This Era is Yours: A Call for India's Muslim Youth to Embrace Responsibility and Vision
By Dr. Khwaja Iftikhar Ahmad
Translated from Urdu to English by New Age Islam
19 April 2025
Unity, Accountability, and Reform: A New Vision for Indian Muslims
Main Points:
1. The Common Muslim's Political Weight Is Undeniable—Yet Unused for His Benefit.
2. Unity Is Preached, Division Practiced.
3. Public Bears the Cost, Leadership Lives in Comfort.
4. The Way Forward Lies with the Youth and Self-Reform.
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Today, I want to salute the common Muslim citizen, who—regardless of the claims made in national and state-level politics and activism—has a decisive role in the rise and fall of every political party and leader. Our system, the majority, and the national conscience all testify that the support or opposition of 250 million Muslims determines the direction of our politics. Some come to power through their support, while others succeed despite their opposition.
Credit goes to the natural political insight of this common Muslim, which he exercises fully on Election Day. Yet, the national tragedy is that those who claim to lead him have, to this day, failed to utilize that power in favour of the Muslim community. Identifying problems, seeking honourable solutions, and shaping them into action—all of this is directly the responsibility of the community's leaders. The people have always fulfilled their duty; they still do. But the outcome remains one of thirst and disappointment.
A point worth considering is that these so-called leaders themselves face no real issues. They feel no deprivation, nor any hint of discontent. Over the past nearly seven decades, those who have been part of political, organizational, or institutional circles tied to the halls of power have enjoyed a life of comfort—God be praised. But where national honour, dignity, and integrity have been sold in the darkness of night, shouldn’t these be analysed and questioned?"
Islam is a religion that advocates moderation, promotes balanced behaviour, preaches temperance, and is the foremost opponent of greed, excess, and every form of animalistic instinct. It champions care for the poor, support for the destitute, and upholds the right of the weak, the impoverished, and the powerless to share in one’s happiness and prosperity.
But do these values have the place they truly deserve in our personal lives, in our ethics, and in our social conduct? The subject may appear secondary, yet its nature and relevance are of primary importance. Among the Muslim masses, there is no lack of passion, zeal, selflessness, or willingness to sacrifice. What is truly needed is for the sincere among the community to develop a genuine sense of accountability before the One and Only God, and to align their words and actions with honesty and integrity—if they say something, they must also act accordingly. That would be truly remarkable.
Every ruler of the time knows well that our leaders appeal in the name of the community, but the agenda they pursue is personal, and the rewards they seek are for themselves.
My respected father, Maulana Abdul Muqtadir, used to say: whether or not the nation’s problems are solved, the leader’s personal issues always are. As a result, national concerns are pushed several steps further back. Even if we speak only of today—when the All India Muslim Personal Law Board was filing a writ petition in the Supreme Court on behalf of 250 million Indian Muslims—why then did the very same individuals and institutions, who are part of the Board, choose to become separate Muslim parties in the case? What message would have been conveyed if they hadn’t done that?
Much is said about unity, yet forget unity—even mutual cooperation as a goal remains unachieved. In our society, whenever the fruit is ready and the time for harvest approaches, traditional divisions and chaos always take hold of the situation. The ruling groups use whomever they see political benefit in—either by aligning with them or opposing them. One is projected as the representative of the nation, while the other is branded as a traitor to the community. And yet both, somewhere or the other, are tied to the same place.
Those poor souls who don’t fall into either of these categories are labelled as insignificant allies—'partners in sin without pleasure.' It's a bitter truth, but reality doesn’t look any different from this.
"Tell me— in the history of independent India, has there ever been a more iconic and peaceful protest than the Shaheen Bagh movement? It created an unprecedented example of non-violent resistance, gaining national and international attention and admiration like no other. But how it came to an end—that too deserves critical analysis.
Despite the presence of legitimate Islamic provisions like Talaq-e-Ahsan and Talaq-e-Tafweez (in which a husband grants his wife the conditional right to divorce either at the time of marriage or during the course of the marriage), we still lost the legal battle on triple talaq. And we fought the case of one mosque in such a manner that not only was it lost, but now thousands more are being questioned. In the matter of the Waqf Bill, what justification can there be for becoming divided parties?
