Discourses Of Shah Abdul Aziz: He Passionately Urged Indian Muslims To Let Go Of Their Impractical Fantasies And Confront The Harsh Reality
By Dr
Javed Akhàtar, New Age Islam
26 June
2023
Introduction
Shah Abdul
Aziz (d. 1824) acted as a bridge between medieval and modern times in India’s
socio-religious and intellectual history. He emerged as a prominent figure
among Indian Muslims after the passing of his father, Shah Waliullah. Born in
1746 in Delhi during the Mughal era, he became a renowned scholar in the late
18th and early 19th century. Residing in Delhi for 77 years, he witnessed the
city grappling with significant political challenges and changes. Muslim power
and social norms faced successive crises, including the defeat and death of
Tipu Sultan, the rise of Christian missionaries, and concerns over the Islamic
educational system and Shariah. These issues deeply troubled the Muslim
community. In response to these challenges, Shah Abdul Aziz embarked on a
mission to address them by engaging in preaching, teaching, writing, and
dialogues with Christians, scholars, and Sufis. Through these socio-academic
endeavours, he produced numerous influential works. His approach to the
contemporary challenges encompassed both Islamic and Indian perspectives,
combining traditional and modern elements. Thus, his lifelong mission can be
described as bridging the gap between tradition and modernity, while advocating
for moderate and balanced viewpoints (Wasteya or E'tidaal).
"Shah Abd Al Aziz" The illustrious son of Shah Wali Allah and
a great Islamic Scholar
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This piece
of writing explores the impact of Shah Abdul Aziz on Indian society, economy,
and politics during the crucial years of the early 19th century. It aims to
address these questions within the specific context and timeframe, covering the
period from the fall of Delhi in 1803 to Shah Abdul Aziz’s passing in 1824.
This
article has five sections. The first section provides an overview of the
social, religious, economic, and political conditions of India, particularly
Delhi, at that time. It will present a brief picture of the lives of Muslims in
India, specifically focusing on the relations between the Ulema/Muslims in
general and the East India Company and Christians in particular. The second
section portrays the life and personality of Shah Abdul Aziz. The third,
fourth, and fifth sections will discuss tradition, modernity, and moderation,
respectively, in the intellectual discourses of Shah Abdul Aziz.
1. Overview of the socio-religious, Economic
and political conditions of India, particularly Delhi, of that time.
2. Brief life and personality of Shah Abdul
Aziz.
3. The tradition, modernity and moderation in
the intellectual discourses of Shah Abdul Aziz.
Overview
Of The Socio-Religious, Economic And Political Conditions Of India,
Particularly Delhi, Of That Time:
Shah Abdul
Aziz (1746-1824) witnessed the decline of Muslim culture and traditions in
India, as the British rule sparked a heated debate among Muslims about whether
India was a "Dar Ul Islam" (a land of Islam) or a "Dar
Ul Harb" (a land of War). This period brought about divisions among
Muslims regarding modernity and orthodoxy. The Muslim community faced multiple
crises, including the loss of Muslim military leader Tipu Sultan, the rise of
Christian missionaries, and the threat to the Islamic educational system and
Shariah courts. These challenges greatly concerned Muslims and shaped their
intellectual, political, and societal outlook in the Indian subcontinent. India
experienced the arrival of a foreign political power and the introduction of
new ideas from the West, including evangelical Christianity. While both Hindu
and Muslim communities felt the pressure, Muslims in particular experienced
psychological turmoil due to the political and religious crises in their
society.
The rise of
the East India Company resulted in the disintegration of the Mughal Empire and
various independent states, including renowned leaders like Tipu Sultan and the
powerful Marathas. One pivotal event was the decisive defeat of Daulat Rao
Sindhia of Gwalior by British forces led by Lord Lake in the Battle of Laswari
in 1803. This outcome had profound political consequences, granting the British
indirect control over Delhi through a commissioner and direct rule over the
suburbs of Delhi and the entire northern India. As a result, Muslim dominance
waned, and the British implemented policies of religious persecution and
intolerance. The actions of Christian missionaries and Delhi College
exacerbated this situation, leading not only common people but also
intellectuals and even some Ulema to convert to Christianity. Maulvi Imaduddin
converted to Christianity, and Maulvi Zakaullah and Deputy Nazir Ahmad came
close to embracing the faith as well.
