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FEATURE

Maulana Nanautawi, the Torch-Bearer of Islamic Knowledge Though Maulana is primarily remembered for his salient service to the nation in fostering and preserving Islamic knowledge in the form of Dar-ul-Uloom he played several other significant roles in strengthening Muslim identity and initiating social reform.

By Abdur Rahman The author ia a Ph.D Scholar at JNU, New Delhi.

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aulana Qasim Nanautawi was amongst the last standard bearers of the legacy of Shah Wali- Allah Muhaddis of Delhi.

None stands equal to him after Shah Wali Allah in Indian subcontinent for his contribution to the revivalist movement and his contribution to Islamic sciences.

Before entering Delhi College, he had read books of logic, philosophy and scholastic theology, like Mir Zahid, Qazi Mubarak, Sadra, Shamse Bazigah Under the instruction of Maulana Mamluk Ali at the letter’s house. In the end he

joined that study circle which then possessed a central position in the whole of India with regard to the teaching of the sciences of the Quran and Hadith. Hazrat Shah Abd-AlGani Mujaddid was then gracing the Masnad of knowledge of Shah WaliAllah. From him he acquired the science of Hadith. During his student days itself, the fame of his knowledge and learning comprehension and discernment had become widespread.

Nanowtawi’s illustrious contemporary, Sir Sayyed Ahmad Khan expressed his impressions of the former’s acuteness, knowledge,

learning, piety, understanding and discernment during student days, in the following words.

“The people thought that after Maulavi Mohammad Ishaq no man like him in all these qualities was to be born, but Maulavi Mohammad Qasim has proved by his consummate righteousness, religiosity, piety, abstinence and humility that, through the education and training of this city of Delhi, Allah has created another man like Maulavi Mohammad Ishaq, (but) rather superior to him in certain things”.

Revolt of 1857 and Emergence of Deoband Movement

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uhammad Qasim Nanautavi, along with other elders had personally taken part in the battle of 1857 against the English and had also been wounded.

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Many battles were fought against Britishers in every nook and corner of India, but the Shamli Battle was the one in which Muslims especially Ulama were in the forefront, and this

battle was considered to be last armed struggle by Ulama.

The revolt of 1857 brought about many changes in the history of Muslims in India. The British rule started turning the Muslim’s political, social, educational, cultural identity upside down. Prior to the invasion of British, Muslims were the rulers and the country was known for its stupendous wealth and prosperity.

FEATURE Nonetheless, the unsuccessful revolt of 1857 made both Hindus and Muslims stronger than ever before.

After the initial conquest, and later the fall of Shamli from the clutches of Mujahideen followed by the fall of Delhi in the hands of the British government, left Muslims in adverse circumstances. The void which was created by the martyrdom of Hafiz Zamin (The Commander in chief of Shamli Battle) put Indian army on the back foot, and they lost their zeal and confidence.

The most hatred and wanted personalities for the British government, like Maulana Qasim Nanautawi, Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi, Haji Imdadullah Sahib, restricted their movement. they had no option either to keep themselves in hiding or migrate to Hijaz, and lastly to face the trial and wait for the judgment, that happened with Maulana Gangohi and many others. The British forces launched a manhunt for the revolutionaries; warrants were issued.

The government announced prizes over their heads and tried to nab them but its efforts did not fructify.

However, when they saw the ground beneath the general Muslims slipping from beneath their feet and in order to safeguard their religious identity, they started looking for a suitable time to do something to make up the loss they faced.

Maulana Qasim Nanautawi established Darul Uloom Deoband to preserve Islamic knowledge.

However, the British army managed to calm the storm throughout the country.

Since the Ulama were leading the group in Thana Bhawan and Shamli, they become the soft target of the British Army, and countless Ulama either were hanged or thrown behind bars.

Though the General Amnesty was announced just after one year of revolt in 1858, by Queen Victoria, but even as the atrocities on warriors, especially Ulama were going on, it was really some respite for Maulana Qasim Nanautawi and his colleagues. However, when they saw the ground beneath the general Muslims slipping from beneath their feet and in order to safeguard their religious identity, they started looking for a suitable time to do something to make up the loss they faced.

There are clear indications that Maulana Qasim was in touch with his Ameer Haji Imdadullah as he kept on consulting other eminent persons of his area regarding establishing a Madrasa to safeguard Muslims’ identity and their independent character.

