURANIC GUIDANCE: THERAPY AND ISLAMIC COUNSELLING INTERVENTIONS

by Akbar Hussain. New Delhi, Institute of Objective Studies, 2021, pp. 76. ISBN: 9789384973971.

The need for trained Muslim counsellors to serve as chaplains has grown exponentially in our times owing to peoples’ modern lifestyles. And as Islam is an all-embracing way of life that caters for the needs of those in distress, in hospital, prison or at home, the author has accomplished a valuable task in encapsulating both the theory and practice of counselling along the Islamic lines. 

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Democracy, secularism, and composite culture constitute the peculiar identity of India. For centuries, followers of different religions, cultures, languages, racial groups, castes, and regions have been living together. All these features have conferred on India a peculiarity and significance, but in the present time, conspiracies are being hatched to destroy the fabric of the composite culture of India. In the cover of religious extremism, the country is being ruined. By putting forward extremist religious predators, plots are being made to pitch followers of different religions against each other.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Occurrences related to violence, hatred and communalism are on the rise. Political leaders and some protégé having links with political parties are bent upon spitting venom. Many a people occupying high offices act venomously and carry venom in their voice against Muslims; they cross all limits in their malicious treatment of minorities, Dalits and the weak. Such leaders and hate-mongers include persons from top to bottom. The latest statement from RSS Chief, Mohan Bhagvat, in which he talks about Muslims’ “Coming Home” (Ghar Wapsi). In the course of a programme, he urged the participants to take an oath to work on the ground for Muslims’ coming home.  Preceding this event, he falsified history saying Islam reached India by the use of sword and through invaders. Sometimes, he says that all citizens of Bharat are Hindus. Scores of his statements promote violence, hurting the sentiments of minorities, while also violating the rights to equality, justice and freedom.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

All Humans are the Children of Adam, the Father of all humans across the world. Humans living in America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and humans living in any part of the world, or living on the moon or wherever he has settled, all of them share a common descent. All humans trace back their genealogy to Adam.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

26th November is observed as the Constitution Day in India- the Constitution was adopted on 26th November 1949, following the ardent and extensive deliberations after India's Independence in 1947. The framers of the Constitution are still remembered for their dedicated effort to put forward a holistic and inclusive document, which aimed for political, social, economic, and cultural equality amongst the people of India.

Book Review

The book Muslim Women in India Education and Exposure to Media by Malika B. Mistry

Addressing gender disparity in Muslim education by M.A. Siraj

New initiatives have shown that more and more Muslim women can be brought into educational mainstream across all markers like literacy, general enrolment ratio, academic attainments and media exposure.

Conditions today are, to a great extent, similar to the conditions, which had been created in the country at the time of the foundation of the All India Milli Council. We may recall the memories of the year 1992 when the entire country was thrown into the fierce fire of communalism, putting into dust the real identity of India, which consists of democracy, secularism, and unity in diversity. In such an atmosphere, the All India Millia Council embarked on its noble journey. All Praises are for Allah that under the patronage of Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadvi, with the guidance of the jurist of his time, Maulana Qazi Mujahidul Islam Qasmi, and in association with innumerable theologians and intellectuals, the All India Milli Council reached several milestones.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam 

Pegasus, owned by the Israeli tech company, NSO Group, is spyware that, once planted in a device, transmits all the details without any prior approval or even a click by an individual. It made headlines in India in November 2019.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

World is susceptible. Conditions change every next day. In comparison to the past, the picture of the present tends to be different, while the idea of the future rests on a distinct notion. In the preceding century, some changes came about. In the last fifteen years, conditions are changing at a fast pace. 

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

“Every 11 minutes, someone dies of hunger” - Oxfam

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam 

“The law is meant to be my servant, not my master, my torturer and my murderer.” - James Baldwin.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

For centuries, Bharat has been an embodiment of diverse cultures and languages. The salient feature of the country is that it is a home to different communities representing a variety of culture. One territory, one region, but each of them represents a distinct lifestyle and diverse culture in the society. Eating and drinking habits, dressing styles, etc. have been dissimilar from each other, still this is such a distinctive quality of Bharat, which is not seen in the entire world. History is a witness to diverse communities, people from different strata and races living in Bharat with their distinct culture.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Five years ago, when Saudi Arabia proposed Vision 2030, the highlight of the project was improving the economy of the Kingdom, along with bringing reforms in governance, laws, socio-political and cultural sectors, and environmental-related issues. Today, the status of the ongoing project stands firm and clear, moving swiftly towards the end goal. Saud bin Mohammad Al-Sati, Saudi's Ambassador to India, very proudly listed out some of the achievements of Vision 2030. The objective of modernizing and transforming the administration with a diversified approach to policies and laws has been fruitful for the Kingdom as more than 45 percent of the 500 promised reforms have been successfully delivered. 

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

The swift takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban had left the world aghast and shocked. After two decades of the Imperialist occupation of the country, the Taliban has emerged as the lone winner as the American-backed Afghan administration dissolved within a few days. This takeover would prove to be a game-changer in the geopolitical scenario and the international political relationships between countries.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

In our considered opinion collective leadership is absolutely indispensable to assure progress of Muslims; to resolve numerous issues; to create mutual amity and harmony; to avoid confusion, eradicate disintegration and promote national integration. So long as collective leadership does not spring up into existence, collective leadership will not emerge.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Amidst  the  edge  of  the  second  wave  of  the  pandemic,  India  celebrated  its  75th anniversary  of  freedom.  The  milestone  was  honored  with  seeking  pride  in  India's achievements over the last few years.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Allah the Almighty has entrusted to the Muslim ummah the responsibility of the leadership of communities, their guidance and treading them on the straight path. The Holy Qur’an has made it clear that the Muslim ummah should feel concerned for communities, admonish them, bring them on the straight path, and to save those who have gone astray. Responsibility of performing this task is given to the Muslim ummah. Besides this, it is demanded from the collective leadership that it should implement the commands of Allah the Praiseworthy; the ummah is expected to give effect to the messages of Allah the Almighty on our land by means of collective leadership. The ummah is also required, in the wake of circumstances of the present time, to give precedence to collective leadership.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam 

“Majoritarian tendencies, whenever and however they arise, must be questioned against this background of our constitutive promise.” — Justice Chandrachud

Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam

The spiral of Covid-19 across the country has exposed our unpreparedness for this scale of national health emergency. Sadly, instead of concentrating on the fight against the deadly pandemic some media outlets are still trying to blame (without justification, of course) Muslims for the spread of the disease. In short, they are not interested in fighting the disease, but in a communal campaign against Muslims. 

Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam

The Corona conundrum is deepening everyday as a spike is reported from most areas. There is a great scarcity of beds in government hospitals. Only till a couple of weeks ago the rich were certain that they would get a bed, emergency equipment and critical care in one of the several private hospitals in metros, even if it costs them Rs. 20 lakh for a period of hospitalisation. However, now these costly hospitals are reporting severe shortage of beds and critical equipment like ventilators.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam
General Secretary, All India Milli Council

Taqwa (piety) enriches humans with great virtues. Taqwa means being conscious and cognizant of Allah, of truth, of the rational reality, piety, fear of God. This Islamic term is often mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.

Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Over the last few weeks I have been returning to this column to discuss how best to ensure dignity to the entire humanity as per God’s assertion in the Quran that He “made  children of Adam dignified.”

Heart-to-Heart III

Most Significant Period

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

From the first part of this series I have tried to explain the body and soul relationship of Islam and Ramadhan.Such significant events took place in the month that changed the courses of history and turned the world’s weakest faith group (in terms of numbers and resources) into a fast-growing super power ready to replace the eastern Roman Empire and the Persian Empire, the super powers of the time.

Heart-to-Heart II

Ten days to work for maghfirah

Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Before beginning the second part of any current Ramadhan series I want to reiterate that it is not written in the format I did my earlier Ramadhan columns which were all written in the traditional, ulema-approved style. This was so even though I was not a trained a’alim.

Heart-to-Heart-I

Our capability to live through Ramadan

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Much of my Ramadan columns have, over the years, appeared with this heart-to-heart logo. This logo marked our concern for the right training of our faith community's youth.

Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Peace is so critical for Islam that its very name is derived from the root salaam, which means peace. Without it a central Quranic text Allah laid down in the Quran that he made the children of Adam respectable.

Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam

In the first article of this series we posited that God bestowed dignity on humans: men, women, blacks, whites, yellow races, the wheatish and the reds, as well as on followers of all faiths and atheists – Hindus, Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Muslims, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, atheists, agnostics, animists and a whole range of in-between categories.

Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam

As explained in the first part of this article the ‘post-human age’ dawning on us could be difficult for people who are not prepared for it. It will be a data-driven, Al-propelled, algorithm-dictated age...

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam examines some issues in the context of uncertainties in India and the world. 

Science, technology and future of civilisations. DR. MOHAMMAD MANZOOR ALAM

Humans have divided large segments of time into aeons, eras, epochs and ages, millennia and centuries, and attributed those times with dominant features with appropriate age names, like stone age...

From the account the Prime Minister gave of his first 100 days in office in his second term (in Rohtak on September 8), it seemed this government has been particularly kind to Muslims and their interests. A few major “achievements” of his government had been Muslim-centered...

Over the last several months we have been hearing claims about the economy going great guns. Government leaders tell us that we are growing at 7 per cent a year while the US economy is going at 3 per cent only. However, we are not told that the US economy...

A few weeks ago I had written a piece, “Let’s give peace a chance.” In it I had argued for co-operating with the Supreme Court-ordered Ayodhya mediation committee that seeks to find an amicable out-of-court settlement of the dogged Babri Masjid-Ram Janambhoomi...

A few days ago, in this column I had discussed how the Muslim representation in parliament had been brought down to a level at which this faith community of 17 crore people has been made politically irrelevant, voiceless, and pushed to the margins...

One of the less examined and analysed aspects of the recent Lok Sabha elections is the stark fact that the old dream of the Sangh to do politics without Indian Muslims has been fully realised. BJP has won an absolute majority in Lok Sabha, the House of People, without...

To achieve any targeted goal, there is a need to develop infrastructure accordingly. This is with all aspects of life whether it is agriculture, industry, education, religion etc. Educational institutions are meant to...

As I write this, the most precious moments of our lives are quickly passing by. The blessed days and nights of the holy month of Ramadhan that bring Muslims bounties of Allah, for our lives here on the earth and hereafter, are too short for the faithful...

Tawhid is the central organising principle of Islam. In its primary meaning, it is about the absolute Oneness of God. In its extended meaning, it is about the oneness of the entire humanity, as the Quran beautifully expresses it: all humans being the children of a single...

Peace (salaam) is an absolute value in Islam. Everyday we wish peace to each other, pray for peace through our greetings (Assalamu alaikum, peace be upon you), send salaam to our Prophet in our prayers...

For detail see enclosed article

The Muslim world’s educational status has been declining for centuries in relation to the others. Muslim minorities in India, China, Russia, European Union, the US, Canada or South America, too, are rarely among the best. What..

The visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to India at the head of a large business and official delegation this week is being looked up to with expectations of further deepening of relations between the two countries...

This letter is in response to your call to some familiar names in Indian Muslim society, a copy of which has been kindly forwarded to me by AOL director, Shri Gautam...

The rise of Anwar Ibrahim, leader of Malaysia’s ruling PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) after years of imprisonment brings to mind the mythical Sphynx, the bird that was burnt to ashes and later...

The Narendra Modi government has railroaded the Triple Talaq Bill through Lok Sabha on sheer strength of a brute majority, contemptuously overlooking the Opposition protests and Muslim minority’s...

The Supreme Court verdict on the Rafale deal that supports government’s decision to clinch it and discourages any questioning of it has turned out to be based on a wrong and misleading account...

The extraordinary performance of Congress Party in major states of north Indian Hindi belt has proved that we are not living in Congress–mukt (Congress-free) Bharat as BJP would have us believe, but...

And with that I am going to make a paradoxical statement: whoever wins the Lok Sabha election in 2019 will be an unhappy person. The next prime minister from the party winning the majority seats would be...

On November 2, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a dramatic announcement. He has been making such announcements over the last four years, but this seemed magical. In a way...

Only last month RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat had, in a series of lectures, given a clear indication that the Sangh was moving away from its aggressive and highly divisive Hindutva stance. He...

What you don't seem to realise is that Mohan Bhagwat the head of the RSS in 2018, in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, has tried to put a pro constitution and pro Islam gloss on Hinduism...

When RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat made certain observations during a three-day lecture series at Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan, a lot of people sat up and watched in sheer amazement. It seemed as if the traditionally...

Unity of the Ummah is a precious value in Islam. The reason is quite clear: people believing in a single, Almighty God (Allah) and his last Prophet (PBUH) and the Book of Allah revealed on the Prophet, the Quran...

Trust an ill-mannered buffoon to turn the sacred into the profane, or, at least try to. Cartooning, like journalism, art and poetry can come to the rescue when freedom, justice and human rights are threatened...

When Imran Ahmed Khan Niyazi’s Pakistani cricket team won the World Cup in 1992, the whole subcontinent, not just Pakistan, rejoiced in the victory. For the first time (and possibly for the last) cricket was a sport in India...

Please read the enclosed letter.

Research has shown that sharia councils are approached voluntarily and are often progressive

Written by Faizan Mustafa | Updated: August 10, 2018 12:05:13 am

The Quranic revelation began with Iqra, or Read. By the way, I have a clear preference for Read as the meaning of Iqra over Recite and Proclaim. I have a simple reason for believing that, because when the Archangel...

