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WHEN <\/span>a person works, makes money, builds a house, and makes an effort to improve his standard of living, he appears to be engaged in efforts towards some worthy end. But a life of this nature cannot be called a purposeful life, for these activities do not demonstrate man\u2019s unique status. It might seem as if they are the result of deliberation, but if one looks at the matter in depth, one will see that the motive force behind these actions is the same urge that motivates an animal in various ways, i.e. its concern for its own survival. It is the driving force of one\u2019s desires, the pressure of one\u2019s needs, and the wish to fulfill the demands of one\u2019s self that underlie such a life. These are the considerations which, in fact, guide a person in his search for his livelihood. <\/span><\/p>\nThere are certain material needs without which man cannot live. He requires food, clothes, a place to live; he requires a reliable source of income to sustain him throughout his life. He is forced by these considerations to obtain these things. Then, upon observation he finds that those who have an abundance of these material things enjoy respect and apparently possess every form of happiness and luxury in this world. Thus, he is driven on to do more than just seek a livelihood; he desires to earn to a degree greatly in excess of his actual requirements.
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In bustling markets, grandiose offices, and opulent buildings, he is not really guided by deliberate thought. Rather, he is being guided by inflated ideas of his own needs, desires, longings and ambitions to achieve fame and high status in this world. For this reason, these activities cannot be considered as being directed towards the purpose, which sets man apart from the animals and lends him a higher <\/span>distinction. <\/span><\/p>\nMan\u2019s greater dignity cannot be based only on a purpose which emanates from inner desires and pressures of environment. His true purpose in life can only be one which reflects the nobler side of his character; one which represents him as the superior being that he is. <\/span><\/p>\nRamadan, <\/span>the month of fasting, is the month which reminds us of our true purpose in life. Life of this world is temporary. We all witness death every day. Life is so unpredictable. However, death is not the end of a person\u2019s life. It is only the beginning of the next stage of life. Death is that interim stage when man leaves this temporary world of today for the eternal world of tomorrow. He goes out of the temporary accommodation of the world to enter the eternal resting place of the Hereafter. The coming of this stage in the Hereafter is the greatest <\/span>certainty in one\u2019s life. No one can save himself from this fate in the Hereafter.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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In the above context, the month of fasting is a month to help us in our spiritual pursuits by rising above the materialistic pursuits. By abstinence from even basic needs of food and water for a few hours, one tries to keep desires under control and undertakes the hardship voluntarily. During the rest of the eleven months this training should assist in not immersing oneself in just materialistic goals. In the following pages of this magazine there are articles elucidating the spirit of the fasting which will instil in us sincerity to live a God-oriented life with a staunch belief in our accountability in the Hereafter as to how we spent our life on earth.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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May God give us the true benefit of this month and save us from just observing it in a superficial form as witnessed in the present culture! It is a month of abstinence and control, not a month of indulgence after a few hours of ritualistic hunger and thirst. <\/span><\/p>\n\n
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\nThe month of fasting is a month to help us in our spiritual pursuits by rising above the materialistic pursuits. By abstinence from even basic needs of food and water for a few hours one tries to keep desires under control and undertakes the hardship voluntarily. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”IN FOCUS” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” open=”off”]<\/p>\n