Brief
Life Of Shah Abdul Aziz:
He was born
in 1746. His chronogrammatic name was Ghulam Halim, but his father named him
Abdul Aziz, and he was known by this name thereafter. He completed his
education in Tafsir, Hadith, Sarf (accidence), Nahw (syntax), Fiqh,
Usul al-Fiqh (principles of jurisprudence), Mantiq (logic), Kalam
(scholastic theology), Aqai'd (theology), Tasawwuf (mysticism), and other subjects
at the early age of 15. Shah Waliullah passed away when Shah Abdul Aziz was
about 17 years old. As the eldest son, he then assumed the responsibility of
leading the “Madrasah Rahimiyah” (Delhi).
Following
this, Shah Abdul Aziz dedicated his life to teaching, providing spiritual
guidance, and delivering sermons. Every Tuesday and Friday, he would give
public sermons on the premises of the Madrasah, attended not only by Muslims
but also by non-Muslims. In addition to his spiritual guidance and teaching, he
authored and dictated well-known books such as Tuhfah-i Ithna Ashariyah,
Tafsir-i Azizi, Fatwa-e Azizi, and Malfuzat-i Azizi. Shah Abdul
Aziz passed away on 5 June 1824. He was succeeded by one of his daughter's
sons, Muhammad Ishaq.
The
Tradition, Modernity And Moderation In The Intellectual Discourse Of Shah Abdul
Aziz:
The
political upheavals during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries
brought about complex social, economic, and religious challenges, intensifying
the ideological conflicts between Shia and Sunni groups. As new social and
economic classes sought to consolidate their positions, they sought
justifications, while those losing their social and economic status also sought
answers. Many Sunnis turned to Shah Abdul Aziz for guidance, presenting him
with hypothetical questions that reflected the real tensions prevalent in the
society of that time.
The
opinions of Shah Abdul Aziz were based on established Fiqh works, but he
also acknowledged the significance of 'Ada (custom), 'Urf (local
customs), and Dastur or Rawaj (customary law or local usage) when
determining the legality of contentious matters. He often adopted a moderate
approach, avoiding the unnecessary assertion of extreme puritanical views.
Shah’s
responses to the various Challenges of that time:
Case No.
1: Eating Food With Non-Muslims
It
happened[6] that a Maulvi who was a Munsif (a judicial officer) in the East
India Company, somewhere in the Panjab, had his meal with his English officers
at a common table. The Ulema of that locality declared him to have gone outside
the fold of Islam. The Maulvi tried to convince them on the ground of the
Qur’an and the Hadith and the Fiqh, but all in vain. At last they came to Shah
Abdul Aziz. At the entrance of the house they met Shah Rafî’ud Din, his younger
brother, and asked his opinion. He unequivocally said that the Maulvi was
right. The opponents of the Maulvi did not accept his opinion and went to Shah
Abdul Aziz. He after hearing the case, delivered a long speech, to the effect
that the Maulvi had committed a great mistake, and that he had reached the
verge of Kufr. The opponents of the Maulvi were delighted. The poor
Maulvi and his relatives asked Shah Abdul Aziz what to do and how to re-enter
the fold of Islam. Shah Abdul Aziz then replied that the Maulvi had not
gone out of Islam, because jut by reaching the verge of Kufr no one
could become Kafir. But, to be on the safe side, he asked him to recite
“Kalimah-i Shahadah” (the Words of Witness to the Faith) and made him
drink the holy water of the Qadam Sharif (the holy foot).[7]
Shah Abdul
Aziz held a perspective that suggested Muslims should refrain from mingling
with non-Muslims. However, it is worth acknowledging his astute approach in
navigating the challenging circumstances of his era. Considering the context in
which he resided, we can appreciate his cautious stance, as the people of
Punjab may have disregarded his views had he expressed them more directly.
