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Notes on history

EARLY REFORMERS

1. Shah Wail Ullah (1703-1762)

Shah Wail Ullah Mohandas Dehlvi was born on February 21, 1703 at Delhi, just when the reign
of Aurangzeb was nearing its end. He was named Qutb-ud-Din, but is better known by his title
of Wail Ullah, given to him by virtue of his goodness and piety. His father, Shah Abdul Rahim,
was a sufi and theologian of great repute. He was the founding member and teacher of the
Madrasa-i-Rahimiyah in Delhi. Shah Abdul Rahim was associated with the completion of the
famous Islamic legal text, Fatawa-i-Alamgiri.

Shah Wail Ullah received his academic and spiritual education from his father. He memorized
the Holy Quran and gained knowledge of Tafseer, Habit, spiritualism, mysticism, metaphysics,
logic, and Ilm-ul-Kalam while still in his boyhood. After mastering these subjects, he turned
his attention to the Sahih Bukhari and Islamic Jurisprudence. He also studied medicine and
tibb. After acquiring this knowledge, he taught at his father's Madrasa for 12 years. He left for
Arabia in 1730 for higher education. During his stay in Arabia, he was influenced by Sheikh
Abu Tahir bin Ibrahim, a renowned scholar of the time. He studied in Medina for 14 years,
where he obtained his Sanad in Habit. It is believed that while Shah Wail Ullah was in Arabia,
he was blessed with a vision of the Holy Prophet (SAW), and tidings that he would be
influential in organizing the reform of Muslims in India.

Condition of India at that time

 The condition of India at that time was bad. There was no political unity, the whole country
was divided into different states and there was no central authority.
 The weak successors of Aurangzeb had divided the country / state into three parts. There
was degeneration of morality and the rulers were indulged in immoral activities.
 The situation had been aggravated by the defective laws of succession, demoralized army
and economic bankruptcy. The size of the empire had become too large to be administered
by one centre. Above all, the integrity and identity of Islam was at state.
 The Muslim society was riddled with differences of all kinds like poor understanding of
the Holy Quran and general ignorance of Islam and that had made the situation even worse.
There was no unity among the Muslims and the religion of Islam was on the verge of losing
its identity and spirit.
 The situation had been aggravated by the defective laws of succession, demoralized army
and economic bankruptcy.
In these circumstances, Shah Wali Ullah appeared on the scene as a great social reformer.
He launched a movement to bring social, political and economic reforms in the society. His
object was to alleviate the deteriorating condition of the Muslim society and to defend it
from external threats.

Reforms of Shah Wail Ullah

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 Translation of the Holy Quran

Shah Wali Ullah was the first in the subcontinent who translated the Holy Quran into
Persian language for better understanding of the holy book.
 Explanation of Muatta
The life and traditions of prophets were the second source of Islamic teachings. He
established schools for the study of Hadith. He selected “Imam Maliki's Muatta” as the
most authentic collection of the Hadith.
 Synthesis of different schools of though
He wrote “Al-Insaf-fi-Bayan Sahab al Ikhtalaf,” in order to create a balance between the
four schools of thought. He wrote “Khalifa-tul-Khulfa” in order to create a balance
between
Sunni and Shia over Caliphate issues. His object was to alleviate the deteriorating
condition
of the Muslim society and to defend it from external threats.

 Efforts for the Revival of Islam

He was against the limited universality of the applications of the injunctions of the Quran. He
tried to resolve the controversies among various schools of thoughts and gave a new life to the
spirit of Islam.

 Promotion of Madarras Rahimiy

He rendered great services to Islam by the promotion of Madarrasah Rahimiya.

 Economic Reforms
In his famous book “Hijjat-ul-Balagh,” he pointed out that social and economic factors were
responsible for the problems in human society.
The working and poor class was being exploited but the noble, ulema and rulers were being
fed on the public treasury without performing their corresponding duties. Shah Wali Ullah
raised his voice for:
• Economic equilibrium
• Removal of inequalities
• Equitable distribution of resources
He appealed to the classes concerned responsible to realize their responsibilities and duties
towards the people.

