During the
last thirteen centuries, whenever the world of Islam was plunged in the
darkness of decadence, an outstanding personality emerged, who, by his
illuminating achievements, dispelled the gloom encompassing it. One such
personality was Jamaluddin Afghani, the harbinger of Muslim Renaissance
in the 19th century. Being a wandering missionary, a versatile genius,
an intellectual and an orator of the highest calibre, he brought about
a universal awakening throughout the world of Islam. He moved about in
the capitals of Muslim countries---lecturing, discussing and writing about
his mission to bring about the unity of Muslims, leaving behind him a band
of zealous workers, who continued his work even after his death. Several
movements of religious revival and social reform owe their origin to Afghani
and were started by his disciples who were deeply influenced by him. In
fact, no other person has influenced the 19th century Islam more profoundly
than him. Another great thinker of the East, Dr Iqbal, pays glowing tributes
to Jamaluddin Afghani when he says: `A perfect master of nearly all the
Muslim languages of the world and endowed with the most winning eloquence,
his restless soul migrated from one Muslim country to another, influencing
some of the most prominent men in Iran, Egypt and Turkey. Some of the greatest
theologians of our time, such as Mufti Muhammad Abduh of Egypt, were his
disciples. He wrote little, spoke much and thereby transformed into miniature
Jamaluddins all those who came into contact with him...He never claimed
to be a prophet or a renewer; yet no man in our time has stirred the soul
of Islam more deeply than him. His spirit is still working in the world
of Islam and no one knows where it will end.'
Syed Jamaluddin
was born in 1838 at Asadabad (Afghanistan). His father Syed Safdar, a descendent
of Syed Ali Al-Tirmizi, later migrated and settled in Kabul. Even at the
early age of eight years, Jamaluddin exhibited extraordinary intelligence.
Before he was 18, he was well versed in almost all the branches of Islamic
learning including philosophy, jurisprudence, history, metaphysics, mathematics,
medicine, sciences, mysticism, astronomy and astrology. His learning was
encyclopaedic and his genius was versatile.
Having equipped
himself thoroughly in diverse branches of western and oriental learning,
he set out on his sacred mission of bringing about an awakening in the
decaying world of Islam. He entered India when he was hardly 18 and roamed
about in this country for more than a year, influencing those who came
into contact with him. At this time, India was passing through a critical
period of her history. It was a lull before the storm. The fire of native
hatred against the tyrannical alien rule which had installed itself as
the supreme power in the country through intrigues and conspiracies was smouldering slowly and at last burst forth in May, 1857 in the form of
the first war of independence, in which the Indians made a united effort
to throw off the alien yoke. At this time, when the storm of revolt had
engulfed northern India. Jamaluddin Afghani was in Makkah, where he had
gone for pilgrimage.
After perfoming
Haj, he went to Kabul. Here he was welcomed by the Afghan ruler, Dost Muhammad,
who bestowed upon him an exalted position in his government. He wielded
much influence both among the Afghan intelligentsia and the masses. On
the death of his patron, the throne of Kabul was occupied by Sher Ali who
did not like the progressive ideas of Jamaluddin. He was, therefore, forced
to leave Kabul.
Leaving Kabul,
he proceeded again to Hejaz to perform the Holy Pilgrimage. He was not
allowed to take the overland route via Persia. He had to travel through
India. In 1869, when he entered India for the second time, he was honourably
reeived by the government. But he was not allowed to meet the Indian leaders,
except under the strict eyes of the government of India. The alien government
which had a bitter taste of the national upheaval in 1857 was afraid of
his revolutionary progressive ideas, and soon he was despatched in a government
ship to Suez. He arrived in Cairo. Here he came into contact with the professors
and students of Al-Azhar, who were much impressed by his deep erudition
and high scholarship. He left an abiding impression of his progressive
ideas on the intelligentsia of Egypt which, later appeared in the person
of Muhammad Abduh. Instead of proceeding to Makkah, he went to Constantinople
(Istanbul), the capital of the Ottoman Empire. His learned discourses soon
made him extremely popular among the Turkish intelligentsia. During one
of his lectures at the Constantinople University, the Sheikhul Islam, who
had become jealous of his popularity raised a storm of objections against
certain parts of his speech. This inspired agitation gained momentum and
the Ottoman government had to order him to leave the capital for sometime.