Case no. 2:
Whether Muslims should cooperate with the British or not
The crucial
question that arose was whether Muslims should align themselves with the
British or not. Shah Abdul Aziz's perspective on this matter becomes apparent
when he interprets the Quranic verse: “And do not collaborate in sin and
transgressions” (5:2). In his explanation, we sense a mix of contemplation,
pondering the implications of this verse in the context of Muslims'
relationship with the British. He says:[8]
The Mu’awanat
(collaboration) is of two kinds, paid and unpaid. Nowadays the paid
collaboration is called “service”, and the other one is called “assistance”. In
either case there are some kinds of work which are admissible and some of them
are forbidden. If the infidels are preparing themselves to fight with Muslims
or to conquer a Darul Islam, it is forbidden then to see them or to assist
them, and it is a grave sin to do so. If the infidels fight each other and
employ the Muslims (to fight the infidels) then it is permitted, according to
the Shar’ia. Likewise it is permitted to serve the infidels if they employ the
Muslims to keep watch over their property or to manage the civil administration
of their country, as it is permitted to assist them in tailoring or in trading
etc.
But now
after a lot of deliberation, it appears to me that the above mentioned services
also are not altogether free from unlawfulness (hurmat). At least man feels
hesitant in refusing the illegitimate (in the eyes of the Shar) orders, and
gradually he becomes their obedient servant. Thus the number of unbelievers
goes up and their strength, power and prestige increase. But if this (service
or assistance) is of the kind in which man has not to be very close with the
infidels, then, undoubtedly this is lawful.
Case No.
3: Accepting Jobs Under Non-Muslims
In a
different instance, when questioned about the acceptance of employment
opportunities under Christians, Shah Abdul Aziz's response carried an emotional
undertone. With a touch of empathy and sincerity, he shared his thoughts on the
matter as:[9]
Service
under the Christians or under any infidel is of different kinds. Some of them
are permissible (Mubah), some of them are desirable (Mustahabb),
and some of them are forbidden (haram), and some of them are gross sin (Kabirah)
and near to Kufr.
If someone
accepts a job under infidels for good purposes, e.g. protecting people from
thieves and robbers, or providing Shar’i witness in the court, or
constructing a bridge, or building or repairing a building like a caravanserai
for the use of the general public, then, no doubt, these kinds of service are
permissible, even desirable.
If someone
accepts a position under the infidels just to promote social contact with them,
and if because of the nature of his work he happens to see the things which are
against the Shar’, or if he has to assist them in injustice, for
example, if he works as a clerk, or as a domestic servant or as a soldier, or such
types of work in which he is supposed to respect them beyond a limit, or he has
to humiliate himself before them while standing or sitting, then these kinds of
service are forbidden.
If someone
accepts a post under them to kill a Muslim or to destroy a (Muslim) state or to
promote infidel practices or to find faults with Islam just for the sake of
criticism, then all these services are grave sin and near to kufr.
This
statement suggests that Shah Abdul Aziz did not categorically forbid service
under the British.[10] Instead, he classified certain types of service as
forbidden. Despite this, it is clear that Shah Abdul Aziz considered these
specific services, regardless of the employer's religion, to be forbidden
according to the Shar'. Hence, it is difficult to conclude that Shah Abdul Aziz
was completely opposed to serving the British.
Case no. 4:
Whether Muslims should promote social contact with the British or not whether
they should learn the English language and eat with them
The other
problem was whether the Muslims should promote social contact with British
people; whether they should learn the English language and eat with them. The
importance of such questions in the time of Shah Abdul Aziz can easily be
imagined from the incident of the Maulvi of Panjab who had his meal with the
English men and was declared by some Muslims to have gone out of Islam.[11]
This attitude existed till the second half of the century. Maulana Mamluk Ali
(who was the Professor of Arabic in Delhi College, the British administered
institution) is reported to have washed his hands when he happened to have
shaken hands with an English man.[12] In this situation we can imagine the
importance of these questions.
