Date: 10 January 1910
Location: Bombay
Speaker: Aga Khan III
Source: Speeches of Aga Khan III – K K Aziz
Full Text
Reasons for the success of Muslim constitutional struggle – duties of a true leader – the difficulties faced by Muslim leadership Indian Muslims’ relations with Hindus and the Muslims of other lands – improvement of education as an objective for Muslims the example of Prophet Muhammad – need for stability – rights as a means to an end. “As you know, it was a hard and difficult constitutional struggle and your representatives had no light task to perform in over coming prejudices and preconceived notions in some quarters, but I am glad to say that the justice of our cause has prevailed, thanks to the high statesmanship of our rulers and their innate sense of fairplay and to the very powerful support of English and Anglo-Indian journals of exceptional weight, especially of The Times and other leading organs of public opinion. Among our staunch advocates were men of great talents and patriotism, with high notions of justice.” “You have been kind enough to refer to me as the leader of the Muslims. It is the greatest honour that any individual can aspire to and that a community can confer, but the mighty responsibility upon any Muslim leader cannot be ignored or lightly treated. Any man in the world can well be proud of being termed a leader of the Muslims, who have made fascinating and romantic history in many countries. But now, what are the duties of a leader? True leadership consists in thinking out a practicable programme of constructive policy consistent with principles of truth and harmony, worthy of the past traditions, and the his torical and political situation in the Empire of which ·Indian Muslims form such an important part, and in steering them on the right path by persuasion and advice. A leader’s function is to restrain any dangerous extremism and to enlighten the people as to what the good of the country requires and to instil in the minds of the public the influence and feelings of humanity and brotherhood. But to construe any such policy for the Muslims of India involves an immense difficulty. The political task of a patriot in European countries like England, Germany and France, with their comparatively united peoples and their healthy and more or less simple past is comparatively easy. Whether he be a Socialist, an Imperialist or a Conservative, a patriot in European countries can concentrate and focus his energies and thoughts and follow certain well-defined principles of policy clearly marked out by the interests of his people according to the lights of his party. But it is not so in India, where the historical past traditions and differences in religion and social customs make the task peculiarly difficult. It is difficult for any Indian patriot to lay the line clearly but it is more so for a Muslim leader, owing to a combination of superficially and apparently conflicting ideals and interests. The task of an Indian Muslim patriot who takes upon himself the thinking out of a policy that is best for his people is peculiarly difficult, for he has to think of seventy to eighty millions of people with internal differences of race, lan guage and colour, and with peculiar institutions in a country which has passed through various vicissitudes and in the midst of a vast Hindu population upon whose welfare the future of Indian Muslims depends. “Then there is another fact, which makes the Muslim position more complicated. For all time to come Muslim interest is bound up with the progress of the sister communities and it is our duty and privilege to continue on the most cordial and fraternal terms with the vast Hindu population and also with so many other small minorities, each sub-divided into castes and creeds, yet the welfare of every one depending upon the welfare of its neigh bours. Again sentiment and love would always attach the Muslims of India to the welfare of their co-religionists outside India, whether they are independent or self-governing communities like those in Turkey, Persia, Mghanistan and Morocco, or whether they are subjects of non-Muslim sovereigns as in China, Russia or France. All these duties, interests and sentiments must have a legitimate place in the ideal life and in the moral and intellectual outlook of Muslims. This presents a formidable difficulty. “Now to co-ordinate all these interests and to harmonise conflicting elements and to reduce some of those sentiments to their legitimate places and to concentrate more and more on the fundamental duties and interests without interfering-in the legit imate sphere of the secondary ones is not an easy matter. And first of all you have to find a practical line of action that will legitimately help forward each one of those ideals. Such are the inevitable difficulties and complications that face anyone who pretends even for a moment to lead the Muslims of India. Of course on this occasion I cannot say much about the practical and constructive policy that may meet all the requirements of the Muslims. “The duty, sentiments, honour and interests of the people we represent should be all focussed and a course should be deter mined – one that will satisfy each legitimate aspiration while preventing any from overlapping into another sphere. That course should be laid down with mature consideration, deep thought and consultations with eminent Muslims and non Muslim English and Indian compatriots of the Muslims. Fortu nately, there is one object in front of us to which we can give whole-hearted devotion, being perfectly sure that whatever happens the result of that object will do credit and give satisfac tion to all concerned. “That one object is the improvement of education. The Muslims should enlarge the sphere of education where it exists already and must create it where it is absent. Scientific and technical education in all its various branches such as commer cial, industrial and agricultural instruction must be the main practical objects of our energy and ambitions. At the same time the literary side so beautifully known as the Humanities should not be neglected and our interest as well as sentiments make it necessary that a knowledge, not only of English, Arabic and Persian, but also of Sanskrit literature, should exist amongst us so that we may come in contact with the sources of Hindu civilis ation and the roots of Hindu society. “I am glad you have quoted with approval and reverence the example of our beloved Prophet for giving encouragement to learning and science. He encouraged his followers especially recommending them to go to various centres of learning in Rome and China that they might get knowledge and learn to respect the conventions of foreign thought and society. “The great need of the country is development of its resources amongst which I give the first place to the development of its intelligence and education. But it is impossible that the country should develop if we live in a state of endemic anarchy that destroys the confidence between the rulers and the ruled and which eventually recoils on Society at large. We must not forget that for the first time in the history of India the rulers have made endeavours to share with the people the responsibility of Government. The Government is quite competent to deal with disorders and physical anarchy. It is true [that] the whole of India has protested against the senseless crimes that have recently made a big blot on the fair name of India. But protests and repression are ineffectual and unavailing so long as Society as a whole does not stir itself and take active and vigorous measures to restore healthy conditions and root out the anarchical spirit on its intellectual side. What we want is not protests after the foul deed is done; but we must go deeper and think out a policy to prevent the state of mind that produces evil-doers. We should send out earnest missionaries to preach sanity, to bring misguided zealots to see, through reason and righteousness, the sacred nature of the ties that unite Indian Society and the Government.