On July 30, the final draft of the updated National Register of Citizens (NRC) was completed in Assam that listed 2.89 crore citizens, out of 3.29 crore applications for citizenship. As many as 40 lakh people were excluded...

New Delhi, June 28: The IOS Chairman, Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam, has written a letter to President of Turkey, His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdogan, congratulating him on the impressive electoral victory of his party and his own victory in the presidential election.

The release of former Malaysian deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim from prison following a royal pardon from Sultan Muhammad V on May 16, 2018 is a milestone in the country’s politics. That democratic...

As of writing these lines the second ashra (ten days) is coming to a close. The moment we get down to taking our iftaar of the 20th Ramadhan, the night of the 21st Ramadhan begins, as in the Islamic calendar...

By the time you get to read this, it will be the anniversary of a great turning point in Islam’s history: the 17th of the holy month when the crucial battle of Badr was fought between Muslims (who came from Madina)...

As I write this, it is the second day of the blessed month of Ramadhan in a large part of the world. The Ramadhan moon was sighted last evening in an unusually large swath of the globe. Thus a preponderant...

The count-down to the general elections - 2019 has begun. Prior to this, polls to several assemblies have become a focal point for the ruling party at the Centre, BJP, and opposition parties. After elections...

Justice Rajinder Sachar, who passed away on April 20, at 94, after a long life of fighting for public causes, was truly what we call salt of the earth. A judge in the illustrious tradition of VR Krishna Iyer and...

Around the time President Barack H. Obama came to the White House in his first term a rather intriguing piece by a famous columnist appeared in several newspapers. In it he wrote something to the effect that Obama’s middle name was Hussein, and he would tilt towards Iran, the country which lives for the Love of Hussein, the martyred grandson of the Prophet (PBUH).

When King Salman bin Abdul Aziz ascended to the Saudi throne on the death of King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz the kingdom was at the cusp of great wave of far-reaching changes. A constant fall in oil revenues, expanding population, slow-down in the expansion and renovation of infrastructure and need for a fast pace of job creation had to be quickly looked into. The new administration took due note of it. The monarchy already had a blueprint for addressing some of these issues. The new order had just to improve it and quicken its implementation, besides creating newer plans and projects for an all-round security and growth and for the country to keep on playing its role on the international stage as the undisputed leader of the Muslim world.

In the early years of his rule, sometime in 1930s, King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud confided in a Western writer that he was fed up with rampant tribal raids on each other and on pilgrim caravans. He said he had been praying to Allah to send some rain so that the raiders could get busy with some form of agriculture and stay away from raids, which were desperate acts to find a living in brigandage, stealing neighbouring tribes’ cattle, looting pilgrims and trading caravans. The raids would often cause injury to both raiders and defenders, if not always death, in which a blood feud would ensue, just as it did before the advent of Islam, in the Jahiliyah, the age of ignorance.

Think of Saudi Arabia, and you think of the holiest of holy, the land most blessed by God, the land about which the Poet of East, Allama Mohammad Iqbal, wrote:

Among all the places of worship
Stands tall the first House of God
We (the Ummah) are its watchful sentries
As it (silently) guards over all of us

Please read the enclosed letter.

The NDA’s last budget is a sleight of hand to impress the rural voter in 2019. Urban voters, especially the youth, impressed by BJP’s promise of the moon, had voted wholeheartedly the Narendra Modi-led coalition...

The intractable Ayodhya dispute defies resolution. Not that men of faith and goodwill on both sides have not tried, or not tried hard enough to resolve it. Among the tallest spiritual figures who tried to untangle...

I am returning to this column, addressed particularly to the Muslim youth, after a while. The issue I want to talk about is the ubiquitous violence, sense of dissatisfaction and disappointment, rage and resentment that seem...

If anything, 2017 was marked by an all-pervasive sense of fear and loathing. Virtually everyday people were beaten up or killed for allegedly eating beef, conducting love Jihad, resisting ghar wapsi...

The US move to shift its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has reset the Mid-East political and diplomatic chessboard. Since President Trump’s announcement of the decision on December 6 it has become...

A summit is the top of a mountain. In diplomacy, a summit is a meeting of the top persons of countries–presidents, kings or, at the minimum, prime ministers. At the extraordinary session of Organisations of Islamic Conference...

US President Donald Trump in his familiar cavalier way has announced that the US embassy would be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem despite warnings from European and Muslim states that such a move would....

At a first glance, today’s theme is self evident and in no need of commentary. Women constitute about half of humankind and should therefore share the same responsibilities as men.

The term ‘humane’ according to the dictionary is compassion or benevolence; a humane society is therefore one that avoids pain or suffering to fellow humans. Sociologists consider a society humane if it is motivated by the most desirable of human values. It implies a society dedicated to the principles of justice, equality and fraternity and one in which its members are recognized and respected as human beings without differentiations of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.

The following are some of my thoughts regarding women’s role in the construction of a humane society.

Besides the ascriptive roles assigned to them by society which, in any case, better-educated women resent, all other roles that women seek to play will have to be chosen by them only. Issues like what will be the size of the family that she (with her husband, of course) wants to raise is to be decided by the woman alone. After all, it is her body that will carry the baby for nine months and, after birth, it is she who will suckle the baby, look after it closely for a year or two, sleep and rise with her infant, and suffer severe sleep deprivation.

This is an SOS to halt the unprecedented escalation in the persecution of Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar. Over the last ten days alone, nearly 125,000 of them have fled over the border to Bangladesh to avoid...

Large crowds are a powerful symbol. Often they are an indication of something being wrong, something needed to be rectified by people in power. If the rulers fail to take note, a crowd has a way of turning...

The Prime Minister’s speech on Independence Day was, as usual, full of rhetoric and flourishes, but short on specifics. Some of his assertions were too good to be believed. Hence, it is of interest to look at the speech...

After decades of politics under the British Raj the Indian National Congress decided finally on August 8, 1942 that enough was enough and every mission, commission, petition and submission had become irrelevant. The people...

In the last piece we discussed how, with the Prime Minister’s public disapproval of goonda attacks on Muslims by cow vigilantes, we hope this mode of anti-Muslim violence will cease for a while for other modes...

After a relentless bout of persecution of Muslims over the last three years under well-orchestrated programmes like ghar wapsi, love jihad, and cow protection the Sangh seems to be preparing for a gear shift...

The guilt of fiendish murder of Junaid can not be sidelined by Hindu Majority under the slogan of “Not in my Name”. In fact Hindu majority will continue to be held guilty so long such devilish acts continue. These acts are a shame on our constitution and this challenge has to be met frontally.

The recital in the preamble to the Constitution that India is a secular state means that no religious group (including Hindus) can claim any special dominant position or status in the country.

When you get to read these lines only a day or, at best, two, of the holy month would be left before Eid celebrations. That is, only a small window of opportunity is left for believers to take advantage of to please Allah...

Like note ban, nobody knows whom the current meat ban is going to benefit. All that we know is that it has created extraordinary problems for the livelihood of two crore people, aggravated goonda...

