Urdavi Muslim

“But between belief and actual character there is a wide difference. As a follower of Islam I am bound to regard the creed of Islam as superior to that professed by the followers of any non-Islamic religion. And in this sense the creed of even a fallen and degraded Mussalman is entitled to a higher place than that of any other non-Muslim irrespective of his high character even though the person in question be Mr. Gandhi himself.” — Mohammad Ali Jauhar

Hai Khak-e-Falasteen Pe Yahoodi Ka Agar Haq Haspania Pe Haq Nahin Kyun Ahl-e-Arab Ka — Dr. Muhammad Iqbal

The First Urdu Translations of the Qur’an: A Scholarly Legacy of Precision and Clarity by the Shāh Waliullāh al-Dehlavī Family. Among the earliest and most significant efforts to render the Noble Qur’an into Urdu were the works of the blessed scholars of the Shāh Waliullāh family, who served the Dīn with deep sincerity and intellectual excellence. Before 1790, Shāh Rafīʿ al-Dīn Dehlavī, the elder son of Shāh Waliullāh, produced a remarkable word-by-word (verbatim) Urdu translation titled Fāʾiq al-Bayān. This translation, though highly precise and closely aligned with the Arabic structure of the Qur’anic text, was intentionally literal and therefore less fluent in everyday Urdu expression. It reflects the scholarly discipline of preserving the exact semantic order of the divine words, serving students and advanced readers seeking direct textual understanding. Later his brother, around 1790–1791, Shāh ʿAbd al-Qādir Dehlavī completed his translation, titled Mūḍiḥ al-Qurʾān, which is distinguished by its eloquent, natural, and idiomatic Urdu style, making the meanings of the Qur’an accessible to the common masses. Unlike the earlier literal approach, his rendering focused on clarity and readability while preserving the sanctity and essence of the divine message. This noble work was first formally published in 1829 in Delhi and went on to become one of the most influential Qur’anic translations in the Indian subcontinent.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐳𝐢 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐀 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 The Faraizi Movement was one of the most significant Islamic revivalist movements in the history of India (Bengal). At a time when the Muslims of Bengal were crushed by poverty, colonial domination, and the gradual erosion of their Islamic identity, Allah raised Haji Shariatullah to remind them of a forgotten truth: that true honour lies only in obedience to Allah. The movement was founded by Haji Shariatullah (1781–1840) in the rural regions of East Bengal, particularly with its epicentre in Faridpur, the movement sought to revive pure Islamic teachings and eliminate un-Islamic customs and innovations (Bid’ah) that had become widespread among Muslims. The movement spread rapidly across the regions of Dhaka, Barisal, and Comilla, attracting large numbers of followers. The name “Faraizi” was derived from the Arabic word Farāʾiḍ (obligatory duties), reflecting the movement’s emphasis on fulfilling the essential obligations prescribed by Islam. Unlike many contemporary religious orders, the Faraizis avoided the traditional Sufi terminology of Pir and Murid. Instead, their leader was known as the Ustad (teacher) and followers as Shaagird (students). Those initiated into the movement were referred to as Tawbar Muslims (Repenting Muslims) or Mumin. The movement focused on religious reform and moral purification. Haji Shariatullah called upon Muslims to abandon practices that contradicted Islamic teachings and return to the fundamentals of the faith. However, as the movement expanded and came into conflict with oppressive social and economic structures, it gradually assumed a more militant and confrontational character. A major issue confronted by the Faraizis was the exploitation of muslim peasants by landlords through numerous illegal taxes known as abwabs. These were irregular cesses imposed over and above the lawful land revenue and were widely regarded as unjust. Some of these taxes were even connected to religious practices. Haji Shariatullah strongly opposed such exactions and instructed his followers not to pay these unlawful levies. He also resisted attempts by Hindu landlords to prohibit the slaughter of cows during Eid al-Adha, directing his followers to ignore such restrictions. These disputes intensified tensions between the Faraizi peasants and the predominantly Hindu landlord class. The growing influence of the movement alarmed both landlords and European indigo planters. For perhaps the first time in Bengal, British officials and local landlords found common cause against an Islamic mass movement. A propaganda campaign was launched portraying the Faraizis as rebels and agitators. In 1837, Haji Shariatullah was accused of attempting to establish an independent kingdom and was subjected to repeated legal harassment and police detention on charges of inciting agrarian unrest in Faridpur. Following the death of Haji Shariatullah in 1840, leadership passed to his son Dudu Miyan (Muhsinuddin Ahmad). Under him, the movement acquired a stronger agrarian and socio-economic dimension. Dudu Miyan organized the oppressed peasantry against landlord oppression and became immensely popular among rural Muslims. Landlords and indigo planters repeatedly filed false cases against him, but his popularity was such that courts often struggled to find witnesses willing to testify against him. His early successes captured the imagination of the masses, and many peasants looked to him for protection from exploitation. The Faraizi Movement remains a landmark chapter in the history of Indian and Bengali Muslims. It wasn’t an Islamic revival but also a powerful movement for social justice & Islamic reform. Through its emphasis on Tawhid, adherence to Islamic obligations, resistance to oppression, it left a lasting impact on the religious and political consciousness of Muslims of Bengal.

𝐔𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐯𝐢 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲. A photo published in an Ottoman newspaper in 1911 showing Indian Muslims in Delhi praying for the victory of their Muslim brothers in the Ottoman war against Italians during the siege of Tripoli.

“To consider one’s creed as superior to that of every non-Muslim is the duty of a Mussalman.” — Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar