New Delhi:  Speaking on Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s weekly program, T. Arif Ali, Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), delivered a moving address on ‘The Role Muslims in Maintaining Communal Harmony’. Drawing upon recent incidents of violence, ghettoized society, and the ever-splintered atmosphere building up in the country, Arif Ali emphasized the need for Muslims to play an active and constructive role in striving for peaceful coexistence with all communities.

The Secretary-General began his address by referencing the gruesome murder of a Brahmin student in Faridabad, emphasizing how tension between communities always ended in bloodshed. “This is just an example of how hatred is growing between communities,” he said. Arif Ali reflected on the reaction of the public by observing that certain sections of society perceived the murder as laced with caste and religious prejudice. He unequivocally rejected this approach, arguing that the sanctity of life belongs to all, regardless of religion or ethnicity: “The dignity of life applies to all—be they Brahmins, Scheduled Castes, Schedule Tribes, Other Backward Class, or Muslims.”

Quoting verses from Quran 3:110, Arif Ali hinted that Islam preached universal brotherhood and human harmony. “Muslims are not just a nation, we are an ummah—a community with a mission,” he stressed. He said the message of Islam is inclusive and universal and calls for engagement with other segments of society, rather than isolation. Intellectual and peaceful dialogue is the very foundation for societal harmony.

Arif Ali also quoted a famous couplet by the late poet Rahat Indori:

“Lagegi aag toh aayenge ghar kayi zadd mein, Yahan pe sirf hamara makaan thodi hai!”

(“If a fire breaks out, many houses will come in its grasp; not just ours is at risk.”)

The couplet highlighted vulnerabilities of all communities; he evoked them for a joint effort to sustain peace. It was not the job of someone from one community alone, as the eventual stake of communal strife would be borne by everybody.

On the ghettoization of Muslim communities in India, General Secretary expressed his concern while considering the phenomenon as still similar to other historical injustices against the Jews. He warned that this separation was not only dangerous for the Muslims but also adverse to the greater society. “Few people are trying to separate us from society. But as Muslims, we must live in engagement with others, to share our values, and to embody the spirit of brotherhood,” he explained.

To counter this segregation, he called upon the Muslim community to promote friendships with their neighbours, colleagues, and fellow citizens. He asked the community to deliberately build bonds with individuals from other communities, whether through familiar relations or celebratory events such as Eid. “Invite friends to your homes, go to their homes, and share their happiness,” he recommended and emphasized inclusive social life.

Arif Ali also presented the argument that Muslims have a responsibility to speak for the rights of all the oppressed, not for themselves alone. “We should struggle not only for Muslim issues but for issues of all marginalized communities, women, and others. We should make our Khidmat-e-Khalq (service to humanity) beneficial to all sections of people,” he said, hammering in the point that Muslims should be known as active contributors to the well-being of all Indians.

The Secretary-General ended by calling for platforms to be established through dialogue between people of different faiths. He underscored that disagreements may occur, and there is a need to establish an environment where differences can be aired peacefully. “Brotherhood is not a strategy but a spirit and soul of Islamic social philosophy,” he concluded by calling upon Muslims to rebuild a harmonious and pluralistic society.