Nonviolent activism in Islam : the message of Abul Kalam Azad

In this book, author Hayat Alvi’s purpose and focus are to illustrate the legal basis for Islamic nonviolent activism, as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad promoted and exemplified. Maulana Azad’s endorsement of nonviolent civil disobedience as a means to expel British colonial rule from India poses a strong counterargument against Islamist extremism, and a legal precedent for nonviolent activism in Islam. Millions of Indian Muslims participated under Maulana Azad and Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership in nonviolent civil disobedience against the British Raj. These facts indicate that there is such a thing as nonviolent activism in Islam. Abul Kalam Azad introduced “nonviolent Jihad” in the form of civil disobedience. As a legitimate religious authority, trained as an Islamic jurist and scholar, he endorsed Mahatma Gandhi’s nonviolent civil disobedience and activism to free India from British colonial rule. A highly respected Islamic scholar and jurist, Maulana Azad’s endorsement of nonviolent civil disobedience provides the legal precedent for nonviolent activism in Islam. Contemporary Muslim leaders and activists can learn lessons from Maulana Azad’s example, and as Alvi’s thoroughly researched book shows, can be an argument against blind dogma, extremism, and militancy in the modern era. Cover 1 Half Title page 2 Title page 4 Copyright page 5 Contents 6 Preface 8 Note 11 Acknowledgments 12 Introduction 14 What Is Jihad? 19 Abul Kalam Azad—A Biographical Profile 21 An Argument against Militancy and Extremism 24 The Purpose and Focus of This Book 29 The Contents of This Book 30 Notes 31 Chapter 1: Abul Kalam Azad 34 Abul Kalam Azad: Who Was He? 36 Long Live the Revolution 43 The Pain of Partition 50 Conclusion 56 Notes 57 Chapter 2: The Concept of Justice, Zulm, and Mazlum in Islam 62 The Concepts of Oppression, the Oppressed, and Oppressors 63 Conclusion 78 Notes 79 Chapter 3: The Islamic Principles of Social Justice 82 Historical Background and Key Concepts of Violent Islamist Militancy 86 The 2011 Arab Awakening 92 Conclusion 94 Notes 99 Chapter 4: The Islamist Extremists 106 The Rise of ISIS 107 The Utility of Violent Jihad in International Relations and How It Has Backfired 119 Political Islam on the Subcontinent 127 Conclusion 133 Notes 135 Chapter 5: The Implications of Nonviolent Islam for Peace and Security 138 Revenge Does Not Equal Justice 144 Unity within Islam 148 Conclusion 149 Notes 151 Notes 160 Appendix 162 Inspirational Speech of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad 167 Excerpts of a Speech Delivered by Maulana Azad 169 Note 170 Bibliography 172 Index 178 About the Author 182 "The purpose and focus of this study are to illustrate the legal basis for nonviolent activism in Islam, as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad promoted. Maulana Azad's practice of nonviolent activism as a means to expel British colonialism from India provides a potent counterargument against Islamist extremism"-- Provided by publisher