Dr. Javed Jamil

By Saiyid Anwer,

Renowned thinker and writer and Head of Chair in Islamic Studies at Yenepoya University, Dr. Javed Jamil has called upon Muslims to launch “Peace and Friendship Offensive for the unity of the Nation.” He was speaking as Chief Guest at a convention on “Future of Muslims in India and Role of Professionals” organised by Muslim Professionals of Bangalore on Saturday, the 20th January, 2018. He said that despite some genuine concerns about the threats to the minority communities, “the future of Muslims in India is safe and secure provided they play their cards with sagacity, wisdom and sustained patience”.

Dr. Jamil argued that India is a country of several minority sections and there is no clear ideological or social majority group in the country and asked Muslims to go on Peace and Friendship Offensive with each of these groups on the basis of “common grounds”. These groups include religious minorities including Muslims, Dalits, Hindu Backward Classes, Hindutvavadis and Secular Hindus. He argued that there should be a dialogue with the so-called Hindutva forces and “we must stress upon them to shun the campaign based on Religious identity and instead realize the commonness of Religious Morality between Islam, Hinduism and other religions.” He argued that no movement in India can succeed if it is based on hatred associated with religious identity and the biggest losers will be the very forces that use this for gaining political and economic hegemony.

Dr. Jamil said that if Muslims have to empower themselves they must make multidimensional, multisectoral, comprehensive, well-coordinated and sustained efforts in that direction. He said that “Ideological Empowerment, Social Empowerment, Economic Empowerment and Political Empowerment” are the four keys to progress, safety and prosperity. Social Empowerment includes educational Empowerment, Empowerment of women within Islamic framework, improvement of health standards and fight against the social vices like alcohol, drugs, gambling and sex outside the boundaries of marriage.

Dr. Jamil advised Muslims to give up the “Reactive Politics”, only reacting to the politics played by others and instead engage themselves in “Proactive Politics” raising issues related to the concerns not only of Muslims but the entire humanity and the ration. “Muslims must fight against ever galloping Economic Inequality, rising crimes, lawlessness, injustices and commercialization of human weaknesses”, he argued. He asked “why Muslims have not taken to the streets to demand total ban on alcohol, drugs, prostitution, nudity and pornography, abortions of human fetuses and promiscuity and for realization of women’s rights in inheritance”. He urged them to launch a full-fledged campaign against the designs of the forces of economics that “seek to commercialize both problems and solutions and both crimes and justice delivery”. “It is high time “total ideological onslaught is launched against false ideologies, concepts, programmes and policies”, he said, “but care must be taken not to antagonize people, communities, sects and countries”.

Dr Javed Jamil was on three-day trip of Bangalore and delivered four talks including those on Advocates’ Forum, Doctors of Humanity and Darul Umoor, Srirangapatnam.