Shaykh
Ahmad Sirhindi Mujaddid-i alf-i thani (revivalist of the
second millennium) was born in 971/1563 in Sirhind (East
Punjab, India). His family lineage joins with that of
Amir ul-Mu'mineen �Umar the second Great Caliph of Islam
at the 29th tier of the genealogical order. He learnt
Philosophy, logic and the Traditional sciences from his
father Shaykh �Abd-al-Ahad (d. 1007/1598) and other
scholars of the time including Mawlana Kamal al-din
Kashmiri, Mawlana Muhammad Yaqub Kashmiri and Qazi
Bahlul Badakhshi. He acquired proficiency in these
disciplines and sciences when he was only seventeen
years of age. He arrived in the capital city Akbarabad
in 998/1589. Here he met the two famous personalities of
the Royal Court of Akbar, Shaykh Abu al-Fazl (d.
1010/1601) and his brother Shaykh Abu al-Fayz Fayzi (d.
1004/1595). He also helped Fayzi in compiling his Tafsir
Sawati �al-llham. He carried along with them for a good
time but when they drifted and deviated from the
established norms of Sharia (Islamic Law) he parted
company with them at grave risk of his own future
ambitions for the cause and uplift of the mission of
Islam in its true pristine and uncorrupted form.
Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi had permission to impart and
enlist in various chains of mystic orders, notably in
the Silsila-i-Chishtiya from his father Shaykh Abdul
Ahad (d. 1007/1598), in the Silsila-i-Naqshbandiyya from
Khawaja Muhammad Baqibillah (d. 1012/1603) and in
Silsila-i-Qadiriyya from Shah Kamal Kaythali (d.
981/1573). Khawaja Baqibillah acknowledged and
appreciated the spiritual accomplishments of Shaykh
Mujaddid and showed honour and reverences on him as
befit the Shaykh or the head of the Silsila.
He started the mission of social reforms for the benefit
and uplift of the masses within the criterion of Sharia.
During the reign of King Akbar (963/1556----1014/1605)
he carried on his mission with resolute despite the
displeasure of the Royal Court. The rest of the Mughal
emperor�s rule was the period of the Mujaddid�s
strenuous endeavors in his grand mission; but real
success eluded him till after the end of Akbar�s rule
and it was in the reign of Emperor Jahangir
(1014/1605----1037/1628) that his endeavours bore fruit.
He had cordial relations with the ministers and other
dignitaries of the Royal Court. The familiarly and
acquiescence of the royal personages afforded him grand
opportunities, not secretly but in the full knowledge of
the king, for the dissemination of his mission which
attracted a large segment of the general public and
maintained the affairs of the government. He was made
the target of Emperor Jahangir's fury by those who held
enmity towards him at the Royal Court. Hence, Jahangir
had the Mujaddid imprisoned at Gawalior Fort for one
year (1028-1029 AH). Afterwards he felt ashamed and
released the Mujaddid awarding him some valuable gifts.
Henceforth Emperor Jahangir kept him in his company
(1618-24-1028-34) along with other ministers and high
officials of the State. This provided the Shaykh the
facility and opportunity to carry on his mission with
calmness and rectitude in enlightening the people with
the teachings of Islam. He brought about a revolution
and reformation in the timeworn attitude and behaviour
of the people, and presented before them the pristine
and sacrosanct teachings of the Divine Religion of
Islam. This resulted in an unbelievable transformation
in their social and personal life. In other words, he
proved to be the real �Mujaddid� (revivalist) or a
�vanguard� of the great revolution of revivalism, which
paved the way for the onward advancement of the Divine
mission of peace and tranquility on earth.
He continued his efforts for the establishment of an
Islamic state (in India); non co-operation with
non-Muslims (as their presence or inclusion) in any
exclusive and purely Islamic revivalism might encourage
them under some alien influence to sabotage the
movement. He also worked tirelessly for the
establishment of Muslim India. He rendered invaluable
services in the fields of Sharia (Islamic Law), and
Tariqa (mystic interpretation and application of Qur�an
and Sunna), politics, government, social and economics
reforms. The people in general as well as the well-to do
among them were drifting away from the Sharia and
falling prey to un-Islamic ceremonies and rituals. The
Mujaddid, through his scholastic dissertations, mutual
conversations and letters to inquisitive personalities
of the country, transformed the thinking and modes of
behaviour of the people and brought them round the norms
of Sharia and thus showed them the line of guidance and
liberation from the darkness of transgression to which
they had fallen; if it were not for the timely
deliverance by the great Mujaddid they would have become
the victims of evil and liable to serious accountability
not only in this world but also the hear after.