On June 6 five farmers were killed in police firing in two separate incidents in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh. The police fired on large crowds of farmers demanding remunerative prices for...

Ashrah in Arabic means ten days. And, we are already well into the first ashrah of the holy month of Ramadhan. Though the whole month of Ramadhan is full of Allah’s Grace and Mercy, these particular days are known...

By the time you get to read this, only two days of Sha’abaan will be left. That is, only two days before the holy month of Ramadhan dawns upon us, bringing with it all the bounties and favours from...

As the issue of triple talaq or instant divorce among some sections of the Muslim community is fiercely being discussed in Indian electronic media, and people from the non-Muslim community...

aking note of Unique Identity Project’s limitations the Supreme Court of India first observed that Aadhaar card should not be mandatory. Over a period of time it seems to have come to the conclusion that Aadhaar...

The continuous engagement between the Supreme Court, the Union government and civil society for quite a while has obfuscated issues relating to the Aadhaar card. Despite such engagement since...

As the issue of triple talaq or instant divorce among some sections of the Muslim community is fiercely being discussed in Indian electronic media, and people from the non-Muslim community...

A recent expose by Rajasthan Patrika that had the potential to create a storm in the media and society has been quietly allowed to die down and buried in deafening silence by the same corporate...

Please read the enclosed letter.

What is demonetisation? An unfamiliar term became the flavour of the season this winter, replacing surgical strikes and fake encounters. The first point to be noted in this discussion on demonetisation is the tendency now to invent catch phrases with unfailing regularity these days. There are regular new additions to our vocabulary. Beef bans. BMKJ. Digital India. Smart Cities. Yoga day. Bullet trains. 15 lakhs in each account. Strong rupee. 12 million jobs. Patel statue. Neutralising terrorists. New education policy. Sedition. Each term is ephemeral, lasts a few days till a new one takes over.

New Delhi, January 28: The New Delhi-based Institute of Objective Studies (IOS) has decided to confer the 12th Shah Waliullah Award on journalist Iftikhar Gilani, strategic affair...

Now that we are in the fourth week of the first month of January 2017, we look back at the last century (1917-2017) as lost years for the Ummah, for which it has truly been a century of setbacks. Rarely any...

These days prime minister is becoming ‘’emotional’ on every issue and he feel that people are after him for waging a ‘war’ against high and mighty. We do not know what does that mean but I am sure the latest demonetization has shown that this war seems to be against India’s poor as high and might friends of the prime minister are enjoying their life well. Modi ji want to dig the record of past sixty years but I wish why not of past 2000 years of brahmanical hegemony? Every day, he brings new issue to remain in the news. This government is being run through TV channels as it seems, it can’t work peacefully without speaking loud. The other day after the so called surgical strike, the prime minister said, “I want to say that India is a ready for a war… India is a ready for a war on poverty. Let both countries fight to see who would eradicate poverty first… I want to tell the youth of Pakistan, let’s have a war on ending unemployment… I want to call out to the children in Pakistan, let’s declare war on illiteracy. Let’s see who wins. Let’s declare war on infant mortality and maternal deaths’, said the Prime Minister during a Public Meeting in Kozhikode, Kerala according to a report in the Indian Express on September 25th, 2016.

Sociology is an expanding and increasingly popular discipline across many parts of the world, particularly in the United States, Europe, Canada, Japan, India and Australia...

The unity, prosperity and wellbeing of Muslims as individuals, groups and countries is so important that by the time we come to the end of an article we realise that far more has remained unsaid than what...

Over the last couple of days I have frequently been returning to the content of the Prime Minister’s much-awaited address to the nation within hours of the beginning of the New Year. We had been hoping for some respite...

I am returning to this column within a week. The usual periodicity of this is once every month or so. The reason for this is the wide response to the last column under this title. The enthusiastic response to the article...

THE government, the Opposition and the public in general are rightly in panic awaiting the verdict on Babri Masjid by the Allahabad High Court – a situation brought about by the faltering non-secular stand by the governments concerned. The High Court is to give its verdict on the following points: (1) Was the place under Babri Majid the birthplace of Lord Ram? (2) Was there a temple on the land on which Babri Masjid was built?

I am returning to this column after a long while, in circumstances that are far from pleasant. Today, the Islamic world is a sad picture of disarray, anarchy and violence–internal as well as with others. From Afghanistan...

Education always plays a very important role in every one’s life. It makes an individual to internalize the value and norm of the society and simultaneously offers the specific skilled persons to serve different functions.

In 1950, India resolved to secure Justice, Liberty and Equality for all its citizens. Education is the best tool in hand to realise these noble goals.

With apology to Charles Dickens, we are living in the “best of times”, and we are living in the “worst of times”. This is an age of high level of prosperity for an ever-growing number of people worldwide, and alongside it, astonishingly fast growing inequality (the greatest in history in terms of numbers). Over the last two decades India has pulled millions of people out of poverty, one of the rarest of such feats. However, India still remains home to the world’s largest number of the poor. Nearly one out of the world’s five poorest persons lives in India, thus negating the country’s spectacular economic growth that has benefited the top ten percent of the country disproportionately more than the rest.

At the outset, it must be asserted that monetary and financial policies are made for the people, and people are not made for such policies. This basic principle seems to have been stood on its head in the present conundrum...

At an international seminar on Islamic higher education last month in the idyllic Maldives I made certain observations that were received with acclaim. The organisers asked me to chair the next session where...

Please click read more to see the enclosed pdf file.

This is like stating the obvious, but it needs reiteration here. There are two types of BJPwallahs: those who have come straight to the party, and those who have come via the RSS. As the RSS is the holding company of BJP, it naturally controls this party. A BJPwallah from the RSS is thus far more well-entrenched in the power structure of the party than his non-RSS counterpart. Quite obviously, the person with RSS background is more vicious and anti-Muslim. Narendra Modi is RSS man in BJP. That explains his enduring animosity against Muslims as evident in the anti-Muslim pogrom of 2002.

Human sacrifice has been a part of history. The evil practice still continues in parts of the world, including India. We read reports of such sacrifices in India once in a while made to propitiate some goddess to ask...

The Prophet of Islam (PBUH), being unlettered, told Archangel Gabriel, when asked to read, that he was unlettered and thus could not read. Following a tight embrace by Gabriel (so tight that the Prophet [PBUH] thought his ribs would be crushed), the Prophet (PBUH) began to recite the revelation after the Archangel.

Former president Dr APJ Kalam’s death has brought back into discussion on his work, career and mission as the middle class India fed by absolutely communalized media has spared no time in making Kalam an ‘Einstien’ of India and perhaps the greatest president of India. Many called him ‘statesman’ while other said he was the ‘greatest’ scientist of the world. Indians are habitual of using adjectives to describe someone dear to them. Kalam was darling of India whose trolls hate those on social media as well as in public life who show their dissent to their futile and superfluous ‘vision’. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he has lost a ‘margdarshak’ or what we term as guide. Was Abdul Kalam really a Margdarshak of Modi or RSS or they coopted him after his massive popularity with urbanized India with his ‘nationalistic’ views which attract the communalized middle classes.

