Muhammad Umair

Roll No. : IM-113

Subject: Islamic Studies (HS-205)

Submitted To: Dr. Farooq Hasan

ROLE OF ULAMA IN THE EMERGENCE OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

Recent advancement in the field of science and technology has brought about radical changes in the field
of history and historiography. The object is to underscore discourses and contribution of marginality. The
present project is an excellent example of such case that aims an understanding the complex roles played
by Ulemas in the freedom struggle. Muslims as we all know, Constitute the largest minority of the country
and Ulemas are known for their noticeable contributions in the socio-cultural, political, historical and
religio-philosophical spheres of the country.

The contributions made by Ulemas, however, have either been relegated to the negligible margins in the
pages of history or are ruthlessly ignored. Their unwavering commitment, purity and sincerity of their
intentions and wide range of their scholarship had an enthralling effect and influences on freedom
movement. Thus, the project highlights the role of Ulemas in the struggle for Pakistan movement between
1857 and 1947 with strong support of Maulan Mehmood ul Hasan, Maulana Obaidullah Sindhi,
Maulana Qasim Nanawtavi and others.

This kind of fair and unbiased approach, I am sure, would open a fresh avenues sincere involvement of
the marginal communities and their contribution to the nation that were deliberately side tracked and
denigrated by the dominant intellectual statuture of the Indian society. All in all, we all owe indebtedness
to the Ulemas whose sincerity and commitment actually revived the dream of a separate country,
Pakistan.

Introduction

Ulama are the successors of the prophets. They are called the heirs of the Prophet. The man who
has acquired religious knowledge in Madrassa is called Alim. Islam is a complete code of
conduct. It covers all the religious and political aspects of a community. Therefore, Ulama claim
for themselves a socio-political role along with their religious functions.

The Ulama’s tradition of the participation in the politics is very old. In sub-continent the Ulama
enjoy a very honorable position as they are spiritual leaders. After the failure of the War of
Independence in 1857 A.D, the British Imperial rule established its hegemony over the South
Asian sub-Continent. In those critical days, when there was a crisis of leadership, the Ulama
provided very cautious leadership to Muslims of India. During this period, the Ulama remained

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very active and in some time they have dominated the political scene. The active involvement of
many Deobandi Ulama in the struggle against the British is today a little-remembered story.
Indian school textbooks refuse to mention it, probably deliberately in order to reinforce the
stereotypical, yet misplaced, image of Muslims as congenitally ‘anti-national’. At the same time,
however, they extol the alleged exploits of Hindutva activists in the fight against the British,
while records have proven beyond doubt that leading Hindutva spokesmen, in the Congress, the
RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha, actually collaborated with the British and worked against the
freedom movement. In this they played a similar role as that of the Muslim League. With the
radical changes in the situation after 1857, they did not lose zeal and confidence. They continued
their struggle even after the toppling of Muslim role in India. Finally in 1947, the Ulama along
with the politician from both Congress and Muslim League parties were successful in achieving
Independence. It is unfortunate that their role has rarely been appreciated. Consequently, a
number of Ulama who made significant contribution towards the freedom movement have
remained in obscurity.

War of independence and role of Ulema

The Ulema and Mashaikh of the Indo-Pak sub-continent played an active role in promoting the
Pakistan Movement. In the war of independence1857, Ulama laid their lives and fought
fearlessly for the liberation of the country. The Muslims played very important role in the war of
independence. All Indian Ulama-e-Haq general secretary Mulana Ejaz Qasim says, "It was the
Muslim who had raised the voice of total independence. That is why the British made the
Muslims target of their oppression and ruthless military action much more, so they destroyed
many villages and helmet of Muslim." Maulana further added that British media highlighted
some Sikhs and Hindu freedom fighters. Without mentioning the names of last Mughal King
Bahadur Shah, Ulama and some other Muslims the history of 1857 cannot be completed.

The British officers were unable to distinguish between Ulama and non Ulama. Up to the second
decade of 20th century, no one cared to find out whether the Ulama participated as a group in the
War of Independence. Even the Ulama had not claimed that they had taken part in the war as a
group. The Ulama of the 20th century had also stated that their predecessors had actively
participated in the war of independence. They have named Haji Imdadullah, a sufi alim, and his
two disciples, Mulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi and Mulana Muhammad Qasim Nanothwi as the
heroes of 1857 Mutiny. According to these Ulama, the center of their activities was Shamli, a
small town in the present district of Muzaffergarh, not far from Delhi. Haji Imdadullah (1817-
1899), who after collapse of uprising migrated to Makkah was the 'imam" or Amir of Jihad in
Shamli, Maulna Muhammad Qasim Nanawathi (1832-1880) and Mulana Rasheed Ahmad
Gangohi (1829-1905) acted respectively as the commander of the forces.

