PAKISTAN STUDIES

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TOPIC 1

ROLE OF Ulema and Mashaikhs in Pakistan

MOVEMENT (1940-1947)
1-Importance of Ulema Mashikhs in Muslim
society of Indo Pakistan
 The history of Indo-Pakistan subcontinent is replete with participation of Ulama and
Mashaikh in politics in order to defend the cause of faith. Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi did not
hesitate to confront with the royal authority and put his life at stake to light the torch for
regeneration of Islamic spirit. It was kept alive in the through the movement started by
Shah Waliullah. In the first half of the 19th century Shah Abdul Aziz intensified it and
made it widespread. Later, Syed Ahmad Barelvi and Shah Ismail converted it into Jihad
Movement for the establishment of an Islamic state in the subcontinent. They fought
against the Sikh rulers of the Punjab and were martyred, fighting valiantly in the valley of
Balakot of spreading the will of Allah.
Importance---

 After the War of 1857 and termination of the Muslim rule, some of the Ulama had
established educational institutions for religious teaching in order to enable the younger
generations to protect the cause of the faith and solve day to day problems of life in the
light of the Quran and Sunnah.The educational institutions included,DAR –UL-ULOOM
DEOBAND,(1866) NADWA TUL ULEMA (1894),AND ANJUMAN HIMAYAT E
ISLAM(1884) etc.
 They had also started underground movements for the political awakening of the Muslims.
Importance in Khilafat Movement(1919-1924)

 The second decade of the 20th century saw the World War One. At the end of the war the
Indian Muslim had to launch to Khilafat Movement. They started Khilafat Movement
under Majilis-i-Khilafat which became an effective organization of the Muslims. Almost
all the prominent Ulama like
 Maulana Mauhammad Ali Jauhar, Maulana Shaukat Ali, Maulana Abul Kalam
Azad, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, Maulana Hasrat Mohani, Maulana Abdul Majid
Daryabadi, Maulana Abdul Bari of Farangi Mahal, Sayyed Sulaman Nadvi and
Hussain Ahmad Madni joined it.
 In 1919 ulema established JAMIAT –E-ULEMA HIND.(JUH).It was established by
Maulana Husain Ahmed Madni.JUH consisted of pro –congress ulema.
2-Pakistan Movement(1940-1947)
Ulema s SUPPORT TO AIML 1938
 The anti-Congress faction of the Ulama disassociated itself from the Jamiat and remained
aloof from the Congress movement. They became supporters of the Two-Nation Theory.
Their support was a great source of strength for the League. They played a dynamic role in
Pakistan Movement and worked hard to make it popular amongst the Muslim masses. The
prominent names amongst the pro-League Ulama were
 Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi,
 Allama Shabbir Ahmad Usmani
 , Maulana Zafar Ahmad Usmani
 , Mufti Muhammad Shafi.
 Maulan Abdul hameed
 Maulana Ibrahim Sialkoti
Pakistan Reslution 23rd March1940 and ulema

 Allama shabir ahmed usmani on the behalf of Ulema ,attended this session of AIML,and
emphatically supported the demand of Pakistan by AIML,
 When in 1942 the Muslim League declared that the state and government in Pakistan
would be based on the tenets of the Quran and Sunnah,more Ulama decided to support
it.
Jamiat- Ulama-i-Islam(1945)

 Now the need of an organization of the pro-League Ulama was seriously felt in order to
muster support for the Pakistan Movement in an organized manner.
 Therefore, in a big gathering of the Ulama, in October 1945 at Muhammad Ali Park
Calcutta, Jamiatul Ulama-i-Islam(JUI) was formed by Allama shabir ahmed usmani,
which proved a big landmark in the struggle for the establishment of Pakistan.
Elections of 1945-46,Ulema s role