As of writing this (afternoon of 24th Ramadhan in the subcontinent) much of the holy month is already gone. The first ashra (ten days) of rahmat (God’s mercy) has gone by ; the second of maghfirat (God’s pardon) too gone...

The evil mind that planned and executed Gujarat’s anti-Muslim pogrom of 2002 and Muzaffarnagar killings of 2013 is back plotting a similar carnage before UP election next year. They claimed that Gujarat...

Killing somebody without justification is a great crime. It is a greater crime if the state is the killer, because the state is there to protect citizens, not to kill them wantonly. Also, destroying the evidence of the murder...

It is a privilege to be able to speak to you on this historic occasion to commemorate the centenary of Dr Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s association with this prestigious institution, London School of Economics. As you know after finishing his masters at Columbia University in the United States, Dr Ambedkar came here for his Masters in Geography in 1916 as he wanted to complete his research here but was not allowed to do so. Finally, he registered as Ph.D student in 1920 and finished his doctoral thesis on ‘The problem of the rupee’ in March 1923 which was not accepted of reasons unknown though several experts feel that it was too revolutionary and anti ‘Empire’ that time to get accepted but finally it was resubmitted in August 1923 and accepted in November 1923.

From today, June 7, the holy month of Ramdhan begins in most of South Asia. In many parts of the world it began yesterday. The variation of a few hours is because of Islam’s lunar calendar which...

In the last article in this series we talked about how the ruling class seems to have taken the Rand Corporation report (to the US administration) suggesting that the poor of the Third World should be allowed...

Two years are now solidly behind Narendra Modi as Prime Minister of India. It is a moment of reckoning, time to question what he has delivered over these two years, how his team has functioned as cabinet...

After a couple of recent visits to Turkey, I have come to the firm conclusion that the country is reliving its grand Ottoman legacy under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan with its economic growth, conservative...

Sometimes towards the end of cold war, Rand Corporation, which conducts researches and writes reports for US government, its foreign policy and military establishments, prepared a report that had...

Recently we talked about how people have been killed in fake encounters. The police have claimed that the victims were terrorists, but courts found no proof of terror against them. Yet they got no...

Of late we have been witnessing a gruesome drama played by the UPA and NDA on the extrajudicial killing of Ishrat Jahan and some others in Ahmedabad on June 15, 2004 by Gujarat Police. The...

Over the last few years we have been seeing a cynical game being played with increasing enthusiasm by all kinds of politicians and organisations. People who were never the admirers of Babasaheb...

First of all, my apologies for returning to you a little late with this column. I had been travelling much of the time. This column, for a change, talks less about our religious, social and cultural like as Muslims...

The Aadhaar Bill opens the door to mass surveillance. This danger needs to be seen in the light of recent attacks on the right to dissent. No other country, and certainly no democratic country, has ever held its own citizens hostage to such a powerful infrastructure of surveillance.

There is general feeling in India that if the government at the Centre, or in some state, wants to distract public attention from an issue, it forms an enquiry commission, which sees to it that justice is delayed...

For all its appearances, the country is slowly, but steadily, being pushed towards an undeclared civil war. However, I must qualify my statement at the outset: because civil war is a precise term denoting an internal...

We are passing through a strange moment in our life where we are confronted with the evil described neatly by Macbeth’s witches: “Fair is foul, foul is fair.” In a moral reversal, language, too, has been turned upside...

Over the last few months it has become quite evident that the NDA government at the Centre is hostile to the life of the mind that universities signify. The government’s thinking on the subject is an extension of the Sangh’s thinking...

For nearly two months now the Kashmir valley has been on fire. A continuous curfew of 50 days or so was lifted earlier this week, but certain areas are still under curfew....

I am returning to this column a little earlier than usual. I must reiterate before proceeding further that this column is meant particularly for Muslim youth. The idea is that youth have vitality and extraordinary physical energy...

Over the last few weeks there has been a growing sense of uncertainty among Muslims when they read about attacks on their co-religionists, their religious symbols, and malicious statements against celebrities...

Over the last few years an impression has gained ground that Islam is violent and vengeful. This impression has been deepened and confirmed by violent events in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Yemen, all “Muslim” lands...

The last few weeks have been as disturbing as the preceding weeks. The slander campaign against Muslims accompanied by organised violence against them in different areas of the country and the...

There is a parliamentary ritual, a customary courtesy of the government represented by the parliamentary affairs minister made right before beginning of each session of this august body. Under this custom the parliamentary...

The Bihar elections have delivered a staggering blow to the NDA. They may not be a game-changer, but they certainly point to possibilities of a better performance by a secular front in the future...

With their political maturity and fresh thinking the people of Bihar have set a trend which is likely to be followed in other state assembly elections in near future...

As a roaring chorus of condemnation of the Sangh-inspired storm of intolerance rises to high heavens, the perpetrators of crimes against humanity are busy defending the indefensible. Sangh stalwarts, with...

The Dussehra address of the RSS chief is by now an established ritual to which Hindutva votaries look forward with great excitement and expectation. Even common Indians, not affiliated to the Sangh, are interested...

On October 12, Sudhendra Kulkarni, journalist and aide to former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, was forcibly painted black by Shiv Sena goons for attending the release ceremony of Pakistani politician...

Our food largely decides what kind of a body and mind we are going to get finally. If you eat carbohydrates (carbon + hydrogen) exclusively and shun proteins (nitrogen) you are certainly going to have more...

There is an Urdu couplet that can be loosely translated as: “When the gardener set my nest on fire, the leaves that I relied upon began to fan it.” Now that Muslims have been forced into a corner by communal organisations...

New Delhi, Sept. 28: The staff of Institute of Objective Studies, led by its Chairman Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam, mourned the death of Islamic scholar and visionary leader of international Islamic...

I am returning to this column after a long while. But, better late than never. The occasion for writing this piece is the coming Eid al-Azha within the next few hours in our part of the world. This is the time to renew our commitment...

The circular issued by Maharashtra’s BJP government late last month has raised concern in liberal, informed sections all over India regarding its potential misuse by the police and administration to crush...

In Bihar, the BJP-RSS propaganda machinery has got a windfall in the form of religion-wise census. The foot soldiers of the Sangh are warning Hindus that the Hindu population growth has been slower than that of Muslims...

Over the last few weeks, things have not been going well for the country. A rash of anti-Muslim riots in Bihar, higher incidence of communal violence in the country compared to last year as per Home Ministry statistics...

Politicians everywhere are notorious for looking at political advantage through populist actions first and looking at its economic costs later. The PM’s announcement of Rs 1.25 lakh crore Bihar package before...

