Lahore: Prominent historian, scholar and author Dr. Ayesha Jalal has called for reviving enlightened Muslim thought by overcoming the intellectual constraints of colonial and post-colonial legacies, stressing that openness of mind and critical inquiry are essential for the advancement of knowledge. She expressed these views while speaking at the launching ceremony of her latest book, Muslim Enlightened Thought in South Asia, organized by the National Institute of Public Policy (NIPP) at the National School of Public Policy (NSPP) on Wednesday. Dr. Jalal said she wrote the book to investigate the decline of Muslim intellectual thought in South Asia after having previously written extensively on politics, democracy and the making of Pakistan.
She argued that knowledge should not be viewed through the artificial divide of “East” and “West,” as it is the cumulative product of human civilization. She maintained that British colonial rule not only exploited the region economically but also weakened its intellectual and cultural foundations by disrupting its educational and literary traditions, particularly after the abolition of Persian as the official language. She urged Pakistan’s education system to promote curiosity, independent thinking and critical inquiry instead of rote learning.
Explaining the central theme of her book, Dr. Jalal said it challenges the perception that Muslim intellectuals of the Indian subcontinent were merely conservative or apologetic. Instead, it highlights a rich tradition of Roshan Khayali (enlightened thought), rational inquiry and intellectual openness rooted in Islamic teachings. She said the book examines how colonial rule transformed religion from a matter of personal faith into a political identity, while tracing the intellectual contributions of figures such as Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Mirza Ghalib, Allama Muhammad Iqbal and Jalaluddin Rumi in reconciling faith, reason, history and modernity.
She expressed the hope that the book would encourage students, researchers and civil servants to reconnect with South Asia’s intellectual heritage and foster a culture of informed scholarship. The ceremony was attended by the Dean of the National Institute of Public Policy (NIPP) Dr. Naveed Elahi, Rector of the National School of Public Policy (NSPP) Dr. Farhan Aziz Khawaja, officers of the National Management Courses, Civil Services Academy, students and a large number of distinguished guests.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Naveed Elahi highlighted the NSPP’s contribution to training civil servants in policy research, strategic thinking and modern governance, describing Dr. Jalal’s work as an important historical document. Dr. Farhan Aziz Khawaja said such events strengthen the intellectual development of civil servants and promote good governance. The event concluded with a question-and-answer session, presentation of a commemorative shield to Dr. Ayesha Jalal, a group photograph and book stalls that attracted keen interest from participants.