Meet the Muslim scholar who’s a guru to Jain monks and nuns

In an extraordinary intersection of faith, academia and public service, a Muslim scholar has become an unlikely guide for Jain monks and nuns pursuing doctoral studies. The journey of Dr Intaj Malek, 63, retired joint commissioner, state tax, bridges religious divides and challenges conventional boundaries in pursuit of knowledge.Malek, who earned his PhD in 2003 studying ‘Upanishads and Islamic mysticism’, joined Gujarat University as a research guide shortly after. What followed was unprecedented: Jain monks from Sthanakvasi Jain Ajramar Sampraday, known for their vow of constant movement and covering their mouths with cloth masks, sought him out as their PhD guide.The monks had not cleared their Class 12 exams but held bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Jain Vishva Bharati University in Ladnun, Rajasthan. It was Malek who helped them overcome the qualification hurdle and get them registered for their PhD studies at Gujarat University, where he served as the honorary guide.Going the extra mileTraditionally, students visit their professors, but Malek’s situation demanded a role reversal. The Jain ascetics, following their religious discipline, often travel from place to place within the country to avoid attachment to any particular place.“The traditional guru-shishya relationship was inverted,” Malek says. “As their guide, I travelled to meet them once every 15 days or a month. I would review their progress wherever they were stationed — Kutch or Mumbai or Delhi — and help them refine their research. That’s how they completed their theses.”During his visits to various upashrayas (Jain monasteries), Malek would carry reference books and laptops for his students, essential tools that enabled them to conduct research despite their nomadic lifestyle. medium120516383Beyond religious boundariesMalek’s reputation as a cross-cultural guide has grown steadily. He has supervised not only Jain ascetics but also other doctoral candidates, including Pooja Shukla, who pursued her research on Patanjali’s Yogasutra and its relevance in modern times; Dipti Parmar, who studied Gandhian philosophy; and Iti Dayal, who was studying Vedanta and modern science.He also supervised the field research work of US-based researcher Emilia Bachrach at the University of Texas and helped her complete her thesis on ‘The living tradition of hagiography in the Vallabh sect of contemporary Gujarat’.Guiding Jain sadhvisAt present, three Jain sadhvis (nuns) — Krutagya Mahasatiji, Jash Kumari Mahasatiji and Padmashreeji Mahasatiji — are among four of his students pursuing their doctoral research at LJ University in Ahmedabad. They are studying psychological interpretation of dreams in Jain sacred texts, samadhimaran and concept of duty in Kartavya Kaumudi.“He has extensive knowledge on Jainism and other religions. Beyond Kartavya Kaumudi, Dr Malek also enlightened us on similar concepts of duty in Islam and Christianity, broadening our understanding of those faiths. He understands our unconventional schedule and goes the extra mile by visiting us to offer his guidance,” says Sadhvi Padmashreeji Mahasatiji. medium120516401Personal transformationThe mentorship experience has profoundly changed Malek as well. His immersion in Jain philosophy has altered his lifestyle choices and perspectives.“I was not very keen on non-vegetarian food earlier too, but when I began teaching Jain students, I felt I should leave it completely,” Malek says. Their commitment to non-violence, walking barefoot, observing strict dietary restrictions, touched him deeply and shaped his perspectives on faith.Malek’s academic work spans ancient Prakrit, Sanskrit and Pali manuscripts, giving him unique insights into Jain teachings on non-violence.“From Jainism, I gained a deeper understanding of ahimsa. My library has a collection of 300 books on Jainism,” he says. “I developed a new perspective on their religion through detailed study, while also educating my students about other faiths.”“Knowledge should not be confined by religious or cultural boundaries,” he says. “A continuous exchange of ideas between different cultures is what enriches our understanding of life and faith.”