 Political Reforms
Shah Wali Ullah wrote many letters to “Ahmad Shah Abdali” and encouraged Najib-ud-
Daula of Bengal to help him save the Muslim Community from the Marhattas. He gave a
crushing defeat to the Marhattas at Panipat. The occasion was the culmination of Shah Wali
Ullah's political efforts.

 Social Reforms
He emphasized on all basic rights such as free dispensation of justice, equality, brotherhood,
etc.
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Conclusion
The efforts of Shah Wali Ullah for the integration of whole Islamic structure would never be
forgotten. He can be called “The founder of Neo-Islamization” of the Muslim society in the
Sub-Continent. It was because of the effects of Shah Wali Ullah's reforms that the other
religious movements, such as movements of Syed Ahmad Shaheed and Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
flourished after him.

2. Syed Ahmed Shaheed Brelvi (1786-1831)

Syed Ahmed Shaheed Brelvi was born in 29 November 1786 in Rai Bareilly. 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 Mujahedeen 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
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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

Godrhi Shahzada was one such person who joined this movement.

3. Haji Shariatullah (1781–1840)

Haji Shariatullah was an eminent Islamic reformer and brave freedom fighter of Bangladesh.
The district of Shariatpur is named after him. He was born in 1781 in a petty Talukdar family
at the village Shamail under the then Madaripur sub-division of greater Faridpur district. His
father was Abdul Jalil Talukdar. He lost his father at the age of 8 years and was brought-up by
his uncle Azimuddin. After his primary education he went to Calcutta and got admitted to
Barashat Alia Madrasa. He then received education from famous Madrassa of Furfura,
Murshidabad.
He emigrated to Makkah in 1799, returned to Bangladesh in 1818 and started an Islamic
revivalist reform movement, akin to the contemporary Arabian Wahhabism. The movement he
started came to be popularly known as the Faraizi Movement. His reform movement was
basically religious; but it touched upon various other aspects of the society. He may be
characterised as an Islamic revivalist, a social reformer, a populist peasant leader and a freedom
fighter. These traits were symptomatic of the devastating depression which had taken hold of
the people of Bengal who were then smarting under the unhampered misrule,
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loot and plunder of the English East India Company.

While going to the holy Makkah in 1799 at the age of 18, he left behind a expressed doubts,
tortured, and thrown over, unprotected people complain about the suppression and repression
of the British occupier indigo planters who lorded over them. The planters had by the side of
them an equally outlandish corporation of Hindu Marwary zaminders who purchased large-
scale zamindari estates under the terms and conditions of the permanent settlement of 1793. A
third group of agents, popularly called gomastas of the private businesses of the officers of the
East India Company, who were also mainly Marwaris and their Bengali associates, took under
their monopoly control river ports and markets all over the country. The combined perpetration
of violence and extortion turned the people into serfs and slaves of the type of Medieval Europe;
the violent social change was termed by the contemporary annual report of the English Police
Commissioner as a 'loathsome revolution'.

Shariatullah returned home in 1818, devoutly educated in religious learning and Arabic
literature, schooled under the supervision of the great Islamic theologians of the time at Makkah
with unbroken scholarships for nearly two decades. His stay at Arabia from 1799 to 1818
coincided with the rise of the Mawahhidun revolution miscalled Wahhabism of Arabia. He met
Abdul Wahhab and was greatly influenced by his thoughts. The revolutionary religious spirit
of Islamic revivalism that set the Arab's heart boiling, remained throbbing and afresh.
Shariatullah came back with a burning sparkle of the same revivalist fire, which he tried to
introduce in Bangladesh.

In 1818, Haji Shariatullah started his reform movement, which came to be known as the Faraizi,
spread far and wide and became popular also in the neighbouring areas of greater Dhaka,
Barisal and Comilla districts during the lifetime of the Haji.

