Speakers stress on collective efforts for the socio-political advancement of the Muslim community
NEW DELHI — Prominent Muslim leaders, intellectuals, and social activists gathered in the capital on Saturday evening at the national convention of the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat’s (registered) to mark its 60th anniversary. The participants emphasised the urgent need for unity among Muslim organisations and warned against attempts to fragment the community along caste lines.
Held at the India Islamic Cultural Centre, the convention brought together key figures who stressed the importance of collective efforts for the socio-political advancement of Muslims. Speakers highlighted the severe backwardness faced by the community and called for consolidated action to tackle systemic challenges.
Among those who addressed the gathering were former Planning Commission member Dr Syeda Hameed, former MP Mohammad Adeeb, Lok Sabha MP Maulana Mohibullah Nadvi, All India Muslim Personal Law Board Secretary Maulana Yasin Usmani, Rashtriya Ulama Council President Maulana Aamir Rashadi, Indian National League President Prof Mohammad Suleman, Karwan-e-Mohabbat founder Harsh Mander, Zakat Foundation President Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood, APCR Secretary Nadeem Khan, CSDS scholar Prof Hilal Ahmed, senior advocates MR Shamshad and Feroz Khan Ghazi, journalist Ziya-us-Salam, scholar Dr Javed Alam, and Mushawarat General Secretary Masoom Moradabadi, among others.
Call for a ‘Common Agenda’
Opening the session, Dr Zafarul Islam Khan, president of the Mushawarat and a globally recognised Islamic scholar, recalled the organisation’s founding:
“Sixty-one years ago, our elders laid the foundation of Mushawarat in extremely difficult circumstances. Today, some disruptive elements, acting at the behest of their masters, are trying to damage it. But they will not succeed — Mushawarat’s caravan will keep moving forward.”
He announced the release of a two-volume history of Mushawarat’s first five decades in both Urdu and English. Dr Khan also proposed that all major Muslim bodies unite around a shared framework:
“We have already outlined a basic draft in our magazine, which will be finalised in consultation with all Muslim organisations.”
Former MP Mohammad Adeeb urged the community to awaken to its self-worth. “The biggest tragedy is that we have lost our identity and don’t even realise the damage. There is an urgent need to create awareness so Muslims can actively fight for their constitutional rights.”
Dr Syeda Hameed, in her presidential address, emphasised the need to include Muslim women in the community’s broader constitutional struggle.
“On Independence Day, from the Red Fort, Muslims were branded as infiltrators. Conspiracies are underway to deport Muslims from Assam, branding them as Rohingya and casting them into the sea. The country is witnessing a climate of brutality, but ordinary Indians still think in the right direction. The night of sorrow is long—but it is a night after all,” she said.
Warnings Against Sectarianism
Samajwadi Party MP Maulana Mohibullah Nadvi warned that attempts are being made to rewrite Indian history and erode its pluralistic legacy.
He warned that “Voices of justice are weakening, but Muslims must not lose hope. Those creating divisions of high and low among Muslims are tools of anti-Muslim forces.”
Maulana Aamir Rashadi, President of the Rashtriya Ulama Council, emphasised the need for political strength. “Unless Muslims become politically strong, they will not be heard. Stop pulling each other down and hold accountable those sowing discord within the community,” he said.
‘Demographic Targeting’
Noted rights activist and former civil servant Harsh Mander expressed alarm over remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day speech.
“The PM’s Red Fort speech hinted at demographic changes —Muslims are the target. Under the guise of stopping Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltration, Bengali Muslims are being pushed across the border. Every Muslim is being made to feel like they do not belong — as if detention centers, forests, or rivers await them.”
Mander criticised the prime minister’s unusually long speech, which invoked the alleged threat of “Bangladeshi infiltrators” and lauded his ideological parent organisation. Several commentators have condemned the speech for its communal undertones.
Caste-Based Prejudices
Maulana Yasin Usmani warned that growing caste-based prejudices within the Muslim community would have dire consequences.
“Muslims are a backward community overall. Fascist forces have initiated a caste-based discourse among Muslims, which will only divide us further. The community must remain united — rejecting sectarian, regional, and caste-based divisions. We must also build alliances with non-Muslims who share our democratic values. No community can progress by staying politically marginalised.”
A message from Kashmiri leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was read out during the event. The convention also saw the release of two comprehensive volumes chronicling Mushawarat’s first 50 years (in both Urdu and English), along with a special souvenir reviewing six decades of the organisation’s work and current challenges.
Notable participants included Prof Mohsin Usmani Nadwi, Dr Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, Mufti Ataur Rahman Qasmi, Saeed Tahseen Ahmad, Abrar Ahmad Maki, Hafiz Manzoor Ahmad, Shams-uz-Zuha, Dr Anwarul Islam, Arshad Sirajuddin Maki, Dr Sajid Ali (Patna), Obaid Iqbal Asim (Aligarh), Dr Asad Faisal Farooqi, Dr Zaheer Ahmad Khan (Bulandshahr), Khurshid Alam Rahi, Mohammad Tahir Surti (Gujarat), Shakeel Hashmi, Zillur Rahman (Saudi Arabia), and Mir Shahid Saleem (Kashmir) — among many others.