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We bring you two articles every issue under the headings of ‘Personal Experiences’ and ‘Journey towards God-realization’ of our mentor and founder of CPS International Maulana Wahiduddin Khan (1925-2021). Though he is no more with us, we feel the presence of his guiding spirit motivating us through his teachings and his advice. <\/span><\/p>\nMaulana, through his study of science, religion, psychology and the experiences of his own life, enlightens about the path to discovery of God through one\u2019s journey of life. A discovery of this kind involves pondering on the Word of God, converting one\u2019s material experiences into spiritual insights, constant introspection, and contemplating on the numerous phenomena of the universe. <\/span><\/p>\nThe journey of realization begins with a questing spirit. Seeking is an intellectual journey. If a person is sincere and honest in his discovery of God, if there is no negativity in his thinking, if he is free from prejudices, if he has become a completely complex-free soul, attainment of God-realization is as certain as the dawn of light after the rising of the sun.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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The greatest success in this world is to live life in such a manner that you should not have an iota of negative thought against any person. You should depart from this world with a totally positive mindset. This is my last discovery in this <\/span>world. <\/span><\/p>\n-Maulana Wahiduddin Khan (1925-2021) <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n[\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”PUNE DIARIES” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” open=”off”]<\/p>\n
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES<\/span><\/p>\nIn March 1986, the President of the Islamic Centre, Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, visited the central Indian city of Pune. This was his fourth journey to Pune, his previous visits having taken place respectively in 1971, 1983 and 1984. Pune was then known as Poona. It was then a city of about one and a half million peoples, 100,000 of which were Muslims. The size of the congregations which gathered this time to attend Maulana Wahiduddin Khan\u2019s talks was indicative of a substantial increase in the number of AI- Risala readers in that town. A full account of the Journey was published in AI-Risala, (June 1986) and here we give an abridged version in translation.<\/p>\n
\nMaking up for Lost Time <\/b><\/p>\n
ON the evening of March 19, 1986, I was due to travel from Delhi to Poona. I arrived at the airport at the correct reporting time and initially we were informed at the Indian Airlines desk that the flight would be on time. At the last moment, however, we were told that the plane was one hour late. During travels, there is always a chance of delay. All modes of travels such as cars, trains and buses are prone to delays. While there may be genuine reasons for such delays, it is not uncommon that such cases arise due to the behaviour of some unruly passengers or due to inefficient management of the schedules. All this involves a considerable waste of time and constitutes a substantial loss to the nation. Yet it is at times such as these that one realizes what a great blessing faith is, for it compensates for every loss. There is a saying of the Prophet Muhammad to the effect that one extraordinary thing about a believer is that everything turns out well for him. If everything goes according to plan, a feeling of thanksgiving is aroused in him, but should his plans go awry, he realizes that man can only propose; it is God who disposes. In this way he comes closer to the Lord.<\/p>\n
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Easier Said than Done<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nAfter an hour-long wait, we boarded the plane. After taking my seat, I picked up the Indian Airlines in-flight magazine <\/span>(Swagat, <\/span>March 1986) and began to read about how Indian Airlines is one of most widely <\/span>ranging airline companies, possessing a big fleet, consisting of a variety of aircrafts. It provides a daily service of 240 flights, landing at 73 airports all over the country, besides which its planes also fly to Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Bangkok and Bangladesh. It has agreements with various international airline companies, \u201cso wherever you are, Indian Airlines is within reach.\u201d<\/p>\nThe aircraft I had boarded was still standing on the runway, and I was reading all these impressive things in the in-flight magazine, when, all of a sudden, we heard an announcement over the loudspeaker that we should all alight from this plane. It seemed that we were to make the journey to Poona in another aircraft. So, all the passengers disembarked and boarded another aircraft. Clearly, more time elapsed in this process and the plane was eventually two hours late. The words, \u201cWe wish you a comfortable journey,\u201d were written in bold<\/p>\n
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letters in the in-flight magazine, which made me think how easy it is to say things, but how difficult to convert one\u2019s words into actions.<\/span><\/p>\nMuslims in Poona<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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Muslims in Poona number one lakh (100,000) a sufficient number to accomplish any constructive work, should they set their minds to it. But, unfortunately, the state of Muslims in Poona is much the same as that of Muslims in other cities. Instead of applying themselves to constructive work, they waste their time and energy quarrelling among themselves and making futile demonstrations. Christians in Poona are fewer in number than the Muslims, but they far exceed their Muslim counterparts in the amount of constructive work they perform.