BOOK REVIEW

of Khan’s thought has been his passionate call for the rebuilding of mainstream Indian culture. He projects a bright future for Muslims in India if and only if they become a giving people contributing to the national growth, politics, economy, culture, and to society as a whole. Muslims should become unreservedly involved in nation-building; they should become part of the mainstream. By remaining in their limited spheres of activity, and railing about their problems without regard for those of others, they are viewed as sectarian at best. In addition, an antagonistic response from the right wing has been increasing due to reactionary Muslim politics. Therefore, a different strategy is needed to counter this trend. Conclusion Maulana Wahiduddin Khan does not project himself as a reformer. He outlines the nature of his mission in his pioneering book, Fikr-eIslami as ijtihad. In his view, reform (islah) implies the existence of a faulty ideal requiring reform. Islam, as for many earlier revivalists who have attempted tajdid (renewal), still consists of those very ideals that existed at the time of the Prophet Muhammad. There are no changes required insofar as Islam is concerned. It is Muslims who have forgotten how to reinterpret and reapply Islam in every age according to the needs and circumstances of the time. Thus his task is to provide this reinterpretation of Islam for today’s Muslims and people of other faiths who are willing to collaborate on building and maintaining a multicultural ethos. He argues that what is lacking in the Indian Muslim community at large is a coherent vision of the reapplication (by way of ijtihad) of Islamic ideals. These ideals in Khan’s interpretation are pluralism, tolerance of differences, utilizing peaceful means of activism, and becoming progressive within the scope of the teachings of Islam. Maulana’s view of Islam and the role of Muslims in the twenty-first century is increasingly making sense even to those who did not previously agree with him. Thus it may be said that the future holds positive prospects for the principles enunciated by Maulana Khan. Successive generations will encounter these principles and rationale without any subjective bias against the man. o Patience gives a person the strength to stand on high Islamic morals.