Chiragh Ali
Encyclopedia
Moulví Cherágh Ali (also spelled Chirágh) was an India
n Muslim scholar
of the late 19th century. As a colleague of Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan
He made a contribution to the school of Muslim Modernists
and presented reformative thinking about the Qu'ran. He contributed numerous works to the school of Muslim Modernists such as A Critical Exposition of the Popular Jihad and Proposed Political, Legal and Social Reforms Under Moslem Rule. His interactions with Christian
s in British India also marked him as an Muslim apologist with a particular focus on the wars of the Prophet Muhammad
. His goal in the criticism of the Qur'ān as well as the shariah
is to justify contemporary Western ideals through the Qur'ān. Dying at age 51 during treatment, Cherágh Ali is now buried in Bombay.
, Arabic, English
, French
, Hebrew, Latin
and Greek
. Education and study was the most important aspect of Cherágh Ali's life. His studies led him offer a new translation of the text and message of the Qur'ān as well as Muhammad's battles.
, the Prime Minister of Hyderabad State
to hire a translator, Cherágh Ali was the one invited to fill that position. He was associated with Sir Sayyid throughout the rest of his career because of similar religious and political beliefs.
. Despite being a prominent civil servant, Cherágh Ali avoided getting caught up in political action in Hyderabad. Rather he let his literary works speak for themselves.
In his writings, Cherágh Ali sought to correct what he perceived to be misperceptions of Islam
and jihad
. These misunderstandings, he argued, came from the historical development of hadith
and the activities of Muslim jurists. He believed the jurists had taken justice into their own hands and in doing so misused or completely ignored the Qur'ān. In following these beliefs, Cherágh Ali was committed to offering a fresh interpretation of the Qur'ān and a moderated version of jihad.
In making a point of redefining the meaning of jihad, Cherágh Ali described the wars of Muhammad as strictly defensive. He argued that all of Muhammad's wars were local and temporary, making them defensive because the Qur'ān does not teach a war of aggression. He argued that Muhammad only engaged in battle in response to acts that contradicted the Qur'ān's teachings. Cherágh's belief that Islam is misunderstood by the majority of the world motivated his reformation of the Qur'ān.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Muslim scholar
Ulama
-In Islam:* Ulema, also transliterated "ulama", a community of legal scholars of Islam and its laws . See:**Nahdlatul Ulama **Darul-uloom Nadwatul Ulama **Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal**Jamiat ul-Ulama -Other:...
of the late 19th century. As a colleague of Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan
Syed Ahmed Khan
Javad-ud Daula, Arif Jang, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, KCSI , commonly known as Sir Syed, was an Indian educator and politician, and an Islamic reformer and modernist...
He made a contribution to the school of Muslim Modernists
Islam and modernity
Islam and modernity is a topic of discussion in contemporary sociology of religion. Neither Islam nor modernity are simple or unified entities. They are abstract quantities which could not be reduced into simple categories. The history of Islam, like that of other religions, is a history of...
and presented reformative thinking about the Qu'ran. He contributed numerous works to the school of Muslim Modernists such as A Critical Exposition of the Popular Jihad and Proposed Political, Legal and Social Reforms Under Moslem Rule. His interactions with Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s in British India also marked him as an Muslim apologist with a particular focus on the wars of the Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. His goal in the criticism of the Qur'ān as well as the shariah
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
is to justify contemporary Western ideals through the Qur'ān. Dying at age 51 during treatment, Cherágh Ali is now buried in Bombay.
Family Life
Cherágh Ali was the oldest of three siblings Wilayat Ali, Inayat Ali and Mansib Ali. Their father, Muhammad Bakhsh died at age 35. At this point, when Cherágh was 12 years old, the responsibility of educating the family fell up their mother's as well as their grandmother's shoulders. It is known that he had a wife.Education
Cherágh Ali was educated exclusively at home. One of his initial educational accomplishments was the acquisition of the languages of PersianPersian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, Arabic, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Hebrew, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
. Education and study was the most important aspect of Cherágh Ali's life. His studies led him offer a new translation of the text and message of the Qur'ān as well as Muhammad's battles.
Career
In his early working years, Cherágh Ali was stationed as a clerk in Gurakhpūr but eventually found himself in Lucknow searching for a better job. He then became a collector in the Office of Settlement until Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan recommended him for a position in the government of the Nizam of Hyderabad. Cherágh had already been making some literary contributions to a variety of papers such as Mukhbir-i Sãdiq and Manshūr-i Muhhamadī. When Sir Sayyid was requested by Salar Jang IMir Turab Ali Khan, Salar Jung I
Sir Mir Turab Ali Khan, Salar Jung I, GCSI , Indian statesman of Hyderabad. He was considered the greatest Prime Minister of Hyderabad....
, the Prime Minister of Hyderabad State
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
to hire a translator, Cherágh Ali was the one invited to fill that position. He was associated with Sir Sayyid throughout the rest of his career because of similar religious and political beliefs.
Political Life
Cherágh followed the school of Muslim Modernists and is most prominently known for his association with Sir Sayyid. The two met in 1874 when Sir Sayyid came to Lucknow after their literary excursions had led them there. Cherágh Ali was a solid supporter of Sir Sayyid's Aligarh MovementAligarh Movement
Aligarh Movement was the movement led by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, to educate the Muslims of the South Asia after the defeat of the rebels in the Indian rebellion of 1857. It had enormous success and had a profound impact on the future of the subcontinent...
. Despite being a prominent civil servant, Cherágh Ali avoided getting caught up in political action in Hyderabad. Rather he let his literary works speak for themselves.
In his writings, Cherágh Ali sought to correct what he perceived to be misperceptions of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
. These misunderstandings, he argued, came from the historical development of hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
and the activities of Muslim jurists. He believed the jurists had taken justice into their own hands and in doing so misused or completely ignored the Qur'ān. In following these beliefs, Cherágh Ali was committed to offering a fresh interpretation of the Qur'ān and a moderated version of jihad.
In making a point of redefining the meaning of jihad, Cherágh Ali described the wars of Muhammad as strictly defensive. He argued that all of Muhammad's wars were local and temporary, making them defensive because the Qur'ān does not teach a war of aggression. He argued that Muhammad only engaged in battle in response to acts that contradicted the Qur'ān's teachings. Cherágh's belief that Islam is misunderstood by the majority of the world motivated his reformation of the Qur'ān.