Of late the honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendrabhai Damoderbhai Modi, seems to be undergoing a profound change of heart. Shri Modi, who never tired of finding fault with Muslims–from their alleged...

We are meeting at a highly auspicious moment, blessed by God – the night of 29th Ramdhan in much of the Subcontinent and the night of 30th in many parts of the Muslim world. These are the most precious moments...

The fast unfolding Vyapam scandal is viewed by a substantial number of political commentators as an albatross around Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s neck that will certainly restrict his maneuverability and reduce him...

After a whole year of anti-Muslim slander campaign and sporadic violence against Muslims (to a lesser degree, against Christians as well), we had been hoping that the excitement of Sangh enthusiasts will wear...

The epidemic called the Islamic State (IS) has quickly spread from Iraq and Syria to Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and, according to some reports, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is a dangerous trend that spells...

A democracy is known by its fair play to all its citizens and equality before law. Sadly, it has become a pattern in India that some go scot free and others are heavily punished for committing the same crime. The judiciary, helped...

On its own, yoga is like other systems of exercise that promote physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Despite its origins in a Hindu religio-cultural milieu, its widely acknowledged “founder”, Patanjli, was said to be an agnostic...

ssalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah, everybody. We are meeting in the first ashra (ten days) of the holy month of Ramdhan. This part of the month is rightly called Ashrah rahmat (Ten days of Allah’s Grace) Like any good thing in life...

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that achche din aa gaye (good days are here). The PM, in his own opinion and judgment, was sure that he had delivered on his electoral promise of achche din aaenge...

How many of us can afford a Rs 10 lakh suit? I think no Indian can do it, except the Prime Minister of India, Mr Narendra Modi, who claims to be the son of a chai wallah?...

In an open letter addressed to the citizens of the country published on 26th May 2015, i.e., on the occasion of completing one year of the Union government, the Prime Minister stated that government was dedicated to the poor, marginalised and those left behind. Sabka sath Sabka vikas, the slogan extensively used in BJP campaign, also conveyed the same idea. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna was also aimed at financial inclusion of the most deprived sections of the society.

Senegal remains one of the most peaceful nations in the African continent. With a massive 95% Muslim population Senegal was a French colony and thousands were people were taken as slaves by the Europeans in the 17th century. The beautiful city of Dakar is a peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean with beautiful French influence on its broader roads and buildings which undoubtedly make life here fascinating with a grand mix up of French and African traditions.

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahamtullah everybody. I am back to you with this column a little earlier than I usually do. The previous piece, “Know thy World” is being completed with this piece. The earlier piece said we have to practise...

I am returning to this column after a long time. I was kept busy by myriad other pressing engagements. As I had said at the time of the beginning of this column, I intend to reach out to the youth with it, particularly Muslim youth...

Narendra Modi government has come to power on a plank of “development”, a thriving economy and people’s economic wellbeing. In practice, it has ended up doing just the opposite...

The recent remark of the Prime Minister at the conference of chief justices and chief ministers of Indian states that “five star activists” are driving the judiciary was a clear attack on civil society, putting a question mark on the legitimacy...

MOSCOW – In a bid to rescue Russian economy, member of the Russian parliament, Duma, have submitted a draft bill to support Islamic finance, amid increasing sanctions from the West...

How do we judge the justice delivery system in India? Is it good, shoddy, or great? In fact, it is all the three at different times and levels. To be fair to it, its shoddiness does not always come from within it, but mostly from outside: the political...

How shoddy probe derailed Hashimpura case
The judgment says Uttar Pradesh agencies did not even adhere to the basic tenets of investigation

Iftikhar Gilani @dna

New Delhi: The recent acquittal of 16 Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel accused in the 1987 Hashimpura massacre in which 40 Muslims were killed not only highlights an unprecedented delay and denial of justice, but also brings to the fore how a shabby and an indifferent investigation can derail even an open-and-shut case.

One of the most famous lines on the official All India Radio news bulletins during communal disturbances used to be ‘ Sthiti tanavpurn lekin Niyantran me hain ( the situation is tense but under control) and police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in the ‘sensitive’ areas. It was well known to us as what is ‘samvdansheel kshetra’ or sensitive areas. Most of these ‘sensitive areas’ were the Muslim localities in the walled cities, almost ghettoized in the aftermath of each ‘riots’ much to the comfort of the fanatics on both the sides who wanted to see such polarization to happen. The ‘sensitive areas’ terminology reflected the mindset of administration, police and the media in the independent India where Muslims are treated as ‘problem-makers’ and ‘obstacles’. During the ‘communal disturbances,’ the police ‘round off’ these ‘problem-makers’ and ‘obstacles’ as routine exercise to bring ‘peace’. Once when I questioned these things during a visit in the early 1990s, to Meerut on a fact finding mission, a very senior Professor in the Meerut University blamed me promote ‘Pakistanis’ in India and warned me from staying away from mini ‘Pakistan’ which was the walled city of Meerut. His argument was that Muslims are criminals and that is why they are largest in the Indian jails. I liked him because this professor did not have hypocrisy and he spoke from his ‘heart’ which is a reality of the middle classes upper caste Hindus in India at least at the moment.

Hundreds of pilgrims seek to see the sunrise on the bank of Ganges in Varanasi and the boatmen go on live commentary of these ghats narrating the mythological details and the most poignant moment come when you see the Manikarnikaghat, Dashashwamegha Ghat and Harishchandraghat reminding you the stories of Raja Harishchandra’s loyalty to his ‘profession’. In an indirect reference, these are the same ‘preaching’ which ask you to do thy duty while ‘result’ is not thy concern. Secondly, Raja Harishchandra is ‘applauded’ because he remained defiant in ‘asking’ for ‘money’ amidst a great human tragedy in which a helpless woman does not have the money to ‘pay’ the charges for funeral which the Doms performs. It means that we should not show any human spirit and value to any one when situation warrants and just be ‘committed’ to our ‘profession’. I think that is the most dangerous aspect of a philosophy which justified discrimination based on caste and gender.

It is time now for the Union government to have a fresh look at its decision to defer a Shariah-compliant mutual fund by the State Bank of India...

It was Mahatma Gandhi’s advocacy of ahimsa (non-violence) in general and his concern for cow protection in particular that is reflected in the Directive Principles of the Constitution making it incumbent on the state to work...

Subramanian Swamy takes the prize for being the most irresponsible political leader hands down. However, his latest provocation is a little too brazen and malignant even from his own standards...

The reverberations on Modi government’s first general budgets are still being heard, more clearly with the passage of time. In hindsight it looks like a feeble attempt to please everybody, but has ended up pleasing nobody...

Nobody sympathises with a rapist. All of us wish the worst to befall him: let him come under the wheels of a big truck. Or, even worse: let him be run over by a huge goods train and die a horrible death. Or, if we can be patient and wait for a...

Now that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal is the Chief Minister of Delhi, the people, including Muslims, are naturally looking forward to action from him to redress their long-standing problems...

