Role of Ulema and Mashaikh in Freedom Movement
ROLE OF ULEMA AND MASHAIKH IN FREEDOM MOVEMENT The Ulema and Mashaikh of the Indo-Pak subcontinent played an active role in promoting the Pakistan Movement. The Ulema’s tradition of the participation in the politics is very old. The Ulema belong to Chishtia, Qadria, Naqshbandia and Soharwardia and their followers actively supported the two-nation theory which led to Pakistan Resolution. The prominent names amongst them are Allama Shabbir Ahmed Usmani, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Maulana Abdul Hamid Badayuni, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, Maulana Muhammad Ibrahim Sialkoti, Pir Ghulam Mujadid Sirhandi, Amin-ul-Hasanat (Pir Sahib of Manki Sharif), Pir Sahib of Zakori Sharif, Pir Jamaat Ali Shah, Maulana Sanaullah Amratsari, Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Ghangohi, Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanotavi, Haji Zaman Ali Shaheed and a lot of others. In fact, the foundation stone of Pakistan Movement was laid by Hazrat Mujadid Alaf Sani, Sheikh Ahmad Sirhandi who did not hesitate to confront with the British royal authority and put his life at stake to light the torch for the regeneration of Islamic spirit. It was kept alive, after the death of the Aurangzeb Alamgir, by the movement started by Shah Waliullah. In the first half of the 19th century, Shah Abdul Aziz intensified it and made it widespread. Later on Shah Ismail Shaheed and Syed Ahmad Shaheed converted it into the Jehad Movement for the establishment of an Islamic state in the sub-continent. They fought against the Sikh ruler of the Punjab and were martyred while fighting in the valley of Balakot in quest to establish the Will of God. After the war of 1857, some of the Ulema established religious institutions for the religious teaching so that they could prepare the younger generation to protect the cause of the faith. Some of the Ulema had started underground movement for the political and national awakening of the Muslims. In October 1945 at Calcutta, Jamiat-ul-Ulema Islam was formed which proved a big