By Nasim Yousaf
Friday 15 October 2010
On the 47th
anniversary of Allama Mashriqi’s death, I would like to put
forward a comparison of Mashriqi to another prominent leader
from the Indian sub-continent: Mahatma Gandhi. While the two
men shared some similarities — both were nominated for the
Nobel Prize (Mashriqi for his monumental work Tazkirah and
Gandhi for his non-violence) and confronted the challenges
of liberating India from British colonial rule — it is their
serious political and ideological differences that
ultimately defined their relationship.
Mashriqi and
Gandhi both completed their early studies in India, and
subsequently traveled to England for higher education.
Earlier in their careers, both men dressed like Englishmen,
but they soon became disillusioned with British culture;
guided by their religions (Mashriqi a Muslim and Gandhi a
Hindu) and taking pride in their own culture, the men came
to value simplicity and the native way of living over the
foreign traditions. Thus, both men renounced their previous
standard of living, and left their professions in order to
dedicate their lives to liberating the nation.
In British India, their respective
campaigns began in the streets and villages of the country.
Both traveled by train on un-cushioned, hard wooden benches
in third class compartments, rubbing shoulders with
unprivileged persons. Their tours were to remote locations —
from street to street, village to village, and city to city
— while enduring scorching heat, bitter cold, dusty
pavements, and awful stench from the stagnant water in
impoverished areas. To further disseminate their messages
across the nation, both men wrote (and responded to public
queries) in their respective publications, Mashriqi in
Al-Islah and Gandhi in Harijan.
Similarities in their
means of transportation and communication aside, it was the
content of their messages that revealed the sharpest
differences between the two leaders. Gandhi’s aim was to
seek independence through a transfer of power, whereas
Mashriqi felt that true freedom could only be achieved by
toppling the Government. Mashriqi believed that a transfer
of power would have serious negative consequences. It was
this ideological distinction between the two leaders that
resulted in many of their political differences. For
instance, Mashriqi refused to negotiate with the British for
a transfer of power, whereas Gandhi held parleys with the
rulers at various times. Furthermore, the two men could not
reach an agreement on The Constitution of Free India 1946
A.C., which had been framed under the guidance of Mashriqi
and protected the rights of Muslims, Hindus and other
communities of British India. And most notably, Mashriqi
never accepted the plan for partition of India, as he felt
that the division of the country would weaken its power,
bring everlasting hostility between Muslims and Hindus, and
lead to other grave repercussions. By contrast, Gandhi
ultimately accepted the last Viceroy of India’s (Lord
Mountbatten) plan for partition (announced on June 03,
1947). In a sudden and unexpected departure from Gandhi’s
previous public statements, he pleaded and impressed upon
the Indian National Congress to accept the
plan.
Ultimately, both men paid a price for their
role in the freedom movement. They were harassed, physically
attacked by hooligans, and arrested by the Government.
Mashriqi was “stabbed” (see The Canberra Times, June 11,
1947) for attempting to prevent the break-up of India and
Gandhi was ultimately killed for accepting partition. Gandhi
was assassinated on January 30, 1948, while Mashriqi died on
August 27, 1963. Their deaths were widely mourned, sending
followers and supporters into a state of shock. A large
number of people attended their funerals, and countless
others paid their respects from around the world. Although
Allama Mashriqi and Mahatma Gandhi have passed, their
legacies live on through their followers around the
world.
Nasim Yousaf is a scholar and historian who
has presented research papers and written many articles and
books. His forthcoming book, “Mahatma Gandhi & My
Grandfather, Allama Mashriqi,” discusses the role of
Mashriqi and Gandhi in the freedom movement, their political
differences, and the true driving force behind the
liberation of British India in 1947.
Nasim Yousaf is an independent
scholar and author of numerous books and research
pieces.
