'Missile Man' Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam: His Religious Outlook That Dominated His Personality
By Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam
14 January 2026
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam lived true to this verse of the Holy Quran, “Did you think We created you in vain” — Qur’an 23:115. His humane instinct understood that Allah, the Almighty, has created this world and His best creation for the service of His mankind. He struggled with many adversities.
Main Points:
1. Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (1931–2015) stands out in this madding crowd because of his noble persona and dedication to his cause.
2. His humane instinct understood that Allah, the Almighty, has created this world and His best creation for the service of His mankind.
3. He was brought up in an Islamic environment at home.
4. Dr. Kalam’s divine personality was apparent whenever he was in public, talking to them about their responsibilities towards mankind.
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Allah Almighty has created human beings as “Ashraful Makhluqat" (noblest of creation (Quran 95:4) and embedded them with wisdom, intellect, and above all, ‘divinity’. A human being is able to use all or any of these facets if he is divine by nature. If divinity is lacking, a man loses his lifetime gains in an instant at any stage of life, allegedly, as with Bill Gates and Noam Chomsky, by the will of God. Maintaining decorum for life, without hypocrisy, is an example of divinity that gives a man his standing.
Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (1931–2015) stands out in this madding crowd because of his noble persona and dedication to his cause, which was serving humanity to the best of his knowledge and ability. Dr. Kalam had a love for human beings and the nation in his personality from his childhood. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam lived true to this verse of the Holy Quran, “Did you think We created you in vain” — Qur’an 23:115. His humane instinct understood that Allah, the Almighty, has created this world and His best creation for the service of His mankind. He struggled with many adversities. When he failed in his endeavours but kept asking his mentors for guidance, that included his visit to Rishikesh, where he met Swami Sivananda at the Sivananda Ashram. Swami told him to "accept your destiny and go ahead with your life”. He went to the Bihar School of Yoga and the Khanqah Rahmani in Munger after being sworn in as the President of India. He believed and said, “All religions teach us the same basic values.”
Dr. Kalam, fondly remembered as the “People’s President”, spent his childhood in an inter-religious environment with his friend, Ramanadha Sastry, who later became the head priest of the Rameswaram Temple. Faith for Dr. Kalam was not a boundary but a bridge to reach people of all faiths and customs.
He was brought up in an Islamic environment at home. He had Hindu friends at the Rameswaram Temple and encountered Christian values through missionary schools. This environment embedded him with a multi-faith spiritual wisdom.
Mirza Ghalib ’s couplet, “Shama Har Rang Mein Jalti Hai Sehar Hote Tak - Aah Ko Chahiye Ik Umr Asar Hote Tak," comes true in Dr. Kalam’s life. As Mirza Ghalib said, “Shama Har Rang Mein Jalti Hai Sehar Hote Tak”, Dr. Kalam was witness to dire poverty during his childhood and later became a “Missile Man” and a “People’s President,” to name a few of his lifetime achievements. – As Ghalib’s “Aah Ko Chahiye Ik Umr Asar Hote Tak" says, Dr. Kalam never accepted defeat and crossed all his obstructions with élan and patience.
Islamic Teachings' Influence on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was a man of integrity, not a man who wears their religious identity or their intellect on their sleeves. But if Dr. Kalam’s speeches, discussions, and his authored books are listened to and studied carefully, one finds his leaning towards Islamic teachings.
Whenever he talked to the youth of the country, he stressed the need for knowledge. He emphasised the point that those who study and acquire knowledge are more capable of serving humanity at large and their nation and society they live. His call of acquiring knowledge echoes his faith on the Quranic verse, where Allah, the Most Knowledgeable says, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” — Qur’an 39:9. His understanding of this verse is behind his call to the younger generation to pursue excellence in science, technology and social sciences, that are needed for beautification and overall development of the society.
Dr. Kalam’s divine personality was apparent whenever he was in public, talking to them about their responsibilities towards mankind. To bring them to the spiritual fold of life, he talked of answerability for one’s actions and returns of their good and bad deeds. The Quranic Ayat no. 99:7-8 “So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it” seems to be at the back of his mind.
Dr Kalam was witness to various failures and heart-breaking days of struggle, but he never accepted defeat. He believed in what Allah, the Most Gracious and Kind, says, “Indeed, Allah is with those who are patient.” — Qur’an 2:153
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was an Indian national, but he was dedicated to the upliftment of humanity. His scientific achievements are not limited to any one nation only but these are for the upliftment of the human race. Dr. Kalam was a Muslim, but he never promoted one religion. His respect for all religions and brotherhood is evident in every sphere of his life. His thoughts and lifelong philosophy were based on the Holy Quran’s verse 49:13 that says:
“O mankind! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another.”
Let us also study the following quotations to learn more about him and his spiritual being.
“All religions teach us the same basic values.”
— Dr. Kalam
“Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character.”
— Dr. Kalam
“Prayer gives you strength and balance in life.”
— Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
“I am born a Muslim, but I am also an Indian.”
— Dr. Kalam
“Science without humanity is blind; religion without science is lame.”
— Dr. Kalam (often paraphrased sentiment)
For Dr. Kalam, constant studying and learning about science, culture, religion, and social customs of all the religions was an act of worship. He looks to be highly impressed with the Quranic verse 96:1 that says, “Read in the Name of your Lord who created.”
Most of the Indian Muslims know only about Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam ‘s reading and following of the Bhagwad Gita, Bible, and other world religious scriptures, but do not see how much his life has been influenced by Islam, the religion of peace, divinity, and human brotherhood, without boundaries.
And Allah Knows the Best.
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Arman Neyazi is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/missile-man-abdul-kalam-religious-personality/d/138433
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