Author: Dr Rafiq Zakaria
Publication: The Asian Age
Date: June 19, 2002
Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who will
be our next President, is by all accounts a great scientist; his contribution
to India's defence is of the highest order; he is rightly called the Missile
Man; every Indian feels proud of him; he is in every respect a Bharat Ratna.
But because he was born a Muslim and bears a Muslim name, he should not
be put in the same category as the two former Muslim Presidents, Dr Zakir
Husain and Mr Fakruddin Ali Ahmed. Both of them were as great a patriot
and Indian to the core as Dr Kalam. But they were also Muslims in the real
sense of the word; they believed in the tenets of the Quran and faithfully
followed the traditions of the Prophet. They worked for the uplift of the
Muslims as much as for the progress of India. They were ardent followers
of Gandhiji and had sacrificed for the cause of India's freedom. They opposed
Jinnah's Two-Nation theory and were close associates of Maulana Azad. They
had full faith in India's composite culture and never hesitated to be a
part of her ancient heritage.
Withal, they were also deeply involved
in the hopes and aspirations of Indian Muslims; they engaged themselves
actively in the emancipation of their community. Dr Zakir Husain built
up the Jamia Millia Islamia and was for some time the vice-chancellor of
the Aligarh Muslim University. Similarly Mr Fakruddin Ali Ahmad always
took up the cause of the Muslims, both in Assam and in the rest of the
country.
I am afraid, Dr Kalam has kept himself
completely away from Muslims; he refused to mix with them and even when
invited to participate in their nationalistic activities, he politely declined.
As chairman of the All-India Khilafat Committee I requested him to be the
chief guest at the mammoth Prophet's birthday celebrations in Mumbai, which
is attended by more than ten lakh Muslims every year, but he refused. This
was, in fact, started by Gandhiji in the wake of the Khilafat and the Non-Cooperation
Movement in 1921 to promote Hindu-Muslim unity. It has been attended by
most of our national leaders both during the Freedom Struggle and after
Independence, even Prime Ministers and other highest dignitaries have graced
the occasion by their participation. Likewise, Dr Ishaq Jamkhanwala, president
of Anjuman-i-Islam, which was founded by the third Congress president,
Mr Justice Badruddin Tyabjee, tells me that his invitation to Dr Kalam
to visit the Anjuman to deliver the famous Seerut lecture to pay homage
to the Prophet was turned down by him. He has hardly shown any interest
in the affairs of the Muslim nor has he had any affiliation with the practices
and conventions of Islam. He was one of the founder trustees with me of
Maulana Azad Educational Foundation, floated by Government of India for
promoting and aiding education among the Muslims; but Dr Kalam showed no
interest in its work.
Dr Kalam feels much more at home
with the Hindus. His Hindu friends, with whom he has spent a good deal
of his life, have testified to the fact that he is far more attracted to
Hinduism than Islam; I find nothing wrong with it. But for God's sake,
don't describe him as a Muslim President and take credit for having obliged
the Muslims for giving them this great honour. K. Rama Rao, former director
of Defence Research and Development Laboratories (DRDL) writes: "I have
known him for more than three decades, but find him the same, from the
simple and unassuming fellow who shared a room with me in 1954 to the one
who became my boss in the '80s. He would stay up late at night, eat vegetarian
food and never show any signs of being a Muslim. I have not seen him offering
prayers during namaz nor fast during Ramzan." Likewise R. Aravamudan, former
director ISRO's Satellite Centre, Bangalore: "We lived in Indira Bhavan
Lodge in Thiruvananthapuram. People there called him Kalam Iyer because
he moved around with Brahmins and had similar eating habit. The only non-vegetarian
food he ate occasionally was egg masala along with Kerala parottas. He
would not talk much about his parents or siblings."
Dr Kalam never reads the Quran but
every morning he goes through the Gita and is enchanted by it. He is sincerely
devoted to Krishna. He recites the Hindu mantras on every occasion. Namaz
does not appeal him nor has he ever fasted in the month of Ramzan. He is
a strict vegetarian and a life-long brahmachari. His roots are really in
Hinduism and he enjoys all the sacred Hindu scriptures. Hence the credit
for his elevation, in communal terms, should go to the Hindus; to give
it to the Muslims would be wrong. In fact Dr Kalam himself would be happy
if he is not described as a Muslim President and his name is not linked
with Dr Zakir Husain and Mr Fakruddin Ali Ahmad.
This does not mean that he is not
a good man or inferior to the two Muslim Presidents; I am only objecting
to the appellation. He is in fact most worthy to be President. He is great
in the true sense, and his simplicity, humility and honesty will add lustre
to the highest office of our country. I wish him all the best; may God,
of whatever denomination Dr Kalam believes in, be with him.
