CSS 2010 Solved Pakistan Affairs Past Papers | Shah Waliullah’s view on the Renaissance of Islam
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Question Breakdown
In this question, the examiner has asked you how Shah Walli Ullah revived the Muslim society intellectually to align it with the teachings of the Holy Quran and Sunnah. So, we have to attempt it analytically by connecting the various steps that he took during reforming Muslim society with intellectual development. So, start with the introduction, which includes all the leading concepts of your answer. Then, answer it by dividing it into three levels. Last, write a critical analysis and end it with a conclusion.
Outline
1- Introduction
2- Historical Context of the Socio-Economic Factors that Led to the Initiation of Reform Movement in the Indian subcontinent
3- How Did Shah Walli Ullah’s Works Aid him in Re-orienting the Intellectual Life of Muslims to Bring the Renaissance of Islam and Muslim Society of the Indian Subcontinent?
- ✓ By Reconciliation of Sectarian Differences between Sunnis and Shias and both Strands of Sufism
- Evidence: As M.R. Kazmi, who was a distinguished academic, aptly described in his book, A Concise History of Pakistan, he, Shah Walli Ullah, tried to reconcile the Sunnis and the Shias and wrote a book, Izalatul Khifa, disputing their beliefs, at the same time he vehemently declared that the Shias were within the pale of Islam.
- Evidence: As M.R. Kazmi, who was a distinguished academic, aptly described in his book, A Concise History of Pakistan, he, Shah Walli Ullah, tried to reconcile the Sunnis and the Shias and wrote a book, Izalatul Khifa, disputing their beliefs, at the same time he vehemently declared that the Shias were within the pale of Islam.
- ✓ By Purification of Islamic Knowledge from the Adulteration and Revival of Islamic Knowledge
- Evidence: For illustration, according to M.R. Kazmi, who was a distinguished academic, aptly described in his book, A Concise History of Pakistan, that Shah Wali Ullah gave central importance to fiqh (Jurisprudence) because he thought that deviation from Islamic norms had led the Muslim community into decline.
- Evidence: For illustration, according to M.R. Kazmi, who was a distinguished academic, aptly described in his book, A Concise History of Pakistan, that Shah Wali Ullah gave central importance to fiqh (Jurisprudence) because he thought that deviation from Islamic norms had led the Muslim community into decline.
- ✓ By Promoting Ijtihad (Independent Reasoning)
- Evidence: According to M.R. Kazmi, who was a distinguished academic aptly described in his book, A Concise History of Pakistan, no other book of the eighteenth century has had such a profound effect as Shah Walliullah’s famous book, Hujjat ullah al baligha, on the Muslims of South Asia.
- Evidence: According to M.R. Kazmi, who was a distinguished academic aptly described in his book, A Concise History of Pakistan, no other book of the eighteenth century has had such a profound effect as Shah Walliullah’s famous book, Hujjat ullah al baligha, on the Muslims of South Asia.
- ✓ By Laying Down the Cornerstone for ‘Ilm Asrār al-Shari‘ah (Rational Interpretation of Shari‘ah)
- Re-orientation of Intellectual Life in the Economic and Political Matters
- Re-orientation of Intellectual Life in the Economic and Political Matters
- ✓ By Promoting Fair Economic Principles through Intellectual Means
- Evidence: According to Shah Walliullah, Allah Almighty has established an equilibrium in the world, and it is indispensable for human beings to maintain the balance through justice because hoarding financial resources disrupts the established balance and leads to corruption in society.
- Evidence: According to Shah Walliullah, Allah Almighty has established an equilibrium in the world, and it is indispensable for human beings to maintain the balance through justice because hoarding financial resources disrupts the established balance and leads to corruption in society.
- ✓ By Advocating Economic Justice
- Evidence: As M. R. Kazimi described in his book A Concise History of Pakistan, his guiding principles of reform were adl and tawazan, justice, and balance; therefore, he favored an equitable distribution of wealth in society.
