Strengthening of the Faith

Publisher's Note

At a time when the general milieu in the subcontinent of India was overwhelmed by the powers of darkness, and the soundness of Faith was reeling under the potentially threatening squalls and the blinding forages of superstitions and paganism, Allah the Almighty, by dint of His special blessing,

sent a personality, who, by the strength of his Faith, knowledge and rhetoric, dissipated the redoubtable forces of depravity and smashed the self-made idols of Shirk (polytheism) and Bid'ah (innovations in religion) and established the base of pure Tauhid (Islamic Monotheism).

This great personality was Shah Ismail Muhaddith Dehlawi {May Allah have mercy on him}, who was the grandson of Shah Waliullah Dehlawi, a man of profound knowledge and great name to be reckoned with in terms of his authentic scholarship among the most qualified and famous celebrities of his time.

The services which he has rendered for the reformation of Ummah and his undertaking the task of Da'wah (the mission of propagating Islam); especially after the previous works of Shaikhul-Islam Imam Ibn Taimiyah and Muhammad bin AbdulWahhab, are absolutely unforgettable and shall always be cherished in our minds.

His status is specially far more prominent and elevated due to the fact that he not only carried on with his struggle on the strength of his pen and tongue, but he practically joined Tahreek-ul-Mujahidin (the first Islamic Mujahid movement) under the inspiring leadership of Saiyid Ahmad Shaheed and achieved martyrdom in his armed struggle against the Sikhs at Balakot and hence set an ideal example for the weak, incapacitated and oppressed Muslims of India.

The age of Shah Ismail Shaheed was infested and contaminated with the poisonous atmosphere of Shirk and innovations. The Indian Muslims, under the influence of the Hindu mythological faith, had entered such rituals and beliefs in Islam that they even surpassed the ones observed during the pre-Islamic period (in terms of their polytheistic rituals).

Taking the above facts into consideration, Shah Ismail Shaheed's religious sense of honor and the integrity of his Faith could not tolerate the spectacle that Islam which has been choiced for the slaves of Allah to confirm His Oneness (which is also the purpose of affirming one's faith in the Prophethood), should be infiltrated with and gnawed by the concept of associating partners to Allah.

In order to achieve this august and noble purpose, he compiled Taqwiyat-ul-Iman (the strengthening of faith), wherein he, along with construing and elaborating on Qur'an and Ahadith, also expatiated at length about the pure Islamic beliefs, and declaring all the innovations and rituals the source of ignorance in the light of Qur'an and Sunnah, he emphatically enjoined upon the Muslims to avoid being involved with them. Apart from bearing such exalted and elevated aims, this book, on account of its elegant,

breezy, simple and elaborate style of prose (according to the requirement of its age), proved to be so much popular among the peoples that it has so far been published in millions and has enlightened trillions of delinquent and strayed people and has guided them to the Right Path.

It must be brought to the attention of our readers that a preface written by Maulana Ghulam Rasool Mehr (the late), encompassing an eloquent description and a mighty rhetoric on the comprehensive benefits and profitability of Taqwiyat-ul-Iman is also included in this book and hence we presume that writing anything further in this regard shall be amounting to proverbially carrying coals to Newcastle.

However, the only thing we would like to add here is, that this book is being published with all its former qualitative characteristics along with the corrections and castigations effected by Moulana (the late).

However, some minor changes in words and style have been made keeping in line with the call of time. We are optimistic that the readers of this book shall be kind enough to tolerate these changes, as the same shall make it a lot easier for them to understand the facts which this book comprises.

However, we have spared no effort in making Taqwiyat-ul-Iman more presentable and appealing to our readers. May Allah bless us with a guidance to be led on the Right Path. Amin.

PREFACE

Shah Muhammad Ismail {May Allah have mercy on him} the author of Taqwiyat-ul-.Iman was the solitary son of Shah Abdul-Ghani {May Allah have mercy on him}, the grandson of Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlawi {May Allah have mercy on him}, and the nephew of Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddith {May Allah have mercy on him}, Shah Rafiuddin Muhaddith {May Allah have mercy on him} and Shah Abdul-Qadir Muhaddith {May Allah have mercy on him}.

In the vast Indian subcontinent, no one else other than Shah Ismail perhaps enjoys such a high and respectable pedigree in terms of knowledge and grace, teaching and instructing, writing and compiling, lecturing and prompting guidance, reinvigorating and renewing the teachings of religion, reviving Islam and reforming the Ummah. Very few people may have had a privilege of getting such a rich and spectacular heritage. Shah Ismail Shaheed {May Allah have mercy on him} not only lived up to the great reputation and enormity of his legacy, but he practically furthered its splendor manifold times and added luster to it.

