Examining the Reformist Contributions of Shāh Walī Allāh to the Society of Indo-Pak Sub-Continent: A Historical Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53575/e1.v6.01.(22)1-11Keywords:
Social Reforms,, Shāh Walī Allāh,, Indo-Pak,, Political Situation,, Economic & Social Issues.Abstract
The society of Indo-Pak Sub-Continent has experienced ups and downs throughout its history in terms of politics, economics, social and educational. Death of Emperor Awranzēb Alamgīr (d. 1707 C.E.) (Ruled 1658-1707 C.E.) was the turning point of the Sub-Continent when its decline was started. In the same decade Shāh Walī Allāh (1703-1762) was born in 1703 C.E. when the society was falling down in every sphere. At this point, he started thinking continuously to bring it out from this terrible situation. Accordingly, he put his reformist efforts in terms of spreading awareness from religious to national affairs among his followers and successors along with practical measures. This paper examines Shāh Walī Allāh’s those contributions to the society in a historical manner and explores the possibilities of peace and prosperity in a society.
References
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“The Treaty of Allāhabād was signed on 16 August 1765, between the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, son of the late Emperor Alamgir II, and Robert, Lord Clive, of the East India Company, as a result of the Battle of Buxar of 22 October 1764. The Treaty marks the political and constitutional involvement and the beginning of British rule in India. Based on the terms of the agreement, Alam granted the East India Company Diwānī rights, or the right to collect taxes on behalf of the Emperor from the eastern province of Bengal-Bihar-Orissa.Thus East India Company got appointed as the imperial tax collector for the Eastern province (Bengal-Bihar-Orissa). These rights allowed the Company to collect revenue directly from the people of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. In return, the Company paid an annual tribute of twenty-six lakhs of rupees (equal to 260,000 pounds sterling) while securing for Shah Alam II the districts of Kora and Allahabad. The tribute money paid to the emperor was for the maintenance of the Emperor's court in Allahabad. The accord also dictated that Shah Alam be restored to the province of Varanasi as long as he continued to pay certain amount of revenue to the Company. Awadh was returned to Shuja-ud-Daulah, but Allahabad and Kora were taken from him. The Nawab of Awadh also had to pay fifty-three lakhs of rupees as war indemnity to the East India Company. The Nawab of Awadh, Shuja ud Daulah, was made to pay a war indemnity of 5 million rupees to the Company. Moreover, the two signed an alliance by which the Company promised to support the Nawab against an outside attack provided he paid for services of the troops sent to his aid. This alliance made the Nawab dependent on the Company.” See, http://www.self.gutenberg.org/articles/eng/Treaty_of_Allahabad, accessed on Feb. 09, 2021.
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Founded by Khwaja Abu Ishaq Shami Chishti (d. 940 or 966 C.E.), “the Chishti order derives its name from the village of Chisht in Afghanistan, which is located thirty miles away from the modern city of Herat. Chisht was home to remarkable family that produced an unbroken line of five great Sufi masters. It is from this family and their systematisation of ‘tasawuuf’ that the basic principles and methodology of the Chishti order were laid down.” See: https://www.chishtiya.org/chishti-order/ accessed on 9th July 2021 at 4:00am.
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“Fatawa-e-Alamgiri (also known as Fatawa-i-Hindiya and Fatawa-i Hindiyya) is a compilation of law created at instance of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb (who was also known as Alamgir). This compilation is based on Sunni Hanafi Islam's Sharia law, and was the work of many scholars, principally from the Hanafi School. In order to compile Fatawa-e-Alamgiri, Aurangzeb gathered 500 experts in Islamic jurisprudence (Faqīh), 300 from the South Asia, 100 from Iraq and 100 from the Hejaz (Saudi Arabia).”
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