Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan was an Islamic scholar who made peace and non-violence the mission of his life, and was known for his Gandhian outlook. He was named for the Padma Vibhushan in 2021 in the field of spiritualism, from Delhi ^[1].

Seminary and freedom struggle

He studied at a traditional seminary, the Madrasatul Islah at Sarai Mir near Azamgarh ^[2]. His family took part in India’s freedom struggle from the start, and as a young man he became a committed nationalist with Gandhian values, which he held all his life ^[2]. He studied both classical Islamic learning and modern science ^[2].

Al-Risala

He set out to present Islamic teachings in the language of modern times, as a faith of peace, tolerance and coexistence ^[2]. In 1970 he founded the Islamic Centre in New Delhi, and in 1976 launched its Urdu monthly, Al-Risala, made up entirely of his own articles, which found readers across the Urdu-speaking world ^[2]. An English edition appeared as Spirit of Islam ^[2].

In January 2001 he founded the Centre for Peace and Spirituality, which runs peace and interfaith programmes ^[2]. He translated the Quran into Urdu with a commentary, Tazkirul Quran, and his English and Hindi translations are widely read ^[2]. He wrote more than 200 books on Islam, spirituality and living together in a diverse society ^[2].

At a peace forum in Zug, Switzerland, in 2002 he proposed a worldwide movement for nuclear disarmament, and received the Demiurgus Peace International Award there ^[2].

Wahiduddin Khan died in Delhi in April 2021, three months after the award was announced ^[3]. The award was presented posthumously ^[2].