History: The work of Shah Wali Ullah

(1703-1762)

Question: Write a detailed introduction of Shah

Wali Ullah

Answer: Shah Wali Ullah Muhaddis Dehlvi was born on February 21,
1703, in Delhi, when the reign of Aurangzeb was nearing its end. His
real name was Qutb ud Din, but is better known by the title of Wali
Ullah, given by his goodness and piety. his father, Shah Abdul Rahim
was a Sufi and theologian of great repute, who died in 1718. Shah Wali
Ullah was the founding member and the teacher of the Madrasa-I-
Rahimiya in Delhi and also taught there for 12 years. The Madrasahi-
rahimiyah is an Islamic seminary located in Delhi, India. it was founded
by Shah Abdur Rahim, the father of Shah Wali Ullah, during 18 th
century. after the death of Shah Abdur Rahim, Shah Wali Ullah started
teaching in the madrasah. it became a leading institute of Islamic
learning and was acknowledged as the most influential seminary in the
Indian subcontinent. Later, when Shah Wali Ullah died, his sons Shah
Adbul Rafi and Shah Abdul Qadar began teaching here, with Adbul Aziz
becoming its principal. Shah Wali Ullah was influenced by Sheikh Abu
Tahir bin Ibrahim, a renowned scholar of the time when we went to
perform hajj and for further studies and returned to Delhi in 1732.

Question: Write about Shah Wali Ullah's visit to Arabia,

what did he learn there?
Answer: In 1724, Shah Wali Ullah went to Arabia to perform hajj and
to further studies. He studied under the famous scholar Sheikh Abu
Tahir bin Ibrahim. During his time in Arabia, Shah Wali Ullah thought
deeply about the problems faced by Muslims. The empire was in
decline and Muslims were disunited and vulnerable to attacks on their
religion. Shah Wali Ullah realized that reform could not come from the
weak leadership in Delhi and that it had to come from within the
Muslim community. Shah Wali Ullah believed that Islam had lost its
purity in the subcontinent. Hindu customs, practices, and beliefs had
crept into the worship and lives of Muslims. It had become very
important to tell Muslims what was Islamic and what were myths and
traditions. He also believed that several social evils had corrupted
Islamic society. He wanted to transform society in light of Islamic
teaching. He wanted the rulers to enforce Islamic law e.g., Islam
condemns social injustice and protects the rights of peasants and
workers. he urged the rich Muslims to lead a pure life and stay away
from luxury and extravagance He also urged the traders to follow
Islamic laws in their dealings. He wanted to eradicate the sectarian
differences that were undermining the foundations of Muslim unity.
Shah Wali Ullah wanted to protect Muslims' religion, identity, values,
and interests. he believed that under the influence of infileds, Muslims
would forget Islam and with time it would become difficult to
distinguish them from non-Muslims. He therefore wished to revive the
teachings of the Quran and sunnah in the subcontinents. He wanted
Muslims to implement Islamic teaching in all spheres of their- social,
political, economic, and religious. This would enable them to restore
their pride and improve their living conditions.

Question: what did Shah Wali Ullah believe was a must to create a
good united society for Muslims?
Answer: Shah Wali Ullah believed it was a must to create a good united
society for muslins. a lot of Hindu practices and beliefs had crept into
the lives of Muslims. it was very important to distinguish between
traditions and Islam. He thought all political, social, and economic
behavior should be based on Islamic principles. Un-Islamic principles of
Islam in order of society. Shah Wali Ullah wanted Muslims to
concentrate on the fundamental principles of Islam, believing that this
would create a more united community. he wanted Muslims to learn
more about the Quran and Islam in general. He wanted rulers to
enforce Islamic law. He wanted a just and Islamic subcontinent. He
wished to revive the teachings of the Quran and sunnah in the
subcontinent.

Question: write a detailed note about Shah Wali Ullah's

education service.

