Maulana Hifzur Rahman Seoharvi was an exponent of composite nationalism
The situation of the country is worrisome but we will tackle it with wisdom as our elders did: Maulana Mahmood Madani
New Delhi 23 December 2022:- While celebrating the centenary celebrations of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, a two-day long seminar on the life and services of Maulana Fakhruddin Ahmed Muradabadi and former Member of Parliament and freedom fighter Maulana Hifzur Rahman Seoharvi was organized here at NDMC Convention Centre in New Delhi.
In Keynote speech Maulana Mahmood Madani, the president Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind said that Maulana Hifzur Rahman Seoharvi was an exponent of composite nationalism and a comprehensive critique of the birth of Pakistan. He joined Mahatma Gandhi and his civil disobedience movement in 1929 was a nationalist and visionary Muslim. He advocated the ideology of Jamiat which opposed the Two Nation Theory, arguing that all Indians, Muslims and Hindus were one nation. Jamiat President Maulana Husain Ahmad Madani argued that the faith was universal and could not be contained within national boundaries but that nationality was a matter of geography, and Muslims were obliged to be loyal to the nation of their birth.
“ Maulana Seoharvi, in various essays, evaluated the implications of partition for the entire Indian Muslim community. He furnished pragmatic arguments to detail Pakistan’s disastrous practical implications for the Indian Muslims. When on 14 June 1947, the Congress Working meeting was held in the Constitution House, Delhi, in which the proposal for the partition of India was moved, Maulana Sehoarvi considering the partition of India as a great crime for the nation did not vote in the favour. Among the prominent members of Indian National Congress, only he was among the two members who differed in many respects and were able to oppose this proposal. Apart from Maulana Sehoarvi, the other member who opposed the proposal of partition was Purushottam Das Tandon.”
“In this critical hour of partition, Maulana Hifzurrahman stood as a rock for the protection of Muslims. On one hand, he made all-out efforts to end carnage with the help of the government and Mahatma Gandhi, and on the other hand, he encouraged Muslims to face the ordeal with the spirit of Islam. He also thrice won from Amroha lok Sabha seat in 1952, 1957, 1962.” Maulana Madani also discussed the life and scholarly wisdom of the Maulana Fakhruddin Ahmad, the ex- president of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and ex-principal of Darul Uloom at Deoband.
Maulana further said that that the country is passing through a critical period. Many intellectuals and thinkers are constantly expressing concern over these conditions, but unfortunately the government is failing to resolve it. He said that the conditions were very bad even during the partition of the country, but the leaders of that period especially Maulana Seoharwi faced these conditions with great courage and tenacity. So we need to get guidance from them in present time.
In his speech Ameerul Hind Maulana Arshad Madani president JUH said that after the partition of the country, Maulana Hifzurrahaman was at forefront to protect lives of Indian Muslims in Delhi.
Amir of Jamiat Ahle Hadith Hind Maulana Asghar Ali Imam Mehdi Salafi said that Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has a bright history, the leaders of this JUH were the beacon light for the community. The national unity that is being tried to be torn apart today is highly saddening. Such powers were not less in the past, at that time Maulana Azad and Maulana Hufzur Rahman fought against them head on. Even today the same courage and leadership is needed.
Naib Amirul Hind Mufti Muhammad Salman Mansoorpuri said that after independence, Maulana Seoharvi had a lot of emphasis on religious education. He was one of the founders of the Religious Education Board under whose influence maktabs are being established in every corner of the country today.
The famous historian Maulana Noorul Hasan Rashid Kandhalvi said that Maulana Hifzur Rahman was very courageous man from the beginning. He was truly entitled to the title of Mujahide Millat. He noted that former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri had also lavishly praised on him.
Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, Member of Parliament praised the papers which were presented in the seminar and said that it should be published in different languages for wider readership. The names of Akhtar Imam Adil Qasmi, Maulana Zia-ul-Haq Khairabadi, Mufti Muhammad Khalid Nimvi, Maulana Abdul Rab Azmi, Ibrahim Abdul Samad, grandson of Hazrat Mujahide Millat, Dr. Abu Bakr Ibad, Farooq Argali, Mufti Sanaul Huda Qasmi Patna, Prof Akhtarul Wasey, Mufti Affan Mansoorpuri etc. are particularly noteworthy who presented papers on this occasion.
On this occasion, JUH General Secretary Maulana Hakeemuddin Qasmi thanked all the paper writers and conveners.
