# Shah Waliullah Dehlawi

Qutb ud-Din Ahmad ibn ʿAbd-ur-Rahim al-ʿUmari ad-Dehlawi better known as Shah Waliullah was a prominent Islamic scholar, reformer, and theologian from the Mughal Empire. Born in Delhi, he was the son of Shah Abdul Rahim, who was a key figure in compiling the Fatawa-e-Alamgiri under Emperor Aurangzeb. Shah Waliullah is best known for his efforts to revive Islamic teachings and bring social, political, and religious reforms in the declining Mughal society.
He emphasized the need for unity among Muslims, promoted a balance between traditional Islamic teachings and rational thought, and translated the Quran into Persian to make it more accessible to the common people. His most significant works include Hujjatullah al-Baligha, in which he analyzed the causes of the decline of the Muslim community and proposed solutions. Shah Waliullah also called for jihad against corrupt rulers and external threats, influencing later reform movements in South Asia. His legacy continued through his sons and disciples, who played a crucial role in shaping Islamic thought in the region.

## Early life and education

Shah Waliullah was born in 21 February 1703 in Delhi during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. His father, Shah Abdul Rahim, was a respected Islamic scholar and a key figure in compiling the Fatawa-e-Alamgiri. From a young age, Shah Waliullah was exposed to Islamic scholarship and received his early education at the Madrasa Rahimiya, founded by his father.
By the age of 15, he had mastered various Islamic sciences, including the Quran, Hadith, Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), and Arabic literature. After his father’s death, he took over the administration of Madrasa Rahimiya. In 1730, he traveled to the Hijaz (present-day Saudi Arabia) to perform Hajj and further his studies. There, he studied under prominent scholars in Mecca and Medina, gaining deep insights into Islamic teachings and reformist ideas. After returning to India in 1732, he dedicated his life to Islamic revival and reform.

## Death

Shah Waliullah passed away on 20 August 1762 in Delhi. His death marked the end of an era of significant Islamic reform in the Indian subcontinent. Despite his relatively short life, he left a lasting impact through his writings, teachings, and efforts to unite the Muslim community. His sons and disciples continued his mission, further spreading his ideas and influencing later Islamic movements in South Asia. He was buried in Delhi, where his legacy remains respected among scholars and reformers.

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### On Sunni Islam

Shah Waliullah defined Sunni Islam in broad terms, rather than confining it to a specific school of theology. According to Shah, Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jam'ah are those who followed the Qur'an and Sunnah on the way of the Sahaba (companions) and Tabi'īn, by holding "fast to the beliefs of the pious ancestors (al-salaf)." He considered the four legal schools, as well as both the Ahl al-Hadith (Athari) and Ahl al-Ra'y (Maturidi and Ash'ari) schools of theology to be part of Sunnism. According to Shah, the differences between them are only over secondary issues of valid Ikhtilaf; while on fundamental issues they remain united.

### On Fiqh (Jurisprudence)

He believed that leaders should rule in accordance with the precepts of Islam and the teachings of Islam should be purified by teachers with ijtihad based on the basis on which the Quran and Hadith is founded on. He believed that there are certain bounderies that must be placed on Sufism and that the four main Madhahib were to be mixed into one system of law and moral codes. He said:
   There are numerous benefits in it that are no secret to anyone. These are especially required in these days when people lack courage, when carnal passions have taken deep root in people's souls and whenever a person is obsessed only with his opinion.
In his work Tahfimat al-Ilahiyya, Shah declared his conviction that the unity of Hanafi and Shafi'i schools of law was essential for Indian Islamic revival. Thus, many of his legal positions aligned with the views of Imam al-Shafi'i. Shah Waliullah sought the reconciliation of differences of the Shafi'i and Hanafi schools of Fiqh as his duty. He was particularly concerned with the pervasive Hanafi fanaticism prevalent in his community, which he rebuked, and called for an inclusive association of all of the schools of law. He said:
   The entire Ummah, or rather those of them who are dependable, are unanimous about the fact that it is permissible to follow one of these four Madhahib that have been methodically systemized and recorded. This unanimity remains to this day.

### On Tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis)

Shah Waliullah placed emphasis on a direct understanding of the Qur'an, maintaining that those students with sufficient knowledge must work with the text, rather than previous commentaries. He argued that Qurʾān is clear to any student with sufficient knowledge of Arabic, just like it was understandable to its first recipients and scholars, including those parts that are mutashābih (unclear). Shah believed that one should prefer the interpretation that is closest to the literal meaning (ẓāhir al-maʿnā) of the Qurʾān and the Sunnah which fits the Qur'anic context, without clinging to a particular school in exegesis, grammar, or theology.

### On Divine Attributes

On the nature of Divine Attributes, Shah Waliullah held the positions of the Ash'ari creed. Shah Waliullah held to the position that ta'wil (alternative interpretation) of the Divine Attributes is permissible within limits. He writes in Hujjatullah al-Balighah: "It is our right to interpret them (the attributes of God) in senses more easy to comprehend and more suitable than what they said, for clarity’s sake, since holding these (specific) meanings is not stipulated, and the one investigating by means of intellectual proof is not forced to use them, and they are not preferable to others, nor do they have any exclusive merit."
Despite being an Ash'ari, Shah Waliullah opposed excessiveness in Kalam (speculative theology) and defended the position of the early Athari creed. Shah wrote in Hujjatullah al-Balighah: "Those speculative theologians (Mutakallimun) who behaved contemptuously towards the Atharis calling them corporealists and anthropomorphists, saying that they sought refuge in the formula of "without asking how" (Bila Kayf)... this contempt of theirs is unfounded and they err in their sayings both from the viewpoint of tradition and of reason and they err in slandering the leaders of the true religion."
In contrast to those speculative theologians which he deemed to be in err, he said the following regarding the limits of interpretation and its speculative nature: "There is no ruling to the effect that God meant what we hold, nor is there a consensus that one should believe in them and acknowledge them; such a thing would be absurd."

### Stance on Marathas

His dislike of the Marathas is expressed in one of his dreams that he narrated in “Fuyooz-ul Haramain” where he said "And I saw that the king of the infidels took over the land of the Muslims and looted their property. He enslaved their women and children and in the city of Ajmer he declared the rites of disbelief".

### On the Shi'a

In one of his letters available in manuscripts collection at Rampur, he asks Muslim rulers led by Ahmad Shah Bahadur to put a ban on public religious ceremonies by non-Muslims and to issue strict orders against certain ceremonies by the Shi'a: "Strict orders should be issued in all Islamic towns forbidding religious ceremonies publicly practiced by non-Muslims (such as the performance of Holi and ritual bathing in the Ganges). On the tenth of Muharram, Shi'a should not be allowed to go beyond the bounds of moderation, neither should they say or do things that are considered offensive by other Muslims (that is, recite tabarra.

### Arab culture

Shah Waliullah strongly advocated against adopting non-Islamic customs, and argued for commitment to Arabic Islamic culture. Shah Waliullah believed that: “Muslims, no matter where they live, wherever they spend their youthful days, they should in any case be completely separated from the natives of that country in their culture, traditions and mannerisms. And wherever they are, they must be immersed in their Arabic splendor and Arabic trends”. On adherence to Arab culture, he insists: “Beware! The rich intend to adopt the ways of strangers and non-Arabs and those who deviate from the right path, and tries to mix and be like them”. In his own words, he sought to conform to the habits and customs of the early Arabs and Muhammad, and to "abstain from the customs of the Ajam and the Indians." The only logical hikmat-i-amali, or practical wisdom for Muslim rulers, was to strengthen community boundaries by conducting Jihad against opponents and promoting the cultural practises (adab) that differentiated that faithful from non-Muslims.

## Works

* Hujjat Allah al-Balighah (The Conclusive Argument of God), Lahore: Shaikh Ghulam Ali and Sons, 1979. Considered to be his most important work. First published in Bareilly, India in 1286 Hijri. This book explains how Islam is found suitable for all races, cultures, and people of the world and how successfully it solves social, moral, economic and political problems of human beings.
* (The Sacred knowledge), ed. D. Pendlebury, trans. G. Jalbani, The Sacred Knowledge, London: Octagon, 1982.
* Al-Khayr al-kathir (The Abundant Good), trans. G. Jalbani, Lahore: Ashraf, 1974.
* Sata'at (Manifestations), trans. into Urdu by S.M. Hashimi, Lahore: Idarah Thaqafat Islamiyya, 1989; trans. into English by G. Jalbani, Sufism and the Islamic Tradition: the Lamahat and Sata'at of Shah Waliullah, London.
* Lamahat (Flashes of Lightning), Hyderabad: Shah Wali Allah Academy, 1963; trans. G. Jalbani, Sufism and the Islamic Tradition: the Lamahat and Sata'at of Shah Waliullah, London, 1980. (One of the important writings on Sufism.)
* Futuh al-Haramayn (Emanations or Spiritual Visions of Mecca and Medina).
* Al-Tafhimat (Instructions or Clear Understanding), Dabhail, 1936, 2 vols. (One of the most comprehensive metaphysical works.)
* Al-Budur al-bazighah (The Full Moons Rising in Splendour).
* Ta’wil al-ahadith fi rumuz qisas al-anbiya (Symbolic Interpretation of the Events in the Mysteries of Prophetic Tales)
Besides these, he is also credited being the first to translate the Quran into Persian in the Indian subcontinent.
Shah Waliullah worked hard to ensure that he was a role model for other Muslims. His deep understanding of the Qur'an, Hadith, Fiqh, and Tasawwuf made him a highly knowledgeable scholar at an early age.
Since he believed that an emphasis on the Qur'anic teachings was made vital to Muslims, he translated Arabic Qur'an into Persian. Few Muslims spoke Arabic and so the Qur'an had not been widely studied previously. Some Ulama criticized Shah Waliullah, but his work proved very popular. In addition to translating the Quran, Shah Waliullah wrote 51 books in Persian and Arabic. Amongst the most famous were Hujjat Allah al-Baligha and Izalat al-Khafa.
He felt a debt to the Sufis for spreading Islam throughout India. He also appreciated Sufi spirituality. Waliullah built a bridge between Sufis and the Ulama (Islamic scholars).