Shah Wali Ullah

Political Thought

Members: Azam Tariq, Afaq, Hasan, Moaz Manzoor

Pre-Historical Background
History of Mughals :

Aurangzeb (mughal emperor) was died on 1707.the

mughal empire was vast in the beginning but at the end
it shrunk to a few kilometers around Delhi.
● After the death of Aurangzeb war of successions
began amongst his sons.
● Muazzam(Governor of Kabul)
● Azam (Governor of Gujarat)
● Kam baksh (Governor of Deccan)
Con't :

● Azam turned Ahmednagar and proclaimed himself

emperor.
● Kam baksh conquered the important areas of
gulbarga and hyderabad and declare himself a
sovereign ruler.
● Muazzam defeated both Azam in 1707 and kam
baksh in 1708.
Con't :

● Muazzam ascended mughal throne with the title of

Bahadur Shah I.
● He tried to reverse some of the narrow minded
policies adopted by Aurangzeb.
● He followed a conciliatory policy toward Rajput's and
Martha's but strict toward Sikhs.
Shah waliullah :
Introduction

● He was born on February 21, 1703 in the town of

phulat in Muzaffarnagar Uttar Pardesh India.
● His real name was Qutb-ud-din and his father name
was Abdur Rahim.
● He was known as Shah Waliullah because of his
piety and good soul.
Education :

● He received his basic education form his grand fathe

● When he was five years old he was introduced to
Islamic education and at the age of seven he could
recite the Quran.
● He got married at the age of fourteen.
● At the age of 17 he took place of his father and
become an educator at the Madrassa
Con't :

● He taught there for 12 year.

● This became renaissance in the Indian sub continent.
● In 1730 he went to Arabia for higher studies
(MAKKAH and MADINA).
● While he was on Arabia he received a vision of
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) he work to organize
Muslim Community in India.
Contributions.

● Translated Quran from Arabic to Persian.

● Renaissance in Indian Muslim Community.
● Muslim community against Martha's Empire.
● Hujjatullah Al baligha. (complete
encyclopedia)
● For economics, state, conflicts and sects etc.
 Religious Thoughts
Question
What were the non-Islamic preaching conduct at his time and now today?
continue
● The religion/custom which I saw and which I read are different.
● He criticizes blind following of Imams.
● In his book Hujat-ul-Baligha (ref pg 418) he wrote about christians.
continue
● HE also gives the education of jihad.
● He said, he write which he thinks correct.
● He also criticizes non-Islamic customs.
NON-Islamic Customs
● Wedding ceremony which include engagement ceremony.
● Concept of Dowry.
● Biddah.
Third Battle of Panipat

Role of SHAH WALI ULLAH

Fall of Mughals and Rise of Maratha
● After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, the Mughal empire was involved in
continuous wars of succession, which divided the nobility and erased the political
structure.
● Under these circumstances, Shah Waliullah raised his voice against the course of
decline and suggested measures for revival of Muslim power in the subcontinent.
● His main concern was to improve the political, social and economic condition of
the Muslims, while disregarding other communities who also confronted the same
situation and needed support and guidance to survive.
● They failed to produce central control that govern the state.
● To revive Muslim power in India, Waliullah decided to take a strong step against
the Marathas, Sikhs, and the Jats.
● Waliullah exhorted the followers of Judaism and
Christianity to adopt Islam and any refusal was regarded as
an unpardonable denial of God.
● Shah Waliullah wrote letters and urged Shah Abdali that it
was his religious duty to help and save the Muslims when
the Marathas attacked them.
● Consequently, the Marathas were defeated in the third
battle of Panipat in 1762.
EXTENT OF MARATHA EMPIRE
What might have happened if Shah Walli
Ullah didn’t send his letter to Shah
abdali?
 Casualties and Loss
Muslims Marathas

Almost 20,000 to 30,000 Muslims 30,000 to 40,000 were killed during the war.
were killed or wounded during the
war. 10,000 were killed while retreating.

Another 10,000 were killed at Another 40,000 to 70,000 non-combatants

Kunjpura. were executed following the war.

Many critics especially Hindu

and Sikh authors criticize Shah
Waliullah for the deaths of over
100,000 to 150,000 people.
 Rule
If Shah Wali Ullah had not send his letter, then Marathas would have ruled entire
subcontinent.
Punjab, Sikh and other Muslim states would have been under their rule.
Separate Muslim state might have not formed later.

East India Company

The Marathas were defeated in the third battle of Panipat in 1762 but it failed to
revive the Mughal power in the subcontinent but helped the East India Company to
gain power as Shah Waliullah had overlooked the growing influence of the British in
the subcontinent.
 Questions

