2017
Ideas of Harmonious Coexistance: Religions and Philosophies of India The Taqreeb Conference Series 2nd Annual Conference December 27 -28, 2017, JNU, New Delhi
Jawaharlal Nehru University https://www.jnu.ac.in/
The Qutbi Jubilee Scholarship Program http://qjsp.org/
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TA Q R E E B 2 0 1 7
Overview of Schedule
Day 2: December 28
Day 1: December 27 Venue: Jawaharlal Nehru University Convention Centre located within the JNU campus 1. Inaugural Session
1. Special Session 2. Coffee Break
9.30am -10.30am
12.00pm - 2.00pm
10.30am - 11.00am 4. Lunch
3. Panel I: Plurality in Religious Thought
11.30am - 12.00pm
3. Panel IV: Engaging Precedents for Peace in the Present
2. Coffee Break
9.30am - 11.30am
2.00pm - 2.45pm
11.00am - 1.00pm 5. Panel V: Race, Caste & Identity in
4. Lunch
1.00pm - 2.00pm
5. Panel II: Entangled Histories, Imagined Politics
Contemporary India 6. Coffee Break
2.45pm - 4.45pm 4.45pm - 5.00pm
2.00pm - 4.00pm 7. Panel VI: Contemporary Politics &
6. Coffee Break
4.00pm - 4.15pm
7. Panel III: Leadership and Peace
4.15pm - 6.30pm
Visions for the Future 8. Closing Remarks
5.00pm - 7.00pm 7.00 - 7.15pm
The Qutbi Jubilee Scholarship Program The Qutbi Jubilee Scholarship Program (QJSP) was established in 2014 by the 53rd Head of the Dawoodi Bohra Community, Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin, to provide scholarships for higher-education, and to foster occasions for promoting harmonious co-existence, known in Arabic as taqrīb. To this end, QJSP has initiated The Taqreeb Conference Series, an annual international gathering of scholars and leaders of communities to discuss and promote harmonious coexistence. The first conference in the series was held in collaboration with the University of Calcutta in September 2016. This conference will be the second in this series. The history of the Dawoodi Bohra Community in India and their interactions with other communities are noteworthy for the goal of taqreeb. On the one hand, their perpetual status as a minority necessitated some form of pragmatic philosophy of coexistence; on the other hand, their leaders at several points in time, initiated influential movements of taqreeb, whose effects were felt nationwide. These movements frequently drew upon the philosophy and history of the Fatimid Caliph-Imams – to whom the Dawoodi Bohras trace their heritage – to articulate a universal and divine origin to all sects and beliefs. In the modern period, a noteworthy example is that of the community’s 51st leader, Syedna Taher Saifuddin (1888-1965), who lead initiatives to nurture taqreeb among religious communities. Through more than 40 treatises and thousands of lines of Arabic devotional poetry, he presented a model of spiritual Islam that seeks to shun all forms and facets of disharmony and enmity among members of humanity over the globe.
Centre of Arabic & African Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University The Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi is the number one public funded university in the country, ranked second in the overall ranking of the institutions of higher studies in India. It is known for leading faculties and research emphasis on liberal arts, social sciences, foreign languages and applied sciences. Named after India's first Prime Minister, JNU was established in 1969 by an act of parliament. It consists of ten major schools including the School of Social Sciences, School of Life Sciences, School of Biotechnology, School of Computer and System Sciences, School of International Studies, School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, School of Physical Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, School of Arts and Aesthetics and School of Computational and Integrative Sciences. The School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies is considered the largest school of humanities in Asia. The University is located on the Aravali Ridge in the southern part of Delhi. It is spread on a one thousand acre lush green campus with unique flora and fauna. The Centre of Arabic and African Studies (CAAS) is a part of School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies. It was started in 1971 as CAAL. Conforming to the larger goals and policies of the university, CAAS offers various programs in Arabic, language, literature, culture and history besides optional courses in Hebrew and Swahili languages. The centre has been able to attract students not only from different corners of India but also from foreign countries such as China, Japan, Turkey and even from Arabic speaking countries such as Egypt and Yemen.
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About the Conference
This year's conference delegates come from over 20 cities from India and around the world and varied disciplinary backgrounds
Jawaharlal Nehru University
The purpose of the conference is to bring together scholars and community leaders to explore notions of communal harmony in India, as theorized and practiced, historically and today. The conference would create a platform to connect these notions to contemporary challenges to peace and pluralism.
The Indian sub-continent across the millennia has been a cradle for the development of myriad systems of thought with regards to interfaith and intercommunal relations. For many, the sub-continent has served as a model for communal harmony, and for others, it has often been a focal point of disharmony, rioting and discrimination. Philosophical and religious luminaries, as well as rulers and politicians, have throughout its history formulated ideas of harmonious coexistence, and often implemented them. These have, frequently but not always, been erected upon edifices of faithbased ideologies. From ancient scriptures such as the Rigveda, to more recent ones such as the Bible and the Qur’an; from the religious traditions that emanated from within the sub-continent, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism, to those that made it its home, such as Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Judaism; from the ancient philosophical traditions of the astika and nastika schools, to the later expressions of Sufi and Bhakti ideologies; from the sayings of kings and emperors such as Ashoka, Kharavela, and Harsha, and the concepts of sulh-e-kul and din-e-ilahi of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, to the provisions of the Constitution of India, the Indian Penal Code and Parliamentary Acts; from the sages of medieval India such as Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, Baba Farid, Guru Nanak, Tulsidas, Mirabai and Dara Shikoh, to the more recent perspectives of Sai Baba of Shirdi, Mahatma Gandhi, Syedna Taher Saifuddin, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the multi-religious, multi-lingual, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society of India represents a rich tapestry of ideas of harmonious coexistence. These ideas and their successful and unsuccessful applications across the ages represent an invaluable resource for the debate on communal relations in contemporary times. Their considerable legacy can today contribute on micro and macro levels to the mission of advancing communal harmony in modern day democracies in general, and particularly to issues of intra-societal and intra-faith relationships, interreligious and intercommunal co-existence, minority and majority rights, and nation building in India. In present times especially, two dichotomous strands of thought have increasingly taken hold and demand immediate attention: on the one hand, ultra-orthodox and other extreme ideologies are finding more and more opportunities of expression, and on the other, the more liberal voices have progressively moved from a call for tolerance and patience amongst communities to urging acceptance, appreciation and understanding. Furthermore, several distinct strategies are being put forward today in the public space for achieving harmony, and these deserve careful individual consideration: some suggest that the best way forward is to show that all religions are an expression of the same truth, while others advocate a healthy recognition of the commonalities as well as the differences, and yet others argue that the focus of individuals should be on being human, while realizing that religious boundaries are artificial and man-made. In the conference, it is hoped that questions such as the following – but not limited to these – will be closely examined and discussed particularly in the context of contributions that have come from the religions and philosophies of India: how can one define ‘harmonious co-existence’ as well as its aims and goals historically and today; how do notions such as ‘tolerance’ and ‘patience’ versus those such as ‘acceptance,’ ‘appreciation’ and ‘understanding’ shape such definitions; how can one endeavour to reconcile between competing definitions and goals; what are the prime examples of communal harmony in history and today; what are the ideas that have been put forward to achieve communal harmony, and how do they address the socio-economic, racial, religious, educational, political and caste fault lines of society; what is the role of syncretic developments in religions, ideologies and cultures in moving towards harmonious coexistence; what have been the points of failure historically and today where community relations have broken down and even disintegrated in to violence; how do such instances contribute to a search for harmonious coexistence; what have been the points of interaction between ideologies of harmonious coexistence and those that propagate divisiveness; what has been the role of politics and phenomena such as colonialism and nationalism in advancing or harming communal relations; how does one balance the seemingly divergent ideals of freedom of speech and communal harmony, as for example attempted in Section 153A and 295A of the Indian Penal Code; what is the role of the government, NGOs, media, law enforcement and the justice system in advancing this goal; how significant is harmonious co-existence in nation building and development; what are the concrete initiatives and steps that can be taken today in fostering communal harmony.
