The government of West Bengal is considering seriously the renaming of Suhrawardy Avenue to Gopal Mukherjee Road. Suhrawardy Avenue is a major artery in Central Calcutta named in 1933 in honour of Hasan Suhrawardy, a distinguished surgeon and the first Muslim Vice Chancellor of Calcutta University.
He shared a paternal lineage with Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. His residence at Park Circus houses the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission’s Information Centre and Library showcasing a culturally composite heritage.
The decision to rechristen the road was on the cards for a while but confusing individuals and tarnishing their scholarly achievements underline a serious dearth in historical awareness. Such selective denigration of Muslim personalities and their social contribution exposes a concerning desperation to rewrite history.
This renaming spree will eventually wipe out our cultural markers and replace them with partisan slogans. Targeting Muslim legacy will not reverse the horrors of partition and communal riots.
Aayman Anwar Ali
Kolkata, West Bengal
Jesus Will Again Come and Die on Earth
Generally, it is said, “Man is mortal.” Actually, it would be more appropriate to say, “Life is mortal.” That is why the Qur’an says: “Every soul will taste death” (3:185). It also states: “No soul can ever die except by Allah’s leave and at an appointed term” (3:145).
According to the Qur’an, all the Prophets appointed by Allah on earth for the guidance of humanity were human beings. Jesus of Nazareth was also one of the renowned Prophets sent by Allah to the Children of Israel (61:6). Most of his people denied and rejected him when he called upon them, saying: “O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. That is the straight path” (3:51; 5:72). They were so displeased with his call that they conspired to kill him by crucifixion. However, Allah, the Exalted, saved him and raised him unto Himself without his experiencing death. The Qur’an states: “They said (in boast): ‘We slew the Christ Jesus, the son of Mary.’ But they neither slew him nor crucified him… Rather, Allah raised him unto Himself” (4:157–158).
Notably, there are also passages in the Bible purportedly assuring that Jesus was saved and raised by God. For example, when the Pharisees and chief priests sent guards to arrest Jesus, he said: “I shall go away to Him who sent me. You will look for me, but you will not find me, because you cannot go where I will be” (John 7:32–34). Again, Jesus said to them: “I will go away; you will look for me, but you will die in your sins. You cannot go where I am going” (John 8:21).
Islam teaches that Jesus is alive in the heavens by the mercy of Allah and will descend to the earth before the Day of Resurrection as a follower of Prophet Muhammadﷺ. Since he is a human being of flesh and blood, he will also die after completing his mission on earth. Prophet Muhammad ﷺsaid: “By Him in Whose Hand is my life, the son of Mary will soon descend among you as a just ruler. He will break the cross, kill the swine, abolish the jizyah, and wealth will become so abundant that no one will accept it. Then a single prostration to Allah will be better than the world and all that it contains.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Muhammad Abdus Samad
Ambari,Dhupdhara, Assam