Chapter No. 02 Muslim Reformers Question No. 04 Services of Shah Wali Ullah for Muslims of Subcontinent Light yrye Introduction Shah Wali Ullah, as has been mentioned in the preceding pages, went to Hejaz for his higher education and for performing Haj. During his stay at Makkah Shah Wali Ullah saw a vision in which the Holy Prophet (peace be upon Him) blessed him with the tidings that he would be instrumental in the organization of a | section of the Muslim society. So he set himself to work for the betterment of Muslim society, A brief description of his services is as under: 1, Religious Reforms: Shah Wali Ullah immediately set himself to the sacred task of spiritual consolidation of Muslim society. He pre pared a few students and gave them knowledge in different branches of Islamic learning. They were entrusted with the job of imparting the knowledge to others. uwIslamic Practices: Shah Wali Ullah persuaded the Muslim to strictly follow the footsteps of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). He introduced the basic principles of Islam to the people. He advocated the Quranic education for the welfare and benefits of the Muslims and asked them to abandon un-Islam trends and practices. He urged the people to lead a simple life and avoid involvement in the luxuries of the world, He initiated Tabiq (integration) of the Muslim society which was on the verge of destruction. By adopting the method of Tabiq he introduced liberal element and thus brought elasticity in the understanding of Islam. Ijtihad: He adopted a balanced approach and understanding of religious matters. He thoroughly studied all schools of thoughts and expressed what was right and just in a mild and sophisticated way without hurting anyone, He removed misunderstanding to a larger extent, between Shias and Sunnis and in this way provided a spiritual basis for national solidarity and harmony. He presented Islam in a more rational way to make it acceptable to a larger number of people. He himself states I was informed through Ilham (inspiration) that I would have to undertake this responsibility. The time has come when every injunction of the Sharia and the general instruction of Islam should be presented to the world in a rational manner. Jihad: Shah Wali Ullah got in touch with rulers and impressed upon them to enforce Islamic laws. He also urged them to mould their lives, according to the Islamic way. He educated the Muslim soldiers on the importance of Jihad and asked them to go for Jihad for the glorification of Islam. Economy: He asked the traders to adopt fair principles of trade as preached and practiced by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). He informed the people about the sins of accumulation of wealth and asked time to keep as much wealth as with the founder of modern Muslim of India and as such the father of modern Muslim India. He produced luminaries like Sir Syed Ahmad Khan who rendered meritorious services to the Muslims of India to draft their destinies. Removal of Sectarianism: In his time the Shias and Sunnis were aggressively hostile to each other and their rivalry was damaging the Muslim unity. Shah Wali Ullah wrote Izalat-al Akhifa and Khilafat-al-Khulafa in order to remove misunderstanding between Shias and the Sunnis, He refused to denounce Shias as, heretics. im Schools of Thoughts: Shah Wali Ullah adopted an analysical and balanced a. roach towards he four sciols of thought of Balance between Four Mus 2mysticism. In order to create a balance between the four schools, i.e., Hanafi, Hambali, Shafi and Malaki, he wrote Al Insaf fi Bayan and Shab al Ikhtilaf in which he traced their historical background, 2. Political Reforms: Apart from imparting religious education of Muslims, Shah Wali Ullah also provided leadership to the Muslim in the political field. He came out with his great wisdom and foresight to create political awakening in the Muslims of India. Struggle against Anarchy: The rise of Marhatas and Sikhs had posed serious problems to the Muslim rulers. The Mughal rulers were no more in a position to withhold the supremacy of the Muslim rule which was gravely jeopardized by the emergence of the Sikhs, Marhatas and other non-Muslim forces. Shah Wali Ullah came up to tackle his precarious situation. He had rightly noticed that if the Marhatas are not checked effectively the political power of the Muslims would disappear forever. He wrote letters to the leading Muslim nobles and informed them of the critical situation hanging on the head of the Mughal rule. He asked chieftains to come around, He eventually won over Najib-ud-Daula, Rehmat Khan and Shuja ud-Daula against Marhatas. Steps to Check the Marhatas: However, the Muslim chiefs were unable to face Marhatas effectively. Their resources were inadequate to crush the Marhatas power. Shah Wali Ullah, therefore, looked forward to Ahmad Shah Abdali. He, on the call of Shah Wali Ullah, came to India and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Marhatas at the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. The vietory of Ahmad Shah Abdali at Panipat blasted the Marhats power and paved way for the revival of Islam in Indi Efforts for Muslim Unity: He advised the Muslims to be united for the sake of Muslim society. And keep in mind the Islamic teachings of brotherhood. He taught them to work for the betterment of humanity and to follow the teachings of Islam regarding Non-Muslims, He was a great advocate of human rights especially of Non-Muslims. Two-Nation Theory: Shah Wali Ullah was a staunch supporter of Two Nation Theory. He played a vital role to make Muslims a strong nation on the bases of their Culture, History and heritage. His teachings proved helpful and saved Muslim culture :rom the amalgamatio” of Hixaiu eustoms. 33. Literary Services of Shah Wali Ullah Shah Wali Ullah wrote 51 books, on mysticism and other branches of Islamic learning which deal with religious, economic and political problems. 23 books were in Urdu and 28 were in Persian. Translation of the Holy Quran: His outstanding work was his translation of the Holy Quran into simple Persian language which was the literary language of his days, He produced this masterpiece of literature in 1737-38 which invited great criticism from the orthodox Ulema who threatened him even with death. Shah Wali Ullah’s translation was an exceptional act as there had never been a translation of the Holy Quran before in a foreign language. His translation brought the knowledge of the Holy Quran within the reach of an average literate person who found it easier to read and understand the Holy Quran in a language other than Arabic. After Shah Wali Ullah his two sons Shah Rafi-ud-Din and Shah Abdul Qadir prepared Urdu versions of the Holy Quran. Hujjat-ullah-al-Baligha: Hujjat-ullah-al-Baligha is another famous work of Shah Wali Ullah, In this work Shah Sahib has discussed in details the reasons of the social and religious Decay of the Muslims. He has also discussed the importance of application of Ijitihad in his book and has mentioned the intellectual and scholastic requirements of a Mujtahid priest.) Izalat-al-Khifa and Khilafat-al- Khulafa: Shah Wali Ullah wrote Izalat-al-Khifa and Khilafat-al-Khulafe in order to remove misunderstanding between Shias and the Sunnis. He refused to denounce Shias as heretics. Al Insaf fi Bayan Sbab al Ikh balanced approach towards he four schools of thought of mysticism. In order to . Hanafi, Hambali, Shafi and Malaki, he wrote Al Insaf fi Bayan Shab al Ikhtilaf in which he tra Shah Wali Ullah adopted an analytical and create a balance between the four schools, i ‘d their historical background. Fuyuz-al-Haramain: In Fuyuz-al-Haramain, Shah Wali Ullah depicts one of his dreams during his stay in Arabia. He describes that the God Almighty chose him as an intermediary to establish a new order in his time, 4Beside the above mentioned works Shah Wali Ullah wrote many other books on different topics. They include al-Nawadar-Min-al-Hadis, Aqad-al-Jaiyad-fi- Ahkam writings are produced in Arabic and Persian languages. 4, Social Reforms: In Shah Wali Ullah’s time Muslims were indulged in many non-Islamic customs because of co-existence with the Hindus. He took following steps to beware the Muslims of these problems: He struggled to get rid of the Hindu concept about the marriage of the widows and told the Muslims that it is the Sunnah of The Holy Prophet (PBUH) 2. He told the Muslims to avoid superstitions, charm wearing and other such practices. 3. He also struggled against the dowry and other such unnecessary expanses on the time of marriage. 4. He tried to abolish mourning on death more than three days as it was against Islamic teachings. 5. He advised the Muslims to work for lawful earning and to avoid (Usury) interest on loan. 6. He also worked against the unjust distribution of wealth. 7. He preached simplicity. 8. He worked against the sectarianism and grouping Madrassa Rahimia: Madrassa Rahimia and other institutions founded by him imparted education in the light of his works. A bunch of religious-nationalist was prepared by these schools who interpreted Islam according to his doctrines. Shah Abdul Aziz, the eldest son of. Sha: Wali Ullah led these -eligiccs nationalists to wag« Jihad for the liberatio of 45Muslim India and ultimately to build an edifice for a Caliph state on the principles of Islam as described by Shah Wali Ullah’s doctrines. Conclusion: In short Imam-ul-Hind Hazrat Shah Wali Ullah, a great saint, scholar and reformer are one of those great personalities of Islam who, with his dedicated services had brought the Muslim society together on the stable foundations. He continued the work of Hazrat Mujadid Alf Sani and struggled for the religious, cultural political and social revival of the Muslims Question.05 Services of Hazrat Mujadid Alf Sani (Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi) for the revival of Islam in the Sub-Continent Pies ea Le) ye ete. uv ies oa “se a : ie Ca an ‘¢ ae . . fH pi — te eo ; eel iat YZ aA Ci—tye_J JN, 16Introduction Hazrat Mujadid Alif Sani was a great Muslim saint and mystic of the Naqshbandia order. He challenged the might of Akbar, the great Mughal emperor, to re-establish to glory of Islam which had been gravely threatened by the anti- Islamic trends of Akbar. Brief Introduction of Hazrat Mujadid Alf Sani Hazrat Mujadid Alf Sani, whose real name was Sheikh Ahmad title name was baddrudin a descendant of the second pious Caliph Hazrat Umar Ibn Al Khatab for which he was also referred as Faroogi. He was a prominent disciple of Khawaja Bagi Billah, an eminent saint of the Naqshabandia spiritual order. Sheikh Ahmad was drawn into mysticism by his father. Sheikh Abd-al-Ahad, a prominent Sufi and scholar. He received Khilafat from his father in the Chishtiya and Suhurwrdiya spiritual orders. He is popularly known as Mujadid-i-Afli-i-Sani (Receiver of Islam during the second Millenium), Sheikh Ahmad was born on June 26, 1564 at Sithind, the Capital of Eastern Punjab during Mughal rule, Early Education He received education under the most prominent and learned teachers at Sialkot and Sithind. He memorized the Holy Quran and then switched over to the study of Hadith, Tafsir (commentary) and Ma’qual (philosophy). He travelled from place to place to benefit from the renowned scholars. During his wandering to quench his thirst for the mystical knowledge he came into contact with the leading lights of Akbar’s court Abu-al-Fazl and Faizi, When Abu al-Fazl and Faizi learnt of his brilliance and extraordinary mystical insight, they tried to draw him into the Court of Akbar. However, Sheikh Ahmad’s connection with the celebrated brothers Abu- al-Fazl and Faizi did not prolong because of Abu-al-Fazl’s un-Islamic trends. Sheikh Ahmad wrote his famous book, Isbat-un-Nabuwwat (affirmation of prophethood) in which he gave an excellent explanation of the prophethood. v7RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL SERVICES When Sheikh Ahmad began his reform movement Akbar was ruling the sub-continent and his anti-Islamic outlook had aggravated the social environs. Akbar had no leanings towards Islamic principles and tenets. He promoted Hinduism by marrying Hindu ladies and by allowing free access to the Rajputs and Hindus in his court. He also appointed Hindu Rajputs on higher civil and military positions. 1. Opposition of Din-i-Tahi: The introduction of Habi by Akbar was a grave attempt to distort Islam, He assumed the title of Mujadid-i-Azam and Imam-i-Adil and issued orders pertaining to the religious matters which were to be considered as authentic and final. The impact of Din-i ahi greatly affected Muslim beliefs and trends. It split the Muslim society into several factions and promoted heretic attitudes and practices. 2, Social Reforms: At that time Muslim society was ridden with un-Islamic practices and trends. Under the Hindu influence, a firm and widespread belief in Karamat (miracles of the saints) had developed in the society which greatly misguided the innocent people. In Sufism many means of developing magical and supernatural powers, alien to Islam, had been developed. 3. Reforms in Tasawaf (Spirituality): The mystics and Sufis of those days openly denied the authenticity of Sharia by declaring Sharia (the law of Islam) as superficial and external. They even proudly manifested their indifference towards the Sunnah or Examples of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The ulema and theologians ceased to refer to the Quran and Hadith in their commentaries and considered jurisprudence as the only religious knowledge. By these trends the religious spirit excessively diminished and gave rise to the juristic view of Islam 4, Purgation of Muslim Society: Sheikh Ahmad undertook the job of purifying the Muslim society of un- Islamic tendencies by sending a number of his disciples in all directions to preach 18the true Islam. He asked them the emphasis on (Ittibat-i-Sunnah) following the examples of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), and the commandments of Sharia in their sermons and preaching’s. The work was vigorously pursued in India and other neighboring Muslim countries. Sheikh Ahmad also began a correspondence with the prominent scholars of all Muslim countries. In his letters he explained the religious doctrines and put great stress on the Ittibat-i-Sunnah, 5. Struggle against Atheism: Sheikh Ahmad was greatly opposed to the atheism and openly denounced un- Islamic society. He worked very hard to restore the original teachings of Islam and emphasized on the concept of Tauheed. He exposed the fallacy of Din-i-Illahi and came out with full vigour to curb the influence of this satanic creed. He urged the Muslim to order their lives according to the principles of Islam. He declared that mysticism without Shariat was misleading and denounced those Ulema who had questioned the authority of Sharia. 6. Reformation of Nobles: Sheikh Ahmad stressed on the Muslims to revert to the purer Islam by giving up heretical customs and practices. He labored diligently to settle the differences between the scholars and the mystics. He initiated the leading nobles near the emperor into his discipleship and through them exerted an influence to bring about a change in the life of the Court. He was able to enlist Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana, Khan-i-Azam Mirza Aziz and Mufti Sardar Jehan, the most influential personalities of Akbar’s era into his discipleship. He also persuaded the great men of Jehangir’s period to take an oath of Allegiance at Sheikh Ahmad’s hands. In the time of Jehangit Sheikh Ahmad was successful to a greater extent to extract a solemn undertaking from the Muslims that they would not obey any orders repugnant to Islam. Sheikh Ahmad adopted an effective method of persuasion by writing letters to the leading nobles of the royal court. He began addressing letters written in a language, which would move mountains, to leading nobles of the state, bemoaning the sad state in which Islam had fallen in India, and reminding them of their duty. His letters are known as Muktubat-e-Imam Rabbani and were addressed to, besides other leading nobles, Sheikh Farid, Khan-i-Azam, Sadr-i-Jehan and Abdur Rahim Khaa-e-Khana 197. Emphasis on Islamic Values: Sheikh Ahmad persuaded the Muslims to adopt simple habits in life and to strictly adhere to Namaz. He also explained the utility of Fasting and declared that fasting protects the mankind from many sins. His efforts contributed a great deal towards the popularity of Islam in the sub-continent. 8. Two Nation Theory Sheikh Ahmad was a staunch advocate of the separateness of the Muslims and desired to maintain the distinctive image of the Muslim Nationalism, He laid great emphasis on the separate identity of the Muslims and adopted a very stern attitude against the Hindus. Sheikh Ahmad firmly believed in Two-Nation Theory. He was in favour of maintaining the differences between Hindus and Muslims. He wanted Jizya to be re-imposed on Hindus and demanded the destruction of Hindu temples. 9. Wahdat-ul-Wajud and Wahdat-ul-Shahud The philosophy of Wahda time. They believed that the entire Universe is the symbol of Almighty God and a -ul-Wajud was presented by some Sufis of Akbar's source of revelation of God's sovercignty. The advocates of Wahdat-ul-Wajud believed that there was no living difference between the Man and his creator God and both individual and God are not separated from each other. They also believed that every particle of the universe represented the presence of God and, therefore, the worship of God's creature amounted to the worship of God. Sheikh Ahmad openly negated this philosophy and declared it as ultra vires to the principles of Islam. He presented his philosophy of Wahdat-ul-Shahud which meant that the creator and creatures were two different and separate entitles. 10. Struggle against Jehangir’s Policies: Sheikh Ahmad also dealt with matters, other than religious revival in his letters. This policy drew him into serious difficulties. Asif Jah, the Prime Minister of Jehangir’s court alerted Jchangir of the mounting popularity of Sheikh Ahmad by inciting the Emperor that Sheikh Ahmad’s anti-Hindu views were creating unrest in the country. Jehangir summoned Sheikh Ahmad to his court and asked him to explain his statements. Sheikh Ahmad appeared in the royal court in a highly fied manner nd exylained his statement in a courageous sty! _ Somone 20Pointed out to Jehangir that Sheikh had not performed that act of Prostrations. When he was asked to perform Sajdah was only due to Almighty God, Jehangir, infuriated over this blunt reply ordered the Sheikh to be imprisoned in the Fort of Gawaliar. 11. Struggle during Imprisonment: Sheikh Ahmad did not shirk his preaching of Islam during his imprisonment Aftertwo years, Jehangir fecling repentful, released him from the fort and venerated him with a dress of Honour and 1000 rupees for his expenses. He was given the option of going back to Sithind or remains in the royal court. Sheikh Ahmad preferred to stay in the royal court. In order to popularize Islam a number of Muslim reformers and revivers adopted a liberal point of view in their preaching so that a large aumber of people could be attracted toward Islam, They, however, were Successful to a great extent, but at the same time this liberal approach gave rise to the concept of joint nationalism. This trend proved injurious to the separate and distinct national image of the Muslims, 12. The Influence of Sheikh Ahmad’s Efforts The efforts of Sheikh Ahmad to purify the religious and Practical life of the Muslims left an indelible impact on the history of Muslim India Allama Iqbal poet- Philosopher of the East has paid rich tributes to Sheikh Ahmad in one of his poems for refusing to perform the act of prostration before the emperor. Allama Iqbal considers him as the spiritual guardian of the Muslims of India, His movement for the cause of Islam gave a new life to the Muslims end is regarded as the call back of Mohammad, which left far-reaching impact in religious and practical fields. 