Hazrath Moulana Ilyas (ra), The Condition of Muslims of His Time, The Partition of Bengal, Important Events
During the time we are talking about the spiritual condition of many Muslims especially in the villages was disturbing. They had lost their worldly power and strength and had lost their hereafter too. Historically, there seems to be a connection between Muslims having a good spiritual condition and having a good worldly condition. Muslims especially in the villages were Muslim only by name and even then many would change their last name to a Hindu or Sikh last name. Muslims took full part in Hindu festivals of Dilwali and other Hindu rituals, would even take part in daily worship of idols, would believe in Hindu superstitions, such was the condition of many Muslims then. It actually doesnt seem too off now as many Muslims still participate in many non Islamic rituals and cultural practices in different parts of the world. Some now a days even justify it with religion. Moulana Ilyas saw the Muslims in their deplorable condition and thought how to change them.
Lord Curzon and his 1905 Partition of Bengal was probably the single event that rallied anti British sentiments all throughout India and further divided Indians from the British rule. Assam is still an issue today as many Muslims have been targeted and killed systematically in Assam. The Partition of Bengal was to divide and conquer a region on religious grounds that had roughly 80 million people but this partition greatly was in favor of the poor Muslims of Bengal. Bengal was divided into east and west, with the Muslims taking the east of Bengal and Assam. The rich elite businessman Hindu took west Bengal and they felt their power cut less than half because of the partition, they were going to lose their political strength and also they were going to lose a lot of land as many of these Hindu were rich wealthy landowners. The Muslims of the East Bengal and Assam finally had a voice, they could now get themselves together by establishing schools and their own businesses as until now they were under the thumb of the Hindu. The Muslims in Bengal and Assam were peasants of the rich Hindu landowners. The Hindu cried and rallied against this partition sending waves of anti British protests throughout India, terrorist attacks on British were carried out and boycotts such as the Swadeshi Boycott which cut British textile imports by more than 25% was in full swing. They rallied behind their idol Kali and made it a symbol of the Congress Party. The Muslims seeing these pro-Hindu sentiments felt very threatened and rallied to form the Muslim League. By this time Moulana Ilyas sahab was around 20-25 years of age.
So on one hand we have the British rule at its height, then we see Muslims in dirt poor condition with many Muslims having lost much of their faith, then we see a partition of Bengal and how the Hindu were totally against Muslims having their majority in East Bengal fearing that Muslims would now have a political voice and power. So at the time Muslims in India were totally crushed and were the lowest on the food chain. The Muslims had no worldly strength and power and any opportunities they had to get worldly power and strength were challenged by Hindu. The Muslims also had a very poor hold and practice of their religion; taking on Hindu practices and rituals, taking on Hindu lifestyle, taking on Hindu and British perspective on life. Moulana Ilyas was around 20 years of age at this time having just lost Moulana Rashid Ahmed Gangohi (ra) and now heading off to Darul Uloom Deoband to complete his religious studies where he would meet great Muslim scholars such as Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Moulana Shah Abdur Rahim Raipuri and Shaikhul Hind Moulana Mufti Mahmood Al Hasan sahab (ra).
During the time we are talking about the spiritual condition of many Muslims especially in the villages was disturbing. They had lost their worldly power and strength and had lost their hereafter too. Historically, there seems to be a connection between Muslims having a good spiritual condition and having a good worldly condition. Muslims especially in the villages were Muslim only by name and even then many would change their last name to a Hindu or Sikh last name. Muslims took full part in Hindu festivals of Dilwali and other Hindu rituals, would even take part in daily worship of idols, would believe in Hindu superstitions, such was the condition of many Muslims then. It actually doesnt seem too off now as many Muslims still participate in many non Islamic rituals and cultural practices in different parts of the world. Some now a days even justify it with religion. Moulana Ilyas saw the Muslims in their deplorable condition and thought how to change them.
Lord Curzon and his 1905 Partition of Bengal was probably the single event that rallied anti British sentiments all throughout India and further divided Indians from the British rule. Assam is still an issue today as many Muslims have been targeted and killed systematically in Assam. The Partition of Bengal was to divide and conquer a region on religious grounds that had roughly 80 million people but this partition greatly was in favor of the poor Muslims of Bengal. Bengal was divided into east and west, with the Muslims taking the east of Bengal and Assam. The rich elite businessman Hindu took west Bengal and they felt their power cut less than half because of the partition, they were going to lose their political strength and also they were going to lose a lot of land as many of these Hindu were rich wealthy landowners. The Muslims of the East Bengal and Assam finally had a voice, they could now get themselves together by establishing schools and their own businesses as until now they were under the thumb of the Hindu. The Muslims in Bengal and Assam were peasants of the rich Hindu landowners. The Hindu cried and rallied against this partition sending waves of anti British protests throughout India, terrorist attacks on British were carried out and boycotts such as the Swadeshi Boycott which cut British textile imports by more than 25% was in full swing. They rallied behind their idol Kali and made it a symbol of the Congress Party. The Muslims seeing these pro-Hindu sentiments felt very threatened and rallied to form the Muslim League. By this time Moulana Ilyas sahab was around 20-25 years of age.
So on one hand we have the British rule at its height, then we see Muslims in dirt poor condition with many Muslims having lost much of their faith, then we see a partition of Bengal and how the Hindu were totally against Muslims having their majority in East Bengal fearing that Muslims would now have a political voice and power. So at the time Muslims in India were totally crushed and were the lowest on the food chain. The Muslims had no worldly strength and power and any opportunities they had to get worldly power and strength were challenged by Hindu. The Muslims also had a very poor hold and practice of their religion; taking on Hindu practices and rituals, taking on Hindu lifestyle, taking on Hindu and British perspective on life. Moulana Ilyas was around 20 years of age at this time having just lost Moulana Rashid Ahmed Gangohi (ra) and now heading off to Darul Uloom Deoband to complete his religious studies where he would meet great Muslim scholars such as Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Moulana Shah Abdur Rahim Raipuri and Shaikhul Hind Moulana Mufti Mahmood Al Hasan sahab (ra).
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