Sayyid Ahmad Shahid & The `Ulama-e-Su'u.

The Jihad of Sayyid Ahmad Shahid and the ‘Ulama-e-Su`u. 

Sayyid Abu’l Hasan ‘Ali al-Nadwi(rah) writes in “Sayyid Ahmad Shahid” about the British intrigues and techniques to defeat the Jihad of Sayyid Ahmad(rah). 

He states on pg. 106: “The British, however, were not slow to realize that any attempt to stamp out the reformist movement by persecution alone was bound to fan the zeal of the Muslim populace to flame and array the whole community on their side. The ruling circles held the view that all attempts by the Muslims to return to the first principles of their faith involved a revolt against the ruling power. (Indian Musalmans, p. 76) 

And nothing could suit the purpose better than to defame the Sayyid as a prophet preaching a new religion (Indian Musalmans, pp. 51-54) and his followers as Wahhabis who had, by that time been sufficiently besmirched by the Orientalists (Carsten Nisbuhr’s Description de la Arabia) and hired clerics (‘Ulama) and were looked down upon by the illiterate Muslim masses of India as sacrilegious barbarians. 

A counter propaganda against the followers of the Sayyid was started and fataawa against the Jihad were obtained and circulated (Rajendra Prasad; Indian Divided, p. 94. Also see Calcutta Review and the article “Wahabeeism” by Reilly in the Times, London, dated Feb 27 and Mar 1, 1871), some of which have been quoted by Hunter (Indian Musalmans, p. 147).”

Then the Shaykh gives the names of some of the scholars who gave fatawa and ran a smear campaign against the Sayyid. These are:

Nawab Abdul Latif of Calcutta.

Maulwi Karamat ‘Ali Kajgavi of Jaunpur (Rafidi Shi’a). Not to be mistaken for Hadrat Mawlana Karamat 'Ali Jaunpuri who was a follower of Sayyid Ahmad.

Maulwi Chirag ‘Ali (Aligarh Movement).

Maulwi Nazir Ahmad (Urdu Litterateur and Hanafi ‘Alim).

Maulwi Fadl Rasul Badayuni ( Hanafi Mubtadi’ and British agent).

Maulwi Muhammad Husain Batalvi (Ahl Hadith).

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani (Apostate). (Names mentioned in book end here)

In addition to this, some other scholars who opposed the Jihad were:

Syed Ahmed Khan (Modernist).

Maulwi Nazir Husain Dehlawi (Ahl Hadith).

Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan (Ahl Hadith). 

‘Alaykum Salam.

Positive Roles Of Islamic Schools.

 

The Positive Role of Madrasas

MUFTI MOHAMMAD ANWAR KHAN

Once, the turbulent period of 1857 was brought under control by the British, the economic plight and the literacy rate of Muslims had dropped to an alarming degree. Their overall situation was so grave that they were suffering untold miseries and unbearable pains of having lost power to a military force of an alien country, which had no right to be in India. The Muslim scholars and spiritual leaders of the community were farsighted enough to visualize the nightmares that the Muslims were going through. The British had left such a deep impact on their memories after spilling their blood and killing those caught in the most savage manner, so much so, that they decided to erase from the subcontinent all traces of rich eastern values taught by Islam to Muslims along with their traditions and cultural heritage.
In turn, this inspired other Muslims to enter into the all-embracing fold of enrolling their wards in English Schools and Colleges, who became deeply impressed with the technical know-how that imparting knowledge to vulnerable young Muslim minds became the monopoly of the British who made light of their religion and culture of Islam until they started hating them. By and large, Muslims had become alien in their own lands. Having born and bred up as Muslims, they started despising everything about Islam under British tutelage, which encouraged them to learn more about the Western Thought by making Christianity as a subject that was taught compulsorily to all Muslims, until the Muslims knew more about Christianity than they knew about Islam. The process was contusing in different parts of the country with an alarming speed.
There were countless number of other Muslim intellectuals who could recite by heart large passages from Shakespearean dramas, and quoted Emmanuel, Kant, Marx, and Engels – the philosophers of Europe – much better than they knew about the tenets of the Religion of Islam, or the sacred book of Islam, the Qur’an.

For a time, chaos reigned in the minds of Muslims of India. The war of 1857 had also brought with it new ideologies, which were imported from foreign shores. All over the country, the Eastern values were being erased. The Western power had spread the network of modern English schools and colleges to change the mentality of Muslims. The foreign minds were busy making plans to this effect. For this reason, the parliament of London had dispatched a huge number of Christian priests and missionaries to India to obliterate the religious and cultural existence of the Muslims. The Muslims of India were introduced to foreign philosophers and English literature.
On the other hand, there was an accursed person who was born in India and who was raised under the supervision of the British power titled “Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani” who claimed to be the promised Messiah. At last, he came with the claim that he was the Messenger sent to the world by Allah. In this way, he impressed millions of Muslims negatively. It was felt by many that Islam was in great danger in the future. It was totally jeopardized. Under these pernicious times, some of the chosen servants of Allah started the campaign of Islamic education.

The Muslim scholars of India did not lose hope of reforming the other Muslim intellectuals to revert back to the fold of Islam in its entirety. Keeping this objective in mind, the luminous personalities of Islam, Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanawtawi, his companions Maulana Zulfiqar Ali, Haji Abid Hussain and Maulana Fazlur Rahman and a few others laid the foundation of Darul Uloom, Deoband, the most prestigious university in the subcontinent. At the same time, Maulana Mazhar Nanawtawi laid the foundation of Mazahir Uloom at Saharanpur (U.P). The Tablighi Jama‘at, the largest grassroots Muslim organization in the world, headquartered in Nizamuddin, New Delhi, was founded in 1926 by Maulana Muhammad Ilyas, the greatest thinker of twentieth century. These Islamic institutions, especially Darul Uloom, and Tablighi Jama‘at have played a key role in the preservation of Islamic culture and heritage across the globe. The graduates trained in these institutions defended every possible attack against Islam and its teachings. These institutions produced a unique galaxy of Muslim scholars who performed permanent key roles in preserving the social background of the Indian Islamic culture and eastern values.

Wa Salamu 'Alaykum.

http://deobandcenter.com/The-Positive-Role-of-Madrasas.php

Have A Bite of Smallpox, Red.

Al Salamu 'Alaykum.

"During the French and Indian War, the British suspected American Indians of siding with the French. In an "act of good will," the British gave the Indians nice, warm blankets -straight from the beds of smallpox victims.  

The resulting epidemic killed hundreds of Indians."

Mashallah, what a "Christian" deed.

Some details about biological warfare and the efforts of the West in that regard here:
http://telemedicine.org/biowar/biologic.htm
Some unsavoury techniques to root out "lesser" races here:
http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=155019

• In the Americas, smallpox severely weakened the native population. They had never been exposed to smallpox, which the European explorers brought with them to the Americas in the 1600s. The British forces at Fort Pitt (later to become Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) purposefully gave smallpox-contaminated blankets and goods to Native Americans during the French and Indian Wars in an attempt to weaken the Native American resistance to colonial expansion. Due to this and through natural spread, the epidemic that followed killed half of the Native American population.

To read the detailed article from where the above para is taken, go here:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/smallpox/article_em.htm
Wa'laykum Salam.