Partition of India in 1947 was a tragedy of grave proportion which left a permanent scar on our minds and hearts. It was the result of very complex political problems involving several actors and stakeholders. However, as the dispute was between sections of two communities and ideologies, matters were simplified in communal propoganda and one community was held responsible for partition, which is far from true. Political leaders, intellectuals and sensible citizens from both the communities opposed partition and articulated their views. Maulana Azad was not only a senior Congress leader but also a great scholar of Islam and statesman of great vision. He opposed the partition and very well understood its long-term implications, which he spelt out in his seminal work India Wins Freedom. This paper is based on his views.

In the current debate on partition started by Jaswant Singh's book, everyone is talking about the role of Jinnah, Nehru and Sardar Patel in the partition of India, but hardly anyone has mentioned what Maulana Azad, an important leader of Indian National Congress (INC) and an eminent scholar of Islam who held the post of President of the Congress for six long years before partition, had done to avert partition.

It is true that Maulana was also party to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution accepting the partition, but besides this he had never accepted partition and had warned Jawaharlal Nehru of certain of his acts, which politically were not wise. Pandit Nehru was not for weak Center and hence he consciously contributed to partition, but Azad had no such interest in partition and wanted to prevent it. He supported it only as something inevitable.

To understand Maulana Azad's viewpoint, his book India Wins Freedom and the 30 pages which were published 30 years after his death help a lot. About partition, Maulana had definite point of view that cannot be ignored if we have to understand the causes of partition. Maulana Azad was an important leader of the Congress, on the one hand, and on the other, an important leader of Muslims and a great religious scholar. Hence, his views and role assume added significance.

History and Culture Journal, Maulana Azad and Partition, Indian National Congress, Congress Working Committee, Muslim Culture, Hindustan States, Maulana Counters, Astronomical Sums, Muslim League, Cabinet Mission Plan, Pakistani Muslims.