After the Mutiny was over, these three ulamas were wanted by government of India. Haji
Imdadullah migrated to Makkah, where he remained till his death. Mulana Muhammad Qasim
Nanowthi managed to save him from arresting but Mulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi was

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arrested and imprisoned for 6 month. The government failed to prove charges against him.
Therefore, he was released. The biography of Mulana Qasim written by one of his friends,
Mulana Yaqub Nawonwthi, in 1880 narrated a totally different story of his activities during the
War of Independence in 1857. The writer who was eye-witness says that Haji Imdadullah,
Mulana Qasim Nanwathi and Muland Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi were miles away from any
disturbance. When Mutiny was over, the government was arresting the people someone informed
the government against them and warrants were issued for their arrestment. Some other
biographers had written that Mulana participated in the Mutiny. The author of
"Tazkiraturrasheed" one of his (Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi) pupils Ashaq Ilahi confirmed that
statement of Mulana Yaqub that these three ulamas were not involved in Mutiny.

Up to 1857, EIC was considered as the agent of Mughal Ruler and the revolt was theoretically
against the Muhgal King. There is hardly any example available of the revolt of the Ulama
against the ruler on the grounds of irreligious activities. Since the Ulama of 19th century were
the followers of their successor Ulamas, they could not take part in the struggle unless it was
proved by sharia. The activities of Mulana Qasim and other ascribed by their early biographers
are in harmony in this tendency. But there is a contradiction among the historians which have
created difficulty. Once it was conceived that the Ulama had actively participated in the vents of
1857, imagination had little difficulty in seeming them as heroes of the struggle for freedom
Mulana Manzoor Ahsan Gilani has seconded the statement that Mulana had not participated in
the war like those who had participated in Mutiny for worldly benefits. Gilani is of the opinion
that it is not true that Mulana had not participated in the Mutiny but at the same time it could be
understood to mean that he was involved in the Mutiny but with a different and noble motives.

There is a contradiction of opinions among the biographers. The original official record which
was published by UP government in six volumes titled "Freedom in Utter Pardesh source
material" gives a full description of rebellion in Thana Bahvan and the attack at Shamli Tehsil
and at the police station of Thana Bahavn but the names of Haji Imadullah and other Ulama who
were supposed to play role in war were not mentioned in the record. There is an appeal in which
the Muslims are instigated to jihad against Kafirs. There is nothing find out that appeal was
issued by the council of Ulama of Thana Bahvan. In appeal, the Muslims were called upon to kill
English officers without any discrimination. The order was followed and the company people
were massacred. It is difficult to believe that Ulama who are the custodians of sharia could
provoke people on such barbarous acts.

There is another statement from which we can examine the case from different angles. The revolt
started with the revolt of the Merrut regiment on 9th May, 1857. The next day, Bahadar Shah
Zaffer, the last Mughal king was reinstated on the throne by mutineers. The May of 1857 is
corresponded with the month of Ramadhan 1273 in Hijra Calendar. Mulana Qasim, according to
first biographer, (Mulana Yaqub Nanawathvi) was in hometown Nanawathvi during the whole
month of Ramadhan. In the next month, he was with his friend Mulana Yaqub in Saharanpur.
There is no evidence to tell the exact date of arrival of Mulan Qasim in Thana Bahavan. This, as

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reported by Mulana Ashraf Ali had happened in the month of Muharram of 1274 A.H (22 August
to 21 September, 1857) the duration of activities of Mujahideen lasted for one month or so.

It is not known what Ulama did before or after this one month. But it is known from every
available source that Ulamas were wanted by government of EIC. But the Ulama were not on the
official list of rebels. According to Ashaq Alahi (biographer of ulama Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi)
that Ulamas were wanted by government as rebels was based on false information. It is strange
that the Ulama who were blamed to have an important role in war of independence were left free
to live in the same town for two years. On the basis of these grounds, it is not wrong to conclude
that the Ulama were not involved in the struggle but afterwards became the victim of "rebel
phobia" of the EIC.

Among the Ulama who led the revolt was Mulana Ahmadullah Shah, who stood for one of the
greatest organizer of an underground network of rebellion under the nose of the allied rulers.
Though he was neither properly trained nor did he have any experience as a master strategist,
good general or a brave soldier. Mulana was a man, whose reputation was not spoiled by any
hostile propaganda because his enemies also recognized his greatness. A humble bookseller of
Patna, Pir Ali, was the organizer of the movement in Bihar. When he was arrested, he refused to
beg for his life at the cost of betraying his colleagues. He rejected the offer of pardon by saying
"there are times when it is best to lose one's life", so he welcomed the Angle of Death face to
face.

The Ulama issued the fatwa during freedom movement which mobilized Muslims to render
services and sacrifice their lives for the sake of their country. The fatwa of Shah Abdul Aziz is of
very much importance in this regard. He issued it in 1803 (long before the revolt) and declared
India as a Dar-ul-Harb, which motivated the Muslims to struggle against the British rule. Just
before the war of 1857 when Britishers were struggling to gain full control of Delhi, a fatwa was
issued by 31 Ulama of Delhi which declared jihad Farz-e-Ain for the Muslims of Delhi and Farz-
e-Kifya for adjoining areas. After 1857, when Muslims were targeted by Britishers as they were
responsible for leading the war of independence, some Ulama re-enforced the above mentioned
fatwa. Many important programs of the freedom movement were supported by the Ulama and
given wide acceptance among the Muslims through fatwa, which were particularly by the Ulama
(belonging to Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband).

