Originally Posted by ssara

Q3. Shah Waliullah realized "The renaissance of Islam and Muslim Society can not be affected until the intellectual life of the Muslims is re-oriented." Discuss Critically. (20 Marks)


Ans:
Introduction
According to the S.M Ikram 'In the 18th centuary, Islam in the subcontinent was faced with such menacing problems as sectarian conflict, low moral values of society, poor understanding of the Holy Quran and general ignorance of Islam, that there were valid reasons for fearing for fearing that political disintegration would be accompanied by religious collapse. That did not happen was due to more than any thing else but the services of one man'.

During the 18th century and after the departure of Aurangzeb the condition of the Sub-Continent was very bad owing to the insufficient successor of the Aurangzeb. On the other hand, the sectarian problems were on apex. People use to do un-Islamic practices owing to the worst influential of circumstances. People were having no respect to the rulers. Moreover, they did not pay attention to the Quran and Hadith and involving in the immoral activities. Besides, the political conditions of India had become very worst. Because, the inefficient successor of the Aurangzeb, did not pay attention to the affairs of the state. The external forces were threatening to the Sub-Continent and the internal condition of the society became demoralized in such scenario. That's why in those circumstances it was extremely necessary for the renaissance of Islam and society in order to overcome the un-Islamic culture and was ample need to change the intellectual thinking of the people.

However, Shah Waliullah was a great thinker, intellectual and analyst who realized that the renaissance of Islam and Muslim society could not be affected until the intellectual life of the Muslim was re-oriented. So, after having bird eye view in the worst circumstances, he worked for the glorification of Islam and Muslim society and he got the Muslims on the fold of Islam in order to get them on the right path of Deen e Islam.

His Revival Efforts to re-Orient the Intellectuality of the Muslims
Shah Waliullah was well educated, mystic, saint, analyst and an eminent leader. He got his early education from his father in the diverse disciplines, related in Islamic sphere. After the death of his father, he served himself to the Rahimya Madarsah which had been founded by his father. Moreover, He went to Makkah and Arabia where he got further education in Fiqh, Hadith and Mysticism. After having done his education. He went further with the revival for the Islamic soceity and wanted to change the people’s thinking from the un-Islamic activities. As he had been looking to the circumstances of the affairs of the states and he was having keen interest to spend his life in order to take out the Muslims from the un-Islamic practices. So, in this cause he worked for the cause of Islam and Muslim society and changed the trend of un-Islamic principles from the people of India.

Religiously, Shahw Waliullah worked in diverse sphere. He was the person who translated the Quran into Persian language. During his time the majority of the people were illiterate and they could not get the right path of Islam. So, in this cause, Shah Waliullah did these sort of outstanding works in order to attract the Muslims to the right path. Moreover, After broadly research on the four schools of thought, he wrote a number of books in order to overcome the misunderstanding and misconception between Shiah and Sunni conflict, which had been a dangerous problem between them. Besides, he urged the Muslim people to go for Jihad and he not only guided the people verbally but also wrote a number of his prominent books for getting them prepared in Islamic teachings. He trained his students in different Islamic knowledge as well in order to change the ideology of people from the bad deeds to good deeds.

Socially, He openly opposed the Immoral activities and taught the Muslims in diverse sphere such as ethical, moral, decent activities and he also taught them that how to spend their lives in a society in order to be a good citizen exclusively. However, He urged the people including the emperors to spend their lives simply instead of luxurious lives. He changed the outlook of the people to a right way. Besides, He urged the rulers that they would not have to be close too much with the Marhathas and Sikhs. Because during that time, the inefficient successor of the Aurnagzeb use to live in luxuries life and were getting marriages with women of the Marhathas and alloting them the pieces of lands. So, that's why Marhathas had been powerful and it was a gesture of threatening to the throne of Mughal Empire.

Politically, He gave the crystal clear idea about the ruler ship to the Mughal Rulers from the Quran and Hadith. Because, after the departure of the Aurangzeb his incapable successors did not have an intellectual knowledge to deal the affairs of the state. On the other hand, usually a war fought among them in the name of succession. Because, From the Akbar era till the Aurangzeb there were no rule of succession. Thus, whenever a new rural was have to come to the power of throne they did not make a rule of succession. Moreover, even they did not give importance to the army and warfare activities. On the other side, the external threat had been powerful in order to crush the Mughal Rule. Therefore, after the immense threat of Marhathas, Shah Waliullah gestured and immediately sent invitation to Ahmad Shah Abdali for the assistance in order to tackle the Marhathas and other external threats. As a result, with the invitation of Shah waliulluah Ahmed Shah Abdali came and third battle was fought between Marhathas and Ahmed Shah Abdali. The Marhatahs were crushed by the Ahmad Shah Abdali. Besides, Shah Waliullah gave the crystal clear notion from the Hadith about the production of wealth, consumption of wealth and distribution of the wealth. His amazing contribution to change the intellectuality of the people had been successful and the people became aware about right and wrong things. Moreover, His literary work get the people influenced exclusively.

Conclusion
Thus, Shah Waliullah worked for the revival of the Muslim society and changed the intellectual life of the Muslims. His outstanding efforts got the Muslims in fold of Islam and he had nearly been successful to see the Islamic society with his great efforts. He nearly changed the outlook of the society. Though he had crystal clear notion that the concerned society can not be affected until to change the intellectual life of the Muslims. Therefore, He did amazingly and undoubtedly change the intellectuality of the people of India. However, after his death in 1762, his mission was not stopped but carried on by his son Shah Abdul Aziz, who was also a great thinker and intellectual like his father he not only carried on his mission but produced a number of his disciples who worked for the renaissance of Islam and Muslim society for the coming years exclusively.

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