Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan and the Muslim Cause in British India (Islamkundliche Untersuchungen Book 292)

He was the second ruler in the Mughal dynasty. He assumed power in 1556 until his death in 1605. Akbar is claimed by many historians as being the greatest With the death of Aurangzeb 14 Alamgir (meaning World Conqueror) in 1707, the process of the disintegration of the Mughal Empire was set in motion. 15 This was an inevitable outcome resulting from Aurangzeb's policies. In fact, being a fanatic Sunnite Muslim, known for his abhorrence and intolerance of other religions, he ruled with an iron-fist policy and proceeded with anti-non-Muslim policies that alienated most of his subjects, who were overwhelmingly of Hindu faith. 16 In this respect, P. Spear stated that Aurangzeb's fanaticism led him to the extent of removing the Muslim confession of faith from all coins for fear of being defiled by non-believers. Also, courtiers were forbidden to salute in the Hindu fashion, and Hindu idols, temples and shrines were often destroyed. 17 Besides, Aurangzeb is regarded by many historians as being a warlike emperor. It was under his rule that the Mughal Empire reached its widest extent. This was carried out by on-going and off-going wars, which culminated in the exhaustion of the imperial treasury, as L. James put it: Aurangzeb overstepped himself by undertaking a series of campaigns to extend and consolidate his rule ... They became a war of attrition which stretched imperial resources beyond their breaking point, and by 1707, ruler of the Mughal Empire, because under his rule, the Empire was expanded significantly to cover almost the whole Indian Subcontinent and the latter became united and prosperous. P. Spear, op. cit., pp. 30-39. 13 B. Prasad, op. cit., p. 1. 14 Aurangzeb's full name was Muhi-ud-Din Muhammad (1618-1707). He was the fifth Mughal emperor. He succeeded to the throne in 1658 and his rule lasted until his death in 1707. P. Spear, 'Aurangzeb', in This book seeks to outline Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan’s approach to the Muslim cause in British India. Hailed by his supporters – mainly Muslim nationalists in South Asia – as a great leader, and criticized scathingly by his opponents and dubbed as a ‘toady’ or ‘sycophant’ of the British, Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan remains, hitherto, a very con­troversial personality. Be that as it may, no one can deny his decisive role in shaping his co-religionists’ destiny in the Indian Sub-continent up to indepen­dence, namely the creation of Pakistan. He was, indeed, one of those who took the initiative to save Islam and Muslims from further disgrace and deterioration, at a time when the process of the dis­integration of the Muslim world was set in motion and the fate of the Indian Muslims had already begun following a downward trajectory. This book also explores his socio-religious reforms, and particularly his fresh orientation over the issue of Muslim-Christian relationship in the light of modern times, a subject deemed very sensitive in the Indian context at the time. The series Islamkundliche Untersuchungen was founded in 1969 by the Klaus Schwarz Verlag. Since then, it has become one of the most important venues for publications in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies. Its more than 350 volumes cover a wide range of topics from the history, culture and societies of the Middle East and North Africa as well as neighboring regions in central, south and southeast Asia.

Die Reihe Islamkundliche Untersuchungen wurde 1969 im Klaus Schwarz Verlag begründet und hat sich zu einem der wichtigsten Publikationsorgane der Islamwissenschaft in Deutschland entwickelt. Die über 330 Bände widmen sich der Geschichte, Kultur und den Gesellschaften Nordafrikas, des Nahen und Mittleren Ostens sowie Zentral-, Süd- und Südost-Asiens.

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