He, therefore, proceeded to Cairo, where he arrived for the second time
in March, 1871.
During his
stay in the Egyptian capital, Jamaluddin Afhani soon commanded great popularity
and respect among the educated class. His learned discourses on Muslim
philosophy, jurisprudence, religion and sciences couched in an impressive
language and bearing a progressive outlook were listened to with rapt attention
by his ever-increasing audience. His contacts and discourses fired a number
of young progressive writers and scholars in Eygpt with a missionary zeal.
With the increasing
popularity of his progressive ideas aimed at the unity of the Muslim world,
the British, who happened to wield much political influence in Egypt at
that time, smelled danger for their divide and rule policy. Their interest
lay in the division of the Muslim world and not in its unity---in the narrow-minded
nationalism rather than in the pan-Islamism preached by Afghani. The British
saw a danger to their evil game. They instigtated the orthodox and out-of-date
theologians, who raised a storm of agitation against him. This furnished
an excuse to the British governor-general who, it is learnt, advised the
Egyptian government to order the expulsion of Syed Jamaluddin from Egypt.
After a stay
of about eight years in Egypt, Jamaludin Afghani left Cairo in March, 1879,
and arrived in Hyderabad Deccan (India). Here he worte his famous treatise,
"Refutation of the Materialists", which created a stir in the materialistic
world.
During this
period, nationalist revolt broke out in Egypt in 1882 and the Syed was
suspected to have a hand in it. He was summoned to Calcutta by the government
of India and interned there. He was, however, released when the nationalist
struggle subsided in Egypt.
He left India
and arrived in London, where after staying for a few days only he proceeded
to Paris. There he met his life-long associate and disciple, Mufti Muhammad Abduh, who had been exiled from Egypt.
The two outstanding
celebrities of the Muslim World started their famous Arabic Journal "Al Urwat-ul-Wuthqa", from Paris, It was an anti-British organ, whose scathing
criticism and fiery articles created a furore in the imperialist circles
and its entry was banned in India. Its expositions of the imperialist designs
in the Muslim east terrified the western imperialists who viewed with alarm
its growing popularity in the Arabic speaking world.
His activities
were not confined to Paris only. He moved about in the continent, contacting
important personalities and impressing them with the progressive outlook
of Islam. He even went to London and had prolonged discussions on international
relations with Lord Salisbury, a high dignitary of Britain. Wherever he
went and whomsoever he met, he left a deep impression of his magnetic personality
and winning eloquence.
Leaving London,
he proceeded to Russia, visted Moscow and St. Petersburg and remained in
that country for about four years. He wielded much influence in the intellectual
circles of Czarist Russia and enjoyed the confidence of the Czar.
It was through
his influence that the Muslims in Russia were permitted to print the Holy Quran and other religious books, whose publication was earlier banned in
Czarist Russia. Here, in St. Petersburg, he met Shah Nasiruddin Qachar,
the ruler of Persia. A little later, the Shah met Syed Jamaluddin in Munich,
Germany, for the second time. He was so much impressed with his dynamic
personality that he offered him the exalted position of Prime Ministership
of Persia. The Syed hesitated, but yielded due to the extreme persuation
of the Shah.
He arrived
in Persia along with the Shah. Soon he began to enjoy great esteem of the
Persian masses. His growing popularity among the intelligentsia created
apprehension in the mind of the ruler. The Syed, being an extremely sensitive
person, smelled this apprehension and sought permission to leave the country.
But he was not allowed to do so.
Now there
was hardly any course left to him. He openly criticised Shah Nasiruddin
Qachar and his reign of terror. His vehement denunciation of the autocratic
rule in Persia won around him many disciples. He was arrested and deported
from Persia. But the fire which he had kindled in Persia could not be put
out and culminated in the assassination of Shah Qachar on May, 1, 1895.
