In an era when religious divisions threaten social cohesion across the globe, Mahatma Gandhi’s approach to Hindu-Muslim unity offers profound lessons. His methods were rooted in spiritual conviction, practical action, and an unwavering belief that communal harmony was not merely desirable but essential for India’s freedom and progress.
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The spiritual foundation of unity
Gandhi’s commitment to Hindu-Muslim unity stemmed from a deep spiritual conviction. He believed in the spiritual unity of all mankind, seeing communal strife as a denial of the divinity within all beings. For Gandhi, achieving Hindu-Muslim unity was a “pre-eminent national duty” that transcended political strategy.
This wasn’t merely rhetorical. Gandhi actively demonstrated religious pluralism through his daily prayer meetings, which included recitations from the Bhagavad Gita, Quran, Bible, and other sacred scriptures. This practice showed that all spiritual paths lead to the same divine truth, a message that deeply moved many who witnessed these gatherings.
Gandhi also attributed communal tensions partly to British colonial policies. The British system of political control relied on identifying interest groups willing to collaborate, a governing style often described as “divide and rule”, which Gandhi believed had exacerbated religious divisions in India.
The Khilafat movement: a bold gamble for unity
Perhaps no initiative better demonstrates Gandhi’s commitment to Hindu-Muslim unity than his support for the Khilafat Movement. When the Ottoman Empire faced dismemberment after World War I, Indian Muslims were deeply concerned about the fate of the Caliphate, which symbolized Islamic unity and leadership. Gandhi saw this as an opportunity to unite Hindus and Muslims in a shared struggle against British rule.
In 1919, Gandhi declared the Khilafat cause just and offered his support, eventually serving as president of the All-India Khilafat Committee. This decision was not without risk-some Hindu leaders were skeptical of aligning with a cause rooted in Islamic concerns. Yet Gandhi remained steadfast, believing that supporting Muslims in their hour of need would forge lasting bonds.
The movement brought together leaders like Muhammad Ali, Shaukat Ali, and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad with Hindu nationalists in an unprecedented show of unity. This period from 1919 to 1922 is widely seen as the heyday of Hindu-Muslim unity, demonstrating that cooperation across religious lines was indeed possible when guided by principled leadership.
Fasting for heart-unity
When communal violence erupted in 1924, Gandhi undertook one of his most dramatic gestures for unity. From September 17, 1924, he began a 21-day fast for Hindu-Muslim unity, hoping to galvanize the two communities. He broke his fast while the Quran and Gita were being read to him, symbolizing the essential harmony between the two faiths.
Gandhi described his role during this period with characteristic humility yet determination. He said, “I am striving to become the best cement between the two communities. My longing is to be able to cement the two with my blood, if necessary”.
The immediate outcome was encouraging. Hindus and Muslims gathered for a unity conference in Delhi on September 26-27, 1924, and passed a resolution drafted by Gandhi that deplored communal violence and committed both sides to restraint and mutual respect. While the long-term effects were mixed, the fast demonstrated Gandhi’s willingness to stake his life on the cause of communal harmony.
A threefold path to lasting harmony
Gandhi’s approach to communal harmony rested on three interconnected pillars that went beyond political negotiation to address deeper cultural and spiritual dimensions.
Sincere study of each other’s religions
Gandhi believed that genuine understanding required sincere engagement with other faiths. He himself exemplified this through his deep study of Islam. Gandhi expressed profound admiration for Prophet Muhammad’s character, noting his simplicity, devotion to friends and followers, and fearlessness.
He read widely about Islam, including Thomas Carlyle’s writings on the Prophet, Shibli Numani’s biographies of Muslim heroes, and Syed Amir Ali’s books on Islamic history. These readings strengthened his respect for Islam and enabled meaningful dialogue with Muslim scholars and leaders.
During his prayer meetings, Gandhi always included verses from the Quran, refusing to hold prayer meetings without Quranic recitations. This wasn’t mere tokenism but reflected his genuine reverence for Islamic scripture and his belief in the unity of all religious truths.
Generosity from the majority community
Gandhi placed special responsibility on the Hindu majority to be magnanimous. He argued that true unity required going beyond strict proportional representation to actively accommodate minority concerns. This wasn’t about appeasement but about creating conditions where minorities would feel genuinely secure and valued.
This principle manifested in various ways, including his insistence that India pay Pakistan its rightful share of assets after partition, even when many opposed this during the Kashmir conflict. His final fast in January 1948 was partly motivated by this principle, though it cost him his life at the hands of a Hindu extremist who viewed his stance as betrayal.
Joint pursuit of the Constructive Programme
Perhaps most importantly, Gandhi believed that Hindus and Muslims needed to work together on concrete social and economic issues. His Constructive Programme included communal harmony as a cornerstone, alongside the promotion of khadi, removal of untouchability, basic education, and village development.
Gandhi argued that communal harmony is “the unbreakable structure of the heart” and wanted to cultivate a society where people have faith in religions other than their own, respecting them with the same reverence they accord their own faith.
By working side by side on village sanitation, education, economic development, and social reform, Hindus and Muslims would build bonds through shared purpose and mutual respect. The non-cooperation movement promoted Hindu-Muslim unity through joint action, encouraging abstention from alcohol, promotion of swadeshi goods, and shared pursuit of swaraj.
A legacy for our times
Gandhi’s approach to communal harmony offers timeless wisdom. He understood that unity cannot be imposed through political agreements alone-it must be cultivated through genuine understanding, generous accommodation, and shared work toward common goals. His methods emphasized “heart-unity” over mere political unity, recognizing that lasting peace requires transformation of attitudes and relationships, not just structures.
While his dream of a united India was shattered by partition, his principles remain relevant. In an age of rising religious nationalism and communal tensions worldwide, Gandhi’s insistence on dialogue, mutual respect, and practical cooperation offers a roadmap for building inclusive societies.
What do you think? Can Gandhi’s emphasis on studying and respecting other faiths help bridge religious divides in today’s polarized world? How might his Constructive Programme approach-bringing people together through shared social and economic work-be applied to reduce communal tensions in contemporary societies?
References
- https://www.isas.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/media/isas_papers/ISAS%20Insights%2025%20-%20Email%20-%20The%20Legacy%20of%20Gandhi.pdf
- https://theconversation.com/how-the-partition-of-india-happened-and-why-its-effects-are-still-felt-today-81766
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khilafat_Movement
- https://polsci.institute/gandhi-contemporary-world/gandhi-khilafat-movement-india-colonial-rule/
- https://actionvillageindia.org.uk/unlocked/gandhis-fasts-the-cultural-context-of-fasting-and-in-particular-for-nonviolent-change/
- https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/religion/mahatma-gandhi-views-on-cordial-hindu-muslim-relations/38476
- https://www.gandhimemorialcenter.org/the-gandhi-message/2023/3/22/gandhis-inspiration-from-the-prophet-muhammad
- https://www.newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/syed-ashraf-ali/gandhi-islam-mahatma-gandhi-believed-that-indian-muslims-focus-the-sufi-aspect-islam-taught-patience-self-discipline/d/3354
- https://polsci.institute/civil-society-political-regimes-conflict/gandhis-ideal-society-constructive-programme/
- https://ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT1704466.pdf
- https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper1/khilafat-and-non-cooperation-movement
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