How many Muslim political parties have come into being—and how many have disappeared without a trace? The Indian Union Muslim League and its leadership, however, have demonstrated a dignified and effective model of political partnership in governance, which has stood strong for over six decades.
Do not forget—you can name your political party whatever you like, but the essence will still be remembered as the Muslim League.
In an article published in Qaumi Awaaz in 1995 under the title ‘Muslim Political Party and Its Modus Operandi’, this humble writer wrote: If Indian Muslims truly agree that the formation of a separate Muslim political party and a national Muslim leadership is the solution to all our issues in post-independence India, then such a party—with a practical role—already exists in the form of the Muslim League in Kerala. Without conditions, and by burying personal egos, all should join the Muslim League.
But the bitter truth is this: the community is merely a pretext, while personal gain is the real target.
Today, the issue is also that those specific circles who, over the past six decades, gained everything in the name of the community are no longer in favour. The secular era at least gave the Muslim community the Sachar Committee Report, while the personal lives of those few and privileged Muslim circles who remained in power reflect a bitter and sobering ground reality.
"Tell me—where exactly is the fault of the common people in all of this? Whether it's riots or protests, it’s they who become the scapegoats. They are the ones who face trials for years, whose families are dragged through the courts, pushed and humiliated here and there, who risk their homes, their businesses, and their daily lives.
I would like to move forward by saluting all those individuals, institutions, organizations, volunteer groups, and charitable people who extended their hands to help the deserving. But here, we are speaking on a broader, collective level.
Institutions are being consumed by dynastic control and a sense of ownership. Politics is being devoured by egos, divisions, and chaos. There’s constant talk of unity, collaboration, and consensus—but actions go in the opposite direction. We have a crowd of leaders, yet in our political mosque, there are only imams and no followers—when in reality, no prayer can take place without a congregation.
Among the public, there has never been disunity. There has been no shortage of unity or cooperation. All the real issues lie among the elites—those considered dignitaries, leaders of national institutions, organizations, and parties.
It felt good when the entire community stood behind the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. Agreement or disagreement with their stance is not the subject here—the unity of the Ummah is. But by the time the matter reached the Supreme Court, we were back to square one, split into parties and counter-parties.
Where, then, is the public in all this?
In the end, I want to address my young people: This era belongs to you. Its challenges are yours. Its hardships are yours. Yes, we acknowledge that darkness looms, and the light appears to be far away—but if you truly desire a secure future, if you want to live with dignity and self-respect, then you must break free from intellectual stagnation. You must make your role in the nation’s development more visible, and actively encourage those within the majority who hold democratic and constructive values.
If you find yourself caught in troubled waters, then you must be the ones to take the initiative—to carve out your own paths and directions. The powerful are often intoxicated by their power—this has always been the way of the world. There are times when tyranny prevails, and patience is essential; sometimes, raising a voice is necessary, and at other times, silence is more powerful.
There is much to learn from other minorities in our beloved homeland. Along with all that, keep a close eye on your surroundings as well. Wisdom lies in diverting our energies away from chaos and focusing on reconstruction. There is no need to fight with anyone, nor to announce boycotts. All attention must now be directed toward self-reform, rebuilding, and making things easier for ourselves.
This is a golden opportunity to reassess and re-evaluate our traditional viewpoints and patterns. It is often in difficult times that solutions emerge, and it is in such moments that the human psyche is willing to do something unique and extraordinary. Let us step away from criticism for the sake of criticism, and blame for the sake of blame. Keeping the collective national and community interest in view, if a few steps need to be taken forward—or even backward—for the sake of a greater goal, then so be it.
The purpose of stating all this is simply to urge the responsible circles to move toward self-correction. There is no room to blame the public, nor is it fair to hold them at fault in any way. Tell me—aside from you, who else do they have to place their hopes in? Think about it.
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Courtesy for Urdu article: Urdu Inquilab newspaper, New Delhi, April 18, 2025
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-politics/india-muslim-embrace-responsibility-vision/d/135225
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