"It was a wonderful experience interacting with you and appreciate the way you have planned and executed the whole publication process within the agreed timelines.”
Subrat SaurabhAuthor of Kuch Woh Pal
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'.
Moin Qazi
An economist by training and a development development professional 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. Qazi 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. Qazi 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 holds PhDs in English and Economics and has authored over a dozen books on diverse subjects.
