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History Section # 1

The document outlines the history and culture of Pakistan, covering key events from the Mughal Empire's decline to the emergence of Pakistan as an independent state in 1947. It details significant political movements, figures, and reforms that shaped the nation's identity, including the War of Independence, the Lahore Resolution, and the roles of leaders like Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal. Additionally, it discusses the challenges faced by Pakistan post-independence and the evolution of its governance and international relations.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)

45 views237 pages

History Section # 1

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You are on page 1/ 237

HISTORY AND CULTURE OF PAKISTAN

2059/01

NEW SYLLABUS 2015-16

SECTION 1:

Causes of the downfall of the Mughals

The East India Company; reasons for its coming to India and finally capturing it.

The War of Independence 1857

Its causes, events, causes of its failure and consequences

The Socio-religious reformers

Shah Waliullah, Syed Ahmed Barelvi and Haji Shariatullah

Brief biographical details, beliefs, works and importance

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan

His Educational, Social and Political services for saving Muslims from the harsh
treatment of the British and Two-Nation Theory

Languages of Pakistan

Urdu, Punjabi , Sindhi, Pushto and Balochi languages

Origin, development and importance

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 1

SECTION 2: THE EMERGENCE OF PAKISTAN

Formation of INC: its causes, aims and objectives and effects (rise of Radical
Nationalism)

Partition of Bengal 1905, its reasons, importance and responses from Hindus and
Muslims

Simla Deputation 1906, its demands, importance for Muslims

Formation of AIML 1906, its reasons, aims and objectives and importance

Morley-Minto Reforms 1909, its terms, importance and responses of Indians

Reversal of the Partition of Bengal 1911, its reasons and consequences for
Muslims

War Years- 1913-14: turns and twists in Indian politics, development of Hindu-
Muslim unity

Lucknow Pact 1916, its main causes and importance for Muslims

Montague- Chelmsford Reforms 1919, its main features and importance

Khilafat Movement 1919-24, its reasons, reasons for the failure and importance

Simon Commission 1927, its recommendations and responses from INC & AIML

Dehli Proposals 1927, its main demands and purpose

Nehru Report 1928, main points, response from AIML

14 Points of Quaid-e-Azam 1929, reasons and importance for Muslims in future

Allama Iqbal’s Allahabad Address of 1930, its main line and importance for
Muslim struggle in sub- continent
GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 2
The Round Table Conferences 1930-32, main achievements, failures and
importance for the sub-continent

Communal Award 1932, the basis of 1935 Govt. of India Act

Chaudhary Rehmat Ali’s political thought and contribution 1933

Biographies of Allama Iqbal and Chaudhary Rehmat Ali

Govt. of Idian Act 1935, its main features and importance for future India

Elections of 1937, results and reasons for the results

Congress Rule 1937-39, main highlights and its impact on the Muslim politics

Lahore (Pakistan) Resolution 1940, its main declaration and significance for
Muslims and the future Pakistan.

Cripps Mission and Quit India Movement of 1942, their objectives, impact on
the Indian politics and contribution to the Pakistan Movement

Gandhi- Jinnah Talks 1944, crux, importance and contribution to Pakistan movement

Simla Conference 1945, main proposals, responses from INC & AIML and
contribution to Pakistan Movement

Elections of 1945-6, results, reasons, importance and contribution to Pakistan movement

Cabinet Mission Plan 1946, main proposals, responses from INC & AIML and
contribution to the creation of Pakistan

3rd June Plan 1947, its main announcement leading to the partition, communal
violence

Radcliffe Award, Aug 16, 1947, its unfairness and its consequences for Pakistan in

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 3

future years

Independence Act 1947, Pakistan accepted and established

SECTION 3: NATIONHOOD

Initial problems of Pakistan, difficulties for the newly born state

The Governor Generalship of Quaid-e-Azam (1947-8), his biography, steps to

consolidate Pakistan, successes and failures both

Prime Ministers of Pakistan (1947-1958)

Liaquat Ali Khan (1947-51)

Khawaja Nazimuddin (1951-1953)

Mohammad Ali Bogra (1953-55)

Chaudhary Muhammad Ali (1955-56)

Hussain Shaheed Suharwardy (1956-57)

I.I. Chundrigarh (1957-57)

Malik Feroz Khan Noon (1957-58)

Governor-Generals of Pakistan (1947-1958)

Quaid-e-Azam (1947-48)

Khawaja Nazimuddin (1948-51)

Malik Ghulam Muhammad (1951-55)

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 4

Iskandar Mirza (1955-58)

Ayub Khan (1958-69): Era of Military Rule in Pakistan, First Martial Law, its
reasons, reforms of Ayub Khan, Decade of development and downfall

General Yahya Khan (1969-71): General elections of 1970-71, problematic results,

Civil War, Six Points of Mujeeb-ur-Rehman, Indo-Pak War 1971, creation of
Bengladesh, reasons behind

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (1971-77), his reforms, execution and its reasons, downfall

General Zia-ul-Haq (1977-1988), Afghan Miracle, 8th Amendment, Islamization,

referendum, Junejo’s ministry, Ojhary Camp issue and dismissal of Junejo, death
of Zia

Benazir Bhutto; (1988-90 & 1993-66), reasons for her becoming PM being a
Woman, her problems as influence of Army, corruption charges on her husband,
sanctions on Pakistan due to its Nuclear program, legislation problem and rift
with MQM, her reforms as uplift of women’s status, setting up labour and women
ministries, increasing wages, ensuring pension for labourers, release of funds for
the purchase of F-16 etc. her dismissal and then assassination

Nawaz Sharif as PM (1990-1993 & 1997-1999), his reforms as privatization,

Yellow Cab Scheme, Ghazi Brotha Dam, Motorway Project, Gawadar Miniport
Project and Nuclear Test in 1998etc. his problems as Cooperative Societies’
scandal, terrorism, rift with GIK and Kargil issue with Pervez Musharraf

Constitutional issues, problems and development since 1947; includes the

Objectives Resolution 1949, Constitution of 1956, 1962 and 1973

International Relations of Pakistan with All neighbourig countries, Supper powers

and the rest of the world.

World Organisations like UNO, OIC, NAM, SEATO, CENTO, SAARC, ECO,

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 5

NEW PATTERN OF PAPER - I

1. There will be two sections;

SECTION A and SECTION B
2. Section A will have One Compulsory question comprising FOUR part questions; a,
b, c, and d, totaling [25] marks.
3. SECTION B will have four questions with the choice of two.
4. All questions will have equal marks i.e. [25]

SAMPLE PAPER
SECTIONA

Answer the following question.

1 This question is about the establishment of the independent state of Pakistan in

1947.

Study the sources carefully and then answer the questions which follow.

SourceA

Ifwe are toexist as a nation and give shape tothe dream ofPakistan, we will
have toface
theproblemswithdeterminationandforce.Ourpeoplearedisorganizedanddishear
tenedby
thedifficultiesweface.Theirmoraleislowandwewillhavetoworkhardertopullthem
out
oftheirdespondencyandgalvanizethemtoaction.Allthisthrowsagreaterresponsibi
lityon government servants, to whom our people look for guidance.

From a speech by Jinnah to government officials in

October 1947

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 6

Source B

Muslim refugees leaving India for Pakistan in 1947.

(a) According to SourceA, what problems faced Pakistan in 1947? [3]

(b) What does Source B tell us about Muslim refugees in 1947? [5]

(d) HowsuccessfulwasQuaid-e-
AzaminestablishingthenewPakistanin1947?Explainyour answer.
[10]

How to answer
Q1(a) according to source A, what problems faced Pakistan in 1947? [3]

 each correct statement will earn 1 mark

 people were disheartened, disappointed and disorganized,
 they had low morale due to hardships
GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 7
 government officials needed to give them hope and confidence in

 order to bring them into action.

(b) What does Source B tell us about Muslim refugees in 1947? [5]

Marks
Level Description
[0]
Level 0 No valid response
[1]
Level 1 Identify surface features from the source, e.g.
People are trying to board the train in haste…
[2-3]
Unsupported or generalized inferences/ conclusions/ assumptions, e.g.
Level 2 People are in panic and hurry and families are also travelling. They have
their belongings also with them
[4-5]
Supported or specified inferences / conclusions /assumptions e.g.
People are in panic and haste because they are afraid of the attacks by
Level 3 the Hindu & Sikh bands. Families are travelling with their belongings
because they did’t want to return back, they are leaving for good, people
are clinging to the sides of the train because they don’t want to miss this
train due to possible dangers of staying back in Indian territory

(c) why did Pakistan join the UNO in 1947? [7]

Marking Scheme

Level 1: simplistic statement

Pakistan was a newly born state [1-2]
Level 2: identifies reasons
Pakistan wanted recognition from the comity of the world [2-5]
Level 3: explains reasons
Pakistan emerged as the largest Muslim state of the world, so wanted to be
recognized as a sovereign state. India violated all rules of justice and fairplay and was
the bitterest enemy of Pakistan, so Pakistan wanted the help of the world community
to settle the Kashmir issue with India. Pakistan was a peace loving country and wanted
to help the oppressed nations under the charter of the UNO. Pakistan was a nascent
state and wanted economic and technical support from the developed nations due to
which it joined the UNO in 1947.
[5-7]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 8

(d) HowsuccessfulwasQuaid-e-
AzaminestablishingthenewPakistanin1947?Explainyour answer.
[10]

Marking Scheme

Level 1: simplistic statement

Quaid-e-Azam was very successful governor general [[-2]

Level 2: identifies or explains his reforms in general

He set up refugees’ relief fund and called himself the ‘ Protector-

General’ of Pakista[3-4]
Level 3: Explainshis successes Or failures [5-7]
Level 4: Explains successes and failures both
Successes:
He became the first president of the first constituent Assay of Pakistan.
He created the Relief Fund for the refugees and went to Lahore in
order to encourage the people to donate generously.
He established the State Bank of Pakistan in order to strengthen the
economyHe chose Karachi as the capital of Pakistan. He delivered
speeches to armed forces, civil servants and students to be a nation.
He joined the UNO etc.

Failures:

He could not solve the Kashmir issue, Canal Water Dispute and
settlement of refugees due to his early death . [8-9]

Level 5: Explains successes and failures, as level 4 also produces judgment or

evaluation [10]
SECTION B

Answer any two questions from this section.

Q2: (a) Describe the battle of Plassey. [4]

(b) Why did Aurangzeb become unpopular by the time of his death in 1707? [7]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 9

(c) Was the in-fighting between Aurangzeb’s successors the most important reason
for the collapse of the Mughal Empire? [14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 10

Section 1- decline of the Mughal Empire
Guidelines for students
 Read the marking schemes of given questions carefully
 Write answers to given questions with in scheduled time
 Given answers may give you even better idea to furnish good answers.

Benefits of the guidelines

1. You will learn what to write in the answer
2. You will learn proper starting and ending with suitable vocabulary
3. You will get confidence to write proper answers
4. You will be able to manage your time
5. Given answers will enable you to use the Subject Language and assess your
own performance

Strategy for study

 Give at least half an hour to writing answers daily
 Choose different topic every day & Focus more on source questions
 Attempt all ‘part questions’ with their required methodology
 Get those answers checked by your colleagues in the class following the
marking schemes

Revision strategy
After going through the whole syllabus, revise from the beginning

You would find your own performance improved.

Top is Always Vacant for You!

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 11

SECTION 1

DECLINE OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE

OBJECTIVES OF STUDY:
You must have deep knowledge and understanding of following:
• Aurangzeb’s policies which annoyed Hindus
• Poor performance of the successors of Aurangzeb
• Role of the British that put an end to the Mughal Rule
The Mughal Dynasty 1526-1857
The Mughals were the descendants of the famous Chengez Khan; the chief of a
Mongol tribe who lived in the desert of Gobi, in present day Mangolia. These
Mongols were fierce fighters, they worshiped blue sky and follow tribal system.
They lived in deserts so their eyes grew narrower due to continous
sand storms blowing across the desert..

Babur:The first Mughal who came to India in 1526 was Zaheer-ud-

Din Muhammad Babur. He defeated Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi and killed
him in the first battle of Panipat in 1526. He founded the Mughal
dynasty. Unlike other invaders, he did not go back after looting and
plundering; he stayed in India and established his rule.
Humanyun: Babur was succeeded by his son Humanyun who was a
weak ruler. He spared his enemies on the battle field instead of
crushing them. He was defeated by another Afghan war lord, Sher Shah
Suri and ran for his life. After 13 years he returned to take his lands. He defeated

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 12

Sher Shah Suri and captured Dehli. He could not live for a long time to
consolidate his empire and died after one year.