We must consider ourselves as members of a common brother hood and we must exert ourselves to prevent the violation of laws of society and humanity in the spirit of the words of the Persian poet Sa’adi: Bani Adam Azai Yakhi Garand. [sic] “One immediate and sacred duty rests upon us all and that is that this institution must be made a permanent living force in the Muslim life of this beautiful city and worthy of the renowned race to which we belong. We must equip it with the latest machinery of education. We should remember that the rights we have obtained are not an end in themselves but are a means to an end in new and economical conditions of the people. Now that we have won certain forms of rights, our objects should be to make good use of the reforms with moderation and wisdom and sincerity and to strive to turn out energy to improve the condition of the people and to advance the progress of the country.”
His Highness concluded by saying that he would cherish the most pleasant recollections of that day and he assured them that if ever he was called upon to serve the interests of the community or to further its material prosperity, he would not be found wanting and would consider it a happy privilege to serve them to the best of his power.
Source: Naoroji M. Dumasia, The Aga Khan and His Ancestors, The Times of India Press, Bombay, 1939, pp. 174-7.
On 10 January, in the Anjuman-i-Islam Hall, Bombay, a large and influential gathering of Muslims entertained and honoured the Aga Khan. A complimen tary address from both the Shias and the Sunnis was presented to him “in appreciation of his services in the cause of the country in con~ection with the Morley-Minto Reforms. The address in the name of both the sects referred to His Highness as their leader. … The late Sir Currimbhoy Ebrahim, Bart., read the address, in which it was stated among other things that by his learning and courtesy and the deep and unfailing interest he had always taken in the welfare of the community he had endeared himself to every Muslim heart in India and they were proud to own and acknowledge him their leader.” · “The address then referred to his single-hearted devotion to the cause of Muslim progress, social and political, and claimed that his efforts had met with such success as to justify the hope that the future of the Muslims of India had been secured. Recalling his various services the address pointed out that in getting the principle admitted by the Government of India that the position and status of the Muslim should be estimated, not merely on their numerical strength, but with due regard to the political importance of the community and the services it had rendered to the Empire, His Highness had rendered lasting and truly inestimable service to the entire Muslim community of India.”
The address continued: “Nor have you worked only for the advancement of the Muslim community but also for the improvement of the condition of the Indians in general. When the first public meeting of protest of the citizens of Bombay against the great hardships and sufferings of the Indians in South Africa was organized, it was to Your Highness that the eyes of everyone turned as the fittest person to preside at such a meeting. Your Highness did preside at the meeting and you have since continued to take the keenest interest in the struggle of the Indians against the unjust rules and laws that unfortunately obtain in South Africa.” “Your munificence and liberality in the cause of Muslim education has justly won for Your Highness the love and esteem of every true Muslim. Our Prophet of blessed memory prided himself on being the ‘city of knowledge’, and called his son-in-law Ali ‘its gate’. ‘Acquire knowledge’, said he, ‘for whoso acquireth it in the way of the Lord performeth an act of charity.’ We need scarcely refer further to the many exhortations to acquire knowledge which our Prophet had made to his followers. Your Highness has inherited that love of knowledge and its encouragement which has characterized Your Highness’s life from its very childhood. We acknowledge with thankfulness and gratitude your munificent donations and grants to this institution and to the great Muslim institution of India, the Aligarh College.” (Dumasia, pp. 173-4).