13. Death After living for three years with the emperor Jehangir, Hazrat Mujadid sought permission to leave for Sithind. He passed away on December 10, 1024 A.D, and was buried in Sirhind, 21| Conclusion: Sheikh Ahmad, till the last breath of his life continued with the propagation of Islam. He drew a distinction between Islam and atheism, He considerably prevailed “pon Jehangir to alter his religious view and abandon his father’s religious policies. Jehangir under the influence of Mujadi’s preaching, order Khutaba (holy sermon) to be recited and cow slaughter to be carried out as required by Islamic principles, ‘ehangir also agreed to the construction of a big mosque on the advice of Mujadid, 22Question.06 Syed Ahmed Shaheed Barelvi He was a very ambitious man who wanted to see Muslims of India in a better position than they were. He was bor in 1786 in Barely. He belonged to Hasni Syed family. It is believed that he was distantly related to Shah Wali Uliah, In his early days he wanted to become a religious scholar but he lacked the abilities required to become one. His ambition brought him to Skah Abdul Aziz, son of Shah Wali Ullah. Shah Abdul Aziz He guided him about his future and told him that if he relly wanted to do something for Muslims he should conduct Jihad for the Muslims where ever the Muslims are in need and weak Shah Abdul Aziz eclared India “Darul Harb", place of war or @ place where Muslims cannot live their lives according to the teachings of Islam. For this purpose Syed Ahmed was not properly trained. He needed some to guide him in the art of warfare and teach all that is need to plan and Conduct attacks on the enemy and how to survive when attacked. For this Purpose Shah Abdul Aziz sent Syed Ahmed Shaheed to Amir Khan a commander of Pathan army to get ‘combat and military training, In 1821 he went to offer Hajj and stayed there for 2 years and leamt religion. He came back and made Jihad his ambition. He visited many areas of India to gather support. He was able ‘© collect some thousand volunteers fo fight along him. He came back to Punjab and challenged the authority of Sikh rulers, In early years of their struggle to free the Muslims of Punjab they were successful and the movement became popular. Many other Muslims who came f0 know about the movement came and joined Syed Ahmed Shaheed, At one stage the Muslim army reached around 80000 fighters, Reason for the failure of Jihad Movement: 1, Threat to local rulers: ‘The local Muslim rulers who supported the movement in its early days started to feel uncomfortable. Their main fear was the presence of such a large army in their area, This army had everything except an area to rule, Basically it was not meant to rule any area the main reason for the formation of this amy was to support suppressed Muslims of Punjab. The rulers of N.W.F.P. thought that after dealing with Sikhs in Punjab they might tum towards us and would take our rule as well. Out of this fear the local rulers betrayed Syed Ahmed Shaheed Barelvi. 232. Unpopular in Muslims of Punjab: The people who came to fight in Punjab came from different places in India, They did not have any means of income. So to sut e they started to tax the Muslims of Punjab on behalf of theit support. The Muslims who were already under so much pressure were unable to pay this tax. This created frustration amongst the Muslims of Punjab, 3. Heterogeneous army: The army of Syed Ahmed Shaheed was a volunteer army and these volunteers came from many different parts of India. They belonged to different areas and races, They had different styles of fighting on which they argued @ lot. The only thing bonding them together was the leadership of Syed Alimed Shaheed. This difference among them contributed towards their defeat. Question No. 07 Sir Syed Ahmed Khan; (1817-1898) Introduction: Sir Syed Ahmed Khan is one of those personalities who shape the future of nations, Sir Syed ‘Ahmed Khan was born on 17th October 1817 and he died on 27th March 1808, He belonged ‘0 an educated family and his father had served in the Mughal court. After ‘completing cetucation he looked for his furure in judiciary during the rule of East India Company. He was a realistic person and # man of reason. He saved the life of an English collector Shakespeare and his family from an angry mob. He was the frst person who took a middle path and tried to solve the problems Muslims were facing atthe time especially after the war. At the time of the war he was 40 years old and he dedicated rest of his life towards the restoration of the status of Muslim society in sub-continent, Contributions and services of Sir Syed: After the war Sir planned to raise the status of Muslim society by education and bringing them close to British. To accomplish this task he wrote books on various topies and opened schools and other institutions. Literary works, i Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind; (The causes of Indian Revolt). 