Answer: Shah Wali Ullah directed his teachings towards

reorienting Muslim society with the concepts of basic social
justice, removing social inequalities, and balancing the
distribution of wealth. He established several branches of his
school in Delhi for effective application of his ideas. In his book,
_” Hujjat-Ullah-il-baligah” _ he pinpointed the causes of chaos
and disintegration of Muslim society. He advised the Muslims
to give up extravagance and wasteful expenditure on
marriages, death, births, and other occasions. wealthy Muslims
were asked to look after the poor and the needy. Briefly
speaking, Shah Wali Ullah was responsible for awakening in the
community the desire to win back its moral fervor and maintain
its purity. To rescue a community's conscience, belief, and faith
from destruction was no small achievement. Even after he died
in 1762, his sons and followers carried on his work and noble
mission. Many future Islamic leaders and thinkers were inspired
by his example. He completed the translation of the holy Quran
into Persian in 1738. Later on, his sons Shah Rafi, ud din, and
Shah Abdul Qadir translated the holy Quran into Urdu.
Moreover, Shah Wali Ullah wrote a commentary on hadiths in
Arabic and Persian. Shah Wali Ullah also arranged 51 books. He
propagated that Islam was the universal power and thus the
Muslims should be the dominant force in the subcontinent and
elsewhere. Shah Wali Ullah also trained students in different
branches of Islamic knowledge; he recommended the
application of ijtihad against blind taqlid in his famous work al
ijtihad- al-taqlid. He studied the writing of each school of
thought to understand their point of view and then wrote
comprehensive volumes about what is fair and just in light of
the teaching of Islam. He adopted an analytical comprehensive
volume about 4 major schools of thought of mysticism. To
create a balance between the four schools. i.e., Hanafi, Malaki,
Shafei, Hanbali he wrote al Insaf.

Question: Write a detailed note on Shah Wali Ullah's political

services

Answer: Shah Wali Ullah possessed a deep political insight. He

tried to trace the causes of the decline of the Mughal empire. In
the middle of the 18th century, Marathas had become a great
political power. They were threatening to occupy the crown of
Delhi. At the critical moments of Shah Wali Ullah to check their
advance prepared Najjad Ullah and Shuja ud Daulah
For jihad. Moreover, he wrote a letter a Ahmed Shah Abdali,
king of Afghanistan requesting him to save the muslims from
the aggression of the Marathas. Consequently, in the third
battle of Panipat, Ahmed Shah Abdali inflicted a crushing defeat
on the Marathas. Marathas were a constant threat to the
crumbling Mughal empire. He wrote to Ahmad Shah Abdali “…
give up the life of ease. Draw the sword and do sheath it till
the distinction is established between true faith and
infidelity…” in his time Shias and Sunnis were aggressively
hostile to each other and their rivalry was damaging the Muslim
unity. Shah Wali Ullah wrote izalat-al-akhifa and khilafat-al-
Khalifa to remove misunderstandings between Shias and
Sunnis. He refused to denounce Shais as heretics.

Question: Shah Wali Ullah movement proved to be a wake-up

call for Muslims. Agree or disagree

Answer The Shah Wali Ullah Movement was indeed a significant

event in the history of Muslims. It was initiated by Shah Wali Ullah
Dehlawi, an influential Islamic scholar, during the 18th century in the
Indian subcontinent. The movement aimed to revive and reform the
Muslim community, which was facing political, social, and intellectual
challenges at the time.
Shah Wali Ullah’s teachings and efforts had a profound impact on the
Muslim population. He emphasized the importance of education, unity,
and adherence to Islamic principles. His writings and sermons inspired
Muslims to actively participate in society, promote education, and work
towards the betterment of their community.
Considering these historical facts, it is reasonable to agree that the Shah
Wali Ullah Movement served as a wake-up call for Muslims. It played a
crucial role in revitalizing Islamic thought, promoting education, and
fostering a sense of unity among Muslims during a challenging period.
Please note that historical events can be interpreted differently by
different individuals. Some people may have different perspectives on
the impact of the Shah Wali Ullah Movement. It’s always valuable to
explore various viewpoints and engage in constructive discussions.

