Social and Religious Reform Movements of the 19th century in India:

“Outlining perspectives on caste and gender that emerged in both Hinduism and Islam”

From the late 19th century, a number of European and Indian scholars started the study of ancient India’s history, philosophy, science, religious and literature. This growing knowledge of India’s past glory provided to the Indian people a sense of pride in their civilization.

It also helped the reforms in their work of religious and social reform for their struggle against all type of inhuman practices, superstitions, etc. Since, they had become associated with religious beliefs. Therefore most of the movements of social reforms were of a religious character.

These social and religious reform movements arose among all communities of the Indian people. They attacked bigotry. Superstition and the hold of the priestly class. They worked for abolition of castes and untouchability, purdah system, sati, child marriage, social inequalities and illiteracy.

Some of the reformers were supported directly or indirectly by the British officials and some of the reformers were supported reformative stops and regulations framed by the British Government.

Hindus Reformers’ View

In India, the first reformer was Raja Rammohan Roy. He is known as the father of Indian Renaissance. Rammohan Roy fought relentlessly against the social evils like sati, polygamy, child marriage, female infanticide and caste discrimination. He organized a movement against the inhuman custom of sati and helped William Bentinck to pass a law

banning the practice. Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar was also a great humanist and had deep sympathy for the poor and the oppressed. Vidyasagar’s greatest contribution lies in the improvement of the condition of widows. Despite opposition, he openly advocated widow remarriage. At last, after prolonged struggle the Widow Remarriage Act was passed in 1856. He also spoke vehemently against child marriage and polygamy.

Islamist Reformer Views

Similarly, reform movement was also falling plane within Islam. The Muslim upper classes had tended to avoid contact with Western education and culture and it was only after the revolt of 1857 that modern ideas of religious reforms began to appear.

The beginning was made by the Muhammedan literary society founded in Calcutta in 1863 by Nawab Abdul Latif. It promoted discussion of religious, social and political questions in the light of modern ideas and encouraged upper and middle class Muslims to adopt Western education.

The Muslim masses were also influenced by movements carried on by the Chishti Sufis who preached not only submission to God but also promoted the veneration of saints. Another movement is associated with Shah Waliullah in Delhi, who opposed the unorthodox religious practices and revived the shia sect that strict monotheism.

The philosophical and learned tradition of the Firangi Mahal in Lucknow was incorporated into the new educational syllabus and propagated throughout India during 19th century. Shariatullah of Bengal was the leader of the Faraizi Movement Bengal which took up the cause of the peasants and even spoke against the caste system among the Muslims.

The most notable of the Muslim reformers was Syed Ahmed of Rai Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. He realized that unless the Muslims adapted themselves to the changed circumstances of British rule they would be deprived of all new opportunities for status and prosperity. Syed Ahmed Khan was also reformer he did his best to create a link with the progressive cultural forces of the outside world. He started the Muhammedan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875 at Aligarh. It aimed to promote modern education among Muslims without weakening the ties with Islam. Syed Ahmed’s efforts extended to the social sphere as well he worked for social reforms. He wanted women to be educated and advocated the removal of the purdah. He was also against the polygamy.

Conclusion

Both the religion have many problems so that at the time these social and religious problems would be solved. As in 1883, Syed Ahmed said: Now both of us Hindus and Muslims live on the air of India, drink the holy waters of the Ganga and Jamuna. We both feed upon the products of the Indian soil. We are a nation and the progress and welfare of the country, and both of us, depend on our unity, mutual sympathy and love while our mutual disagreement, obstinacy and opposition and ill feeling are sure to destroy us. Muhammad Eqbal also argued that the younger generation of Muslims as well as of Hindus. He urged the adoption of a dynamic outlook that would help change the world.

Shah Wali Ullah’s Reform:

In the 18th century, Islam in the Sub-continent was faced with menacing problems. Sectarian conflict, low moral tone of the society, poor understanding of the Holy Quran, and general ignorance of Islam were just some of the issues which gave rise to fear that political collapse would be accompanied by religious disintegration. This did not

happen; rather an era of religious regeneration was inaugurated, which was due more than anything else to the activities of one man, Shah Wali Ullah.

Shah Wali Ullah belonged to a religious family. He was educated at Madrasa-i-Rahimiyah by his father Shah Abdul Rahim. After finishing his education, he went for pilgrimage and higher studies to Saudi Arabia. At this time, Muslims in India were divided into Hanfia, Sufi, Shia, Sunni and Mullah sects. While in Hijaz, he decided to launch a campaign to popularize Islamic values amongst the Muslims and to present Islam in a rational manner. On his return to the Sub-continent, he started working towards the achievement of these goals.

