Shah Waliullah’s letter to Ahmad Shah Abdali in the mid-18th century was written against the backdrop of significant political, social, and religious turmoil in the Indian subcontinent. The period marked the decline of the Mughal Empire, the rising influence of local rulers and regional powers, and growing internal strife exacerbated by external invasions and the threat of British colonialism. Shah Waliullah, a prominent Islamic scholar and reformer, observed these developments with great concern and took steps to restore political stability and Islamic governance in the region. His letter to Ahmad Shah Abdali was a call for intervention to rescue the Muslim political and cultural identity that was under threat from both internal disintegration and external forces. Political Landscape and Decline of the Mughal Empire By the time Shah Waliullah wrote to Ahmad Shah Abdali, the Mughal Empire, once a mighty force under emperors like Akbar and Aurangzeb, had become a shadow of its former se...