Repercussion of the war

The revolt of 1857 was a great failure and it brought no political dividend. Men who sacrificed
their lives did not succeed in abolishing British rule. Due to some reasons like cowardice, vested
interest or selfishness, a vast majority of people did not participate in the war. It is true that war
brought an end to the Muslim rule in India. Both Hindus and Muslims became subject to British.
The movement could not achieve its objectives for which it was started. It is fact that movement
established British Raj, but it is also reality that it was also the factor in its destabilizing. Aligarh

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movement was possible after this war of 1857. Aligarh College, Educational Conference, Dara ul
Uloom Deoband, Nadvat-ul-Ulama and Anjuman Himayat-ul- Islam were the products of that
era. After the war, the Muslims had faced two challenges (a) the British who did not seek any
lesson from freedom movement and create carelessness and hatred, which finished the possibility
of reconciliation between Britishers and Muslims and (b) western educated Hindus who wanted
to take revenge of the centuries of subjugation.

The British considered that Muslims were responsible for the war of independence of 1857;
therefore, they were treated ruthlessly and were targeted of merciless revenges. The doors of all
departments were closed for Muslims. Muslims education was destroyed by intentional
negligence from British side. Persian was replaced with English as official language. Muslims
Qaziz was unemployed with replacement of Muslim Law by English law. The subordinate posts
were opened only to Hindus. After the rebellion, every attempt was made to ruin and suppress
the Muslims forever. From 1858 to 1870, almost all the British political authority and
administrators without any hesitation blamed the Muslims for Mutiny. But in 1870, a change
occurred in the British policy. Men, Like Sir Richard Tample, Sir John Stratchay and W.H
Gregory came forward to argue that Muslims of Indian were not disloyal and that the unpleasant
past should be forgotten.

Religious movements during British rule

In the view of Ulama, the entrance of Hindus religious rites into Muslims is one of the important
causes of their decline. To stop this decline, the Ulama started reforms movements. The Faraize
Movement of Haji Shariatuallh (d.1840), who influenced illiterate peasants and prepared his own
military force with special uniform. After his death, his son led the Movement. He abolished
military and made it exclusively religious movement. The other movement was of Titumeer. He
established it on the lines of Haji Shariatullah. The third movement was of Sayed Ahmad Shaeed
Brelvi (Mujahideen Movement). All these three were reforms movements and wanted to
implement their planes through military force. After the failure of these movements and revolt of
1857, it was not possible to gain political force again through force. After 1857; revolutionary
changes came in the organizational structure of the reform movements. They stated utilizing
education instated of military force for preaching their religious ideas. Darul-uloom Deoband is
the ring of this series.

Pakistan movement and Ulama

Actually, Pakistan movement started from 1940 when All India Muslim League passed Lahore
Resolution in her historical annual session in Minto, now Iqbal Park on 23rd March, 1940 for the
first time ever in the history. The Muslims of India demanded a separate homeland and set a
destination for themselves. Pakistan Movement is spread over seven years from 23 March, 1940
to 14 August, 1947. Many classes played their role in the movement but here we are concerned
only with the role of Ulama.

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During Pakistan Movement, Mulsim religious organizations of the subcontinent, Jamyyat-ul-
Ulama-e-hind, Majlas-e-Aharar-e-Islam and Jama'at-e-Islimi remained very active. But
unfortunately, they opposed Pakistan Movement, Jamyyat-ul-Ulama-e-Hind and Majliasi-e-
Ahrar openly opposed Pakistan Movement on the plea that Pakistan's concept is against Islamic
universal brotherhood theory. On the other hand, they supported the theory of Indian Nationalism
of Congress. The struggle for Pakistan was virtually a secular campaign led by Western educated
politician like Liaqat Ali Khan and Quid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The Ulama are in
conflict with intelligentsia like Ulama opposed Sir Sayed Ahmad Khan. The conflict between
orthodox Ulama and Muslim political leadership became severe when many Ulama openly
opposed concept of Pakistan.

Deoband Movement

Mulana Qasim Nanaotvi was first Indian Alim, who realized that in the changing circumstances
it was the duty of Muslim community to establish religious schools. He dreamt in 1867 and
established madrassa in Deoband a small town near Delhi. Slowly, it converted to a religious
movement as well as a Madrassa. Maulana Qasim Ahmad Nanotvi issued a fatwa urging
Muslims to join Indian National Congress when it was formed in 1885 and said it was their
religious duty to drive out Britishers from India. He also collected about 100 fatwas from other
prominent ‘ulama' of his time to this effect and published them under the title of Nusratul Ahrar
(i.e. for helping the freedom fighters).

Deoband Movement revisited western thinking. Deoband Movement strongly condemned

western education and loyalty to British government. On the other hand, Aligarh Movement
supported British and their educational system. Deoband Movement struggled for creating
reconciliation among various religious sects, and tried to save Islam from any kind of disastrous
customs and traditions. After 1857, the British government blamed Mulana Rasheed Ahmad
Gangohi, Mulana Qasim Nanatvi (originator of Darul Uloom Deoband) and Haji Imdadullah for
taking part in revolt. Due to the hostile behavior of government, it became anti-British
movement. After Mulana Qasim, Mulana Mahmood-ul-Hasan was arrested in Malta for his anti-
British activates. But he was not against western education. Mulana Ubaidullah Sindhi, who was
a student of Mulana Mahmood Hasan also, had the same idea. But generally, Deoband ulama due
to anti British and anti-western education attitude, joined congress, a nationalist movement
which contributed a lot in favour of Deoband. During Hussain Ahmad Madni Deoband fell down
into the hand of Congress. He favoured the Congress theory of nationalism and even said that
nations are made by countries.

After the establishment of All India Muslim League, the Muslim of India had two political
parties. All Indian National Congress that claimed to be the representative of all Indian people,
and all India Muslim League which was coming with the intention of representing the interest of
a certain group of Muslims. The leadership up to that time of both parties was in the hands of
Western educated people and ulama were not involved in politics. Mulana Abul Kalam Azad

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dragged the ulama in to politics. Shekhul Hind says, "We ulama were sleeping, and Azad
awakened us from sleep." It was in 1919, when the ulama entered into politics as a class and
founded a politico -religious party known as Jamyyat-ul-Ulama-e-Hind. The ulama tried to prove
it that they participated in politics had organized, led political organization and freedom
movement for freedom of India. Maulana Abu'l Kalam Azad, Maulana Abd'al Majid Bada''uni,
Maulana Daud Ghaznavi, Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, and Maulana Hafizal Rahman,
Maulana Kifaytullah, Maulana Mohammad Ali, Maulana Mahmud Hasan, Maulana Saayyid
Hussain Madani and several other contemporary Ulama were among its other leaders.

According to Peter Hardy, the Ulama in JUH viewed the future of free India a confederation of
two religious and political communities, the Muslim and the Hindu. The JUH expected the
Muslim community in Independent India to be headed by its appointee Amir-i-Hind, he was to
be the deputy of Caliph and it was mandatory for the Muslims in Independent India to obey him.
Amir-i-Hind was to deal with the leaders of non-Muslims in India as equal partner of a Muslim
imperium in India. The Ulema in JUH felt that “in short run at least a large area of temporal life,
the non-Muslim could not be brought under the prescription of Shariat by coercion. But they held
to the conviction that if they could win freedom to guide the life of Muslims under Shariat, then
that life would so shine forth among them that they could freely choose to come to Islam.” This
was the ultimate wisdom for the Ulama under JUH of British India. Thus, we find that JUH
hardly had a nationalist vision for a unitary democratic state in India.

The JUH leaders also regarded British imperial power as greatest enemy of Islam but they
always remained unambiguous about the secular and democratic polity in India. Their
opposition to partition was due to reservation against the British, which inspired the Muslim
League on this issue. At the same time JUH leaders had an apprehension that the Muslims, who
will be left behind in India after partition would become smaller in strength and a less effective
minority. Besides, Deobandis also apprehended that partition of the country might hamper the
propagation of Islam in India due to communally surcharged political environment.

The period of the Khilafat was also an era of Hindu-Muslim unity. During the stormy days, both
the communities, Hindus and Muslims were dominated by the only thought of driving out the
British from India. The Jamiat Ulma-i-Hind decided to cooperate with the Hindus
unconditionally, to achieve this objective. But there was a group of Ulema who did not like the
Jamiat to give unconditional support to the Congress. As a result of this controversy among
Ulema, the Jamait was split into two groups. The pro-Congress Ulema were led by Maulana
Hussain Ahmad Madni who launched a campaign of propaganda against the Muslim League.
The anti-Congress Ulema disassociated them from the Jamait and remained aloof from the
Congress movement.

Following are the names and services of some of the prominent Ulamas of the Pakistan
Movement.

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Mualana Azad:

The first major turning point for Azad came after the partition of Bengal, when he rejected the
mainstream of the Muslim middle class, which wanted partition and considered the colonial
government as its benefactor. Repudiating it, he associated himself with the anti-British
Movement. Young Maulana Azad, in common with leaders like Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali,
Wazir Hasan and others represented those within the Muslim community who challenged this
concept of Islamic modernism in alliance with Imperialism, propounded by Sir Syed. He had
persuaded the pro-Congress Ulema that their interests would be better safeguarded under a
united India, and that they should repose full confidence in Indian nationalism. However, they
should make efforts to secure for themselves the control of Muslim personal law, by getting a
guarantee from the Indian National Congress, that the Muslim personal law would be
administered by Qadis (judges) who were appointed from amongst the Ulema. He exhorted the
Muslim masses to join the freedom struggle by giving a religious justification for the
Movement.’ For the Hindus working for independence might be a patriotic gesture. But for the
Muslims it is a religious duty’. In the 1920s, Azad was, to a large extent, responsible in
sanctifying the Hindu-Muslim partnership and in drawing more and more Muslims to the folds of
the Congress, thus enhancing the momentum of the Freedom movement. At a time when many
Indian Muslims led by the Muslim league were crying for partition, Azad stood up in defense of
the unity of the sub-continent. When partition came about, Maulana Azad and his nationalist
Muslim followers were heartbroken. Azad's dream of a United India was shattered and he was a
broken man. When the Pakistan Resolution was passed at Lahore under the leadership of Jinnah,
Azad said, “I am part of the indivisible unity that is Indian nationality. I am indispensable to this
noble edifice and without me this splendid structure of India is incomplete. I am an essential
element which has gone to build India. I can never surrender this claim”. In the words of Abdul
Majid Daryabadi, “towards his opponents, particularly the Muslim League, there was not a trace
of complaint or criticism in what Maulana (Azad) said. With regard to Pakistan, instead of
complaints or sneers, there was goodwill, and some good words like, ‘Now that it has come into
existence, everybody’s interest lies in its being strong and stable’.”

