Shah Waliullah Dehlawi
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(Hanbali influenced)
- Ibn Taymiyyah,[16] Baha' al-Din Naqshband
قطب الدين
Shāh Walīullāh
شاه ولي الله
العمري
ad-Dihlawī
الدهلوي
Qutb ud-Din Ahmad ibn ʿAbd-ur-Rahim al-ʿUmari ad-Dehlawi (
Early life and education
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Ahmad was born on 21 February 1703 to
His father,
Death
He died on Friday the 29th of Muharram 1176 AH/ 20 August 1762 at Jummah prayer in Old Delhi, aged 59.[22] He was buried beside his father Shah Abdur Rahim at Mehdiyan (a graveyard to the left of Delhi Gate).[23]
Views
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| Background |
On Sunni Islam
Shah Waliullah defined
On Fiqh (Jurisprudence)
He believed that leaders should rule in accordance with the precepts of Islam and the teachings of Islam should be purified by teachers with ijtihad based on the basis on which the Quran and Hadith is founded on. He believed that there are certain bounderies that must be placed on Sufism and that the four main madhhabs were to be mixed into one system of law and moral codes.[26] He said:
"There are numerous benefits in it that are no secret to anyone. These are especially required in these days when people lack courage, when carnal passions have taken deep root in people's souls and whenever a person is obsessed only with his opinion."[27]
In his work Tahfimat al-Ilahiyya, Shah declared his conviction that unification of
On Tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis)
Shah Waliullah placed emphasis on a direct understanding of the
On Divine Attributes
 | This section's factual accuracy is disputed. (December 2021) |
On the nature of Divine Attributes, Shah Waliullah rejected the Ash'ari view and adopted the position of the early Ahl al-Hadith school.[34][35][36] Criticising the extremists amongst the speculative theologians (Mutakallimoon) and defending the Ahl al-Hadith, Shah writes in Hujjatullah al- Balighah: "Those speculators behaved contemptuously towards the people of Hadith calling them corporealists and anthropomorphists saying that they sought refuge in the formula of 'without asking how ( bi-la kaif )... this contempt of theirs is unfounded and .. they err in their sayings both from the viewpoint of tradition and of reason and.. they err in slandering the leaders of the true religion."[36]
Even still, Shah Waliullah held to the position that
Shah had been a firm defender of the positions of
Stance on Marathas
His dislike of the Marathas is expressed in one of his dreams that he narrated in “Fuyooz-ul Haramain” where he said "And I saw that the king of the infidels took over the land of the Muslims and looted their property. He enslaved their women and children and in the city of Ajmer he declared the rites of disbelief".[38]
On the Shi'a
In one of his letters available in manuscripts collection at
Arab culture
Shah Waliullah strongly advocated against adopting non-Islamic customs, and argued for commitment to Arabic Islamic culture. Shah Waliullah believed that: “Muslims, no matter where they live, wherever they spend their youthful days, they should in any case be completely separated from the natives of that country in their culture, traditions and mannerisms. And wherever they are, they must be immersed in their Arabic splendor and Arabic trends”[38]. On adherence to Arab culture, he insists: “Beware! The rich intend to adopt the ways of strangers and non-Arabs and those who deviate from the right path, and tries to mix and be like them”.[38] In his own words, he sought to conform to the habits and customs of the early Arabs and Muhammad, and to "abstain from the customs of the Ajam and the Indians." The only logical hikmat-i-amali, or practical wisdom for Muslim rulers, was to strengthen community boundaries by conducting Jihad against opponents and promoting the cultural practises (adab) that differentiated that faithful from non-Muslims.[40]
Works
- Hujjat Allah al-Balighah (The Conclusive Argument of God), Lahore: Shaikh Ghulam Ali and Sons, 1979. Considered to be his most important work. First published in Bareilly, India in 1286 Hijri.[41] This book explains how Islam is found suitable for all races, cultures, and people of the world and how successfully it solves social, moral, economic and political problems of human beings.
- (The Sacred knowledge), ed. D. Pendlebury, trans. G. Jalbani, The Sacred Knowledge, London: Octagon, 1982.[42]
- Al-Khayr al-kathir (The Abundant Good), trans. G. Jalbani, Lahore: Ashraf, 1974.[42]
- Sata'at (Manifestations), trans. into Urdu by S.M. Hashimi, Lahore: Idarah Thaqafat Islamiyya, 1989; trans. into English by G. Jalbani, Sufism and the Islamic Tradition: the Lamahat and Sata'at of Shah Waliullah, London.[42]
- Lamahat (Flashes of Lightning), Hyderabad: Shah Wali Allah Academy, 1963; trans. G. Jalbani, Sufism and the Islamic Tradition: the Lamahat and Sata'at of Shah Waliullah, London, 1980. (One of the important writings on Sufism.)[42]
- Futuh al-Haramayn (Emanations or Spiritual Visions of Mecca and Medina).[42]
- Al-Tafhimat (Instructions or Clear Understanding), Dabhail, 1936, 2 vols. (One of the most comprehensive metaphysical works.)
- Al-Budur al-bazighah (The Full Moons Rising in Splendour).
- Ta’wil al-ahadith fi rumuz qisas al-anbiya (Symbolic Interpretation of the Events in the Mysteries of Prophetic Tales) [43]
Besides these, he is also credited being the first to
Shah Waliullah worked hard to ensure that he was a role model for other Muslims. His deep understanding of the Qur'an, Hadith, Fiqh, and Tasawwuf made him a highly knowledgeable scholar at an early age.
Since he believed that an emphasis on the Qur'anic teachings was made vital to Muslims, he translated Arabic Qur'an into Persian. Few Muslims spoke Arabic and so the Qur'an had not been widely studied previously. Some Ulama criticized Shah Waliullah, but his work proved very popular. In addition to translating the Quran, Shah Waliullah wrote 51 books in Persian and Arabic.{[44] Amongst the most famous were Hujjat Allah al-Baligha and Izalat al-Khafa.
He felt a debt to the Sufis for spreading Islam throughout India. He also appreciated Sufi spirituality. Waliullah built a bridge between Sufis and the Ulama (Islamic scholars).[45]
References
- ^ Siddiqa, Ayesha. "Peace in Afghanistan." (2019): 703–710. "The first significant name is Shah Waliullah (1703–62), a Hanafi scholar,"
- ^ Shahid, Amir Khan. "DISPLACEMENT OF SHAH WALIULLAH’S Shah MOVEMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON NORTHERN INDIAN MUSLIM REVIVALIST THOUGHTS. Journal of the Research Society of Pakistan 51.2 (2014). "It would not be out of context to cite a reference of Shah Abdul Aziz (1746–1824) which is provided by Manazar Ahsan Gilanithat someone enquired from Shah Waliullah whether the Shias were kafir. He maintained the different viewpoints among the Hanafi School of thought on the subject.."
- ISBN 9789694150628.)
Shah Wali Allah agrees with Shaykh Abu'l Hassan Ashari on most of the points held in dispute. In the beginning of the tenth khizanab he mentions fourteen main points. Shah Wali Allah is of the view that the Ashari school of thought generally represents the school of the companions. It is stated that Shah Wali Allah himself was Ashari in taste.
{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires|magazine=(help - ISBN 9788170246237.
- ISBN 9780415187138.
In the tenth khizana, Shah Wali Allah explains his theological view which, according to him, is in full accord with Ash'arite theology.
- ISBN 9781472569462.
Another important work dealing with metaphysics is al-Khayr al-Kathir (The Abundant Good), which is divided into ten chapters or, by his description of it, khizana (treasures). The book seeks to reconstruct new cohesive modes pertaining to the reality of wujud (being), the knowledge of God and human knowledge, the relationship between the Creator and the cosmos, and the reality of prophecy and the prophethood of Muhammad. Then, he discusses the principles of sainthood and Sufism. In the eighth and ninth chapters, practical and theoretical religious matters, such as the Shari'a (Islamic law) and the eschatological theories of Islam, are evaluated. In the last chapter, his theological views, generally in line with the Ash'arite theological school, are discussed.
- Shafi'iin terms of teaching."]
- ^ "Shah Waliullah Ijazah:Hanafi, Ashari, Sufi". daralhadith.org.uk. 31 December 2008. Archived from the original on 11 Nov 2023.
- ^ "Shah Waliullah – transmitter of an Ashari Musalsal chain". daralhadith.org.uk. 14 February 2015. Archived from the original on 11 Nov 2023.
- ^ Brown, Jonathan A. C. (2014). Misquoting Muhammad: The Challenge and Choices of Interpreting the Prophet's Legacy (PDF). Oneworld Publications. p. 78.
Like Ibn Taymiyya, he rejected the speculative theology of Ash'ari and advocated the straightforward acceptance of God's description of Himself
- ^ Muhammad Mosleh-uddin (2003). Shah Waliullah's Contribution to Hadith Literature: A Critical Study. Aligarh, India: Department of Islamic Studies: Aligarh Muslim University. pp. 293, 88–89.
Shah Waliullah's 'Aqida was the 'aqida of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah and especially that of early Ash'arites who were according to his opinion very nearer to Imam Ahmad bin Hunbal (d241H./855). In this matter Shah Waliullah was not pleased with the latest hair-splitter and interpreter Ash'arites... He was against all sects which are not following the Quran and Sunnah directly in the field of 'Aqida.. according to Shah Waliullah and his teacher Shaikh Abu Tahir Kurdi, Al-Ash'ari was the follower of the school of imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d 241H./855) in 'aqida and Imam Ibn Taimiyah's (d.728 H./1328) 'aqida was the same 'aqida.
- ^ Geaves, Ron. "A Comparison of the Ideas of Maulana Mawdudi (1903–1980) and Shah Wali-Allah (1703–1762): A Pure Islam or Cultural Heritage." Islamic Quarterly 41.3 (1997): 169.
- ^ Muhammad Mosleh-uddin (2003). Shah Waliullah's Contribution to Hadith Literature: A Critical Study. Aligarh, India: Department of Islamic Studies: Aligarh Muslim University. p. 2.
As for Tasawuf Shah Waliullah was a reformist Sufi..
- ^ "Shah Waliullah Dehlavi". Encyclopedia of World Biography. Encyclopedia.com.
- ISBN 9781850654759.
- ^ ISBN 978-1780744209.
In his resistance to rigid loyalty to the madhhabs, his critique of the excesses of Sufism and his rejection of Ash'ari speculative theology, Ibn Taymiyya brought together important strains of iconoclastic opposition to the powerful medieval institutions of Islamic thought. Shah Wali Allah devoted a treatise to defending him and praised him as one of the great scholars of Sunni Islam.
- ISBN 9780195176322.
- ^ Kunju, Saifudheen (2012). "Shah Waliullah al-Dehlawi: Thoughts and Contributions": 1. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ a b Abbas, Mohammad. "Shah Waliullah and Moderation". Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- ^ ISBN 978-1780744209.
- ^ Anil Chandra Banerjee (1981). "Two Nations: The Philosophy of Muslim Nationalism". p. 44. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
- ^ Al-Khateeb Al-Tabrezi (2013). Mishkaat Al-Masaabih (Manifestations of Truth). Nawab Qutbuddin Khan Dehlavi (trans.), vol. 1, p. 40. Darul-Ishaat.
- ^ Syed Mehboob Rizwi. History of The Dar al-Ulum Deoband (Volume 2) (PDF). Translated by Prof. Murtaz Husain F. Quraishi (1981 ed.). Idara-e-Ehtemam, Dar al-Ulum Deoband. p. 109. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
- ISBN 978-90-04-10298-9.
- ^ MUHAMMAD MOSLEH UDDIN (2003). SHAH WALIULLAH'S CONTRIBUTION TO HADITH LITERATURE: A Critical Study. Aligarh, India: Department of Islamic Studies: Aligarh Muslim University. pp. 90–91.
- ^ Hourani, Albert (1991). A History of the Arab Peoples. England: Faber and Faber. p. 257.
- ^ a b Waliullah, Shah. Hujjat Allah Al Baligha. Dar Kotob Ilmiyah. p. 361.
- . Retrieved May 12, 2023.
- ^ Hamid, Saiyid (2016). "SOCIO-ECONOMIC IDEAS OF SHAH WALIULLAH" (PDF). Retrieved May 12, 2023.
- ^ MUHAMMAD MOSLEH UDDIN (2003). SHAH WALIULLAH'S CONTRIBUTION TO HADITH LITERATURE: A Critical Study. Aligarh, India: Department of Islamic Studies: Aligarh Muslim University. pp. 139, 142–144.
- ^ MUHAMMAD MOSLEH UDDIN (2003). SHAH WALIULLAH'S CONTRIBUTION TO HADITH LITERATURE: A Critical Study. Aligarh, India: Department of Islamic Studies: Aligarh Muslim University. pp. 139–140.
- ISBN 978-0-19-539589-1.
Shah Wali Allah was primarily concerned about the pervasive Hanafi fanaticism that he observed in his community. Instead of condoning this he was more inclusive and argued for a synthesis of all of the schools of law
- ISBN 978-0-19-969670-3.
He placed great emphasis on understanding the Qurʾān, first and foremost, through the Qurʾān itself, .. Shāh Walī Allāh maintained that students of the Qurʾān, after having acquired sufficient knowledge of Arabic, should directly work with the text itself instead of reading commentaries on it. The Qurʾān, he argued, is perfectly understandable to any serious student with knowledge of Arabic, just like it was understandable to its first recipients; to the learned scholar, even those parts that are usually considered unclear (mutashābih), ... In seeking an explanation for Qurʾānic verses, Shāh Walī Allāh argued, one should not follow a particular school, be it of exegesis, grammar, or theology, but prefer the interpretation that is closest to the literal meaning (ẓāhir al-maʿnā)..
- ISBN 978-1780744209.
Shah Wali Allah devoted himself to reviving what he understood to be the true Islam... Like Ibn Taymiyya, he rejected the speculative theology of Ash'ari and advocated the straightforward acceptance of God's description of Himself
- ^ Muhammad Mosleh-uddin (2003). Shah Waliullah's Contribution to Hadith Literature: A Critical Study. Aligarh, India: Department of Islamic Studies: Aligarh Muslim University. pp. 94, 95.
Shah Waliullah disagreed with the Ash'arite scholars and said, "The groups agreed that Allah is living, knowing, willing, powerful, speaking and they said that there is a difference between those seven Attibutes and (other Attributes) like mercy (Rahmah), anger (Ghadhab) and generorsity (Jood) in this respect. While others said that seeing and hearing were two independent Attributes." In refusing the faith of Ash'arite the Shah said, "The earlier pious were unanimous in believing in Allah's Attributes according to His wish and as He obligated it (to the men) to declare Him as dissimilar with the creatures by His verse, "Nothing is like Him." And whoever obligates the opposite thought he contradicts the way of earlier pious. I say that there is no difference among the hearing, seeing, having power, laughing, speaking and Istiwa (existing upon the Arsh)."
- ^ ISBN 978-90-04-10298-9.
- ^ ISBN 9789004444775.
- ^ a b c Dr. Mubarak Ali, “Almiyah-e-Tarikh”, ch. 9 – 10, pp. 95 – 105, Fiction House, Lahore, (2012).
- ^ S. Athar Rizvi, “Shah Waliullah and His Times”, p. 227, Ma’rifat Publishing House, Canberra, (1980).
- ^ Ayesha Jalal (3 January 2008). Partisans Of Allah: Jihad In South Asia. p. 41.
- ISBN 8174353607. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
Hujjat Allah al-Balighah (Arabic), Cairo, 1933 It is the magnum opus of the author which has been universally acknowledged by Muslim scholarship as his most outstanding and epoch-making contribution. It constitutes a highly significant exposition of the Islamic worldview. We shall separately present an introduction to this work in some detail. It was first published in Bareily (India) in 1286 A.H.
- ^ a b c d e "Shah Wali Allah (Qutb al-Din Ahmad al-Rahim) (1703-62)". Muslim Philosophy. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- S2CID 214047322.
- ^ Nigel Kelly, "The History and Culture of Pakistan," 2018.
- ^ K.J. Ahmed, Hundred Great Muslims, Library of Islam, 1987.
External links
Quotations related to Shah Waliullah Dehlawi at Wikiquote
