Kolkata/Sayantanee Choudhury

Kazi Masum Akhtar was in high school, when he first realised that he doesn’t want to go by the rules. Soon, he was challenging practices and beliefs that, he knew, were not part of the real Islam.

His idea took him on a quest to understand Islam in depth; don the mantle of a social reformer and a change maker. On the flip side, he made many enemies and even put his life in danger.

At 49, Akhtar’s work and missionary zeal was recognised last year when he received Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award for his ‘contribution to the field of literature and education.’  

Akhtar’s journey hasn’t been an easy one. “I have been on the radar of many Islamic groups who have issued fatwas against me since the last few years,” Akhtar told Awaz the Voice. “However, I do not fear them; threats don’t scare me anymore. I would like to continue my work of freeing Islam from fake parallel Islamic practices. People should have the access to know the real Islam and not believe in the religious-gurus or ‘Peer.’

Five years ago, Akhar was assaulted by a mob comprising Maulanas after he made his students of the South Kolkata Madrasa sing the National Anthem for the Republic Day. It left him with a deep head injury and hospitalisation for months. Besides he was also barred from entering a mosque.

Akhtar says singing of the National Anthem was not the real reason behind the attack. “I strictly controlled the school environment. Before I came there, local criminals, who are rich, used to come to the campus randomly and harass the girls. I also managed to convince parents of girl students against marrying their underaged girls. All these were among several reasons that provoked these goons to attack me. It had to happen and I mentally prepared,” he said.

Akhtar believes that everyone born in India, irrespective of his religion, is an Indian. Everyone should learn and respect the Indian culture and sentiments. Doing this never means that they have to disrespect any other country. 

Akhtar started celebrating Vivekananda Jayanti and Rabindra Jayanti in his school. He made students sing the National Anthem during the morning assembly. He said, “As a Bengali Muslim I feel, the students of Madrassa should have ample knowledge about Bengali culture and show respect towards the country. And as a teacher that is my duty to guide them on the right path.”

Akhtar, who calls himself a student of history, is a storehouse of knowledge of Indian culture. He hails from an affluent family of village Basantapur in Howrah. Growing up in his village, he saw poor people blindly following the self-styled gurus and Peers in search for miracles.

“I started writing to express my disagreements and protests. Soon I realised that writing is just not enough; I needed to work hard to break people’s blind faith in Peer-baba or religious gurus,” he told Awaz the Voice.

“I proudly say that I want to work for real Islam and for the development of Muslim people. They should realise that why only two Bengali Muslims have received Padma Awards in 72 years. Why are they so ignorant about the facts and figures?”

It was 21 years ago that Akhtar joined as a teacher in a remote village of Lakshmikantapur, South 24Pargans. With the help of womenfolk, he launched a whisper campaign against consumption of liquor by the men. Women were burdened with taking care of the family after men would lose all their money in drinking. The campaign was a huge success. “We, the teachers, are highly respected in the society. We have a platform to speak and guide and therefore, we should try to bring at least one reform in the society.”  

Recalling the day when he was attacked, Akhtar said, “They came with sticks, rods and nobody stopped them. I could not attend the school after my surgery and a long treatment, my entry was banned. So I marked my attendance and also draw my salary from the DEO’s office.” 

He gets good support from his wife, though at times her patience also runs thin. “Now with age and in view of the lack of cooperation from the society, she asks me to slow down and stick to my business. But I cannot help it. Wherever I see a superstition, I speak up.”

Akhtar recalls the days when he was barred from the madrasa for not growing a beard and for singing the National Anthem and for condemning the sectarian violence. 

“I belong to a Muslim Peer family yet I know that true Islam does not allow any individual to worship anyone but Allah. We are prohibited from offering ‘Chadar’ at dargah (mausoleum) yet we do it. Many people offer money at the dargah of Peer Baba though it’s prohibited. But the people are brainwashed into worshipping normal men on earth. They live in superstitions.”

“Political parties are pushing my community behind, and using them as mere pawns. Muslims are brainwashed, encouraged to set public property on fire and then asked to sing the National Anthem and wave the National Flag to cover their criminal activities. I can be murdered any time, but I will continue speaking the truth,” Akhtar said.

The clerics hated his clean-shave looks and asked him to grow a beard instead. He was instructed to regularly send them photos of his face as evidence of his intention of growing a beard.

Akhtar also campaigned against the practice of triple talaq and vote bank politics targeting the Muslims. He collected one lakh signatures against the since banned triple talaq and sent it as a memorandum to the President of India.

Akhtar has lodged several FIRs against many hardcore Islamists who threaten him and yet they continue to roam freely. The police failed to comply with the court orders of arresting these people by claiming they were absconding.

“I know the government will not touch them as it will go against the appeasement policies of the ruling party,” said Akhtar.

Akhtar supported the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and said Indian Muslims had nothing to worry about it.

“The Act was passed by both houses of Parliament. In the Rajya Sabha, the BJP did not have numbers, but non-BJP parties supported them. The same parties are now fuelling protests and lawlessness for their vested political interests,” Akhtar said.

“Indian Muslims have nothing to worry about CAA. In fact, many developed countries have citizenship cards and I appreciate that.  There is one discriminatory clause in the Act, for which we all should approach the judiciary and not protest by blocking roads,” he said.

“I feel so strange when I see the same people who hit me with rods and sticks in broad daylight for teaching my students the relevance of National Anthem, were protesting holding National Flags and singing the same. This was a farce,” said Akhtar.

 Currently Akhtar is the headmaster of Katju Nagar Swarnamoyee High School. The Mamata Banerjee government gave him a ‘best teacher’ award in 2017. He said, “Receiving an award is not my destination, my aim is the process of continuous reform and the betterment of my students. I shall not stop here. I shall continue despite all odds and more attacks.”