Who Is Arshad Madani? Jamiat Chief Sparks Row After Saying Muslims Cannot Recite Vande Mataram: ‘Will Not Worship Anyone Except…’

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind President Maulana Arshad Madani made it clear: Muslims can’t recite the full version of Vande Mataram. Some verses just don’t sit right with Islamic beliefs.

He said, look, there’s no objection if others want to sing or recite the national song, Muslims just can’t join in because their faith allows worship of only one God.

Maulana Madani Explains the Religious Stand

Madani pointed out that parts of Vande Mataram describe the nation as “Durga Mata” and use language that sounds like worship. For him, that’s a dealbreaker—it clashes with core Islamic principles.

“We can accept death, but we won’t worship anyone except Allah,” he said, not mincing words.

Madani Sparks Debate

No one should be forced to go against their faith, he added. Madani stressed that the Indian Constitution protects this freedo Article 25 guarantees freedom of religion, and Article 19 covers freedom of expression. Even the Supreme Court has said that nobody can be made to sing a song that goes against their beliefs.

He urged everyone to keep the Vande Mataram debate grounded in constitutional rights and mutual respect. Don’t turn it into a political shouting match.

Who is Arshad Madani? 

Maulana Syed Arshad Madani stands out as a leading Indian Islamic scholar and the President of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, one of the country’s major Muslim organizations.

He also heads Darul Uloom Deoband as its Principal. People know him for speaking up on Muslim rights, minority issues, and building bridges between faiths. In Indian Muslim politics, he’s a big name; always in the thick of debates about secularism, discrimination, and keeping the peace between communities. On top of all that, he’s had to navigate internal rifts within the Jamiat itself.

Madani also brought up history. He mentioned that back in 1937, Rabindranath Tagore told Jawaharlal Nehru that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram should be the national song, because the rest could conflict with monotheistic faiths. The Congress Working Committee agreed and endorsed just those two stanzas.

So, Madani said, using Tagore’s name today to push for singing the whole song just doesn’t line up with what really happened.

He finished by drawing a line between patriotism and worship. “Loving your country and worshiping are two different things,” he said. Muslims have always stood up for India’s freedom, and they don’t need anyone handing out patriotism certificates.

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