Nazariya-e-Pakistan

Syed Ahmad Shahid, also known as Syed Ahmad Barelvi, was a prominent Indian Islamic revivalist and leader born on November 29, 1786, in Rai Bareilly, India. He was deeply influenced by the teachings of Shah Abdul Aziz, the son of the renowned Islamic reformer Shah Waliullah. Syed Ahmad is most famous for leading a Jihad movement against the Sikh Empire in the early 19th century, aiming to establish an Islamic state in the region of Punjab and North-West Frontier (modern-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). He began his career as a scholar and a soldier, joining the army of Nawab Amir Khan of Tonk in 1812 to fight against the British. In 1821, he performed Hajj, which further solidified his religious convictions and introduced him to various Islamic scholars and reformist ideas. Upon his return to India in 1823, he devoted himself to social and religious reform, advocating for the implementation of Sharia law and denouncing practices he considered innovations in Islam. In 1826, he moved to Peshawar...

Main Teachings of Syed Ahmad Barelvi Shaheed Advocacy for Tawhid (Monotheism) Syed Ahmad Barelvi emphasized the importance of Tawhid, which is the oneness of God. He believed that all acts of worship should be directed solely to God and that any practices that deviated from this principle, such as saint veneration or grave visits, were forms of shirk (polytheism) and bid’ah (religious innovations). His teachings called for a strict adherence to monotheism and a rejection of any practices that compromised this core belief. Rejection of Sufism and Sectarian Practices  Syed Ahmad Barelvi was critical of traditional Sufi practices, which he viewed as corrupting influences on Islam. He urged Muslims to abandon superstitious activities associated with various Sufi orders and instead follow the teachings laid out in the Qur’an and Sunnah. His movement sought to purify Islamic practice by eliminating what he considered heterodox beliefs and customs. Establishment of Sharia (Islamic Law) A ...