Shah Waliullah 1703 to 1762

Q. Explain about the importance of the services of ShahWaliullah for the religious uplift of Muslims of subcontinent in the 18th century. 

Ans. Shah Waliullah (1703-1762) is called the reformer who saved Islam in the Subcontinent at a time when the Mughal Empire was collapsing, Marathas and Sikhs were rising forcing Muslims to leave Islam and accept Hinduism or Sikhism. Muslims were also too divided so they couldn't counter them effectively. Muslims were away from true Islam following their religion with out understanding it.

His reforms are important because he did not only preach but alongside he tried to fix the political, religious, social and economic problems of Muslims by showing them the right way of understanding their religion and develop brotherhood making themselves stronger in society. 

   Translation of Quran was his most prominent work as He translated the Quran from Arabic into Persian, the common language of educated Muslims at that time. Later his sons translated it into Urdu. This allowed ordinary Muslims to understand and follow Islam directly from Allah's orders instead of blindly following the scholars. Now Muslims were aware and logically followed their religion improving their moral values to become better human beings and more respected in the society. Now they could counter the non Muslim propegenda teaching them their limits. 

 He opposed shirk, bidat, grave worship, and blind following of customs borrowed from Hindus. He stressed Tawhid and following Quran and Sunnah. He tried to end sectarian fights between Shia and Sunni and between different schools of thought. He said Muslims should agree on basic principles and not fight over minor differences.It developed unity in Muslims which was direly needed for a united Muslim front. 

 He encouraged fresh interpretation of Islam according to the needs of the time, instead of blind Taqlid. Ijtihad gave sharia based ideas to Muslim scholars to discuss the need of time and guide Muslims properly. 

He saw Muslims govt was losing power because Muslim rulers were too divided. He wrote letters to Muslim rulers like Ahmad Shah Abdali, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of Oudh, asking them to unite and save the Muslim Empire. It spread awareness in the political groups that must take practical steps instead of false promises. 

  He invited Ahmad Shah Abdali to India, which led to the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761 against the Marathas. This checked Maratha growing power and gave Muslims some more time to resist and remain in their religion following their religious responsibilities peacefully. He taught that political power is necessary to protect Islam because without a strong state, religion could not survive.

    He opposed the caste system, discrimination and the luxurious life of the Muslim nobility.These social reforms guided Muslims to avoid discrimination and adopt the rule of brotherhood to help each other in time need. He stressed equality, justice and simplicity. He said all Muslims are equal, rich and poor is nothing in Islam what matters is their moral standards need to be corrected. It provided moral support to the poor Muslim to feel safe while following their religion. 

  He worked for true religious life asking people to leave extravagance, corruption and immorality which were the causes of insult of all Muslim community if some of them were involved in wrong deeds. Muslims started correcting and improving themselves on better human standards. He criticised the heavy taxes on peasants and workers while the rich lived in luxury. He said this injustice was a cause of decline. He asked the Mughal govt for better economic reforms for a better contented society. 

  He presented an Islamic economic system based on fair distribution of wealth, honest trade and care for the poor. He wrote about this in his book Hujjatullah al-Baligha. 

   His father had set up a school known as Madrasa Rahimiya in Delhi, where ShahWaliullah as principal and teacher trained students who carried his work forward. His sons Shah Abdul Aziz, Shah Rafiuddin and Shah Abdul Qadir, and later Syed Ahmed Shaheed continued his movement of guiding Muslims. 

    His teachings became the base for later movements: Jihad Movement, Deoband Movement, Aligarh Movement and finally the Pakistan Movement.

In short, Shah Waliullah gave Muslims of the Subcontinent:

1. A clear understanding of Islam

2. A sense of unity and identity

3. A political awakening

4. A moral and economic programme for revival

Without his reforms, Muslims might have lost their separate identity in the Subcontinent. That is why he is called the founder of modern Muslim revival in India and the spiritual father of the Pakistan Movement.