New Delhi: The first Muslim Chief Justice of India was Mohammad Hidayatullah. Although he was from a Muslim family, he married a Jain girl after 5 years of courtship. When he passed away, he was cremated according to Hindu traditions as per his wishes.
This is an example in itself, which is rarely found when searched. He became the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1968. He was also the first CJI to become the acting President of the country. This was also the first time that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was made the acting President. For this, a proposal was presented in the meeting of Parliament, because before that there was no arrangement to make the CJI the acting President in the absence of both the President and the Vice President. By the way, he was also the Vice President of India for a full term.
He died on 18 September 1992 in Mumbai. Then he was not buried, as is done according to Muslim rituals, but cremated. The last rites were performed according to Hindu traditions. Why this happened, we will tell you further.
He married Pushpa Shah, who was from a Jain family, in 1948 at the age of 43.
By that time Hidayatullah had already become a judge in the Nagpur High Court.
Hidayatullah was from a Muslim family, but his thinking and working style was based on secular values. His life and work were influenced by Indian culture and traditions, including a deep understanding and respect for Hinduism and its teachings.
Perhaps the reason for this was his interfaith marriage with Pushpa Shah. Then he was also raised in such a way that all Hindu customs were followed in the house. This had a great impact on his upbringing. After marriage, both Hindu and Muslim festivals and traditions were followed in their house.
Hidayatullah’s study was profound not only in Islamic but also in Hindu and Indian traditions. He studied references to Indian texts, especially the Gita, the Vedas and the Upanishads. Many of his decisions were in line with Indian traditions and cultural values. He always looked at all religions equally.
In his life, “Hindutva” was present not as a religious sentiment, but as a cultural and civilisational aspect.
M Hidayatullah passed away on September 18, 1992 due to a heart attack. According to M Hidayatullah’s will, he was cremated according to Hindu rituals as he had expressed his desire to burn him and not bury him after his death.
