Hindustan is our homeland (watan). It is Islam’s largest cradle in the world. It is the leading standard bearer of Islamic civilisation, the splendid jewel within the Islamic treasure house and in modern times the frontline of the true Islamic troops. All this would compel us to give it prime place in this assessment of the Islamic world but, in truth, a newspaper’s columns are insufficient for even a tenth of what there is to be said. So we will attempt to present our thoughts in brief on the position of Muslims in Hindustan to the respected readers.
The way Islam has benefitted the culture and civilisation of Hindustan is stamped for eternity on its each and every corner. Even if the repositories of history were to be cast to the rivers, or the existence of Muslims effaced from this nation (mulk) as a printing error and not even one voice was left to recall the events – so long as there remains a vestige of human civilisation every aspect will testify to the reality that there had existed here a Muslim nation (qaum) that was a dominant civilisation with a civilised urban culture (hakimana madaniat), whether it be in religion, conduct, customs, religious rites, language or social life. Journey from Peshawar to Ras al-Kumari and in every town and village of Hindustan, you will find living and self-proclaiming evidence of Islam. The Brahmin may despise Islam but Islamic teachings have reshaped his beliefs. The Pandit who could not bear to hear of Arabic or Persian has been unable to save his own language from them and has commenced speaking his new Sankskrit – that is Urdu – without hesitation. The Maratha with sword in hand arose to expel Muslims from Hindustan but has himself been vanquished in the domain of culture and imitates Muslim practices whether it be the durbar or minor aspects of administration. Consider any field of human activity and the conclusion will be that Hindustan was conquered by Islam, not just by the sword, but it was overcome by its culture as well. So even though it is now centuries since the heat of battles, the accomplishments of civilisation remain alive and will do so till the end of time, insha Allah.
It is natural that the initial period of Islamic Hind should have been splendid, because every power in its founding period displays strength and prowess. However, if we examine its middle period in terms of influence, splendour, territorial expanse and also the profound penetration and revolutionary regulations and arrangements, then it cannot be ranked other than one of the world’s magnificent historical kingdoms (sultanats). What is strange is that this reign reached its utmost pomp and glory when the time for its downfall and certain decline was near at hand. Hazrat Aurungzeb Alamgir and his rule was the mightiest and most dominant and in its closing days actually reflected the rule of Hazrath ‛Umar Farooq, may Allah be pleased with him, and that of Hazrath ‛Umar bin Abdul Aziz, may Allah be pleased with him. However, the moment Ghazi Alamgir passed away the entire scenario changed. The period of Islamic influence and authority was abruptly curtailed. Hindustan’s pomp and glory evaporated away and within a short time this unfortunate land (mulk) had to witness such events not to be hoped on even one’s own foes.
To Hindustan’s misfortune, it was to see the days when the English nation (farangi ki qaum) that had pleaded with outstretched hands to ordinary administrators for permission to set foot on the shores in the coastal regions – whose free-booters were summarily despatched away from the borders and who came begging to the durbar of the Great Mughal for trading favours when they had been badly humiliated and expelled by Ghaith Khan from the Hoogly and Qasim Bazar – acquired the sceptre of rulership and proclaimed their command in every part of the land. Albeit for some time after Alamgir Ghazi, there remained Muslim authority in Hindustan and prominent kingdoms came to being in the Deccan, Bengal, Mysore and Awadh – with tremendous Islamic generals and statesmen like Nizam ul Mulk, Haidar Ali, Tippu Sultan and Amir Khan who worked to establish their rule – but the Islamic union (Jamiat Islami ) had unravelled. The collective spirit was extinguished and that unified order (nizam wahdat) which is the prerequisite for any nation’s success and that had been the surety for the Muslim’s victorious dominance stood completely fragmented. It is for this reason that personal endeavours did not yield benefits: there were mere spectators when misfortune befell Bengal; when Haidar Ali and Tippu Sultan lifted the Islamic standard then Muslims themselves joined the enemy to crush their heads; when the time came for Awadh’s demise, there was no one to make a struggle and finally in 1857 when fate and destiny sounded the final judgement on a heedless nation’s fortunes, there was not a soul to shed a tear at its funeral and not a heart to take mercy on its condition in this vast subcontinent.
Islamic Hind (Islami Hind) descended into a state of death after the 1857 war for freedom. Learning and prosperity, wealth, government, dominance, in effect all that sustained a nation’s life (qaumi zindigi) had been ravished and it was highly likely that this land like Andalusia would have been no more than a sorrowful mausoleum – but God was disposed to safeguard the honour of His devotees. After death He created conditions that restored life a second time, so the Muslims of Hind (Musulmanan-e Hind), if not a ruling nation, found the means for continuing as a living nation. Consequently today we find a great population of 4 croreworshippers and we can say with pride that notwithstanding the constraint of living our lives within the limits set by an overwhelmingly powerful Christian rule and a strong non-Muslim majority, and of being a vanquished nation, the way we have sustained our national dignity (qaumi waqar) is perhaps unparalleled in History. That is not to say that the situation is in any way satisfactory. Source: Khalil Hamdi – Volume I, Sada-e Rusta Khaiz, Idara Ma‛arif Islami, Lahore, 1993. p. 54-55. Translated from the Urdu by M.A.Sherif