Akbar the Great: Akbar was born at Umar kot, present Sindh,
Pakistan while the family of Humanyun was travelling to Persia under
the supervision of his loyal general Berum Khan. His son Akbar succeeded him
when he was only 13. Akbar proved to be the most successful ruler. He expanded
his empire and launched the best tax collecting system called ‘Mansabdari
system’. He also introduced a new faith’ Din-e-Elahi’ which was a mixture of Islam
and Hinduism. He banned on cow slaughtering and suttee and abolished the Jiziya
tax and the pilgrims’ tax from Hindus. He made this attempt to maintain good
relations with the non-Muslim subjects but, it was not successful and he returned
to his previous faith in his last days. He issued ‘Infallibility decree’ which enabled
him to decide on the religious disputed matters in case the clergies failed to
decide.
Jahangir : Jahangir was the son of Akbar and ruled after him in a
good manner. He was in love with Mehrunnisa, the daughter of a
Persian noble, Mirza Ghias Baig, who eventually became his beloved
wife and helped him ruling India a lot. He was a just ruler and had
fixed a golden chain in his palace with bells called ‘ zanjee-e-ad’l’ the chain of
justice. People rung the chain, he listened to their problems and gave
them justice.

Shah jahan: Khurram, commonly known as Shah Jahan, was the next
to succeed the throne from Jahangir. He made the famous Taj Mahal on the bank
of river Yamuna to house the tomb of his wife Mumtaz Mahal

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 13

Aurangzeb Alamgir: he was the last powerful Mughal king who
succeeded from Shah Jahan after a bloody fight with his three brothers.
He imprisoned his father in the Agra Fort till his death. He was
orthodox in his beliefs and wanted to rule India according to the Islamic
rules. He re-imposed Jiziya tax on the Hindus that Akbar had abolished in order to
rule them peacefully. He also banned the use of wine, singing and dancing in the
Royal court which annoyed the nobles. He also ordered the Muslims to keep
beard and prescribed its length as well. He annoyed the Hindu majority by going
against their religion because he is reported to have demolished some Hindu
temples to build mosques. He remained busy in wars against the Sikhs and
Rajputs in the north and the Marhattas in the south for 25 years which affected
the Mughal Empire in many ways. He remained away from his court for a long
time and the royal treasury became empty due to heavy expenses on long wars.
As a result, the Hindu community went against him, the local rulers became more
independent and the decline became natural.

AURANGZEB’S SUCCESSORS (150 Years of decline 1707-1857)

After Aurangzeb, almost 13 weak rulers came to
the throne.
Azam Shah became the king only for 3 months.
Bahadar Shah took the throne for 4 years
Jahandar Shan remained on the throne for hardly a year
Furrukh Siyar served for 6 years as the king

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 14

Rafi-ud-Darajat was another king for only 3 months
Shah Jahan II also tasted the throne for 4 months
Muhammad Shah was the ruler for 28 years from 1719-1748, who saw the
invasion of Nadir Shah of Persia.

Ahmed Shah Bahadur ruled India from 1748-1754. He was another weak ruler
on the throne who was defeated by the Marhattas.

Alamgir II remained the king for 5 years from 1754-1759. He remained under
the influence of his minister Imadul Mulk.

Shah Jahan III stayed on the throne for hardly a year from 1759-1760. During
this time the Nizams of Hyderabad Deccan, Bengal, Behar and Orrissa were
consolidating and the great warrior Hyder Ali also became the ruler of Mysor in
1761.
Shah Alam II was the next Mughal to take the seat from 1760-1806. He escaped
from Dehli because the Marhatta Chiefs had killed his father Alamgir II and kept
him under their watch. He ran to the Eastern provinces and joined hands with
Najeeb-ud-Daula and Ahmed Shah Abdali to defeat Marhattas in 1761. Shah
Alam, after defeating Marhattas, installed himself as Emperor. He was later
defeated at the battle of Buxar in 1764. He was blinded by Ghulam Qadir Rohilla
and the British took him under their protection in 1803.

Akbar Shah II: from 1806-1837, he was a titular figurehead under the
protection of British. In fact the British had been using this time to pave the way
for their rule in India while Akbar was holding the Mughal throne.

Bahadur Shah II also known as Bahadur Shah Zafar was the last Mughal
emperor from 1837-1857. When the British re-captured Dehli, they arrested him

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 15

and sent to the fort of Rangoon, Burma (Myanmar). He died there in 1862. The
British also captured his two sons and blown them by the cannons.

CAUSES OF THE DOWNFALL OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE

The downfall of the Great Mughal Empire lay in the following;
1. Succession disputes erupted usually at the time when a king died. The
Mughal kings had many wives. Those who had sons wanted them to take
the throne. Since there was no such rule as to who will become the
emperor, fighting remained the only test. The winner was to be the next
Emperor. This in-fighting divided the Royal camp as well as the courtiers
who were Rajas and Nawabs of the Princely states. The nobles began to
grow their influence in the court and a time came when Mughal princes
were at the mercy of the courtiers; the king makers. Shah Jahan and
Aurangzeb divided the areas among their sons but they did not remain
contented with whatever they got and started fighting with each other. It
also invited the external forces to attack the Mughal Empire i.e Nadir Shah
and Ahmed Shah Abdali invaded the empire in 1738 and 1761respectively.
2. Huge Size of the Empire due to the desire forexpanding their rule and to
invade new lands was another factor which led to their decline. Large size
was difficult to administer with slow and inefficient means of
communication. Long time (weeks and months) was required to relay the
messages from the court to different areas. The cunning elements of the
state always took advantage of this weakness and deprived public of
justice and basic human rights which caused unpopularity for the Mughal
rule in India. For this reason revenue collection also became a problem and

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 16

Akbar had to introduce “Mansabdari” system which worked but not to the
level required to manage such a vast Empire. These Mansabdars were
officials appointed by the emperor and deputed in different areas for
collecting taxes on behalf of the Mughal kings and to keep certain number
of soldiers ready and equipped all the times. Later these Mansabdars
became corrupt themselves and could not keep the people together and
loyal to the Emperors, so decline became a reality.
3. Ease loving was another cause of decline. Abundance of wealth brought
the whole package of moral and spiritual vices to the Mughals. They
became fond of an easy and luxurious lifestyle. After Aurangzeb, a dozen of
rulers came on the throne but none of them could prove to the level of his
predecessors. They were not good fighters neither good leaders. They
could not win the hearts of their forces neither were they able to attend
the problems of their subjects. They remained busy inside their palaces and
large Harems.
4. Deviation from Islam was also the fruit of their luxurious lifestyle.
Drinking,dancing and singing were once again the order of the day. It
invited other ills and vices too which kept them away from their duties as
rulers. They lost the confidence of the people and the Europeans began to
take power in the sub-continent.
5. Arrival of the British was perhaps the most important reason for the
decline of the Mughals. The British were intelligent and resourceful. They
were disciplined and committed to achieve their goal. They had modern
weapons, trained soldiers, strong naval fleet and the art of “divide and

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 17

rule”. They came to trade in spices and other commodities but, ruling India
became their best trade.
6. Aurangzeb’s policies of imposing Jiziya tax on Hindus, banning singing,
dancing and alcoholic drinks in the court and forcing people to keep
beardsby certain length were his anti- noble policies. He was also reputed
to have demolished the Hindu temples to construct mosques there. He
also banned Suttee, an old Hindu tradition. Though it was a cruel and
inhuman custom of the Hindus, yet it was considered as interference in the
religious matters of others. His long wars against Marhattas in the south
and Rajputs and Sikhs in the north kept him busy for 25 long years. During
this time, he could not counter his enemies on the political front; neither
could he improve the economy of the Empire. The Royal treasury emptied
and he imposed new taxes which annoyed the people and they went
against him.

(a) Part Questions:

1) What were the religious beliefs of Aurangzeb?
Aurangzeb Alamgir was an orthodox Sunni Muslim. He banned Music,
dancing and drinking in the Royal court. He also banned gambling and ordered all
Muslims to keep beard with a prescribed length. He re-imposed Jizya Tax on
Hindus which was once abolished by Akbar. He wanted to rule India according to
the Islamic law. He lived a simple life himself.
2) What was Suttee?
Suttee was an old and murderous custom of Hindus according to which the
widows of Nobles were burnt on the funeral pyres of their dead husbands. They

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 18

were made to put the ornaments like brides and were burnt alive. This was to
save the properties or lands of the deceased from being distributed to their
wives but portrayed as if the wives were so loyal that they could not think of
living without their beloved husbands. It was the open violation of Human Rights.
This custom prevented women from remarrying and living freely after becoming
widows. Women were treated as the private properties of the men. It was first
banned by Akbar, then Aurangzeb and later the British.
3) Describe Jizya Tax.
Jizya Tax is a levy that a Muslim empire receives from or imposes on its
Non-Muslim subjects for providing them with the facilities of life as citizens of the
state and protecting their lives, properties, faith, culture and honor. Akbar lifted
this tax from Hindus for his political interests but Aurangzeb re-imposed it during
his time for the reason that it was the Islamic way and the major source of
income also because Hindus were almost 80 per cent of the total population and
exemption of such tax was considered a great loss of revenue. It caused him
unpopularity among the non-Muslim subjects and became one of the reasons for
the decline.
4) Describe Akbar’s Din-e-Elahi.
Din-e-Elahi was a new faith that Akbar created in 1581-82 for greater
harmony between Hindus and Muslims and became its head. It was a mixture of
Hinduism and Islam. Cow slaughtering and Suttee were banned and Hindus were
exempted from Jizya Tax. The Hindu pilgrims were also exempted from the
tax.This won Akbar the favours of Rajput chiefs and the other Hindu subjects and
his empire expanded far and wide. Many Muslim saints went against this act of
Akbar but he did not abandon it on their protest. He rather punished them for this

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 19

‘disrespect’ to his authority, but later he repented and began to practice true
Islam. He also apologized from the Muslim clergies whom he punished for their
protest.
5) Who was Shiva Jee?
Shiva Jee was an extremist Hindu bigot. He was born in a low caste Hindu
family. For this reason, he had deep-seated hatred for others. Eventually he
became leader of a large group of rebels and began to loot & plunder people. He
was the bitterest enemy of Aurangzeb. He captured large hilly area in the
Hyderabad Deccan and established his own state there. He became so powerful
that Aurangzeb Alamgir took 25 years to defeat him. He was arrested and jailed
but managed to escape, arrested again and finally executed.
6) Describe what Marathas did?
Marathas were very strong people who lived in Hyderabad Deccan in South India.
They were bitterest enemies of Aurangzeb who kept fighting for 25 years but
could not crush them completely. They defeated the Mughal army in 1737 and in
1761; they were defeated by Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan. They remained
in power in the South and kept disturbing Tipu Sultan also along with the Brirish
and the Nizams of Hyderabad.
7) Describe the succession disputes of Mughals.
The disputes, quarrels and even bloody fights among the claimants to the
Mughal throne are known as succession disputes. The reason of such disputes
was the absence of any policy to choose the new king in case of death of the one.
Due to these disputes the empire began to decline. The Mughal Princes divided
and became weak whereas the nobles, chiefs and rulers of Princely states
became more powerful and independent, inviting the foreign invaders, e.g. Nadir

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 20

Shah and Ahmed Shah Abdali. The British were the last who invaded India and put
an end to the Mughal rule from the sub continent in 1857.
8) What were the effects of Nadir Shah’s invasion of Delhi on Mughal
Empire?
Nadir Shah of Persia invaded Delhi in 1738- 39, when Muhammad Shah
was the Mughal Emperor. His loot, plunder and slaughtering of the innocent
people of Delhi continued for 57 days. It damaged the prestige and power of
Mughal Empire. It encouraged others to struggle for independence from the
Mughal Empire. Shortly after this, Kabul, Sindh and Punjab went out of Mughal
control. The British became more confident of their successes in India and the
decline became inevitable.
9) Describe the importance of Jiziya Tax for Mughals?
Jizya Tax had a great importance for Mughals. It was a great source of
revenue generation because Hindus formed almost 75%-80% of the total
population & even a small amount of tax could over flow the Mughal treasury.
Imposition of Jizya Tax was also an effective measure to keep Hindus under
control. Later it’s abolition by Akbar was also a means to maintain good relations
with the largest majority of India. At last, it became one of the major causes of
the decline of the Mughal Empire when Aurangzeb re-imposed it on the Hindu
subjects.
10) What was Mansabdari System?
It was a revenue collection system introduced by Babur and Humayun and
later upgraded by Akbar and continued by his successors. Mansab means Rank.
These Mansabdars were the Imperial Officials deputed to collect taxes on behalf
of the Mughal emperor and to keep the specific number of soldiers (cavalrymen)

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 21

ready for the help of Mughal Army in times of need. The Mughals had borrowed
this system from Persia and remained in their use till the decline of the Mughal
Dynasty. Mansabdars were transferred to different places after some time and
their posts were not hereditary.

Note:Please find in the work book- (1) Marking Schemes of past paper and
New (b) and (c) part questions. (2) Skill development practice questions.

(3)Completeanswers to all possible questions.

Some (b) part questions

1. Briefly explain three reasons for the decline of the Mughal Empire.
[June 2002 Q1(b)] [7]
2. Why were the British able to replace the Mughals as a dominant force
in the sub-continent by 1850? [ Nov 2004 P1/ 1b]
[7]
3. Explain why the Mughal Empire declined following the reign of
Aurangzeb. [June 2006 Q1(b)] [7]
4. Explain why the successors of Aurangzeb failed to prevent decline of
the Mughal Empire. [N 2008 Q1(b)] [7]

Some new questions for practice

1. Why do you think Aurangzeb Alamgir was responsible for the decline
of Mughal Empire? [7]
2. Why was the British East India Company responsible for the decline of
the Mughal Empire? [7]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 22

3. Why did Aurangzeb Alamgir become unpopular by the end of his life in
1707? [7]

Marking Schemes of (b) part questions

1. Briefly explain three reasons for the decline of the Mughal Empire.
[June 2002 Q1(b)] [7]
Marking Scheme

LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1]

The Mughals were weaker than the British

LEVEL 2 Identifies reasons [2-4]

They had superior weapons and were better organised

LEVEL 3 Explains reasons [5-7]

The Mughal Empire declined due to its huge size. The Mughal rulers could not
manage the state affairs well due to old and inefficient means of
communications. They used to quarrel among themselves for the sake of throne
after a king died. These succession disputes led to weakness of the Royal family.
As a result, the local rulers of the princely states grew more powerful and decline
became a reality. Ease-loving style of the Mughals became another reason for the
decline because they could not perform their duties as kings properly.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 23

2. Why were the British able to replace the Mughals as a dominant force in the
sub-continent by 1850? [ Nov 2004 P1/ 1b] [7]

Marking Scheme

LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1]

They were stronger

LEVEL 2 Identifies reasons [2-4]

They had superior weapons and were better organised

LEVEL 3 Explains reasons [5-7]

The British were already becoming well established in the Sub-Continent

and had gained much territory and so were well placed to take over from
the Mughals. Due to the Industrial Revolution Britain had been able to
stockpile weapons which were of superior quality to any of those which
the Indians had. Also the troops were better disciplined, trained and
organised and were able to establish their superiority without much
opposition.

3. Explain why the Mughal Empire declined following the reign of Aurangzeb.
[June 2006 Q1(b)] [7]

Marking Scheme
LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1]
They decline started after the death of Aurangzeb
LEVEL2 Identifies reasons [2-4]
Succession disputes were the main reason

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 24

LEVEL3 Explains reasons [5-7]
Weak and greedy Mughal princes used to quarrel among themselves for
succeeding to the throne. It became most dangerous practice for the Empire. The
nobility became more powerful than the kings and gave way to the foreign
invaders like Nadir Shah of Persia and Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan.
Frequent change of kings made people to believe that they were no more
powerful and the real power lay in the hands of the British who were the main
king makers.
4. Explain why the successors of Aurangzeb failed to prevent decline of the
Mughal Empire. [N 2008 Q1(b)] [7]

Marking Scheme

LEVEL 1:Simplistic statement [1]

They weren’t any good as rulers.

LEVEL 2:Identifies reasons [2–4]

Aurangzeb’s successors were weak. There was no law of succession.

LEVEL 3:Explains reasons [5–7]

Aurangzeb’s successors were not good rulers. They tended to be lazy, weak and
corrupt, leaving the administration to their ministers who often put their own
interests first. There was no law of succession. Instead there was usually a
struggle for succession which ended in war. Succession often depended upon the
ability of the candidates and the support they could get. Fighting wars was very
expensive and the military was stretched and suffered much inefficiency. These
emperors failed to run the Empire effectively, becoming very extravagant and so
suffered from financial inefficiencies. The vastness of the Empire made it hard to

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 25

defend and as such suffered several invasions from stronger rivals. Eventually the
British overran the Empire and were superior in such areas as military might.

Some new questions for practice

1. Why do you think Aurangzeb Alamgir was responsible for the decline
of Mughal Empire? [7]
2. Why was the British East India Company responsible for the decline
of the Mughal Empire? [7]
3. Why did Aurangzeb Alamgir become unpopular by the end of his life in
1707? [7]

Skill development
Prepare the marking schemes yourself
1. Why do you think Aurangzeb Alamgir was responsible for the decline
of Mughal Empire? [7]

Marking Scheme
LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEVEL2 Identifies reasons
[2-4]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEVEL3 Explains reasons
[5-7]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 26

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Why was the British East India Company responsible for the decline
of the Mughal Empire? [7]

Marking Scheme

LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LEVEL2 Identifies reasons [2-4]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LEVEL3 Explains reasons [5-7]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 27

Why did Aurangzeb Alamgir become unpopular by the end of his life in 1707?
[7]

Marking Scheme

LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LEVEL2 Identifies reasons [2-4]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LEVEL3 Explains reasons [5-7]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HINTS FOR PREPARING MARKING SCHEMES

QUESTION 1
1. Aurangzeb’s anti-Hindu policies of banning alcoholic drinks,
dancing and singing in the royal court, banning suttee and re-
imposing Jiziya on them. Keeping a length of beard for Muslims

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 28

and reports of demolishing Hindu temples for building mosques
etc.
2. Long wars against Sikhs, rajputs and Marhattas disappointed
people because he could not give attention to public affairs,
treasury was also empty and new taxes were imposed on the
people.

QUESTION 2
1. The EIC changed their focus mainly from trading to politics of
India. They were able to change the politics of the sub-continent
2. They introduced their “divide and rule” policy that challenged the
authority of the Mughal kings
3. They introduced certain reforms in India like railways and
telegraph services which led people to believe their superior skills
and command.

QUESTION 3
1. His anti-Hindu policies of banning suttee, re-imposing Jiziya,
reputation of spreading Islam forcefully by demolishing temples
for constructing mosques
2. Forbidding drinking, dancing and singing in the court. Ordering
people to keep beard to a particular length was another
unfriendly policy of Aurangzeb
3. Long wars against Sikhs, rajputs and Marhattas left nothing in the
royal treasury and new taxes had to be imposed on the poor
people which annoyed them and turned them against the
Mughals.

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Practice on Source questions
Text Source for 3 marks

SOURCE A

“Sir Jadunath Sarkar writes that "No Mughal Noble family retained its
importance for more than one or two generations, if the achievements
of a nobleman were mentioned in three pages, the achievements of his
son occupied nearly a page and the grandson was dismissed in a few
lines such as "he did nothing worthy of being recorded here."
(A part from a writing of Sir Jadunath Sarkar about the decline of Mughals)

(a) What does the writer mean to say about the Mughals? [3]
 He means to say that Mughals were easily lured into luxiouries of
life.
 They could sacrifice Honour for Pleasure
 They did not have strong character
 Decline of the achievements from father to sons was quite repid.

Picture Source for 5 marks

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Capture of Bahadur Shah Zafar by William Hudson on 20 th September 1857

(a) What does Source B tell us about the fall of Mughal Empire? [5]

Hints:

 Describe the scene for two marks

 Use your own knowledge to develop the answer for full five marks
Describe the scene
 Bahadur Shah and his sons are under arrest of the British officer William
Hudson and his soldiers.
 They look weak, lazy and helpless
 British soldiers are looking firm and strict
 It looks as if the royal members are posing no resistance to the soldiers
Developed answer
 The Mughals were no more efficient rulers and had surrendered to
the British as easily as shown in the source. They look weak, lazy and
helpless whereas the British soldiers look firm and strict. In fact the
royal family had given up since the time of Shah Alam II in1803. The
following kings were the British pensioners and were no more
allowed to take the title of “Emperors” to their names. The last king

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Bahadur Shah Zafar was not able to even pay his loans with the
money that the British gave him. At the end, so called War of
Independence was fought by some opportunists that failed and led
to the British Raj in India.

SOURCE B

(b) What does the picture of Taj Mahal tell us about the
Mughal Empire?

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 32

HOME ASSIGNMENTS:
write answers according to the marking schemes

1. Briefly explain three reasons for the decline of the Mughal Empire.
[June 2002 Q1(b)] [7]
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2. Why were the British able to replace the Mughals as a dominant force in the
sub-continent by 1850? [ Nov 2004 P1/ 1b] [7]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 33

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3. Explain why the Mughal Empire declined following the reign of
Aurangzeb.[June2006Q1(b)] [7]
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GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 34

NEW QUESTION NO 1
1. Why do you think Aurangzeb Alamgir was responsible for the decline of Mughal
Empire? [7]
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GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 35

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
The Mughal Empire declined because of its huge size. In the time of
Aurangzeb Alamgir, the Mughal Empire was the largest in size it had ever been,
where as the communication system comprised of only traditional Qasids ,( the
horse rider messengers) who relayed the Royal orders (Shahi Farman) and other
reforms to the far off areas under control of the Mughal Emperors. Due to this old
and slow communication system, the Emperors were unable to keep effective
check on day to day administrative and political affairs of the state. Empire
began to decline due to the infrequent contact between the subjects and the
rulers. Secondly laziness of the Mughal emperors and their ease loving style
caused great damage to the administrative structure of the empire which
encouraged the local rulers to have strong political influence in their areas.
Succession disputes were another major cause of the decline. Since there was no
such system in the Mughal Royal Family as to who will succeed to the throne after
the death of an Emperor, the Royal princes used to fight with each other for the
sake of throne. They were only greedy of the wealth, power and luxury and not
interested in the public welfare. Therefore, it paved the way for alliances,
division in the local rulers and in-fighting in the Royal camp which made the
decline inevitable.

2. Why were the British able to replace the Mughals as a dominant force in
the sub-continent by 1850? [ Nov 2004 P1/ 1b] [7]

Hints:

 British were in control of so many Indian states which gave

them military and economic support
 Better quality of weapons and abundance of resources

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 36

 British army was well organized, well disciplined and more
loyal even

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 37

• It invited foreign adventurists like Nadir Shah of Persia, Ahmed
Shah Abdali of Afghanistan and the British.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:

Decline of the Mughal Empire began after the death of Aurangzeb. After his
death, greedy and ease loving princes began to fight with each other for the
Mughal throne. This was a dangerous practice which led the empire towards
disunity, disintegration, corruption, anarchy and finally decline. It paved the way
for Nadir Shah’s invasion of Dehli in 1738 and Ahmed Shah Abdali’s of Peshawar
and Lahore in 1747 and then in 1761, which damaged the image of the Mughal
Kings and their authority. They came and captured the areas and benefitted
greatly from the loot and plunder of the state treasury.
It took the Empire exactly one hundred and fifty years (1707 – 1857) to collapse
completely after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. During this period almost a
dozen of weak and puppet Mughal rulers came on the throne, last being
Bahadur Shah Zafar who was not more than the In-charge of so called Royal
establishment at the Red Fort Delhi. This frequent change of kings and
dominating role of the British along with some local King makers led people to
believe that the Mughals were at the mercy of the British and were counting the
last days of their rule in India. So they became disloyal making sure the decline.

4. Explain why the successors of Aurangzeb failed to prevent decline of the

Mughal Empire. [N 2008 Q1(b)] [7]

HINTS:

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 38

• They were lazy, bad administrators, extravagant and lacked
statesmanship qualities.
• Due to succession disputes, the local Nawabs rose to power, and
became independent
• British got opportunity to capture the whole sub-continent.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:

The successors of Aurangzeb could not live up to the level and strength as
rulers, which was the most required factor to keep control over a vast Empire.
The Empire had become even more difficult to control after 50 years of
controversial policies of Aurangzeb. His successors proved nor good
administrators neither strong military leaders. They proved to be only fond of
abundance of wealth and luxuries of life. They spent a lot on making monuments
and never took interest in the state affairs. Due to this type of governance, the
Empire became financially weaker. The forces were not well looked after and
trained which affected the defence also. The succession disputes were another
factor that invited outsiders. Nadir Shah and Ahmed Shah Abdali tried to invade
the Empire due to the weakness of the Mughals. The local nawabs and
Mansabdars became politically strong and wanted to be independent of the
Mughals. Both Hindu and Muslim communities were neglected and almost were
ready to accept the new regime.
Owing to such conditions, it was a golden opportunity for the British to capture
India who were already waiting for such a time to use their skills of ‘divide and
rule’. By 1803, the Mughal King became their pensioner and came under their
protection. After this the British had no difficulty to colonize the whole of sub-

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 39

continent. Emperor Bahadur Shah Zaffar proved to be the last Mughal king whose
rule ended in 1858 and the sub-continent became British India.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 40

Another reason for which he is blamed for the decline of the Empire was his long
fights with Rajput chiefs, Sikhs and Marhattas in the north and south of India
respectively. Due to these long wars of almost 25 years with powerful segments
of the local population, the royal treasury became empty and new taxes were
imposed on people. They were not in position to pay such taxes and became
least cooperative. Especially the Hindus became critics of Aurangzeb and
changed their loyalties. His successors were weak and pleasure lovers and could
not improve the conditions. So the empire declined eventually. No doubt his
successors added insult to the injury, yet he is considered responsible for the
decline of the Mughal Empire.

Q.2: Why was the East India Company responsible for the decline of Mughal
Empire? [7]
HINTS:
• They changed their focus from trading towards political control of
India.
• They used their ‘divide and rule’ policy in India
• They introduced reforms in India which impressed the Indians and
maintained superb army.
Suggested Answer:
The British were smart and clever to colonize India. The East India Company
entered the Indian sub-continent as a trading company but soon the local system
of government lured them to think about ruling the areas. In 1757, their first
victory against Nawab Sirajuddaula led them to believe that ruling over the Indian
lands was not a dream, it could become a reality. They changed their focus from

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 41

trading towards politics. It was due to their notorious ‘divide and rule’ policythat
they tempted Mir Jaffar to betray his master and side with them. Later in 1764,
the Battle of Buxar and the Battle of Sarangapatam against Tipu Sultan in 1799
confirmed their control over the sub- continent.
Following the initial victories of the E.I.C, the British government took control of
the affairs of the company in their own hands and began to introduce certain
reforms like free education through missionaries, telegraph and railways service.
These amazing ways of development attracted the attention of local educated
elite and they began to favor the British rule in India. The Mughals, who had
already lost their prestige and administrative skills a great deal, were now, at the
mercy of the British. Besides their political activities, they managed a superior
army with the superb discipline that Mughals never happened to match with
till their final resistance in 1857.

Q.3: why did Aurangzeb Alamgir become unpopular by the time of his death in
1707? [7]

HINTS:
• His anti Hindu policies like banning suttee, wine, singing and
dancing in the royal court
• Imposing Jiziya and other taxes on the people
• Long wars against the Sikhs, Rajputs and Marhattas
SUGGESTED ANSWER:
Aurangzeb was an orthodox Muslim who wanted to rule the empire against the
line of his predecessors. He wanted to implement the Islamic rule in India. He

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 42

banned the use of wine, singing and dancing in the Royal Court which annoyed
the Hindu nobility as well as the Muslim high class leadership because these
things had become almost a part of the royal life. He even banned the
manufacturing and transportation of such drugs. Suttee was also banned and
the Hindu community went against him. His critics blamed him to demolish the
Hindu temples and building mosques on their sites. Aurangzeb went one step
further and re-imposed Jiziya on the Non-Muslims which Akbar had exempted. It
hurt them most because they would be no more enjoying the status of a
privileged class.
Auragzeb had waged a long war against the Sikhs and Rajputs in the north and
Marhattas in the south. He remained busy in these wars for 25 long years which
kept him away from his capital and administration of the empire was neglected.
The armies became exhausted and reluctant to fighting with their own
countrymen. The welfare of the people was ignored which caused the decline.

Some (c) part questions

1. Was the in-fighting between Aurangzeb’s successors the most important
reason for the collapse of the Mughal Empire? Explain your answer.
[14]

2. “Aurangzeb’s successors failed to live up to his courageous and

determined personality” was the most important reason for the decline of
Mughal Empire. Give reasons for your answer.
[14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 43

3. Were the weak and greedy characteristics of Aurangzeb’s successors the
most important reason for the collapse of the Mughal Empire? Explain
your answer. [N 2005 Q1(c)]
[14]

4. ‘Coming of the British was the main reason of the decline of the Mughal
Empire. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer.
[J 2007 Q1 (c)] [14]

5. The spread of Marathan power was the main reason for the decline of the
Mughal Empire.’ Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer.

(J2011/P1/1c) [14]

6. ‘The policies of Aurangzeb were the main reason for the decline of the

Mughal Empire’. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer.
[N 2009 Q1 (c)] [14]

Some New Questions

(7) Which of the following was the most important reason for the decline of the Mughal
Empire?
(i) Huge size of the Empire
(ii) Succession disputes
(iii) Ease loving style of the rulers.
Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above. [14]
(8) Had Aurangzeb cultivated good relations with Marhattas, Rajputs and Sikhs, the
Mughal Empire would not have declined in 1857. Explain if you agree or disagree.
[14]
(9) ‘Had the successors of Aurangzeb been true Muslims, the Mughal Empire would have

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 44

lasted longer’. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer.
[14]
10. Which of the following was the most important cause of the decline of the Mughal
Empire? Lack of
Modern Education & knowledge.
2. Lust for luxuries and comforts.
3. Lack of leadership / visionless leadership.
Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above. [14]
11. How successful were the British in gaining control of the sub continent by1857?
Explain your answer. [14]
MARKING SCHEMES (Q. 1-6)
1. Was the in-fighting between Aurangzeb’s successors the most important reason for
the collapse of the Mughal Empire? Explin your answer. [14]

LEVEL 1:Simplistic statement. [1–2]

In- fighting was the main reason for the decline of the Mughals.

LEVEL 2: Description /identification of reasons [3–6]

In- fighting was the quarrels among the claimants to the throne after the death of a king.
Huge size of the empire was another reason of the decline of Mughal empire.

LEVEL 3: Explains In- fighting OR other reasons [7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains In- fighting AND other reasons [9–13]

In- fighting or succession disputes erupted always after a king was on the death bed. In fact
the Mughal kings had many wives and every Queen wanted to see her own son on the throne. It was
therefore, a serious affair in the Mughal camp because Mughals did not have any proper system or
criteria to choose the new king. These fights weakened the Mughal empire a great deal. Huge size of the
empire also became major cause of decline. It was difficult to control such a vast empire with old and
slow means of communications. Royal orders always reached late in the troublesome areas dueto which
the local chiefs became more influential. The size of the Mughal army became large enough to be
managed properly and its efficiency also declined.

LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

2. “Aurangzeb’s successors failed to live up to his courageous and determined

personality” was the most important reason for the decline of Mughal Empire. Give
reasons for your answer. NOV 2003Q1/C [14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 45

LEVEL 1:Simplistic statement. [1–2]
Aurangzeb’s successors were not capable to control the empire
LEVEL 2: Description /identification of reasons [3–6]
Aurangzeb’s successors were not that strong, couragrous and good statemen as he was to control such a
vast empire. Huge size of the empire was another cause of the decline
LEVEL 3: Explains Aurangzeb’s successors OR other reasons *7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains Aurangzeb’s successors AND other reasons [9–13]

Aurangzeb’s successors lacked the courage and determination that he possed. They were
lazy, pleasure seeking and weak rulers mostly installed by the “king makers”. Their main concern
remained seeking worldly pleasures and not the welfare of the state. As a result people lost faith in
them and shifted to more dynamic forces in India like the British. Arrival of the intelligent and
resourceful British was rather most important reason for the decline of the Mughal Empire.

LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

3. Were the weak and greedy characteristics of Aurangzeb’s successors the most
important reason for the collapse of the Mughal Empire? Explain your answer.
Nov 2005 Q1/c [14]

LEVEL 1:Simplistic statement. [1–2]

They were weak and lacked character
LEVEL 2: Description /identification of reasons [3–6]
They were weak and loved a rich lifestyle
LEVEL 3: Explains one factor [7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains at least two factors (weak and greedy to be included for max. marks
[9-13]
The Emperors were renowned for living an extravagant lifestyle and spending money with little thought
to the effect it had on the economy of the Empire. This led to inefficiencies and a lack of interest in the
running of the Empire. However there were other reasons. The absence of a definite lineof succession
led to a significant amount of in-fighting amongst hissuccessors which, also led to instability and the
downfall of the Empire. Other reasons included, Aurangzen’s religious policy, the expense of fighting the
Deccan Wars, degradation of the military, military inefficiency, financialinefficiencies, vastness of the
Empire and Invasions.

LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

4. ‘Coming of the British was the main reason of the decline of the Mughal Empire. Do
you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer.
[J 2007 Q1 (c)] [14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 46

LEVEL 1:Simplistic statement [1-2]
The British invaded India.
LEVEL 2: Description of reasons for decline [3-6]
The British were too strong.
LEVEL 3: Explains one factor [7-10]
LEVEL 4: Explains at least two factors.The British to be included for maximum marks
[9-13]

The British expansion into the sub-continent was limited, but their forces and equipment were
no match for the Mughals who fell into rapid decline as a result. However there were other
reasons. The Emperors were renowned for living an extravagant lifestyle and spending money
with little thought to the effect it had on the economy of the Empire. This led to inefficiencies
and a lack of interest in the running of the Empire. The absence of a definite line of succession
led to a significant amount of in-fighting amongst potential successors, which also led to
instability and contributed to the downfall of the Empire. Other reasons included, Aurangzeb’s
religious policy, the expense of fighting the Deccan Wars, degradation of the military, military
inefficiency, financial inefficiencies, vastness of the Empire and invasions by the Persians and
Afghans.
LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation [14]

5. The spread of Marathan power was the main reason for the decline of the Mughal
Empire.’ Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer.

(J2011/P1/1c) [14]
Focus: Explains more than one reason including Marathan power. Also produces a judgment or
evaluation.

There were a number of reasons for the Empire’s decline. The Marathas were skilful Hindu
guerrilla fighters who defeated a Mughal army in 1737 and took control of Delhi and eastwards
towards Bengal. By 1760 they were the most powerful people in India and nothing could the
Mughals do to stop it. However, there were other reasons for the decline. Auranzeb had an
intolerant attitude to non-Muslims. He introduced a tax on non-Muslims called the Jizya. He
destroyed Hindu temples and tried to ban Hindu practices. Taxation was high as he had to pay
for the cost of military campaigns such as the Deccan Wars and he spent highly on luxurious
palaces. Because of these he became an unpopular rule after his death. Mughal Emperors were
renowned for living an extravagant lifestyle and spending money with little thought to the
effect it had on the economy of the Empire. This led to inefficiencies and a lack of interest in
the running of the Empire. The absence of a definite line of succession led to a significant
amount of in-fighting amongst his successors, which also led to instability and the downfall of
the Empire. The British expansion into the sub- continent was rapid and their forces and
equipment were no match for the Mughals, who fell into rapid decline as a result.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 47

6. ‘The policies of Aurangzeb were the main reason for the decline of the Mughal
Empire’. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer.
[N 2009 Q1 (c)] [14]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement

He was an important ruler. [1–2]

LEVEL 2: Description of reasons in general

He taxed non-Muslims and destroyed a number of Hindu temples. [3–6]

LEVEL 3: Explains one factor [7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains more than one factor including Aurangzeb’s policies *9-13]
Aurangzeb had an intolerant attitude to non-Muslims. He introduced a tax on

non-Muslims called the Jizya. He destroyed Hindu temples and tried to ban
Hindu practices. Taxation was high as he had to pay for the cost of military
campaigns such as the Deccan Wars and he spent highly on luxurious
palaces. Because of these he became an unpopular rule.
After his death Mughal Emperors were renowned for living an extravagant
lifestyle and spending money with little thought to the effect it had on the
economy of the Empire. This led to inefficiencies and a lack of interest in the
running of the Empire. The absence of a definite line of succession led to a
significant amount of in-fighting amongst his successors which, also led to
instability and the downfall of the Empire.
LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