 What is a state and its requirement according to

shahwaliullah?
 Requirements of a state.
 What is the shahwaliullah principle of politics and governing
system?
 According to shahwaliullah “the real state is not a fortress, lofty buildings and
trading center, but it is a form of unity b/w various groups of human beings,
which comes into being as an essential consequence of the principles(of the various
department of life) that link together the various groups of society through diverse
form of intercourse, transaction, and co-operation , giving them internal unity and
integrity of One Person”(BUDAR)
 In order to safeguard the state and its unity, the society create a form of Government
for the State and develop it.
 The system(tadbir) of the government through which that object is attained is the real
leader (imam) or Governor of the State. Governor of the state is not a WALLIULLAH,
at all the form of human individual except of course when a capable person of strong
and powerful personality, the one who is absolutely suitable for the task , under –takes
the task of government of the state , he is the head of state.
 Requirements of a state
1. Judiciary: A grave danger to the unity of state lies in the disputes and competition . If
the disputes are not settled they will grow and result discord and conflict b/w the people
of the state . Hence state is in great need of a form of institution to be included in its
system of government that should settle disputes . It is necessary that JUDICARY
should be JUST and STRONG and its JUDGEMENTS capable of being executed.
2. Executive: The elements which are likely to cause corruption in the state for that it is
necessary to have a strong institution to take punitive and deterrent measures against
such people and equitable and civilized methods of dealing with them must be adopted
3. Military: A society of man cannot be without people of perverted dispositions who
create causes of conflict and quarrel which result killing and may result rebellion against
state in order to control such violent situation and preserve the state from danger a
DEFENCE FORCE is essential in the form of army of brave man Who are well versed
in the art of battle and command a willing obedience of people this is JIHAD.
4. Public Welfare : A developed state is in need of some sort of institution to
look after the welfare of the people to find out ways and means of doing the work
that people are unable to do themselves that is to national welfare by constructing
public building and places for example encouraging farmer so that no piece of land
should be left uncultivated etc. . This institution of government is known as
NIQABA according to SHAHWALIULLAH and Head of Institute known as
NAQIB or WALI
5. Education of People of the State : People living in the state should be
well instructed, both in the sphere of livelihood necessary for a high standard of
living and in conformity with the social progress and in the sphere of spiritual and
moral advancement similarly should encourage art, study of history, medical science
etc.
 Shahwaliullah Principle of Politics and Governing
system?
 Similarly, he propounded his original thoughts regarding basic principles of politics and
governance. It is noteworthy that these thoughts are presented in HIJATULL BALIGHA in
eighteenth century (around 1750) while the French Revolution, which is considered as milestone
for democracy and freedom, was to come after nearly half a century between 1789 to 1799
1. The sole owner of land is Allah and as per the outer look it is the state, the citizens are like those
staying in any inn. Ownership means that the other is legally prohibited to interfere in someone's
right of benefiting.
2. All human beings are equal. None reserves the right to call himself Owner of Country, King
of people or consider himself the owner of the people and nation. Neither is it allowed for anyone
to call the men of power by these names.
3. The status of head of state is like that of a manager of an endowment. If the manager of
endowment is needy then he can take as much stipend as a common citizen needs to lead his life.
4. It is birth right of every human being without any discrimination of caste and
creed to get bread , clothe, house, right to marry and get his children educated and
nourish.
5. Every sect and group has fundamental right to protect and prosper its language
and civilization.
6. Every citizen, without discrimination of caste, creed and color, has equal right to
justice, security of life and property, protection of honor, freedom of ownership
and uniformity in civil rights.
7. In order to receive these rights it is imperative to form autonomous states which
are free in their matters. Every unit should have such power that is sufficient to
fight the aggression of the other states of same ranking. These units are attached by
an international system which enjoys sovereignty as per military power. This
system will not be allowed to attack any unit of particular religion of particular
civilization.
 Conclusion
1. Shah Wali Allah’s influence was quite widespread and penetrating. He
revolutionized the philosophical, political, social, and economic ideas
within the framework of Islam.
2. Shah Wali Allah analyzed and examined the various components of Islamic
mysticism and Fiqh and rearranged them in an order that made them highly
beneficial to the Muslim society.
3. According to Iqbal, he was the first Muslim to feel the urge for rethinking
the whole system of Islam without in any way breaking away from its past.
he was the precursor of Iqbal; anyone delving deep into
Iqbal’s Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam will find the spirit
of Shah Wali Allah pervading this work from beginning to end.
4. His books Ḥujjat Allāh al-Bāligha and al-Budūr Al-Bāzighahhe discussed the
fundamental rights in length under the title of ‘Irtifāqāt (public interests) where he
describe the 4 stages in social evolution which he name them as IRTIFAQ –(1) IRTIFAQ
(2) IRTIFAQ (3) and IRTIFAQ. In these stages he tries to describe how society is evolved
and reaches to INTERNATIONAL STATE.
5. Shah Waliullah tried the best for the existence of Mughal Empire and to restore the sense
of unity of community. He also addressed the internal issues of Muslim society and
propounded the theory of ‘Fakku Kulli Nizām’ (reconstruction and revolutionization of
old system) which aimed at striking a balance between different theological and religious
thoughts (such as taking Shia and Sunni fractions close to each other and
reconciliation between different sects originating due to differences in Fiqh
and Taṣawwuf) and purify Muslim belief and practices from
alien adulterations along with introducing the teachings of the “Quran” on wider scale.
6. Shah Waliullah who propounded such revolutionary and pioneering thoughts
around 1750 when the French Revolution, which heralded the dawn of democracy,
freedom and radical social change, was to come after half a century between1789
to 1799. Similarly, Karl Marx, Founder of communism who wrote the Communist
Manifesto Shah Waliullah contributed these thoughts much before the machine
age that was to start in Europe after nearly 40 years.
7. If Muslim World would apply his is theories and ideas now most of the current
and up coming challenges can be overcome.
 References
● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shah_Waliullah_Dehlawi
● http://www.historydiscussion.net/empires/later-mughals-and-disintegration-of-
the-mughals-empire-in-india/598.com
● www.youtube.com/dr Israr
● www.ahlsunnatpak.com
● Dawn news Article: Past present: When the empire crumbled
● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Battle_of_Panipat
● Book: Philosophy of shah Waliullah by Dr. A. J. Halepota