Whats Muslim about Abdul Kalam?

Dr Rafiq Zakaria
Posted by jagoindia on October 22, 2008
Whats Muslim about Kalam? Dr Rafiq Zakaria
Publication: The Asian Age
Date: June 19, 2002
Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who will be our next President, is by all
accounts a great scientist; his contribution to Indias defence is of the
highest order; he is rightly called the Missile Man; every Indian feels
proud of him; he is in every respect a Bharat Ratna. But because he was
born a Muslim and bears a Muslim name, he should not be put in the
same category as the two former Muslim Presidents, Dr Zakir Husain
and Mr Fakruddin Ali Ahmed. Both of them were as great a patriot and
Indian to the core as Dr Kalam. But they were also Muslims in the real
sense of the word; they believed in the tenets of the Quran and faithfully
followed the traditions of the Prophet. They worked for the uplift of the
Muslims as much as for the progress of India. They were ardent
followers of Gandhiji and had sacrificed for the cause of Indias
freedom. They opposed Jinnahs Two-Nation theory and were close
associates of Maulana Azad. They had full faith in Indias composite
culture and never hesitated to be a part of her ancient heritage.
Withal, they were also deeply involved in the hopes and aspirations of
Indian Muslims; they engaged themselves actively in the emancipation
of their community. Dr Zakir Husain built up the Jamia Millia Islamia
and was for some time the vice-chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim
University. Similarly Mr Fakruddin Ali Ahmad always took up the cause
of the Muslims, both in Assam and in the rest of the country.
I am afraid, Dr Kalam has kept himself completely away from Muslims;
he refused to mix with them and even when invited to participate in their
nationalistic activities, he politely declined. As chairman of the All-India
Khilafat Committee I requested him to be the chief guest at the

mammoth Prophets birthday celebrations in Mumbai, which is attended

by more than ten lakh Muslims every year, but he refused. This was, in
fact, started by Gandhiji in the wake of the Khilafat and the NonCooperation Movement in 1921 to promote Hindu-Muslim unity. It has
been attended by most of our national leaders both during the Freedom
Struggle and after Independence, even Prime Ministers and other highest
dignitaries have graced the occasion by their participation. Likewise, Dr
Ishaq Jamkhanwala, president of Anjuman-i-Islam, which was founded
by the third Congress president, Mr Justice Badruddin Tyabjee, tells me
that his invitation to Dr Kalam to visit the Anjuman to deliver the
famous Seerut lecture to pay homage to the Prophet was turned down by
him. He has hardly shown any interest in the affairs of the Muslim nor
has he had any affiliation with the practices and conventions of Islam.
He was one of the founder trustees with me of Maulana Azad
Educational Foundation, floated by Government of India for promoting
and aiding education among the Muslims; but Dr Kalam showed no
interest in its work.
Dr Kalam feels much more at home with the Hindus. His Hindu friends,
with whom he has spent a good deal of his life, have testified to the fact
that he is far more attracted to Hinduism than Islam; I find nothing
wrong with it. But for Gods sake, dont describe him as a Muslim
President and take credit for having obliged the Muslims for giving them
this great honour. K. Rama Rao, former director of Defence Research
and Development Laboratories (DRDL) writes: I have known him for
more than three decades, but find him the same, from the simple and
unassuming fellow who shared a room with me in 1954 to the one who
became my boss in the 80s. He would stay up late at night, eat
vegetarian food and never show any signs of being a Muslim. I have not
seen him offering prayers during namaz nor fast during Ramzan.
Likewise R. Aravamudan, former director ISROs Satellite Centre,
Bangalore: We lived in Indira Bhavan Lodge in Thiruvananthapuram.
People there called him Kalam Iyer because he moved around with
Brahmins and had similar eating habit. The only non-vegetarian food he

ate occasionally was egg masala along with Kerala parottas. He would
not talk much about his parents or siblings.
Dr Kalam never reads the Quran but every morning he goes through the
Gita and is enchanted by it. He is sincerely devoted to Krishna. He
recites the Hindu mantras on every occasion. Namaz does not appeal
him nor has he ever fasted in the month of Ramzan. He is a strict
vegetarian and a life-long brahmachari. His roots are really in Hinduism
and he enjoys all the sacred Hindu scriptures. Hence the credit for his
elevation, in communal terms, should go to the Hindus; to give it to the
Muslims would be wrong. In fact Dr Kalam himself would be happy if
he is not described as a Muslim President and his name is not linked
with Dr Zakir Husain and Mr Fakruddin Ali Ahmad.
This does not mean that he is not a good man or inferior to the two
Muslim Presidents; I am only objecting to the appellation. He is in fact
most worthy to be President. He is great in the true sense, and his
simplicity, humility and honesty will add lustre to the highest office of
our country. I wish him all the best; may God, of whatever denomination
Dr Kalam believes in, be with him.