According to an authentic source, Shah Ismail {May Allah have mercy on him} was born on 12th Rabi'ul-Awwal 1193 H (corresponding to 26th April 1779 G). It means that he was almost seven years older than his religious preceptor and mentor, the Amir-ul-Muminin (the head of the believers) Saiyid Ahmad Barailawi {May Allah have mercy on him}. The name of his mother was Bibi Fatimah {May Allah have mercy on her}.1

1 ] Mir Shahamat Ali, in the preface of his English translation of 'Taqwiyat ul-Iman, has mentioned his date of birth as 28th of Shawwall195 H. And has stated his mother's name as Fadeelat-un-Nisa (daughter of Moulvi Alauddin Phulti).

His maternal ancestry undoubtedly belonged to Phulat and his sister Bibi Ruqaiya's first marriage to his maternal cousin Moulvi Kamaluddin did take place in Phulat itself, but the authentic statement regarding his date of birth and the name of his mother is the one which is recorded in the 'text. We do not know about the source of his reference. He has mentioned several other things in his biography which are incorrect.

Education & training:

Shah Sahib attained his preliminary education from his esteemed father. At the tender age of eight, he had memorized the Noble Qur'an. On 16th of Rajab 1203 H (12th April 1789 G), Shah Abdul Ghani {May Allah have mercy upon him} passed away while Shah Shaheed was only 10 years old.

Each of his three paternal uncles (Shah Abdul-Aziz {May Allah have mercy upon him} Shah Rafiuddin {May Allah have mercy on him} and Shah Abdul-Qadir{May Allah have mercy on him} were equally keen to affectionately take charge of upbringing their bereaved nephew, but this responsibility was formally shouldered by Shah Abdul-Qadir {May Allah have mercy on him} who himself had only one daughter.

He is the one who taught the text books to Shah Ismail {May Allah have mercy on him.. He attained a degree of proficiency in all the prescribed subjects which were then in vogue and which were considered to be the highest standard of education one could possibly secure those days. He secured a degree of completion in the studies of Ahadith from Shah Abdul-Aziz {May Allah have mercy on him} and thus he completed his education while he was about 15 or 16 years old.

According to Sir Saiyid Ahmad Khan, he was so much overconfident in the very beginning stage of his studies that he would never remember as to where the lesson would really start. Sometimes he would start reading the text which immediately followed his present lesson. Whenever Shah Abdul-Qadir interrupted him such as to remind him of his actual lesson, he would answer that he avoided it since it was too easy for him,

and whenever Shah Abdul-Qadir would ask him any question concerning the portion which he had skipped, he would start delivering such an eloquent lecture about it that the people around him would be taken aback by surprise. Sometimes he would start his lesson proceeding the one which he is supposed to read and when Shah Abdul- Qadir brought his attention to it, he would express such doubts that even an accomplished instructor like him would have to pay a special attention in responding to his querries. His extraordinary intelligence became renowned far and wide.

After he had completed his formal studies, people would put direct querries to him even while he was walking on the road simply to examine him, keeping in mind the fact that so long as he did not have a book in his hand, he would not be able to give satisfactory answers to their querries. But Shah Ismail 'Nould unhesitatingly start lecturing them and provide such a detailed answer to their querries that they would be ultimately put to shame on their boldness.

Maulana Muhammad Khan Alam Madrasi has written on the authority of Maulana Saiyid Muhammad Ali Rampuri's statement that Shah Shaheed was a scholar of a very deep, profound, and authentic knowledge and had memorized the Noble Qur'an by heart. He had thirty thousand Ahadith on the tip of his tongue.

Saiyid Sahib's {May Allah have mercy on him} Bai'a (pledge):

Even though Shah Shaheed's fame in terms of his learning and wisdom had traveled far and wide, but he was a man of a rather carefree disposition, which means that he had not adopted an occupation on a permanent basis, the reason of which could possibly be that the activities which were practiced by his family members, might have been inadequately suited for the reforming purpose according to his viewpoint, while he had no other new activity in his frame of mind.

Or it could be that he would have had set his heart on a certain course of action and was only waiting in search of companions and fellows.

