The Contemporary Relevance Of Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi’s Thoughts Promoting Tolerance, Coexistence, And Intellectual Fairness

By Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi, New Age Islam 22 August 2025 Summary: Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi (1892–1977) was a prominent scholar, exegete, and journalist. His balanced vision, comparative religious studies, and Qur’anic commentary promoted tolerance, coexistence, and intellectual fairness. By comparing faith traditions without prejudice, he strengthened pluralistic harmony. His legacy guides today’s world towards dialogue, justice, moderation, and universal human fraternity. Main Points: 1. Daryabadi authored seventy books on Qur’an, philosophy, and Seerah. 2. Advocated balanced comparative religion, free from prejudice and bias. 3. Compare Surah al-Fatiha with the Christian Lord’s Prayer. 4. Promoted pluralism, tolerance, and harmony in colonial and modern India. 5. His journalism upheld truth, justice, and societal responsibility. 6. Legacy emphasizes dialogue, moderation, and universal human brotherhood today. ------ Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi ------ Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi (1892–1977) is a shining and radiant name that appeared on the soil of India. He contributed richly to knowledge, literature, research, and wisdom. He authored nearly seventy books on subjects such as Qur’anic studies, the life of the Prophet, and philosophy. When Maulana Daryabadi opened his eyes, India was under British colonial rule. Rationalism was dominating people’s minds, narrowness was spreading in thought, and the sacredness of human relationships was being harmed on the social level. Scholars and intellectuals, aware of these social, political, and religious conditions, were deeply concerned. They wished to preserve the greatness of the nation, its pluralistic identity, and at the same time free it from British tyranny. History shows that the British occupation of a diverse country like India severely damaged its people, economy, and society. However, intellectuals armed with knowledge and awareness not only preserved social bonds but also set high examples of harmony, tolerance, and balance, strengthening the fabric of the nation. With his intellectual legacy and balanced vision, Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi did not merely instil unity and agreement within the community. Through his Qur’anic commentaries and writings, he also presented aspects of other religions, thereby upholding the idea that the study of one’s own history, culture, and faith should go hand in hand with the study of the traditions of other nations and religions. Today, our society suffers from growing distance and estrangement. This is largely because the spirit of goodwill has weakened, and people prefer to live inside their own shells. Knowledge of the beliefs and traditions of other religions is either absent or incomplete. Unfortunately, many among us still think that it is unnecessary to learn about the teachings and practices of other faiths. But for true social harmony and intellectual tolerance, our thinking must be broad and balanced. It should not be forgotten that Muslims were the first to begin the academic study of religions and comparative religion. Sadly, this tradition is now fading in our society. Yet, it must be remembered that the Muslim community holds the role of da‘i (caller to the truth). For a preacher, it is essential to understand the religious, moral, and cultural traditions of the community to whom he is addressing his message. Only then can he present his call effectively. Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi fulfilled these social and religious demands. In his writings, he presented the history, culture, and ups and downs of other religions with fairness. Most importantly, he studied them without the lens of prejudice or narrow-mindedness, ensuring that the pursuit of knowledge and unbiased research remained intact. His neutral method of study avoided hurting the feelings of others, while still presenting facts clearly. This is why Maulana Daryabadi created a powerful tradition of coexistence, tolerance, and mutual respect through serious scholarly discussions. In this context, Maulana Abdullah Abbas Nadwi wrote: “The exegete Daryabadi exposed the hollowness of the altered scriptures by directly studying them himself. This style continues from Surah al-Fatiha to the end of his Tafsir. For example, in his commentary on Surah al-Fatiha, no other commentary compares it with the Lord’s Prayer of the Gospels as Tafsir Majidi does, establishing the superiority of the Qur’an.” Thus, it is certain that Maulana Daryabadi’s approach of balance and comparative religion serves as a guiding light for pluralistic societies. His writings reflect social unity and harmony. Another noteworthy point is that Maulana was never swayed by Western thought. Although he quoted from the Torah, the Gospels, the Psalms, and Hindu scriptures such as the Vedas and Puranas, his method remained just and scholarly. He followed facts rather than his own personal views or sectarian leanings, even if those facts went against his own perspective. This quality makes him a true model for researchers and scholars. His literary legacy is a masterpiece of balanced thought and practice. Any positive thinker with a serious approach is worthy of being followed in every age and every society, and Maulana Daryabadi is one such figure. To illustrate, he even presented the famous Christian “Lord’s Prayer” alongside Surah al-Fatiha in his commentary: The Lord’s Prayer: 1. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. 2. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 3. Give us today our daily bread. 4. Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. 5. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (Tafsir Majidi, Vol. 1, p. 44) While Christians take great pride in this prayer, Maulana compared it with Surah al-Fatiha to show the unique universality of the Qur’an. He concluded: “It is not exaggeration but pure reality that the extraordinary brevity and comprehensiveness with which the seven short verses of Surah al-Fatiha describe Divine Unity and the attributes of perfection has no parallel in the records of other religions. Even if the Christian world takes pride in its Lord’s Prayer, its weakness of authenticity is admitted by Christian scholars themselves, and in any case, its content cannot match the Qur’an.” A general reader who studies both prayers can easily see that the Lord’s Prayer lacks the universal and global vision found in Surah al-Fatiha. The Qur’an presents God as the Lord of all beings, not just of one community or nation. His nurturing care transcends time, place, and race. Thus, Surah al-Fatiha itself teaches us to avoid prejudice and narrowness. By contrast, most other religious texts appear more limited in scope. This universal vision is precisely what the world needs today — an idea that carries everyone together. Maulana’s comparison highlighted Islam’s universal, eternal, and tolerant message. He further clarified that all Islamic teachings guide humanity completely and powerfully towards fraternity, love, justice, and fairness. If critics of Islam studied it without prejudice, they would realize this truth. Maulana’s writings, including his editorials, columns, and books, set forth principles of social harmony, while his journalism — in papers like Sidiq and Sidiq Jadeed — stood for honest, courageous, and purposeful reporting. In contrast, today’s journalism has largely become biased and flattering, often ignoring real national and social issues. But Daryabadi’s journalism upheld truth, justice, and genuine concern for society. Although he is no longer with us, Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi left behind a priceless intellectual legacy. It does not merely satisfy academic circles but also builds self-confidence, balanced thinking, and moderation in society. His contribution to journalism is praiseworthy, but his greatest achievement remains the introduction of comparative religion within his Qur’anic commentary. In today’s world, which is the age of dialogue rather than debate, his work holds even greater relevance. The study of religions is not only important academically but also socially, as it clears misconceptions, brings communities closer, and strengthens the foundation of pluralistic societies. 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