SYED ALI, born and brought up in Bihar and then migrated to and settled down in Kolkata (then Calcutta) in 1952 soon after writing his matriculation examination, emerged as an eminent writer and social activist. In an interview with DR. WAQUAR ANWAR, he reveals how he was engaged in various activities before joining Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and how the Jamaat work spread there. Excerpts:
How did your social activities start in Kolkata?
From 1952 till 1959 I was engaged in various activities apart from studies in the college. I did part time jobs too. I came in contact with Jamaat-e-Islami Hind in 1959 on the occasion of a multi-state level public meeting of the organisation held at Park Circus Maidan. In fact a grand mushaira was organised there and the dais and pandal prepared for that purpose was rented on as-is-where-is-basis the next day and the public meeting was addressed therefrom. Speakers included Maulana Syed Hamid Hussain and Dr. Syed Ziaul Huda, besides other dignitaries. It was my first exposure to the Jamaat. I was attracted towards it and joined its activities. I came closer to Maulana Abdul Fattah. My membership of the Jamaat was granted in 1960. I have since served the Jamaat in different capacities including local president, member of zonal advisory council and member central consultative council (majlis numaindagan) and vice zonal president. The idea of bringing out a periodical in the Bangla language became our central focus point those days. Instead of getting a declaration of an altogether new magazine we opted for an arrangement with a magazine named Mizan then published by Nasir Ali.
How did Bangla Islamic Publications Trust come into being?
In 1972, in the aftermath of downfall of East Pakistan, when the situation in West Bengal was in turmoil and the Jamaat members and associates were being harassed by the intelligence department, some of us decided to assert and organise a month-long stall of Islamic books at a public place. A scribe of Anand Bazar Patrika wrote in our Remarks Book that he could not find any translation of the Holy Qur’ān on the stall. We were moved by this comment. I wrote two articles on the need of books and translation of the Qur’ān in the Bangla language. These articles were published in local as well as national newspapers, including Dawat. The response was very positive. Some persons sent us money orders of Rs. 10 and Rs.20 to encourage us! Maulana Muhammad Muslim, then Editor Dawat came from Delhi and stayed with us continuously for one month for the campaign. A trust named Bangla Islami Prakashni Trust was formed and an office was opened.
Who were the prominent Muslim personalities in Kolkata those days and what type of relationship the Jamaat and you had with them?
Our leader Maulana Abdul Fattah had very personal relationships with all and sundry. He was a very sincere person who never bothered about adverse comments and harsh behaviour of any person. He was equally popular in all walks of life and in all religious groups and political establishments and everyone regarded him as a righteous person. He was taken not only as the leader of Jamaat but also as a community leader.
One prominent person in this city was Syed Badruddoja, who had Muslim League background. He had been a Member of Parliament. He was a very good orator with equal command over the Urdu, Bangla and English languages. Maulana Abdul Fattah took the imitative to come closer to him. Another prominent person was Mulla Jaan Muhammad, a mercurial leader of Muslims in his own right, who was a straightforward person with sharp tongue, and who could dismantle any personality with his harsh behaviour. Maulana Abdul Fattah won his heart so much that Mulla would not do any work without consulting him. Mulla Jaan Muhammad developed very close relationships with Maulana Abul Lais Islahi Nadwi and Muhammad Muslim besides Maulana Abdul Fattah. Once when Maulana Abul Lais Islahi Nadwi visited Kolkata, Mulla went to the station to receive him and said that it was the second time in his life that he went to the station to receive someone. First person so honoured by him was Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar. Similarly Maulana Abdul Fattah kept close liaison with all prominent personalities of this city. We may include the names of Ahmad Saeed Maleehabadi, a prominent journalist, and Saifuddin Kashmiri, a leader associated with Jamiatul Ulama. I had the unique opportunity of being the assistant-cum-associate of Maulana Abdul Fattah. So I interacted with all these well meaning personalities and I cherish their memory.
The Jamaat in Kolkata could not get a person of the stature of Maulana Abdul Fattah. Why?
There was dearth of prominent Urdu speaking workers of the Jamaat in Kolkata. Other persons who came to the fold of the Jamaat were mostly Bangla speaking. With the language barrier they could not be benefited much by the persona of Maulana Abdul Fattah. Obviously there were some very sincere and dedicated Bengali Muslims like Nurul Islam and Noor Baksh but they were not living in Kolkata. Maulana Gholai, a prominent Bengali leader, religious scholar and orator joined the Jamaat and became the next zonal president.
Although Bengal provided many prominent Muslim leaders, thinkers, scientists, religious scholars, etc. but as on date the contribution of Bengali Muslims on national level appears to be dismal. If it is true, what is the reason?
Most of the non-Muslims in Kolkata and other prominent cities of Bengal have come here from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other places to earn their livelihood and their basic concern is to be confined to their commercial and other routine and mundane activities, leaving very little scope for positive contributions to the society at large. The Bengali Muslims are mostly poor and less educated. There are no worthwhile educational and social institutions owned and managed by them. Although there are some prominent persons like Ahmad Saeed Malihabadi who are recognised nationally because of their contributions, but on the whole the situation is grim. The Jamaat is striving hard to change the scenario and encourage people to excel in their respective fields and work for the community and the society at large.
At one time Bengal was the hub of progressive movement.
Yes, Kolkata produced some well-known Urdu literary persons. But that is not enough. For a person to be great his contribution within his four-walls is not sufficient. He should be recognised outside his place, nationally and globally. If that recognition in the outside world is not forthcoming then the person would shrink in his own fold.
Do you foresee any constructive change in future?
I see some good on education front awaiting us. Awareness for better and proper education has increased. But there are some limitations. Education in Kolkata, like in other places, is devoid of purposefulness. The educational system is providing degrees but is not improving the quality and enhancing human values. Education sans proper objective of education is insufficient.
You react and write very fast on current issues. Had you been a poet I would have asked who your guide had been.
(Laughs) I do not know how I write so fast. (Laughs again heartily) Let me share with you that perhaps I do not think before writing! At the writing table thoughts come spontaneously in an organised manner. It is nothing but the grace of Allah, His special favour bestowed on me. I thank Him and Him alone. However, before writing on any topic I gather information on that and study as much as possible and then start writing. When I start writing that khichri of information and thoughts gets arranged and flows forth from pen.
After an event you are ready with your article before next morning and it gets published in newspapers. But you might have faced problems with the stand you took on an issue. The Jamaat’s stand that usually comes late may be different. Do you review your stand then?
Normally this situation does not arise as my stand on issues matches with that of the Jamaat. I never felt need to reshape any stand. But then I am always ready to accept any view that is logically correct. It is not reasonable to be inflexible.