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Subrat SaurabhAuthor of Kuch Woh PalAn economist by training and a social worker by practice, Moin Qazi is an author, researcher and development professional who has spent four decades in the development sector. He is a firm believer in learning from communities in their environments. He began his early career as a development journalist. While still at college, he began writing on issues relating to the plight of child labourers and leading efforts against it. His work ultimately received the attention of Indian courts, leading to a series of reforms for child labourers. Qazi has a rare blend of solid grassroots and institutionRead More...
An economist by training and a social worker by practice, Moin Qazi is an author, researcher and development professional who has spent four decades in the development sector. He is a firm believer in learning from communities in their environments. He began his early career as a development journalist. While still at college, he began writing on issues relating to the plight of child labourers and leading efforts against it. His work ultimately received the attention of Indian courts, leading to a series of reforms for child labourers.
Qazi has a rare blend of solid grassroots and institutional-level experience in the development and finance sectors. He has focused on understanding the complex lives of low-income people and their challenges. He has used the insights to find solutions to address them. He worked for over three decades at the State Bank of India, where he did stellar work in microfinance and was instrumental in rolling out several unique initiatives. He was also associated with NITI Aayog. He has played a crucial role in empowering women and the education of girl children in rural areas, along with efforts to create affordable housing programmes for low-income individuals. He writes regularly for several newspapers and journals. He was the editor of SBI house magazine Elephanta, which has won several national awards. He has played a crucial role in empowering women and the education of girl children in rural areas, along with efforts to create affordable housing programmes for low-income individuals.
He holds PhDs in English and Economics and has authored more than a dozen books on diverse themes
Read Less...Achievements
This book, authored by the well-known academic and writer Moin Qazi, represents a pivotal step in our mission to rejuvenate historical research. Its principal objective is to clear several misconceptions that have distorted the harmony between Hindus and Muslims, who were otherwise sharing a loving and affectionate syncretic culture that permeated their societies for several ages. It aims to uncover new perspectives and contribute to a more nuanced understandi
This book, authored by the well-known academic and writer Moin Qazi, represents a pivotal step in our mission to rejuvenate historical research. Its principal objective is to clear several misconceptions that have distorted the harmony between Hindus and Muslims, who were otherwise sharing a loving and affectionate syncretic culture that permeated their societies for several ages. It aims to uncover new perspectives and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of India's historical trajectory in Indian history. For some observers, two religions could not be more distinct than Hinduism and Islam. As Westerners have reported for centuries—and as some Hindus and Muslims themselves still explain—one tradition venerates images while the other eschews them. One reveres cows while the other sacrifices them. One embraces multiple deities, while the other accepts only one. Such oversimplifications, of course, rely upon reified notions of “Hinduism” and “Islam”.
It would be more valuable and feasible if we try to merge the common elements of the two religions, which have long past shared familiar contours of cultural ancestry. There are commonalities between Hindu and Islamic ideas, some advocating friendship while others stressing differences to maintain communal distinctions. Within this diversity, tensions persisted between desires for closeness and the preservation of communal boundaries and hierarchy. In doing intra-Muslim diversity, it resists facile binaries of secular and non-secular, 'good' and 'bad'.
This book, authored by the well-known academic and writer Moin Qazi, represents a pivotal step in our mission to rejuvenate historical research. Its principal objective is to clear several misconceptions that have distorted the harmony between Hindus and Muslims, who were otherwise sharing a loving and affectionate syncretic culture that permeated their societies for several ages. It aims to uncover new perspectives and contribute to a more nuanced understandi
This book, authored by the well-known academic and writer Moin Qazi, represents a pivotal step in our mission to rejuvenate historical research. Its principal objective is to clear several misconceptions that have distorted the harmony between Hindus and Muslims, who were otherwise sharing a loving and affectionate syncretic culture that permeated their societies for several ages. It aims to uncover new perspectives and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of India's historical trajectory in Indian history. For some observers, two religions could not be more distinct than Hinduism and Islam. As Westerners have reported for centuries—and as some Hindus and Muslims themselves still explain—one tradition venerates images while the other eschews them. One reveres cows while the other sacrifices them. One embraces multiple deities, while the other accepts only one. Such oversimplifications, of course, rely upon reified notions of “Hinduism” and “Islam”.
It would be more valuable and feasible if we try to merge the common elements of the two religions, which have long past shared familiar contours of cultural ancestry. There are commonalities between Hindu and Islamic ideas, some advocating friendship while others stressing differences to maintain communal distinctions. Within this diversity, tensions persisted between desires for closeness and the preservation of communal boundaries and hierarchy. In doing intra-Muslim diversity, it resists facile binaries of secular and non-secular, 'good' and 'bad'.
