rizwan
ALI GARH MOVEMENT
The decline and consequent loss of Muslim political power and consolidation of the British political authority in most parts of the country had created a totally new situation that had no precedent in the long and chequered history of the Muslim community in India. It was now face to face with a number of very serious problems on whose solution depended its future. Several movements arose to meet the challenge and offer solution to some of the vexed problems according to their own perception and insight. Some of these, like the movement launched by Saiyid Ahmad of Rai Bareli, wanted to rectify the situation through armed struggle but did not succeed in achieving its objective. Moreover, after the collapse of the rebellion of 1857 the entire situation had undergone a complete change. Resort to arms was not possible in the changed circumstances. The British had very ruthlessly suppressed the revolt. Loss of political power, dispossession from positions of authority and wanton destruction of life and property on a massive scale had dealt a deadly blow to the morale of the community. This posed a great challenge for those who were concerned about the future of the community. The first response came from the Ulama who established the Darul Ulum at Deoband to meet this challenge. They believed that the most important thing in this situation was to ensure the dissemination of correct and authentic religious practices and beliefs and creation of a class of Ulama who embodied the true religious teachings and hence could provide religious leadership to the community and play a key role in the preservation of the religious identity and heritage. This necessarily included a programme for the reform of the society according to the ideals they taught and preached and which they had inherited from the successors of Shah Waliullah and Saiyid Ahmad of Rai Bareli. They believed that this objective could be best achieved
The decline and consequent loss of Muslim political power and consolidation of the British political authority in most parts of the country had created a totally new situation that had no precedent in the long and chequered history of the Muslim community in India. It was now face to face with a number of very serious problems on whose solution depended its future. Several movements arose to meet the challenge and offer solution to some of the vexed problems according to their own perception and insight. Some of these, like the movement launched by Saiyid Ahmad of Rai Bareli, wanted to rectify the situation through armed struggle but did not succeed in achieving its objective. Moreover, after the collapse of the rebellion of 1857 the entire situation had undergone a complete change. Resort to arms was not possible in the changed circumstances. The British had very ruthlessly suppressed the revolt. Loss of political power, dispossession from positions of authority and wanton destruction of life and property on a massive scale had dealt a deadly blow to the morale of the community. This posed a great challenge for those who were concerned about the future of the community. The first response came from the Ulama who established the Darul Ulum at Deoband to meet this challenge. They believed that the most important thing in this situation was to ensure the dissemination of correct and authentic religious practices and beliefs and creation of a class of Ulama who embodied the true religious teachings and hence could provide religious leadership to the community and play a key role in the preservation of the religious identity and heritage. This necessarily included a programme for the reform of the society according to the ideals they taught and preached and which they had inherited from the successors of Shah Waliullah and Saiyid Ahmad of Rai Bareli. They believed that this objective could be best achieved