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Stray Reflections

Stray Reflections

Content

Stray Reflections, 1910
Art -art-art
The Discovery
Human Intellect
The Economics of Charity
The Existence of God
A Dialogue
The Satisfaction of Vanity
Cruel Psychology
The Power of Belief
The God of Islam
Hegel’s System of Philosophy
15th May 1910
Forms of Government
Poetry and Logical Truth
Personal Immortality
History
Metaphysics
Fanaticism
Patriotism
Justice
Muslim Solidarity
The German Nation
The Modern Hindu
Right and Might
The Future of Afghanistan
Life as Criticism of Poetry
European Christianity
Christ and Spinoza
Aristotle
The Madness of Nietzsche
Aurangzeb
The Conquest of Persia
Ghalib
The Tutelage of Nations
The Popularity of a Poem
Hegel, Ghalib, Goethe, Ghalib, Bedil and Wordsworth
Parables
The Jewish Contribution to Civilization
Mazzini
The Dependence of Science on Metaphysics
Modern Science and Democracy
The Relationship of Ideas to Their Historical Context
Polygamy
The Spiritual Ideal of the German Nation
On Loving One’s Enemies
Ideas
White Man’s Burden
Goethe’s Faust
Milton
The Soul of Oscar Wilde
Robber Nations
The Memory of Man
Amusements in Muslim Countries
The Power of Minorities
Scepticism and Religion
Arab Poetry
Wonder
The Critical Period of the Muslims of India
The Interpretation of History
Equality
The Worth of Things
The End of Education
God is Power
The Powerful Man
The Touch of Power
The Thought of the Powerful Man
Waiting for the Mehdi
The Idea of Nationality
Kant’s Categorical Imperative
To Revitalize the Dying Organism
Self-Control
Idolatry
The Wonderful History of the Muslim Community
To Reconstruct This World
Suffering
Infinity
The Poet and the World-Spirit
The Vague and the Obscure
The Gramophone of History
Sin and Piety
Virtuous People
Contemplation Without Action
Success in Life
To Become a Public Leader
A Successful Man
The Lazy Mind
The Moral Value of Suffering
The Big Library
Miracles
Democracy
Democracy and Imperialism
Moral Readers
The Young Prophets and the Muslim Woman
Poets and Politicians
A Prophet
Philosophy and Poetry
Plato and Goethe
The Most Charming Thing on Earth
Conformity Without Dogma
Sunset on the Banks of the Ravi
True Political Life
The Importance of a True Marriage
God and the Devil
Think of the Devil
Thanksgiving
The Psychologist and the Poet
The Instinct to Collect Testimonials
The Anatomy of the Human Mind
Man and Infinity
The Poet As a Human Being
The Effect of Philosophy and Poetry
Shakespeare and Goethe
The Value of the Moment
Experience and Knowledge
Common-place Facts
Horace, Montaigne and Azad
Literary Criticism
Goethe and Heine
Hafiz
Love is a Playful Child
Seeking Wisdom
The Man With a Single Idea
Art Alone is Boundless
Absolute Knowledge and Moral Growth
Flattery


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31

Aurangzeb

The political genius of Aurangzeb was extremely comprehensive. His one aim of life was, as it were, to subsume the various communities of this country under the notion of one universal empire. But in securing this imperial unity he erroneously listened to the dictates of his indomitable courage which had no sufficient background of political experience behind it. Ignoring the factor of time in the political evolution of his contemplated empire he started an endless struggle in the hope that he would be able to unify the discordant political units of India in his own lifetime. He failed to Islamise (not in the religious sense) India just as Alexander had failed to Hellenise Asia. The Englishman, however, came fully equipped with the political experiences of the nations of antiquity and his patience and tortoise-like perseverance succeeded where the hasty genius of Aurangzeb had failed. Conquest does not necessarily mean unity. Moreover, the history of the preceding Mohammedan dynasties had taught Aurangzeb that the strength of Islam in India did not depend, as his great ancestor Akbar had thought, so much on the goodwill of the people of this land as on the strength of the ruling race. With all his keen political perception, however, he could not undo the doings of his forefathers. Sevajee was not a product of Aurangzeb’s reign; the Maharatta owed his existence to social and political forces called into being by the policy of Akbar. Aurangzeb’s political perception, though true, was too late. Yet considering the significance of this perception he must be looked upon as the founder of Musalman nationality in India. I am sure posterity will one day recognise the truth of what I say. Among the English administrators of India, it was Lord Curzon who first perceived the truth about the power of England in India. Hindu nationalism is wrongly attributed to his policy. Time will, I believe, show that it owes its existence to the policy of Lord Ripon. It is, therefore, clear that in their political purpose and perception both the Mughals and the English agree. I see no reason why the English historian should condemn Aurangzeb whose imperial ideal his countrymen have followed and whose political perception they have corroborated. Aurangzeb’s political method was certainly very rough; but the ethical worth of his method ought to be judged from the standpoint of the age in which he lived and worked.

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Aurangzeb

Aurangzeb


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