Women in Islam: Exploring new Paradigms is a revolutionary book that explores the vast literature and canonical texts on the rights of Muslim women. The author argues that the revelation of Qur’an marked a watershed in the history of Muslim women. It empowered them in several ways. If women are oppressed today it is on account of factors extrinsic to Islam: had the true intent of the Qur’an been followed, there would have been gender equality, bu
Women in Islam: Exploring new Paradigms is a revolutionary book that explores the vast literature and canonical texts on the rights of Muslim women. The author argues that the revelation of Qur’an marked a watershed in the history of Muslim women. It empowered them in several ways. If women are oppressed today it is on account of factors extrinsic to Islam: had the true intent of the Qur’an been followed, there would have been gender equality, but this true intent was undermined by Arabian patriarchal practices and by imports from surrounding in egalitarian civilizations .He believes that the solution lies not in reforming but in rediscovering Islam. Differences regarding gender status are attributed primarily to the way the Qur’an has been predominantly interpreted, especially in the shari’a (holy law)
VILLAGE DIARY OF A HERETIC BANKER is more a diary than an instructive guide. The diary provides the flavour of the author’s personal experiences as a rural banker and his engagement with the poor in the remote crannies of India. The seed around which the book crystallises is the intrinsic tenacity and grit of poor rural women that can be harnessed into energetic powerhouses to drive our rural society onto the road to prosperity. The
VILLAGE DIARY OF A HERETIC BANKER is more a diary than an instructive guide. The diary provides the flavour of the author’s personal experiences as a rural banker and his engagement with the poor in the remote crannies of India. The seed around which the book crystallises is the intrinsic tenacity and grit of poor rural women that can be harnessed into energetic powerhouses to drive our rural society onto the road to prosperity. The book carries in its pages the poignant nostalgia of the author for villages but it is also tinged at places with rage and despair. The message in this book is that there is no grand, universal formula for poverty reduction. The battle has to be fought on several fronts and what works in one place does not necessarily work everywhere. The way forward lies in grassroots field experiments for understanding the causal relationships in poor people’s behaviour and in learning by doing. The author’s faith in poor people’s ability to climb out of the rut is unshakeable and his core belief is gradualism. The author believes that lasting social change most often—and perhaps always—comes slowly rather than in a burst of revolutionary fervour. It is this belief that has shaped his work. He also believes that lasting change can be effected only when women are given equal opportunities for financial empowerment
The author firmly believes that it is possible to eliminate poverty in our country—provided we re-examine the received wisdom of our assumptions. The poor are poor not because they are unskilled or illiterate but because they cannot retain the returns of their labour. They neither own capital, nor does anyone give them access to credit, except on the most unreasonable terms. They live on the edge, in constant fear of a catastrophe or tragedy, but they have no insurance because insurance companies consider them a losing proposition. And the State’s social safety nets are not only grossly inadequate but mired in corruption and bureaucratic red tape.
During his efforts in development finance and rural development work for over three decades, the author has seen projects and strategies succeed as well as fail. He has seen misguided project designs, poor implementation and squandering of large sums of money. But he also witnessed incredible achievements. When development works well, he argues, it can transform lives by providing the underprivileged the capital and knowledge that can open up opportunities for them and reduce their poverty.
Muhammad: The Prophet for Eternity {Khutbât-e-Madrâs}is a compilation of a series of eight lectures delivered by Syed Sulaiman Nadvi in 1925 at Madras in India. In these lectures the author examines the lifeof the Prophet as an abidingmodel for all mankind. These lectures were delivered as part of an annual series of lectures promoted by the Muslim Education Society of Madras, a pioneer institution in South
Muhammad: The Prophet for Eternity {Khutbât-e-Madrâs}is a compilation of a series of eight lectures delivered by Syed Sulaiman Nadvi in 1925 at Madras in India. In these lectures the author examines the lifeof the Prophet as an abidingmodel for all mankind. These lectures were delivered as part of an annual series of lectures promoted by the Muslim Education Society of Madras, a pioneer institution in South India. Among those who delivered these lectures are the legendary poet, Sir Mohammad Iqbal and the great translators of the Quran, Mohammed Marmaduke Pickhtall and MaulanaAbdul Majid Daryabadi. The lectures delivered by Iqbal have been published under the title The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam which is universally acknowledged as Iqbal’s greatest contribution to Islamic thought.Sulaiman Nadvi's lectures are presented here in a unique English translation by an award winning English author, Moin Qazi.
Syed Sulaiman Nadvi, an acclaimed Islamic historian and scholar, was born in1885. In 1911, he joined - Al-Hilal edited by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Together with Maulana Azad, Sulaiman Nadvi made Al-Hilal a powerful organ of young Muslims which ultimately played a dominant role in the awakening of Muslims in India. In 1926, he headed a delegation of celebrated Muslim leaders including Maulana Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali to Mecca to participate in the World Islamic Conference.On his return, from Mecca, he retired from active politics and devoted himself to literary pursuits. The greatest achievement of Syed Sulaiman Nadvi was the establishment of Darul Musannifeen (House of Writers), also known as the Shibli Academy, at Azamgarh. It is a pioneer inliterary and historical research in the subcontinent.
