Lecturer Zohaib Ihsan Khattak

Department of Pakistan Studies

MUSLIM REFORMERS AND REFORM MOVEMENTS

(SHEIKH AHMAD SIRHINDI, SHAH WALIULLAH, SYED AHMAD BARELVI AND

INTRODUCTION:

Muslim nationalism in the sub continent originated from the thoughts and concepts of the
Muslim reformers like Shiekh Ahmad Sirhindi, Shah Waliullah, Shah Ismail Shaheed, Syed
Ahmad Barelvi and Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. These reformers not only successfully countered
all conspiracies hatched by Hindu to distort the form and shape of Islamic teachings but also
laid the foundation of Muslim nationalism in India. They wielded the sword of Tauheed
effectively to blunt the onslaughts of Hindu reformers disguised in the mantle of Bhakti
Movement which propagated that there was no difference between Ram and Rahim. Shiekh
Ahmad Sirhindi took up this challenge and put forward his famous concept of Wahdat ul
Shahood which meant that the Creator (Allah) and creatures were two separate entities. This
doctrine was a negation of the Hindu concept of Wahdat ul Wajood which stressed that there
was no difference between the Man and the Creator.

Teachings of Muslim reformers gave rise to the reform movements in the 17 th ,18th and 19th
centuries which kept the separate identity of Muslims till the two nation theory struck firm
roots to materialize in the shape of Pakistan in August 1947. These reform movements included
the religious movements launched by Mujadid Alf Sani, Shah Waloullah. Jihad movements
triggered by Syed Ahmad Barelvi and educational movements like the Aligarh movement.
Tehreek e Deoband, Anjuman e himayat e Islam, Nadwat ul Ulama of Lucknow, Sind
madrassah,Karachi and Islamiya College, Peshawar.

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Topic#02

SHIEKH AHMAD SIRHINDI

Introduction:

Shiekh Ahmad Sirhindi (Mujadad Alf Sani) is ranked amongst the greatest Muslim saints who
devoted their lives for the preservation of the Islamic values in the sub continent. He
contributed dignificantly towards the protection of Muslim society from atheist values. Due to
his invaluable services for the cause of Islam, Shiekh Ahmad is called Mujadad Alf Sani (the
reformer of the second millennium).

Birth and early education:

Shiekh Ahmad was born at Sirhind in 1564 AD during the reign of Akbar the Great. He
belonged to a noble religious family which descended from the second pious Caliph Hazrat
Umar Ibn al Khattab(RA). He received his early education at Sirhind. After memorizing the
Holy Qur’aan he travelled to other cities in order to acquire knowledge of Hadith, Tafseer and
Maqul from renowned scholars of that period. Helearnt Hadith from Mullah Kamal and
Maulana Yaqub Kashmiri of Sialkot. Then he visited the court of Mughal King Akbar in order
to acquaint himself with the views of various ulema belonging to different sects. It was here
that he also got the opportunity to meet Shiekh Mubarik, Faizi and Abul Fazal and to listen to
their views on religious matters. Sheikh Ahmad differed with the atheistic views of Shiekh
Mubarik and his sons who were totally misguiding the Mughal emperor.

Towards Sufism:

Shiekh Ahmad became the disciple of Hazrat Khwaja Baqi Billah, a prominent saint of Delhi
and received spiritual training from him. Khwaja Baqi Billah appreciated the mystic qualities
of his disciple in these words.

“Sheikh Ahmad is an individual from Sirhind, rich in knowledge and vigorous in action. I
associated him for few days and found truly marvelous things in his spiritual life. He will turn
into alight which will illuminate the world”

His return to his hometown:

Shiekh Ahmad stayed at Delhi till the death of his spiritual guide Baqi Billah, then he returned
to his native town Sirhind where he commenced his religious mission with new zeal. For this

