The following article is written by Fariha Rustam Ali, a student of Sir Syed Kazim Ali. Moreover, the article is written on the same pattern, taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory subjects for years. Besides, the knowledge, case studies, quotes, and examples have been taught to him by Miss Irum Arif, the country’s top CSS and PMS Pakistan Affairs coach. For years, Miss Irum Arif, also Sir Kazim’s student, has been known for her teaching methodology and how she helps her students understand questions asked in the exam. Therefore, to help thousands of CSS and PMS aspirants who visit Cssprepforum and Howfiv for better preparation, we have uploaded this article so they can understand how to crack a topic or a question, how to write relevantly, what is coherence, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Outline:
1- Introduction
Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi rejuvenated Islam in the sub-continent with his incredible efforts and hard work. Moreover, he changed the Muslim’s life completely through his limitless struggles, such as denouncing Akbar’s non-Islamic policies, emphasizing the Shariah, and embedding the seed of the Two-Nation theory, leaving a long-lasting influence on the Indian Muslims. Thus, his contributions revitalized Islam and Muslim states in the sub-continent.
2- The then situation
**- Performance of un-Islamic practices and traditions
**- Amalgamations of the Hindu and Muslim beliefs
**- Believing in unorthodox Sufism and miracles
**- Backing away from the Holy Quran and Shariah
**- Penetration of the Philosophy of Wahdat-Ul- Wujud
3- Efforts Done by Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi for Indian Muslims
- Religious Efforts
**- Countered the unorthodox Sufism
**- Challenged Akbar’s non-Islamic practices
**- Implemented the Shariah and Fiqah
**- Proposed philosophy of Wahdat-Ul- Shahud against the Wahdat-Ul-Wujud
- Social Efforts
**- Emphasized the Jurisprudence of true Islam
**- Denounced Akbar’s policy of Sulh I Kul
- Political Efforts
**- Struggled to assign respected positions in civil court for the Muslims
**- Embedded the seed of Two Nation Theory
4- Influences of Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi’s Efforts in the Sub-Continent
**- Re-enforced Jizya
**- Re-established Islamic practices
**- Prohibited prostration in front of the Mughal Emperor
**- Banned Inter-religious marriages and Parsi Nauroz festival
**- Muslims got authorities in high civil positions
5- Critical Analysis
6- Conclusion
Introduction
Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi rejuvenated Islam through his preaching and teaching of Islam, and by writing books. In fact, he had a long-lasting influence on the then Muslims of the Sub-continent due to his indefatigable efforts for the purification of Islam. Also, he wrote so many books and letters, which played a positive role in Muslim life. Because of his preaching and teaching, which he did for the renaissance of Islam, he was also known as “Mujaddid Alf Sani”. All his efforts – such as abolishing Akbar’s policy of amalgamation of various religions, implementing the philosophy of Wahdat-Ul- Shahud, and emphasizing the jurisprudence of true Islam- stood like a tree against the unorthodox Sufism and un-Islamic policies. Furthermore, they embedded the seed of the Two-Nation Theory helped a lot of the then Muslims for thinking of themselves as a separate nation. As he began to spread a true Islam all over the sub-continent; consequently, the religious and societal status of the Muslims got better. In this manner, his reform movement showed a revival response that left an unforgettable memory and remained in the heart of the Muslims. Hence, the question further digs into the efforts and influences of Mujadid’s reform movement.
“He the guardian of the estate of millah in India
(Allama Iqbal)
Whom Allah awakened at the right time”.
During the Mughal era, the Muslims of India had backed away from the commandments of Islam and Shariah because of so-called ulemas and rulers who imposed un-Islamic practices, culture, and traditions. Besides that, the Bhakti movement and the regime of Akbar were the main root causes of all these evils. Akbar just focused only on his self-motives, love for all religions, the law of infallibility, and political goals. After the amalgamation of the Hindus and the Muslim’s beliefs, which created non-Islamic culture, worships, and traditions, the real perspective of Islam. Likewise, Akbar’s innovation in Islam increased unorthodox Sufism and mystic beliefs among the Muslims; consequently, the then Muslims remained unable to understand the true values of Islam got ruined. Also, Akbar proposed a new innovative religion called Deen-i-Ellahi. Additionally, Akbar’s Deen-i-Ellahi and his philosophy of Wahdat-Ul- Wujud distracted the Muslims completely and, in fact, caused a menace to Islam and its values. Hence, Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi was the one and only person who preached the true values of Islam and Shariah and dragged the Muslims out of the darkness through his Islamic teachings.
The situation hit and forced Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi, so he did imperishable efforts for the purification of Islam. On the one hand, he started his preaching through speeches and commentaries in the light of the Holy Quran; on the other hand, he countered the unorthodox Sufism and challenged Akbar’s non-Islamic practices simultaneously. Additionally, he started emphasizing on cow slaughtering, giving khutba, and constructing mosques. With that, he wrote so many books- such as Isbat- ul- Nabat, Risal-i-Nabuwat, his greatest philosophy Tauheed-i-Shuhudi, and 536 letters called Maktubaat- helped him in the spreading of true Islam. Furthermore, he implemented the Fiqah and the Shariah, which were abolished by Akbar. Then, he proposed the philosophy of Wahdat-Ul- Shahud and encountered the Wahdat-Ul-Wujud because Akbar’s interpretation of Islam was completely overshadowing the real Islamic values and Shariah. In consequence, his reform movement had a great religious impact.
According to him,
“It is a virtue to promote Sunnah instead of innovation in the religion.”
Along with his religious influence, his reform movement had social influences too. Mujjadid was not only a religious scholar but also a social reformer. Therefore, he emphasized the jurisprudence of true Islam, which increased equality in the Indian sub-continent. Further, he denounced Akbar’s policy of Sulh I Kul. As a result, the Muslims started to attain their rights, by following Shariah and practising Islamic values. In Akbar’s regime Hindus, Jews, and Christians and their social cultures, traditions, and norms, became part of Islam; consequently, the Muslims started practising them. Luckily, Mujjadid restricted all non-Islamic rituals and cultures. Thus, due to his efficient preaching, the whole society came under the flag of Islam.
As religious and social efforts, he also did political work for the sake of Indian Muslims. He was not a political leader but his teaching had a strong influence on the Muslims of the sub-continent. Likewise, he struggled to assign respected positions in the civil court for the Muslims. Similarly, he embedded the seed of the Two Nation Theory, which helped the Muslims to understand their future motive. Consequently, Pakistan became the reality within some time. Thus, his reform movement had an impregnable impact not only on the Muslim’s life but also on the political elites and the Mughal emperor.
His teaching had a strong influence on the Muslims of the sub-continent. Mughal Emperor, Jahangir, was affected directly or indirectly by his efforts, as a result, he started implementing true Islamic values. Likewise, he re-established Islamic practices- such as cow slaughtering, Khutbah before Namaz, fasting, and re-constructing mosques. Further, he reinforced Jizya and prohibited prostration in front of the Mughal Emperor. Also, he banned Inter-religious marriages and the Parsi Navroz festival because they badly distorted the soul of Islam. Besides that, his reform movement created a positive role in the Muslim’s life; consequently, they got jobs in the high civil position and had a hold in other respected areas, i.e., courts, and mosques. Similarly, he embedded the seed of the Two-Nation Theory in the successive generation. That had an impregnable impact and, ultimately, a dream of Pakistan came true. Hence, he had a long-lasting influence that remained in the Muslim memory forever.
In a sagacious diagnosis, ” every action has an opposite reaction”, similarly, Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi’s reform movement was the counter-reaction to Akbar’s policies and unorthodox Sufism. He was not only a religious scholar but also a social and political reformer. He played a vital role in the purification of Islam from the un-Islamic practices and policies of the Mughal Era. Similarly, he began to spread the true soul of Islam through his preaching, speeches, letters, and by writing books. Also, he did a great struggle the abolish Akbar’s policies that had completely against Islam. No doubt, his impact was impregnable and his contributions always remained in the heart of the Indian Muslims.
” Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi is a light that illuminate the whole world.“
Khawaja Baqi Billah
In a nutshell, his movement was great for the Muslims because Allah already alerted him to Akbar’s policies, which caused the hindrance in the spreading of real Islam. Mujjadid revitalized Islam and imposed Islamic rules through his teachings. Also, he worked for the Wilayat, Shariah, Sunnah of Hazarat Muhammad (PBUH), and jurisprudence of true Islam. In this way, he reformed the real values of Islam and revived the religious, societal, and political status of the Indian Muslims. Hence, he dragged out the Muslims from the edge of darkness and brought them under the light of true Islam.
“The one who did not bow his head to Jahangir
(Allama Iqbal
Whose warm breath lends heat to the freemen.”
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