Anwarulhaq Baig
NEW DELHI: Scholars and academicians have highlighted the often-overlooked contributions of Muslims in shaping modern India and their significant role in the freedom movement. Various professors and academics joined a seminar organized by the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) Delhi state at its headquarters, offering insights on the central theme: “Making of Modern India and Role of Muslims in Freedom Movement.”
The Role of Ulema and Islamic Scholars in India’s Freedom Struggle
In a talk on “The Role of Ulema and Islamic Scholars in India’s Freedom Struggle,” Syed Ubaidur Rahman, a writer and historian who has authored two books on the topic, lamented that very few Muslim freedom fighters are well-known. Only names like Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Maulana Husain Ahmed Madani are widely recognized, while countless others who made vital contributions and sacrifices remain largely unacknowledged.
Syed Ubaid described the Faraizi Movement, which began in 1819 under Haji Shariatullah, as the first freedom movement. He stated that this movement had a broader scope, including elements of the freedom struggle, as the oppressive landlords were supported by British colonizers. While 1857 is often considered the first freedom struggle, Syed Ubaid emphasized that the Faraizi Movement, which lasted over 50 to 60 years, was actually the first and had a substantial impact.
Discussing the 1857 uprising, popularly known as the first war of freedom against the British Raj, Syed Ubaid noted that many in the country undermined the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, as having squandered Muslim rule in India. He clarified that Zafar had nothing to lose, as the Mughal Empire was already in decline by the time he took charge. Under an agreement with the British, Zafar was receiving a substantial allowance and enjoying limited power while living comfortably. However, he chose to revolt against the British Raj for the sake of freedom, leaving behind his luxurious life and leading the first war of independence to the very end, never surrendering or compromising with the British government. Syed Ubaid asserted that no dynasty or ruling group in the country has made sacrifices for freedom comparable to those of the Mughal dynasty.
Syed Ubaid highlighted the roles of Maulvi Abdullah Shah and Azeemullah Khan, both great scholars with extensive experience traveling the world. Maulvi Abdullah Shah visited England, while Azeemullah Khan travelled to Russia and Iran to devise plans for the 1857 freedom movement.
The historian provided a long list of prominent freedom fighters who made significant sacrifices for India’s liberation, including Imam Bakhsh Sahbai, Mufti Sadroddin Azoorda, Maulana Azad Subhani, and Maulvi Abdullah Shah, who was recognized by the British for his significant uprising. Maulana Jafar Thaneswi spent 23 years in Kalapani jail without ever seeking mercy or relief from the British government. During the 1857 freedom struggle, Maulvi Liaquat Ali led the uprising against the British Raj from Allahabad, successfully defeating British forces and establishing a government there. He later revolted from Kanpur and Lucknow, ultimately being arrested in Gujarat, where he continued to lead the uprising against the British for 15 long years. In the end, Maulvi Liaquat Ali was sent to Kalapani after his over 40-year struggle.
The writer also discussed the contributions of Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi, a prominent activist in the Indian independence movement who issued an early fatwa in favor of military jihad against British colonialism during 1857, inspiring many to participate in the rebellion. He was subsequently imprisoned in Kalapani (Black Water), a Cellular Jail, which was a British colonial prison in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands used to exile criminals, especially political prisoners and Indian freedom fighters.
Furthermore, Syed Ubaid highlighted numerous unsung heroes from Delhi, Bareilly, and Allahabad, known as Ghazis, who fought valiantly until the end and never surrendered to the British government, inflicting significant setbacks on British forces.
The speaker emphasized the importance of the Reshmi Rumal Movement (Silk Letter Movement), led by renowned Deobandi scholar Maulana Mahmoodul Hasan. The British Rowlatt Committee labelled this movement as a dangerous Indian revolutionary effort, noting its considerable success and the support it received from the Ottoman Empire, Germany, Russia, and Afghanistan, all of which aimed to destabilize British India. Maulana Hasan travelled to Mecca to seek military support against the British Indian government. Unfortunately, the sudden outbreak of World War I led to the unravelling of their plans, resulting in the mass imprisonment of Indian revolutionaries. Maulana Hasan and his companions were arrested and sent to Malta, where he was imprisoned for four years. He was released due to advanced tuberculosis in 1919 but passed away within five months from the disease. Many of his companions, including Maulana Mansoor Ansari, could never return to India from exile, while Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi returned just days before independence.
