Chapter 1- Religious Thinkers

Shah Waliullah:

• %%Shah WaliUllah%% was a great %%reformer%%.

• He was born in %%1703%%, only four years before the death of Aurangzeb. Therefore, he was a witness to, and worried over the process of the decline of the Mughal Empire and the deteriorating condition of the Indian Muslims.

• He believed that the main reason of the miserable condition of the Muslims was their %%ignorance of Quran and Sunnah%%.

  • Persian, the court language, was understood by the educated Muslim elite.
  • So, he %%translated the Quran into Persian%% language.
  • This way a greater number of Muslims could understand and follow the %%Quranic teachings.%%

• In order to create awareness among Muslims regarding the problems faced by them and the possible solutions to the problems, he wrote several books.

  • The most famous book was, “%%Hujjat Ullah al-Baligha%%” in which he analysed the problems of the Muslim community.
  • In “%%Izalat ul Khafa%%”(usually misspelt as Izalat ul Ikhfa), he tried to remove the differences between the two major sects of Islam, Sunni and Shi’a Muslims.
  • In this he wrote the biographies of the %%Four Rightly Guided Caliphs%% in a way acceptable to both the major sects.

• He also advised Muslims to work honestly and with dedication if they really wanted to come out of a state of helplessness and ignorance that they had inherited from their corrupt, weak and luxury loving rulers. As a result of this, there were several threats to the Mughal rule in India both from within and outside.

• He emphasized the importance of %%Jihad%% against a common enemy.

  • Therefore, he invited %%Ahmed Shah Abdali%% of Afghanistan to save it.
  • Accordingly, Abdali broke the backbone of the South Indian militant Hindu community, the Marathas.
  • He defeated them in the third and last %%Battle of Panipat in 1761%%, though he himself did not stay back in India.

• First Muslim thinker to attempt revival of Islam & regenerate Muslims in the wake of Mughal decline.

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Syed Ahmed Shaheed Barelvi

• %%Syed Ahmed Shaheed Barelvi%% was dismayed at the fast decline of the Mughal Empire and the growing influence of non-Muslim forces.
• He believed that, under a policy, Muslims were being kept weaker than the Hindus and Sikhs.
  • Being inspired by the teaching and sons of Shah Waliullah, he decided to wage %%Jihad (armed struggle%%), to liberate Indian Muslims from the non-Muslim rule.
• He was especially worried about the Punjabi Muslims who led a miserable life under the %%Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh%%.
  • They were subjected to several humiliations and were denied religious liberty.
  • Azan was banned and the Badshahi Mosque, Lahore was used as a stable by the Sikh forces.
• After returning from Arabia, Syed Ahmed raised a huge army of volunteer %%Mujahideen%% and shifted to the NWFP where he was supported by the Pathan tribes against Sikhs.
• Under his %%Jihad movement%% he defeated the Sikh forces in various battles till %%1830%%.
• Finally, due to the betrayal of the Pathan chiefs, and sectarian divide in his army he was defeated and killed by the Sikhs in the %%battle of Balakot in 1831%%.
• He gave courage to the Indian Muslims by inculcating the idea of physical struggle for their survival.
• Jihad movement was continued till the %%1860s%%.
  • It is considered to be the forerunner of the %%Pakistan Movement%% as both were aimed at liberating the Muslim majority areas from the non Muslim rule.

\n Haji Shari’at Ullah

• %%Haji Shari’at Ullah%% was a reformer from %%East Bengal%%.
  • He was very much worried about the pitiable condition of Bengali Muslims.
  • They suffered a lot under the British rule and the powerful %%Hindu Zamindars.%%
• He believed that the main reason of the poor condition of Bengali Muslims was their negligence of religious obligations or %%Faraiz%%.
  • He launched his %%Faraizi movement%% that was aimed at urging the Muslims to perform their Faraiz.
• He declared Bengal as %%Dar-ul-Harb (land under enemy rule)%% and also believed in the need of Jihad.
• Noticed by the local authorities he had to go back to his native town where he %%died in 1840%%.
• His movement was continued by his son %%Mohsinuddin%% popularly known as Dadu Mian.

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