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Panel I
Plurality in Religious Thought December 27, 11.00 am – 1.00 pm Chair: Prof Tahera Qutbuddin (University of Chicago, USA)
Professor Stefan Sperl SOAS, University of London, UK
Professor Tzvi Langermann Bar Ilan University, Israel
“Plotinus and Taqreeb:
“The Universalism of Yoga: The Jews of Yemen
An Indo-European Perspective”
Welcome an Islamicized Adaptation of a Yoga Text”
The philosophy of Plotinus (d. 270) is known to have left a profound mark on the mystical traditions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. That its principles were found to be compatible with creeds of such different dogmatic outlook shows that it has an inherent bridge-building potential in the religious sphere. The fact that vestiges of his thinking are also to be found in De L’Allemagne by Mme De Staël (d. 1817) – an outstanding, landmark attempt to forge taqreeb between Germany and France in the midst of the Napoleonic wars – would seem to indicate that his approach can be harnessed to engender mutual understanding also in the secular, social and political spheres. Taking account of the above, the paper aims to explore the potential relevance of Plotinus’ thinking for the aims and objectives of the Taqreeb Conference. In doing so, it takes account of a range of links attested between Plotinus and India, with focus on two in particular: firstly, certain parallels between Plotinian and Indian philosophical thought whose origin and significance have been much discussed in recent scholarship; and, secondly, the transmission to India of Plotinian thinking as modified and processed through the vehicle of Sufism whose greatest exponents carry the imprint of his ideas in their reading of Qur’anic revelation. The bulk of the paper will seek to examine how the legacy of Plotinus’ method of philosophical inquiry can serve the aims of taqreeb. Topics to be addressed include his approach to the incapacity of language (aporia) to convey his concept divinity and the abiding challenge this poses against absolutist claims of scriptural exegesis, as well as his integrated vision of the universe as a complete living being (zoon panteles) ensouled by a forming principle whose recognition demands the transcending of boundaries and the acknowledgment of the Other. In developing these points the paper will take account of the findings of an international conference on a related topic which is due to take place in London in November 2017. Entitled Faces of the Infinite: Neoplatonism and Poetics at the Confluence of Asia, Africa and Europe the conference aims to document the manner in which Plotinus’ legacy has helped to shape the great poetic traditions of Europe and Western Asia and acted as cross-cultural undercurrent which links them to each other not only in the past but also up to the modern period.”
The Arabic book called by some writers aw al-ayāh or aw Mā’ al-ayāh, “Pool of Life” or “Pool of the Water of Life”, and by others Mir’āt al-Ma‘āni, “The Mirror of Ideas”, is a translation of a lost book on Yoga, Atakunda (“Pool of Nectar”), to which “Hymn of the Pearl”, which traces back the gnostic work, the Acts of Thomas, and pieces of philosophical writing by the twelfth century Ishraqī philosopher, Suhrawardī Maqtūl, have been seamlessly appended. The religious language of Islamic monotheism is prominent; nonetheless, the yoga elements, such the postures (asanas) are described and illustrated. This unusual book underwent a further transformation when it was transcribed into Hebrew characters (retaining the Arabic language) by Yemeni Jews no later than the fifteenth century. Mir’āt al-Ma‘āni assumed an important place in the vibrant intellectual activity of Yemenite Jewry. Its themes were utilized for homilies, for example, a disquisition on the good and bad ethical traits that is based on the twelve chamber heart. That anatomy is not found in the Yoga text, but the moral lesson reflects the positive and negative qualities of right-sided and left-sided breaths, respectively, as taught by the Yoga. Mir’āt al-Ma‘āni was cited prominently in a polemical work concerning the legitimacy of allegorical interpretation. We have no firm information concerning the actual practice of the exercises as detailed in the description of the asanas by Yemeni Jews. However, one text does refer to a “flying” posture which, so claims the informant, can allow one to traverse great distances in no time, as described in the ancient Hebrew midrash. Clearly, then, yoga, both its ideas and practices, was easily accepted by many of the learned and religious Jews of the Yemen. The ease with which texts stemming from ancient gnosticism and medieval philosophy were appended to a book on Yoga, all the while maintaining thematic and literary unity, is striking. The book was also given an Islamic coloring; and it passed through several languages and scripts before reaching the Jews of Yemen. In the Jewish community of that country--at the time, the most important entrepôt in the flourishing trade between India and the Mediterranean lands--it was welcomed as an important addition to the bookshelf. This small episode, then, is an instructive example of the type of the harmonious coexistence of ideas and practices originating in India with those deriving from the Islamic and Jewish worlds. The ease with which the ideas sit with one another gives hope that the people who espouse them will be able to do the same.
