THE PEACEFUL APPROACH
In the 19th century, when the issue of Western colonialism became prominent, the initial reaction of Muslim leaders was militant in nature. They launched an armed jihad against the British in 1857. However, this jihad failed to achieve its objective. Following this experience, they changed their approach.
Although armed jihad is, in principle, an Islamic act, when it comes to collective matters, it is not enough to determine whether an action is permissible in Islamic terms. It is equally important to assess whether it is practically effective and result-oriented. If an approach proves ineffective after experience, both reason and Shariah demand that the method be changed.
For example, the Prophet Muhammad was compelled to engage in armed confrontation with the chiefs of the Quraysh at the Battle of Badr (2 AH). However, later, he made a peace treaty with those same chiefs at Hudaybiyyah (6 AH). Similarly, during the Battle of Uhud (3 AH), the Prophet left Madinah and went three miles outside the city to confront the attackers. However, during the Battle of Ahzab (5 AH), he adopted a defensive strategy and stayed within Madinah to deal with the attackers.
This shows that changing one’s strategy based on circumstances is both wise and in accordance with Islamic principles.
This shows that just as initiating action for a righteous purpose is a prophetic practice (Sunnah), so too is changing defensive strategies a prophetic practice. Both are equally Islamic and in line with the Sunnah of the Prophet. Indian scholars followed this established Sunnah by changing their approach after finding armed jihad to be ineffective. They shifted their focus to education, making it their new field of action. In essence, the madrasa became a symbol of moving the collective Muslim struggle from the domain of violence to the domain of peace.
In this sense, it was a conscious decision to choose peaceful action over violent action. This decision reflected the understanding that instead of channeling their efforts into the field of violence, Muslim leaders could achieve far more by utilizing their energies in the field of peace.
Interestingly, in the latter half of the 19th century, two distinct educational movements emerged almost simultaneously. On the one hand was the movement led by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, commonly known as the Aligarh Movement. Representing this movement, Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali (d. 1914) aptly remarked:
“The command of the present time is clear:
Education is everything in the world.”
On the other hand were Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanautawi and his contemporary scholars. Maulana Nanautawi was a classmate of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan; both were students of Maulana Mamluk Ali at Delhi College. While both movements focused on education, their approaches differed. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s educational movement centered on the English language and secular sciences. In contrast, Maulana Nanautawi and his contemporaries aimed to promote the Arabic language and religious sciences among the Muslim community.
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s educational movement was a response to the demands of the time, while the scholars’ madrasa movement addressed the needs of religion. Among the movements that emerged within the Muslim community in modern times, these two stand out as the most positively impactful and result-oriented. The primary reason for their success was undoubtedly their unwavering commitment to the principles of peaceful struggle.
The madrasa movement initiated by Islamic scholars was a necessity of its time, full of potential. As a result, it continued to expand after its inception and has now reached a stage of widespread growth, with its presence evident everywhere.
