'Colonialism and the call to Jihad in British India' by Tariq Hasan provides a different take on the role of Ulemas in the freedom movement of India. Generally it is believed that the partition of India was caused by conservative elements on both sides of the society i.e. Hindus and Muslims. This book tries to dispel the notion at least in case of Muslim Ulemas.
The book starts with the teachings and revivalism of Shah Waliullah, Shah Abdul Aziz and Syed Ahmad Barelvi, the role their disciples played in the formation of Sunni seminary at Deoband. How Shah Abdul Aziz issued a Fatwa declaring British rule as Dar-al-Harb considering the fact that no state ruled by a Hindu ruler was ever declared Dar-al-Harb by the Ulemas.
It covers in great detail the role of Raja Mahendra Pratap, Maulana Barkatullah Khan, Maulana Mahmud-ul Hasan, Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madani and others in Silk Conspiracy (1915-1916). Silk Conspiracy as the Britishers called it was a grand plan envisaged by the Indians to take on British rule with the help of Germany, Ottoman Empire and Afghanistan. Raja Mahendra Pratap met German Kaiser William II and the Sultan of Ottoman empire and both promised assistance but the ruler of Afghanistan did not support the plan and sided with British. The letters addressed to key actors
of this plan were written on Silk handkerchief hence this plan is known as Reshmi Rumaal
Tehreek or Silk Conspiracy. Maulana Mahmud-ul Hasan and Madani tried to take the support of Ottoman governor in Saudi Arabia but the revolt of Sheriff of Mecca against the Ottomans foiled their attempt. Both were arrested by Britishers and jailed for 4 years in Malta.
Both returned to India in 1920 and supported the Khilafat movement. After the death of Maulana Mahmud-ul Hasan, Maulana Madani became the chief of Daurl Uloom Deoband and Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. He worked all out to support the cause of united India and was staunchly against partition. He was also pan Islamist to the core. The writer says that the Congress leaders faltered and accepted partition despite of the fact that a large number of prominent clerics were against partition.
This book takes very simplistic arguments, sweeping generalizations and perhaps exaggerates improbable probablities to fanciful possibilities. This book also tends to justify the 'extreme' Islamist ideologies of Shah Waliullah, Syed Barelvi and others. Both tried by all means to get rid of all 'alien innovations' that had crept in Islam in India. Shah Waliullah invited Abdali to decimate Maratha power and Syed Barelvi raised the cry of Jihad against the Sikh empire.
Recommended (7/10)
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