Maulana Manazir Ahsan Gilani Of Bihar Shaped Indian Muslim Intellectual Thought Through Works On Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh And Interfaith Harmony

By Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi, New Age Islam 29 August 2025 Abstract: Maulana Manazir Ahsan Gilani (1892–1956), a prominent scholar from Bihar, shaped Indian Muslim intellectual thought through works on Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh, education, and interfaith harmony. He argued that nationhood is based on the mission of reform, not race, language, or territory. Gilani strongly opposed the division of knowledge into “religious” and “worldly,” advocating a unified curriculum based on beneficial sciences. His writings highlight tolerance, social unity, and shared values between Islam and Hinduism. By promoting interfaith dialogue, cultural understanding, and learning regional languages, he sought to bridge gaps between communities and education systems, fostering peace in India’s pluralistic society. Main Points: 1. Gilani emphasized Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh, education, and social reform. 2. Nationhood arises from prophetic mission, not race, language, territory. 3. He rejected religious–worldly division, promoted unified beneficial sciences. 4. Advocated interfaith dialogue, tolerance, and shared Hindu–Islamic values. 5. Supported learning Sanskrit, Hebrew, regional languages for social harmony. 6. His vision fosters unity, peace, and inclusivity in pluralistic India. ----- Maulana Manazir Ahsan Gilani (1892–1956) was a renowned Islamic scholar from Bihar, India. He was born in Nalanda district, and his ancestor, Muhammad Ahsan, was a respected religious scholar. Maulana Gilani received his education at Darul Uloom Deoband. In 1920, he was appointed as a professor in the Department of Theology at Osmania University, Hyderabad. Later, he also served as the Dean and Head of this department. He has authored almost 25 to 30 books, both large and small. Some of his famous books include Tadwin Al Qur'an (Compilation of the Qur’an), Tadwin al-Hadith (Compilation of Hadith), Tadwin al-Fiqh (Compilation of Islamic Jurisprudence), Sawaneh Qasmi (Biography of Qasim Nanotvi), Hindustan Mein Musalmanon ka Nizam-e-Taleem wa Tarbiyat (Education and Training System of Muslims in India – 2 volumes), al-Din al-Qayyim, and Islam aur Hindu Dharm ki Baaz Mushtarik Qadrein (Some Common Values of Islam and Hinduism). This does not mean that his other works were less important; rather, all of them reflect deep scholarship and research. Scholarly Vision and Contributions: Maulana Gilani was among those great personalities of India who provided scholars, intellectuals, and thinkers with a balanced and moderate platform for reflection and research. His contributions were not limited to Qur’an, Hadith, and Fiqh alone; he also explored Islamic economics, history, biography, and the study of religions. In the context of modern India and its pluralistic society, his thoughts and writings become even more significant. His views are highly valued for social reform, the promotion of peace, reducing communal tension, and strengthening human relations and international harmony. India has always been a center of diverse religions and cultures, and Gilani’s writings carry great relevance for this pluralistic environment. His works reflect Indian civilization, culture, and shared values. For promoting national security, social peace, and tolerance, what is needed most is intellectual balance, freedom of thought, and openness of mind. Gilani possessed all these qualities, which makes his legacy important for the modern world. Concept of Nationhood and Interfaith Harmony: Maulana Gilani promoted ideas of interfaith dialogue, mutual understanding, peaceful coexistence, and social harmony. He believed in blending the best of both traditional and modern knowledge. In one of his writings, he explained the concept of community and nationhood from the Qur’anic perspective. Discussing the people of prophets such as Noah, Hud, and Lot (peace be upon them), he pointed out that although their beliefs and actions were different from their prophets, the Qur’an still referred to them as “the people of Noah,” “the people of Hud,” and so on. Based on this, he argued that nationhood is not dependent on race, language, or territory, but on the mission of reform to which prophets are sent. According to him, Muslims in India should also consider the entire population of India as their “nation,” since they live among them and are responsible for guiding them towards truth. He extended this principle globally, stating that Chinese Muslims belong to the Chinese nation, Turkish Muslims to the Turks, Egyptian Muslims to the Egyptians, and so forth, since their mission of reform and guidance is tied to those communities. This concept of nationhood is broad, balanced, and inclusive, and it has great relevance in the Indian context. Unity of Religious and Modern Knowledge: Alongside social and national harmony, Maulana Gilani also emphasized harmony between traditional religious knowledge and modern secular education. He strongly criticized the division of knowledge into “religious” and “worldly.” He wrote that society and governments value only those sciences that are disconnected from religion, which has resulted in two parallel systems of education: universities and colleges on one side, and madrasas on the other. The graduates of both systems remain unaware of each other’s perspectives. This division has created conflict and confusion in Muslim society. One group pushes people forward, while the other pulls them backward, leaving the masses in chaos. Gilani believed that separating knowledge into “religious” and “secular” has been harmful to humanity. Instead, knowledge should be classified into “beneficial” and “non-beneficial.” He also advocated for a unified curriculum to prevent intellectual disunity and to ensure progress. Even today, this division between modern education and religious education is visible in India, which creates hurdles in national progress and leads to social problems. Engagement with Indian Culture and Other Religions: Another unique aspect of Gilani’s work is his deep engagement with Indian civilization and other religions. He not only studied Hinduism but also wrote extensively on shared values between Islam and Hinduism. His books Islam aur Hindu Dharm ki Baaz Mushtarik Qadrein and Hazaar Baras Pehle reflect his efforts to promote interfaith understanding. He frequently studied Hindu scriptures, especially the Mahabharata. His works also reveal that he strongly supported the learning of languages like Sanskrit, Hebrew, and English. In Hindustan Mein Musalmanon ka Nizam-e-Taleem wa Tarbiyat, he mentioned historical examples of Muslim scholars who mastered Sanskrit and engaged in intellectual exchanges with Hindu scholars. Relevance for Modern Times: From all these examples, it becomes clear that today’s madrasas should also teach students Indian languages in addition to Arabic and Urdu, so that they can better connect with society. Currently, much of Islamic scholarship remains confined to Arabic, Urdu, and English, while very little is available in Hindi and regional languages. This gap creates mistrust and distance between madrasas and society, which weakens social unity in India’s pluralistic context. If we wish to promote harmony, peace, and national pride, then we must follow Gilani’s path of balance, inclusivity, and intellectual openness. His vision shows us how religious thought, social reform, and interfaith dialogue can together build a peaceful and united society. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/maulana-gilani-muslim-quran-hadith-fiqh-interfaith/d/136641 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism