FA

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.

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.