Syed Jamaluddin
Afghani roamed about in Europe, until he arrived in London in 1891. In
1892, he proceeded to Constantinople where he was warmly received by the
Ottoman Caliph. He was granted a monthly pension of 775 pounds and a free
furnished residence. He continued to expose the tyrannical rule in Persia
through the press until the Persian government appealed to the Ottoman
ruler to put a stop to this ceaseless venomous propaganda. The Syed discontinued
his scathing criticism of the Persian monarchy on a personal request of
the Ottoman Caliph. But his words had done their work and, as stated earlier,
the autocratic ruler of Persia was assassinated on May 1, 1885. The Persian
government demanded four persons from the Ottoman government, whom they
suspected of the conspiracy leading to the assassination of the ruler.
One of them was Jamaluddin Afghani. The Ottoman government surrendered
the remaining three but refused to surrender the Syed.
But Jamaluddin
Aafghani was not destined to live long. He had an attack of cancer of the
jaw in 1896 and died on March 9, 1897. He was burried with great honour
in the Sheikh's cemetry near Nishan Tash.
Thus ended
one of the most dynamic personalities of the age---one who made kings tremble.
Jamaluddin Afghani was a great Muslim revolutionary and
reformer who aimed at the unity of Muslim people all over the world. He
wanted to make Islam a great force in the world. The imperialists, whose
interest lay in the division of the world of Islam, were always conspiring
aginst him and did not allow him the peaceful propagation of his mission.
But the magnetic personality of Jamaluddin Afghani, his versatile genius,
his sincerity and eloquence, deeply stirred those who came into contact
with him and gave birth to nationalist and progressive movements in several
Muslim countries.
Jamaluddin
Aaghani was a linguist. He knew Arabic, Persian, Turkish, French, English
and Russian. His extremely busy and turbulent life did not give him respite
to settle down to the writing of books. But he wrote a number of pamphlets
on diverse subjects in different languages. In fact, he stirred the spirit
of Muslim intelligentsia all over the world and directed their hitherto
dormant energies towards constructive channels. The East has much profited
from the writings of his disciples.
As a man, Jamaluddin was humble, courteous, hard-working and amicable. He slept little,
working for more than 18 hours a day. He received those who came to visit
him with great courtesy. Writes Edward G. Browne, wuthor of the well known
work, "A Literary History of Persia": `the humblest as much as the most
distinguished, but was very chary of paying visits, especially to persons
of high ranks, In speech, he was eloquent, always expressing himself in
choice language, and avoiding colloquial and vulgar idioms, but carefully
adopting his words to the capacity of his hearers. As a public speaker
he had hardly a rival in the east'.
Regarding
his other qualities Browne states: `He was abstemious in his life, caring
little for the things of this world, bold and fearless in face of danger,
frank and genial but hot tempered, affable towards all but independent
in his dealings with the great. His intellectual powers and his quick insight
and discernment were equally remarkable so that he seemed able to read
men's thoughts before they had spoken.' About His versatility Browne writes:
`His knowledge was extensive, and he was specially versed in ancient philosophy,
the philosophy of history, the history and civilization of Islam, and learnt
French in three months without a master, sufficiently well to read and
translate...He knew the Arabic, Turkish, Persian and Afghani languages
together with a little English and Russian. He was a voracious reader of
Arabic and Persian books. He appears never to have married, and was indifferent
to female charms.'
His influence
throughout the east and specially in the world of Islam was indeed overwhelming.
He was, to a great extent, responsible for the awakening of Muslims during
the 19th century.
The contemporary
high personalities of the east and the west vied with each other to win
his favour. He was loved and respected by Muslim intelligentsia all over
the world, but feared by the imperialist powers, who were afraid of his
mission and growing influence. He raised up a living spirit in the hearts
of his friends and disciples which stirred their energies and sharpened
their pens, and the east has profited and will profit by their labours.
He was responsible
directly or indirectly for the organization of several progressive and
reformist movements all over the Islamic world, including the Nationalist
and Modernist movement in Egypt, the movement of Union and Progress in
Turkey, the Reform Movement in Persia, the Modernist and Khilafat movements
of Muslim India. `It was really wonderful', writes Browne, `that a wandering
scholar, with no material resources save only an eloquent tongue and a
pen, literally made kings tremble on their thrones and defeated the well-laid
plans of statesmen by setting in motion forces which he knew how to evoke
and with which secular politicians, both European and Asiatic, had utterly
failed to reckon.'
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