Professor Shaikh Musak Rajjak
Shz Dr Aziz Qutbuddin
Maulana Azad College Of Arts, India
QJSP, India
“Ideas of Harmonious Coexistence in Marathi
“The Roots of Islamic Tolerance: Reflections
Literature of Sufis in Deccan History”
on the Concept of the Universality of
Many Sufis wrote the Marathi literature in Medieval Deccan. Shah Muntoji Bahmani, Ambar Husain, Chand Bodhale, Shaikh Muhammad Shrigondekar, Alam Khan, Shah Mooni, Latif Shah and Shaikh Sultan are the famous Sufi poets and authors of many books in Deccan region. Shah Muntoji Bahmani was the seventeenth century Sufi poet and author from Deccan. He wrote number of book like, Prakashdip, Siddhsanket, Hindu-Islam Darshan etc. in Marathi. His manuscripts are available at Rajwade Research Center and Shree Samarth Wangdevata Mandir Research Center at Dhule, Maharashtra. Ambar Husain (b.1603) of Daulatabad wrote Ambar Husaini and Samshlok in Marathi. Shaikh Muhammad Shrigondekar (1548-1618 AD) was another famous Sufi saint from Ahmednager Maharashtra. He was the Guru of Malojiraje Bhosle (Grandfather of Shivaji). His literature; Yogsangram, Pawan Vijay, Bhakti Bodha and Bharud are available today. Alam Khan wrote in Marathi books; Gurumahatmya and Updeshpad. These all Sufi authors from Sixteenth to Eighteenth century made the literature in Marathi language. The proposed paper has the special focus on historical study and review of Marathi literature made by Sufis in Deccan with the ideas of harmonious coexistence within it. It has also try to understand the features of literature, their time, causation and religious – spiritual facets with historical significance in history of Deccan. What was the background of Sufis? How they influenced by Hindu Bhakti movement in Maharashtra? What kind of ideas presented by Sufis in Marathi literature, both in poems and texts? What were their ideas about the religion, cultural and spiritual co-existence? Number of handwritten manuscripts, copied texts is available in Bharat Samshodhan Mandal Pune, Shree Samarth Vangdvata Mandir Reserarch Center Dhule, Rajwade Itihaas Samshodhan Mandal Dhule and Marathi Department Hastlikhit Samgrah Division, Dr. B.A. Marathwada University, Aurangabad. The paper tries to understand the historical development and has the reviews of Sufis, their literature in historical methods. By the interpreting of this material, the history will reviews the contribution of Sufis in cultural and literary history of Deccan. Sufis also contributed the philosophical history of Maharashtra. They write about the Nath, Varkari, Mahanubhav and Nagesh cults of Maharashtra region. Muslim Sufis wrote and mixed the imaginary icons within their literature with Hindu and Muslim monotheism. “Scchaa Pir Kahe Musalmaan Mrahate Mhanti Sadguru Purn Donhit Naahi Bhinnatwpan Aankh Khol Dekh Bhai” (O brother Pir of Muslims and Sadguru of Hindus, both are same.) By these words, Shaikh Muhammad explain the importance of Pir or Guru in spiritual life of Hindu and Muslim followers and gave the message to spiritual coexistence within the both communities for love and peace in society. The relevance of Sufi teaching and literature is an antidote to communal hatred and violence in current society also.
Religions in Fatimid Thought, Policy and Practice” As violent movements fall back on religious ideology to recruit, mobilize and attack, the age old and solid concept of religious tolerance in Islam fades in the background. The media headlines are about those who exploit religious ideology and interpret it as justification for violence, hatred, and prejudice; the headlines unfortunately do not focus on those who embrace Islam as a foundation for tolerance, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence. In the present day scenario, I propose to reflect on the concept of the Universality of Religions in Fatimid thought and point out how this concept guided policy and practice in their administration of the Fatimid State in Egypt (10th-11th century AD). Their largely benevolent attitude to all religious communities living under their rule exemplified this openness of spirit and ideology. Although previous studies have mentioned the religious tolerance of the Fatimids, none have, to my knowledge, compared that with the underlying Fatimid ideologies of the history of religions. The proposed paper attempts to do this by exploring the ideas of a number of well-known Fatimid philosophers and authors such as Abū Hātim al-Rāzī, al-Qādī al-Nu‘mān, al-Kirmānī, and al-Mu’ayyad al-Shīrāzī. It also aims to demonstrate that in the case of the Fatimids, religious ideology was a strong foundation vis-à-vis religious tolerance. The paper contends that we must highlight and espouse these foundations of Islamic tolerance to counter the abuse of religious ideology we are witnessing today.
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Panel II
Entangled Histories, Imagined Politics December 27, 2.00 pm – 4.00 pm Chair: Prof Stefan Sperl (SOAS, University Of London, UK)
Professor Ashfaq Ahmad
Bhsb. Zulqarnain Hakeemuddin
Banaras Hindu University, India
Rasul Hudood of Alavi Bohra Community, India
“Peaceful Coexistence in the Light of Qur’anic
“Evolution of 'Alavi Bohras with Changing
Teaching and the Menace of Terrorism”
Political Scenario in Vadodara”
Islam means peace. It means completely submitting the self to God and obeying His order. Islam advocates for a society in which all human beings can live together in harmony and never compels anyone to be a Muslim. It stresses the need for peaceful coexistence. The Qur’an says: And say: The truth is from your Lord. Then whosoever wills, let him believe, and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve. (18:29) It further says: There is no compulsion in religion; clearly the right way has become clearly distinct from error. (2:256) Quar’an says that it’s Allah who has created all human beings and spread them in different parts of the world to live peacefully. It says: O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, His mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;- reverence Allah, through whom ye demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence) the wombs (That bore you): for Allah ever watches over you (4:1) It further says: O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted. (49:13) The God wants a Muslim to create an environment in which all can live peacefully, regardless of their believes, caste, races and cultures. He invites all to enter the peace: O you who believe! Enter perfectly in peace (Islam). (2:208) ...Apart from these and many other verses of Qur’an there are hundreds ofHadith which advocate very strongly for nonviolence, tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Islam never encourages the Muslims to resort to violence on any ground except for the truth or when the Muslims are threatened and persecuted. Unfortunately, there are groups which nurture and propagate extremism and violence. They want to establish their version of Islamic rule in the world. These groups interpret the Qur’an the way it suits them and wage armed struggle not only against the non-Muslims but also against the Muslims. These violent groups end up quite often killing the innocent peoples, especially the Muslims in different parts of the world. To justify the large scale killing of innocent people, these groups interpret the Qur’an, and also of Hadith differently. The extremist groups, such as al-Qaeda, Bokoharam, al-Shabab, Hizbullah of Hasan Nasrullah. And also the groups like the Muslim Brothers, Hamas and Jama’at-e- Islami. These groups want to establish the utopian Islamic Khilafa and try to subjugate anyone who does not fall under the framework of their version of Islam. The most militant of these groups do not consider any Muslim nation as Islamic State and hence all the Muslim countries are also their enemies. The menace of terrorism has to be challenged with all force and has to be crushed so as to have a peaceful and harmonious human society.
We are pleased to represent 'Alavi Bohras among you for the first time focussing our Evolution of our Community with the changing Political Scenario in Vadodara. Broadly speaking, Politics is a progressive socio - economic infrastructure based upon individual contributions at every level. Present is based upon Past experiences which makes way for Future planning. Religion and Politics have ever since remained an integral part of Human Evolution. It is the Religion through which Politics got multi dimensional definition. Politics itself has its roots in the Religious Texts and Teachings...
