Author's Preface, Introduction, 1-An Essay on the Bhagavad Gita; 2-Religion & Spirituality in the Age of Science, Some Basic Aspects; 3-Unity in Variety in the Sphere of Religious Faith; 4-Religious Faith and Values; 5-History Its Theory, Philosophy and Wisdom; 6-Towards a Humanist Interpretation of History and Politics; 7-Mughal-Sikh Relations in Medieval India; 8-The Concept and Role of Tolerance in Indian Culture; 9-Critique of Astrology; 10-Reincarnation and the Modern Mind; Afterword, Appendix 1 About the Author, Index
Ours are times when religion is systematically being used: unconsciously by some and deliberately by others, in the service of politics and personal gain, rather then spirituality. However, perceptive and honest minds among all religious communities view different religions as diverse “languages of the spirit”, each valid and nourishing in its own way. An impartial study of different religions shows the underlying unity in the diversity of religions. All religions are attempts to satisfy the human sense of wonder and awe at the inscrutable mystery of the universe. This common function produces the unity while the diverse conditions in which different religions arise and grow produce the diversity. This approach to religious pluralism is likely to spread among the masses and eventually displace the old tradition of religious exclusivity: the belief that there is only one road to salvation. History teaches us that despite the diversity of race, religion, and culture mankind is one indivisible family. There are no chosen peoples. History is not shaped by our hopes, pious wishes or prayers to an omnipotent God Who is partisan to His chosen people. Rather history is a movement governed by sociological laws that provide ample scope for human creativity along with freedom of choice and action. Each essay in this collection covers a separate theme, yet reflects the Author’s sincere efforts to appreciate and critically evaluate the knowledge and wisdom of an enduring scripture, or some intellectual or cultural tradition of the greater human family. In doing so, he shows how authentic and fruitful interfaith dialog can be and should be conducted.
Born in 1926, Jamal Khwaja has devoted a lifetime to the challenge of understanding and living the Quran with integrity. His forefathers worked closely with Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, and with Mahatma Gandhi. Khwaja studied philosophy in India and Europe. In 1957 he was elected to the Indian Parliament. However, his engagement with power politics was short lived. In 1962 he returned to his beloved, scholarly and contemplative lifestyle at the Aligarh Muslim University. He retired as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Philosophy. He is the author of seven major books. Khwaja's work seeks to answer three inter-related questions: Firstly, What does it mean to be an authentic Muslim? Secondly, How should a believer understand and interpret the Holy Quran in the 21st century? And finally, What is the role of Islam in a pluralistic society? Anyone interested in the intersection of Islam and Modernity will find Khwaja to be a reliable guide. His work is magisterial in scope. It is full of passion but remains balanced in perspective. Khwaja believes in judiciously creative modernization rooted in the Quran and firmly opposes shallow, unprincipled imitation of the West. His mission is to stimulate serious rethinking and informed dialog between tradition and modernity in Islam. Khwaja's work is the definitive contemporary discussion regarding the collision of Islam and Modernity. Readers of his work will be in turn, informed, inspired, and intellectually liberated.
