Ghazwa-e-Hind and the Mischief of Evil Elements

By Dr. Khwaja Iftikhar Ahmed, Tr. New Age Islam Translated into English by Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam 16 March 2024 Ghazwa-e-Hind Fatwa Controversy and Resolved Plans Main Points: 1. The controversy revolves around a fatwa published on Darul Uloom Deoband's website, which focuses on the Ghazwa-e-Hind. 2. Ghazwa is a term used to describe a war led by the Prophet (peace be upon him) during his lifetime. 3. The term "Ghazwa" was not used to describe conflicts or battles during the reign of the four caliphs or the Rightly-Guided Caliphate. 4. From 711 to 1857, Muslims ruled throughout India, but all conflicts were referred to as wars rather than Ghazwa. 5. The first Caliph, Abu Bakr Siddiq, burned 100,000 hadiths that might have incited conflict or insurrection within the Ummah. 6. Hadiths related to the Ghazwa-e-Hind are included in the category of weak hadiths. 7. Scholars of Deoband believe that the attack on Sindh in 71 by Muhammad bin Qasim was the Ghazwa-e-Hind. 8. The author requests that the Deoband authorities formally adhere to their code of conduct and add explanatory notes to the 2008 fatwa to completely cut the root of the Fitna. 9. The author demands that the religious establishment take a cooperative stance and present a commentary, description, and interpretation that addresses all weak hadiths and war verses found in the Holy Quran. ----- Before going into great detail about the controversy surrounding a fatwa posted on the website of Darul Uloom Deoband, it is important to understand the ground realities and problems, such as peace, reconciliation, love and hate, war and strife, cruelty and justice, exploitation, and the rise and fall of society, to comprehend human psychology, social character, intellectual dimensions, and its positive and negative effects on the civilized world. The truth is that every circumstance has an impact on human nature, development, and trends that result from it. This impact extends far beyond the realms of politics, diplomacy, and conflict resolution, influencing everything from individual life to collective and institutional life. Given the intricacies involved and the broader framework of culture, sociology, and human psychology, it appears that these elements will always have an impact on every aspect of life! Various apostate and accursed circles continue their four-way disgusting sequence of filthy allegations against Islam, Muslims, and the honourable Prophet (peace be upon him) today. Despite everything that has happened, praise be to Allah, the spread of Islam and its acceptance and popularity are also proceeding apace. Not just in the developed world, but across all continents, Islam is the most populous and the fastest-spreading religion. These findings and endorsements are not mine; rather, they are others'! In such a scenario, inside the framework of our country, the subject of Ghazwa-e-Hind is turning into a shared source of cruelty, animosity, and mistrust between Muslims and Hindus, and the rumours propagated about it are serving to deepen the divide. The present dispute, as previously mentioned, concerns the specifics of a fatwa about the Ghazwa-e-Hind published on the Darul Uloom Deoband website. In answering the query, it merely lists a small number of hadiths that are relevant to this subject. By the way, this requires further clarification! This relates to a fatwa from 2008, but the dispute has been brought up in 2024. A genius has no trouble understanding the backdrop! In actuality, answering the question with a mere quotation from a hadith would not be sufficient to eradicate temptation. This helped to stoke the Fitna. It is insufficient to stop the temptation of evildoers to simply state that certain hadiths are weak and that their chain of transmission is unstable, even though this is true to the extent indicated by the index. First: Ghazwa is the name given to a war led by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) during his lifetime, and he personally participated in it. This is a very important thing for readers to remember. Second: The use of this term [i.e. Ghazwa] was abandoned after the demise of the Prophet (peace be upon him). History is full of wars, battles, and armed confrontations. The brutality, persecution, and injustice that took place in the Karbala field, primarily targeting the Ahl-e-Bayt, the family of the Prophet (peace be upon him), who became martyrs and included defenceless children among them, is referred to as the Battle of Karbala, not Ghazwa! Third: There is not a single instance of the term "Ghazwa" being used to describe the conflicts or battles that took place during the reign of the four caliphs or the Rightly-Guided Caliphate. Fourth: The era of the