Indian hand woven fabrics have been known since time immemorial. Poets of the Mughal durbar likened our muslins to baft hawa (woven air), abe rawan (running water) and shabnam (morning dew). A tale runs that Emperor Aurangzeb had a fit of rage when he one day saw his daughter princess Zeb-un-Nissa clad in almost nothing. On being severely rebuked, the princess explained that she had not one but seven jamahs (dresses) on her
Indian hand woven fabrics have been known since time immemorial. Poets of the Mughal durbar likened our muslins to baft hawa (woven air), abe rawan (running water) and shabnam (morning dew). A tale runs that Emperor Aurangzeb had a fit of rage when he one day saw his daughter princess Zeb-un-Nissa clad in almost nothing. On being severely rebuked, the princess explained that she had not one but seven jamahs (dresses) on her body. Such was the fineness of the hand woven fabrics..The author, who has spent several decades working for the promotion of handicrafts, provides unique insights into the lives of weavers striving to preserve the traditional textiles of the Deccan.
This book, authored by a well-known development professional, Moin Qazi, gives those who care about India a chance to brainstorm their ideas for making India a place of equal opportunities and democratised development. The active representatives of NGOs, philanthropies, multi-and-bi-lateral agencies, activists, thinkers, academics and all fellow travellers on the road to helping India progress – whether students, professionals or retired individuals. From th
This book, authored by a well-known development professional, Moin Qazi, gives those who care about India a chance to brainstorm their ideas for making India a place of equal opportunities and democratised development. The active representatives of NGOs, philanthropies, multi-and-bi-lateral agencies, activists, thinkers, academics and all fellow travellers on the road to helping India progress – whether students, professionals or retired individuals. From the public sector, we invite government officials, development administrators and implementing agencies. When entrusted with the levers of power, all political parties assured everyone they would prepare a roadmap for lasting strategies to alleviate the issues of the marginalised sections. However, it has always remained unclear whether they resolve these issues sincerely. The reality of the outcome is known to everyone. This book reminds everyone who has worked out assurances and promises to end the plight of various sections of the suffering population.
Though the book’s contents may sound slightly dull, the author has tried to make it a candid, plain-spoken, engaging and gripping memoir. It is a propulsive account of India’s rural politics, economics, and sociology. The author has garnished his book with swashbuckling stories of adventure among the rural zealots and explores the underbelly of village culture. He highlights a side of him that often gets eclipsed by his image as a zealous partisan — that of the caring rural crusader who focuses on empowering the female population. Devastating as this elegant and honest account maybe — it’s certainly not for the faint of heart — it also leaves the reader with a sense of knowing a lovely and lively career in India’s hinterland.
In this book, the author, Moin Qazi, delineates the trajectory of Islamic feminism, which scholars are now actively researching because of the transformative advances made by Muslim women. These women have escaped the subjugation and oppression they endured for centuries. The continuing grim portrayals of these women hit the author's nerve. He believed it was imperative to highlight modern Muslim women's true breadth of experience.
The Islamic feminis
In this book, the author, Moin Qazi, delineates the trajectory of Islamic feminism, which scholars are now actively researching because of the transformative advances made by Muslim women. These women have escaped the subjugation and oppression they endured for centuries. The continuing grim portrayals of these women hit the author's nerve. He believed it was imperative to highlight modern Muslim women's true breadth of experience.
The Islamic feminist landscape is already undergoing a profound transformation. Historically, Islam was incredibly advanced in providing revolutionary rights for women and uplifting their status. Scholarship on Islamic women has expanded exponentially over the past few decades, and there has been cross-pollination between other fields and disciplines. Islamic doctrine has enabled women to participate in battlefields, independently carry on trade and business, and, when circumstances demand it. The most outstanding achievement of early Islam concerning women was its strict prohibition of female infanticide. A preference for male babies was evidence of deep-seated bias against girls.
Many of the revelations in the Qur'an were by nature reform-oriented, transforming critical aspects of pre-Islamic customary laws and practices in progressive ways and eliminating injustice for women. The book is a prism from which to view the Muslim feminist revolution. The author analyses how the patriarchal-oriented rulers and clerics have obliquely tried to roll back these reforms. But of late, women have finally been able to morph from their pathetic condition and redefine the contours of their gender space.
In this book, the author, Moin Qazi, has explored the significant themes of Islam in both the classical and modern contexts. He has authored several books on Islam with a distinct and unique approach to the subject. Islam remains a staggeringly diverse and complicated religion in its geographical and political reach, making reforms difficult.
Every religious ideal has a historical time and context. The circumstances for its realization will not be suffi
In this book, the author, Moin Qazi, has explored the significant themes of Islam in both the classical and modern contexts. He has authored several books on Islam with a distinct and unique approach to the subject. Islam remains a staggeringly diverse and complicated religion in its geographical and political reach, making reforms difficult.