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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\nOne extraordinary thing about a believer is that everything turns out well for him. If everything goes according to plan, a feeling of thanksgiving is aroused in him, but should his plans go awry, he realizes that man can only propose; it is God who disposes.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nNegative Approach of Muslims<\/strong><\/p>\nA Hindu building-contractor in Poona constructed a multi-storey apartment building. Immediately Muslims were alarmed that their houses were being exposed and their purdah violated, so they began a campaign against the contractor. He pointed out that there was a Muslim-girls\u2019 school nearby, next to which the very Muslims whose children attended the school had built a multi-storey building similar to the one constructed by himself. The apartments in that building had then been rented out to the public. Did this not amount to a violation of their purdah? Why did they not launch a similar agitation in that case too? That was the end of the Muslims\u2019 agitation and the building remained in its place.<\/p>\n
A similar situation arose in connection with a mosque in Poona named Masjid Munshian. It is situated on one side of a road. On the other side of the same road and a little further down, a hotel by the name of Silver Inn has been built. This hotel includes amongst its facilities a Permit Room, or, in other words, a licensed bar. The Muslims, fearing that the sacrosanctity of their mosque was being violated by the consumption of liquor near at hand, decided to observe January 26, 1985 as a \u201cblack day\u201d. Posters were fixed on walls, slogan raised, and on January 26, a number of Muslims put up a shed outside the hotel, vowing to observe a hunger strike until this liquor-dispensing tavern had been closed down.<\/p>\n
A delegation of the Muslims went to the office of a local Marathi newspaper, Tarun Bharat, in order to register their protest. The editor pointed out to them that the owners had built their hotel at a considerable distance from the mosque, and that the bar in the hotel had been opened with Government permission. \u201cBesides\u201d he said, \u201cin the other direction from your mosque, there is another mosque situated quite nearby. Right beneath the walls of that mosque, Muslims are engaged in the illegal sale of liquor. Why not launch a campaign against them to end their illicit trade?” So, once again, the Permit Room remained untouched, while the protest campaign of the Muslims fizzled out after just one day of noise and commotion.<\/p>\n
Hindu Organizations in Poona<\/strong><\/p>\nThe last time I was in Poona, I went round Noble College, a large education institute, belonging to the Christians of Poona, while this time I had the opportunity of inspecting the building of a Hindu organization by the name of Jnana Prabodhini. Despite the large scale of its activities, this organization does not accept any help from the Government. Part of its programme is financed by fund-raising, while the remainder comes from its own industrial and agricultural projects. Jnana Prabodhini is engaged in a wide range of activities. One of its functions, for example, is to select talented individuals from Hindu youth and prepare them for the I.A.S. examination. These people later take over key Government positions, thus ensuring that a degree of influence is maintained in administrative circles.<\/p>\n
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There is another Hindu organization in Poona, called Sadhu Vaswani Mission, which is engaged in a wide range of academic activities. One of its schemes has been given the name: Life-beyond Project. This project can be described as a systematic effort to rationally and scientifically prove the validity of the doctrine of reincarnation. Research on this topic is being conducted on a worldwide scale. There is yet another institute here, Vasant Vyakhyanmala, in which lectures are held every year in the month of May, the holiday season, on a wide range of religious and historical topics. Highly qualified people are invited for these lectures from all over the country. To attend these lectures, one has to obtain a ticket, which is bought at a price. Even so the spacious auditorium is packed to capacity.<\/span><\/p>\nOne special quality of the Hindu community is the diversity of their activities. Take, for instance, Gandhiji\u2019s boycott of foreign cloth (1921). Muslims were as much a part of this campaign as Hindus, but there was one important difference between the approaches adopted by the two communities. If Hindu, on the one hand, burnt cloth from the mills of Lancashire, and Manchester, then they also established hundreds of cotton mills in their own country, whereas Muslims kept on burning foreign cloth, but did not establish any mills of their own. Such has been Muslims\u2019 approach to every issue in modern times. They are easily incited to destructive activities, but, when called upon to perform constructive work, they remain impassive, as if they have not even heard the call. When anyone wishes to gain popularity among the Muslims, what he does is raise some negative slogan in their midst. To present a positive programme before Muslims is tantamount to sacrificing one\u2019s own position, but it ought to be accepted that encouragement is the only way to breathe new life into the Muslim community as a whole. Since no Muslim leader of modern times has shown himself willing to make this self-sacrifice, the Muslims are caught in a rut of constant negativity.<\/p>\n
