Syed Ahmad Barelvi

Syed Ahmad Barelvi or Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed (1786–1831)[1][2] was an Indian Muslim revivalist from Rae Bareli, a part of the historical United Provinces of Agra and Oudh (now called Uttar Pradesh).[3] The epithet Barelvi is derived from Rae Bareli, his place of origin.

Syed Ahmad Shaheed
Personal
Born(1786-11-29)29 November 1786
Raebareli, Awadh Subah, Mughal Empire
(now in Uttar Pradesh, India)
Died6 May 1831(1831-05-06) (aged 44)
Balakot, Sikh Empire
(now in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan)
ReligionIslam
Known forBattle of Balakot
Muslim leader

Syed Ahmad toured India preaching Islamic renewal and jihad, and built a highly developed network of personal friends and partisans spread across northern India organized to recruit and dispatch men and financial aid. In 1826 he provided an Islamic challenge to an expanding Sikh empire when he arrived in Zaida, (now in Pakistan), with a few hundred disciples, to establish an Islamic state among Pashtun tribes in the area with the support of his network. During the last years of his life, his supporters designated him Amir al-Mu'minin ("Commander of the Believers"), and Shaheed ("martyr") after his death in the Battle of Balakot in 1831. He is thought to have been killed, along with hundreds of his troops and followers, by the Sikh army in Balakot, Mansehra District in 1831, but a number of his followers survived and continued to fight on, taking part in tribal uprisings in the North-west province as late as 1897.[4]

Syed Ahmad is thought by at least one scholar (Edward Mortimer), to have anticipated modern Islamists in waging jihad and attempting to create an Islamic state with strict enforcement of Islamic law,[5] and by at least one other (Olivier Roy), to be the first modern Islamic leader to lead a movement that was "religious, military and political," and to address the common people and rulers with a call for jihad.[4]

Militia Service

At the age of twenty-five, Ahmad joined a militia as a cavalry man. The militia was led by Amir Khan, in Northern India,as he wanted to learn modern weapnonization, one of the many military adventurers of this period, who had organized a body of free-floating demilitarized soldiers of the area to raid and conquer, with the ultimate goal of setting himself up as a prince. Barbara Metcalf theorizes this period in Sayyid Ahmad's life as a time of maturation, when he began to synthesize his experience in state-making and his pious commitment to the Sharia.[6] After about six years of service, however, he left the militia because Amir Khan chose to make peace with the British in return for the rule of a small estate. From Sayyid Ahmad's perspective, this was a strategic disaster because it amounted to surrendering to the greatest threat that Muslims faced in India.[7]

Upon leaving the militia, Syed Ahmad returned to Delhi and visited his former teacher Shah Abdul Aziz, who was so impressed by Syed Ahmad's charisma and maturation over the years that he advised his nephew Shah Ismail and his son-in-law Maulvi Abdul Hayy to take spiritual allegiance (bay'ah) with him. These two would go on to become Syed Ahmad's most trusted disciples. This endorsement by Shah Abdul Aziz only added to Syed Ahmad's reputation, and his popularity grew with adherents flocking to him by the thousands.[8]

Reform/Jihad Movement

According to Olivier Roy, Barelvi was "the first person to realize the necessity of a movement which was at the same time religious, military and political." He also was the first to address the people, not traditional leaders in his call for jihad. His evangelism—based on networks of preachers, collectors and judges—also addressed the common people and not the rulers' courts.[4]

His first target was the Sikh-ruled kingdom of Ranjit Singh, which was expanding further into Muslim land towards Afghanistan. It is thought that Barelvi intended to establish a Muslim bastion on the north-west frontier in the Peshawar valley from whence to attack the British colonialists after defeating Sikh forces.[4]

Prior to this he performed the hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca in 1821 with many supporters and spent two years organizing popular and material support for his Peshawar campaign.[9] He carefully developed a network of people through the length and breadth of India to collect funds and encourage volunteers, traveling widely throughout the subcontinent of India attracting a following among pious Muslims. He returned from Haj in 1823.[4]

Syed Ahmed's supporters were strong at Sithana in the North-Westem tribal belt and at Patna, but were also present in Hyderabad, Madras, Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Bombay. His movement spread very rapidly in Bihar, Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and North-Western India.

