SIR ADNAN QURESHI _____ PAKISTAN STUDIES-HISTORY-CHAPTER 1___________________

CHAPTER 1: RELIGIOUS THINKERS

PAST PAPER PRACTICE QUESTIONS:

1. WHO WAS SHAH WALIULLAH? [4]

2. WHO WAS SYED AHMED BARELVI SHAHEED? [4]

3. WHAT WAS JIHAD MOVEMENT? [4]

4. WHO WAS HAJI SHARIATULLAH? [4]

5. WHAT WAS FARAIZI MOVEMENT? [4]

6. WHO WAS DADHU MIAN? [4]

7. WHO WAS TITU MIR? [4]

8. WHY THE REFORMERS OF 19TH CENTURY WISH TO REVIVE ISLAM IN THE SUBCONTINENT?
[7]

9. ‘SHAH WALIULLAH CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN ANY OTHER REFORMER IN THE SUBCONTINENT
FOR THE SPREAD OF ISLAM.’ DO YOU AGREE? GIVE REASONS FOR YOUR ANSWER.
[14]

10. ‘THE REFORMERS OF 19TH CENTURY WORKED MORE THAN THE REFORMER OF 18TH CENTURY
IN THE SPREAD OF ISLAM. ‘DO YOU AGREE? GIVE REASONS FOR YOUR ANSWER.
[14]

Q: Why did Shah Wali Ullah wish to revive Islam in the subcontinent? [7]

Ans:

Shah Waliullah was inclined towards Islam due to his family background. He belonged to a
religious family and he was qualified from Madrssa-e-Rahimiya and Arabia, therefore it was but
natural that he was inclined towards Islam. Mughal Empire was declining and Muslims were
disunited. They were divided into sects and fighting on trivial matters. They were also under the
attack from Marathas and Sikhs. In these conditions Muslim culture and civilization was in
serious danger, which, Shah Waliullah wanted to save.

He wanted to develop religious understanding among Muslims. Shah Waliullah felt that the
major reason of the decline of Muslims is their ignorance of the Quran, the Sunnah and the
understanding of Islam. For this purpose, he translated the Quran in Persian so that the noble
class of Muslims should understand its meaning. He also wrote fifty-one books both in Arabic
and in Persian and clarified many misunderstandings about Islam. He also felt that Muslims
were divided into sects like Shia and Sunny. He emphasized that the fundamentals of Islam are
common among all Muslims; hence, there is no need to fight with each other.

He did not want non-Muslims dominating Muslims in India. Due to the weak political condition
of the Mughals and the Muslims, Shah Waliullah felt that that Marathas may occupy Delhi any
time and they would eliminate Muslim culture by force. For this reason, he wrote letters to
Muslim nobles and to Ahmed Shah Abdali of Persia and emphasized them to be united and fight
against Marathas. To some extent, his influence worked and Ahmed Shah defeated Marathas in
Panipat and crushed their power.

Q: Why did Syed Ahmad Shaheed Barelvi wish to revive Islam in the subcontinent? [7 Marks]

Ans:

Syed Ahmed believed that India was a Dar-ul-Harb due to the presence of British in the
subcontinent. He was against the British power in India and to try to ensure that the Muslims
were ruled by fellow Muslims. He believed that the freedom of the Muslims could only come
Because of armed struggle against the foreign and non-Muslim forces, which were oppressing
them. This is why he asked Muslims to migrate to a country which was ruled by Muslims. He
himself served as a prayer leader in Amir Khan’s army.

Syed Ahmed believed that Muslims were facing problems due to their distance from real Islamic
practices. Consequently, even when he served as an army officer he surrounded himself with
the men of great piety who were prepared to reject worldly Wealth and work for improving the
moral and intellectual lives of Muslims. Syed Ahmad believed that there was a need to end the
evils that had corrupted Islamic society. He believed that once this was done Islam could be
rejuvenated and rescued from beliefs and customs contrary to Islamic beliefs which had crept
into everyday Life.

Muslims of the Punjab were in deprived condition due to the brutality of Ranjit Singh. As a man
of action, Syed Ahmad was an ideal person to act as leader to work. The British had ensured
that the Mughal emperors had little real power and the Sikhs were dominant in the Punjab.
Syed Ahmed founded the Jihad Movement, which Called for armed struggle to overthrow non-
Muslim oppression and restore Muslim Power. He fought bravely against the army of British
and Ranjit Singh and was martyred in 1831 at Balakot.

Q: Was the work of Shah Walullah the most important factor in the revival of Islam in
subcontinent in 1700 – 1850? [14 marks]

Ans:

The three reformers of 18th and 19th Centuries worked for the revival of Islam in their own
manner and were all very successful. Shah Walullah remained more successful than the other
two for his immense work.