\nThe Muslims are easily incited to destructive activities but, when called upon to perform constructive work, they remain impassive, as if they have not even heard the call.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Programmes in Poona<\/strong><\/p>\nWhile I was in Poona, from March 19 to March 22, a total of nine meetings were held, in which I addressed audiences consisting of both Muslims and Hindus. Particularly noteworthy was a public meeting held in the hall of the Tilak Samarak Mandir, the largest and most famous Hindu temple in Poona. This meeting which took place on the evening of March 20, was attended by the Mayor of Poona, along with a considerable number of highly educated people. The topic of this address, laid down by the organizers of the meeting, was: The Prophet of Islam: Founder of the Modern Age.<\/p>\n
I gave a one-and-a-half hour talk on this subject and the audience listened attentively from beginning to end. Some Hindu brethren afterwards offered comments such as these: \u201cWe have not seen a Maulvi like this before. We had no idea that this was the meaning of Islam.\u201d Many bought books published in English by the Islamic Centre from a bookstall set up outside the hall, among these being\u201d Muhammad: The Prophet of Revolution. Specially for the occasion, the organizers had printed some pamphlets consisting of articles from AI-Risala translated into Marathi. These were distributed among the audience.<\/p>\n
Progress of AI-Risala Mission in Poona<\/strong><\/p>\nAI-Risala, and the cause it represents, are by the grace of God receiving wider and wider dissemination in Poona. One of the programme organizers told me that, in comparison to previous trips, this time they had laid less emphasis on publicity, yet the attendance for my talks was much larger than on previous occasions. On Friday, March 21, a meeting was arranged in the Makkah Masjid of Poona prior to the congregational prayers. On reaching there I saw this sentence above the door of the mosque: \u201cHigh station in life comes from raising oneself, not from raising slogans and banners.\u201d There were at least twice as many people in the mosque as compared with the number who normally attend Friday prayers. In spite of this mosque being so large, it was filled to capacity. Similar audiences assembled for every meeting which was held.<\/p>\n
One gentleman put forward a suggestion that AI-Risala be published in regional languages. He said that about three-quarters of Gujrati- and Marathi-speaking Muslims, for example, were able to read only Gujarati and Marathi script. They were not able to read Urdu. AI-Risala would not have to be translated into these languages. A transliteration would be sufficient, with the original Urdu rendered into Gujarati and Marathi script. He said that this would not only be beneficial to Muslims, but also to people of other faiths who were able to understand Urdu, but could not read it.<\/p>\n
Another member of the audience said that nowadays only those newspapers and journals which had the backing of some major organization were able to last. Whichever publication you looked at, he said, appeared as if the person behind it were someone else. \u201cAI-Risala has been coming out regularly for the last ten years, and with such an impressive format,\u201d he remarked. \u201cWho is its sponsor?\u201d I told him that the sponsor of AI-Risala was God, and no one else. \u2018\u2018Then this is no less than a miracle,\u201d was his reply.<\/p>\n
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\nIn order to obtain something, it is not enough for one to desire it. There is a price for everything in life and until one has paid the required price, one will not be able to achieve the object of one\u2019s desire. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nAdvice to Youth<\/strong><\/p>\nSome youngsters asked me for my autograph. This is what I wrote for one of them:<\/p>\n
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\u201cIn order to obtain something, it is not enough for one to desire it. There is a price for everything in life and until one has paid the required price, one will not be able to achieve the object of one\u2019s desire.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nWhen one person asked me to give him some advice, I told him: <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cHardships are the price paid for living a principled life.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nAddressing some young people, I said: \u201cWhatever is in your hearts, that is what you should utter with your tongues; whatever you wish for yourselves, you should wish the same for others too; when you are dealing with mortal men, imagine that your dealings are with Almighty God.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nOne gentleman told me this quotable quote: \u201cIn everything, look before you leap;