Every religious ideal has a historical time and context. The circumstances for its realization will not be sufficient to sustain any perpetual decree or pronouncement sustainably. The reform process is inevitable and is instrumental in bringing about a religious ideal and giving it dynamic momentum, inclusiveness, flexibility, etc. While the reform advocates change, we must remember that the underlying cultural nuances, particularly the last mile ones, ensure the dynamism that regulates the various balancing checks in preserving and safeguarding the existing values, norms, ideals, decrees, etc. and provide improvised means of implementing them simultaneously. It propagates gradual change in certain aspects of social, religious, ideological, etc. realms rather than in rapid, fundamental, or revolutionary ways.
"Banking in India’s Hinterland" isn't your typical how-to guide. Instead, it's a compelling account of the author's experiences as a rural banker in India. Through personal stories, the book sheds light on the struggles of impoverished communities, particularly the strength and resilience of poor rural women.
The author argues there's no one-size-fits-all solution to poverty. He emphasizes the need for local experimentation and a deep understanding of
"Banking in India’s Hinterland" isn't your typical how-to guide. Instead, it's a compelling account of the author's experiences as a rural banker in India. Through personal stories, the book sheds light on the struggles of impoverished communities, particularly the strength and resilience of poor rural women.
The author argues there's no one-size-fits-all solution to poverty. He emphasizes the need for local experimentation and a deep understanding of local contexts. His core belief lies in gradual change and empowering the poor, especially women, through financial resources and education.
The book offers a hopeful message. The author, based on his three decades of experience, believes poverty can be tackled by equipping the underprivileged with the tools they need to break free from the cycle.
This book is an attempt to initiate a dialogue between Hindus and Muslims to explore how best we can cool the seething anger and douse the angry flames that have incited religious ideologies and are staggering at a rapid pace. The conflagration of the crisis appears headed for a volcano. Since 1947, India and Pakistan have shared profound affinities across ferociously policed borders,
A few decades back, India was an amalgam of rare mysticism, its stage
This book is an attempt to initiate a dialogue between Hindus and Muslims to explore how best we can cool the seething anger and douse the angry flames that have incited religious ideologies and are staggering at a rapid pace. The conflagration of the crisis appears headed for a volcano. Since 1947, India and Pakistan have shared profound affinities across ferociously policed borders,
A few decades back, India was an amalgam of rare mysticism, its stages adorned with efflorescent strains of hereditary culture. The great 14th-century Sufi poet Amir Khusrau wrote qawwali, a poetic form derived from Arabic chants, using a female persona and imagery derived from the cult of the Hindu god Krishna. Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa, India’s most influential yogi in the 19th century, spent many years dressed in different costumes. India was the world’s busiest cultural crossroads, receiving and transmitting cultural influences between East and West, North and South.
The divergence between Hindus and Muslims became ongoing after Britain divided the country. India’s independence and the emergence of Pakistan in 1947 have unquestionably impacted mutual relations, as underlined by the ongoing religious anxiety and increase in community riots. We may have to infuse rich cultural vigour to heal the wounded civilisation. What we need is to temper our speech and slough off prejudices with a respectful and helpful attitude.
It is not often that poetry enters the national conversation, but we are delighted that it has this time. Robert Frost opined, "Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words." These inspiring words made me unleash my dormant emotions and take a deeper dive into this literary art form. It became my personal and perennial path, an intense journey, and I was able to depict through my verses my adventures in pursuit of empowering
It is not often that poetry enters the national conversation, but we are delighted that it has this time. Robert Frost opined, "Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words." These inspiring words made me unleash my dormant emotions and take a deeper dive into this literary art form. It became my personal and perennial path, an intense journey, and I was able to depict through my verses my adventures in pursuit of empowering those who were subjugated at the hands of feudal lords and their cohorts of tormentors.
The horrific events that I experienced and witnessed solidified my poems' message of hope, unity, and healing. It has been a weird, depressing, and deeply mournful journey—palatable only for long-suffering listeners—but it has also uplifted and given rise to a host of creative ruminations. These experiences filter throughout the narrative. Several of these poems demonstrate the transportive power of just a few well-chosen words on a page.
The poems hauntingly describe a lost rural India, where villages disappear as they collapse under the debris of the marauders who trampled the basic rights of vulnerable citizens. It is not often that one picks up a book and feels that this is what one has been waiting to read one's whole life. I do not have the literary prowess to make such a claim, but I feel that I have delivered a small piece of justice.
We live in troubled times, a dangerous and destabilized world that has coarsened our sensibilities and constrained our capacities for goodness. The world presents a baffling problem. It questions the history of people, places, and cultures with the idea of creating wedges between faiths. All the world’s religions teach love, compassion, and forgiveness, yet, unprovoked and unimaginable violence is being perpetrated in the name of the faith by self-proclaimed
We live in troubled times, a dangerous and destabilized world that has coarsened our sensibilities and constrained our capacities for goodness. The world presents a baffling problem. It questions the history of people, places, and cultures with the idea of creating wedges between faiths. All the world’s religions teach love, compassion, and forgiveness, yet, unprovoked and unimaginable violence is being perpetrated in the name of the faith by self-proclaimed rabbis who may be, in several cases, the master disruptors of civilization. Despite being detractors, their sacred ideals and robes adorn their religious proclamations and remain firmly embedded in our universal holy consciousness. Those who do not subscribe to organized religion also now see scriptures as a candlelight in their personal and professional lives. The philosophical outlook underpins our everyday attitudes.
The only lasting solution will be to liberate society from man-made religion and return to the pristine message of the scriptures. These scriptures had a simple, straightforward, and plain-speaking message for all humanity, which got distorted at the hands of the modern tools of intellectual sophistry and sterile polemics. We need to sanitize not just our bodies and our environment but also our minds and intellect. The religious idea that there is a universal moral law which is the central axis of all strands of religious and spiritual thought and is an essence of all philosophical thought
This book explores the diverse contours of philosophical thought and shapes them into a coherent trajectory.
The official emphasis on financial inclusion keeps re-emerging in policy discourses and among bankers, who are critical of its architecture, despite the earnestness and enthusiasm in pursuing it. In the face of initial bursts of euphoria, the movement develops fatigue for commercial reasons. The agenda regularly falls by the side –first from discussion tables and then from policy engagement. Banks face many constraints; the high cost of driving financial inc
The official emphasis on financial inclusion keeps re-emerging in policy discourses and among bankers, who are critical of its architecture, despite the earnestness and enthusiasm in pursuing it. In the face of initial bursts of euphoria, the movement develops fatigue for commercial reasons. The agenda regularly falls by the side –first from discussion tables and then from policy engagement. Banks face many constraints; the high cost of driving financial inclusion in remote geographies is not sustainable. The main reason for the earlier failures was that the goals were more idealistic than realistic
However, in the last few years, that agenda appears to have gained significant traction even as it is still going through the honeymoon period in the Jan-Dhan avatar. People have wholeheartedly embraced it and see great promise in it. But they are still not entirely convinced of it achieving its touted potential.
Access to suitable finances is critical in overcoming the complex everyday realities for those living in penny economies. It can allow them to move out of poverty or build resilience to absorb a financial shock without sinking deeper into debt. Financial services increase savings, remove barriers to credit, ease the burden of debt, and help people weather unexpected tragedies.
When exercised with faith and steadfastness, history bends to the will of man. Umar Al Farooq was such a man who left a legacy that subsequent generations have emulated. He was a great conqueror, a wise administrator, a just ruler, a monumental builder, and a man of piety who loved God with the same intensity that other conquerors of his caliber have loved gold and wealth. Umar shaped the historical edifice of Islam, and whatever Islam became or did not become
When exercised with faith and steadfastness, history bends to the will of man. Umar Al Farooq was such a man who left a legacy that subsequent generations have emulated. He was a great conqueror, a wise administrator, a just ruler, a monumental builder, and a man of piety who loved God with the same intensity that other conquerors of his caliber have loved gold and wealth. Umar shaped the historical edifice of Islam, and whatever Islam became or did not become in subsequent centuries is primarily due to his work. Indeed, Umar was the architect of Islamic civilization.
Human destiny is to realize its own sublime nature within the matrix of human affairs. When free will is abused, humans are reduced to the most wretched of creatures. Umar understood this better than anyone, and few since the Prophet carried this trust with as much wisdom, humility, determination, sensitivity, persistence, and courage. By any yardstick, Umar was one of history's greatest figures.
This book is a compilation of the author’s articles on various facets of Islam, published earlier in various newspapers and journals. It gives an insight into various faiths and how they have influenced the lives of their adherents. Many of these concepts have been examined in the context of Islam and Muslim culture. The purpose of the book is to reinforce the bond of tolerance between people of different faiths, ideas, and philosophies. The author firmly be
This book is a compilation of the author’s articles on various facets of Islam, published earlier in various newspapers and journals. It gives an insight into various faiths and how they have influenced the lives of their adherents. Many of these concepts have been examined in the context of Islam and Muslim culture. The purpose of the book is to reinforce the bond of tolerance between people of different faiths, ideas, and philosophies. The author firmly believes this is possible if we all understand and accommodate each other socially, culturally, and ideologically.
There are several misconceptions in the minds of people on account of the absence of exposure to the authentic literature of various faiths. Most people learn about different faiths and beliefs not by studying their original literature but by inferring from what is being discussed and commented upon in public discourses.
This book is a sincere attempt to encourage the general public and youth to directly understand the values and ideas that underpin all these faiths. Hopefully, this strategy or approach could help resolve several misunderstandings and misperceptions. This is the most sensible way for humanity to come closer and live in peace and harmony.
The field of development has always been one in which the worlds of research and practice are in close relationship with each other and have to move in tandem. Ideas emanating from the top often find quick application. But equally important, in principle, is the reverse feedback—the need to orient researchers’ attention on the questions that are, or should be, on the policy agenda. Impactful academic research has the potential to improve the world we live
The field of development has always been one in which the worlds of research and practice are in close relationship with each other and have to move in tandem. Ideas emanating from the top often find quick application. But equally important, in principle, is the reverse feedback—the need to orient researchers’ attention on the questions that are, or should be, on the policy agenda. Impactful academic research has the potential to improve the world we live in. It can enrich our culture, improve our health, develop our laws, inform our policies, invent new technology, and boost our quality of life.
The academic world has diversified over the years to newer themes, among them public health, climate change and sustainability, water and natural resources governance, disaster management, social entrepreneurship, migrants and refugees. And there is a lot of research happening in areas with policy implications.
The book analyses the role of various policy instruments and strategies in bringing about improved social cohesion; increasing the levels of economic and social development; reducing the burdens of poverty, ill-health, and inequality; promoting the interests of marginalised groups; expanding the protection of social, civil, and political rights; protection of the environment; and various interventions for community development. In particular, it emphasises the pivotal role of human resources in institutional and organisational positionsfor the overall management of development programmes.
We live in troubled times, in a dangerous and destabilized world that has coarsened our sensibilities and constrained our capacities for goodness. The world presents a baffling conundrum. It questions the history of peoples, places, and cultures to create wedges between faiths.
Despite its detractors, religion remains firmly embedded in our universal consciousness. Those who do not subscribe to any organized religion also now see scriptures as candle
We live in troubled times, in a dangerous and destabilized world that has coarsened our sensibilities and constrained our capacities for goodness. The world presents a baffling conundrum. It questions the history of peoples, places, and cultures to create wedges between faiths.
Despite its detractors, religion remains firmly embedded in our universal consciousness. Those who do not subscribe to any organized religion also now see scriptures as candlelights in their personal and professional lives. The philosophical outlook also underpins attitudes in corporations.
The coronavirus put us through long spells of isolation and mental distress. Loneliness is the nightmare of the social animal. It is a taboo state in our social world. The need for connection is so central to our being that to experience its lack plunges the body into a state of a minor emergency.
The short essays in this book are a compilation of spiritual columns the author wrote for the Asian Age. The pandemic ennobled these pithy ideas into a profound philosophy. The author hopes they will resonate with the readers because they represent the sentiments of most of us who experienced several behavioural challenges during this crisis.
This book demonstrates how your choice of language can influence your reader.The book keeps speed with the latest developments in the field of communication and draws on practices used at reputed business schools like Wharton, Kellogg and Harvard. It equips managers with skills to navigate the varying needs, demands and challenges of their audience with courtesy, strength, consideration and confidence. Apart from its academic grounding, which includes explanat
This book demonstrates how your choice of language can influence your reader.The book keeps speed with the latest developments in the field of communication and draws on practices used at reputed business schools like Wharton, Kellogg and Harvard. It equips managers with skills to navigate the varying needs, demands and challenges of their audience with courtesy, strength, consideration and confidence. Apart from its academic grounding, which includes explanations of theoretical bases of various concepts, the book draws liberally on practical examples that have been culled from actual successful organisational practices. It gives you writing secrets used by the world's best business leaders that you too can use to great effect in your own business writing.
This book is an exhaustive handbook on microfinance covering more than 600 concepts and ideas .Since poverty alleviation remains a top agenda for development programs and microfinance has proved the most effective approach for combating it, there was a growing demand among students, academics, journalists, bankers and general readers for a handy companion on microfinance.
The text examines what has become a vast global industry employing hundreds of th
This book is an exhaustive handbook on microfinance covering more than 600 concepts and ideas .Since poverty alleviation remains a top agenda for development programs and microfinance has proved the most effective approach for combating it, there was a growing demand among students, academics, journalists, bankers and general readers for a handy companion on microfinance.
The text examines what has become a vast global industry employing hundreds of thousands of people and attracting the attention of large numbers of governments, banks, aid agencies, non-governmental organizations and consultancy firms. In this book the authors try to help students, who are relatively new to microfinance, practitioners looking for an entry point into the vast academic literature, and policy makers to become acquainted with the main ideas and debates about microfinance. The main objective of the book is to equip the reader with sound understanding of the various concepts in microfinance and their relevance to contemporary financial programmes so that the user is in a position to process business proposals in microfinance.
History bends to the will of man when it is exercised with faith and steadfastness. Umar Al Farooq was one such man. He bent history to his will, leaving a legacy that successor generations have looked upon as a model to copy. He was one of the greatest of conquerors, a wise administrator, a just ruler, a monumental builder and a man of piety who loved God with the same intensity that other conquerors of his calibre have loved gold and wealth. . Umar shaped t
History bends to the will of man when it is exercised with faith and steadfastness. Umar Al Farooq was one such man. He bent history to his will, leaving a legacy that successor generations have looked upon as a model to copy. He was one of the greatest of conquerors, a wise administrator, a just ruler, a monumental builder and a man of piety who loved God with the same intensity that other conquerors of his calibre have loved gold and wealth. . Umar shaped the historical edifice of Islam and whatever Islam became or did not become in subsequent centuries is due primarily to the work of this historical figure. Indeed, Umar was the architect of Islamic civilization. Humankind has a tryst with destiny, to realize its own sublime nature, in the matrix of human affairs. When free will is abused, it reduces humans to the most wretched of creatures. No man understood this better than Umar and few since the Prophet carried this trust with as much wisdom, humility, determination, sensitivity, persistence and courage. Measured by any yardstick, Umar was one of the greatest figures in human history. In this fascinating biography, the well known author Moin Qazi delves into the life and work of the great hero of Islamic history.
The life of Muhammad has provided inspiration to Muslims for hundreds of years .The Prophet occupies a unique place in the life and conscience of Muslims. For them, he was the most perfect of God’s creatures, and he was, according to a famous Arabic poem, not just a man among men but like a ruby among ordinary stones. The life of the
Prophet has inspired the development of a vast body of literature over the centuries. Authors in every genre have writte
The life of Muhammad has provided inspiration to Muslims for hundreds of years .The Prophet occupies a unique place in the life and conscience of Muslims. For them, he was the most perfect of God’s creatures, and he was, according to a famous Arabic poem, not just a man among men but like a ruby among ordinary stones. The life of the
Prophet has inspired the development of a vast body of literature over the centuries. Authors in every genre have written about Muhammad. Qur’anic commentators and jurists use examples from his life to explain obscure scriptural passages or argue in favour of particular rules. Ethicists give advice based on his conduct and precepts. Mystics derive elaborate symbolism from his Night Journey and Ascension. Muhammad: Man and Prophet is a unique attempt to combine the life and teachings of the Prophet into a coherent narrative.
Women in Islam: Exploring new Paradigms is a revolutionary book that explores the vast literature and canonical texts on the rights of Muslim women. The author argues that the revelation of Qur’an marked a watershed in the history of Muslim women. It empowered them in several ways. If women are oppressed today it is on account of factors extrinsic to Islam: had the true intent of the Qur’an been followed, there would have been gender equality, bu
Women in Islam: Exploring new Paradigms is a revolutionary book that explores the vast literature and canonical texts on the rights of Muslim women. The author argues that the revelation of Qur’an marked a watershed in the history of Muslim women. It empowered them in several ways. If women are oppressed today it is on account of factors extrinsic to Islam: had the true intent of the Qur’an been followed, there would have been gender equality, but this true intent was undermined by Arabian patriarchal practices and by imports from surrounding in egalitarian civilizations .He believes that the solution lies not in reforming but in rediscovering Islam. Differences regarding gender status are attributed primarily to the way the Qur’an has been predominantly interpreted, especially in the shari’a (holy law)
The life of Prophet Muhammad has provided inspiration to Muslims for hundreds of years. The Prophet occupies a unique place in the life and conscience of Muslims. In this profound and stimulating biography, the author shows how the Prophet’s message can be used to address a vast range of contemporary issues. The author focuses on the continuing relevance of the Prophet’s life and teachings in the contemporary context and strives to underline those aspects
The life of Prophet Muhammad has provided inspiration to Muslims for hundreds of years. The Prophet occupies a unique place in the life and conscience of Muslims. In this profound and stimulating biography, the author shows how the Prophet’s message can be used to address a vast range of contemporary issues. The author focuses on the continuing relevance of the Prophet’s life and teachings in the contemporary context and strives to underline those aspects which have made them the touchstones of faith and purity of thought and action
VILLAGE DIARY OF A HERETIC BANKER is more a diary than an instructive guide. The diary provides the flavour of the author’s personal experiences as a rural banker and his engagement with the poor in the remote crannies of India. The seed around which the book crystallises is the intrinsic tenacity and grit of poor rural women that can be harnessed into energetic powerhouses to drive our rural society onto the road to prosperity. The
VILLAGE DIARY OF A HERETIC BANKER is more a diary than an instructive guide. The diary provides the flavour of the author’s personal experiences as a rural banker and his engagement with the poor in the remote crannies of India. The seed around which the book crystallises is the intrinsic tenacity and grit of poor rural women that can be harnessed into energetic powerhouses to drive our rural society onto the road to prosperity. The book carries in its pages the poignant nostalgia of the author for villages but it is also tinged at places with rage and despair. The message in this book is that there is no grand, universal formula for poverty reduction. The battle has to be fought on several fronts and what works in one place does not necessarily work everywhere. The way forward lies in grassroots field experiments for understanding the causal relationships in poor people’s behaviour and in learning by doing. The author’s faith in poor people’s ability to climb out of the rut is unshakeable and his core belief is gradualism. The author believes that lasting social change most often—and perhaps always—comes slowly rather than in a burst of revolutionary fervour. It is this belief that has shaped his work. He also believes that lasting change can be effected only when women are given equal opportunities for financial empowerment
The author firmly believes that it is possible to eliminate poverty in our country—provided we re-examine the received wisdom of our assumptions. The poor are poor not because they are unskilled or illiterate but because they cannot retain the returns of their labour. They neither own capital, nor does anyone give them access to credit, except on the most unreasonable terms. They live on the edge, in constant fear of a catastrophe or tragedy, but they have no insurance because insurance companies consider them a losing proposition. And the State’s social safety nets are not only grossly inadequate but mired in corruption and bureaucratic red tape.
