MUSLIM ATTITUDES TOWARDS

BRITISH RAJ (1820-1920 A.D) :

A STUDY OF LONG-TERM TRENDS IN MUSLIM POLITICS

A PRE-SUBMISSION SEMINAR

Under the Supervision of: Presented by:

Dr. Jaiveer S.Dhankhar Ms.Neelam Rani
Professor, Regn.No.97-IGR-275
Department of History,
M.D. University, Rohtak

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
MAHARSHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY,
ROHTAK-124001
2014
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MUSLIM ATTITUDE TOWARDS BRITISH RAJ

(1820-1920 A.D.): A STUDY OF LONG-TERM
TRENDS IN MUSLIM POLITICS

The Muslims of India never lost their identity like earlier immigrants to India. They
have always regarded themselves separate from the rest of people. But simultaneously they
have not always rejected the title of “Indian”.

Two nation theory threw the cloak of western nationalism over the Islamic conception
of a separate culture and so converted a cultural and religious entity in to a separate political
force in India subcontinent.

The formation of a separate political identity of the Muslims in modern India was
mainly the contribution of its Ashram leadership. The Ashraf leads of different provinces
differed among themselves n the measures to be taken and strategy to be adopted. These
differences wee procedural and not to content and goal.

This study probed the long term political trends of this force. For this the present
research have taken hundred years in other words a century to analyse the thesis how could a
group of diverse social origins, speaking many languages and Geographically scattered
behaved sometimes uniformly. To understand this it is necessary to delve in to the distant as
well as immediate past.

The aims and objectives of the present study was to establish links between different
micro and regional studies conducted on the various subjects of Historical interest regarding
Indian Muslims and their political attitudes. In other words the present study is an humble
attempt to draw long term and macro inferences of Muslim Attitudes towards British Raj. In
this study the long term trends are being traced of the Muslims politics in Indian Sub-
continent.

To prove above thesis the present research scholar analysed wahabi movement,
Revolt of 1857, Aligarh movement Deoband Movement All India Muslim League, Lucknow
Pact, Khilafat movement etc. in depth and Comprehensively. The various primary and
secondary sources have been explored comprehensively for this study.

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The general hypothesis of the present study was that there is an existence of
confrontationist attitudes of Muslims towards British Raj with some stray trends of
Collaborative Attitude of Muslims with the Raj always there.

Overall it would be a macro study of Muslim politics as a separate political force and
entity in colonial India.

In the first chapter entitled “Introduction and Background”, the present research
scholar have introduced the reader about the Muslim attitudes towards British Raj and traced
the whole background of theme of the thesis/study. The following composition of the chapter
represent a modest attempt to the understand the psychology of due Europeans, the Muslim,
The Muslim Ruling Class, The nobility, The Ulama, and The Elite as also the British Policy
towards the Muslim of India. The psychological analysis is proved to be useful in
understanding the contradictions and disparities in the attitudes of the various Muslim classes
and section towards the British rulers and their culture. In the next chapters that follow, the
political part is to be dealt at length.

The second chapter of the thesis is entitled as “Wahabi Movement” . In this chapter
the attitude of the Muslim religious class towards British rule and western culture have been
traced. In order to understand this, the religious movement during first half of the nineteenth
century need to be considered. Delhi, a centre of religious and secular learning, saw the birth
of all India-movement under the leadership of Saiyyad Ahmad Barelvi. The Movement
spread to such distant centres as Hyderabad, Patna, Bengal, Tonk, Oudh etc. Bengal gave
rise to many crucial movements like those led by shariatuulah, titu mir and Karamat ali.
These movement though they differed in their vision and in their approaches to due question
of Muslim life in British India, were one in seeking resolutely to purify Islam in India. They
also aimed at re-establishing Muslim rule in India. The study of these movements is the main
composition of this chapter. This study quite clearly elucidated that despite local variations
and individual differences these movements for socio religious reforms aimed at annihilating
British rule/Raj and preventing westernization. Their final goal was to establish a purely
Islamic state in India. Hence the subject matter of this chapter also clearly establish the
attitude of confrontation of Muslim political thought towards British Raj.

