Date: 19 November 1931
Location: London
Speaker: Aga Khan III
Source: Speeches of Aga Khan III – K K Aziz
Full Text
Tributes to Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru and the Maharao of Cutch relations between Great Britain and the Muslim world.
I am happy to say that there are still men, like Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru, whom I can claim as representatives not only of Hindu civilization but of Moslem interest, and who know so much about Islam, and the Maharao of Cutch, who is a real father to his Moslem subjects. You have said that England and the Moslem world have in the past quarrelled; but as the world gets older and grows up school-boy quarrels are outgrown. So I, for one, sincerely hope that, with greater maturity, security will come throughout the world and that we may learn more and more to understand each other.
Source: The Times, London, 21 November 1931. “The Secretary of State for India made a statement on Anglo-Moslem relations at a dinner given in his honour at Park Lane Hotel on Thursday night by Dr. Shafa’at Ahmad Khan, a member of the Moslem Delegation to the Round-Table Conference. The guests included members of the Conference belonging to all the delegations. “The toast of the Secretary of State and Lady Maud Hoare was proposed by the Aga Khan, who said that Sir Samuel Hoare had won the esteem and affectionate regard of the delegates. “Sir Samuel Hoare, in the course of his speech, said:” ‘Whatever the future may bring to me in politics, however long or short the period may be that I occupy my present office, I can say I shall always look back with pleasure to this present period of my life and to the many friendships that I have been privileged to make with Indians in these last few weeks, not least among the Moslems. During centuries past the paths of Islam and the British Empire have crossed; century after century we have been brought into close contact with each other. We have very often carried those difficulties to the sword. But, upon the whole, looking back over this long period of many centuries, I think I may say without fear of contradiction that we have under stood each other very well and, in spite of mistakes, it may be on both sides, we have remained very good friends. I assure you that as an Englishman I look back with the most sincere admiration at the great history of Islam during the 1,400 years of its existence; I think of your great record as conquerors, I think of your high standard in the world of art and poetry – your poets, one of the most distinguished of whom is among your delegation to day. ” ‘I am glad to think that almost all the causes of difference that may in the past have divided us are now removed. With Turkey we are in the most friendly relations. Going farther towards the East I see there the recreation – for it is no new creation – of the Arab civilization. I am glad to think that during the years I was at the Air Ministry I was able to help in the re-creation of the Arab Army. Passing nearer to India I see the best of relations in existence between the King of Afghanistan and the King-Emperor. I have said enough to show that there is no reason so far as I see that any threatening clouds that may have existed in the past between the British Empire and Islam exist now. I look to you, the representatives of the Moslem world in India, to play an invaluable part in the new India which is to come. I pray that communal differences that may at present hold up so much of the progress that we wish to see in India may be once for all removed. Of one thing I am certain, whatever may be the changes in store, we and the Moslem world have so much in common that we shall always remain friends, and with all your great history behind you you will play a great part in the history of India.’ ” “The Aga Khan spoke after Sir Samuel Hoare, and was followed by Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru who said that, knowing ‘ … Moslem history and culture as he did, he thought it would be a great mistake to say that the Moslem community in India was an outside body. He did not think that any one of those present, Moslem or Hindu, could look to a future for India when India would be ruled either by Hindus or by Moslems. He wanted every community to be placed in a position of equality one with the other, and no community could feel that it had not an ascertained and definite place under the Constitution and that it had to seek favour at the hands of others.’ “