He emphasized on holding correct faith in the Tawhid (Unity of Allah) and on the Prophethood
of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) as well as on abstaining strictly from
associating any false gods and goddesses with Him (shirk). Secondly, he laid extraordinary
emphasis on performing the compulsory religious duties of Islam, by which he meant all
necessary and mandatory duties, such as five times daily prayers (salat), payment of poverty
alleviation religious taxes (zakat), fasting in the mouth of Ramadan (saum) and performance
of Hajj, which are Faraiz (compulsory duties) and hence the movement was known as Faraizi.
Besides, he emphasized on the unity and brotherhood of the Muslims and equality of mankind;
he condemned caste discrimination, which had contaminated the Muslim society. He
vehemently condemned numerous un-Islamic customs, usage and polytheistic accretions that
had crept into the Muslim society by contagion of the practices of the non-Muslim neighbours.

Following the classical doctrines of the Muslim legal experts as noted down in Hedaya, he
declared British India as a Dar- al- harb (an state of war) and called the Muslims to fight for
freedom against the occupation power.

In the socio-economic field, following the injunctions of the Quran to the effect that there is
nothing due to man except the fruits of his own strivings, he declared that zamindars created
under the Permanent Settlement had no right on the agricultural crops produced by the tillers
of the land. He instructed his followers not to participate in the Puja festivities of the
polytheistic Hindu neighbours, but also not to pay any crop-levy imposed on them by the
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zamindars, besides the legal revenues fixed by the rent-roll of the government. This policy
aroused the opposition of the newly created Hindu landlords against his movement. They
shrewdly combined their patronising forces with the conservative Muslim peasantry and also
took into their arms the forces of the Indigo Planters and their combined forces of opposition
gradually came to a loggerhead, this alarmed the Hindu and British Landlords and they exiled
Haji Shariatullah to Nawabganj, accused of being behind the protest and disturbance in East
Bengal. Later he died in Dhaka district in 1840. But the movement was carried along by his
son, Mohsin-ul-Mulk, who was more learned and active in the movement than his father. He
divided the East Bengal into areas he called circles and appointed khalifas for each of them.
The khalifas were made responsible for the social, political and religious development of the
circles.

Titu Mir
An almost independent offshoot of Barelwi’s movement was organized in West Bengal by Mir
Nishar Ali (1782-1831), popularly known as Titu Mir. His organisational work among the
Muslim peasants led to the opposition of Hindu landlords, powerful since the Permanent
Settlement of 1793, and British indigo planters. Some Hindu landlords imposed a beard-tax on
his followers and persecuted them in other ways. Titu Mir’s organization and his movement
were not really as militant or revolutionary as the British records make out; only during the last
year of his life was there confrontation between him and the British police. About the same
time, further to the east in Bengal, there spread another fundamentalist reformist movement
known as the Fara Sidi because of its emphasis on the Islamic pillars of faith. Titu Mir and the
Fara Sidis came in conflict with Hindu landlords and British indigo planters and eventually
with the British administration in Bengal. The main difference between the two movements is
that whereas the Fara Sidis suspended Friday and Id prayers, thinking of, if not proclaiming,
India under the British as dar al-harb (enemy territory) where these prayers are not required,
Titu Mir did not do so.
Dadu main
Mushin al-Din Ahmad was born in 1819 in a village of Madaripur of greater Faridpur district.
He was popularly known as Dudu Miyan. He was the only son of Shari`at `Ullah. Dudu Miyan
took his primary education from his father and then at the age of twelve he traveled to Mecca
for further studies. He never achieved the levels of scholarship attained by his father, but Dudu
Miyan very soon proved himself an active leader; able to create an effective organizational
structure for the Fara`izis in their struggles and reform movements with opposing party and the
landlord-planter set of Bengal.

Following the socio-economic policies of his father, Dudu Miyan acknowledged equality and
brotherhood of mankind and founded the doctrine of the proprietorship of land as due to the
labor. He believed that the land belongs to the tiller. This attracted the attention of all the
downtrodden peasantry and irrespective of religion and caste all peasantry followed his ideals
and supported him in the Faraizi movement. With the help of his core-khilafat organisation, he
took care of all the quarrels of the people in the rural society and settled their disputes,
summoned and tried the culprits in the khilafat courts and enforced the judgments efficiently.
He even traditionally imposed a verbal injunction against referring any case of the
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disagreement to the government courts without the permission of the Faraizi Khalifahs on
constraint of ensuring
non-availability of witness for or against the case.

Unlike his father, Dudu Miyan was active in the world of politics and economics with a direct
confront to the status quo. He proclaimed that God was the controller of all land and that the
land tax was thus both unlawful and immoral. This declaration was extremely admired among
Muslim peasants, but completely offensive to landlords, indigo planters, and the police force.
Severe clashes took place in 1841 and 1842, and as a result Dudu Miyan and forty-eight of his
followers were arrested, tried, and put into prison. The case proceeded slowly through various
stages of petition and finally in 1847 the conviction was set aside by the High Court in Calcutta.

This dramatic victory in the Fara`izi movement greatly increased their prestige and also brought
about a decade of peace between them and the landlords. After the break up of the Sepoy
mutiny in 1857, the British government captured and imprisoned Dudu Miyan. He was released
in 1859, again arrested and finally freed in 1860. By this time he fell seriously ill and died
while staying in Dacca in 1862. The death of Dudu Miyan created a vacuum in the movement,
which was not quickly filled. The eldest son Mushin al-Din Ahmad, Ghiyath al-Din, was
chosen to replace him in 1864, but unfortunately he died later that same year. The second son,
`Abd al-Ghafur, popularly known as Naya Miyan, followed his elder brother. Since he was still
too young for effective control, three lieutenants became his guardians and supervised the
movement until sometime in the 1870s when Naya Miyan took the active leadership of the
community. Dudu Miyan lived from 1819 to 1862 but took the leadership of the Faraizi
movement at its best after his father Haji shariatullah.

Q. What do you know about Shah Wali Ullah? [4]

Ans. Shah Wali Ullah was born in 1703 .He was a Muslim reformer and wished to revive Islam
in subcontinent. He translated Quran into Persian that common people can understand the main
teaching of Quran. He united two Muslim sect. by writing a book “Khalifat ul Khulfa”. He
called Ahmad Shah Abdali to defeat Marathas and maintain peace in Delhi.
Q. Describe the Jihad Movement of Ahmad Shaheed Brailvi. [4].
Ans. Ahmad Shaheed Brailvi was an Islamic reviver. He wished to provide freedom to the
Indian Muslims through arm struggle. In 1823 he started Jihad movement against Ranjit Singh
and defeated Ranjit’s army and occupied Peshawar and imposed Shariat Laws there. Pathan
tribes did not like many of Shariat laws and on many of his soldiers left him because of
conspiracies against him and he was martyred by Sikh army in 1831 at Balakot. His movement
could not make significant effect at that time.
Q. Describe Faraizi movement. [4]
Ans. Hajji Shariat Ullah was born in 1781. He was an Islamic reformer. He believed that
Muslim community had moved away from true Islamic teachings and they were involved in
various Hindu’s religious which had crept Islamic society. He was also against the British rulers
and Hindu Landlords who carried economic oppression against Muslim Peasants. He started
Faraizi movement to restore the pride of the Muslims and remove the unislamic practices
among Muslims. He also forbids Muslims not to pay illegal taxes to British government and
Hindu Landlords.
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Q Why did Shah Wali Ullah have such an important influence on the revival of Islam in
the sub-continent.? [Nov-2005]
Shah Wali Ullah thought deeply about the problems faced by the Muslims in the Mughal
Empire. The political and religious condition of the Empire was worse. The Empire was in
decline and Muslims were disunited. Neighboring non-Muslim communities took advantage
of this condition as Marathas, Sikhs and Jats tried to occupy the crown of Delhi. Before them
the attack of Nadir Shah (1739) also weakens the roots of Mughal dynasty.
More over, Muslims were inspired of Hindu culture and they follow Hindus in their day to day
activities. They were getting so far from Islamic principles and Muslim identity was getting
ruined because they had ignored Quran and Islamic principles. General public was unable to
get the teaching of Quran itself because no translation was available in Persian language which
was more spoken in Delhi than Arabic. Shah Wali Ullah thought it was necessary to make step
to translate it in Persians.
In the time of Shah Wali Ullah Muslim community was divided into sectarian groups, such as
Sunni and Shia, and they were aggressively hostile to each other and their rivalry was damaging
the Muslim unity, so for the betterment of Muslim society it was inevitable to unite Muslims.
Q. Why did Jihad movement of Ahmad Shaheed Brailvi fail?

Ranjit Singh infiltrated his agents among the Mujahedeen who created misunderstanding
amongst them who called it unislamic or Wahabi movement. A conspiracy was hatched against
the movement and one Pathan leader Yar Muhammad Khan bribed from Sikh and made an
attempt on the life of Shah Ahmed by poisoning him.

More over Shah Ahmed Imposed Islamic rules in his caliphate but Pathan didn’t like to pay
zakat and did not like to leave interest and condemn the remarry of widows. So they became
against this movement

Ranjit Singh acquired the military service of the Western generals Ventura and Elite who
trained Sikh army and they had modern weapons that the Mujahedeen’s had not Ranjit had
ample financial sources but Mujahedeen’s had lack of it.

More over he did not like to fight against Muslims so he shifted his headquarter to Balakot in
1831, but Pathan tribes bribed and informed Sikh army the secret way to enter Balakot. In the
war of Balakot Syed Ahmed and his commander Shah Ismail and many Mujahedeen were
martyred and his Jihad movement failed.

Q. Was the work of Shah Wali Ullah the most important factor in the revival of Islam in
the sub-continent during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries? Give reasons for your
answer. [Nov-2006][Nov-2007(7)]June-2008]

Shah Wali Ullah was one of the Muslim reformers in South Asia but there were others too.

Shah Wali Ullah thought deeply about the problems faced by the Muslims in the Mughal
Empire. He realized the political condition of Delhi could not be restored by the weak
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leadership of Mughal and at that time neighboring non-Muslim communities took advantage
of this condition. Marathas, Sikhs and Jats tried to occupy the crown of Delhi. Before them the
attack of Nadir Shah (1739) also weekend the roots of Mughal dynasty so he wrote letters to
many kings and Nawabs for the protection of Indians Muslims to save Muslims life and
property from non-Muslims. So Ahmad Shah Abdali (governor of Afghanistan) of Persia came
to India and joined his army with Najib ud Dullah, the leaders of Rohillas, and attack on
Marathas in 3rd battle of Panipat (1761) and defeated and restores peace in Delhi.

More over Indians Muslims were getting so far from the real Islamic teaching because they
had ignored Quran and Islamic principles and Muslims were inspired of Hindu culture and they
follow Hindus in their day to day activities. They were getting so far from Islamic principles
and Muslim identity was getting ruined. Shah Wali Ullah wanted to demolish corrupt social
and economic society of Delhi. So he wrote “Hujjat-u-Baligah”, in which he pointed the cause
of chaos and disintegration of Muslim society. He also explained the methods of changing the
Muslim society into a real Muslim society. He translated Quran into Arabic that and also wrote
“Izalat-ul-Akhfa” in which he wrote the explanation of Holy Quran that Muslim could
understand the real teachings of Islam and for this purpose he wrote 51 books (23 in Arabic
and 28 in Persian). He thought through this way society could become Islamic. Shah Wali Ullah
wished that non Islamic practices should have been ended from the Muslim community.

Another reason was in the time of Shah Wali Ullah Muslim community was divided into
sectarian groups, such as Sunni and Shia, and they were aggressively hostile to each other and
their rivalry was damaging the Muslim unity, so for the betterment of Muslim society it was
inevitable to unite Muslims. So he wrote khilafat-al-khulafa on the first four caliphs of Islam
in a way that was acceptable to both Shias and Sunnies. He believed that this would help to
heal the division between them.