Shah Wali Ullah’s singular and most important act was his translation of the Holy Quran into simple Persian, the language of the land, so that people of the Sub-continent could understand and follow it. He studied the writings of each school-of-thought to understand their point of view, then wrote comprehensive volumes about what is fair and just in light of the teachings of Islam. He worked out a system of thought, beliefs, and values, on which all but the extremists could agree. He thus provided a spiritual basis for national cohesion.

Shah Wali Ullah trained students in different branches of Islamic knowledge and entrusted them with the teaching of students. He recommended the application of Ijtihad against blind Taqlid. He also interpreted Quran and Hadith according to the context of the times.

Shah Wali Ullah directed his teachings towards reorienting the Muslim society with the concepts of basic social justice, removing social inequalities, and balancing the iniquitous distribution of wealth. He established several branches of his school at Delhi for effective dissemination of his ideas. In his book “Hujjat-ullah-il-Balighah”, he pinpointed the causes of chaos and disintegration of Muslim society. These were:

Pressure on public treasury, the emoluments given to various people who render no service to the state.

Heavy taxation on peasants, merchants, and workers, with the result that tax evasion was rampant. According to Shah Wali Ullah, a state can prosper only if there were light and reasonable taxes.

He wrote open letters to:

Mughal rulers, to give up their corrupt and inefficient practices. Soldiers, to inculcate within them the spirit of Jihad. Artisans, workers, and peasants, to remind them that the

economic prosperity of the state depended on their labors. The Emperor, asking him to teach a lesson to the Jats threatening

the Mughal Empire. He also wrote and advised him not to give jagirs (land) to mansabdars who were not loyal to the state.

Masses, to be conscious of their duties and not to indulge in the accumulation of wealth.

Shah Wali Ullah tried to reconcile the basic differences amongst the different sections of the Muslims and considered the government as an essential means and agency for regeneration of the community. He wrote to Ahmad Shah Abdali; “…give up the life of ease. Draw the sword and do not to sheath it till the distinction is established between true faith and infidelity…”.

His efforts resulted in the defeat of the Marhattas at the hands of Ahmad Shah Abdali and Najib-ud-Daula, in the third battle of Panipat in 1761.

Shah Wali Ullah was responsible for awakening in the community the desire to win back its moral fervor and maintain its purity. To rescue a community’s conscience, belief and faith from destruction was no small achievement. Even after his death in 1762, his sons and followers

carried on his work. Many future Islamic leaders and thinkers were inspired by his example.

Hazrat Mujaddid Alif Sani. (R.A)

The personality of Hazrat Mujadid Alif Sani (R.A) is the prominent of all Mujaddins in Islam. He is the second Mujadid of the second Hijri. The words Mujaddid Alif Sani have been become the part of his name that his personality comes in mind with uttering these words through tongue.

After studying the history of his period especially courtier scholar Abdul Qadar Bad Awani book “Muntakhab –bo-Tawarikh” In the period of king Jalla-lu-din Akbar the Islamic system was not present in the collective lives but he also tried to ruin individual lives by the deviation of Islamic principles. In the light of Hadis-i-Jabril definition of Islam we briefly survey the changes and bidats of Akbar’s time in Islamic principles and how Mujadid Alf Sani did a great work of revival of Islamic principles.

Faith of Tohid (Oneness of God) and Prophethood

The belief of Tohid was denied with the worshiping of Sun. A Hindu friend of Akbar pursueded him sun worship. The Sun was to be worshiped as a God It was to be considered as perfect manifestation and prosperity. The human beings and world were to be considered dependent to it. The people started worshiping towards the direction of the Sun when it rose. Akbar read one thousand and one names of Sun in Hindi. The fire, water, stone, trees and all manifestation of the world were worshiped as the following of Sun worship. The cow, cow-

dung, Qashqa (Mark made by Hindus on their forhead indicating which sect they belong), rape were admitted lawful.

A fire-temple was built under the influence of worshipers of fire, where fire was to be burning all time. More astonishing thing is that the management of this fire-temple was given to a courtier Molvi Sheikh Abu Fazal. The Christian were also successful to get influence in the court of Akbar. In the light of discussions and debates in the courts of Christian, the faith of trinity was confirmed. These Christian were so powerful in the court, they made similarity between the character of Hazrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H) and Satanic Dajaal (anti Christ) (Naaoz Billa) because they had full support and favor of Akbar. It is reality, that Akbar reached this extreme bad position under the influence of wealth loving learned so-called Muslims religious scholars and new converter of Islam. The courtier learned assured Akbar that he was the leader of the World.