Syed Ubaid noted that few people are aware of Maulana Hasan’s companions, including Haji Sahib of Turangzai, who played a crucial role in the freedom movement against the British government. He fought against the British during the 1897 Frontier Revolt, which saw general uprisings against the British by frontier tribes. From the Frontier Province, he led several uprisings against the British and won many battles, including some significant ones.
The historian also discussed Maulana Barkatullah Bhopali, who served as the Prime Minister of the first Provisional Government of India established in Afghanistan in 1915, functioning as a government in exile.
Syed Ubaid recognized the contributions of the relatively unknown but significant freedom fighter, Mohammad Iqbal Shedai, who established the Azad Hind Government, an exile government for an independent India, in Rome, Italy, in 1941, where he served as president of the exile government.
The writer recounted the tragic aftermath of the 1857 war, when all Muslims were restricted from entering Delhi for three years, except for the poet Mirza Ghalib. During this time, the famous Jama Masjid in Delhi ceased to hold prayers for five years, and significant areas of major cities and downtowns, including Delhi, were demolished by the British government as retribution, including the destruction of key Muslim institutions and their educational institutes.
He concluded by stressing the need to document the contributions of these unsung heroes and raise awareness among the public.
Highlighting the Contributions of Muslim Women in India’s Freedom Struggle
Mrs. Syedah Swaleha Jabeen, a freelance journalist, asserted that Muslim women played a significant and leading role in the freedom struggle, though their contributions are often underreported. She recounted the sacrifices made by thousands of Indian Muslim women who participated in the freedom movement, many of whom faced imprisonment or execution by the British colonial government.
Mrs. Jabeen highlighted several prominent Muslim female figures who made substantial contributions, including Begum Hazrat Mahal, Abidi Bano Begum, Bevi Abdus Salam, Begum Anis Qidwai, Nishatus Nisa Begum, Hajra Bibi Ismail Kulsum, Sayyadani, Raqasa Farhat Jehan, Aruna Asif Ali, and Zulekha Begum. She quoted Gandhi, who stated that “without mentioning the contributions of Muslim women, the history of the Indian freedom movement is entirely incomplete.”
She detailed Begum Hazrat Mahal’s bravery in leading a group of fighters during the 1857 uprising and recounted Abidi Bano Begum’s activism as the mother of renowned freedom fighters Maulana Mohammad Ali Johar and Maulana Shaukat Ali Gohar.
Muslim Political Leadership: Shaping the Discourse of India’s Freedom Movement
Dr. Abdullah Chishti, Assistant Professor at Jamia Millia Islamia, emphasized the importance of discussing the role of the masses in the freedom movement, rather than focusing solely on leaders and religious groups. He pointed out that significant figures like Bhagat Singh and Subhash Chandra Bose garnered substantial support among Muslim communities.
Dr. Chishti critiqued the communal periodization of Indian history introduced by British historian James Mill, which contributed to the two-nation theory. He noted that many Muslims opposed the idea of a separate homeland, including Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, and Allama Mashriqi. He argued that the demand for separation primarily served the interests of a small affluent segment of the landlord class.
The Enduring Impact of Muslim Heritage on Modern India’s Cultural Fabric
Dr. Abhay Kumar, a former history scholar at JNU, commended the JIH initiative as both important and timely, given the current distortion of history. He emphasized the need for citizens to understand India’s history accurately to combat propaganda.
Dr. Kumar criticized the common educational approach, which focuses on memorizing dates and events rather than understanding the underlying reasons and consequences of historical incidents. He questioned the narratives promoted by certain groups, highlighting their leaders’ minimal involvement in the freedom movement.
He argued that to understand the distortion of history, one must trace it back to the colonial period when British historians wrote from a biased perspective, often failing to acknowledge the diverse cultural influences in India.
Dr. Kumar pointed out that the architectural and cultural heritage of India is a fusion of various influences, debunking the simplistic narrative of religious exclusivity.
Scholars Urged to Combat Anti-Muslim Sentiment Through Historical Awareness
In his presidential address, JIH Vice President Prof. Salim Engineer praised the seminar’s theme as timely and appropriate amid the rising atmosphere of Islamophobia, the socio-political situation, and the increasing propaganda against Muslims and Islam across the world, particularly the current government’s hostile attitude toward Muslims. He stated that this government is not merely a political party in power but an ideological government with the agenda of reshaping the country, including fostering hatred and division within society against Muslims and Islam. Stressing the need for such conferences and seminars throughout the country to counter the rising propaganda and hatred against Muslims, Prof. Salim urged scholars and academicians to work on presenting the overlooked contributions of Muslims and Islam to their fellow countrymen. The JIH has decided to conduct history conferences across the country to achieve this goal, he added.
Prof. Salim asserted that any action taken by Muslims is fundamentally inspired by their faith. Their participation in freedom struggles and movements is motivated by Islamic teachings, as Islam is inherently a liberation movement led by prophets throughout history, aiming to free individuals from slavery and to combat injustice, oppression, corruption, and oppressive regimes. He emphasized that Muslims became involved in the freedom struggle because their faith compelled them to do so. During the 1857 uprising, the Ulama issued a fatwa of jihad against British rule and made significant sacrifices for this cause.
The JIH Vice President noted that due to the united freedom struggle of 1857, the British misused and distorted history for their own interests, aiming to undermine the unity of the Indian people by framing conflicts between Hindu and Muslim rulers and Sikh and Muslim rulers.
Prof. Salim criticized the current ruling government for its efforts to rewrite history with bias against Muslims and Islam, even changing educational syllabi to reflect its interests. He added that history serves as a lesson from the past for future actions and for building a better society.
He emphasized the need to work together for the betterment of the country, despite belonging to different faiths, as was done during the fight against the British Raj in 1857. Addressing Muslims, he stated that as members of the Khair Ummah community, they have a double responsibility.
Delivering the inaugural address, JIH Delhi State President Salimullah Khan announced that the organization has launched a 1-2 year long history awareness campaign. This initiative will compile facts and figures across different religions and regions concerning various historical events and disputes. The seminar is a part of this campaign.
Mr. Salimullah quoted Ayash Khan, former director of the Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library in Patna, who noted that historians often present narratives shaped by personal interests rather than objective reality. He cited renowned Islamic scholar Maulana Sadruddin Islahi, who emphasized the importance of genuine historical writing.
Criticizing the current trend of rewriting history for vested interests that foster division and communal hatred, Mr. Salimullah argued that documenting genuine history is a significant service to humanity. He urged citizens to focus on authentic history and resist attempts to rewrite it to create societal divisions. He expressed concerns over the government’s attempts to erase historical Islamic monuments and structures under the guise of legality.
The organizer of the seminar, JIH Delhi State Secretary Asif Iqbal, provided an overview of the seminar’s goals, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness about the contributions of Muslims in the freedom struggle, which are often overlooked. He emphasized that the seminar aims to educate the public on this important subject. He explained that the seminar’s theme is subdivided into various subthemes, with noted experts presenting papers that explore the topic in depth. He announced that this seminar is a precursor to a grand history conference scheduled for February next year in Delhi, with plans for approximately ten additional history conferences across major cities, each addressing different themes. Topics covered will include architecture, art and culture, spirituality, social reforms and welfare, textiles and craftsmanship, traditions, environmental contributions, cultural syncretic festivals, struggle heritage, mass movements, plenary heritage, significant Muslim personalities and their contributions, as well as the Muslim community’s role in specific causes and historical contexts.
The vote of thanks was proposed by Mohammad Maaz. This seminar is part of a broader effort to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of Muslims to India’s history and culture, seeking to foster a more inclusive understanding of the nation’s past.
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