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Professor Kisor Kumar Chakrabarti
Professor Chandana Chakrabarti
Institute of Cross Cultural Studies and Academic Exchange, USA
Fort Hayes State University, USA
"Indo-Greek Multiculturalism in the Antiquity" Pantheistic (pantheos:everything God) ideas are explicitly and repeatedly found in the Rg-Veda. According to the Hymn to the Person (Purushasukta, Rg.Veda X..90). The Cosmic Person is everything,all that has come into being, all that will come into being ;and, moreover, exceeds all these. In the Hymn to the Goddess (The Devisukta, Rg.Veda ) the later declare herself to be the source from which everything comes and to which everything returns and also to include each and every god and goddess. In Egypt towards the end of the New Kingdom The great God Amon-Re is said to be “ the one only “ , “ the one who has no second”, “One One”, of which all gods are parts, who occupies all space and yet exceeds it. Similar ideas are found in ancient Mesopotamia where around two thousand BCE. The pantheon is absorbed in the goddess Inana and again one thousand BCE in the god Marduk. Analogical pantheistic belief seem to have reached ancient Greece by the sixth century BCE through Orphism when Zeus is declared to be everything, the only ultimate source and ultimate goal of all yet to transcend it all. Now, regular international maritime trade was carried on by the Mesopotamians and Indians as early as the 4th millennium BCE between the Persian Gulf and the northwestern coast of India who traded in copper, timber, ivory, precious stones, rare woods, conchs, cylinder seals, beads and so on. In the early six century BCE both Greece and much of northwest India and Afghanistan were annexed by the Persian empire and made parts of the same political entity. Given the antiquity of Rg. Veda it is likely that pantheistic views traveled from India to Greece sometimes directly and sometimes through the intermediaries in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. One effect of the spread of pantheism was that the worship of competing and” zealous” gods and goddesses evolved into a kind of multiculturalism, religious tolerance and inclusivism not only in India but also in Persia, near east and Greece. Exclusivism did return in the middle east and the near east after the demise of the Persian empire and in Europe after the consolidation of Christianity. However ,inclusivism remained a powerful force in India after the end of the Vedic age through the Epic age and later with such development as the doctrine of three paths: the path of knowledge, the path of action and the path of devotion. In the 3rd century BCE the rock inscriptions of Ashoka show the emperor ordering specific top officials to ensure that all the subjects are able to follow their faiths without interference and discrimination. No doubt the world today would be a much better place if ancient ideas of multiculturalism, tolerance and co-existence (for which, needless to say, pantheism is not a necessary condition) were implemented and pursued in the local, regional , national and international levels.
“Vedanta and Sufi Roadmap for Peaceful Coexistence” Peaceful coexistence has been aimed and practiced by various communities for centuries. Some scholars have analyzed the idea of "seeing through difference" and not through division. Division is a social construct and we need to deconstruct and put in bracket our so called divisions to find out the core of identity through inner or esoteric dimension of Islam and perennial philosophy of East. Many paths leading to the same end has been emphasized by religious pluralism and at the same time holding to the basic ideology of different belief systems. Underlying unity of all beings as believed by the Vedanta philosophy of India and the Sufi school of Islam has set the paradigm to follow for our generation by melting the so called divisions and upholding the inner unity of our existence amidst socio-cultural belief systems. Needless to say as William James mentioned that "pure experience" dawns before any construction comes and could be realized also in enlightenment, satory or fana. The essential identity of the individual self and the universal self in both Vedanta and Sufism provides foundation for mutual understanding and respect and fellow feeling of all mankind. The basic idea is to see every one in oneself and one self in every one. Self-realization and God-realization go hand in hand from which comes the call of universal spirituality and brotherhood that embraces everyone irrespective of nationality, race, gender, creed and ethnicity.
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Panel III
Leadership and Peace December 27, 4.15 pm – 6.30 pm Chair: Prof Zubair Ahmad Farooqi (Former Head of Dept. of Arabic, Jamia Millia Islamia)
Professor Gulfishan Khan
Dr Mehroof Junaid Wafy
Shzd Professor Tahera Qutbuddin
Aligarh Muslim University, India
Bafakhy Islamic College, India
University of Chicago, USA
“Interfaith Dialogue at the Mughal Court” The paper would seek to highlight the tradition of interfaith dialogue in the Mughal court culture during the seventeenth Century. The discussion would be centred around a number of Indo-Persian texts such as Mirat alQuds or the Indo-Persian Injil and Majalis-i-Jahangiri the nocturnal discussions of Emperor Jahangir with his cultivated courtiers. It is being argued that the tradition of sulh kul and interfaith dialogue as initiated by Akbar were continued during the reign of his successors. In the intellectual exchanges with the Catholic priests mainly the Jesuits the Mughal noblemen played an equally significant role. Thus the period witnessed refashioning of the religious dialogue in the Mughal court culture.
“Babri Masjid: Role of Panakkad Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal In Reinstatement Of Religious Harmony After The Demolition Of Babri Masjid; An Observational Study” India, our mother land has preserved its tradition for centuries by holding the remarkable motto unity in diversity; all Indians are like flowers in a garden that looks like in different smell and color. But on December 6, 1992 India’s secular mind was wounded when the Babari masjid was demolished. Numerous hindu-muslim communal riots broke out in many places; more than 2000 people were killed in different part of the nation. But the situation of Kerala was calm and quiet. The only reason for this was the strong stand of panakkad sayyid Mohammed Ali shihab, who was the former president of Indian union Muslim league as well as spiritual -political leader of Kerala. He called for the Muslims to maintain self control and be patient in time of babari masjid demolition. Through this paper I would like to present the valuable contributions of Mohammed Ali shihab to build bridges between different communities especially after the demolition of Babari masjid. This paper finally will demonstrate the idea of shihab thangal was really success in India’s secular sphere and to secure prospect of the religious harmony in India. The secular empowerment and social cohesion need to be attained, and I strongly endorse the role and influence of shihab thangal is entirely ideal in religious harmony of India.
The Teachings and Practice of Sayyidna Taher Saifuddin: Pluralist Communal Harmony and Committed Individual Faith” Sayyidna Tahir Saifuddin was the 51st spiritual leader of the Tayyibi Daudi Bohra community, who promoted peaceful coexistence among religious communities in preand post-Independence India. On the one hand, he emphasized mutual regard: in oral sermons and written works addressed to his followers, he preached that all humans were brothers and sisters, and in his interactions with leaders and members of other communities, he sought to foster affectionate and supportive relations. On the other hand, he was also a devoted adherent of Tayyibi Shia Islam. Bringing the two together, he showed by his shining example how to be respectful of others’ beliefs, while being true to your own convictions; how to build a pluralist society emphasizing a shared national identity and a common human heritage, while practicing one’s own faith with dedication. For this presentation, I will use two main points of reference, poetry and practice. First, I will assess some of Sayyidna Taher Saifuddin’s Arabic poems, which encapsulate weighty principles of communal harmony in exquisitely fine-grained and pithily cogent linguistic art. In the second part of the paper, I will give examples of his exemplary conduct in promoting taqreeb in pre- and post-Independence India, and the appreciation expressed for it by community leaders.
Mr. Abdul Gafoor Kunnathodi Jawaharlal Nehru University, India
“Harmonious Coexistence: The Paradigm of Mamburam Thangal’s Leadership In British Malabar” Sayyid Alavi Mouldaveela Thangal, known as Mamburam Thangal (1752-1845), was a Yemeni origin Sufi saint who settled in Malabar region in South India during the British colonial period and strived to unite the multi-religious community of Malabar to struggle against the colonial power. As a reputed leader of the community, he tried his best to establish harmony between Mappilas (Muslims of this region) and Hindus, in spite of the attempts made by the British government to apply their heinous policy of ‘divide and rule’. Historical evidence shows that even though Mamburam Thangal was the spiritual leader of the Muslim community he had a lot of non-Muslim friends and even his personal assistant was a Hindu from the Nayar Community namely Konthu Nayar. Hindus, as well as Muslims of his time, were consulting him as a mediator to solve their various problems and seeking his decisions in their personal affairs. Interestingly, still, there are many customs and festivals among the Hindu community of this region which are related with Mamburam Thangal. As the ongoing studies about Mamburam Thangal are focussing on his spiritual life and his struggles against the colonial powers, there is an academic lacuna to trace the attempts made by this Muslim spiritual leader to retain the harmonious coexistence of the Malabar community amid the attempts of the Government to divide them. I hope the present paper will fill such a gap. This paper will be based on the primary historical sources, in different languages of Arabic, Malayalam and Arabi-Malayalam, which include Manaqibs (hagiographies), Ansabs (genealogies), Rasaels (letters), Rihlas (travelogues) and rare manuscripts in Malayalam. Besides, the secondary sources of various social sciences including history will be utilized.
Professor Avkash Jadhav St. Xavier’s College, University Of Mumbai, India
“The Life and Teachings of the Mahatama: An Edifice for Coexistence and Communal Harmony in India” History should be, not a burden on the memory, but an illumination of the soul’, was stated by Lord Acton. India today is on the threshold of becoming world power and is shifting its paradigm from social empowerment to claiming political hegemony in the global context. The ancient values and teachings of the religious leaders have been through various transformations in our contemporary society and it has eventually triggered more differences in the religious connotations than bringing harmonious practice. The 21st century India while having global vision needs to equally engages in the transmutation of its religious dogmas and also overcome the communal hatred in the society. This paper will highlight the relevance and application of the philosophy of Mahatama Gandhi on communal harmony which is timeless and simultaneously needs a revival in the contemporary society. The paper will primarily focus on Gandhiji’s views about his brethren and co religionist Muslim community during the struggle for freedom. It will emphasise his views on Islam and the Hindu –Muslim unity, which he regarded as the two wheels of the same cart for the progress and development of the nation. Gandhi’s philosophy emphasised on the four dimensional development of the society ie. political, economic, intellectual and religious. The four dimensional development was to be shared equally by all irrespective of the region, race, caste and religion of the individual. His concept of communal harmony was based on promoting Ahimsa in his book Ashram Observances, when he defines ‘ahimsa is not the crude thing it has been made to appear, not to hurt any living thing is no doubt part of ahimsa, but it is its least expression, the principle of himsa is hurt by every evil thought, by undue haste, by lying, by hatred, by wishing ill to anybody’. When he supported the khilafat movement his objective was that ‘all Indians should follow suit as a matter of common religious support for legitimate and necessary Muslim demands’. According to him the Hindu-Muslim unity can be promoted by ‘having common goal and common sorrows’. Maulana Kalam Azad had once invited him to inaugurate the Madrasa Islamiya in Calcutta and while addressing the students he expressed his respect towards Gandhi with following statement’ it is only a jeweller who can recognise a genuine gem, and you are indeed that, the finest connoisseur of the jewels of sacrifice and genuiness’. It vividly explains the how strongly he had built the bridge of community cohesiveness. His learning of Urdu and reading of Shibli Nu’mani’s two volume work on the life of the Prophet as well as Maulana Hasrat Mohani’s from the ‘Lives of the Companions of the Prophet added more relevance to his attempts of advocating unity. One of his staunch supporters Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan bears the testimony of his secular impact and the promotion of nation building in a collective way. His dictum of live and let Live taught mutual acceptance and toleration of differences with dignity. He even quoted verses from Quran during his prayers to instil the spirit of brotherhood amongst his followers. He strongly condemned the communal attributes of fundamentalist and refuted them by replying with this opinion ‘my whole soul rebels against the idea that Hinduism and Islam represent two antagonistic cultures and doctrines’. The relevance of the Father of the nation today should be beyond the mere celebration of 2nd October and Swacha Bharat Abhiyan The concept of social justice needs more wilful execution. As India is emerging a global leader, it becomes more important that we should assiduously promote spirit of communal harmony in our multi cultural and richly diverse society.
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Engaging Precedents for Panel Peace in the Present IV
December 28, 12.00 pm – 2.00 pm Chair: Prof Mujeebur Rahman (JNU, India)
Mr. Muhammad Ishakh
Mr. Vijay Shah The Humanist Academy, USA
Wafy Islamic and Arts College, India
“An Ancient Foundation for
“Influence of Buddhist Philosophy and Upanishads
Harmonious Coexistence”
in Peaceful Co-Existence Among People”
As we look around the world today, few would argue that against the notion of human development and progress in comparison to ancient times. With information from all across the world literally available at our fingertips with the push of a button, with more educated people than ever before, with unparalleled discoveries and advances in science, transportation, communication, food production, and technology, the eyes of humanity naturally gaze on the the possibilities of the future, and overlook or denigrate the past. However, social progress and human advancement is incomplete and perhaps futile when the ethical and moral aspects of humanity are neglected. As religious warfare, violence, and acts of terror based on misrepresented religious fanaticism continue to plague humanity, caste and gender discrimination dominates the social fabric of India, and talk of building walls instead of bridges infects political dialogue, the need for true human progress, for the harmonious coexistence of humanity could not be more urgent. Are we really advancing as human beings? Has the character of humanity progressed or regressed? Where are we headed? In such times, an unlikely but powerful hero comes from India’s past. The ancient literature of India, a juggernaut of wisdom and guidance, has the capacity to unify humanity and guide her on the path of moral, ethical development. This paper explores the ethical philosophy of ancient texts like the Rigveda in which aphorisms like, “Let benevolent thoughts come to me from all directions (Bhadra-Suktam),” and “Truth is one, sages call it by various names (1.164.46),” provide a framework for the acceptance and appreciation of diversity at the foundation of Indian thought. Upanishadic philosophy like the story of Nachiketa in the Katha Upanishad provide a teleological ethical basis for human life. Ancient Indian wisdom promoted a deeper interconnectedness between every human being, “Humans are connected to one another like the pearls on a thread,” (Bhagavad Geeta 7-7). It is important to note that these texts predate the formation of Hinduism as the organized religion we know today, and this paper will examine the prevalence of harmonious coexistence in these texts through an ethical and philosophical lens, free from any religious promulgation.
In India, the diversity of ideologies produced competing systems of thought, which comprise a philosophical tradition in an overall synthetic manner. This synthetic approach tends to favor the addition of new ideas over the refutation or negation of old ideas. For example some philosophical systems, such as Yoga, provided a technique for individual health, whereas, the philosophy of Vedanta provided the ideology of non-dualism for inner peace. We first briefly analyze the philosophy of Buddhism, the Upanishadic/ Vedantic non-dualism, Samkya-Yoga’s dualism, Nyaya-Vaishesika’s pluralism, and Carvaka’s materialism. Using these philosophies as the foundation, the paper proposes the non-denominational philosophy of diversity and difference for attaining peace at the individual, societal and global level.
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Professor Alan Godlas University Of Georgia, USA
Professor Prabha Shankar Dwivedi IIT Tirupati, India
"Fusing Hindu and Islamic Horizons of
“Hinduism and Contemporary India: Towards Dialectics
Understanding: A Religiological Analysis of
of Tradition, Modernity and Westernization”
Dara Shikoh’s Majma Al Bahrayn” It is imperative today that scholars and educators take concrete steps toward fostering harmony between religious communities. An important key to that is to strive to understand the other. A text that can guide us in that direction is the 17th century work of Dara Shikoh, Majma al-barayn (ed. and trans. by M. Mahfuz-ul-Haq). One obstacle to such an understanding, however, is that even in the absence of intercommunal violence, at the root of our species lies an existential fear of the other, as was discussed in the Pulitzer prize winning work of Ernst Becker, The Denial of Death, which has been followed up by contemporary Social Psychology’s “Terror Management Theory” (developed by Pyszczynski, Solomon, Greenberg, and Arndt). One way to diminish such fear and increase openness to the other (while encountering the other, even for certain, though not all, religious exclusivists and triumphalists) is to cultivate self-understanding, which increases self-esteem and decreases instinctive defensiveness. The importance of such a simultaneous study of self and other was also emphasized by Hans-Georg Gadamer, who expressed it in terms of “fusing the horizons of understanding” of both the observer-interpreter and the “other” object of interpretation. Hence, I have developed (after also being inspired by the work of Huston Smith) what I call religiological analysis, as a coherent, systematic, and relatively objective method of fusing such horizons and understanding worldviews of both self and other. An ideal text for developing such an understanding is the Majma al-barayn (the conjunction of the two oceans), which brings together comparatively both Hindu and Muslim worldviews, foreshadowing Gadamer’s idea of the “fusion of horizons” by three centuries. In using the analytical lenses of religiological analysis, Dara Shikoh’s understanding of both Hindu and Muslim worldviews will become fleshed out. Specifically, what will be examined are the key beliefs in the text about what constitutes valid knowledge (epistemology); what is believed to be ultimately real (ontology); what is the nature of God or Gods (theology), what is the nature of existence and what constitutes various levels of existence (cosmology); what is the nature of life after death (eschatology); who are we as human beings (anthropology); what are key states and faculties of consciousness (psychology); what is/are the purpose(s) of life (teleology); and what are believed to be the principal methods of achieving or actualizing those purposes (methodology). Consequently, a religiological analysis of both the Hindu and Islamic concepts expressed in Majma al-barayn will illustrate how the various components of the text’s presentation of Hindu and Muslim worldviews, though not the same, each cohere and make sense within their own worldviews. Hence, this will provide both Hindus and Muslims with a door to enhancing understanding of their selves and the other’s worldview, which will increase the likelihood of intercommunal harmony
This paper proposes a dialectical study of the transmogrification of traditional India into modern India, which still has its ever ending roots deeply rooted in its traditions. The paper is not concerned with the scientific advancement in the country but it intends to comprehend the changes in the religious opinions, change of attitude of religious creed and reshaping of politico-philosophical notions. The precursors of contemporary India were the Hindus, who did not close their eyes when got a chance to understand other religions and politico-philosophical ideas of other countries, particularly the western system. Hinduism, being the major religion of India, always shaped the spirit of the country, and therefore, harmony of religions is well-established here. Modernity in India rests on the principles of those who themselves were the direct products of the tradition and were inseparably attached to it; in this context the name of Sri Ramakrishna can be brought into discussion, who is a well known mystic and a Vedanta thinker, for whom all religions were equal because he viewed a religion through the eyes of its follower, his judgement was made on phenomenological method and therefore he had the doctrine of religious harmony or Dharma Samanvaya, he never wished to disturb anybody’s faith in any religion, hence the nation founded on such notions would certainly be considered to be advanced but deeply rooted in traditions. His teachings, in the various forms and by the numerous ways, contributed immensely in giving a new shape to India. His disciple, Swami Vivekananda, who emerged to be the leading figure of modern Hindu thoughts, propagated the tenets of well explored and established modern Hindu doctrines to gift the world with the ideas such as universal brotherhood and religious harmony. Vivekananda, who epitomizes the modern Indian thought even today, was inseparably attached with the Indian tradition or to say radically, with the Sanskrit tradition of India and, therefore, in his opinion as Halfbass says that they are de facto Indians, who have preserved their sacred knowledge within the Sanskrit tradition. The term ‘modern’ does not give the same meaning when used in connection with India as in connection with the Europe. The modern India cannot be disentangled from the traditions of the country as it has grown on it, and therefore, by no means it favours westernization in the name of modernization, it has its roots still in the Indian traditions. In the transformation of traditional India into modern India, we had many other thinkers and reformers, whose contributions played a crucial role in the makeover, as in the line of Swami Vivekananda names of Sri Aurobindo and Prof. Radhakrishnana come, Raja Ram Mohan’s role is inevitably significant as he is known as the ‘father of modern India’, and the contributions made by Vedanta thinkers and reformers like Ramakrishna and Dayananda Saraswati, Vaishnava reformers like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi and the authors and poets like Bankim Chandra Chatterji and Rabindranath Tagore in the growth of modern India traditionally is invaluable.
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Panel V
Race, Caste & Identity in Contemporary India December 28, 2.45 pm – 4.45 pm Chair: Prof Capt. M Sharfe Alam (Former VC, MMH Arabic & Persian Univ. Patna)
Mr. Asem Tomba Meetei Jawaharlal Nehru University, India
Professor Preeti Oza St. Andrew’s College, University of Mumbai, India
“Communal Harmony in India: A
““Caste-Religious Fault Line in Indian Society with
Perspective from Northeast Migrant
Reference to the Dalit- Buddhist Equations”
Workers Living in Delhi” This paper addresses the plights of young northeast populations who out-migrated from the borders of North Eastern Region to metropolitan cities of India for their higher educational pursuits and employment purposes as the region suffers from a lack of such opportunities. Recent research studies from universities, civil society, and government report show that there is a rising case of racialization of northeast people in major cities and National Capital Regions in contemporary India. Though there is diversity among the Northeast people their identity and self is collectively expressed in the forms of “Chinky”, “Chink”, “Momos.” The self and identity of Northeast people are often scrutinized as other. This mistaken self and identity of citizenship and the racialized process have caused social conflict, which has disturbed the human ecological relationships with the host society. The paper is theoretically built on ecological perspective. This paper stems from an ethnographic study among the four occupational groups of Northeast Migrant Workers living in Delhi. The paper critically analyses the processes of racialization face by the Northeast Indian call center workers, beauty sector workers, restaurant workers, and retail workers at their respective workplaces, public places, and markets, while traveling and also while living in their rented houses in Delhi. The paper uses both primary and secondary data to understand the othering processes of racialization and how people of Northeast India negotiate their self and identity. The research findings suggested that there is alienation among the Northeast people arising out of the social differentiation which causes social discord. Diversity policy based on constitutional rights will enhance the accommodation and acceptance of each other socio-cultural practices that will further develop and promote the communal harmony in contemporary India for an inclusive idea of harmonious co-existence.
By examining practices of naming, especially the recent adoption of a ‘Buddhist’ identity by middle-class Dalits in contemporary India, this article analyses the multiple, shifting, and contested meanings of being Dalit. Examining the politics of this plurality shows the varied concerns at work in applying and contesting different names, especially the social and psychological challenges inherent in such acts of self-identification. By investigating the ambiguities and ambivalences of being Dalit and Buddhist, the article demonstrates that the strategies of naming struggle against the burdens of a stigmatised past as well as the challenge of exclusion and inclusion vis-à-vis different Dalit castes. Conversion is a complex and delicate issue that has been confused and vitiated when viewed in a communal and chauvinistic context. The 'Savarna' response to Dalit conversion as expressed in anti-conversion laws, under the guise of protecting the Dalits, traps them in a 'no entry, no exit' situation. The idea of ‘Harmonious Co-existence’ has given rise to ‘acceptance’, ‘appreciation’ and ‘understanding’ amongst Dalits but the conflicts have not yet stopped and the Identity Politics is still diffused in the country. But this syncretic development has also lead to a harmonious living in many cases. Caste is considered as constituting the basic identity of people in the Indian subcontinent. Classically, it draws upon a hierarchical notion and a corresponding association of rights and obligations. Caste thus formed a continuum ranging from the national superior-most Brahmin sub-caste to the inferior-most untouchable caste, the precise identity of which would be impossible to determine. This haziness of castes is the result of their sheer numbers as well as their dynamism. Caste, contrary to its commonplace notion, is not a static category and has been constantly evolving through splits and mergers, in turn giving birth to new castes which, according to their material strength, stake claim to a higher ritual position vis-à- vis other castes in their respective locale. Objectives of the study: The major objectives are: To map the spread of Buddhism in India and generate a clear picture about the different caste groups and the Buddhist communities. To look at the role of Dalit-Buddhism in the everyday life of the people and the philosophical facets and how they give meaning and identity to the lives of the people. Analyze the philosophical trends and the main tenets practised by the Buddhist Dalits of India along with the ritual practices
Mr. Mohammad Imran
Shz Dr Abdeali Qutbuddin
Jawaharlal Nehru University, India
QJSP, India
“Peace And Co-Existence in Heterogeneous Society:
A 4-Point RISE Framework to Safeguard
Analytical Survey of Sufi Shrines and Teachings in
Religious Freedom and Identity and
Kashmir, Hazrat Baba Nizamuddi Larvi”
Personal Liberties in India”
There are many Sufi shrines in Jammu and Kashmir which has become the live symbol of co-existing assembling of mass, where the people gather, eat and stay together having not any discrimination on the ground of their ethics, races and religions. Although the Sufi teachings and their shrines have deeply concerned with the fostering development of Islamic Spiritual Values, have met the challenges successfully and played a dynamic role in establishing peace, harmony and fraternity in a heterogeneous society. The people of different castes, culture, tradition, languages and religions are seem to have been united and gathered peacefully in a Shrine when they come there and utilize the same plates and glasses to have food from Lunger. The most visited shrines of the state are Shahdara and Laar Shareef. This paper will analyze the poetry of Hazrat Nizamuddin Larvi (Laar shareef ) to highlight that how his poetry is projecting the ideas of co existence and peace in a pluralistic environment. How his shrine has become the symbol of peace for all. This paper will also examine the reception and treatment of these shrines with all visitors concluding the role of Sufi teachings in establishing peace and harmony. The poetry of Harat Nizamuddin Larvi Wangat, Kashmir is the case study of my paper.within the both communities for love and peace in society. The relevance of Sufi teaching and literature is an antidote to communal hatred and violence in current society also.
Around 500 years ago, the then head of the Dawoodi Bohra community shifted the headquarters and base of the community to India from Yemen. From an overwhelmingly Muslim nation, to an overwhelmingly Hindu one. One of the main reasons. Political and security risks and curbs on religious freedom in Yemen The Bohra enjoyed relative calm, safety, freedom, and good prosperity in India. During partition, the 51st Dai al-Mutlaq of the community the late His Holiness Dr. Syedna Taher Saifuddin Saheb received threats from communal elements. He stayed put in India and counselled all community members already in India to remain here. It was the right decision. The constitution of independent India afforded unprecedented freedom and security, and as a result spiritual and material prosperity to the community. Today, in our history of independent India, we are at a crossroads which will determine the religious freedom and liberties we enjoy for some time to come. It is something worth fighting for. I would like to share with you what I feel our experience as a Muslim community has taught us with regard to laws and religious and freedom. I have distilled the ingredients that I feel are important into a 4-point framework which I have called RISE. 1. Respect for Diversity and Unity 2. Identity through Liberty 3. Self-Governance (To protect fundamental rights, Introspection, Evolution, Accountability) 4.Enlightened Society/ Leadership and Education
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Panel VI
Contemporary Politics & Visions for the Future
December 28, 5.00 pm – 7.00 pm Chair: Prof Chandana Chakrabarti (Fort Hayes State University, USA)
Senior Advocate Mr. Yusuf Muchhala
Dr Tridivesh Maini Jindal Global University, India
Judicare Law Associates, India
“Threat to Pluralism and Constitutional Values”
“Sikh Faith as a Peacemaker in South Asia”
The Indian Constitution enshrines values of pluralism and rule of law as evident from different articles on fundamental rights contained in its part III. The State under Constitutional scheme has to play the role of a benevolent neutral and hold scales of justice given when conflicting claims are made by different faiths and interests. So far the faith is concerned our Constitution is neither antithetical nor epithetical to religion but allows followers of each faith/ religion to live and prosper within its parameters. It is eloquently stated by the Supreme Court judgments that however high a person may be, he is not above the law. These are the basic features of the Constitution. They are now under threat when State and Non State Actors with direct or indirect encouragement or connivance of the State indulge into violent activities towards disadvantaged groups of people and actively promote cultural nationalism with the aim of converting the basic feature of the Constitution being non-denominational into denominational State.
Even at the peak of tensions between India and Pakistan, religious pilgrimages of Sikhs to religious shrines in Pakistan have gone ahead. At times there have been disruptions, earlier this summer for instance on two occasions, pilgrims were informed on the last minute that they would be unable to undertake the pilgrimage. Guru Nanak’s birthplace, Nankana Sahib, Punja Sahib (near Islamabad), Dera Sahib (Lahore) and Kartarpur Sahib (Narowal) are some of the important Sikh shrines located in Pakistan. This paper seeks to look at the potential role of the Sikh faith in reducing tensions between India and Pakistan. It will examine not just the philosophical commonalities between Islam and Sikhism, and the strong influence of Sufism, but also look at the contemporary context and the role played by Sikhs in the Diaspora, as well as the provincial governments of the Punjab in promoting not just religious tourism, but reducing tensions between both countries.