For other
questions, e.g. reading of English language or wearing English dress, of
course, Shah Abdul Aziz was above putting up a personal example. But he
declared them lawful. On the question of dress he said: A resemblance between
Muslims and Kuffar is forbidden. But only that resemblance is forbidden
which is born with the intention of exhibiting oneself like infidels or winning
their sympathy. Otherwise there is no harm in using the things which are
especially related to infidels with the intention of providing more comfort to
the body.[13] On the question of eating with non-Muslims, Shah Abdul Aziz said
that it was lawful, provided that the forbidden things were not served.[14]
Giving his opinion about the English language he said that it was permissible
to learn the English language. But if someone wanted to learn the language just
to flatter the English people and to raise his position in their eyes, then it
was forbidden and undesirable to learn the English language.[15]
Conclusion
Shah Abdul
Aziz’s mission was driven by a deep understanding of the Muslims’ desperate
plight. He passionately urged them to let go of their impractical fantasies and
confront the harsh reality. For Muslims, the options seemed limited to either
engaging in a righteous struggle (jihad) or seeking refuge (Hijrah), as per
traditional Islamic jurisprudence. However, Shah Abdul Aziz recognized the need
for innovation in the face of the changing political landscape. Bearing the
weight of responsibility, he fearlessly charted a secure path forward. With
unwavering integrity and unwavering commitment to their faith, he
wholeheartedly guided the Muslims on how to navigate their collaboration with
the new authorities, all while safeguarding their religious identity.
In summary,
Shah Abdul Aziz believed that Muslims could peacefully coexist under a
non-Muslim government. He recognized the importance of distinguishing between
political and religious matters. Regarding religious affairs, he advised
Muslims to rely on Muslim officials appointed by the non-Muslim government or
chosen by the Muslim community. In other aspects of life, he encouraged Muslims
to work together with the non-Muslim government as long as they could preserve
their religious and cultural identity.
[1]
People's Democracy, Vol. XXXI, No. 26, July 1, 2007.
[2] For more
biographical information, see, Rahman Ali, Tazkirah Ulama-i Hind, (Persian),
Lucknow, 1894, p. 122; Urdu translation by Muhammad Ayyub Khan, Karachi, 1961,
p. 302; Sir Sayed Ahamd Khan, Tazkirah ahl-i Delhi, (ch. IV of Asarus Sanadid),
ed. By Qazi Ahmad Miyan Akhtar, Karachi, 1955, pp. 52-56; Fazl-i Imam
Khayrabadi, Tarjuman al-Fuzala, (being a chapter of this Amad Namah), ed. By
Mufti Intizamullah Shihabi, English tr. by A.S. Bazmi, Karachi, 1956, pp.
Persian text, 15-17, English tr. 30-31.
[3] Shah Waliullah,
Shifaul Alil, Urdu translation, al-Qawlul Jamil, by Khurram Ali, Bombay, 1260,
pp. 89-96.
[4] He was
not however the eldest son of Shah Waliullah. His eldest son, Maulvi Muhammad,
was born by Shah Waliullah’s first wife. After the death of Maulvi Muhammad’s
mother, Shah Waliullah married Bibi Irada. Their eldest son was Shah Abdul
Aziz.
[5] The
school founded by his grandfather Shah Abdur Rahim.
[6] Altaf
Husayn Hali, Hayat-i Javed, Lahore, 1957, p. 727.
[7]The
shrine Qadam Sharif (Footprint of the Prophet) in Paharganj, Delhi is the tomb
of Fateh Khan. Originally, Firuz Shah Tughlaq (d. 1388) constructed the large
rectangular tomb at its core for himself. However, when his son Fateh Khan died
in 1376, he repurposed the tomb to be used for his son. According to public
belief also added was a stone with a foot print of Muhammad, which Syed
Jalaluddin Husain Bukhari, the spiritual guide of Firuz Shah had brought in
from Mecca. This foot print gave the whole complex its name, Dargah Qadam
Sharif, the Holy Foot. The people used to fill the foot print with water and
drink it. See, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Asarus Sanadid, Kanpur, Nami Press, 1904,
pp. 37-38.
[8]
Fatawa-e Azizi, v. i, p. 205.
[9] Ibid.,
v. i, p. 327.
[10] For a
similar statement, see, his Fatawa, v. Ii, pp. 258-259.
[11] See
case no. 1.
[12]
Muhammad Miyan, Ulama-i Hind ka Shandar Mazi, v. Iv, pp. 286-287.
[13]
Fatawa-e Azizi, v. i, p. 199.
[14] Ibid.,
v. ii, p. 254.
[15] Ibid.,
v. i, p. 335.
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Javed Akhtar, Assistant Professor (Contractual),
Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi-25;
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism