THOUGH he was personally very philosophical about life-and-death cycle, the death of great Islamic scholar and author Maulana Wahiduddin Khan has caused deep anguish to all those who worked for social unity beyond religious barriers. Though he lived up to the ripe old age of 96 years, everybody wished him to live forever. His passing away is certainly a great loss to the larger Indian society.

 

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan spent every moment of his fulfilling life in offering a correct interpretation of Islamic philosophy and spirituality. He believed from the core of his heart that Islam was a highly misrepresented faith, thanks mainly to the way its own followers conducted themselves in various life-situations. He also felt sorry that Islam was also a victim of wrong political ideologies that afflicted the process of its correct understanding. He dedicated himself to removing those flaws and did extensive and intensive research-based writing to showcase what he felt was the correct interpretation of Islamic thought. Very patiently, he pursued his goal and achieved a phenomenal success, in the sense he became one of the sane voices that brought to light various intellectually and spiritually sound nuances of of Islamic thought-process. His word became the final word in interpretation of Islam in modern terms.

 

The larger Indian society honoured him suitably -- beyond faith and dogma. He earned love and respect of all sections of the society because he believed in complete social harmony and wanted people to use religion as a powerful tool to bind the people together. The Government also recognised his merit and contribution and awarded him first with Padma Bhushan later with Padma Vibhushan. Several other honours also came his way. But Maulana Wahiduddin Khan was truly disinterested in all those. His concern was the spread of correct explanation of Islamic thought in all sections of the larger Indian society so that nobody carried any wrong notions that it was a sectarian faith.

 

There were people who had issues with some of the interpretations propounded by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Yet, there was not a single soul who ever doubted the integrity of the man’s effort and contribution towards greater social harmony. Such a man is no more, having left the Indian society to find its own way forward. There is little doubt that his interpretation of Islamic thought will go a long way in forging better social harmony.