As Indians, let us sit back and think for a while about what we got from the high-profile visit of President Barack Obama. Two tangible and one intangible outcomes are visible at this moment, about 72 hours after the visit ended...

King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, who died at 90 on January 22 after ruling Saudi Arabia since 2005, leaves a rich legacy of development, social and educational reforms and regional stability...

In a burst of anti-Muslim violence in a village of Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district, hundreds of homes have been torched and the occupants made to flee for safety in the biting January cold...

Whom would you prefer to be with, if given a chance: Sarpnath, or Nagnath? Will you prefer one over the other, or would you avoid their company in any case? After all, both are cobras, unfriendly creatures...

Credibility is the main resource of a newspaper, magazine, radio station or TV channel. Nobody will ever touch a newspaper or magazine, switch on a radio or TV set if she or he suspects...

India is included among developing nations. Of course, there are areas where we have achieved much better results than expectations but there are areas which, even after 68 years of Independence, remain neglected.

On the sad demise of Saiyyid Hamid, former bureaucrat, eminent educationist and Chancellor of Hamdard University, New Delhi (who passed away yesterday...

It has been a year of disappointments and worries. The first half of 2014 was the last six months of UPA II, in which the corporate media did not see any merit. They spent those first six months ignoring the considerable achievements of the UPA government and building a crescendo of hope and hype about the next government, which they were sure would be a Modi-led one.

The gruesome murder of 142 students in a school of Peshawar by Pakistani militants, reportedly Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, is a reprehensible act of barbarity. Those innocent children were nobody’s enemies. The indiscriminate...

After years of effort the struggle for having a full-fledged Islamic banking system in India met with a moderate measure of success when the State Bank of India announced last week that it would launch a Shariah-complian...

Thanks to India’s strong democratic tradition, even Narendra Modi came to power after a regular vote. This tradition requires that new legislators and governments are allowed a fairly long grace period before their performance...

Recently, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at an ASEAN summit that terrorism had no religion, Indian Muslims heaved a sigh of relief. This line, that “terror has no religion”, is a relatively new Sangh refrain, being mouthed...

1857 is a watershed in Indian history when with the fall of Delhi, British sway was fully established all over India. Men of substance and vision like Sir Syed were quick to realise that the rout had come because the Indian side had fallen behind the British in the realm of knowledge of all kinds, especially that of science and technology.

The get together of Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Deve Gowda and Sharad Yadav over lunch at Mulayam Singh Yadav’s residence in New Delhi has set off talks about revival of parts of the old Janata Party in coming days. The...

It is a reminder bell that rings every year which has not changed us to the core. The horrific crimes against humanity perpetrated by the political goons in the dark night of October 31st till a couple of days of November 1984 after the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was declared officially ‘dead’ and which remain unpunished till date is not just a matter of shame but absolute failure of our democracy. A truly democratic system would have envisaged ways and means to tackle such a situation in future but instead people became ‘football’ in the political games of those who have least concern about loss of human lives and sentiments. Punjab was bleeding when India got partitioned in 1947 and Sikh community felt betrayed as many of their issues remained unsettled politically. Sikh nationalism has to be merged into pan Indian Nationalism dictated and dominated by the brahmanical Hindus.

Three events in the recent past are enough to suggest that the process of saffronisation of democratic institutions has begun. Some two months ago, slogans of “Jai Shri Ram” were chanted by BJP workers who were present...

With the convincing win of the BJP in Haryana and Maharashtra earlier this week the Congress Party’s steady decline has despened. There is a clear ominous signal in Maharashtra that forebodes a UP-Bihar...

On the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, on October 2, 2019, nobody will defecate in the open anywhere in India. By then everyone of us will have a toilet to go to. This is the target of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan...

Now it is official. Extremist Buddhists and Hindus are forming a grand alliance against Muslims in South Asia. What damage they can cause Muslims is not really known, beyond a cowardly attack on Muslims...

Love jehad is like a magical trick in the hands of the Sangh: now you see it , now you don’t. This has been going on since 1920s, and it is as old as RSS...

Islam stands for a complete surrender to God’s Will. The shahadah (There is no God but Allah and Mohammad is His Prophet) is a pledge to live by this covenant. The pledge to honour God’s will includes giving up...

After five days of continuous media hype and hoopla about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States we have got a pause to catch our breath and consider what we got from the visit...

Results of the by elections for 36 seats across 10 states have exploded the myth of the BJP riding high on the promise of development and good governance by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP lost 13 of the...

It has been a long open session on Muslims. For weeks together we have heard and read a concentrated demonising propaganda against Muslims. According to it, the Muslims are running a well-funded “love jihad” campaign...

The Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi has said recently on the 13th anniversary of 9/11 that if the United States had heeded Swami Vivekananda’s call for universal brotherhood, America would not have to see that day. We have...

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It is reassuring to know that a five-member Constitution bench of the Supreme Court of India, headed by the Chief Justice R M Lodha, has ruled that states have the right to extend second official language to a language other...

Prof. Faizan Mustafa, Vice-Chancellor NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, delivered a lecture on “Judicial Independence and Appointment of Judges” on the occasion of 28th Annual Meeting of the General...

The educational backwardness of Muslims of India is too well known as on most parameters they are doing worse than other communities. If there was any doubt about their backwardness...

Of late we have been reading reports in a section of the press about al-Qaeda’s plans to enter countries of our region where Muslims are persecuted. Three such names have appeared: Myanmar, India and Kashmir. The...

The NDA has crossed the 100-day mark in office and it is rightly in for evaluation. So, let us see what we (or the government) has got to show for it. In short, nothing much...

Recent media reports about Muzaffarnagar are disturbing, to say the least. Stray information about last year’s anti-Muslim violence’s victims making distress sale of their lands have been coming in regularly...

The tiger can’t change its stripes, the leopard its spots. BJP cannot shed its anti-Muslim obsession. This is the lesson learnt at the UP BJP’s executive meet at Mathura last week...

Over the last several days I was so deeply pre-occupied with other concerns that I could not find time to write this column. Now that I am visiting this space, I have to refer to pronouncements by the President of India...

The first casualty that was hardly noticed after the new government took over in Delhi was the deletion of important documents of the home ministry. It was taken rather casually and the voices who expressed their concern...

The recent weeks have been trying for Uttar Pradesh, which has witnessed a staggering 600 “communal incidents”, since the Lok Sabha polls. “Communal incidents” is an official euphemism for low-intensity communal violence...

Within the next few hours Parliament will be debating one of the most burning issues the country faces: recurrent communal violence. Let us hope that the debate does not end up in a brawl like in recent past. Parliamentary...

One often wonders why it takes so much time for the state to notice what is common knowledge among Muslims. An example is the Sachar Committee Report, which finally, formally and officially established the fact...

I am visiting you with this column for the third time in a month, instead of the usual once-a-month periodicity. As I stated earlier, this departure from routine is because of the significance of the holy month of Ramdhan...