Skill development
Prepare Marking Schemes of following New questions

1. Which of the following was the most important reason for the decline of the Mughal
Empire?
(i) Huge size of the Empire
(ii) Succession disputes
(iii) Ease loving style of the rulers.
Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above. [14]

Marking Scheme
LEVEL 1:Simplistic statement. [1–2]
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GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 48

LEVEL 2: Description of Huge size or others [3–6]
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LEVEL 3: Explains one cause [7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains at least two causes. All 3 for max.marks

[9-13]
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LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

2. ‘Had Aurangzeb maintained good relations with Marhattas, Rajputs and Sikhs, the
Mughal Empire would not have collapsed by 1850’. Explain if you agree or disagree.
[14]
LEVEL 1:Simplistic statement. [1–2]
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LEVEL 2: Description of relations with Rajputs,Sikhs& Marhattas [3–6]

LEVEL 4: Explains the importance of relations with Rajputs AND others for max. marks.
[9-13]
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GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 49

LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

3. “Had the successors of Aurangzeb been true Muslims, the Mughal Empire would have
lasted longer”. Give reasons if you agree or disagree. *14+

LEVEL 1:Simplistic statement. [1–2]

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LEVEL 2: Description Aurangzeb’ rule as a Muslim *3–6]

LEVEL 4: Explains how a good Muslim would rule and last longer
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LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 50

4. Which of the following was the most important cause of the decline of the Mughal
Empire? 1.
Lack of Modern Education & knowledge.
2. Lust for luxuries and comforts.
3. Lack of leadership / visionless leadership.
Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above. [14]
LEVEL 1:Simplistic statement. [1–2]
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LEVEL 2: Description of lack of education and/ or others [3-6]

LEVEL 4: Explains the importance of other two. All 3 for max marks
[9-13]
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LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

5. How successful were the British in gaining control of the sub continent by1857?
Explain your answer. [14]

LEVEL 1:Simplistic statement. [1–2]

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LEVEL 2: Description/ identification of successes/ events [3-6]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 51

LEVEL 3: Explains successes Or failures [7-10]

LEVEL 4: Explains both [9-13]

LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

HINTS FOR PREPARING MARKING SCHEMES (new questions)

QUESTION NO.1
1. Contribution of Huge size to the decline, difficulties in administration
due to old, slow and inefficient means of communication, delays in
attending serious issues and sending Royal orders to troublesome places
2. Contribution of Succession disputes, disunity in the Royal family as well
as the nobility who were divided when the princes used to fight with
each other for taking the throne. Foreign invaders found it an
opportunity to invade Indian lands.
3. Mughal rulers could not manage the state affairs in perfect manner due
to their ease-loving style, they were no more good fighters neither good
statesmen. Their courtiers overpowered them and at last they became
puppet rulers with no powers.
QUESTION NO.2
1. Rajputs and the Sikhs ruled in the north north-west and central India.
They could check the threat of invaders from the north like Ahmed Shah
Abdali and Nadir Shah.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 52

2. Marhattas were a formidable force ruling in the south of India, most of
the coastal strip of India. They could check the British well if good
relations with the Mughals.
3. Aurangzeb could not maintain relations with these people the way
Akbar did or the later ones did. He waged a long war against the
Marhattas and imposed Jiziya which damaged his reputation and put the
Mughal empire in difficulties leading to hostilities,disunity and finally
decline
QUESTION NO.3
1. Aurangzeb was a mixture of an orthodox Muslim and an ambitious ruler. He
managed both the positions successfully. He was a best fighter, lived simple life
which won him respect in the army and general subjects.
2. His successors could not prove to be one like him. They were lazy, ease-loving and
fond of luxouries
3. Had they been good Muslims they could have done justice to their duties as rulers,
dispense justice to the oppressed and check their enemies right in time. They could
sign peace treaties with Rajputs, Sikhs and Marhattas instead of fighting useless
wars with them.
QUESTION NO.4
1. Lack of education and knowledge of modern sciences put the Mughal Empire at
disadvantage as compare to the British, who were well advanced in modern
inventions and skillful in trade.
2. Lust for luxouries and comforts of life were the main weakness of Mughal princes.
Keeping large herams, singing, dancing and wine was their hobbies which led them
to inefficient administration.
3. Visionless leadership after Aurangzeb made decline easy and inevitable. The shrewd
British took full advantage of this situation and captured the whole of Indian sub-
continent
QUESTION NO.5
1. Successes of the British from the Battle of Plassey in 1757, by luring Nawab’s right
hand man, Mir Jaffar. Second victory in the Battle of Buxar in 1764 against Shah
Alam II, nawab of Oudh and Mir Qasim.
2. Enterance into Dehli in 1803 and taking the Mughla king under their protection
taking up almost all rights to collect taxes.
3. Change of language in 1834, annexation program by introducing land grabbing
policies like Doctrine of Lapse in 1852, capturing Sindh in 1843, Punjab in 1849 and
Oudh in 1856.
4. No such failures, all attempts were successful. War of Independence was the only
resistance which was controlled by the British.
HOME ASSIGNMENTS
GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 53
WRITE ANSWERS TO GIVEN QUESTIONS ACCORDIG TO MARKING SCHEMES

Q.1: Which of the following was the most important reason for the decline of the Mughal
Empire?
1- Huge Size of the Empire.
2- Successors disputes.
3- Ease loving style of rulers.
Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above. [14]

HINTS:
• Explain the consequences of the Huge size of the empire
• Explain the consequences of the succession disputes.
• Explain the consequences of ease loving style of the Mughal kings and the conclusion
at last.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 54

HINTS:
• Rajputs and Sikhs were the Martial races occupying most of the territory in the
North, west and central parts of India. Good relations with them could have
saved the Empire from disintegration and foreign invaders from the North.
• Marhattas were in control of the south, occupying most of the coastal strip of
India and could check the British influences.
• Conclusion, your point of view.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 55

SUGGESTED ANSWER:

Huge size of the empire was one of the major cause of the decline of the Mughal
Empire.Administrative Machinery became in effective due to vast size and weak means of
communication caused unnecessary delays in addressing the issues. Mughal emperors could
not keep check and control over the far off areas. Month’s journeys were required to reach the
troublesome areas due to which the governors and local rulers grew in power. Rebellions

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 56

broke out which weakened the central authority of the Mughals and eventually caused the
decline of the Empire.

Succession disputes created disunity among the heirs to the Mughal throne. The
princes used to fight and shed blood of each other in order to accede to the throne. The nobility
was divided too and made alliances with the Mughal princes. These disputes threatened the
Empire in many ways. The greedy and cruel successors did not pay attention to smooth
administration of the state and welfare of the people; they remained concerned with their
own luxuries and comforts. The courtiers became powerful and almost King makers which
resulted in frequent change in leadership. Due to this wild race for power, the genuine
interests of people were ignored. It also encouraged the outsiders like Nadir Shah and Ahmed
Shah Abdali to try their luck in India who were successful in their endeavors. Therefore,
succession disputes were every much responsible for the decline of the Empire.

However, ease-loving style of life was a general weakness of the Mughals which proved
very expensive and fatal for their rule in India. Greed for power, lust for luxuries and love for
wealth were the main priorities of the Mughals which made them lazy, coward, inactive and
later on puppet rulers. They were no more strong administrators neither shrewd statesmen.
Unlike their predecessors, they were not able to suppress the rebellions nor could they win the
confidence of their subjects. At last, the growing threats from Marhattas, Rajputs, Sinkhs and
Jats along with more powerful British caused the collapse of the powerful Mughal Empire.

In my opinion, succession disputes were the most important cause of the decline of the
Mughal Empire because they created room for local adventurists leading towards disunity and
weakness and finally the end.
Q.2: ‘Had Aurangzeb maintained good relations with Marhattas, Rajputs and Sikhs, the
Mughal Empire would not have collapsed by 1850’. Explain if you agree or disagree.
[14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 57

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
Aurangzeb Alamgir drifted from the political and diplomatic status quo of his
predecessors who kept good relations with the majority of Hindus. He annoyed the most
powerful segments of the Hindu population whose loyalties had been valued and appreciated
by his predecessors. Akbar the great, for example, did not hesitate to marry even the Hindu
princesses without converting them to Islam, knowing the fact, that it will strengthen his rule
in India. Though Islam does not permit its followers to marry a non-Muslim woman unless she
embraced Islam, yet he did it for his political strength. He even created a new blend of Islam
and Hinduism “Din-e-Elahi”, which was criticized by Muslim clergies of all shades and sections.
Sikhs and Rajputs, as popularly known as the Martial races, were wellentrenched in the North,
west and the central parts of India and could have doneremarkable job for the safety and
security of the empire. Had Aurangzeb pleased them using little political acumen and wisdom,
his dream of ruling a vast Empire could have come true, but to rule the Empire on the Islamic
lines was only a dream never to come true in India because the Sub Continent was a land
inhabited mainly by Hindus who would not allow anyone to interfere in their religion. The past
Mughals were popular among their subjects because they never tried to Islamize the whole
empire.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 58

by the Indian Ocean from three sides and it was totally unguarded and left at the mercy of the
British fleet. Marathas, if loyal to the Mughal Kingdom and Aurangzeb in particular, could have
posed reasonable threat to the growing influence of the British. Considering the greater
harmony, integration and loyalty between Aurangzeb and the above said factions, it was quite
possible to delay the decline of the Mughal power, if it was not to stop at all.

Concluding from the above argument I agree that Mughal decline could have been
delayed or stopped if Aurangzeb maintained good relations with Marathas Sikhs and Rajputs
because those were the popular segments of Hindu majority and possessed strategic lands of
India especially the borders with Afghanistan, Persia and the cost line of India.
Q.3: “Had the successors of Aurangzeb been true Muslims, the Mughal Empire would have
lasted longer”. Give reasons if you agree or disagree. *14+
HINTS:
• Compare the characteristics of the rule of Aurangzeb with reference to his
administration and courage as a Muslim ruler with the successors of Aurangzeb as
Muslims.
• Explain how a good Muslim would ruler in the fields of administration, military and
social justice.
• Conclusion/judgement

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
Aurangzeb was a mixture of an orthodox Muslim and an ambitious ruler. On one hand
he wanted to be known as a true Muslim and on the other, a great Emperor. He was to some
extent successful in keeping both the tiles for himself but unfortunately he is reported to have
been interfering in the religious and cultural domains of Hindus, however, his tax collecting
system was good. Since he was a simple man and kept himself aloof from wine, women and
other vices, he did not become lazy and ease loving. Therefore, he was able to run the state
affairs successfully. It seems that Aurangzeb was a just ruler and was not anti-Hindu otherwise,

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 59

he could have converted majority of Hindus into Muslims. His successors were ought to follow
his footsteps in order to rule India successfully but they could not follow his footsteps truly.
If his successors had been true Muslims they could have given longer life to their power
in India. They could have done certain things to restore the image of Alamgiri system of
government first by employing the acceptable ways of governing a vast empire with non
Muslim majority and then, putting in practice, “The Vision of a True Muslim”

If true Muslims, Aurangzeb’s successors would make sure that the administrative
machinery runs smoothly, officials are performing their services honestly. Taxes are collected
according to the instructions. Justice is being dispensed to the people quickly and people are
enjoying their religious & cultural freedoms in the Empire. They would also focus on the
military forces and their uplift. They would equip their soldiers with Modern training and new
equipments with high salaries.
Had they been true Muslims, they would not have indulged into luxuries of life. They would
have made strong military generals and wise statesmen. They could have avoided
unnecessary use of wealth by making palaces and minarets. Instead of waging wars with
Rajput, Sikh & Marhattas in the name of quelling rebellions, they could have signed peace
treaties with them, allowing them certain liberties within their own territories. By doing so they
could have strengthened their rule for a longer time.

In the light of above arguments, I am sure that the Mughal Empire could have lasted longer if
the successors of Aurangzeb proved true Muslims and honest rulers.

