ME AND MAULANA: A PERSONAL RECOLLECTION OF WAHIDUDDIN KHAN - John M. Butt

and asked if the management would allow him to pray the Maghrib prayer, as it must be done in time. Advani nodded, and Khan prayed on the stage. He later reminisced that they were totally silent while he was praying. To him, this meant everyone had respected his prayer. This was the fearless, frank and honest scholar who respected other faiths and earned respect for himself. He was listed in the “500 Most Influential Muslims” of the world; received the Demiurgus Peace International Award, under the patronage of Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev; the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honor; the National Citizens’ Award, presented by Mother Teresa (2000); and the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award (2009). In January 2021 he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honor. Khan also authored 200+ books on Islam, among them are “Indian Muslims: The Need for a Positive Outlook,” “Islam Rediscovered: Discovering Islam from its Original Sources” and “The Issue of Blasphemy.” He is survived by two sons and two daughters. –Abdul Q. Siddiqui, editor, Research In Islam YouTube channel, Chicago. Islamic Horizons (ISNA) July/August 2021, PP.59-60