The dismal picture of the drift from the right path was
not only confined to the laymen but the men who claimed
to be the Sufis and saints were also the unwilling
victims of unsaintly and blind emulators of customary
and ritual practices borrowed from non-Muslim neighbours
and comrades in professions, and thus tarnished the fair
visage of Islam and its Divine revealed teachings. Such
persons were salvaged from the path of deceptive
practices and brought back to the pristine track of
righteousness by the constant persuasive endeavours of
Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi.
On the pathways of scholastic ideologies, the situation
was not all that rosy. The two broad based concepts of
Wahdat al-Wujud (unity of existence) and Wahdat al-Shuhud
(unity of witnessing), were intermingled and confounded
in a manner and on a pattern that led many unwary
participants to the blind alleys in which lay only
darkness. The Shaykh not only cleared the confusion
regards this but also convinced the truth-seekers that
true deliverance lay in the correct understanding and
adherence to the ideology of Wahdat al-Shuhud rather
than that in the Wahdat al-Wujud, which latter worked as
an intoxicant to the self-seeker, while the former (Wahdat
al-Shuhud) opened the mental perspective to witness and
admire the colour and beauty scattered all over the
expanse of nature and the universe. Incidentally this
was the ideological concept (Wahdat al-Shahud)
interpreted and propounded by Mujaddid-i alf-i
thaniwhich attracted and influenced the ideological
outlook of Dr. Muhammad Iqbal (d. 1357/1938) and which
prompted the great poet to consolidate the foundational
base of his Islamic philosophy (specially the concept of
Khudi) and arouse the slumbering intelligentsia to truer
and more lasting reality of wakefulness and persistent
endeavours for the success of Divine Message of
Prosperity of the humanity at large. It is, therefore
not wrong to say that had there been no Mujaddid there
would have been no Iqbal. Mujaddid-i alf-i thani was the
ideological goal of Iqbal as also his everlasting
desire, eager to be fulfilled as a thirsty tavern
visitor looks at the cupbearer to quench his thirst!
In the fields of Politics and administrative governance
of the country which was based on nationality rather
than foresight and performance, the Mujaddid's vision
had a negative impact on Emperor Akbar's Hindu/Muslim
one nation theory, and affirmed the separatist entity of
Hindus and Muslims constituting two national entities
rather than the one envisaged by Akbar; this in due
course of time became the famous �Two Nation Theory�
which led to the Freedom Movement in the sub-continent
and the ultimate emergence of Pakistan in 1366/1947 as a
sovereign Islamic state. In a sense he gave a fresh and
renewed impetus to the everlasting irreconcilable
entities of Islam and Kufr (disbelief) or Muslim and
Non-Muslim religious-cum-political blocs on the surface
of the globe. This theory or ideology gained momentum
and expansion with time and latter on great
personalities took up the cause of Muslims. Amongst whom
were Shah Wali Allah (d. 1176-1762), Ahmad Riza Khan
Bareilwi (d. 1340/1921), Dr. Iqbal (d. 1357/1938) and
Muhammad Ali Jinnah (d. 1367/1948).
The efforts of Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi bore fruits during
the time of Emperor Jahangir whom at the behest of the
great Shaykh appointed a commission to manage and
regulate the affairs of the state in accordance to
Islamic Law. This commission comprised the learned
scholars of the time. Hence, this reduced the influence
and intervention of non-Muslim officials in state
problems particularly those related to Islamic
jurisprudence and other sacred laws. This also led to
the gradual but sustained disintegration of infra
communal Institutions under the auspices of the state
and the Muslim establishment came to be recognized as a
separate and self-existing entity. This helped the
growth and expansion of Muslim society and Islam as a
religion flourished far and wide till by the time of
Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir (d. 1068-1658/1118-1706) the
endeavours by the great Mujaddid and his sons reached
the zenith of their success. Emperor Alamgir himself was
the mystic disciple of Khawaja Muhammad Ma'sum (d.