Q.4: Which of the following was the most important cause of the decline of the Mughal
Empire? 1. Lack of
Modern Education & knowledge.
2. Lust for luxuries and comforts.
3. Lack of leadership / visionless leadership.
Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above. [14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 60

HINTS:
• Explain the mismatch between Mughal Empire and the Modern world (British)
• Consequences of extravagant life style of Mughals.
• Negative effects of the visionless leadership.
• Conclusion

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
Many factors contributed to the decline of the Mughal Empire; political, administrative
and military causes, but the lack of modern education and technological backwardness of
India became the striking factor due to which a huge Empire began to lose its strength and
popularity. Mughals were no doubt, brave, industrious and skilled administrators but they paid
no attention to establish the educational institutions with the vision to enhance the
knowledge, skills, productivity and loyalty of their subjects. Old styled Madrassas were the
only source of education for the people. They had been teaching old syllabai with no focus to
achieve modern objectives. Mostly religious education was imparted and no scientific
disciplines were adopted. Instead the Mughals built large castles and monuments as signs of
their power and authority. The Europeans were clever and skilled in the art of business and
war both. The British were the first to have invented the power-run machines which brought
about the Industrial revolution in England. They used their superior economic status to make
Indians follow their ways of life. They introduced certain projects like Telegraph and Railways
in India which were surprising for the Indians. These projects were no doubt, for benefitting
their trade in India but many local people appreciated them as means of public welfare.
Mughals were no match with this amazingly fast level of success. The British were equally
confident of their magical skills of manipulating the interests and weaknesses of the people
which worked well in India and the decline became inevitable.
Lust for luxuries and comforts was the favourite past time of the Mughal princes. It was
the product of immense wealth available to them. Singing, dancing and wine was part of their
lives. Keeping large Harems and having delicious meals were their hobbies. It produced weak

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 61

and lethargic leadership which caused decline. As a result, they neglected the administration of
the government. The British took full advantage of their slumber and captured the empire.
After the death of Aurangzeb, Mughals produced visionless leaders. As the time passed after
Aurangzeb’s death, there was a need to have more educated and skilled rulers who could
counter the growing threats to the empire, but unfortunately they proved otherwise. They
became totally visionless after the British took over Delhi and confined themselves to the walls
of the Red fort. They were not able to guide their subjects neither could address their problems
as rulers. Ultimately the local chiefs either became powerful or negotiated with the British for
their freedoms.

I would say visionless leadership was a bigger threat to the existence of Mughal Empire
than the others because efforts remain fruitless if there is no aim but with a clear vision, all
odds and impossibilities may be transformed into possibilities.

Q.5: How successful were the British in gaining control of the sub continent by1857?
Explain your answer. [14]
HINTS:
Successes:
• First success in battle of plassey 1757 followed by the battle of Buxair 1764 and
Saranga Patam in 1799 against Tipu Sultan.
• Capturing Delhi in 1803, Sindh in 1843 Punjab & NWFP in 1849 and Oudh in
1856.
Failure:
No such failures except the war of Independence 1857, it was controlled
successfully.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 62

The British began to take control of India in the middle of the 18 th century after the
battle of Plassey in 1757. British East India Company was formed in 1600 AD to trade with the
countries of East of Africa in spices, cotton, silk, slaves and hides. They found all in abundance
in India in addition with colorful weather and docile Indians, which afforded them the
opportunity of adventure and romance. Finally they fell in love with Indian sub-continent.
Their interests shifted from trade to politics generally when they saw the local system of
government of the Mughals, and particularly after they won the battle of Plassey against
Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula in 1757. This battle gave them control over the prosperous province of
Bengal and their trade and influence in creased leaps and bounds. This battle was important
for both the British and the Indians. In 1764, Mir Qasim, the son-in-law of Mir Jaffar, Nawab of
Oudh and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II made an alliance against the British and fought
the battle of Buxar. The British won this battle too. After this battle, the British influence
increased further and the reputation of the Mughal Empire began to decline badly. Now the
British were in fact, confident of their future victories because they got wealth, confidence and
the art of dealing with the locals.

Their major enemy of the British in the South was Hyder Ali, the ruler of Mysore. Now, his son,
Tipu Sultan was the biggest hurdle in the way of their control of the whole Sub- continent. The
British tried to bribe his Chief Minister the way they did to Mir Jaffar of Bengal and in 1799 the
famous Battle of Sarangapatam was fought where Tipu was slain fighting with the enemy.
That was a major victory of the British that paved the way for their smooth journey of
successes in India.
The next notable success of the British was the entry in Dehli in 1803. They were able to take
the Mughal Emperor under their protection and to rule the whole sub-continent on his behalf.
Their entrance to Dehlibrought power and wealth to the British beyond measure. In 1834,
Lord Macaulay launched a comprehensive education programme in India and replaced the
official language Persian with English. Missionary schools were established everywhere and
people were lured to accept Christianity also. Sindh was captured in 1843,Punjab in 1849 and

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 63

Oudh in 1856. Lord Dalhousie issued the Doctrine of Lapse in 1852 which claimed the states of
those rulers who did not have their own male heirs.
However, the Indians posed a serious threat to the British in 1857, known as the War of
Independence. This revolt started from the Meerut cantonment and it spread almost
everywhere in the central India but, the British were able to crush this uprisings with their
superb discipline and military superiority in 1858. This was how the British were able to
capture the Indian sub-continent.

Note :all new questions have been answered. You are advised to write answers to the past paper
questions according to your own knowledge and then check them according to the marking schemes
given.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 64

troublesome areas due to which the governors and local rulers grew in power. Rebellions
broke out which weakened the central authority of the Mughals and eventually caused the
decline of the Empire.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 65

Another and even more formidable local force were Marathas reigning supreme in the
south and in possession of one of the most prosperous lands of India. Good relations with

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 66

Marathas could have paid Aurangzeb even more than his expectations. India was surrounded
by the Indian Ocean from three sides and it was totally unguarded and left at the mercy of the
British fleet. Marathas, if loyal to the Mughal Kingdom and Aurangzeb in particular, could have
posed reasonable threat to the growing influence of the British. Considering the greater
harmony, integration and loyalty between Aurangzeb and the above said factions, it was quite
possible to delay the decline of the Mughal power, if it was not to stop at all.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 67

In the light of above arguments, I am sure that the Mughal Empire could have lasted longer if
the successors of Aurangzeb proved true Muslims and honest rulers.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 68

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 69

SUGGESTED ANSWER:

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 70

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 71

Note :all new questions have been answered. You are advised to write answers to the past paper
question yourself following the marking schemes given and your own knowledge.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 72

not keep check and control over the far off areas. Month’s journeys were required to reach the
troublesome areas due to which the governors and local rulers grew in power. Rebellions
broke out which weakened the central authority of the Mughals and eventually caused the
decline of the Empire.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 73

Q.2: ‘Had Aurangzeb maintained good relations with Marhattas, Rajputs and Sikhs, the
Mughal Empire would not have collapsed by 1850’. Explain if you agree or disagree.
[14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 74

Another and even more formidable local force were Marathas reigning supreme in the
south and in possession of one of the most prosperous lands of India. Good relations with
Marathas could have paid Aurangzeb even more than his expectations. India was surrounded
by the Indian Ocean from three sides and it was totally unguarded and left at the mercy of the
British fleet. Marathas, if loyal to the Mughal Kingdom and Aurangzeb in particular, could have
posed reasonable threat to the growing influence of the British. Considering the greater
harmony, integration and loyalty between Aurangzeb and the above said factions, it was quite
possible to delay the decline of the Mughal power, if it was not to stop at all.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 75

system was good. Since he was a simple man and kept himself aloof from wine, women and
other vices, he did not become lazy and ease loving. Therefore, he was able to run the state
affairs successfully. It seems that Aurangzeb was a just ruler and was not anti-Hindu otherwise,
he could have converted majority of Hindus into Muslims. His successors were ought to follow
his footsteps in order to rule India successfully but they could not follow his footsteps truly.
If his successors had been true Muslims they could have given longer life to their power
in India. They could have done certain things to restore the image of Alamgiri system of
government first by employing the acceptable ways of governing a vast empire with non
Muslim majority and then, putting in practice, “The Vision of a True Muslim”

In the light of above arguments, I am sure that the Mughal Empire could have lasted longer if
the successors of Aurangzeb proved true Muslims and honest rulers.

Q.4: Which of the following was the most important cause of the decline of the Mughal
Empire?
1. Lack of Modern Education & knowledge.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 76

2. Lust for luxuries and comforts.
3. Lack of leadership / visionless leadership.
Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above. [14]
HINTS:
• Explain the mismatch between Mughal Empire and the Modern world (British)
• Consequences of extravagant life style of Mughals.
• Negative effects of the visionless leadership.
• Conclusion

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 77

Lust for luxuries and comforts was the favourite past time of the Mughal princes. It was
the product of immense wealth available to them. Singing, dancing and wine was part of their
lives. Keeping large Harems and having delicious meals were their hobbies. It produced weak
and lethargic leadership which caused decline. As a result, they neglected the administration of
the government. The British took full advantage of their slumber and captured the empire.
After the death of Aurangzeb, Mughals produced visionless leaders. As the time passed after
Aurangzeb’s death, there was a need to have more educated and skilled rulers who could
counter the growing threats to the empire, but unfortunately they proved otherwise. They
became totally visionless after the British took over Delhi and confined themselves to the walls
of the Red fort. They were not able to guide their subjects neither could address their problems
as rulers. Ultimately the local chiefs either became powerful or negotiated with the British for
their freedoms.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 78

No such failures except the war of Independence 1857, it was controlled
successfully.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
The British began to take control of India in the middle of the 18 th century after the
battle of Plassey in 1757. British East India Company was formed in 1600 AD to trade with the
countries of East of Africa in spices, cotton, silk, slaves and hides. They found all in abundance
in India in addition with colorful weather and docile Indians, which afforded them the
opportunity of adventure and romance. Finally they fell in love with Indian sub-continent.
Their interests shifted from trade to politics generally when they saw the local system of
government of the Mughals, and particularly after they won the battle of Plassey against
Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula in 1757. This battle gave them control over the prosperous province of
Bengal and their trade and influence in creased leaps and bounds. This battle was important
for both the British and the Indians. In 1764, Mir Qasim, the son-in-law of Mir Jaffar, Nawab of
Oudh and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II made an alliance against the British and fought
the battle of Buxar. The British won this battle too. After this battle, the British influence
increased further and the reputation of the Mughal Empire began to decline badly. Now the
British were in fact, confident of their future victories because they got wealth, confidence and
the art of dealing with the locals.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 79

Lord Macaulay launched a comprehensive education programme in India and replaced the
official language Persian with English. Missionary schools were established everywhere and
people were lured to accept Christianity also. Sindh was captured in 1843,Punjab in 1849 and
Oudh in 1856. Lord Dalhousie issued the Doctrine of Lapse in 1852 which claimed the states of
those rulers who did not have their own male heirs.
However, the Indians posed a serious threat to the British in 1857, known as the War of
Independence. This revolt started from the Meerut cantonment and it spread almost
everywhere in the central India but, the British were able to crush this uprisings with their
superb discipline and military superiority in 1858. This was how the British were able to
capture the Indian sub-continent.

Note :all new questions have been answered. You are advised to write answers to the past paper
question yourself following the marking schemes given and your own knowledge.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 80

THE RELIGIOUS REFORMERS
SHAH WALIULLAH (1703-1762)

Biographical details

Beliefs

Works of Shah Waliullah

Religious, social and political

Impact and importance

SYED AHMED BARELVI (1786-1831)

Biographical details

Jehad Movement

Causes of Jehad Movement

Causes of the failure of Jehad Movement

Importance and impact of Jehad Movement

HAJI SHARIATULLAH (1781-1840)

Biographical details

Beliefs

Faraizi Movement

Causes of Faraizi Movement

Causes of the Failure of Faraizi Movement

Impact and importance of Faraizi Movement

Top is always vacant for You!

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 81

SHAH WALI ULLAH (1703—1762)

BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

 Date of Birth/ Place of Birth/ Family: S.W.U was born in UP in 1703to Shah Abdur
Rahim, a renowned scholar of his time and the founder of Madrassa-e-Rahimiya at
Dehli. He was named as Qutubuddin but, later known as Shah Waliullah due to his piety
and services to Islam.
 Education/ growth: He got preliminary education from his parents at home. He was
then graduated from the Madrassa-e Rahimiya of his father and started teaching there.
He got command over Arabic, Persian, Astrology, Arithmetic, Philosophy, Medicine and
Reasoning. In addition, he got mastery in Islamic Doctrines like Hadith and
Jurisprudence.
 Journeys/ Higher education etc: In 1721, he went for higher studies to Saudi Arabia
and returned back to India in 1732. In Saudi Arabia, he used to think about the decline
of the Muslims in India. He learned from Shiekh Abu Tahir Ibrahim, his teacher, the
importance of Jehad against all anti-Islamic practices which had crept into Muslims
from the Hindu culture.