The third chapters entitled “Revolt of 1857 and Muslim,” will explore the Muslim
attitudes towards British Raj during the great Revolt of Indian History. The contents and
discussion in this chapter clearly elucidates the diversity of action and thought among

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Muslim community of Indian Sub-Continent. The historians and statesmen have been
engaged in labelling the uprising of 1857 with some descriptive word or other such as
“muting”, “Revolt”, “Revolution” “National War”, etc since its eruption. To the Muslims the
uprising was logical culmination of their vigorous resistance of alien rule i.e. British Raj.
Thought wanting in the modern means and techniques of welfare and handicapped by the
absence of co-ordination between the various groups, it was based on definite ideals and
objectives which converged towards a single purpose, viz. to re-establish Muslim rule in
India. However, the concept of Muslim Government differed from section to section. For
example, the religious class generally aimed at established a government on the model of
Rashida. The Muslim masses on the other hand just wanted Muslim Rule, The Mughal
Government being their ideal over all Muslims fought especially for the re-establishment of
their old sway. In the end when the finale of the fierce encounter between the orthodox
resisters and the British Rulers being enacted, a group of Muslims known to be pro-British
behaved differently.

The reasons for such an attitude on their part were varied. Such groups existed n all
parts of country. This proves that the Muslim of India in every part of the country reached in
two ways, i.e. both for and against British Rule and western culture. However, the anti-
British attitude pre-dominated in the first half of the nineteenth century.

In order to understand the regional and micro level behaviour and attitude of Muslim
community towards British Raj or Western culture it is necessary to have a separate chapter
in this study. Hence fourth chapter of the study is entitle as “Revolt of 1857 and Haryana” .
The great Revolt proved to be a perfect historical even to analyse the general attitude of
various sections of the Muslims of Haryana. The sepoys, the people and feudal chiefs all
took part in this revolt in large number. Their participation and struggle displayed a general
attitude of confrontation with British Raj. The specific activities of the sepoys, the masses or
the people and feudal chiefs will be discussed in this chapter for which sources are collected
from Haryana State Archives, Punchkula.

The Revolt of 1857 extinguished all the ambitions of the Muslim Community for the
recovery of their lost power and dominion. This community became special target of British
hatred after the revolt and darkness enveloped the community. In these circumstances there
emerged three kinds of political trends of attitudes among the Muslim of Indian Sub-
continent. The first school of thought was of the Ulama – the custodians of traditional

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learning and ideals. This school have imagined a political order which would guarantee free
exercise of faith, equal opportunities of welfare and advancement, and a self-respecting
dignified life for men of all creeds, all races and all colours. This was the basis of the
Deoband Movement in the second half of Nineteenth Century. The Second School of
thought accept the rule of the alien masters and endeavour to enlist their goodwill to obtain
government patronage. This school of thought consisted of men who were realty impressed
by the political institutions, military power, civilization and culture of the west. This thought
or political trend ultimately led to the Aligarh movement which in turn was prepared the
ground and created the circumstances for the establishment of all India Muslim league, the
first ever political stage of Muslim community in India. This thought followed the attitude of
cooperation and loyalty towards British Raj. The third school of thought was of nationalist
Muslims consisted of the educated Muslims especially from Madras of Bombay Presidencies.
They supported the political advancement of India along democratic lines, and they were
deeply devoted of the cause of Hindu-Muslim unity. The nationalist Muslim shared the
Liberal attitude of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan towards west, but differed from him on the
problems of political reform, the Ideas of representative democratic government, and
methods of democratic agitation. The period between 1858 to 1906 witnessed the above
political trends among Muslim community and above all the very same period also witnessed
the formation of the separate political identity of the Muslims in Modern India. All the above
developments will be the subject matter of fifth chapter of the study entitled as “Trends of
Muslim Politics: 1858-1906” The last chapter entitled “Loyalty to Confrontation-1906-1920”

In this chapter the foundation of Muslim League and it is politics up to 1920 has been
explored comprehensively. The foundation of all India Muslim league in 1906 was the
fulfilment of the hopes and desires of the Muslim Community of India. The Muslim League
was established to protect and represent the interest of the Muslims of Indian. At the time of
it’s foundation it adopted the traditional policy of loyalty towards the British Colonial
Authorities which was followed by its Predecessor that is Aligarh school or Aligarh
movement. But within a decade it found itself at bay because of the British Policy towards
two important issues concerning the Muslims i.e. the annulment of the partition of Bengal
and the treatment of ottoman empire in behind of British colonial power. This change was
also due to growing participation of English educated Muslim youth from the various classes
other than upper classes. In 1916 by signing the Lucknow pact with Indian National Congress.
The Muslim League said adieu to its traditional policy of Loyalty to the British Raj. By the

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time of Khilafat agitation the Muslim league was well on the path of confrontation with
British Authorities. This shifting of Muslim league policy is subject of great interest to study
in depth and this forms the subject matter of this chapter. In the last there is conclusion of
the study finds its place. The brief survey of the events of the period under consideration
elucidated that Muslims of Indian sub-continent behaved diversely towards the British Raj.
This diverse behaviour also can be detected in the course of different movements and
historical developments and events. For example during Wahabi movement the
confrontationist attitude dominated but during the Revolt of 1857 the various section of
Muslim community behaved in both ways. Some sections participated in the revolt while
some did not participated and remain loyal to British Raj. After revolt of 1857 the Muslim
Community behaved politically in three different ways in the second half of nineteen century.
One section adopted the path of confrontation on traditional lines and started a major
movement against British called Deoband movement. The other section acted differently and
adopted the loyal attitude towards British Raj.

This section played an important role in the life of Muslim Community. Mostly
educated people consisted this section.

They started Aligarh Movement which ultimately paved the way for the first ever
Muslim political organization entitled as All India Muslim League in 1906. In the third
section the English educated Muslims from Madras and Bombay were there. This third
section believed in Nationalism and democracy. These were the Nationalist Muslims. In the
twentieth century when in 1906 All India Muslim league established, Muslims behaved as
pro-British but later on this organization adopted an attitude of confrontation. In the end the
attitude of Muslims towards British Raj was not Monoclinic but of divorce nature.

This study is based on primary as well as secondary sources. Although, the secondary
sources were utilized more than primary sources. This was so because the period of the study
was so long and it was not possible to consult the primary sources so comprehensively.
Moreover the nature of study was also restricted the present research scholar in the utilization
of the primary sources exhaustively. This was the macro level study of long term trends not a
micro study. The list of these sources is enclosed which is comprehensive and detailed one.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
[A] PRIMARY SOURCES:
I. MANUSCRIPTS PRESERVED AT VARIOUS PLACES:
(1) National Archives of India, New Delhi.
(a) Proceedings of the following Departments of the Government of India for
selected years relevant the Government of India for selected years relevant to
the present study.
(i) Foreign Department
(ii) Home Department
(iii) Legislative Department
(b) Letters to the Court of Directors
(c) Letters from the Court of Directors
(d) Mutiny papers.
(e) Private papers of various Governors Generals/Vice-Roys.
(2) Haryana State Archives, Panchkula
(a) Ambala Division Records: General, Political and Military Departments of
Selected relevant years.
(b) Delhi Division Records: Political and Military Department
(c) Hisar Division Records: 1857-1858
(d) Mutiny Files: Volumes: 37, 51, 59, 63, 66, 70, 82, 88, 113, 124.
(3) Haryana District Record Rooms
(a) List of Mutineers hanged or shot in 1857, prepared by Deputy Commissioner
in 1920
(b) Historical Notes on Mutiny.
(c) Miscellaneous records pertaining to Mutiny.

II. PRINTED RECORDS

(1) Collection of Treaties, Engagements and Sanads Relating to India and

Neighbouring Countries, Vol.IV
(2) District Gazetteers of various Districts
(3) Parliamentary papers selected years;
(4) Selections from the Punjab Government Records:
(5) Selections from the records of the Government of India.

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III. DOCUMENTS RELATING TO SOME MOVEMENTS AND POLITICAL

PARTIES
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