Shah Waliullah was one of the first Muslim thinkers to state the decline of Mughal Empire and
the vulnerable position of the Muslims was due to the neglect of the principles of Islam. He
worked hard to ensure that he was a role model for other Muslims. His deep understanding
about the Quran, Hadith, Fiqah, and Tasawuf made him a highly knowledgeable scholar at an
early age.

Since he believed that, an emphasis on Quranic teachings was vital to Muslims so Shah
Waliullah translated the Holy Quran into Persian, which was the language of educated Muslims
at that time. He also wrote 51 books to explain the principles of Islam. He wrote an account
about the first for Caliphs of Islam in a way in which it was acceptable to both Shias and Sunnis.
He hoped that this would help to heal the divisions between them. His writings brought him
great fame and prestige and enabled him to have influence in other areas too.

He advised the Muslims to give up extravagance and wasteful expenditure on marriages,

deaths, births, and other occasions. Wealthy Muslims were asked to look after the poor and the
needy. Shah Waliullah wrote letters to the rulers of Muslim states asking them to unite and rise
against non-Muslim forces. He invited the Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Abdali to deal with
Marathas who were threatening Muslims in Delhi and Punjab. Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated the
Marathas in the battle of Panipat in 1761 so they were never able to rise again. Shah Waliullah
gave the concept of social justice and advised the Muslims that due importance and value
should be given to peasants and artisans.
On the other hand, Syed Ahmad Barelvi Shaheed was greatly impressed by the preaching and
thoughts of Shah Waliullah and his two sons. Therefore, Syed Ahmad Shaheed started
preaching true Islam (as Shah Waliullah did). However, he was of the opinion that there should
be a political power behind the preaching for the revival of Islam and Muslim power in India.

He worked as a prayer leader when he was in Amir Khan’s army and worked hard to unite the
Muslims He founded the Jihad Movement for the restoration and revival of Muslim power in
India. His main objective was the establishment of an Islamic state on proper Islamic principles.
In addition, the aim of the Jihad Movement was to liberate the Muslims of the Punjab and
N.W.F.P from the Sikh rule of Ranjit Singh.

Muslims were facing great difficulty for their religion. Therefore, Syed Ahmad chose Punjab and
N.W.F.P for his activities. He also expected help from the Afghan and Pathan tribes of N.W.F.P.
Syed Ahmad established his headquarters at Peshawar and then Nowshera. His first encounters
against the Sikh forces took place at Akora and then at Hazarothe in which the Mujahidin were
successful. The Jihad Movement ended in 1831, but it was a brave and determined movement
effort for the revival of Islam and Muslim power. Syed Ahmad’s example continued to inspire
the future Muslim generations. The work of Syed Ahmad was important but the work of
another two reformers was also very important for a number of reasons.

Similarly, Haji Shariat Ullah’s contribution towards religion was also very important. He started
the Faraizi Movement to restore the pride of the Muslims and to remove what he thought were
the Hindu practices had crept into their worship. The Faraizi Movement was important because
it gave encouragement to the Muslims at the time and brought about a spiritual revival, which
led to a revival in the Islamic religion in East Bengal. It also had an important political and
economic impact. The Bengal peasants became united against the harsh treatment they
received. They became aware of their rights and the political unity began to grow amongst
them.

With the help of the give statements, it can be justified that all the three reformers worked very
hard for the revival of Islam but among them the work of SWU was the most important because
of his translation of Quran in Persian language as it laid a strong foundation of their basic
beliefs which is still benefitted in an Islamic Society.

Q: Why did HSU wish to revive Islam in the subcontinent? [7 marks]

Ans:

Early eighteenth century was a miserable period for the Bengali Muslims. They were
economically, socially and educationally crippled under the British rule. They were also
oppressed and tortured by Hindu landlords.

It was in such conditions that Haji Shariat Ullah was born in Faridpur district of Bengal in 1781.
He left for Mecca at an early age and stayed there for a period of nineteen years. On his return,
he called upon Bengali Muslims to follow the basics of Islam.

His first message was to give up un-Islamic practices and to stick to duties towards religion. His
followers were called Faraizi by virtue of his emphasis on duties towards religion (Faraiz). He
was deadly against relationship between Mystics and their disciples (Pirs and Murids). He
banned a number of un-Islamic rituals and urged Muslims to prepare themselves for Jihad
which made Hindu and British landlord displeased with him.

He declared his area “Dar-ul-Harb” where it was impossible for Muslims to perform their
religious obligations. His call for Jihad against the oppression of Hindu zamindars made him face
further cruelties at the hands of non-Muslims. He was forced to leave Dhaka and he retired to
his hometown Faridpur from where he continued with his teachings.

Haji Shariat Ullah’s “Faraizi Movement” was taken over by his son Mohsin-ud-Din Ahmad on his
death in 1840 who divided Bengal into administrative units called the ‘circles’ with a Khalifa.
These Khalifas were made responsible for the running of the movement in their respective
areas.

