Al Haqeeqa
Saquib Salim
The Intelligence Department of the British in India reported on 2 November 1912, “Self-styled (Muslim) politicians like Maulana Shibli – however, would merge Muhammadans in the Hindu majority, and they have come to be so fascinated by the idea, that, to gain their object, they do not hesitate even to deny the truth of historical events…. These words, comments the Millat, emanate from a person who claims to be able to point out a proper policy to the Muslim League. “Fie on such knowledge of the edge of history and a curse be on such seditious politics!” In conclusion, the paper says that the burning of incense by Shams-ul-Ulama Shibli at the altar of Hindus is highly suspicious. He cares only for his secret object, no matter what fate befall his community.”
Unsung Heroes of Freedom Struggle
The report was a comment on an article written by Allama Shibli Nomani in the Muslim Gazette. The article was a criticism published in the Millat, a Lahore-based journal. In the article, he argued that Muslims should join the Indian National Congress instead of the Muslim League and unite with Hindus against the British.
Born in 1857 in Azamgarh, Allama Shibli Nomani is more recognized as an Islamic scholar with a modern outlook and an educationist than as a freedom fighter. Shibli was a radical freedom fighter of his time. He died in 1915.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, one of the foremost Indian leaders of the freedom struggle, was deeply influenced by Shibli. Azad was taught and trained by him.
Moin Shakir writes, “Azad had met him (Shibli) for the first time in 1905 when he (Azad) was getting disillusioned with the rational feature of Sir Syed’s theology. Being the editor of Al Nadva he had the opportunity to work with Shibli. The futility of Sir Syed’s political programme and the distrust in the Western-educated class which formed the characteristic feature of Shibli’s thought, tremendously influenced Azad. His own journal became a medium of dialogue with the masses and attained no mean success in popularising these ideas of Shibli.”
Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi has written on Shibli’s mentoring of Azad, “When Allama Shibli was not satisfied with an article or paper he wanted to be penned by one of his students, Maulana Azad would quietly enquire about it and sit down to produce the paper instantly which also met the approval of Allama Shibli. Often, Allama Shibli wanted the article to be written on some delicate philosophical or dialectical issue. The persons present on such occasions thought that the young man who had won the hearts of others by the gift of his gab rather than by his erudition was sure to expose himself on that occasion, but MaulanaAzad always came off with flying colours.”
Maulana Azad wasn’t the only disciple of Shibli who made an impact on the freedom struggle. Maulana Hasrat Mohani, the man who coined Inquilab Zindabad, was also a product of Shibli. When Hasrat opened a Swadeshi Store at Aligarh to popularise the Swadeshi Movement among Muslims, Shibli reportedly financed the project.
The British understood his impact. The activities of Shibli were closely watched and it is reflected in the intelligence files in the archives. An intelligence report from 18 October 1912 says, “Shams-ul-Ulama Maulvi Shibli Nomani contributes an article to the Muslim Gazette (Lucknow) of the 9th October 1912 (received on the 14th October), in which he condemns the present political policy of the Muhammadans and says that the leaders of the Muhammadans are ignorant of the correct meaning of politics.
“He compares the resolutions passed at the various sittings of the All-India National Congress with those passed at the meetings of the Muslim League and expresses regret that the members of the Muslim League should have discussed only communal subjects and should have avoided topics that concern the country at large. He urges the need for extending the sphere of influence of the Muslim League and suggests that the executive committee of the League should be purged of zamindars and taluqdars and that it should be composed of persons of independent views and moral courage. In conclusion, he appeals to his co-religionists to improve their relations with the Hindus and to diffuse political education amongst the masses.”
Shibli was doing what terrified the British Empire the most. He was preaching Hindu-Muslim Unity and asking people to refrain from divisive communal politics.
Intelligence reported a speech from May 1914 in Delhi where Shibli attacked the racial policy of the British Empire. The report says, “A meeting of the Anjuman-i- Khuddam-i-Ka’aba was held at Delhi on the 19th. The principal speaker was Maulana Shibli…. He asked the audience what degree of civilisation could be claimed by a nation that considered that white men were entitled to every privilege and that black men were only fit for subjection.”
It is not surprising that Shibli’s poems and writings were proscribed by the British Empire.
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Prof. Khurshid Islam writes, “Shibli will always be remembered for firing religious fervour and fanning the flame of national independence. His writings in AI-Hilal, Zamindar, and Muslim Gazette educated and enthused his generation in no small measure. He was one step ahead of Sir Syed in preparing the Muslim mind for the cause of Hindu Muslim unity and national freedom.”