Sayyid Ahmad declared jihad against the Sikh Empire of Punjab ruled by Ranjit Singh.[10]

Arriving in Peshawar valley in late 1826, Sayyid Ahmad and one thousand followers made their base in towns of Hund and Zaida in Swabi District[9] Barelvi preached jihad amongst the local Pashtun tribes, demanding they renounce their tribal customs and adopt the shariat. The traditional khan were replaced by ulama (clerics) and a system of Islamic taxes was established to finance the jihad. Only after this evangelist campaign and sharia system was had set up was jihad declared.[4]

The mujahideen received both ideological preaching and physical training sessions. Syed Ahmad organized wrestling, archery training and shooting competitions. The mujahideen also sang anthems. One such anthems has survived, known as "Risala Jihad", it goes as follows:

"War against the Infidel is incumbent on all Musalmans;

make provisions for all things.

He who from his heart gives one farthing to the cause,

shall hereafter receive seven hundred fold from God.

He who shall equip a warrior in this cause of God,

shall hereafter obtain a martyr's reward;

His children dread not the trouble of the grave,

nor the last trump, not the Day of Judgement.

Cease to be crowds; join the divine leader, and smite the Infidel.

I give thanks to God that a great leader has been born,

in the thirteenth of the Hijra"[11].

In December 1826 Sayyid Ahmad and his followers clashed with Sikh troops at Akora with no decisive result. The inability of Sayyid Ahmad to shape local Pakhtun villagers into a disciplined and effective military force led to an 1827 decision consistent with his sense of proper relationship between religious and secular leadership. "It was accordingly decided by all those present at the time, faithful followers, sayyids, learned doctors of law, nobles and generality of Muslims that the successful establishment of 'Jihad ' and the dispelling of disbelief and disorder could not be achieved without the election of an 'Imam'".[9]

This moment of religiously inspired unity attracted the allegiance of maliks, shareholders and even the governors of Peshawar. However, during the next clash with Sikh troops at the south of Akora, the Peshawar rulers withdrew, leaving Sayyid Ahmad and his followers to retreat to the hills north of Peshawar. Yusufzai and Mandanr support for Sayyid Ahmad's movements was fragmented. In 1829 at the peak of his local influence, Sayyid Ahmad obtained agreement that the khans and general public would administer their principalities according to the laws of the Sharia and would give up the customary practices.[12]

The jihad did not last long however, due to the "treachery of the local khan".[4] The decisive moments for Sayyid Ahmad came in 1830. The Pukhtuns initially supported him but he soon assumed power, interfered in socio-political and economic fabric without homework. They rose against him and his around two hundred Mujahidin were killed in Peshawar valley which compelled him to migrate and try his luck in Kashmir, his long cherished dream.[13] In addition to the stated social agenda, Sayyid Ahmad also attempted to collect the Islamic tithe (usher) of ten per cent of crop yields. The alliance was defeated and the Islamic reformers finally occupied Peshawar. Over several months during 1830 Sayyed Ahmad tried to conciliate established power hierarchies. But before the end of 1830 an organized uprising occurred and the agents of Sayyid Ahmad in Peshawar and in the villages of the plain were murdered and the movement retreated to hills. There in the town of Balakot in 1831, Syed Ahmad was killed by the Sikh Army. He was beheaded. [9][14]

Grave of Syed Ahmed Shaheed in 2014

Battle of Balakot
The position of the Sikh forces at the foot of the Metikot hill.

On 8 May 1831, on the day of Holy Jumu'ah, 24 Zulqa'da 1248 AH, Syed Ahmad Barelvi's Mujahideen forces prepared for the final battle at Balakot Maidan in the mountainous valley of Mansehra district. It is to be noted that the total number of fighters in the Mujahideen was 600 and the number of Sikh soldiers was 10,000. Sikh troops started landing at Balakot Maidan from Metikot hill and Syed Ahmad Barelvi and most of the Mujahideen were staying in and around the Masjid-i Bala. Note that, The 700-strong Mujahideen force was encamped far along the Satban waterfall. Syed Ahmad Barelvi suddenly left Masjid-e-Bala to attack the Sikhs and reached Masjid-e-Yarin. He then marched towards the foot of Metikot with the Mujahideen forces. Most of the Sikh soldiers who landed at the foot of Metikot were killed. But already every inch of Tiller in Metikot was filled by troops. They came down from every place and launched a fierce attack on the Mujahideen. Syed Ahmad Barelvi was at the forefront of the Mujahideen forces. Suddenly, Syed Ahmad Barelvi was killed in the fountain of Metikot. A large group of Mujahideen did not realize the death of Syed Ahmad Barelvi and went in search of him. Besides, small groups of Mujahideen were killed while fighting in different places. This battle lasted at least two hours. Then the people of Gojar's group started shouting loudly in different groups that Syed Ahmad had been taken to the top of the hill. So you all come to the top of the hill. As a result, the Mujahideen moved towards the mountains to the north. And thus the war came to an end. The reason why the people of Gozar do this is that, Either they did it at the instigation of the Sikhs. Because if the Mujahideen were fighting in Metikot, many more Sikh fighters would have been killed. Or it may be assumed that the remaining Mujahideen had to resort to such tactics for the purpose of migration. Another rumor about the Death of Syed Ahmad Barelvi, the Emir and Commander-in-Chief of the Mujahideen forces, is that he was at the forefront of the Mujahideen and infiltrated a group of Sikh soldiers. The peaks surrounded him which his followers did not notice. Thus he was killed and his body could not be identified by the Mujahideen. For this reason, even after a long time, the remaining Mujahideen could not believe that the death of Syed Ahmad Barelvi was true.

Authentic Bibliography
  • Abul Hasan Nadvi, Syed Ahmad Shaheed in Sirat.
  • Dr. Muhammad Asadullah Al-Ghalib, The Ahl al-Hadith Movement: Origin and Evolution from a South Asian Perspective (Ph.D. Thesis).
  • Islamic Encyclopedia, Islamic Foundation Bangladesh.
  • I, H. Qureshi, Scholars in the Politics of the Subcontinent; (Dhaka, Islamic Foundation Bangladesh: 2005).
  • Muhammad Mia, Hind Ka Shandar Maazi in Ulama.
  • Dr. Muhibullah Siddiqui, Article: The Tragic Education of Balakot: A Theoretical Analysis, Islamic Foundation Magazine, April-June 2006, p.33.

References
  1. Adamec 2009, p. 54.
  2. Jalal 2009, pp. 307–308.
  3. Ahmad, M. (1975). Saiyid Ahmad Shahid: His Life and Mission (No. 93). Lucknow: Academy of Islamic Research and Publications. Page 27.
  4. Roy, Olivier (1985). Islam and Resistance in Afghanistan. Cambridge University Press. pp. 57–8. ISBN 9780521397001. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  5. Mortimer, Edward, Faith and Power, (1982), p.68-70
  6. Metcalf, Barbara Daly (2002). Islamic revival in British India : Deoband, 1860-1900 (3rd impression. ed.). New Delhi: Oxford Univ. Press. ISBN 0195660498.
  7. Bashir, Aamir (2013). Shari'at and Tariqat: A Study of the Deobandi Understanding and Practice of Tasawwuf. Dar al-Sa'adah Publication.
  8. Abbott, Freeland (1962). "The Jihad of Sayyid Ahmad". The Muslim World. 52 (3): 216–222. doi:10.1111/j.1478-1913.1962.tb02616.x.
  9. Wahhabi movement in India. Qeyamuddin Ahmad, (1994, p.50). open library
  10. Islamic revivalism – the Wahabi Movement History India website, Retrieved 16 August 2018
  11. Charles Allen, "God's Terrorists: The Wahhabi Cult and the Hidden Roots of Modern Jihad", p. 86, Abacus (2006).
  12. Nichols, Robert, Settling the Frontier: Land, Law and Society in the Peshawar Valley, 1500-1900, Oxford University Press, 2001| p.98
  13. Qadir, Altaf, "Ahmad Barailvi: His Movement and Legacy from the Pukhtun Perspective, Sage Publications India, 2015|
  14. Qeyamuddin Ahmad, Wahhabi movement in India, (1994, p.55)

Bibliography
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