rightly-guided caliphate practically ended with the demise of Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). Monarchy and dictatorship took its place. The Ottoman Empire, which ruled over two-thirds of the world for several hundred years, was referred to as the Caliphate. However, Muhammad bin Qasim did not establish the Caliphate when he invaded India in 711 and ruled there until 713. Fifth: From 711 until 1857, Muslims ruled throughout India. Rulers included Arabs, Afghans, Turks, Mughals, and Muslims from Iran. However, no one had the intention of establishing a caliphate or spreading the religion or creating an Islamic State, and all of the conflicts that occurred during this time were referred to as wars rather than Ghazwa. It is necessary to understand the meaning and application of Daif Hadith in the context of Ghazwa-e-Hind. The first Caliph, Abu Bakr Siddiq (may God be pleased with him), is reported to have burned 100,000 hadiths that might have incited conflict or insurrection within the Ummah or led the Ummah to become increasingly divided if any of them had been interpreted incorrectly. Despite this precautionary measure, there are still a lot of differences and conflicting interpretations today. According to the strict inclusion and acceptance criteria outlined in Asmaa ur-Rijaal, also known as the Science of the Narrators, hadiths that lack certainty, reliability, and authenticity in their narration or narrators were either rejected by jurists or retained as weak hadiths. All hadiths related to the Ghazwa-e-Hind are included in this category. It is imperative, therefore, to adhere to the hadiths that the jurists agree upon rather than weak traditions. In this regard, Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) who is a great companion and a credible narrator, is reported to have said to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), “Would that I had lived to witness the Ghazwa-e-Hind; then I too would have been numbered among the martyrs”. In this context, it becomes evident that the Ghazwa-e-Hind period is over and will not happen again if you consider two factors: the Messenger of Allah's glorious life and his demise. Consequently, the idea of the Ghazwa-e-Hind is no longer relevant! Keep in mind that our Master Prophet said, “The scent of Heaven comes from Hind”. Given that 170 million Muslims are living in this region, this is, in my opinion, not less than a Ghazwa terminologically speaking! The second point to consider in this regard is the interpretation (assumption) held by the scholars of Deoband, which holds that the attack on Sindh in 71 by Muhammad bin Qasim was the Ghazwa-e-Hind, and it has already happened. Nonetheless, several authoritative groups belonging to various schools of thought have some reservations over the stance of Darul Uloom. As a hypothesis, even if it is accepted, this Ghazwa has already occurred. When it comes to fatwas, Darul Uloom Deoband and its Darul Ifta pay particular attention to interpretation and specificity. The delicate nature of the issue necessitated further explanation. Given that Islam, Muslims, and Muslim society are being targeted by evil elements, that Hindu-Muslim hatred is being fuelled in the nation, and that hatred towards us is deeply ingrained in the minds of the majority, we respectfully request that the Deoband authorities formally adhere to their code of conduct and add explanatory notes to the 2008 fatwa in order to completely cut the root of this Fitna. I would like to make some demands of those elders and authorities that have a direct bearing on the teachings of Islam, the Quran, Hadith, and Islamic jurisprudence. The religious establishment must now take a cooperative stance. In front of the modern criticisms, it is essential to present a commentary, description, and interpretation that addresses all the weak hadiths and the war verses found in the Holy Quran. Simultaneously, most of the brothers and compatriots of the country harbour silent reservations about these issues. However, deep down, this silent mistrust is forming a raging tempest that might someday erupt into lava. May Allah forbid this from occurring! However, the likelihood cannot be ruled out! I am merely cautioning; I am not threatening. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is the one to whom all Muslims must answer! In order to clear up the problem on the big picture, everyone must come up in regards to performing Fard-e-Kifaya [an obligation that must be discharged by the Muslim community as a whole]. ------ Urdu Article: Ghazwa-e-Hind and the Mischief of Evil Elements غزوہ ہند اور شرپسند عناصر کی فتنہ گری URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-politics/ghazwa-hind-mischief-evil/d/131930 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism