SHAH WALLI ULLAH: (1703-1762) = 62 years

I. Introduction:
II. Biographical Sketch
Birth Place
Birth Date
Family Background
Education
III. Conditions at the time of shah Wali Ullah
A. Religious and Social Conditions
1. Decline of Muslim Rule
a. Threat of Maratha (Steps by Sha Wali Ullah)
2. A degenerating Society
a. Deviation from Islamic Path Steps by Shah Wali Ullah)
3. Social And Internal Conflicts
a. Suni Shia Conflict
b. Heterodox Orthodox Islam
c. Social and Economic Inequality
Steps by Shah Wali Ullah
4. Moral Degradation
a. Luxurious lifestyle of Muslim
b. Moral Decadence of Muslim rulers and Ordinary people
c. Threat to morality under the cover of Sufism
Steps by Shah Wali Ullah
IV. Works of Shah Wali Ullah
A. Related to Quran
Azalat Al Khifa
B. Related to Hadith
Muwatta
 C. Related to Fiqah
‘Insaf-fi-Bayan-i-Sahabal- Ikhtilaf’
D. Related to Mysticism
E. Related to Ilm Al Kalam
‘Hujjat- Ullah-il-Balighah’;
F. Related to Suni Shia Conflict
V. Impacts of his teachings
VI. Departure
VII. A Tribute

Religious Reforms:
Revival of Islam (Preaching (training and education), Jihaad,
Translation of Holy Quran)
Political Reforms:
Preservation of Muslim rule (Writing letters to ask for support)
Social and spiritual Reforms
Conciliation between Suni Shia Muslims:
Unity between Heterodox and Orthodox Muslims
Peaceful Revolution in the society (Social equality +Economic equality)
Social equality = Social Justice, Equality, sharing of interest and
Brotherhood, Islamic Renaissance, Al-Adl Al-Mizaan, Ijtihaad, avoiding
Hindu Practices)
Economic Equality = Equal distribution of wealth
No collection of Material wealth
No concentration of wealth in one class
Justice and equilibrium in rewards of peasants and craftsmen
Fairer system of trading
Moral Reforms:
Criticizing luxurious lifestyle of Muslim rules
Awareness on Sufis
Writing open letter to rulers

I. INTRODUCTION:
Reformer: Religious, Political, Spiritual and Social reformer.
Shah Wali Ullah was the first reformer to appear during the
period of Muslim decline.
Revival of Muslim Rule: He worked for the revival of Muslim
rule and intellectual learning in Soth Asia, during a time of
waning Muslim power.
Revival of Islam: He made sincere efforts for the revival of
Islam in the subcontinent. Due to his dedicated efforts for
Islamic work, he proved himself as a great scholar and mystic.
Shah Wali Ullah: For his services he is hailed as “Sha Wali
Ullah”. His real name is Sayed Qutb-ad-Din Aḥmed
II. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:
Birth Place: Born in Phulat, a town in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar
Pradesh, India.
Birth Date: Date of Birth is 21 February 1703 A.D, four years
before the death of Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb Alamgeer.
Family Background:
Grandfather:
• Sheikh Wajihuddin was influential officer in the military
force of Shah Jahan. Wajihuddin supported Aurangzeb
Alamgeer during the war of succession.
Father:
• Shah Abdul Rahim was a great Sufi and well-known scholar,
a teacher and a mystic guide of Islam.
• Supported Muslim scholars in the compilation of fatwa-I-
Alamgiri; the Islamic Shariah Law.
• He established a great Madrasa name Madrasa-i-Rahimia
where he taught the Holy Quran, later became great
institute for teachings of Quran and Sunnah.
Education
Initial Education:
• Shah Wali Ullah received initial education from his father at
Madrasa-i-Rahimia, Memorized Holy Quran at age of seven.
• He Taught at this Madrasa after the death of his father in
1718 A.D for 12 years.
Higher Education:
• Went to Arabia for acquiring higher education.
• Achieved not only the degree of Hadiths but also got
highly independence in judgement and scholastic talent
from his teacher, Sheikh Abu Tahir bin Ibrahim.
By the time he returned to Delhi in July 1732 A.D, the decline in the
Mughal fortunes was obvious. He dedicated his life to uplift Muslim
society in the sub-continent till his death.
III. CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF SHA WALI ULLAH:
A. RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS:
1. Decline of Muslim rule: After the death of Aurangzeb, the
Mughal Dynasty came towards downfall too rapidly and the
battle of Plassy brought real downfall for the Muslims of Sub-
continent and victory for British.
Threat of Maratha: After the weakening of Muslim Power,
Marathas emerged as the biggest threat to the Muslim rule in
sub-continent and it seemed certain that they would capture the
throne of Delhi easily.
Steps by Shah Wali Ullah: (Political services)
• Preservation of Muslim Rule: Realizing the gravity of situation,
Shah Wali Ullah wrote letters to Nizam-ul-Mulk, Ahmed Shah
Abdali and Najib-ud-Daula to remind them of their duty to liberate
Muslim community.
He also enlisted Ruhaila tribe to support Ahmed Shah Abdali
against Marathas. As a result, Ahmed Shah Abdali Crushed
Marathas in the third battle of Panipat in 1761 A.D and Muslim
rule in subcontinent was saved from imminent collapse.
2. A degenerating Muslim Society: The Muslims of India were in
difficulties due to religious, political, economic and spiritual
catastrophes.
a. Deviation from Islamic Path: The downfall of the Muslims was
considered by some scholars as their deviation from the way of
the Last Prophet (P.B.U.H).
The future of Indian Muslims was looking dark at that time.
 The political collapse of the Muslims was the outcome of spiritual
confusion in socio-economic sphere of the Indian Muslims.
Steps by Shah Wali Ullah: (Religious Services)
• Revival of Islam: Preaching: He started preaching of teachings
Islam to his scholars. He also trained them in research and focused
to work in the light of Quran and Sunnah as well as in Islamic
history.
He had completed the Islamic work before his death at large scale.
In the words of Shah Abdul Aziz, his son: “He was rarely ill and
once he sat down to work after ‘Ishraq’ he would not change his
posture, till mid-day”.

He educated the true spirit of Islam to the misguided masses of

Indian Muslims.

• Infusing Spirit of Jihad: In his efforts of collecting support from

kings to preserve Muslim rule and community in subcontinent
from political collapse, he infused the spirit of Jihad amongst the
Muslims.
• Translation of Holy Quran: He translated Holy Quran into Persian
in 1738, when he realized that Muslim community was deviating
from Islamic norms due to the lack of direct access to its meaning.
It was first translation of Holy Quran in any language.
He drew fierce criticism from Ulema that declared his action as
un-Islamic. This way he reformed the believes of the Muslims.
Realized Muslim solidarity is one critical juncture of their history.
3. Social and internal conflicts:
a. Suni-Shia Internal Conflict: Some Suni Muslims Didn’t consider
Shia as Muslim.
 b. Orthodox and heterodox Islam: Akbar had worked for the
strength of heterodox Sufis and Ulemas, later on Dara Shiko
promoted it well. Orthodox Islam was revived by Sirhindi with
the support of Aurangzeb. These both Islamic groups were on
their extreme.
c. Social and Economic inequality: Economic and social instability
was prevailing in the society. Muslims were in socio-economic
catastrophes.
Steps by Shah Wali Ullah:
• Conciliation between Suni Shia Muslims: Studied the issue
objectively, rejected the belief of some Muslims that Shia were
not Muslims. He eliminated controversies among them and
eliminate the active hostility between Shia and Suni through his
book Izalat al Khifa.

• Unity between Heterodox and orthodox Islam: Focused on the

unity of Muslims. Eliminated the differences, strain and hassle
between the orthodox and heterodox Sufis and Ulemas.

• Revolution in the Society: (Social Equality and economic

stability)
He wanted to bring the revolution in society through socio-political and
economic changes but not a bloody revolution.
Social Equality: Stressed social justice, equality, sharing of interest and
Brotherhood.
Islamic Renaissance: He succeeded to bring Islamic Renaissance in the
dark age of Mughal Rulers from the center of Madrasa Rahimia.
Al-Adl and Al-Mizan: His guiding principle is Al-Adl and Al-Mizan i.e.
Justice and balance. He wanted to see an ideal and peaceful society for
which he emphasized on the real Islamic values.
Forbidding Hindus customs: Forbade to adopt Hindu customs for two
reasons: Beleaguered minority needed to assert its distinctive identity
and customs adopted from Hindus at marriages such as Show and
pump lead to extravagance and depts.
Ijtihad: He was firm believer of the institution of Ijtihad and considered
Islamic jurisprudence obligatory because each age presents new
problems and new solutions which were not envisaged by the
lawmakers of bygone days.

Economic stability: He stressed to continue the economic stability in the

society and equitable distribution of wealth in the society.
Collection of material goods was the root of social evil in his Views.
Justice and equilibrium form the backbone of egalitarian society and
labor of craftsmen and peasants should be justly rewarded.
Concentration of wealth in one class leads to a wasteful spending at one
level and extreme deprivation at the other.
Urged traders to adopt a fairer system of trading and making money.
 4. Moral Degradation:
a. Luxurious and extravagant lifestyle of Muslims:
b. Moral Decadence of Muslim elite:
c. Threat to morality under the cover of Sufi practices:
Steps Taken by Shah Wali Ullah:
• Criticizing Luxurious lifestyle of Muslim: Particularly the upper
stratum of the society. He knew that the opulent lifestyle had
made Muslims wary of Jihad. He advised them to focus on
performing their duties as the moral decadence of Muslim elite
had torn apart the very fabric of the society.
• Awareness on Sufi: He explains all the Sufi orders consist of tariqat
(spiritual path) that are subordinate to law of Shariah. This was
main platform of his reformist movement to crush the threats to
morality under the cover of Sufism.
• Writing letters: He wrote open letters to Mughal emperors to give
up their corrupt and inefficient practices
IV. WORKS OF SHAH WALI ULLAH: Shah Wali Ullah had written
almost fifty books in Persian (28) and Arabic (23) in thirty years of
his serving life. This was a major contribution in the the
subcontinent.
Related to Holy Quran: First scholar who translated Holy Quran
in Persian language. Azalat Al Khifa contains commentary and
explanation of Holy Quran.
Related to Hadith: Arabic and Persian commentaries on the
authentic book of Hadith ‘Muwatta’, originally compiled by Imam
Malik.
Related to Fiqah (Islamic Jurisprudence; the Law of Shariah):
His famous book on history of Islamic law ‘Insaf-fi-Bayan-i-
Sahabal-Ikhtilaf’” deals the five hundred years old history of
Islamic Jurisprudence
 Related to Mysticism: He worked for the guidance of those Sufis
who were misguided and had been making false to the innocent
Muslims in subcontinent. He said all the Sufi orders consist of
tariqat (spiritual path) and all traiqat is subordinate to Shariah
Law.
Related to Ilm Al Kalam: belonged to Muslim
Philosophy and Ilm-al-Kalam. He worked for ‘Ijtihad’ and
described the principled of Ijtihad. He advised the Ummah to
follow one of the Imams out of four as it is compulsory for them.
He described the common aspects of Muslims of all over the
world in his book ‘Hujjat- Ullah-il-Balighah’ (Bood considered
how Islam was found suitable for all races, cultures and people
of the world and how it solves social, economic, political and
moral problems of the people) this is considered a great
contribution in the Islamic world
Related to Suni Shia Conflict: Through his writings, he
contributed to solve this issue.
V. IMPACTS OF SHAH WALI ULLAH TEACHINGS:
Great Theologian and Reformer: The poet-philosopher of Pakistan
Allama Muhammad Iqbal describes him as the last great theologian of
Islam and the first Muslim to rethink the whole system of Islam.
Carrying his mission further after his death: His political movement
and spiritual regeneration of Muslim was carried on by his son Shah
Abdul Aziz and Sayyed Ahmed Shah Bareli amongst those Mujahids
impressed by his School of thought.
His writings, trained persons and school of thoughts show real
effectiveness: His real greatness lies in the cumulative effect produced
by his writings, by the contribution of persons trained by him and by
the achievements of the school of thought founded by him.
In religious matters, he struck a mean between extremes.
In social Affairs, he strove to introduce in the Muslim society the
simplicity and purity of Islam.
In the sphere of economics: he advocated justice and equilibrium.
In Political field: He forged a united Muslim front against the non-
Muslim forces which were threating to storm Muslim India.

VI. DEPARTURE: He died on 20 August 1762 at Delhi.

VII. A TRIBUTE: Still alive in the heart of Muslims.