They presented his position with exaggeration and that is why Akbar claimed him as a real prophet in briefly meaning. Sheikh Mubarak’s Mukhtasar Namma fulfilled the remaining loss. According to it, the ruler of the time was declared better than religious directors and he opened the door of interference in Islamic laws and principles. He had the authority to make things lawful or unlawful according to his desires. Molana Abdullah Makhdum Al Malik Sheik Abdul Nabi, Jill-lu-din Multani, Qazi Al Qaza (Chief Justice), President of word Muft-i- Azam, Mulla Sheikh Mubarak and Ghazi Khan Badakhshi Jam-i-Maqulaat signed Mukhtaser Namma. In this connection, so called Saints also performed this role. Sheik Taj Din called him a perfect man. He brought him to the position of Deity. In this condition, Akbar willfully added new controversies in faith and principles. Quran was called a creation. Revelation was called impossible. Prophethood was considered to be doubtful. The names of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.) were disgraced. If Muhammad or Ahmed was the name of a courtier, it

was changed. Spirit, Angles and all invisible affairs were denied. After death, reward and punishment were considered impossible and it was sad that it was depended on Tanasakh (Transformation of soul into another body after death)

Cancellation the system of Prayers

Akbar cancelled to offer prayer five times in a day and started the worshiping of the Sun. The mosques and tombs were made the rest houses of Hindus. But some Mosques were made stables of the horses. Instead saying prayer in Mosques, they were indecent and obscenity deeds were done.

Disgrace the Month of Ramzan (The holy Month in which observe fast

perform)

Akbar banned to observe fast. He called it the month of hunger and thirst. He ordered his courtiers to eat and drink or at least to keep betel-leaf in their mouths before him. The observer of fast was insulted in the bazars. Publically, the persons who ate or drank were encouraged.

Ban on Hajj. (Pilgrimage)

`In the book of Tasar -al- Amar volume Number 2, page Number 217, Jahangir stated that Akbar banned hajj. Mulla Abdullah sultan Puri Makhdoom Al Malik did not only give the judicial degree to eliminate it on the account of miseries and hardships of roads during Hajj period but also declared it a sin. He also introduced other deformities. There was complete ban on slaughter of cow. Pigs and dogs were declared holy and they were to be considered to worship. The king visited them daily. To drink alcohol was made lawful.This indicates that is clear

deviation from the basic Islamic principles. They also tried to abolish Islamic values. These conditions were not bearable for a true believer of Islam. There was a need of a perfect personality who revived these values with faithful enthusiasm and prudence. We find only one personality who fulfills such criteria. The name of this personality is Sheikh Ahmed Sirhidi (R.A). The people know him with the title of Mujadid Alif Sani (RA). He changed the history with his unique strength, faithful courage and stability. Islam got new life in subcontinent on the account of his great efforts. This thing is clear as the Sun that only Ahmed Sirhindi’s (R.A) personality fulfills the criteria of Mujadid according to the Hadis of revival of Hazrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H.).This is the reason; the Muslim nation gave him the title of Mujadid Alif Sani. He performed the revival work for next thousand of years. Hazrat Allama Iqbal (R.A) wrote an ode to glorify his personality.

“He was present on the grave of Sheikh Mujaddid

The earth very brilliant under place of rising

The stars feel ashamed of the dust of the earth.

There is mysterious personality in this earth.

He was the custodian of Millat’s wealth in India,

Whom Allah had awakened at the exact time,

Before Jahangir who refused to bend his neck,

Passion of nobles is due to the warmth soul of him.”

Witnesses of Revival

In this matter, many religious scholars and saints gave witnesses of Mujaddid for Hazrat Mujadid Alif Sani (R.A), we mention other witnesses of revivalist. 1. The people were rectified by his personality.

2. He refreshed the basic Islamic principles. 3. He corrected the immature religious scholars and imperfect saints. 4. He guided the Muslims by pointing wicked faith and bidats. 5. He rectified rational science, and the person who considered religion dependent reason and made then to follow of Islamic laws. 6. He corrected the king of the time, lords and courtiers.

After detailed study of the holy character of Hazrat Mujadid Alif Sani (R.A), we come to know that he performed the work of revival in all Islamic religion especially faiths, affairs, manners etc. He proves himself on Hadis as a revivalist. So he was sent as a complete Mujaddid for next thousand year of period.

Syed Ahmed Shaheed Barelvi"

Introduction

Syed Ahmed Shaheed Brelvi was born in 29 November 1786 in Rai Bareilley. He moved to Delhi at the age of eighteen and became the follower of Shah Abdul Aziz. He received the necessary education during his stay at Delhi. In 1812 he joined the army of Nawab Ameer Khan Tonak in order to take part in Jihad against the British. In 1821, he went to perform Hajj but stayed there for two years where he met with the great thinkers of Islam and got knowledge about the movements of Islam in the world. He became greatly impressed from this new system of thought for Islam. When he came back on 6 August 1823 to India, he devoted himself for the religious and social reformation of the Muslims and the preparation of Jihad. He received martyrdom in fighting with Sikhs on 6th May 1831.

