A Letter to APJ Abdul Kalam

A Letter to APJ Abdul Kalam With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful. To, Honourable Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Ex-President of India, Dear and respected Sir, Assalamu Aleikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuhu, May you receive this letter with safe and sound health! The first and foremost, I would like to congratulate you for your prestigious work: “Turning Points: A Journey Through Challenges”, where you didn’t hesitate to put pen on the paper to express the truth and let it publish for the people’s benefit! Congratulations! It’s a matter of proud and honour for us (the people of India) that we have a distinguished personality like you. After serving the Indian nation in the field of science and technology for a long time, you gave “Agni”, “Prithivi”, “Aakash”, “Trishul” etc. to India. Now India is a strong country equipped with nuclear weapons and you are a Missile Man of India, as the people call you popularly. The country also admitted your great efforts and you were honoured with “Padma Bhushan” (1981), “Padma Vibhushan” (1990) and “Bharat Ratna” (1997). Isn’t it a great bounty of Allah, the Almighty? Surely it is. “So, which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?” (Al-Quraan, Chapter: 55) Then a time arrived and you were elected to serve the Indian nation as the 11th President of the country. In this period as a president, you faced some challenges, but suing your wisdom and brain, you handled it easily. In Rashtrapati Bhavan, once again you proved that how a President should be. According to me, the learned and illiterate, young and old, male and female, all were happy with your way of functioning in it. Due to your eminent style of approaching the people in Rashtrapati Bhavan, only you are called “People’s President”. Isn’t it a great bounty of Allah, the Almighty? Surely it is. “So, which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?” (Al-Quraan, Chapter: 55) After all these honours and distinctions, you are an ex-President. It’s an undeniable fact that the people in your age, following the retirement from the public services, have rest in general. They don’t want to be bothered by any activity any more. But yet, constantly, you’re thoughtful for the development and progress of India. Continuously, you try your level best to equip the Indian youths with modern tools and education. For this purpose, you aren’t shilly-shally even to attend a function and a programme in a university and a school, if you’re requested and the time permits. Briefly, always you face trouble to travel from a place to another one in this age. You present speeches, lectures and suggestions, without a fee as I think, among the research scholars of the universities and the students and pupils of the schools. All these are for the sake of India and its great nation. And you’re able to do all these. Isn’t it a great bounty of Allah, the Almighty? Surely it is. “So, which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?” (Al-Quraan, Chapter: 55) Respected Sir! We know that Islam is a Divine religion. It’s a peaceful religion. It’s a perfect religion. It’s a beautiful religion. It’s a modern religion. It’s the most balanced religion on the earth. It doesn’t permit terrorism and violence. It doesn’t have a room for inhuman acts. By the grace of the Almighty Allah, we are blessed with such a religion, Islam. Isn’t it a great bounty of Allah, the Almighty? Surely it is. “So, which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?” (Al-Quraan, Chapter: 55) Unfortunately, nowadays, Islam is the most misunderstood religion. As a Muslim, it’s our duty to remove the misunderstanding and misconception regarding Islam. If Islam is spread in the world as it deserves, the most of the problems facing the humankinds in the world will be solved easily. But, alas we have the very few suitable Islamic preachers today! It needs the preacher like you. Your wisdom and knowledge must be used for Islam as well. I’m aware of that you’re always busy. However, respectfully I request in your Excellency that you add one more duty in your mission that is PROPAGATION of ISLAM. The people feel shy to request you in this regard, that is why, I troubled you to read this lengthy letter. I hope, you’ll never mind for this humble request. Now I want to complete this request with a verse from the glorious Quraan, where Allah has assigned us the duty of propagating Islam. The Exalted Allah says: ‘‘کُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُم مِّنْهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ۔’’ (القرآن: سورۃ آل عمران: ۳، آیۃ: ۱۱۰) (Translation:) “You are the best Ummah (nation) ever raised for mankind. You bid the Fair and forbid the Unfair, and you believe in Allah. If the people of the Book had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them, there are believers, while most of them are sinners.” (Al-Quraan, Chapter: 03, Verse: 111) With warm regards! Yours faithfully, Khursheed Alam Dawood Qasmi (Sitamarhi, Bihar, India) Teacher: Moon Rays Trust School Zambia, Southern Africa