During his efforts in development finance and rural development work for over three decades, the author has seen projects and strategies succeed as well as fail. He has seen misguided project designs, poor implementation and squandering of large sums of money. But he also witnessed incredible achievements. When development works well, he argues, it can transform lives by providing the underprivileged the capital and knowledge that can open up opportunities for them and reduce their poverty.
Indian hand woven fabrics have been known since time immemorial. Poets of the Mughal durbar likened our muslins to baft hawa (woven air), abe rawan (running water) and shabnam (morning dew). A tale runs that Emperor Aurangzeb had a fit of rage when he one day saw his daughter princess Zeb-un-Nissa clad in almost nothing. On being severely rebuked, the princess explained that she had not one but seven jamahs (dresses) on her
Indian hand woven fabrics have been known since time immemorial. Poets of the Mughal durbar likened our muslins to baft hawa (woven air), abe rawan (running water) and shabnam (morning dew). A tale runs that Emperor Aurangzeb had a fit of rage when he one day saw his daughter princess Zeb-un-Nissa clad in almost nothing. On being severely rebuked, the princess explained that she had not one but seven jamahs (dresses) on her body. Such was the fineness of the hand woven fabrics..The author, who has spent several decades working for the promotion of handicrafts, provides unique insights into the lives of weavers striving to preserve the traditional textiles of the Deccan.
Muhammad: The Prophet for Eternity {Khutbât-e-Madrâs}is a compilation of a series of eight lectures delivered by Syed Sulaiman Nadvi in 1925 at Madras in India. In these lectures the author examines the lifeof the Prophet as an abidingmodel for all mankind. These lectures were delivered as part of an annual series of lectures promoted by the Muslim Education Society of Madras, a pioneer institution in South
Muhammad: The Prophet for Eternity {Khutbât-e-Madrâs}is a compilation of a series of eight lectures delivered by Syed Sulaiman Nadvi in 1925 at Madras in India. In these lectures the author examines the lifeof the Prophet as an abidingmodel for all mankind. These lectures were delivered as part of an annual series of lectures promoted by the Muslim Education Society of Madras, a pioneer institution in South India. Among those who delivered these lectures are the legendary poet, Sir Mohammad Iqbal and the great translators of the Quran, Mohammed Marmaduke Pickhtall and MaulanaAbdul Majid Daryabadi. The lectures delivered by Iqbal have been published under the title The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam which is universally acknowledged as Iqbal’s greatest contribution to Islamic thought.Sulaiman Nadvi's lectures are presented here in a unique English translation by an award winning English author, Moin Qazi.
Syed Sulaiman Nadvi, an acclaimed Islamic historian and scholar, was born in1885. In 1911, he joined - Al-Hilal edited by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Together with Maulana Azad, Sulaiman Nadvi made Al-Hilal a powerful organ of young Muslims which ultimately played a dominant role in the awakening of Muslims in India. In 1926, he headed a delegation of celebrated Muslim leaders including Maulana Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali to Mecca to participate in the World Islamic Conference.On his return, from Mecca, he retired from active politics and devoted himself to literary pursuits. The greatest achievement of Syed Sulaiman Nadvi was the establishment of Darul Musannifeen (House of Writers), also known as the Shibli Academy, at Azamgarh. It is a pioneer inliterary and historical research in the subcontinent.
This book is largely a result of notes compiled by the author during the course of his studies and readings that straddled a vast canvas of life; spiritualism, academics, journalism, law, philosophy and literature. It is not a discourse but is truly a journey into the soul, and an initiation. The pages of this book are a strange mixture of analytic thought, mysticism, literature, eastern philosophies, western thought, religions, the sciences, psychology and
This book is largely a result of notes compiled by the author during the course of his studies and readings that straddled a vast canvas of life; spiritualism, academics, journalism, law, philosophy and literature. It is not a discourse but is truly a journey into the soul, and an initiation. The pages of this book are a strange mixture of analytic thought, mysticism, literature, eastern philosophies, western thought, religions, the sciences, psychology and the arts. The book surely has its own window. But the window invites us to open our own windows to look through the prism of every human being so that we know, understand and appreciate each other better. The author has drawn from a vast range of sources that span continents and cultures. What emerges is a kaleidoscopic canvas of shimmering stars of wisdom. Through this collection of essays, the author has tried to open the minds of people to a new view of humanity.
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