Maulana Husain Ahmad Madni:

One of the leading figures of India’s freedom movement was Maulana Husain Ahmad Madni
(1879-1957). Madni served for decades as the rector of the Deoband madrasa and as head of the
Deobandi-dominated Jamat Ulama Hind (JUH) (The Union of the ‘Ulama of India’). Madni was
also a leading Muslim political activist, and was closely involved in the Congress Party in pre-
1947 India. At a time when the Muslim League under Jinnah had raised its demand for a separate
Muslim state of Pakistan, based on the so-called ‘two nation’ theory, Madni came out forcefully
as a champion of a free and united India. Maulana Madani said: "all should endeavor jointly for
such a democratic government in which Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Parsis are
included. Such a freedom is in accordance with Islam”. One may be amused to judge his donned
'Nationalist' image when he remarked in one of his presidential address: "If Dara had triumphed,

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Muslims would have stayed in India but not Islam. Since Aurangzeb triumphed, both Muslims
an Islam were here to stay". According to Maulana, the faith Dara followed was not genuine
Islam because Dara wanted to tolerate Hindus. He did not insist on the rule of the Shariat. For
Madani "all non-Muslims are the enemies of Islam and Muslims".

Madni elaborated on his theory of ‘united nationalism’ in a book penned in the early 1940s as a
reply to Sir Muhammad Iqbal’s critique of his own political position. By this time, Iqbal had
turned into an ardent pan-Islamist and had clearly distanced himself from his earlier nationalist
stance. Madni’s book ‘Muttahida Qaumiyat Aur Islam’ (‘United Nationalism and Islam’) was
published before 1947. Madni’s central argument is that Islam is not opposed to a united
nationalism based on a common motherland, language, ethnicity or colour, which brings together
Muslims and non-Muslims sharing one or more of these attributes in common. In the Indian
context, a united nationalism that embraces Muslims and other peoples is, therefore, he says,
perfectly acceptable islamically. In making this argument he stridently opposed Iqbal and the
Muslim League. As a Muslim religious scholar, Madni naturally sought to justify his argument in
Islamic terms. He marshalled support from the Qur’an and from records of the practice (sunnat)
of the Prophet in support of his thesis. He noted that the word ‘qaum’, which is used as
synonymous with ‘nation’, appears some 200 times in the Qur’an. It is sometimes used in the
Qur’an to refer to the ‘people’ of a particular prophet, such as the ‘qaum’ of Noah or the ‘qaum’
of Abraham, and in these contexts it applies to all the members of these communities, including
both the followers as well as opponents of these prophets. In other words, these Qur’anic verses
suggest that the prophets and their followers as well as those among their own people groups
who opposed them were considered to be part of the same ‘qaum’, owing to a common land,
language or ethnicity. From this, Madni argues, it is clear that, in contrast to the claims of the
Muslim League , Muslims and non-Muslims cannot be considered to be members of two
different ‘qaums’ if they share a common ethnicity, language or motherland. The ‘two nation’
theory of the Muslim League, therefore, has no Qur’anic basis at all. This means, he says, that
the Indian Muslims must join hands with non-Muslim Indians, on the basis of belonging to the
same ‘qaum’, and work together for the unity, freedom and prosperity of the country. In seeking
proper Islamic legitimacy for this argument, Madni draws upon the practice of the Prophet.
When the Prophet migrated from Mecca to Medina, he writes, he entered into an agreement
(mu’ahada mithaq) with the Jewish tribes of the town. According to the terms of the treaty, the
Muslims and Jews of Medina were to enjoy equal rights, including full freedom of religion. They
were also to jointly work for the protection of Medina from external foes. Interestingly, the treaty
identified the signatories to the treaty, the Jews and Muslims of Medina, as members of a single
community or ‘ummat’. This suggests, Madni argues, that Muslims and non-Muslims of a
particular state or country could be considered to be members of a common ‘ummat’ if they
entered into a similar treaty.

Maulana Mahmud ul Hasan and Maulana Obaidullah Sindhi:

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The important question which beset the minds of the Indian Muslims was that after the departure
of the British what type of government would be started in India? With the passage of time, this
question had become more and more significant and it dominated the minds of the Indian
Muslims. But the native Hindus always tried to temporize the matter by saying: after departure of
the British it would be settled through mutual agreement, but first of all the British should be
ousted. The Hindus wanted to leave the matter as such and unsettled before the departure of the
British, because they knew that, after the independence, they would outnumber the Muslims and
put them at their mercy. During this time, Shaikhul Hind, Maulana Mahmud ul Hasan, prepared a
plan to start an armed revolution against the British rule for which he launched a program to train
volunteers from among his disciples in India and abroad who joined this movement in a large
number. The most eminent among them were Maulana Ubaidullah Sindh i and Maulana
Mohammad Mian Mansoor Ansari.

At the outbreak of First World War, the Indian Muslim leadership saw a golden chance to get rid
of their foreign masters. In 1915, Shekh-ul-Hind Mulana Mahmood-ul-Hasan sent Mulana
Ubaidullah Sindhi to Kabul as anti-British provocateur; while he himself went to Hijaz to get in
touch with Turkish official in regard to fulfill his plan. Before Sindh's leaving for Kabul, Mulana
Mahmood-ul-Hasan had already done spade work in tribal areas. Sindhi was supposed to help
Mujahideen in their skirmishes against the British on one hand and on the other hand to
participate in the diplomatic conspiratorial movement in Kabul. The plan of Shekhul Hind was to
work for the invasion of India with the help of Afghanistan, Turkey and frontier tribesmen.

Mulana Sindhi was a great actor in formulation of provisional government of India set up in
Kabul, on July 9, 1996. Mulana Sindhi set up an army by the Name of Junudullah or Junud Al
Rabbaniyya. Mulana Mahmood ul Hasan was proposed the Commander In Chief. Mulana
considered it compulsory to inform Mulana Mahmood-ul-Hasan of his underground activities
and accomplishment in Kabul with intention to enable Mulana Mahmood-ul-Hasan to discuss the
plane with the Ottoman authorities. Mulana inscribed the details of his plane on a silky
handkerchief (Rashmi Rumal) and gave it to Shekh Abdul Haq, one of his disciples, and directed
to give this important handkerchief to Shekh Abudul Rahim in Hyderabad Sindh, who was to
arrange its delivery to Mulana Mahmud-ul-Hasan in Hijjaz. The handkerchief instead of reaching
to Mulana Mahmud Hasan in Hijaz fell into the hands of Sir Michel O Dwyer, the lieutenant
governor of Punjab. On the discovery of this extra ordinary handkerchief in August 1916,
Mulana Sindhi was arrested in Jalalabad on the insistence of British government and Mulana
Mahmud Hasan was arrested along with many other Ulama in Hijaz by Sharif Hussain of
Makkah and handed over to British government, which imprisoned him in Malta in 1917. The
plan of freedom of India was termed as Reshmi Rumal sazish. It was frustrated through the
effective espionage system of government.

Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Usmani:

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Mulana Shabbir Ahmad was a leading Professor of Darul Uloom Deoband. He was worried
about the rift between Jamyyat-ul-Ulamai-e-Hind and Muslim League. He, therefore, arranged a
meeting between Mufti Kifayaat Ullah the then President of Jamyyat-ul-Ulama-e-Hind and
Quaid-e-Azam in March 1940. Shabbir Ahmad Uthmani was one of those ulama who supported
Pakistan movement. He played an important role in establishing Jamyyat-ul Ulama-e-Islam of
which he was the first president. The ulama who opposed the polices of Jamyuyat-ul-Ulama-e-
Hind, the Muslim League needed them, and the ulama who shared options, met in Calcutta under
the leadership of Mulana Azad Subhani and found Jamiat-ul-Ulama-i-Islam in 1945 and many
ulama joined this newly created party.

Mulana Shabbir reputation as a scholar was well established and he was already known as a
convincing and powerful speaker and writer before he became the supporter of Muslim League.
He was a great Professor of Hadith. Due to illness, he could not attend the inaugural session of
JUI. He participated through a massage. Mulana Shabbir countered the arguments advanced by
congresses ulama in favor of United Indian Nation. He abolished the objection of Hussain
Ahmad Madani in which he said that it was forbidden for Muslims to join Muslim League.
Mulana Shabbir said that the Muslims were not bound to obey ulama blindly. He presided over
the Muslim League Conference at Merrut in 1945, where he said that the coming election is most
important for the fate of India. He said that the British and Hindus are equally opposed to
Pakistan Movement. Therefore, those who say that demand for Pakistan were British engineered;
they were either deposed of Hindu propaganda or enter upon sabotaging Muslim demand for
separate homeland. He also worked for referendum. The referendum was held in NWFP in 1947
on the issue of joining one of the two newly born countries i.e. Indian and Pakistan.

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi:

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvee had great influence among followers of Deoband School. He was
respected for learning and pity and was recognized a complete Sufi alim. He had opposed the
non-cooperation movement because he was not in favor of Hindu Muslim unity. He was of the
opinion that when British would leave, the government would pass into the hands of Hindus,
which would be much greater danger to Islam as the Hindu would try to exterminate. He
resigned from the management of Dar-ul-Uloom on the issue of Hindu Muslim unity. When
Muslim League sought his support, he satisfied himself by asking many questions in writing and
then extended his support to Muslim League and continued his opposition to Congress. . In
1938, a delegation was sent by Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi to the Quaid-i-Azam about the cause
of the principles of Islam. So the anti-Congress Ulema decided to support the Muslim League in
the light of the teaching of Islam.

Mufti Mohammed Shafi Usmani:

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Mufti Muhammad Shafi was another great Pro-Pakistan Indian scholar. His learning and
knowledge in Islamic jurisprudence were recognized in every circle. He avoided politics and
devoted himself to his disciplines. He supported Mulana Shabbir Ahmad Uthmani in his effort to
counter congress ulama. He also held that opposition to Pakistan Movement was against Islam. .
Mufti Muhammad Shafi started a movement with pen in favor of Pakistan and wrote a number of
pamphlets and issued a Fatwa (religious decree). He had conviction that establishment of
Pakistan is inevitable. Besides contributing through his writing, he made extensive tours of the
sub-continent to motivate the Muslims in favor of Pakistan. His speech and statement took the
Muslims by storm everywhere he went. He supported the Two Nation Theory. He also helped
Mulana Shabbir Ahmad Uthmani in referendum in NWFP. His great efforts to counter influence
in NWFP on the eve of the referendum of 1947 are unforgettable.

Maulana Mohammad Ali Juhar:

The Muslims of the sub-continent started Khilafat Movement under Majlis-i-Khilafat which
became the effective movement of the Muslims. All most all prominent Ulema like
MaulanaMuhammad Ali Jouhar, Maulana Shaukat Ali, MaulanaAbul Kalam Azad, Maulana
Zafar Ali Khan, MaulanaHasarat Mohani, Maulana Abdul Bari Farangi Mahal, and Syed
Suleiman Nadvi joined it.

The Khilafat Movement launched due to disillusionment of the insincerity of British pledges
about Turkey at the end of First World War. In 1918, when the War ended, the Indian Muslims
realized that they have been betrayed by British government regarding the future of Turkey. The
Khalifat and centre of Khilafat (Turkey) were treated against the promise of British government.
For recording their protest and for saving Khilafat, they launched the Khilaft Movement. All
Indian Khilafat committee was organized in 1919. The Khilafat Committee was organized in all
India Muslim Conference held on 26 January, 1919 under the presidentship of Mulana Abdul
Bari. A Khilafat Conference was convinced in Delhi on September 22, 1919 and presided over
by Molvi A.K Fazlul Haq. For the success of Khilafat Movement, he insisted on the cooperation
of Hindus. In this conference, an appeal was made to people to boycott victory celebrations. It
also decided to start an agitation against government and also send a deputation to England.
Before sending deputation to England, it was decided to send deputation to viceroy under the
leadership of Dr. M.A. Ansari. The deputation met with Governor General, but his response was
not encouraging. They demanded that the entire Arab Peninsula (Jazeerat-ul-Arab) and the holy
shrine, the Hijjaz must remain under the control of Khalifa. They also reminded the Prime
Minister of the Great British of the promise made in parliament regarding that the Britishers
were not fighting to deprive the Turks of their rich land in Asia Minor and Thrace. Another
delegation was sent to England in March 1920 under the leadership of Mulana Muhammad Ali
Juhar. The deputation met Prime Minister Lloyd George, who replied that Turkey could not
accept a better treatment than the defeated Christian countries the deputation returned empty
handed.

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Muhammad Ali deputation returned from Europe on October, 1920 and a Non- Cooperation
Movement formulated. It was claimed by some Muslims that Non-Cooperation Movement by
Mulana Abulkalam Azad and it was based upon sharia. While according Khalid Bin Sayyed, he
(Gandhi) was the only Hindu leader including in executive committee formed on June 9, 1920 to
formulate Non-Cooperation Movement.

Maulana Maudoodi:

Maulana Maudoodi was a great Muslim scholar and thinker of India in 20th century. Maulana
was born in 1903 at Aurangabad in Hyderabad Deccan.