Question: what was Shah Wali Ullah's philosophy about

creating a good society?

Shah Wali Ullah, a theologian, believed that the Muslim polity could be
restored to its former splendor by a policy of religious reform that would
harmonize the religious ideals of Islam with the changing social and
economic conditions of India. He advocated for a well-integrated
economic system to ensure the economic needs of society and create a
happy and balanced society. According to him, it was essential to follow
the moral and spiritual principles of Islam to create a good society. He
also emphasized the importance of Quranic education for the welfare
and benefit of Muslims.

Question: Shah Wali Ullah laid the foundation of an

Islamic rival. Discuss.

Shah Waliullah (1703-1762) was an influential Islamic scholar and

reformer in South Asia during the 18th century. While he did not
directly lay the foundation for an "Islamic rival," he played a
significant role in revitalizing Islamic scholarship and spirituality in
the Indian subcontinent. His teachings and efforts had a profound
impact on the Islamic revivalist movements that followed, and he
is often regarded as a precursor to later Islamic reform
movements.

Here are some key points to understand how Shah Waliullah

contributed to the Islamic revival:

1. Revival of Islamic Scholarship: Shah Waliullah recognized

that the Muslim community in South Asia was facing
challenges due to political, social, and economic changes. To
address these challenges, he emphasized the importance of
reviving Islamic scholarship and knowledge. He encouraged
the study of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), theology (aqeedah),
and spirituality (tasawwuf) among Muslims.
2. Translation and Interpretation: Shah Waliullah was a
prolific writer and scholar. He translated many classical
Islamic texts into Persian and Arabic, making them more
accessible to the broader Muslim population. His translations
and commentaries helped Muslims gain a deeper
understanding of their faith.
3. Unity and Reconciliation: He advocated for unity among
Muslims and sought to bridge sectarian divides. He
promoted a more inclusive approach to Islamic
jurisprudence, attempting to reconcile the differences
between the Hanafi and Shafi'i schools of thought. This was
significant in a region where sectarian divisions were
prevalent.
 4. Political Reforms: Shah Waliullah was also concerned about
the decline of Muslim political power in India. He believed
that the Muslim rulers needed to rule justly and implement
Islamic principles in governance. He wrote letters to various
Muslim rulers, urging them to take a more responsible and
righteous approach to governance.
5. Spiritual Renewal: In addition to his scholarly work, Shah
Waliullah emphasized the importance of spiritual revival. He
believed that a strong spiritual foundation was necessary for
Muslims to face the challenges of their time. His teachings
on spirituality influenced Sufi orders and Islamic mysticism in
the Indian subcontinent.
6. Influence on Later Movements: While Shah Waliullah's
efforts did not directly lead to the establishment of an
Islamic rival state, his ideas and teachings had a lasting
impact on later Islamic revivalist movements, including the
Deobandi and Barelvi movements. These movements played
significant roles in shaping the religious and political
landscape of South Asia.

In summary, Shah Waliullah laid the intellectual and

spiritual groundwork for the Islamic revival in South Asia
during a period of significant change and challenges. His
emphasis on Islamic scholarship, unity, political reform,
and spirituality left a lasting legacy and contributed to the
development of various Islamic movements in the region.
Question: shah Wali Ullah was equally suspected among
all sects. Why?
Shah Waliullah, despite his efforts to promote unity
and reconciliation among Muslims, was indeed
viewed with suspicion by various sects and groups
within the Muslim community during his time. There
are several reasons for this suspicion:
 Critique of Contemporary Practices

 Interactions with Colonial Powers

 Diverse Audience

 Reconciliation Efforts

Overall, Shah Waliullah's efforts to reform and unify

the Muslim community in South Asia were met with
suspicion and resistance from various quarters,
primarily due to the contentious religious and political
landscape of his time, as well as the resistance to
change among certain vested interests. Despite these
challenges, his ideas and teachings continued to
influence Islamic thought and movements in the
region in the centuries that followed.