Pakistan Affairs & Islamiyat (in the light of Islam)

Pakistan Affairs & Islamiyat (in the light of Islam) Lecture# 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.Reformist Movements (Mujadid Alf Sani, Shah Waliullah & Sir Syed Ahmed Khan)2.The Role of Ulemas in Spreading Islam

HazratMujadid Alf Sani (1564-1624) • Introduction • Islam was under great danger • Its future was unpredictable • Its Spirit deteriorated • Teaching were misinterpreted Akbar’s Policy of Divine Faith • At this hour of turmoil and turpitude, Mujadid Alf Sani came in front to restore and revive the glory of Islam • Evils of Muslim Society • Religious (Din-e-Illahi); socio-religious practices of Hinduism • Social (Adulteration/pollution/corruption) • Political (Prostration/bowing)

HazratMujadid Alf Sani (1564-1624) • Revival Movement • He did not enter into direct political conflict with rulers but instead wrote letters to prominent for preach and influential personalities in Akbar’s (subsequently Jahangir’s court • AbdurRehman • Mirza Abdul Aziz • Mufti Sadr-e-Jahan • Reminding them their religious duty • Sent disciples to different corners of India for preaching-basic concepts of Islam • Court of Jahangir-Raised voice against the practice of prostration-imprisoned in Gawalior (1619-20) but later released and made religious advisor of Jahangir • In prison he converted many inmates to Islam and brought reformation among the Muslim prisoners • He preached the true spirit of Islam among the troops of Mughal army; raised their moral and prepared them to perform their duties towards Islam and the State.

HazratMujadid Alf Sani (1564-1624) • Ideological War • WahdatulWajud (Creator-creatures one) • WahdatulShahud (Creator- creatures are separate) • WahdatulShahud was orthodox religious approach which gave hindrance to Sufis to create harmony between Hindus and Muslims. • Influence on the history of Muslim India • Propounded the idea of Muslim nationalism in India • Advocate of Muslim separatism-distinctive image • Akbar was a liberal and Aurangzeb was a fundamentalist (imposed Jizyah on non-Muslims) • The movement was taken forward by Shah Waliullah and Syed Ahmed Shaheed ultimately head way to destination of Pakistan Movement.

Shah Waliullah (1703-1762) • Background • Departure of Aurangzeb (1707)-adverse impacts on Mughal Empire + Muslims of India (their hegemony/dominance over Hindus/non-Muslims started waning) • Political downfall of Muslim under Aurangzeb vanished after him-impacted economic interests of Muslims • Muslim society was assimilating Hindu ideas + tradition + practices • Ignorance of the basic principles of Islam and conflict over minute/insignificant details • Internal deterioration-sectarian differences (Shias & Sunnis) • Reformist Movement • First of its kind-aimed at social, political,religious and economic reformation of the degenerated Muslim community in India

Shah Waliullah (1703-1762) • Religious • Sectarian differences and misunderstandings between Shias and Sunnis by his book “Izalat-ul-Khifa and Khilafat-il-Khulafa” • Sunnis were divided on minute details of the interpretation of Quran and Sunnah • He adopted a balanced approach and highlighted the broad principles for interpretation of Quran • Ijtihad (progressive interpretation of Islamic Law) was vigorously adopted in a society which had closed doors for further interpretation • He tried to reconcile the divergent views of MujadidAlf Sani on the concepts of WahdatulWajud (Creator-creatures one) and WahdutulShahud (Creator-creatures are separate)

Shah Waliullah(1703-1762) • Social • Deep crisis of public morality and character in Muslim society-presented Islam in a rational manner and urged Muslim masses to mold their lives accordingly • Economic • He raised voiced against inequitable distribution of wealth in the society-working poorer classes were being exploited and were unable to meet basic needs, while noble Ulemas and soldiers were receiving money without performing their duties effectively • He appealed upper classes to realize their responsibilities. Besides, emphasized upon the working classes to cultivate habits of hard work, honesty, and efficiency • He laid utmost emphasis on justice and equilibrium without which society/economy could not endure/sustain.

Shah Waliullah(1703-1762) • Political • Marhattas and Jats had made the life of Muslims miserable in India • Jats and Marhattas activities were so aggressive that Muslim life and property were no longer safe. He organized Muslims for Jihad against Marhattas; • Invited Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan and NajibUdDawlah of Bengal and motivated to help him to save the Muslim community from Marhatta subjugation (suppression) • The Impact of His Movement • Religious Reformation • Social Regeneration • Political Ascendency

Shah Waliullah (1703-1762) • Conclusion • None before him attempted to integrate whole Islamic structure • It was very influence of Shah Waliullah’s movement that the movement of Syed Ahmed Shaheed and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan flourished and further consolidated Muslims in India

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan • Introduction • He emerged at a time when Muslims were under the harrow of socio-economico-religio-politico circumstances • The Muslim of India were facing adverse circumstances and passing a miserable life • Although both Hindus and Muslims fought for liberation but the heavy hand of British fell more on Muslim than on Hindus • Jawarlal Nehru is his autobiography “The consequences of 1857” war had reduced Muslims to backward nation; education was their bleakness, politico was enigma/mystery and religion was on obsession • The role of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was multidimensional since he had to provide strength to the Muslims of India. • He considered education to be the panacea for all ills of his community.