Mohsin-ud-Din Ahmad forbade his followers from paying illegitimate taxes to Hindu property
owners. They were asked to pay taxes levied only by the government and to have an armed
struggle. The Faraizi Movement ended with his death in 1860.

Q: Who was Mohsinuddin? / Who was Dadhu Miyan? [4 marks]

Ans:

He was the son of Haji Shariat Ullah. He was born in 1810 and was popularly known as “Dadhu
Miyan”. It was under him that the “Faraizi Movement” was turned into a religious-political
movement. He divided Bengal into administrative units for an efficient and systematic running
of the movement. His deputies known as “Khalifas” were appointed in each of those units.
These Khalifas were made responsible for the running of the movement in their respective
areas. Mohsin-ud-Din Ahmad forbade his followers from paying illegitimate taxes to Hindu
property owners. They were asked to pay taxes levied only by the government. He persuaded
and eventually prepared his followers for an armed struggle. Mohsin-ud-Din Ahmad was
arrested during the War of Independence of 1857 but was released after the war was over. He
died his natural death in 1860.

Q: Who was Titu Mir? [4 marks]

Ans:

His real name was Mir Mithar Ali. Titu Mir was a rebel against the Zamindars and British
colonial system in 19th century Bengal, a part of British India. He rebelled against them and put
up an armed resistance. Along with his followers, he built a Bamboo fort (Bansher-Kella in
Bengali) which passed into Bengali folk legend. After the storming of the fort by British soldiers,
Titu Mir died of his wounds on November 19, 1831.

Q: Was SASB the most important thinker to revive Islam in India by 1850? Give reasons for
your answer. [14 marks]

Ans:

The three reformers of 18th and 19th Centuries worked for the revival of Islam in their own
manner and were all very successful. The work of Syed Ahmad had been the very important
factor in the revival of Islam because of many reasons. Syed Ahmad Barelvi Shaheed was greatly
impressed by the preaching and thoughts of Shah Waliullah and his two sons.
Syed Ahmed wanted restoration of Muslim rule in India and for this purpose, he founded the
Jihad Movement to liberate the Punjab and NWFP from the dreadful role of Ranjit Singh. He
collected the army of 80,000 Mujahedeens from Punjab and NWFP and made them strong as
community.

Syed Ahmed was made Ameer-ul-Momeneen (Leader of the Muslims) in 1827 when he
captured Peshawar in 1830, he established Islamic Sharia it he occupied area because he
believed in the rejuvenation of Islam through among the Muslims. He banned evils to purify the
society and through a big chance in the lives of Muslims. He made Peshawar and then
Nowshera his headquarters in 1826 and was able to defeat the Sikhs in a few better but he was
defeated in the battle of Balakot in 1831.

Likewise, SWU noticed that Muslims were involved in un-Islamic activities, which were not
favorable for the Muslim of India. He firstly thought that these all activities are due to not to
follow Islamic teachings and Holy Quran was also not understood by the people of that time so
he translated Holy Quran into Persian language for the easiness of the Muslims of
Subcontinent. This made the Muslims strong on their faith and they kept themselves away from
un-Islamic practices.

SWU also wrote altogether fifty-one different books according to the teaching of Islam and
tried his best to communicate people about Islam. In his books he highlighted the condition of
the Muslim society and has a remedy to correct them. His books brought different sects of
Muslims to come together and work as a single unit.

The Marathas were gaining power day by day and thinking to defeat Muslims because the
Mughal Empire was going toward downfall. Therefore, SWU was very much worried about this.
He then wrote a letter to Ahmad Shah Abdali to defeat the Marathas and give Muslims freedom
once again. The famous Battle of Panipat by Abdali in 1761 ended the Marathas movement
towards Delhi and the Mughal Empire was secured from them.

Similarly, by the start of 19th century the Muslims of Bengal ha also goes away from Islam by
the living with the non-Muslims. They had accepted their Way. Haji Shariatullah was highly
grieved and disturbed
to see the Muslims now they were living the life they laid foundation of Faraizi Movement,
which reminded them for their basic obligations. His efforts brought brunt and many Muslims
shaped their lives according to Islam.
During the days the peasants were living a miserable life the most of the property owners in the
Bengal were Hindus who had atrocious treatment with the Muslims. They would usurp the
rights and would not give their equal share in the production HSU awoke the Muslims and
advised their not to be silent for their rights. He played a vital role in creating awaking and
awareness among the poor Muslim peasants for the protection of their rights.

It can be proven with the help of given statements that the duties and works performed by the
three reformers remained witnessed in the eyes of Muslims, however Syed Ahmed’s
contribution remained more successful than the other two due to the feelings of struggle given
to Muslims. Although he could not restore the Muslims rule in India but he kindled a flame of
freedom in the heart of Muslims who continued their struggle for the independence and were
able to establish Pakistan in 1947.

Prepared and Compiled by:

Sir Adnan Qureshi

0333-2248681

adnanqureshi8096@gmail.com

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