In. 1234 H (1819 G) Amirul-Muminin (the head of the believers) Saiyid Ahmad Barailawy {May Allah have mercy on him} abandoned the company of Nawab Amir Khan, the ruler of Tounk proceeded to Delhi from Rajputana and took residence in Akbar Abadi Mosque. The first to take a pledge of allegiance on his hand was Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Phulti,

who was presumably a grandson of Shah Ahlullah, a brother of Shah Waliullah {May Allah have mercy on him}.The second person to take such a pledge on his blessed hand was Maulana Abdul-Hai {May Allah have mercy on him} (the son-in-law of Shah Abdul-Aziz {May Allah have mercy on him}and finally it was Shah Shaheed who took a pledge on his hand. Once he did it, his life underwent a total transformation.

He became obsessed with the task of reformation and guidance day and night. On every Tuesday and Friday, he regularly delivered a religious lecture in Shahi Masjid (Royal Mosque). Sir Saiyid says in one of his writings that the people came to the Friday prayers in such a huge number, as if they throng the mosques for the 'Eid prayers in the form of a massive and thundering crowd.

Their number was phenomenal and innumerable. The method of his sermonizing was so pleasing that whatever he said, got ingratiated in the hearts of the people and they imbibed it to the core. Even if it involved a snag or a controversial point the same was cleared away during the course of his sermon. Revival of Sunnah and deterring Shirk (polytheism) and Bid'ah (innovations) were the special subjects of his religious lectures.

This was the time when the mission of the revival of religion commenced in full swing with all its might. This was the era about which Maulana Abul-Kalam Azad {May Allah have mercy on him}notes the following remarks in his book Tadhkirah:

"The secrets of (the mission of) Da'wah (i.e. call to Islam) and reformation of Ummah that were buried in the ruins of Old Delhi and the hovels and shanties of Kotla, were now being revived thanks to the involvement of the reigning sovereign, which caused a wave of consternation in the markets of Shahjahanabad and an uproar on the stairs of Jami' Masjid by this great and distinguished person.

Not only that, the news transcended the boundaries of the Indian subcontinent but had it's repercussions far and wide. The things which the great and renowned personalities of their time would not dare to express even inside the closed rooms, were now being said, heard and practiced in the open without reserve and the blood of martyrdom was indenting its indelible imprints and inscribing its redoubtable saga in the annals of the world history."

The pilgrimage journey:

In Shawwal 1236 (July 1821 G), Saiyid Ahmad {May Allah have mercy on him}intended to perform Hajj. Taking into account the possibility of death during a sea-journey, many scholars had pronounced their judgments to the effect that the performance of Hajj is no longer to be considered of an obligatory nature. Some people even went to the extent of saying that according to the commandment of the Qur'anic verse:

{And not throw yourselves into destruction}

The purpose of Hajj is nothing but the disobedience of Allah (May Allah forbid!). One of the methods which could be employed to checkmate this evil trend was through one's writings, verbal preachings, and therefore Saiyid Sahib, Shah Ismail{May Allah have mercy on him}, Maulana Abdul-Hai {May Allah have mercy on him}Shah Abdul-Aziz {May Allah have mercy on him} and the righteous scholars did not leave any stone unturned in regard to this obligation of theirs.

Another method was to subject the atmosphere of this vast country to the barrage of a positive publicity in regard to the performance of Hajj by taking a practical course of action in order to awaken and revive the public fervor interest and enthusiasm in it. Saiyid Ahmad {May Allah have mercy on him} was a man of determination and courage, who undoubtedly acted upon the second method also, the most surprising part of it being that he directed an open invitation for Hajj to all the Muslims of the country.

He made a common declaration to the effect that everybody should be prepared to perform the pilgrimage whether or not he has sufficient funds available with him for the journey. He took it upon himself to shoulder a comprehensive responsibility for everybody's Hajj.

He not only preserved the obligatory nature of Hajj in its original form in the minds of people but also practically demonstrated to them that this obligation may be performed at ease, provided one should be determined to perform it as a Divine commandment with the intention of a true and sincere Muslim.

Therefore, it followed that Saiyid Ahmad proceeded to perform Hajj with a caravan consisting of seven hundred and fifty Muslims. He was also accompanied by Shah Shaheed, his esteemed mother, and his sister. They rented ten ships, assigned an Amir to each ship to look after the affairs of the pilgrims traveling aboard them and commenced their journey from Calcutta.

After the completion of their Hajj and having visited all the sacred places, they came back in Sha'ban 1239 H (April 1824 G). During this journey, Shah Ismail {May Allah have mercy on him} was appointed as an Amir over a group of people traveling aboard one of the ships.