Shah Waliullah ; His Beilefs, Work, And Importance

Question 1

When was shah waliullah born?

Answer 1

Shah waliullah was born on 21 February 1703, during the reign of emperor Aurangzeb.

Question 2

His real name was ________but he was later became known as ________ because of ________?

Answer 2

His real name was [Qutubudullah]but he was later became known as [shah waliullah] because of [his piety].

Question 3

Who was the father of shah waliullah? what did he do and what did what did shah waliullah did when his father died?

Answer 3

His father was Shah Abdul Rahim, who found the Mudarssa Rahmiya in Delhi.When his father died in 1718, Shah waliullah began teaching at the Mudarssa.

Question 4

In ______, Shah waliullah went to ______ to ________ and to ____________. He studied under the _________, before returning to _________.

Answer 4

In 1724, Shah waliullah went to Arabia to perform Hajj and to promote his studies. He studied under the famous scholar Sheikh Abu Tahir bin Ibraheem, before returning to Delhi in 1732.

Question 5

What did shah waliullah realized about the reform?

Answer 5

1. During his time in Arabia, Shah Waliullah thought deeply about the problems faced by Muslims in the Mughal Empire.
2. The Empire was in decline and Muslims were disunited and vulnerable to attacks on their religion.
3. Shah Waliullah realised that reform could not come from the weak leadership in Delhi and that it had to come from within the Muslim community itself.

Question 6

What did he believed about the problems of the Muslims?

Answer 6

He believed that many of the problems of the Muslims resulted from their incomplete knowledge of the Quran and about Islam in general- and it was necessary that Quranic teachings become more accessible to the people.

Question 7

According to him, what should be based on Islamic Principles?

Answer 7

He believed that all political, social and economic behaviour should be based on Islamic principles

Question 8

What did he concluded about the unity of Muslim community?

Answer 8

Shah Wallullah wanted Muslims to concentrate on the fundamental principles of Islam, believing that this would create a more united community

Question 9

What was essential to create a good society?

Answer 9

It was essential to follow the moral and spiritual principles of Islam in order to create a good society. Un-Islamic principles were also not be acceptable in any area of society, whether politics, economics or just the day-to-day lives of the individual Muslims.

Question 10

What did Shah Waliullah did to ensure he was a role model for other Muslims? what made him a highly knowledgeable scholar at an early age?

Answer 10

Shah Waliullah worked hard to ensure that he was a role model for other Muslims. His deep understanding of the Quran, Hadith, Fiqah and Tasawuf made him a highly knowledgeable scholar at an early age.

Question 11

What did Shah Waliullah did to make the message of The Holy Quran be widely known to the Muslim community?

Answer 11

1. Since he believed that an emphasis on Quranic teachings was vital to Muslims, he translated the Quran into Persian.
2. Few Muslims spoke Arabic and so the Quran had not been widely studied previously.
3. Now it could be understood by a larger number of Muslims.
4. The ulama criticised Shah Waliullah, but his work proved very popular.
5. Later his two sons, Shah Abdul Qader and Shah Rafi, translated the Quran into Urdu, which meant that many more people could study it.

Question 12

What fid Shah waliullah did in addition to translatin the Quran and what were the advantages?

Answer 12

1. In addition to translating the Quran, Shah Waliullah wrote fifty-one books in Persian and Arabic.
2. Amongst the most famous were Hujjat Allah al Baligha and Izalat-Akhfa.
3. His writings brought him great fame and prestige and enabled him to have influence in other areas too.
4. For example, in economics he emphasised the need for social justice and for peasants
5. and craftsmen to be truly valued for their contribution to the economy.

Question 13

What was one of Shah Waliullah’s most important contributions to the Muslim community?

Answer 13

1. One of Shah Waliullah’s most important contributions to the Muslim community was his organisation of opposition to the Marathas,
2. who were threatening to over-run the Mughal Empire from the south.
3. He realised that the Muslims had to unite to deal with this threat,
4. and that of the Sikhs who were attacking in the north.
5. Shah Waliullah wrote to all the Muslim nobles calling on them to join together to save the Mughal Empire.
6. It was partly his influence which helped to persuade Ahmed Shah Abdali of Persia to intervene.
7. He joined forces with local Muslim leaders and defeated the Marathas at the Battle of Panipat in 1761.
8. However, despite encouragement from Shah Waliullah, the Muslim leaders did not unite to take advantage of the defeat of the Marathas.

Question 14

Shah Waliullah’s contribution towards Islamic revival was extremely important for a number of reasons;

Answer 14

1. He was one of the first Muslim thinkers to state that the decline of the Mughal Empire and the vulnerable position of the Muslims were due to a neglect of the principles of Islam.
2. He believed that, if the decline in the position of the Muslims was to be stopped, there had to be spiritual and moral regeneration.
3. He showed how this regeneration might take place.
4. The Madrassa Rahimiya continued to play a vital role in teaching Islamic principles and researching Islamic thought.
5. His writing in Persian made Islamic teaching available to large numbers of Muslims who had not been able to understand Arabic.
6. He believed that Muslims could only prosper if they followed proper Islamic customs and did not indulge in social evils.
7. Shah Waliullah provided the inspiration for all Muslims to lead a pure life, based on the belief that anti-social attitudes incurred the displeasure of God.
8. He also showed that a Muslim revival could only take place if there was an acceptance that sectarian division was to stop.
9. Muslims had to concentrate more on the basic principles of Islam, and not allow the differences between them to lead to conflict.
10. He tried to build bridges between the different Muslim sects and to unite the community.
11. He tried to do this by organizing opposition to the Marathas
12. And uniting Muslims by emphasising the importance of Jihad against a common enemy.
13. Like all great reformers, Shah Waliullah’s influence continued long after his death.
14. Not only did his writings survive and be translated in many languages, but the Madrassa Rahimiya continued to flourish as his sons carried forward his work and teachings.
15. Many future Islamic leaders were inspired by him to fight for the good of the Muslim community.