1858 (Political effort): Tt was originally written in Urdu and later it was translated into English by Sir Auckland Colvin and G.F.1. Graham in 1873 and published same year?, 241m this pamphlet he blamed the war on British. He said that itis due to the tyrannical rule of British East India Company that Indians started to hate them and finally this hatred led to the ‘war. He pointed out that British did not include Indians in the government. He argued that British should include Indians in the government. This will help British to understand and solve the problems faced by Indians. This particular piece to writing had a great impact on polities of India, British for the first time included Indians in the government after the Indian Councils act 1861. These Indian members were chosen by the Viceroy this means they were not elected or they had the approval of Indian people. ‘i Loyal Mohammedans of India. 1858 (Political effort: Im this book Sir Syed mentioned all those Muslims who served under the British The main Purpose of this book was to fell British that Muslims are not their enemies and they have served them with loyalty. * Tabyin-ul-Kalam (Explanation of Bible) (Social effort): In this book Sir Syed explained Bible to bring out its relation with Quran and Islam. It was a very important book to cultivate friendly relations between Muslims and British, in Tahzeeb-ul-Akhlag. (Magazine) (Social efort) {twas 2 magazine started by Sir Syed to bring Muslims closer to their culture and moral values. It worked as a social reformer. » Ableam-e-Taam-e-Ahle-e-Kitab (Social efort) (Table manners of the people of book) Both Muslims and Christians are the people of book. Muslims follow Quran and Christians follow Bible. In this writing Sir Syed tied to bring out the similarities between Muslims and Christian, vt Kiutabt-e-Ahmadiah (A book on the life of Holy Prophet Mohammad P.B.U.H) In this, book Sir Syed discussed different events and summons of Holy Prophet. vii. Tafseer-ul-Quran, (Commentary of Holy Quran) It was a detailed commentary on Holy Quran, Educational institutes: i Laid the foundations of a school at Moradabad in 1859, ii. Established a school in Ghazipur in 1864, 25iii, Established a scientific society at Ghazipur in 1863. The main function of this Society was to translate books writen in European languages into local languages 8o the people of India could understand them, iv. In 1869 he went to England to admit his son Mohammad in Cambridge University. There he observed the education system and particularly universities, He observed that Universities like Oxford and Cambridge are working for more than three centuries due to which the society of England was modem and advanced. After coming back fiom England he started to work towards establishing a university in India, In 1875 he was able to establish a school at Aligarh, which was upgraded to MAO College in 1877. This same college was finally made a university in 1920 as Aligarh Muslim University. ¥- He also established Mohammedans Educational conference in 1886 to promote education amongst Muslims of Sub-continent, Aligarh Movement: It was not a separate movement launched by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, All of his educstional efforts which lad their base in Aligarh came to be known as Aligath Movement which included the Tehzeb-ul- Akhilag, MAO. College etc Political efforts: Sir Syed tried to transform Muslim society of sub-continent to be a modem society. For this Purpose he made many different efforts. Along with his social, educational and religious efforts his political mentoring of Muslims is very important. Two nation theory: Sir Syed was the first person who distinguished the two major communities of sub-continent on the political and religious basis. He had a very fine observation on the political events of his times. In 1867 Hindi Urdu controversy occurred. The course of this event got Sir Syed's attention and he started to think about the two nation theory at that time. Political Advice to Muslims: ‘When Indian National Congress was established in 1885 Sir Syed advised Muslims of sub- continent to stay away from the politics. The reason behind it was that he believed that Muslims are not properly aware of politics at that time and not properly educated to become got politicians. On the other hand Hindus were in better position than Muslims. That is why he asked Muslims to werie towards education and en they are prepared then enter sato polities, 26