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan • Sir Syed’s Crusade for the Muslim Uplift • Political Activities • Wrote a strong pamphlet on the causes of the Indian Revolt • Muslims were not entirely responsible for the Revolt of 1857 • Loyal Mohammedans of India; described sincere services of Muslims to British Govt. and defend them against the charge of disloyalty. • He vision the facts of Two Nation Theory in 1867 • Hindu and Muslims are two different nations, having their civilization, culture, history, tradition and everything else quite different from each other. • He proposed the ideas of separate electorate and opposed the participation of Muslim in “Indian National Congress”

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan • Educational Work • Muslims were inimical/unfriendly towards the western education • Learning English and acquiring western knowledge went against their pride and they thought the education saturated with Christianity might corrupt their views. • Sir Syed intellectually fought against all these tendencies and attitudes with daring initiative • He embedded the awareness of modern education in the minds of Muslims • Established Translation Society at Ghazipur in 1864 • Later developed to Alighar Scientific Society, translated many a books in local languages • Muhammadan Educational Conference was established in 1866 in order to discuss the new techniques for the improvement of the educational standard. • He published journal Tahzib-ul-Akhlaque in which he mentioned the etiquettes of daily life of Muslim under the light of Islam • In 1875, he led the foundation of Anglo-Oriental College at Alighar after the model of Oxford and Cambridge; which converted into University after his death • The college was the birth place of Alighar Movement and remained the center of Muslim political activities throughout the history

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan • Religious Reformation • He rationally interpreted the Islamic ideas and through the dictates of modern time. • He bridged the gap between tradition pattern of religious thinking and the modes of present thinking • He replied strongly in the form of Essays , to the blasphemous book “Life of muhammad” of Sir William Moor was a great service to Islam. • Social Services • He stood and advocate of simplicity, austerity, honesty and integrity. • In his magazine Tahzib-ul-Akhlaq, he preached the percepts of the virtues of social ethics that a Muslim could better derive from social life • In the magazine Ahkam-i-Ta’am-i-Able; he discussed the etiquettes of eating and dinning in Islam.

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan • Conclusion • He was inculcator of certitude/confidence and self confidence in his people • He supplied them a rudder to the ship of their destiny • Muslim were under the cloud but he removed from them the stigma/shame of disloyalty and tried to rehabilitate them • He gave them a modus operandi which was not to their present but to their future • His greatness lies in the fact of that he struggled to get Muslim out of the quagmire of defeatism, conservatism, and frustration

The Role of Sufis and Ulema in Spreading Islam • Introduction • Muslim Nationalism in India would have never seen the reality of the day had there been no Sufis or Ulemas behind its scene • The view that Islam was spread by the sword lacks the understanding of the History • Islam indeed spread by means of its pragmatic ideas-humanitarianism, piety, justice, Tolerance and peace-fostered by great Ulema through their teachings and practical life • They converted large number of Hindus to the fold of Islam-sword never played decisive role in this respect • Contribution of Sufis and Ulemas • In cities, where upper class of Muslim society lived, Ulema were the custodian of religion • In far flung areas where masses lived, Sufis played major role not only to preserve the inner spirit of Islam among the Muslims but to win thousands of converts

The Role of Sufis and Ulema in Spreading Islam • Four Silsilah (organizations) are worth mentioning • Chishtiyah- Khawaja Abu Ishaq (940 AD) • Qadiriyah- Sheikh Abdul Qadir (1077-1166 AD) • Suhrwardiyah- Shaikh Najiubuddin (1169 AD) • Naqshbandiya- KhawajaBahauddin (1388 AD) • The role of Chishtiyah • KhawajamoinuddinAjmeri converted many Rajputs to Islam • Eminent Disciples like Shaikh Hamiduddin carried out peacful missionary work • Shaikh FariduddinGanjShakr produced galaxy of Sufi preachers who further spread the message of Islam • Shaikh Nizamuddin propagated Islam and converted thousands in Bengal, Deccan and Gujrat

The Role of Sufis and Ulema in Spreading Islam • The Role of Qadiriyah • This order established firm hold in Punjab and Sindh • Many Sufi Scholars rendered their services in Delhi and Sindh • However, this order didn’t make much headway in the sub-continent during Delhi Sultanate • The Role of Suhrawardiyah • Shaikh BahaudinZakriya and his disciples converted many tribes to Islam in Ucch • The Role of Naqshbandiya • KhawajaBaaiBilla and his celebrated disciple Shaikh Ahmed Sirhindi rendered valuable services to the purification of Islam during and after the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar • The ideas of WahdatulWajood were dispelled by him and he stood up against the un-Isalamic practices of Akbar’s era

The Role of Sufis and Ulema in Spreading Islam • Other Muslim Renaissance Movements: • Shaikh Ahmed’s cause was furthered by Shah Waliullah, whose time was of great turmoil and anarchy of Muslim society-shiasunni rift and divisions among sunnis; Ijtihad was put in cold storage and Shariah being misinterpreted; Shah Waliullahregenrated the Muslim society and revived the spirit of Shariah • Ijtihad: by considering the spirit and overall frame work of Islam and pass order or take decisions accordingly • Jehad movement was spearheaded by Sayyid Ahmed Shaheed in NWFP and the Punjab. He waged a Holy war against the Sikh forces and established supremacy of Islam; he was martyred in Balakot along with his commrade Shah Islamail.

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Pakistan Affairs & Islamiyat (in the light of Islam)