The Mujahideen Movement

Syed Ahmed Shaheed Brelvi started a great movement in the North of India; this movement is known as “The Mujahideen Movement” or “The Movement o Jihad”. This movement arranged a power for the struggle of freedom in Muslims which produced a spirit of survival and they started freedom struggle. Background of the Mujahideen Movement Syed Ahmed Shaheed Brelvi selected a particular way on the command of his spiritual guide Shah Abdul Aziz and devoted himself in the preparation of the holy war. He started a national movement for this purpose in 1818 and organized this movement after is arrival from Hajj as the Mujahideen Movement in 1831.

Objectives of Mujahideen Movement

He wanted to make the Muslims as the true lover of Islam, for this purpose he started the Mujahideen Movement. The main objectives of the Mujahideen Movement were following;

To preach unicity of Almighty Allah. To revive the teachings of Islam and prepare the Muslims to pass

their lives simply according to the teachings of Islam. To protect the Muslims against such acts and ideas which are

contrary to Islamic values. To protect the Muslims from the worship of other things except

Allah. To preach Jihad because it was not possible to get freedom from

evil force without armed struggle.

Syed Ahmed Shaheed Brelvi wanted to eliminate the domination of Sikhs in Punjab and N.W.F.P to revive Islamic values and traditions. He started Jihad in the Punjab and N.W.F.P. Shah Ismail Shaheed along with six thousand followers also joined Syed Ahmed in his Jihad against evil forces. Syed Ahmed toured different areas around Delhi and Punjab, where number of his followers joined him.

Struggle of Mujahideen Movement

The Mujahideen Movement was started against the Sikhs. He came to Sindh in 1826 and sought to help Syed Sibghatullah Shah Pir Pagara. Syed Sibghatullah Shah Pir Pagara sent a strong contingent of this staunch followers called “Hurs”. Syed Ahmed Shaheed Brelvi left his family under the protection of Pir Pagara and proceeded towards Jihad without any worry about his family. Syed Ahmed Shaheed Brelvi reached Nowshehra after passing though Afghanistan, the Khyber Pass and Peshawar in December 1826 and made it his headquarter. The first battle against hte Sikhs was fought on December 21, 1826 near Akora. The Sikhs were defeated. The second battle was fought at Hazro. It was also won by the Muslims. These victories inspired a number of Pathan tribes to join Jihad Movement. The number of Mujahideen rose to 80,000. Syed Ahmed Shaheed Brelvi was given the status of “Amir-ul-Momineen”. Islamic laws were enforced in the area which was controlled by Syed Ahmed Shaheed Brelvi.

The movement of the Holy war was initially very successful but soon conspiracies began against Syed Ahmed, Maharaja Ranjid Singh (1780-1839) bribed Sardar yar Mohammad and his brother Sultan Mohammad Khan to plot against the Khilafat of Syed Ahmed Shaheed Brelvi. The disloyalty of the tribal leaders disheartened him. He made Balakot as is new headquarter. He started his struggle from Muzaffarabad. Here a tough fight started between the Mujahideen and the Sikhs. The Muslims fought with heroism but Syed Ahmed and his right hand companions were martyred on 6th May1831. In short, the Mujahideen movement of Syed Ahmed failed in Balakot, but this movement kindled a flame of freedom in sub-continent. The political work of Syed Ahmed Brelvi was carried on later by Willayat Ali of Patna. When the British captured the Punjab then a battle was fought again against the British. Thus the Jihad movement of Syed Ahmed Shaheed Brelvi was ended after several wars like this for independence.

Haji Shariatullah

1526 - 1857, 1707 – 1857 Personalities, Personalities

Haji Shariatullah was born in Banderlakola, Faridpur district, in 1781. He was the son of an ordinary farmer. After getting his early education from his village, he went to Arabia to perform Hajj at an early age of 18 years. He stayed there from 1799 to 1818 and got his religious education. He learnt Arabic and Persian from his teacher, Maulana Basharat. During his stay in Arabia he came into close contact with Wahabism started by Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab. On his return to Bengal he sought to purify Islam that was impaired by the Hindu influence.

Haji Shariatullah awakened the Muslims of Bengal by initiating the Faraizi Movement. He started his movement among the most depressed section of the Muslim society; the farmers and the artisans. He called upon the people to discard un-Islamic practices and customs, and to act upon the commandments of faith, the “Faraiz”, or duties. He requested them to observe strictly the principles of faith and rules of

Shariah, and to refrain from Hindu practices. This movement was mainly religious and social in character. The growing popularity of the movement amongst the people of Bengal alarmed the Hindu landlords who harassed Haji Shariatullah.

After the death of Haji Shariatullah in 1840, his son, Muhammad Mohsin, popularly known as Dadhu Mian, organized the movement and carried on the work of his father. He also visited Arabia at an early age but was more politically active than his father.