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purpose he trained a number of disciples and sent them to all corners of the country. I addition
he wrote many letters to eminent personalities in which he laid great emphasis on ‘Itiba e
Sunnah’. The religious activities of Sheilh Ahmad attracted the attention of Prime Minister
Asif Jah who conveyed his concern to the Mughal emperor. Particularly the anti Hindu views
of Shiekh Ahmad were not appreciated. Consequently, the emperor Jehangir summoned him
to the court. Shiekh Ahmad appeared in the court in a dignified manner and did not perform
the act of prostration. Jehangir was enraged at this and imprisoned Shiekh Ahmad in the fort
of Gwalior. However, after two tears the emperor realized his mistake and released him
conferred on him the robe of honor and allowed him to stay in the royal court. Shiekh Ahmad
availed his stay at the court by preaching his religious views which included his famous
doctrine of Wahdat al Shahood. During his three year long stay at the Mughal court he not only
convinced Jehangir to abandon the policies of Akbar but also succeeded in purifying the
religious ideas of many nobles.

Philosophy of Shiekh Ahmad:

The religious philosophy of Shiekh Ahmad can be studied under the following captions,

1. Wahdat ul Shahood

The secular sufis of Akbar’s court had propounded the doctrine of Wahdat ul Wajood
which meant that there was no difference between the man and his Creator and both
were one and the same thing. As such they believed that the entire universe was a
manifestation of Allah. It was through this dogma that the Hindus justified idol worship
with the idea that the stones were also His (Allah’s) symbols. This belief was highly
misleading and very harmful for the teachings of Islam. As a result Shiekh Ahmad put
forward his famous doctrine Wahdat ul Shahood which was a negation of the Hindu
concept. According to this doctrine the Creator and the creatures were two separate
entities. Thus Shiekh Ahmad succeeded in halting the atheistic trends which threatened
the Islamic teachings.

2. Itiba e Sunnah

Shiekh Ahmad strictly followed Shariyat. Thus he refused to perform the act of
prostration before Jehangir because he believed that the Sajdah was only due to Allah
Almighty. Shiekh Ahmad wanted to reform the Muslim society through Itiba e Sunnah

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which literally meant ot follow the examples of the holy Prophet Mohammad SAW.
Shiekh Ahmad opposed un-Islamic trends and worked day and night to restore the
original teachings of Islam based on Tauheed and Sunnah. He negated the dogmas of
Bhakti Movement and Din e Elahi. He preached that mysticism without Shariyat was
misleading and un-Islamic.

Shiekh Ahmad’s Letters:

Shiekh Ahmad wanted to revolutionize the entire society by uprooting the atheistic
attitude and restoring the original teachings of Islam. In order to achieve the objectives
he took many measures which included writing of letters to important men throughout
the length and breadth of the Mughal Empire known as ‘Maktubat e Imam Rabbani’
which were addressed to several Mughal nobles also like Abdur Rahim, the Khan e
Khanan, Sadr e Jahan, Shiekh Fareed and Kha e Azam. Through these letters Shiekh
Ahmad explained the original teachings of Islam and threw light on the utility of Namaz
and Fasting.

Effects of Sheikh Ahmad’s Teachings:

Shiekh Ahmad made colossal efforts to reform the Muslim society during the 17th
century which had badly suffered the hands of atheism introduced by King Akbar.
Sheikh’s efforts bore fruitful soon and even in his lifetime assumed the shape of a big
movement which virtually changed the course of the history. The effect of his teachings
were as under:

a. Shiekh Ahmad’s doctrine of Wahdat ul Shahood countered the Bhakti concept of

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 Through these letters he threw light on true teachings of Islam. Thus projection of
Islamic teachings in their true perspective protected Islam from the onslaughts of
the atheistic forces.
c. Mujadid Alf e Sani succeeded in convincing ulema of the Mughal of his Islamic
ideas. These ulema obtained promise from Jehangir that he would implement Islam
as a State religion on becoming the emperor of India. As a result Jehangir
promulgated Islamic laws when he ascended the throne in 1605 AD.
d. The Muslim doctrine of Wahdat ul Shahood and the Hindu concept of Wahdat ul
Wajood clearly marked the distinction between Ram and Rahman. These
philosophies later on provided the basis for the Two nation Theory which ultimately
led to the foundation of Pakistan.