- Evidence: As M. R. Kazimi described in his book A Concise History of Pakistan, his guiding principles of reform were adl and tawazan, justice, and balance; therefore, he favored an equitable distribution of wealth in society.
- ✓ By Articulating Principles of Politics and Governance Aligned with the Teachings of Islam
- Evidence: In his book Izalat al-Khafa ‘an Khilafat al-Khulafa, he discussed the concept of the Caliphate, a political system established as a welfare state system by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Rightly Guided Caliphs.
4- Critical Analysis
5- Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
Islamist Reform Movements of the 16th and 18th centuries in the Indian subcontinent illustrated the need and urgency of reforms not only in the religious paradigm but also in the socio-economic fields of the Muslims. However, the goal affirms the affiliation of reforms with the teachings of Islam. Thus, the reformers paid attention to intellectual development to support the passage of the movement because they realized that the renaissance of the Muslim society required the intellectual development of the society to think pragmatically. Similarly, the reform movement led by Shah Walli Ullah focused on re-orientating the intellectual life of the Muslims because he opted to reform the society plagued with adulterations in the religious field and blind following of influential figures portraying themselves as Pirs. So, it was inevitable to enable Muslims to think pragmatically. The following points describe how he revived Muslim society by re-orienting their intellectual life and Islam by purifying adulterations (Biddats). Socially, he suppresses the challenges confronting the lives of Indian Muslims. He realized the intellectual dangers and academic challenges challenging the Muslim society of the sub-continent unprecedently, arising from the adulterations in Islamic teachings and the awakening of the scientific revolution. Thus, he propounded the theory of Fakku Kulli Nizām (dissolving and revolutionizing every order) to address the menace of identity crisis and to revert the imminent danger. He promoted teachings of the Holy Quran and Sunnah in the socio-economic affairs of lives, such as fair economic system, equitable distribution of wealth, and welfare system of governance. Further, he translated the Holy Quran into Persian to promote its understanding. Also, he promoted logic by emphasizing ijtihad and led the foundation of Ilm-ul-Insar (rational interpretation of sharia). To conclude, he brought a renaissance of Islam and Muslim society plagued with moral ills.
Historical Context of the Socio-Economic Factors that Led to the Initiation of Reform Movement in the Indian subcontinent
The decline of one of the most mighty Muslim realms, the Mughal Empire (1526-1858), formally started in the 18th century during the reign of Muhammad Shah (1719-48). However, myriad reasons contributed to the decline. Among them, intellectual stagnation was the paramount cause. It signified the socio-cultural and economic decline of the Muslim society of the Indian subcontinent. At that time, religious adulterations and blind following were at their peak. The Muslims were confronted with the challenge of an identity crisis. They adopted Hindu customs and blindly followed Pirs. This course of events gave birth to an influential figure, Shah Walli Ullah, who not only brought the renaissance of Islam but also re-oriented the intellectual lives of the Muslim community.
How Did Shah Walli Ullah’s Works Aid him in Re-orienting the Intellectual Life of Muslims to bring the Renaissance of Islam and Muslim Society of the Indian Subcontinent?
Coming to the point of the revival of Islam, as he wanted to reverse the decline of Muslim society, he sought to achieve the political, social, and economic emancipation of Muslims of the sub-continent. The following points demonstrate how he addressed the challenges confronting Muslims at the socio-economic and political level and aligned the socio-economic and political system with the principles of Islam.
Socially, Fakku Kulli Nizām’ (dissolving and revolutionizing of every order), the Re-orientation of the Intellectual Life of the Muslim Society of the Indian subcontinent
Shah Walli Ullah Dehalwi realized the intellectual dangers and academic challenges confronting the Muslim society of the sub-continent unprecedently, arising from the adulterations in Islamic teachings and the awakening of the scientific revolution. He understood that “The renaissance of Islam and Muslim Society cannot be affected until the intellectual life of the Muslims is re-oriented.” Thus, he propounded the theory of Fakku Kulli Nizām (dissolving and revolutionizing every order) to address the menace of identity crisis and to revert the imminent danger. The following points illustrate how he re-oriented the Muslim’s intellectual life to bring it back to its original morph under the umbrella of Fakku Kulli Nizam.
- ✓ By Reconciliation of Sectarian Differences between Sunnis and Shias and both Strands of Sufism
First, he opted to reconstruct and revolutionize the Muslim society by reconciling the two leading sects, namely Shias and Sunnah. However, he sought to find a striking balance between the theological understandings of both sects. Notably, the differences in religious knowledge between the fractions originated from the differences in association based on Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) and Tasawuf (Sufism). As M.R. Kazmi, who was a distinguished academic, aptly described in his book, A Concise History of Pakistan, he, Shah Walli Ullah, tried to reconcile the Sunnis and the Shias and wrote a book, Izalatul Khifa, disputing their beliefs, at the same time he vehemently declared that the Shias were within the pale of Islam. Then, he tried to reconcile both strands of Sufism: Wajodi and Shahodi, which are the followers of the theory of Wahdatul Wajood, propounded by Ibn ul Arabi, and the followers of the theory of Wahdatul Shahood, propounded by Sheikh Muhammad Sirhindi by identifying similarities in the meanings of both. Also, while highlighting the meaning of tariqat, the spiritual path followed by Sufis, Shah Walli Ullah, said that tariqat is always subordinated to Shariat (Islamic Law). In this way, he promoted the teachings of the Holy Quran and Sunnah.
- ✓ By Purification of Islamic Knowledge from the Adulteration and Revival of Islamic Knowledge
For the promotion of the teachings of the Holy Quran, he devised a policy because he realized that the deviation of the Muslim society from Islamic norms caused their intellectual and moral decline. So, he opted to introduce the teachings of the Holy Quran on a wider scale in society. Then, he introduced a comprehensive Islamic passage that gave a central place to the Quran, Hadith, and Fiqh. For illustration, according toM.R. Kazmi, who was a distinguished academic, aptly described in his book, A Concise History of Pakistan, Shah Wali Ullah gave central importance to fiqh (Jurisprudence) because he thought that deviation from Islamic norms had led the Muslim community into decline. He wanted intellectual reformation of the Muslim community independent from the influence of the Ulema. Thus, he translated the Holy Quran into Persian so everyone could have access to its meaning.
- ✓ By Promoting Ijtihad (Independent Reasoning)
Third, he took the step to curb the influence of the scientific revolution, which promoted the notion that religious traditions and thoughts were not based on reason or logic. So, he strengthened his Islamic beliefs as reflected in his book ‘Ḥujjat al-Allāh al-Bālighah’ (Conclusive Arguments from Allah). According to M.R. Kazmi, who was a distinguished academic aptly described in his book, A Concise History of Pakistan, no other book of the eighteenth century has had such a profound effect as Shah Walliullah’s famous book, Hujjat ullah al baligha on the Muslims of South Asia. In this book, he presented the teachings of the Holy Quran in the essence of scientific objectivity. For this purpose, he promoted Ijtihad (independent reasoning) over taqlid (imitation) to understand what the directive principles of Islam say about emerging problems.
- ✓ By Laying Down the Cornerstone for ‘Ilm Asrār al-Shari‘ah (Rational Interpretation of Shari‘ah)
Besides, he not only extracted and explored the scientific aspects of Shariah issues but also laid down the cornerstone of ‘Ilm Asrār al-Shari’ah (Rational Interpretation of Shariah). For the task, he first translated the Holy Quran into Persian to promote understanding. This step helped him to widen the reach and scope of the teachings of Islam. Then, he formulated the principles of Ilm Asrar al-Shariah and presented them as a branch of theology (the study of religion).
Re-orientation of Intellectual Life in the Economic and Political Matters
Then, he tried to reconstruct the Muslim community on economic lines. As a result, he laid the foundation of specific fundamental socio-economic principles to develop a universal paradigm. These principles were based on his socio-economic theory and aligned with the directive principles of Islam.
- ✓ By Promoting Fair Economic Principles through Intellectual Means
First, he promoted fair economic principles through his writings, such as in Hujjatullah al-Baligha (The Conclusive Argument from God) and Izalat al-Khafa (The Removal of Ambiguity). In his work, Hujjatullah al-Baligha, Shah Walli Ullah discussed the social, economic, and moral obligations of rulers and laborers in maintaining a fair economic system. According to Shah Walliullah, Allah Almighty has established an equilibrium in the world, and it is indispensable for human beings to maintain the balance through justice because hoarding financial resources disrupts the established balance and leads to corruption in society. Further, he promoted a fair system and ethical treatment of laborers. Also, he promoted labor rights and reacted against the elite class exploiting laborers. According to him, laborers deserve most of the nation’s wealth because they contribute the most to accessing the wealth. Also, he promoted the principle of cooperation between laborers and farmers and said that revenue must be generated by mutual assistance of laborers and farmers. In his work Izalat al-Khafa (The Removal of Ambiguity), he emphasized the fair distribution of wealth and the responsibility of rulers to ensure equitable distribution.
- ✓ By Advocating Economic Justice
Second, the re-orientation of the intellectual life of the Muslim society of the Indian subcontinent for the renaissance of Islam and Muslims themselves needed a harmonious society. Meanwhile, economic justice is a cornerstone of a harmonious society. So, he advocated for economic justice. For illustration, he promoted the notion of equitable distribution of wealth among the different sectors of society. As M. R. Kazimi described in his book A Concise History of Pakistan, his guiding principles of reform were adl and tawazan, justice, and balance; therefore, he favored an equitable distribution of wealth in society. He said that a royal system, which interrupted the equitable circulation of wealth due to extravagance and squandering, must be put to an end as swiftly as possible because it lead to the accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few and deprivation of the other segments of the society.
- ✓ By Articulating Principles of Politics and Governance Aligned with the Teachings of Islam
Similarly, he articulated principles of politics and governance that were aligned with the teachings of Islam. For illustration, he described that sovereignty belongs to Allah Almighty and promoted equality, equal rights, and a welfare system of government. In his book Izalat al-Khafa ‘an Khilafat al-Khulafa, he discussed the concept of the Caliphate, a political system established as a welfare state system by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Rightly Guided Caliphs. His idea was reflected in his work, where he emphasized that the share of the head of the state must be according to his work and regarded as a manager or representative because sovereignty belongs to Allah Almighty.
Critical Analysis
In a critical analysis, his vision that the renaissance of Islam and Muslim society can’t be affected until the intellectual life of the Muslims is re-oriented has timeless relevance. For illustration, his vision of educational revival can help mitigate the existent challenges faced by the Muslim community, such as educational crisis, identity crisis, issues of globalization, and intellectual stagnation. In addition, the challenges he faced due to his reformist tendencies can tell how society behaves in response to transformation, such as the conservative scholars and rulers, despite being religious, opposed his reformist agenda. Also, it showcases how fragmentation/division can impact the implementation of much-needed reforms on a wider scale. As in the case of Pakistan, social stratification is one of the leading challenges in implementing the socio-politico, economic, and educational reforms.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, Shah Walli Ullah, a reformer of the 18th century, revived the Muslim society of the Indian subcontinent and helped them to emancipate themselves from the socio-cultural ills that prevailed in their lives. He realized that the renaissance of Islam and Muslim society could not be affected until the intellectual life of the Muslims was re-oriented. So, he promoted the teachings of the Holy Quran and Sunnah. Furthermore, he translated the Holy Quran into Persian so people could understand it. It enables Muslims to come out of the false understandings promoted by Pirs. It also helps them understand the true essence of Islam. Thus, he helped Muslims to re-establish their standing on socio-economic and political fronts.
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