1079/1668) who was the son of Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi and
received spiritual guidance and enlightenment from
Khawaja Sayf al-Din the son of Khwaja Ma�sum.
Undoubtedly the Mujaddid dynasty left a permanent impact
on the Mugal Empire and on the thought process of Muslim
intellectual and religious scholars. It also brought
about the great revolution in spiritual and intellectual
patterns of the Muslim establishment. Dr. Iqbal has
rightly proclaimed the Mujaddid as the guardian patron
of Islamic culture and education in India, who was
endowed with a foresight which guarded the Islamic
treasure of knowledge and warned the Muslim nation of
the pitfalls that lay ahead, so as to make precautions
to offset and thwart the impending dangers.
After having accomplished his revivalist and reformatory
mission he bade farewell to Emperor Jahangir (in
1033/1624) and came back to Sirhind were he undertook
solitary confinement which consumed the remaining days
of his auspicious life in the remembrance of Almighty
Allah and prayer for the unity and sustained development
of the Muslim people, whom had yet to pass through
graver and more complex trails and tribulations for the
cause of Islam and its own survival in the land of
uncertainties that was the Indian subcontinent.
After a few months he left this mortal world on 28th
Safar 1034/1624. He was survived among others by his two
illustrious sons Khawaja Muhammad Sa�id(d. 1070/1660)
and Khawaja Muhammad Ma'sum(d. 1079/1668) at whose door
steps the princes of the Royal Family proudly paid their
respect and homage and whose patronage the rulers
regarded as a great honour and privilege.
The marvels of his authorship are the famous Maktubat
(letters) which run into three volumes and are
invaluable treasures of enlightenment and wisdom,
continuously shedding the Divine Light which Khawaja
Baqibillah had observed, this Light reached far and wide
illuminating the nooks and corners of its own
dissemination.
Suggested further reading: -
1. Abu al-Hasan Zayd Faruqi: Hazrat Mujaddid And His
Critics, (Translation, Mir Zahid Ali Kamil), Lahore,
1982
2. �Abd al-Haq Muhaddith Dehlwi: Majmu al-Makatib etc.
Dehli, 1913
3. �Abd al-Qadir Badauni: Muntakhib al-Tawarikh, (Urdu
tr.), Lahore, 1962
4. Ahmad Sirhindi: Maktubat, vol. I, II, III, Karachi,
1972
5. A.H. Rizwi: Muslim Revivalist Movement, Lucknow, 1996
6. Badr al-Din Sirhindi: Hazrat al-Quds, (Urdu tr.),
vol. II, Lahore, 1922
7. Burhan Ahmed Faruqi: Mujaddid�s conception of Tawhid,
Lahore, 1947
8. Jawaid Iqbal Mazhari etc: Jahan-i-Imam-i-Rabbani
Mujaddid Alf-i-Thani, 7 volumes, Karachi, 2005
9. Habib al-Haq Nadvi: Islamic Resurgent Movement,
Durban, 1987
10. I.H.Qureshi: Ulema In Politics, Karachi, 1972
11. Iqbal: the Reconstruction of Religious thought in
Islam, Lahore, 1944
12. Jahangir: Tuzak-i-Jahangiri, Lucknow
13. Muhammad Aslam: Din-i-Ilahi Aur Uska Pasa-i-Manzar,
Lahore, 1969
14. Muhammad Hashim Kishmi: Zubda al-Maqamat, Kanpur,
1889
15. Muhammad Mas�ud Ahmed:
Seerat-i-Mujaddid-i-Alf-i-Thani, Karachi, 1976
16. Muhammad Mas�ud Ahmed: The Influence of Hazrat
Mujaddid Alf-i-Thani on Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, Karachi,
1996
17. Nizam al-Din: Tabaqat-i-Akbari, Lucknow, 1875
18. Yohannan Friedmann: Shaykh Ahmed Sirhindi, London,
1971. |