Maulana Maudoodi showed his reaction in a complex manner. He rejected both the nationalist
ulama's concept of composite nationalism and the Muslim leagues demanded for a separate
homeland for Muslim. Jama'at-e-Islami was established by Maulana Maudoodi. It described
'Pakistan', 'Na Pakistan' not pure. In the writings, of Jama'at, no letter can be found which
supported Pakistan Movement. In pre-independent era, the views of Maulana were quite definite.
He says, "Among Indian Muslims today, we find two kinds of nationalists. The nationalist
Muslims namely those who inspite of being Muslims believe in Indian nationalism and worship
it and the Muslim nationalist namely those who are little concerned with Islam, its principles and
aims but are concerned with individuality and the political and economic interests of that nation
which has come to existence by the name of Muslim and they are so concerned only because of
their accidence of birth in that nation. From the Islamic viewpoint both these types of nationalists
were equally misled, for Islam enjoins faith in truth only, it does not permit any kind of nation
worshiping at all. He further says, why should we foolishly waste our time in expediting the so
called Muslim nation state and fritter away our energies in setting up when we know that it will
not only be useless for our purposes but will they prove and obstacle in our path? When Muslim
League asked Mulana to cooperate with them, he replied. Do not think that I don't want to
participate in this work because of any differences. My difficulty is that I do not see how I can
participate because partial remedies do not appeal to my mind and I have never been interested
on patch work." He had rejected the idea of united nationalism because he was of the opinion
that the Muslim would go far from Islam if they accept to mix themselves to Indian milieu. He
gives more priority to Islam than Muslim because Muslims were Muslim for their acceptance of
Islam. The first priority would be given to those whose loyalty to Islam should be strengthened.

Mulana Maudoodi wanted to save Muslim from Hindu domination. He says that Muslims were a
permanent nation they had to organize their collective life according to the teaching of Islam. He
explained the reasons due to which Muslim could not live under the Hindu dominated
democratic single Indian nationhood. Therefore, in 1930, Maulana Maudoodi proposed a
federation of nations not of provinces or regions in which there would be as many paralleled
governmental structures as there were nations. Maulana Maudoodi opposed Pakistan movement
because he believed that it would not become an Islamic state. When it became clear that

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majority of Muslims favoured nationalism or independence within the logic of majority,
Mulana's mind struck with two questions:

1. If the Muslim should fail in achieving an independent state, what shall be the method of
saving Islam and individual Muslims?

2. Should the Muslims succeed how to preserve Islam among the minority in Indian and how to
defeat secular democratic tendencies and turn Pakistan into an Islamic state?

This was the stand of Mulana Maudoodi by which he rejected both the ideas, of composite
nationalism of nationalist ulama and Muslim League's demand for a separate homeland.

Conclusion

History has rarely searched the role of ulema in the nationalist movement. It is generally thought
that ulema are incapable of coming up to nationalist aspirations because there is a tendency to
think that Islam and nationalism cannot be synthesized. One of the common perceptions has been
that madrasas are the bastions of fundamentalism and terrorism and ulema are the inciters of
fanaticism. Muslims have largely been dubbed in the history, as supporters of the separatism, and
roots of the isolationist penchant are traced to the emergence of the Muslim League and its
consequent victory in the birth of Pakistan.

Thus, Muslim Ulema had played a pro-active role in the liberation of the country. Their efforts
might not have yielded positive results but their commitment had been exemplary. Maulana
Qasim nanotvi, Maulana Mehmood ul Hassan, Maulana Obaidullah Sindhi, Maulana Hussain
Ahmed Madni and Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Usmani, to name a few, may specifically be
mentioned in this respect. Unfortunately, these personalities could not secure a place for
themselves in the history because historians had more or less chosen to neglect them. This charge
against them is the root cause for the need, felt, to highlight the incredible and magnificent role
of the ulema on the road leading towards the independence of Pakistan.

References

1. Mushir U Haq, Muslim Politics in Modern India 1857-1947, (Lahore: Book Traders, 1986), p.1, p.4.,
p.17, p.18, p.100, p.53, p.116, pp.149-50, p.124

2. Ishtiaq Hussain Quraishi, Ulama in Politics, 2nd ed. (Karachi: Ma'arif Ltd.1974), p.3, p.373, p.375,
pp.262-63, p.264, p.328, p.360

3. S. F Mahmood, A Concise History of Indo-Pakistan. (Karachi: Oxford University Press. 1988), p.221.

4. M. Sadique Quraishi, Jang-e-Azadi ke Muslim Mashaheer, (Lahore: Maqbool Academy, 1989), p.196.

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5. I H Quraishi, The Sruggle for Pakistan, 2nded, (Karachi: Bureau of Composition, Compilation and
Translation University of Karachi, 1969), p.15-16.

5. Dr. Mubarak Ali, Ulama aur Siyasast, (Lahore: Faction House 18 Mazang Roade, 1994), p.84.

6. Dr. Abdullah Khan, "The Role of Mulana Ubaidullah Sindhi in Pakistan Movement”, Pakistan Study
Centre, University of Peshawar, (December 1997), p.139.

7. Khalid Bin Sayed, Pakistan the Formative Phase 1857-1948, 2nd ed, (London: Oxford University Press,
1968), p.47.

8. Leonord Binder, Religion and Politics in Pakistan, (California: University of California Press, Berkly and
Los Angeles. 1963), p.78.

9. www.islamicpakistan.com.

10. Muslim Politics in India, Hamid Dalwai, 1969, page 71

11. http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/2004/01-15Aug04-Print-Edition/011508200434.htm

12. http://www.ummid.com/making_of_legend/azad_as_a_fighter.htm

13. Modern Islam in India, Wilfred Cantwell Smith, 1946, London, page270

14. Partners in Freedom -and True Muslims, Peter Hardy, page 31

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