Hundred Great Muslims

SYED AHMAD BARELVI
The 18th century was a period of extreme decadence of Muslim power in
India. On the death of the great Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1707, had
started the disintegration of his vast dominions embracing the whole of the
Indian subcontinent. His successors were too weak to arrest the process of
decadence and disruption besetting it. Not only the Muslim political power had
rapidly declined and was soon at its lowest ebb but also their economic, religious
and cultural life showed signs of extreme degeneration. The central power which
held together the opposing groups and shielded their weakness was itself breaking
up. The social contacts with the Hindus gave vogue to many whimsical and
un-Islamic customs which struck at the root of the fundamentals of Islam and
slowly weakened its hold in India. In such a disruptive and gloomy atmosphere
was born Shah Waliullah, a great intellectual reformer, whose teachings paved
the way for the renaissance of Islam in India, both in religious and political
spheres. Shah Waliullah was followed in his noble mission by his son Shah Abdul
Aziz of Delhi and his disciple Syed Ahmad Barelvi, assisted by his associates.
Syed Ahmad was born in a famous Syed family of Rai Bareli, known for
its learning and saintlihood. His great grandfather, Maulvi Ilmullah Saheb was
highly respected for his deep erudition, purity of life and devotion to God and
His last Prophet. He refused to accept any gift even from a puritan like Emperor
Aurangzeband preferred a life of poverty and abstinence. He was very particular
about following the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet of Islam.
Syed Ahmad, who was born on the 1st of Muharram 1201 A.H. (October
24, 1786), had little inclination towards education during his childhood. He was,
however, very fond of manly exercises and passed his time in learning and
practising the use of arms.
When fully grown up, Syed Ahmad, along with six companions, proceeded
to Lucknow in search of employment. Lucknow, in those days, was the Capital
of the Kingdom of Oudh and a great centre of learning and culture in Northern
India. But, he did not stay there for long and set out on foot to Delhi in quest of
knowledge. After a strenuous journey, he called on Shah Abdul Aziz, a wellknown
divine of Delhi, who, on being informed of family connections, entrusted
him to the care of his brother Shah Abdul Qadir. Syed Ahmad stayed at the
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