But in charity, leap before you look.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nReturn from Poona <\/strong><\/p>\nOn the evening of March 22, 1986, I returned from Poona to Delhi. On the plane I was given the Madras edition of <\/span>The Indian Express <\/span>to <\/span>read. On page three, there was a report of the March 21 proceedings in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. The Budget was being debated. A Congress- I-member, A. Arumogam, rose and made a speech in which he laid emphasis on the need to promote Hindi in the State. Since he was speaking in English, Finance Minister Mr Nedunchezhiyan asked the member if he had any knowledge of Hindi, and he replied: <\/span>\u201cChhota chhota maloom hai.\u201d <\/span>(I know a little)<\/span><\/p>\nThe honourable gentleman had in his mind the English word \u201clittle\u201d which he translated literally into Hindi as chhota, whereas in fact the right Hindi word to express the meaning which he wished to convey would have been thora, not chhota. This is a very common failing. A person speaks, expressing what is in his mind, and he mistakenly thinks that he is expressing some reality of the outside world.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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JOURNEY TOWARDS GOD-REALIZATION<\/span><\/p>\nMULTIPLE verses in the Quran point out that there are signs in the universe for people to understand. For example, consider the following verses of the Quran.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are signs in the heavens and the earth for those who believe: in your own creation and all the creatures He has spread about, there are signs for people of sure faith; and in succession of night and day, and in the means of subsistence which God sends down from the skies, giving life thereby to the earth after it had been lifeless, and in the circulation of the winds: [in all this] there are signs for people who use their reason.\u201d (45: 3-5)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
According to the above verses of the Quran, God requires man to believe in certain hidden realities. To make this easier, He has set up material symbols of these realities in the outside world. Therefore, man has to see the reflection of invisible realities in the mirror of visible signs. <\/span><\/p>\nThe sun and the moon give us a glimpse of <\/span>God<\/span>\u2500<\/span>the source of all light. The birds and the animals provide us with a picture of innocence; they are God\u2019s representatives on our planet. The sky, in its vastness, gives us an idea of the might and greatness of God. Wind and water show us the mercy of the One Who has created them. The trees and the mountains provide a pointer to God\u2019s exquisite beauty.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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\nIf a man opens his mind to the signs of God around him, the universe will become a manifestation of God\u2019s splendour. He will discover his Lord by observing them.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nIf a person opens his mind to the world\u2019s wonders, taking in all that he sees in the universe, he will find the light of God shining in all that he beholds. He will see the divine wisdom that lies behind every object of creation. In all its vastness, the cosmos will serve as a constant reminder of the infinity of God. The earth and the heavens will become manifestations of His splendour; he will come to know the Lord by observing them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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A CPS Members Reminisces<\/span><\/p>\nON October 4, 2022, I reached the residence of Maulana Wahiduddin Khan (Nizamuddin West, New Delhi). When I opened the gate and entered, Maulana\u2019s daughter Dr Farida Khanam called out to come upstairs. My steps were faltering. Somehow, I managed to climb the stairs and enter the room of the late Maulana. The person I used to see there was absent. I felt strongly about his absence. My eyes were tearful. A few simple and beloved words of Maulana were echoing in my ears. For example, Hey brother! Look brother! Listen brother! etc. It was like the cry of an aching heart. Along with this, these questions also started to be heard: \u201cIqbal Sahib! Fayyaz Sahib! Do you have any new news, any new experience?\u201d Once a gentleman said that there is no news. In response to this, Maulana said how can you say this? Every day a new sun rises, the whole universe is moving in high order\u2014isn\u2019t that news? As if, according to Maulana, news was not just what was printed in the newspapers, but the real news was the one, from which the sustenance of God-realization is obtained.<\/p>\n
I felt that today the questioner is apparently not present in front of us, but the question remains. So that even after Maulana, the process of God-realization continues without stopping. I looked at the empty chair in Maulana\u2019s room, where he used to sit, with tears in my eyes, thinking, on one side the empty chair on the other side all the academic works of Maulana. As if the chair and books were saying that his personality is now present in these books.<\/p>\n
At Panch Piran Graveyard: After this, for the first time, I got the opportunity to visit Maulana Wahiduddin Khan\u2019s grave in Basti Hazrat Nizamuddin Cemetery. After entering through the main gate of Panch Piran, there is a strong wall of a mausoleum at the end of the graveyard. Just before that, Maulana\u2019s grave is situated. The words As- Salam Alaikum ya Ahl al-Quboor (O inhabitants of the grave! peace be upon you) lingered on the tongue.<\/p>\n
I approached, ascertained the qiblah direction and performed the funeral prayer. My heart was addressing Maulana saying, Maulana! At present I am by your grave. With the level of knowledge that you have reached, my colleagues and I will have to move forward. At that time, I was in the cemetery in a state of anxiety. Sometimes I would touch the inscription on the grave, sometimes I would look at the grave. As if I want to hear something from Maulana. But my consciousness said that Maulana, following the Last of the Prophets, clearly told everything about God openly, and showed good will to the last extent.<\/p>\n
Now Maulana has separated from us under God\u2019s natural law and has left for the journey of the Hereafter. It is our responsibility to carry forward the true understanding of Islam that we have found through Maulana.<\/p>\n
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Suddenly I remembered a supplication at the time of breaking the fast, which means that the thirst is gone and the veins are watered, and if God wills, rewards are bestowed. I changed the words and started reciting this prayer like this: Maulana\u2019s soul has departed, the body was handed over to the grave and it is hoped that God, by His grace, will <\/span>give Maulana a place in <\/span>Jannat al-Firdous<\/span>. And I also thought that when Maulana\u2019s soul was departing, he himself would have been repeating the same words that my soul has departed and my body has been buried, I hope that my Lord will give a better decision in my favour. As if Maulana\u2019s simple life was the \u201cfasting\u201d of the path of God-realization, death became the <\/span>iftar <\/span>of meeting God for him. <\/span><\/p>\nFor the sake of searching for the truth and finding the facts, Maulana’s bones weakened and the blood of his veins dried up. The reality is that if true religion disappears and formal ritualistic worship remains, there is a time to rediscover the spirit of worship. Maulana Wahiduddin Khan has done the same thing. <\/span><\/p>\nGod is the source of all hope. The greatest blessing for a true believer is that his whole life is spent in anticipation, but it ends in hope. Because he is going to a \u2018known place\u2019, that is, to the Hereafter and the eternal Paradise created by God. Whether it is God-realization or the awareness of the Hereafter, there is no age bar to enter into serious thought about them. However, Satan causes negligence. He makes people believe that these are not the subjects of youth, these are the subject of old people. This is the greatest ignorance and rebellion of man.<\/span><\/p>\n\nAccording to Maulana, news was not just what was printed in the newspapers, but the real news was the one, from which the sustenance of God-realization is obtained.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The fact is that the remembrance of death and the preparation for it are becoming less and less common these days. If a preacher or a teacher reminds us of realization of God or concern for the Hereafter, then we should appreciate it. Newspapers or newsmagazines inform <\/span>us about all the other topics every day, but not about the Hereafter. According to God\u2019s plan of creation, the real preparation is for the Hereafter. The Quran says: We chose them (prophets) for a special [purpose]\u2014proclaiming the message of the Hereafter. (38: 46)<\/p>\n\n
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Therefore, the Hereafter is a special subject of the person who takes on the responsibility of introducing God to people. The problems of this world are the subject of every person, but the challenges of the Hereafter constitute the subject of Prophet and those who believe after him. <\/span><\/p>\nThis is what I have found from my meetings with Maulana, telephone conversations and his books. He utilized his abilities to the last extent for this purpose. He made it his mission to worship God and call humankind to discover Him. His entire corpus of writings and talks can be understood from this point of view.<\/span><\/p>\n(~Maulana Syed Iqbal Ahmad Omari, Oomerabad, Tamil Nadu)<\/strong><\/p>\n\nGod is the source of all hope. The greatest blessing for a true believer is that his whole life is spent in anticipation, but it ends in hope.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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An Interview with Dr Stuti Malhotra<\/span><\/p>\nFriday, March 8, 2024, marks the celebration of International Women\u2019s Day. This special day recognizes the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The Editorial Team of SOI brings for you the enlightening and inspiring story of Dr Stuti Malhotra, a founder member of the CPS International.<\/p>\n
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\nWill you please enlighten our readers with some details about your formative years?<\/strong><\/p>\nMy dad\u2019s family is from Jalandhar in Punjab. I\u2019ve always been a shy and reserved girl, very emotional and not really into socializing. I used to feel nervous about meeting people, even if they visited our house. Since my mother worked in a Bank, I helped my mom with household tasks. I have a sister, and both of us were taught to be independent and handle things on our own. My mother always says that even if we have many servants, we should still know everything because not knowing makes us vulnerable to being deceived. So, from a young age, I took care of our home.<\/p>\n
What memories of your parents do you cherish?<\/strong><\/p>\nDuring our teenage years, my sister and I were often home alone, supervised by neighbours. Once, a neighbour complained that we were wandering outside when our mom was at work. When Mom came to know about it, she scolded us, but it turned out the neighbours had mistaken us for someone else. Despite the mix-up, we learned to take responsibility and not blame others.<\/p>\n
In another incident, my sister and I were playing with the neighbour\u2019s kids, and the neighbour\u2019s daughter, who was known for being notorious, slapped me. When I went home crying, my mom was there. Instead of asking for details or whose fault it was, she scolded me. Knowing the girl was troublemaker, she said I shouldn\u2019t have played with the girl. Mom made it clear she wouldn\u2019t fight my battles; I had to handle things on my own. This upbringing taught us to be independent.<\/p>\n
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My dad, a mechanical engineer at Mother Dairy, always emphasized, \u201cWork is Worship.\u201d I witnessed my parents\u2019 hard work and sincerity, instilling a strong work ethic in me. At home, we weren\u2019t into ritualistic worship; my parents were easygoing. However, as I grew up, I became interested in rituals, superstitions, and other such things in my search for God. <\/span><\/p>\nPlease shed some light on your early education and jobs. <\/strong><\/p>\nI grew up in Delhi and went to Air Force Bal Bharati School. Later, I studied B. Com at Delhi University. I started working even before finishing my studies. Back in school, I gave tuition to contribute to my family\u2019s finances. When I was in 12<\/span>th <\/span>grade, I taught commerce and <\/span>Business Studies to 11<\/span>th <\/span>graders. I began working at Dover Technology Company, a Fortune 500 company, right after my final exams for graduation. Despite not knowing how to use a computer initially, I made a promise to learn and work hard, which I fulfilled. This job taught me a lot about dealing with people, working on computers, using Microsoft Excel, Tally, and various aspects of finance and corporate work. Being the youngest in the organization, everyone took care of me like a kid. I even spent extra time on Saturdays to learn more about computers. <\/span><\/p>\nBecause I was paid on a daily basis, I had to stay at the office even after everyone else had gone home. I utilized that time to learn about Microsoft Excel and computers. Everyone at work trusted me so much that I would calculate my own salary, and the boss would sign the cheque without checking. It was a big responsibility not to break that trust. I was very careful, but I made a mistake one month and wrote my salary cheque for less money. When I gave it to my mother, she noticed. I couldn\u2019t admit my mistake at the office because I was embarrassed of my mistake. So, I had to accept the lower amount that month as a penalty for my error. <\/span><\/p>\nTell us something about Dr Rajat Malhotra, your husband. <\/strong><\/p>\nAfter working for five years post-college, I married Rajat Malhotra in 2001, whom I consider a blessing from God. His support has been crucial in everything I\u2019ve achieved. I joined American Express after marriage and worked there for 14 years. Despite being inclined towards spirituality, I pursued a Diploma in Business Administration and IFRS during my job. Later, I pursued my passion for religion by earning a Master\u2019s in Religious Studies from Punjabi University, Patiala, followed by a Ph.D. from the Department of Guru Granth Sahib Studies at the same university.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat did you think about Islam before you met Maulana Wahiduddin Khan?<\/strong><\/p>\nI have always been spiritual and on a quest to connect with my Creator. In my search, I tried various things, but I didn\u2019t know much about Islam. I only knew the phrase \u201cAllah-u -Akbar\u201d which I thought meant King Akbar was the greatest. This shows my lack of knowledge about Islam. However, the positive aspect was that I was not biased and remained open-minded about other religions.<\/p>\n
How were you introduced to Maulana Wahiduddin Khan? Kindly describe your first meeting.<\/strong><\/p>\n