Yogi Shri Aurobindo Ghosh (1872-1950)

          Hindu-Muslim unity cannot be arrived : You can live amicably with a religion whose principle is toleration, but how is it possible to live peacefully with a religion whose principle is ‘I will not tolerate you’? How are you going to have unity with these people (Muslims)? Certainly Hindu-Muslim unity can not be arrived at on the basis that the Muslims will go on converting Hindus while the Hindus should not covert any Mohammedan.

          “…You can’t build unity on such a basis. Perhaps, the only way of making the Mohammedans harmless is to make them loose their fanatic faith in their religion.” (Evening talks with Sri Aurbindo; recorded on 23.7.1923 by A.B. Purani, published by Sri Aurbindo Ashram Trust, 1995, page 291) 

          Hindus may have to fight the Muslims : On 18.4.1923 Sri Aurbindo told in reply to a question of a disciple : “I am sorry they (‘Pandit Madan Mohan Malavia and Chakravorty Rajagopalachari) are making a fetish of this Hindu-Muslim unity. It is no use to ignore facts; some day the Hindus may have to fight the Muslims and they must prepare for it. Hindu-Muslim unity should not mean the subjection of the Hindus. Every time the mildness of the Hindus has given way. The best solution would be to allow the Hindus to organize themselves and the Hindu-Muslim unity would take care of itself, it would automatically solve their problem. Otherwise we are lulled into a false sense of satisfaction that we have solved a difficult problem, when in fact we have only shelved it.” (ibid p. 289) 

          If Muslims learn tolerance : On 29-6-1926 a disciple asked Sri Aurobindo, “If it is India’s destiny to assimiate all the conflicting elements, is it possible to assimilate the Mohammedan element also? “Sri Aurbindo replied :

          “Why not? Inda has assimilated elements from the Greeks, the Persians and other nations. But she assimilates only when her Central truth is recognized by the other party, and even while assimilating she does it in such a way that the elements absorbed are no longer recognizable as foreign but become part of herself… The assimilation of the Mohammedan culture also was done in the mind to a great extent and it would have perhaps gone further. But in order that the process may be complete it is necessary that change in the Mohammedan mentality should come. The conflict is in the outer life, and unless the Mohammedans learn tolerance I do not think the assimilation is possible.”

          “The Hindu is ready to tolerate. He is open to new ideas and his culture has got a wonderful capacity for assimilation, but always provided that her Central Truth is recognized.” (ibid p. 282) 

          Danger of civil war : On Hindu-Muslim relation Sri Aurobindo said on 30-12-1939: “I told C.R. Das (in 1923) that this Hindu-Muslim question must be solved before the Britishers go, otherwise there was a danger of civil war. He also agreed and wanted to solve it. (ibid., p. 696)