The august Parliament’s dignity and honour have recently been brought to a new, record low by its own members. The decline in it has been steady for years. The present Lok Sabha has members with a criminal...

The world is so cruel and callous to the sorrows of the oppressed. Remember only seven decades ago, when Hitler was exterminating Jews all over Europe in their millions, the world was acting as a hapless, clueless spectator...

The violent energies unleashed by communal politics before, during and after the elections have led to social tension that might erupt into great violence any moment. These violent energies have not yet spent themselves...

I am writing this column for the second time in a month, although usually it comes only once in a month. The departure from routine is because of the significance of the holy month of Ramadhan...

We are moving quickly towards the end of the first ashrah (ten days) of the holy month of Ramadan. See, how quickly time passes. It passes more quickly if you are busy praying and reading from the Quran...

The NDA government under Narendra Modi completed a month in office a couple of days ago. For some this was a moment to sit back and reckon what the government had been able to achieve in that small...

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DOCUMENT

Uploaded on June 18, 2014

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair richly deserves all the epithets showered on him. He has often been called, with ample justification, an inveterate liar and a poodle of George Bush Junior...

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The last few weeks have witnessed a steady rise in different kinds of violence, rape and murder of women (Dalit, Muslim, OBC), attack on and murder of Muslim youth and others suspected to be Muslims, sundry violence in...

(The following is the Preface of the 3-volume book with the above title. The Preface is written by Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam, Chairman of IOS)

The contribution of Muslims to the freedom struggle is second to none. As a matter of fact, in some respects and at various places, it was brightest and highest but a particular school of historians in India is leaving no stone unturned to minimize their role in the freedom struggle. Concerted attempts are being made to identify the entire community with Muslim League of pre-partition days and to brand them as communalist and separatists. The positive role of Muslims in all major events in all regions of India where they were in majority or in minority is either being ignored or diluted.

We  are  happy  to  have  you  as  the  Prime  Minister  of  India  at  this  opportune  time  and wishing you a long life and innings...

It is a great tribute to the country’s democratic institutions that despite a charged atmosphere the Lok Sabha elections have been conducted peacefully and a peaceful transfer of power has been effected. Most Afro-Asian...

This has been the most polarising election fought around a controversial figure with a highly divisive track record. To turn two faith communities against each other no stone was left unturned. Uttar Pradesh witnessed...

Quite often an occasion arises in public life when even good leaders lose contact with public mood and do things that drive them further away from the people. At the time of partition of India, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was...

In India, anti-Muslim pogroms have become part of normal election process. The best way to ensure a BJP victory is to increase communal animosity with hate speech for a few weeks, followed by an inevitable anti-Muslim...

At this point of time it is quite clear that the great hope and promise that the Arab Spring generated across the Arab world have been frittered away recklessly...

As we have explained earlier, this monthly column is in the nature of an intimate family discussion within the Muslim community, especially with youth...

The Great Vinashpurush, Shri Narendrabhai Modi, has famously said that he has already been chosen by God to take the country to its destination. Now all that he wants from the people of India is an endorsement of...

Whatever the result of this Lok Sabha election, this much is sure that the country has finally reached a watershed where established democratic procedures are openly being rejected in favour of a business administration...

As media reaches the conclusion about the outcome of the general elections the Sangh Parivar and its excited ‘chhutbhaiyyas’ are competing each other in speak loud and threatening the opponents. One important...

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Campaign 2014 was like no other in India’s election history in its scale, intensity, deployment of technology, human resource and staggering amount of money. This is particularly true of BJP, as no other party came...

Finally, the much-awaited BJP manifesto has been released, even though elections have already begun. Manifestos come weeks before the election, not on the day people start going to the poll booth. This is a great discourtesy...

Of late the BJP has suddenly created another, more powerful hate wave. Vasundhraraje Scindia has announced menacingly that there will be a lot of “cutting people to pieces” after the election. Last week she was supposed...

The famous Narendra Modi said in Nanded on March 29 that “netas would be brought to justice” within one year of his taking charge of office of prime minister. By netas he meant tainted netas of non-BJP parties...

By now we had almost started half-believing in BJP’s new-found love for Muslims. The party had almost convinced some Muslims (including the Akbar-e-Azam of Indian journalism) that Gujarat 2002 was a fiction written by a secularist...

The shabby way in which LK Advani has been regularly treated by the BJP and its mentor RSS over the last few years is pitiable. It shows that hate, vandalism and mass murder finally come back to visit upon the perpetrator...

Write Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh, an NGO, invited me to attend the SAARC Literary Festival in Dhaka on 27-28 February, 2014. Delegates from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives were participants. The seminar / festival proposed a discussion / review “Beyond Borders, Trust and Reconciliation”.

Universal adult franchise is the cornerstone of democracy. It is not restricted or conditional “democracy” like the one where franchise is limited to only propertied classes as it was sometimes in pre-Independence India, or the sham “shoora democracy” as operative in some Muslim countries, the consultative body (shoora) being only decorative.

Clarification on the distorted reporting of the proceedings of the Supreme Court in the matter of Vishwa Lochan Madan v. Union of India filed as PIL seeking ban on Fatawa and Dar-ul-Qaza...

Mr. Yusuf Hatim Muchhala, an eminent legal mind of the country, has classified the implications of the Supreme Court judgment of February regarding adoption of children by...

At the beginning of the third millennium the international media was flush with articles comparing the global situation at the beginning of the second millennium with that at the third. US News and World Report said in its cover story...

Kerala government’s move to corner the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (Jamaat-e-Islami of India) and force it to the wall is unfortunate and misguided. Jamaat sources have said that keeping in view their electoral support...

The Aap and its chief Arvind Kejriwal continue to be an enigma wrapped in mystery. Nobody can really know what are the implications of his announcing a list of corrupt politicians. On one hand his crusade against official corruption...

A dilemma of sorts is gripping the Indian Muslims these days. Communal riots are engineered to uproot and render them homeless. Sometimes, they are also alienated politically to deny them the fruits of development. These are the issues that affect the Muslims externally and internally and are discussed to find out solution to them. Steps are also taken to address these issues, though with little success. These efforts identify the plight of Muslims today but the other side of the picture is more horrendous as the challenges that confront the community defy a probable solution. Instead, external challenges are only getting more complex. Muslims in India are sitting on the horns of a dilemma and the confusion among them is worse compounded.

Last week the national capital witnessed certain sights that it had never imagined it would ever do. For instance, who could imagine that the Delhi chief minister will leave his office at the secretariat and sit on a dharna in...

Earlier this week Maulana Arshad Madni of Jamiatul Ulema-e-Hind said in Lucknow that the UP government was not responsible for the anti-Muslim riots last September. He said the local administration was responsible...

Aam Admi Party leaders, in an interaction with Muslim representatives at Patna on January 14, have asserted that their party is above the considerations of religion and caste. They fought elections and did their politics...