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Prof Ali Khan Mahmudabad
Mr. Raghav Ranganathan
Ashoka University, India
Meta-Culture, India
““North Indian Muslims and the Sites and Practices of Religious Harmony” This paper will seek to centre its investigation around South Asia with occasional reference to greater West Asia. In particular the argument will be built around the physical spaces of harmony and the varied practices within these sites. Here harmony is deliberately used instead of tolerance because the liberal antecedents of the latter, although perhaps of use in Europe, has less theoretical and practical value in societies whose engagement with 'others' is anchored more in their particular contexts and histories rather than recent post-Englightenment theories of tolerance. Of course the relations of the various communities that constitute these spaces are not always accepting nor indeed always without tension. Indeed somertimes these become contested spaces but despite this,the differences tend not to be of such a fundamental nature that the spaces become ruptured. The paper will be divided in into two parts. The first will outline the various ways in which certain contemporary Muslim scholars conceive of and articulate ways of 'being' in a multi-cultural society. One important aspect of this will analyse the ways in which Muslims, being a minority, engage with dominant political narratives in India, not only theoretically but more importantly in terms of practice. It will be argued that Muslims, by virtue of being a minority, carry the burden of secularism and interestingly, through popular usage secular has also come to be a synonym for tolerance in modern India. The second part of the paper will look at the physical spaces in which different communities, both social and religious, interact and participate. These spaces will include permanent structures such as shrines as well as other more liminal spaces, like public processions (Muharram in India), cultural forms (musha'irahs) as well as political spaces (rallies, national holidays). Both these sections will be placed in their historical contexts and indeed at times it will be argued that there have been shifts in the same spaces from harmony to a liberal form of tolerance because of social and religious changes and political exigencies. Apart from drawing on sociological and historical work, the paper will use ethnographic work conducted at various sites as well as analysing ways in which the media, and specifically the language used, is a key interlocutor in promoting, or indeed at times discouraging, inter and intra-faith harmony.
Presentation on the Activities of Meta-Culture It's difficult to imagine how community or societal conflicts can be managed, let alone resolved. What can anyone do when ethnic, racial, religious or economic differences clash...and when values, beliefs, and attitudes are thrown into the mix? How can there be hope for reconciliation when blood has been shed, property destroyed, and there's more violence around the corner? Meta‑Culture is a peace building organization without illusions. We know there are no easy solutions, and we don't solve a community's problems for it. What we do is help groups effectively address complex issues. We help all stakeholders better understand each other's perspectives and apply their collective thinking to resolving problems. Our role as facilitators and mediators is to turn destructive conflict into constructive dialogue. Meta‑Culture works with all key stakeholders in a dispute or decision-making process, whether they are community groups, NGOs, government agencies, academic bodies, faith-based institutions, or local businesses. By skillfully designing and facilitating effective processes, we help people build collaborative partnerships with their counterparts. These partnerships have the potential to tackle complex problems ranging from peace building, sharing of scarce resources, and national policy matters. Meta‑Culture draws from the latest theory and practice in neuroscience, cognitive psychology, communication, critical thinking, creative problem solving, and conflict resolution. This holistic approach allows us to help communities and groups create sustainable solutions that work in real life.
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18
TA Q R E E B 2 0 1 7
Special Session December 28, 9.30am – 11.30am A Q&A with the audience will be held at the end of the session
Welcome Address
Prof M. Jagadesh Kumar
Prof Tahera Qutbuddin
Vice Chancellor of JNU
Co-Director of QJSP
9.30am - 9.35am
9:35am - 9.40am
His Holiness Syedna Taher Fakhruddin Saheb 9.40am - 9.55am His Holiness Syedna Taher Fakhruddin is the 54th Dai al-Mutlaq, the leader of the Dawoodi Bohra Community
His Holiness Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni 9.55am - 10.05am His Holiness Acharya Lokesh Muni is the the Founder of Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti
Shri Gaurgopal Das
Rabbi Ezekiel Isaac Malekar
10.05am - 10.15am
10.15am - 10.25am
Shri Gaur Gopal prabhu is an international life coach and a disciple of HH Radhanath Swami. He is a Bramachari at Radha Gopinath Mandir, Mumbai
Rabbi Ezekiel Isaac Malekaris the head of the Jewish community in New Delhi, India. He is the Honorary Secretary of the Judah Hyam Synagogue
Sardar Manjit Singh GK 10.25am - 10.35am Sardar Manjit Singh GK is the President of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee or DSGMC is an autonomous organisation which manages Gurudwaras in Delhi state
Justice A. M. Ahmadi, Former Chief Justice of India - Introduction of the Syedna Qutbuddin Harmony Prize 10.45am - 11.00am
His Eminence Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto 10.35am - 10.45am Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto is the serving Archbishop of the Roman Cathoilic Archdiocese of Delhi.
His Holiness The Dalai Lama 11.00am - 11.20am
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His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people.
20
TA Q R E E B 2 0 1 7
Syedna Qutbuddin Harmony Prize
In Recognition Of Outstanding Efforts In Building Bridges And Promoting Peace
In memory of the 53rd Dai-l-Mutlaq, Leader of the Dawoodi Bohra Community
HIS HOLINESS SYEDNA KHUZAIMA QUTBUDDIN SAHEB RA
The Syedna Qutbuddin Harmony Prize is awarded annually to honour an individual or organization whose work has had exceptional impact in promoting harmony and peace in India as well as globally, and in fostering understanding, affection and respect among members of different communities, denominations, and faiths.
Each day of his life equalled a lifetime, His lifetime equalled an eon
The Prize is awarded by the Qutbi Jubilee Scholarship Program (QJSP), in conjunction with its annual Taqreeb Academic Conference Series. The conferences are held in collaboration with major universities in India, such as the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi and the University of Calcutta in Kolkata. QJSP is an educational foundation based in Mumbai, founded by the late 53rd Dawoodi Bohra Dai His Holiness Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin Saheb RA, and presently guided by his son and successor, the 54th Dai, His Holiness Syedna Taher Fakhruddin Saheb TUS. Syedna Fakhruddin Saheb launched the Syedna Qutbuddin Harmony Prize in 2017 in memory of Syedna Qutbuddin Saheb, who was an exemplar of promoting harmony and peace.
Logistics: The Syedna Qutbuddin Harmony Prize is in the form of a plaque of honour, and a monetary award of â‚š10 Lacs INR to be used toward further efforts of fostering peaceful and harmonious co-existence. The annual deadline for receipt of nominations is November 1.
Quote by
— S y e d n a Ta h e r Fak hruddin TUS
Nominations may be made for individuals or organizations by themselves or by others. If the nomination is made by a third party, the nominee should have agreed to be considered for the prize. The selection committee will favour those who create and implement meaningful solutions in their local, national, and/ or international communities: bridge-building efforts which positively address contentious issues and seek to resolve points of conflict, while promoting dialogue that finds common ground in our shared humanity.
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Organizing Committee JNU Q J S P Prof Rizwanur Rahman
Shzd Prof Tahera Qutbuddin Shz Dr. Abdeali Qutbuddin Shz Dr. Husain Qutbuddin Shz Dr. Aziz Qutbuddin Ms. Zahra Aziz Qutbuddin Mr. Saifuddin Kopty Ms. Shireen Hamza Mr. Mustafa Lokhandwala
www.qjsp.org www.taqreeb.org
Email contact@qjsp.org Email. contact@taqreeb.org