 During the crucial elections of 1945-46 the Jamiatul-Ulama-i-Hind declared to support the
Congress which had rejected the demand for Pakistan and stood for a united India. During
this critical juncture Allama Shabbir Ahmad Usmani along with his companions ,JUI ,
lent unflinching support to the League and pleaded in favour of the Quaid-i-Azam agaist
all opposition which had been direct by the nationalist Ulama. He publically announced his
complete and irrevocable faith in the honesty and integrity of the Quaid-i-Azam. He
exhorter the Muslims to vote for the League which was struggling hard to carve out an
independent sovereign Muslim state on the global map. He also warned the common
Muslims against the designs of the Congressite Ulama.AIML was able to secure 80% of
the Muslim seats.
Referendum of NWFP(KPK)AND
MASHAIKS
 During these elections the League had a very tough time in the N.W.F.P. The “Khan
Brothers” were in power in the province. They won the elections at the barest margin and
succeeded in forming the provincial government headed by Dr. Khan Sahib. This position
continued in the province till the partition of the subcontinent. And on the eve of the
partition when the historic referendum was held in the N.W.P. the Ulama and Mashaikh put
the whole weight of their support and force in favour of the League. Their earnest efforts
succeeded in paving the way for a landslide victory of the League in the referendum.
Mashikhs of NWFP(KPK)

 . The Quaid-i-Azam specially sent Allama Shabbir Ahmad Usmani to the N.W.F.P in support
of the League. He along with Mufti Muhammad Shafi, Pir Sahib of Mnaki Sharif and Pir
SaHib of Zakori Sharif intensified the activities in support of the Muslim League and
turned the tables of the provincial political on the “Khan Brothers” despite a huge
propaganda machinery of the Congress backed by its unlimited financial resources. They
conducted stormy tours of distant parts of the province and tribal areas to mobilize support
of the Muslim massas for Pakistan; and successfully explained to them the rationale of
Pakistan’s demand and ideology. They also portrayed a picture of the coming events and
destiny of the Muslim community in a united India dominated by the caste-ridden and
prejudiced Hindu majority. People soon realized the truth and gravity of the situation. Now,
they could easily perceive overt and covert dangers of living in a Hindu-dominated
subcontinent. Thus, the Ulama and the Mashaikh prepared the Muslim population with a
pragmatic approach towards Pakistan where they would be able to breathe in Islamic
atmosphere and where Islam, in its pristine glory, would be revived
 “The referendum was held on 6-17 July and 289, 244 votes were caste in favour of joining
the new Constituent Assembly as against 2,874 for continuing with the existing Indian
Constituent Assembly.98%of votes were cast in the favour of Pakistan. It was resounding
victory of the League against its arch rivals and anti-Pakistan forces. The Ulama and
Mashaikh played a stupendous role in this victory, which in worth writing in letters of gold
in the annals of the struggle for Pakistan.
Pir jamaat Ali Shah(PUNJAB)

 Pir Jama’at Ali Shah fervently supported the Muslim League during the elections of 1945-
46. He had to make very hard efforts to win support of the All-India Sunni Conference for
the Cause of Pakistan. When the nationalist Ulama criticized the Quaid-i-Azam at the
Sunni Conference in 1946, Pir Jama’at Ali Shah strongly defended him by saying. “Think
of Jinnah Sahib whatever you like, but I say that Jinnah Sahib is “Wali Allah.” Pir
Sahib was awarded the title of Ameer-i-Millat for providing a magnetic lead to Masjid
Shaheed Ganj Movement. On the eve of referendum in the N.W.F.P. in 1947, he also
visited the province and mustered support for the League. While presiding over a session
of the Jamiatul-Ulma-i-Islam, Punjab, Pir Jama’at Ali Shah said:” Both the Government
and the Congress should carefully note that the Muslims have shaken off their lethargy;
now they stand awakened, they have determined their goal___ Pakistan, and no power on
this earth can make them budge from their demand of Pakistan.
References

 References
 Syed S. Sharifuddin Pirzada, Foundaion of Pakistan – All India Muslim League Documents, vol.iii 1906-1947,
Royal Book company, Karachi, 1990, p. 286.
 Chirag-i-Rah: Nazaria -i-Paksitan Number, Karachi , 1960, p.233
 Nawa-i-Waqt, Lahore, October 17, 1982.
 Muin-ud-Din Aqeel, Mausalmanon ki Jidddo Juhid-i-Azadi, Maktaba-i-Tamir-i-Insaniat, Lahore, 1981, p.195.
 Ibid., p. 195
 Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, The Struggle for Pakistan, University of Karachi, 1969.
 Jamil-ud-Din Ahmad, Creation of Pakistan, Publisher United Ltd., Lahore. 1976 p.354
 Ibid., P. 354
 Nawai-i-Waqt, Lahore, October 20, 1982.
 Ibid.