Overview of Muslim Education before Colonial Rule

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efore arrival of British in India, Muslims were well educated and more civilized and equipped with the modern trend of the time than any other community.

Madrasas were considered to be the central point for learning for both Hindus and Muslims on some places.

The subjects that were included in the curriculum consisted of Logic, Philosophy, History, Mathematics, Art of Agriculture, Ethics, Economics, Astronomy and Geography. Muslims were taught about Islam and Hindus learnt about Hinduism.

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Delhi was known as the city for Madrasas, during the rule of Sultan Mohammad Tuglaque, it alone had one thousand Madrasas

Delhi was known as the city for Madrasas, during the rule of Sultan

Mohammad Tuglaque, and it alone had one thousand Madrasas catering the educational needs of the Muslims.

Mr Hunter describes the condition of Muslims before the country fell in the British hands.

“Before the country came into our control Muslims were more powerful in politics and intelligent in the country. Their education system could provide them with good training and shape their thoughts and ideas, thus their education system was far better than others in the country”.

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Motives of British Education Policy in India

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ritish education policy in India started in phase wise manner. First phase started from 17581812. The British East India Company (BEIC) showed very little interest in the education of its subjects during this period, except for the Calcutta Madrasa and the Sanskrit College in Varanasi for studying Hindu law and philosophy.

to serve the European capitalist class in its exploitation. The British education policy was implemented in India in four phases, starting from 1758 to 1920. But the second phase, starting from 1813 to 1853 saw many ups and down in the history of education in India. Establishment of number of Christine missionary schools and imposing Christian

and strangulating their institutions.

In the pre-1813 syllabus, there seemed to be no part of the religion, but in post 1813 syllabus, which was especially designed for India, Christianity got a significant part. However, almost all the Hindus embraced this system while Muslims rejected this policy and did not compromise on the cost of their

Establishment of number of Christian missionary schools and imposing Christian ideas and belief in the disguise of modern education policy, replacing official language Persian by English and finally confiscating the fiefs and endowments of madrasas, shattering the Muslim education system in India, and strangulating their institutions.

Both institutions were especially designed to provide a regular supply of qualified Indians to help the administration of law in the courts of BEIC. An important aspect of British policy in India was the psychological indoctrination of an elite layer within Indian society which was artfully tutored into becoming model British subjects. In 1813, the government itself encouraged the process of establishing Christian missionary schools, despite the fears that Muslims could be heavily disturbed by this project.

As it is quoted in the words of one Britisher: “Providence has entrusted the extensive empire of Hindustan to England in order that the banner of Christ should wave triumphantly from one end of India to the other. Everyone must ever use all his strength that there may be no dilatoriness on any account in continuing the grand work of making all Indians Christians”.

Colonial education was for subordination, exploitation, the creation of mental confusion and 11 EASTERN CRESCENT | MAY 2014

The Shuddhi Movement

All believed that the government will never force to convert to Christianity, but it will push them into poverty and ignorance that will result into conversion because it has spread Christian’s scriptures and preachers to tempt Muslims to accept their faith ideas and belief in the disguise of modern education policy, replacing official language Persian by English and finally confiscating the fiefs and endowments of Madrasas, shattering the Muslim education system in India,

religion and faith, that resulted in their backwardness in education and lack of opportunity for government jobs.

Ulama and religious clergy were dead against accepting this education policy, but furthermore urged Muslim parents not to send their wards to the missionary schools which were primarily aimed at indoctrinating Christianity in the hearts and minds of the innocent students. Therefore, Ulama had always been soft target of British government in India. The biggest challenge that Muslims faced in 19th century was “Christian Mission” followed by “Shuddhi Movement” to convert ignorant Muslims as the missionaries were equipped with all materials backed by the government.

Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan quoted in Asbab-e-Bagawat-e-Hind.

“All believed that the government will never force to convert to Christianity, but it will push them into poverty and ignorance that will result into conversion because it has spread Christian’s scriptures and preachers to tempt Muslims to accept their faith”.

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Sordid condition of Muslims and Emergence of Darul-Uloom at Deoband

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part from British education policy, political factors were also responsible for the sordid condition of Muslims, while the dissolution of the Muslim states the post of Qazi, Munshi, Mufti and such other posts were dissolved, the official language of the government Persian was replaced by English. As a result purely religious knowledge lost importance, and a sizable number of Muslims who were educated in the medium of Persian language were reduced to semi-literates. This led the Muslims to think that learning of Fiqh, Hadith, and Islamic sciences in Persian and Arabic was useless and the imparting of English education could alone retrieve their lost position.

Along with Christianity some other organizations were actively promoting their faith such as “Gurukul Movement” of Arya Samaj, Movement of “Bharat Mahamandal” of Sanatana Dharam and “Dharam Mahatsar” on the pattern of Christianity. It was felt necessary to overcome the general despondency that prevailed among Muslims; hence it was believed that a more strict adherence and commitment to Islamic values could revive the fortunes of the Muslims. All this found expressions in the opening up of a most famous Islamic Seminary of Indian subcontinent this time “Darul-Uloom

The inauguration of the Darul-Uloom took place on Thursday 15th Muharram, A.H. 1283 May 30, 1866

The year 1283/1866 is that blessed and auspicious year for the Muslims of the subcontinent in which the renaissance of their religious, educational, communal and cultural life began in this old historical habitation. at Deoband” in 1866, by Maulana Qasim Nanauwtavi, the founder of a “New Islamic Education System” in India. Mahboob Rizwi writes “The year 1283/1866 is that blessed and auspicious year for the Muslims of the subcontinent in which the renaissance of their religious, educational, communal and cultural life began in this old historical habitation.

The inauguration of the DarulUloom took place on Thursday 15th

Muharram, A.H. 1283/ May 30, 1866 in the open courtyard of the old Chhatta Mosque, under small pomegranate tree, with utter simplicity and without any customary ceremony. Maulana Mullah Mahmood Deobandi who was a high ranking divine in knowledge and learning was appointed a teacher, and one young student named Mahmood Hasan who was later to become “Shaikhul Hind” was that enlisted pupil who opened the book before his teacher. It is a strange coincidence that the name of both the teacher and the taught was Mahmood”.

To give the fledgling Madrasa a proper standing through donations from all—Muslims and non-Muslims, Maulana devised the Usual-e-Hastgana. This was to nuture the spirit of independence so that the Madrasa would be based on purely public donation and would not accept monies from either the government or feudal lords.

Usul-e-Hashtgana (The Eight Principles)

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efraining from the old tradition of making Madrasas rely on endowments and fiefs, Nanautawi adopted a new method as a permanent resource 12 EASTERN CRESCENT | MAY 2014

to keep the seminary alive in the hearts and minds of people, and that would be of public donation, neither contaminated by financial grants from the government nor from the feudal

landlords so as to keep this institution unencumbered from the meddlesome influence of the state. The constitution that he formed are known as Usul-eHashtgana (the eight principles).

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Thanks to the Non-Muslim Donors

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t has been a principle of Darul-Uloom from its very beginning that there shall neither be any fixed amount of donation nor any insistence on any religion and

community. Therefore, there were numerous non-Muslims donating to this institution. We find a lot of compliments from the authorities about those well-wishers.

Mr. John Palmer’s observations about Deoband Madrasa (Darul-Uloom) comprehensive report comparing the educational condition of DarulUloom with the English Universities helped a good deal in understanding the productivity and how relevant the curriculum was for the requirement of the time, and that too from a person

Sir John Strachey, sent his trusted spy Mr. John Palmer in 1875 to report about the objectives, thoughts and activities that Ulama were engaged in under the cover of Darul Uloom.

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s a part of the government investigation the then governor of UP, Sir John Strachey, sent his trusted spy Mr. John Palmer in 1875 to report about the objectives, thoughts and activities that Ulama were engaged in under the cover of this institution.

Mr. John Palmer’s observations that he wrote in a later to his friend, the

by a Maulavi for forty rupees. There cannot be a better teaching institution than this for the Muslims, and I can even go to the extent of saying that, if even a non-Muslim takes education here, it will not be without benefit. I had heard about the existence of a school

The work that is being done in big colleges at the expense of thousands of rupees is being done here by a Maulavi for forty rupees. There cannot be a better teaching institution than this for the Muslims, and I can even go to the extent of saying that, if even a non-Muslim takes education here, it will not be without benefit. who had adverse view point about Darul-Uloom. Mr. John Palmer writes.

“The results of my investigations are that the people of this place are educated, well-behaved and very gentle.

There is no necessary subject which is not taught here. The work that is being done in big colleges at the expense of thousands of rupees is being done here

for a blind in England, but there I saw with my own eyes two blind men prove mathematical figures on their palms in the way it should be. I regret that, Sir William Muir is not present today, otherwise he would have inspected this Madrasa with great zest and eagerness, and would have given prizes to the students”.

Nanautawi and his Debate with Padres and Pundits The English had under their policy pushed up Hindus and brought down the Muslims.

Consequently, when Hindus advanced in the economic and political fields, the government prompted them towards the path of 13 EASTERN CRESCENT | MAY 2014

religious superiority. To achieve this purpose, padres and pundits were together roaming the areas where Muslims were sticking to their faith and giving open challenge to have debate in public. Nevertheless, number of polemics organized by

them with the support of local administrations on different places in different dates. However, Nanautawi was leading the group of Ulama and he himself participated in many debates and polemics, thus thwarting the government’s policy.

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Movement for widow re-marriage

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anautawi’s biggest social and educational reforms were initiated after the establishment of Darul-Uloom at Deoband in 1866.

He was of the view that a solution of all the problems could be found in Shariah.

Nonetheless, amongst most urgent problems before him, was to reform the Indian Society from different aspects.

In those days, exploitation of women was very much prevalent in the Indian society. Widows were considered to be cause of all miseries and problems.

His movement for widow remarriage coincided with the growing rigidity of the Indian society, dominated by outmoded traditions, antediluvian

Nanawtavi also remarried his own widowed sister who was much older than him, and it also gave a new lease of life to this movement, and became so successful that people gave up their age-old unfounded beliefs on the issue of widows and increasingly began to accept this concept. thinking and superstitions. Nanautawi waged a battle against such evils.

Hazrat Shah Waliullah was considered to be pioneer in this regard, followed by Shah Ismael Shaheed, who gave new impetus to

this movement by re-marrying his own widowed sister to his close friend Maulana Abdul Hai, which was regarded as the first widow re-marriage in Indian history. Taking forward this legacy, Nanawtavi also remarried his own widowed sister who was much older than him, and it also gave a new lease of life to this movement, and became so successful that people gave up their age-old unfounded beliefs on the issue of widows and increasingly began to accept this concept. The mission broke up this disgraceful custom in such a way that now it appears, this had never been an issue in the past.

Implementing the principle of inheritance in Islam granted to daughters

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or Nanawtavi, without economic support, it was useless to talk about social freedom of a women, and so he insisted that people should deliver justice to women by implementing

the principle of inheritance in Islam which is granted to daughters. In Jalabad, Rohilkhand, Muzaffarnagar and Sharampur women were deprived of the right of Tarka (inheritance) Maulana Nanautawi issued a Fatwa

Maulana Qasim Nanautawi and his Approach to Modern Sciences

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owever to understand Maulana Nanautawi’s approach to modern subjects we would like to present some excerpt out of his concise speech Nanautawi delivered in the Prize Distribution ceremony of Darul-Uloom, conducted after its completion of successful six years in Deoband. In his numerous addresses that clarified his position on Islam and social and educational reform, he proved to be true path-breaker.

Thus, Nanautawi was modern in mind and traditionalist in practice, as he wanted to safeguard Islamic 14 EASTERN CRESCENT | MAY 2014

Identity in its true form and kindle the fire of faith in the hearts and minds of innocent Muslims being systematically targated by missionaries.

These were Maulana Qasim Nanautawi’s greatest social and educational reforms in the Indian society which made a landmark in history. However, if it was a precedent followed by God as a necessity of His rules of wisdom, that great reformers must appear at different intervals to work for the revival of Islam, to awaken the Muslims and all humanity, and arouse their consciousness of

restricting people from purchasing immovable property in these towns as it violated the principles of Shariah. Subsequently, the widows of these places were given their due share in properties.

Thus, Nanautawi was modern in mind and traditionalist in practice, as he wanted to safeguard Islamic Identity in its true form and kindle the fire of faith in the hearts and minds of innocent Muslims being systematically targated by missionaries. righteous struggle, then certainly Maulana Qasim Nanautawi was presented by God Almighty to the Indian Muslims and all human beings. He passed away on Thursday 4th Jamadi-al-ula 1297/1880 at the age of 49 years.