Page 72 - Acharya Vinoba Bhave in 21st Century ISBN

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The Message of Vinoba Bhave in the Understanding of Islam
Dr. Tabassum Sheikh

Intoduction

Vinoba Bhave was one of the great spiritual leaders and social reformers of modern India,
whose work and personal example moved the heart of all Indians, from Prime Ministers to the poor.

Born in 1895, at the age of ten he took a vow of lifelong celibacy and service to others. Searching for
a way of life that would embody both spiritual truth and practical action, he discovered Gandhi and

joined in his work for the regeneration of India.
Acharya Vinoba Bhave has studied the Quran for the twenty-five years and it was during 1963

that ‘The Essence of Quran’ took final shape and form. As stated by Shri Vinoba himself in his Forward,
the object behind this compilation is to ‘unite the hearts of men.’ ‘’The Essence of the Quran’’ is a

valuable addition to the spiritual lore of humanity. The selections have been made from the original
Arabic. The English is adopted from the ‘’Glorious Quran’’ by Mr Mohammad Marmaduke

Pickthall,Palmer,Yusuf Ali and Maulvi Sher Ali .Urdu translations and Explanations are adopted from
the writers of Quran Majeed,Quranul Hakeem,Tafseeri Sageer and Hamail Shareef.References to the

respective numbers of Suras and Ayats(verses) are shown in the tables included in the end of the book.
Vinobaji has grouped these verses under appropriate captions to highlight the Message of the Quran

originally.

Belief in the grace of God
Vinobaji strongly believed that grace of God directes and motivates the person towards achieving

something .It was this Divine grace that perhaps helped Vinoba in his love’s labour in making selections
from the Quran. It is an interesting story how he took to the study of the Book and how he felt inspired,

for the benefit of all and sundry to bring out in a book form ‘The Essence of the Quran.’ 1

Motivation from Mahatma Gandhi
A Muslim boy joined Vinobaji’s Ashram with an object to lead a dedicated life, After sometime

he felt a desire to study the Quran and requested Vinoba to give lessons to him. Vinoba had read the
Quran in English, but this request made him study the Book closely. He read its translations in various

languages, and learnt its recitation with the help of books on its pronunciation so correctly that not only

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