Another reformer was Syed Ahmad Shaheed Brailvi. He had same belief as Shah Wali
Ullah had that Muslims life and property would be saved as they were economically free from
non-Muslims rule. In his time Muslims of Punjab and Khyber Pakton Koa were under Sikh
rule. Azam was prohibited in many places and Muslims were under pressure and could not
practice their religion freely. So he started Jihad Movement against Ranjit Singh and in 1826
he made his headquarter at Naushera and sent a message to Ranjit Singh to accept Islam, pay
Jizya or get ready for war. Ranjit accepted third proposal but his army firstly defeated at Okara
(1826) and another defeated at Hazorat. In 1830 Peshawar was captured and Islamic Shariat
was imposed. Ranjit Singh infiltrated his agents among the Mujahedeen who created
misunderstanding amongst them and called this movement unislamic or Wahabi movement.
Pathan tribes dislike Islamic Shariat because they neither like to leave interest nor paying zakat
and they also condemn the remarry of widows. So they became against this movement and one
Pathan leader Yar Muhammad Khan poisoned Syed Ahmed Shaheed but he saved but he
shifted his head coater from Peshawar to Balakot in 1831. Ahmad Shaheed’s army was reduced
in number and they had lack of modern weapons and financial sources. In Balakot Ranjit Singh
acquired the military service of the Western generals Ventura and Elite and Pathan tribes got
bribe and informed the secret way to Ranjit’s army and in this war Syed Ahmed including
commander Shah Ismail and many Mujahedeen were martyred and his movement ended
getting slightly success.

Another reformer was Hajji Shariat Ullah. He believed that Muslim community had moved
away from true Islamic teachings and he also against the Hindu Landlords which carried
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economic oppression against Muslim Peasants. He started Faraizi movement to restore the
pride of the Muslims and remove what he thought were the Hindu practices which had crept
into their worship. He also forbids Muslims not to pay illegal taxes to British government and
Hindu Landlords and considered India as Dar-ul-hurb. Hindus were alarmed from this
movement and British also getting worry from this movement. In a result he was exiled from
that area. Although his son Mohsin-ul-mulk continued his work after Hajji Shariat Ulllah’s
death but after his death Faraizi movement ended.

In my point of view Shah Wali Ullah was the most successful reformer among other reformers
because after his efforts peace maintained in Delhi and Muslim Density saved and Muslims
could practice their religious and economic activities fearlessly.
Q. What do you know about Dudu Miyan ?
Dudu Miyan/ Muhsinuddin Ahmad (1819-1862) succeeded to the leadership of the faraizi
movement at the death of his father, Haji shariatullah, in 1840. He was Born in 1819 in a village
of Madaripur of greater Faridpur district, Dudu Mia's real name was Muhsinuddin Ahmad,
'Dudu Miyan' being his 'fond name'.
To confront the opponents of the Faraizis effectively, he revived the traditional self-governing
organisation of panchayet system for minimising discord in the countryside, to check and
control local disputes by good-will compromises and arbitration.In organising the Faraizi
society.
Dudu Miyan had two objectives in view, viz. (i) protecting the Faraizi peasantry from the
oppression of the zamindars and European indigo planters, and (ii) securing social justice for
the masses. After the break up of the sepoy revolt in 1857, the government arrested him and
kept him under detention at the Alipore Jail near Calcutta till he was set free in 1861. He died
at Dhaka in 1862.
c) Who of the following was the most important in the spread of Islam during the 17th
and 18th centuries?

Shah Wali Ullah

1. Felt that Muslims faced many problems because of their ignorance about Islam and
Qur’an
2. He encouraged them to concentrate on Quranic teachings
3. Helped them by translating the Holy Qur’an into Persian
4. His books were designed to spread the principles of Islam
Syed Ahmed Shaheed Barelvi
1. Spread Islam through Jihad Movement
2. To liberate the Punjab and the N.W.F.P. from Sikh rule
3. Muslims were banned from prayers and had to go under many humiliations
Haji Shariat Ullah
1. Spread Islam through Faraizi Movement
2. He insisted that Muslims should perform their Faraiz
3. A huge group of followers grew which were called Faraizis