Maulana Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi
Encyclopedia
Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi was one of the main figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857
. He was a philosopher, a poet, a religious scholar, but is most remembered for his role as a freedom fighter. It was he who issued the fatwa
in favour of Jihad
against the English in 1857.
. After the First War of Independence failed, he was arrested on 30 January 1859 at Khairabad, was found guilty of "revolt" against the Government and sentenced for life to the prison at Kalapani
(Cellular Jail
) with confiscation of his property by the Judicial Commissioner, Awadh
Court. He reached Andaman on 8 October 1859 aboard the Steam Frigate “Fire Queen”.
His son, Abdul-ul-Haq, somehow managed to obtain the release order of his father. He reached Port Blair
on 13 February 1861, but was too late — Khairabadi had been hanged on February 12.
Besides being a scholar of Islamic studies and theology, he was also a literary personage, especially Arabic and Persian literature. He edited the first diwan
of Mirza Ghalib
on his request.
On account of his deep knowledge and erudition he was called Allamah
and later was venerated as a great Sufi.
, the prophet Muhammad is the final prophet, and there can be no other prophet or "messenger" after him. To believe that there can be another Muhammad would necessitate that Allah did something apart from what He has stated in the Qur’an, that is, that Allah has lied. Lying is a flaw and it is impossible for Allah to have a flaw.
, Jan Nisar Akhtar
is his great-grandson, and Javed Akhtar
and Salman Akhtar
are his great-great-grandsons.
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
. He was a philosopher, a poet, a religious scholar, but is most remembered for his role as a freedom fighter. It was he who issued the fatwa
Fatwa
A fatwā in the Islamic faith is a juristic ruling concerning Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar. In Sunni Islam any fatwā is non-binding, whereas in Shia Islam it could be considered by an individual as binding, depending on his or her relation to the scholar. The person who issues a fatwā...
in favour of 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...
against the English in 1857.
Life
Khairabadi had been a chief judge in LucknowLucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
. After the First War of Independence failed, he was arrested on 30 January 1859 at Khairabad, was found guilty of "revolt" against the Government and sentenced for life to the prison at Kalapani
Cellular Jail
The Cellular Jail, also known as Kālā Pānī , was a colonial prison situated in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. The prison was used by the British especially to exile political prisoners to the remote archipelago...
(Cellular Jail
Cellular Jail
The Cellular Jail, also known as Kālā Pānī , was a colonial prison situated in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. The prison was used by the British especially to exile political prisoners to the remote archipelago...
) with confiscation of his property by the Judicial Commissioner, Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
Court. He reached Andaman on 8 October 1859 aboard the Steam Frigate “Fire Queen”.
His son, Abdul-ul-Haq, somehow managed to obtain the release order of his father. He reached Port Blair
Port Blair
Port Blair is the largest town and a municipal council in Andaman district in the Andaman Islands and the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India...
on 13 February 1861, but was too late — Khairabadi had been hanged on February 12.
Besides being a scholar of Islamic studies and theology, he was also a literary personage, especially Arabic and Persian literature. He edited the first diwan
Diwan (poetry)
-Etymology:The English usage of the phrase Diwan Poetry comes from the Arabic word diwan , which is loaned from Persian means designated a list or register. The Persian word derived from the Persian dibir meaning writer or scribe...
of Mirza Ghalib
Mirza Ghalib
Dabir-ul-Mulk, Najm-ud-Daula Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan , pen-name Ghalib and Asad , was a classical Urdu and Persian poet from India during British colonial rule...
on his request.
On account of his deep knowledge and erudition he was called Allamah
Allamah
An Allamah , also spelled Allameh and Allama, is an honorary title carried by only the very highest scholars of Islamic thought, jurisprudence, and philosophy....
and later was venerated as a great Sufi.
Fatwa of Jihad against British
Khairabadi writes:Criticism of Wahabi Ideology
Khairabadi was at the forefront of issuing fatwas against Wahabi or Salafis. He also argued against the idea of Non Finality of Prophethood. He wrote that, according to the Qur’an and HadithHadith
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....
, the prophet Muhammad is the final prophet, and there can be no other prophet or "messenger" after him. To believe that there can be another Muhammad would necessitate that Allah did something apart from what He has stated in the Qur’an, that is, that Allah has lied. Lying is a flaw and it is impossible for Allah to have a flaw.
Personal life
His grandson is Muztar KhairabadiMuztar Khairabadi
Muztar Khairabadi was an Indian Urdu poet. He is a distinguished personality in Urdu literature.-Early life:Muztar Khairabadi was an established poet of the Urdu Language...
, Jan Nisar Akhtar
Jan Nisar Akhtar
Jan Nisar Akhtar was an important 20th century Indian poet of Urdu ghazals and nazms, and a part of the Progressive Writers' Movement, who was also a lyricist for Bollywood....
is his great-grandson, and Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar is a poet, lyricist and scriptwriter from India. Some of his most successful work was done in the late 1970s and 1980s with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed...
and Salman Akhtar
Salman Akhtar
Salman Akhtar is a psychoanalyst who also holds a professorship at the Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia....
are his great-great-grandsons.