A Vanished Dream

A Vanished Dream

(196:14)

1995 1-2 January-February 12 A Vanished Dream (321)

In the course of a speech, which he made at Lahore on February 3, 1884, Sir Sayyed made the following important point:

The educational institution called the Muhammadan Anglo Oriental College (now the Muslim University) we have established at Aligarh does not aim at differentiating between Hindus and Muslims. I accord equal status to Hindus and Muslims. I consider them as my two eyes.

(Collection of Lectures, p. 198)

In one of his letters, dated June 19, 1898 Swami Vivekananda stated that the essence of Hinduism was oneness. Islam’s specialty was that it established such a practical example of human brotherhood and equality as had no parallel in human history. As such, both Hinduism and Islam had to play their part in the construction of India. Both Hindus and Muslims will have to participate in the building of a bright future for India.

(Letters of Swami Vivekananda, (p. 379-80).

When India was set free in 1947, there was every opportunity to construct a new India by making joint efforts. Two great leaders, one from each community, attempted to focus their followers’ attention on the importance of this cause. Yet the advice they gave fell on deaf ears. No material progress ensued.

The reason was that, for the acceptance and carrying out of any suggestion, a price has to be paid, failing which there can be no concrete results. The price, which has to be paid – to put it briefly – is the exercise of patience.

Whenever people of different religious background live together, there will always be cause for complaint. Situation, which are unpleasant, are bound to arise. Now the price to be paid for social harmony is clearly toleration of the unpleasantness. Unfortunately, neither community was willing to pay that price. That was why the words of Sir Sayyed and Swami Vivekananda made no impression on their hearers, and the ideal social organization of their dreams could never become a reality.