HIS BELIEFS
 He was always thoughtful of how in the Indian Muslims were living in India under the
declining Mughal Rule.
 He believed there was a weak government at Dehli and could not introduce any reforms
for the purification of Islam and welfare of Mulsims.
 He believed that Muslims did not have true knowledge of the Holy Qur’an and were
following the Superstitious beliefs as Hindus were practicing.
 He felt that Muslims had divided into Shias and Sunnis due to lack of knowledge.
 He believed that there was a need for Muslims to adopt Moral and Spiritual principles of
Islam to have religious, political and socio-economic prosperity. WORKS OF SHAH
WALIULLAH

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 82

RELIGIOUS SERVICES

 The translation of the Holy Qur’an into Persian was the greatest service. Since people
of India did not understand Arabic well and could not get the message delivered in the
Holy verses, he decided to translate it in the local language. The so called Ulemas of that
time opposed SWU for this job but, he answered them with logic and reasoning and
proved that he was right.
 Since he was a learned person, he preferred to write books on the basic principles of
Islam. He wrote 51 books in total, 23 in Arabic and 28 in Persian. Hujjatullah-ul Baligha
and Izlat-ul-Khifa were his major works in which he wrote the basic tenets of Islam.
 Muslims were divided on sectarian lines in those days. Shia- Sunni conflict was at the
peak and Sunnis claimed that Shias were not Muslims. He was the one who resolved
the matter, again with logic and established that Sunnis were wrong in their claim.
 He wrote a brief account on the lives and personalities of the first four caliphs of Islam
in a moderate way which was acceptable by all sects of Islam. This effort was to bring
unity in the Muslim Ummah.
 He made changes in the syllabai of the Madrassas according to the need of the time. He
urged the students to write research based essays on the social and religious topics in
order to benefit the masses.
 He presented himself as a role model and told others to follow the footsteps of the Holy
Prophet (pbuh). He purified Islam by rejecting the un-Islamic and superstitious beliefs
which had crept into the lives of the Muslims from a long association with Hindus.

SOCIAL SERVICES

 He emphasized on the “Ad’l and Tawazun” the justice and equilibrium. He believed that
social justice was like a soul for the body and no society could exist happily without
justice. For this, he urged people to strive for spiritual growth.
 He wrote letters to the traders and businessmento be fair in their trade dealing as was
told by the Holy Prophet (pbuh).

POLITICAL SERVICES

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 83

 He was not only a religious man; he had a great political vision also. He wanted a strong
government at the centre for effective control. The Mughals were lazy; ease loving and
inactive and Marhattas had become a formidable force. They were trying to finish the
Mughal rule.
 Therefore, he wrote letters to the nobles and Muslim Rajas to combine together against
the growing threat of Marhattas. He persuaded Ahmed Shah Abdali, the ruler of
Afghanistan to come and crush the power of Marhattas. Due to his efforts, he came and
defeated the Marhattas at Panipat in 1761. This battle is known as the 3rd battle of
Panipat. This was a great service of SWU but, Ahmed Shah Abdali did not stay in India
and went back to Afghanistan leaving a Mughal prince in charge of the affairs who
became the British pensioner in 1803.

THE IMPACT AND IMPORTANCE OF SHAH WALIULLAH

 Shah Waliullah was very important reformer of his time because he was the first who
realized that the decline of the Mughals was due to deviation from Islam and made
efforts to stop it.
 He was a man of letters and wrote many books in Persian and Arabic for the guidance
of the Muslim community.
 He translated the Holy Qur’an into Persian language so that Muslims of India could
understand the message of God.
 He also realized that Shia and Sunni conflict was eroding the Muslim power in India, so
he wrote an Account of the First Four Caliphs of Islam in a way which was acceptable to
all, thus Muslim unity was restored to some extent.
 He made political efforts to restore the Muslim rule in India. He called Ahmed Shah
Abdali from Afghanistan to crush the might of Marhattas who were threatening the
Mughal power from the South.
 He set an example of translating the Holy Book of Allah in other languages of India.
Therefore, his own sons translated the Holy Qur’an into Urdu in 1803 which was
another great achievement of Shah Waliullah.
 He was the one who at least, shook the Muslim conscience from the slumber of
ignorance and persuaded others to think as to how Muslim rule could be saved in India.
 He emphasized on the spiritual development of the Muslims and establishment of “Ad’l
and Tawazun” in the society. The former will purify them and the later will ensure
peaceful and healthy life. To the traders, he appealed to follow the footsteps of the
Holy Prophet (pbuh) in their trade dealings.
 He also emphasized on the teachers and students to focus more on writing research
based essays and not just follow the status quo.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 84

Some (a) part questions on SWU
1. Who was SWU?

2. Describe the importance of SWU for Muslims.

3. Who was Ahmed Shah Abdali?

4. Describe the achievements of SWU.

5. What happened at Painipat in 1761?

6. What do you understand by ‘Ad’l and Tawazun’?

7. Who was Titu Mir? [4] (N2011/P1/1a)

8. Whatdid Shah Waliullah think were the main causes of the problems of the Muslims?

9. What did Shah Waliullah believe was essential to create a good society?

1. Who was Shah Waliullah?

SWU was one of the greatest Muslim reformers of the 18th century. He was the son of Shah
Abdur Rahim, a great scholar and the founder of the Madrassa-e-Rahimya. His real name was
Qutub-uddin. He was born in 1703. He was the first man to translate the Ho1403

ly Qur’an into Persian in 1738. He also wrote 51 books in Arabic and Persian to explain the
basic tenets of Islam. He also wrote an account of the first four caliphs of Islam to remove Shia,
Sunni conflict. He called Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan to crush the power of Marhattas in
1761. He died in 1762.

2. Describe the importance of Shah Waliullah for Muslims.

SWU shook the Muslim conscience from slumber of ignorance with the force of his pen and
not the sword. He thought that ignorance about Islam was the major cause of decline of the
Mughal power. He translated the Holy Qur’an into Persian to address this issue. He made
efforts to address the socio-political problems like Shia- Sunni conflict and the threat of
Marhattas by writing an account of the first four caliphs of Islam and calling Ahmed Shah
Abdali to defeat Marhattas. The Holy Qur’an was translated into Urdu in 1803 by his sons due
to his efforts . He was a role model for the future Muslims.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 85

3. Who was Ahmed Shah Abdali?

Ahmed Shah Abdali was an Afghan general of Nadir Shah who succeeded him in 1747 and
became the king of Persian army. He accepted the invitation of SWU to come to India and
crushed the power of Marhattas. He came in India and fought a decisive battle with the
Marhattas at Panipat in 1761 and finished their might forever. He installed a Mughal prince,
Ahmed Shah, as the in charge and went back to Afghanistan, the Marhattas could not rise
against the Muslims again.

4. Describe the achievements of Shah Waliullah.

He was the first to ponder over the causes of the decline of the Mughal rule in India. He
translated the Holy Qur’an into Persian to create awareness about the teachings of the Qur’an.
He tried to create unity between Shias and Sunnis by writing a moderate account of the four
caliphs of Islam. He rendered a political service to the Muslims by calling Ahmed Shah Abdali to
India to crush the power of Marhattas. He died early but left strong legacy of spreading
knowledge of the Qur’an by translating it into Urdu and other languages of India.

5. What happened at Painipat in 1761?

In 1761, a fierce battle was fought at Panipat, between Ahmed Shah Abdali and the Marhattas
which is known as the 3rd Battle of Panipat. This battle changed the course of future history by
saving Muslims from the domination of Hindus. Shah Waliullah persuaded the Afghan king to
crush the power of Marhattas and established his rule in India but, he went back to
Afghanistan.

6. What do you understand by ‘Ad’l and Tawazun’?

Ad’l and Tawazun were two principles of Islam that Shah Wali Ullah wanted to introduce in the
society. Ad’l means Justice and Tawazun means Equilibrium or Balance. According to his belief,
Justice and Balance were two essential principles of Islam without which no society could claim
to be healthy, prosperous and civilized one.

7. Who was Titu Mir?

Titu mir was born in 1782 in Chandpur village in West Bengal. He was influenced by the
wahabism and believed in militant struggle against the colonial rule. He was a Hafiz and well
educated in Islamic disciplines. He became a disciple of Syed Ahmed Barelvi and brought
religious and political reforms in West Bengal against the Hindu and British land lords. He was
martyred in 1831 at the age of 49.

8. Whatdid Shah Waliullah think were the main causes of the problems of the Muslims?

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 86

The major cause, he believed, was the ignorance about Islam. Another was the faith in
superstitious beliefs which had crept into Muslim society. Another was the continuous rift
between Shias and Sunnis which was weakening the Muslim society day by day. He thought
that at Dehli, there was a weak Mughal government which caused problems for Muslims.

9. What did Shah Waliullah believe was essential to create a good society?

He believed that the Moral and Spiritual growth of the Muslims was essential to form a healthy
and good society because purified souls could only perform the noble works. He also
emphasized on the principles of ‘Ad’l and Tawazun’ because justice gives birth to peace and
brings prosperity to the people and Tawazun ensures the balanced growth of a society.

Some (b) part questions on SWU

1. Why was Shah Waliullah so important for the revival of Islam in the 18 th century?
[7]

2. Why did Shah Waliullah wish to revive Islam in the Sub-continent?

(J 2003 P1-1b) [7]

3. Why did Shah Waliullah have such an important influence on the revival of Islam in
the sub-continent? (N 2005 P1-1b) (J2010 P1-1b) [7]

4. Why did Shah Waliullah translate the Holy Qur’an into Persian? *7+

MARKING SCHEMES OF (b) PART QUESTIONS

Q.1: Why was Shah Waliullah so important for the revival of Islam in the 18 th century?
[7]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement (1)

He was the first to realize the decline of Muslims.

LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons (2–4)

He presented himself as role model and translated the Holy Qur’an into Persian.

LEVEL 3: Explains reasons (5–7)

Shah Waliullahwas the first reformer to realize that Muslim were on their decline in
India and identified that ignorance about Islam was the major cause. He wrote 51 books

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 87

on the fundamental teachings of islam and translated the Qur’an into Persian which was
the language of Muslim elite in India. He also removed hostilities between Shia and
Sunni Muslims by writing a moderate account of the four caliphs of Islam. He persuaded
Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan to crush the might of Marhattas who had threatened
the Mughal Empire.

Q.2: Why did Shah Waliullah wish to revive Islam in the Sub-continent?

(J 2003 P1-1b) [7]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

He wanted to save Muslim community from decline.

LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons [2–4]

He believed the decline was due to ignorance about Islam and Muslims were divided into Shia
and Sunni camps.

LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]

He believed that Muslims were declining due to their ignorance about Islam and the teachings
of Holy Qur’an. He wished to revive Islam because he knew that ignorance about Islam was the
root cause of all problems. Muslims were divided into Shia and Sunni camps and Sunnis
believed that Shias were non-Muslims. He proved with logic that sunnis were wrong in their
belief. Muslims were practicing superstitious beliefs which had crept into Muslim community.
He wanted to purify Islam of all these ills and vices

Q.3: Why did Shah Waliullah have such an important influence on the revival of Islam in
the sub-continent? (N 2005 P1-1b) & (J2010 P1-1b) [7]

Level 1: Simplistic statement [1]

He was well known
Level 2 Identifies reasons [2-4]

To halt the decline of Muslims

Level 3 Explains reason [5-7] Muslims had
deteriorated into being a helpless and disorganized group of
people and if they were to regain their power then strong leadership was
required. He believed they were ignorant about Islam and the teachings of
the Holy Quran. Therefore an emphasis on Quranic teachings would not
only improve their knowledge but produce a feeling of solidarity. He also
believed that Muslims’ knowledge of Islam was difficult to gain and so he

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 88

felt that by translating the Holy Quran into Persian would enable more
people to read it.

Prepare the marking scheme of the given question

Q.4: Why did Shah Waliullah translate the Holy Qur’an into Persian? *7+

LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LEVEL2 Identifies reasons [2-4]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LEVEL3 Explains reasons [5-7]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOME ASSIGNMENTS:
write answers according to the marking schemes
Q.1: Why was Shah Waliullah so important for the revival of Islam in the 18 th century?
[7]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 89

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 90

in India. These were the biggest achievements of SWU as a Muslim. It enabled the
Muslims to reject the evil of sectarianism which was and will remain the greatest test
for Islam and Muslims.

Q.2: Why did Shah Waliullah wish to revive Islam in the Sub-continent?

(J 2003 P1-1b) [7]

HINTS:

 He believed that ignorance about Islam was the major cause of decline of Mughal
Empire.
 Muslim were divided into shia and sunni camps, this disunity was weakening them.
 Superstitious beliefs were also being practiced by Muslims which could destroy their
identity one day.

Shah Waliullah wished to revive Islam because the Muslim community in India was
deviating from the true path of Islam. Due to this reason, he believed, the Mughal rulers
had indulged in luxouries of life and were losing grip over their rule. They were busy in
wine, dancing and singing in their courts and the outsiders were threatening the Empire
often. Due to inadequate knowledge of the Holy Qur’an, Muslims were being divided
into sectarian groups like Shias and Sunnis and it was likely that they would be
subjugated soon by the non-Muslim rule in India like the Marhattas were a formidable
threat to Mughal rule from the south.

Another reason was that Muslim community was following the superstitious beliefs
which had crept into them from living with Hindus. He wanted Muslims to follow the
right path of Islam and live pure and healthy lives as told by the Holy Prophet(pbuh). For
these reasons he wrote many books and translated the Holy Qur’an into Persian so that
the Muslims could understand and practice their religion easily and wished to revive
Islam.

Q.3: Why did Shah Waliullah have such an important influence on the revival of Islam in
the sub-continent? (N 2005 P1-1b) (J2010 P1-1b) [7]

Level 1: Simplistic statement [1]

He was well known
Level 2 Identifies reasons [2-4]
To halt the decline of Muslims
Level 3 Explains reason [5-7]
Muslims had deteriorated into being a helpless and disorganised group of

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 91

people and if they were to regain their power then strong leadership was
required. He believed they were ignorant about Islam and the teachings of
the Holy Quran. Therefore an emphasis on Quranic teachings would not
only improve their knowledge but produce a feeling of solidarity. He also
believed that Muslims’ knowledge of Islam was difficult to gain and so he
felt that by translating the Holy Quran into Persian would enable more
people to read it.

Q.4: Why did Shah Waliullah translate the Holy Qur’an into Persian? *7+

Shah Waliullah translated the Holy Qur’an into Persian language in 1738-9 due to
certain reasons. Firstly he believed that Muslims were declining due to inadequate
knowledge of the religion. Therefore, he decided to translate the Book of God into the
most popular language of the time in order to make the Qur’anic teachings easy for
Muslims to understand. He hoped that it will enable them to reject all evil practices
including superstitious beliefs which were part of Muslim life in India and they would
live better and pure lives.

Another reason for translating the Qur’an into Persian was the sectarian rift between
Shias and Sunnis. The Sunnis claimed that Shias were not Muslims. He wanted to bring
unity and religious tolerance in them. It was possible only through the Qur’anic
teachings that Muslims could get the message of holding the rope of Islam and not
indulging into sections.

Another reason was the desire of Shah Waliullah to spread the message of God
everywhere and to everyone. Therefore, his job was for the Muslim revival and
purification of Islam in India. His sons translated the Qur’an into Urdu in 1803.

Some ( c ) part questions on Shah Waliullah

1. How important was Shah Waliullah in the spread of Islam in the Sub-Continent before
1850? Explain your answer. (N2004/P1/1c) [14]

2. Was the work of Shah Waliullah the most important factor in the revival of Islam in
the subcontinent during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries? Give reasons for
your answer. (N2006/P1/1c)
[14]

3. Did Shah Waliullah contribute more to the spread of Islam than anyone else in the
subcontinent before 1850? Explain your answer. (N2009/P1/2c) [14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 92

4. Who of the following was the most important in the spread of Islam during the
Seventeenth and eighteenth centuries;

(i) Shah Waliullah;

(ii) Syed Ahmad Barailvi

(iii) Hajji Shariatullah?

Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above.(J 2013 1c)[14]

Marking Schemes of (c) part questions

1. How important was Shah Waliullah in the spread of Islam in the Sub-Continent
before 1850? Explain your answer. (N2004/P1/1c) [14]

Note: The best answer would explain the importance of work of a number of people (to
include Shah Waliullah for maximum marks). Also produces a judgment or evaluation.

Marking Scheme:
Shah Wali Ullah felt that the Muslims faced many problems because of their ignorance about
Islam and the Holy Quran. He encouraged them to concentrate on Quranic teachings and
helped them by translating the Holy Quran into Persian which was the main language of the
Muslims at that time. His books were designed to spread the principles of Islam amongst the
Muslims. However he was not the only one who was important in the spread of Islam at this
time. Syed Ahmed Brailvi spread Islam through the Jihad Movement, which was to become an
armed struggle to liberate the Punjab and the NWFP from Sikh rule largely because Muslims
were banned from prayer and had to undergo many humiliations, which made it difficult to
practise their religion. Haji Shariatullah spread Islam through the Faraizi Movement which
insisted that Muslims should perform their faraiz (religious obligations). This alarmed the Hindu
landlords who were unhappy with the Muslim practices. A huge group of followers grew which
were called Faraizis.
2. Was the work of Shah Waliullah the most important factor in the revival of Islam in the
Subcontinent during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries? Give reasons for your
answer. (N2006/P1/1c) [14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 93

Note: the best answer explains 2 or more factors (including SWU for maximum marks). Also
produces judgment or evaluation.

Marking Scheme:

SWU felt that the Muslims faced many problems because of their ignorance about Islam and
the Holy Quran. He encouraged them to concentrate on Quranic teachings and helped them by
translating the Holy Quran into Persian which was the main language of the Muslims at that
time. His books were designed to spread the principles of Islam amongst the Muslims. SASB
spread Islam through the Jihad Movement, which was to become an armed struggle to liberate
the Punjab and the NWF from Sikh rule largely because Muslims were banned from prayer and
had to undergo many humiliations, which made it difficult to practise their religion. HSU spread
Islam through the Faraizi Movement which insisted that Muslims should perform their faraiz
(religious obligations). This alarmed the Hindu landlords who were unhappy with the Muslim
practices. A huge group of followers grew which were called ‘Faraizis’.
3. Did Shah Waliullah contribute more to the spread of Islam than anyone else in the
subcontinent before 1850? Explain your answer. (N2009/P1/2c)
[14]

Note: The best answer explains importance of work of a number of people including SWU. Also
produces a judgment or evaluation

Marking Scheme:
.
SWU felt that the Muslims faced many problems because of their ignorance about Islam and
the Holy Quran. He encouraged them to concentrate on Quranic teachings and helped them by
translating the Holy Quran into Persian which was the main language of the Muslims at that
time. His books were designed to spread the principles of Islam amongst the Muslims. However
he was not the only one who was important in the spread of Islam at this time. SASB spread
Islam through the Jihad Movement, which was to become an armed struggle to liberate the
Punjab and the NWF from Sikh rule largely because Muslims were banned from prayer and had
to undergo many humiliations, which made it difficult to practise their religion. HSU spread
Islam through the Faraizi Movement which insisted that Muslims should perform their faraiz
(religious obligations). This alarmed the Hindu landlords who were unhappy with the Muslim
practices. A huge group of followers grew which were called’Faraizis’.

Skill development
Prepare the marking scheme yourself
4. Who of the following was the most important in the spread of Islam during the

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 94

Seventeenth and eighteenth centuries;

(i) Shah Waliullah;

(ii) Syed Ahmad Barailvi;

(iii) Hajji Shariatullah?

Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above.

(J2013 Q1c)[14]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement. [1–2]

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LEVEL 2: Description of Shah Wali Ullah and/or others [3–6]
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LEVEL 3: Explains the importance of the work of one person [7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains the importance of the work of 2 or more people. All 3 for max marks
[9-13]
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LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

HOME ASSIGNMENTS:
write answers according to the marking schemes

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 95

4. Who of the following was the most important in the spread of Islam during the
Seventeenth and eighteenth centuries;

(i) Shah Waliullah;

(ii) Syed Ahmad Barailvi;

(iii) Hajji Shariatullah?

Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above. (J2013 Q1c) [14]

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GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 96

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 97

prayers freely. The call for prayer and cow slaughtering was not allowed at certain
places. So he launched the Jehad Movement with the help of Shah Abdul Aziz, the
son of Shah Waliullah, who supported him with men and material both. He
defeated the Sikh forces at Akora and Hazro and captured Peshawar by 1830. He
had established a state and declared himself the Caliph. The Muslims were now
free and lived peacefully. He had a large army of 80,000 soldiers and wanted to
conquer the whole territory but local Pathan chiefs deserted him and he was
killed at the battle of Balakot in 1831. No doubt, his mission remained
unaccomplished but it was a great deal of courage that he gave to the Muslim
community. They have learned how to live with respect and lead others to the
same way.

Hajj Shariatullah was, however, another remarkable reformer of the time. He was
born in 1781 in Faridpur district in East Bengal. He spread Islam through his
reform movement called Faraizi Movement. He launched this movement in
Bengal in 1818. Faraiz means religious duties and he emphasized on performing
them. Another aim was to liberate Muslim peasants from the yoke of British and
Hindu land lords who were mostly indigo planters. They did not pay their wages
and received taxes on Khas Mahal lands under their cultivation. Apart from this,
Muslims were required to attend the celebrations of “Durga godess” and to
contribute also. A beard tax was also imposed on Muslims and they were not
allowed to practice their religion freely. Haji Shariatullah raised the voice against
oppression and called the Muslim community to repent from the past sins and
pledge to live pious lives. He also advised them not to pay taxes to the British and
Hindu landlords because the lands belonged to the Mughal Empire. His reform
movement alarmed the British and Hindu landlords who did not like the activities
of Faraizi Movement and involved him in false cases. He had to leave his area and
died an early age in 1840. His movement was led by his son Mohsin uddin who,
proved to be more politically efficient and organized but he also met with the
same fate as his father did.

Shah Waliullah was the most important of all in spreading Islam and reviving
Muslims in India because he used the power of his pen and influenced the society
better than any other. His teachings are still in practice by Muslims.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 98

SYED AHMED BARELVI
(1786 – 1831)

AND HIS JEHAD MOVEMENT

Biographical details:
Syed Ahmed Barelvi was born in 1786 at a village named Rai Bareli near Lucknow. He belonged
to Shah Waliullah’s school of thought and became a disciple of Shah Abdul Aziz, the son of Shah
Waliullah. His father was a simple farmer. He enrolled in Madrassa-e-Rahimiya and got basic
education. Then he joined the army of a local nawab, Amir Khan from where he learnt the use
of fire arms and artillery. He was given an extra responsibility to lead the troops in prayers. He
left the army and proceeded to Saudi Arabia for Hajj. On the way and during his stay there, his
idea of Jehad became stronger. In those days, Raja Ranjit Singh was ruling a vast area of the
Punjab and NWFP. He did not allow the Muslims to call for the prayers, the congregational
prayers were their religious freedom. The mosques were used as stables and the Muslims were
treated as inferior people in general.

Beliefs of Syed Ahmed Barelvi

He believed that India had become Dar-ul-Harb(house of war) or the place where non-Muslims
were ruling. He also believed that Muslims should not be ruled by non-Muslims. For this reason,
he decided to launch the Jehad against the Sikh rule. His service in the local army, teachings of
Shah Waliullah and the support of Shah Abul Aziz became the motivating factors of Jehad
Movement.

Jehad movement
It was the first militant movement, launched against the tyrannical sikh rule in the Punjab and
the NWFP. It was started in 1823. Syed Ahmed took a long, unused and remote route to reach
the northern areas in order to hide from the enemy and to muster support for his movement in
men and material both. He was welcomed by the chiefs and Ameers of Sindh on the way, who,
supported him as per their capacity. He launched the first attack on the sikh forces in 1826 at
Akora Khattak and defeated the sikh army. His second encounter was also successful at Hazro in
the same year. These two successful attacks increased his popularity as a young Muslim leader
and the neighbouring pathan chiefs joined the Jehad Movement with zeal and zest. By 1827, he
declared himself as the Khalifa and his named was being read in the Friday sermons. By 1830,
the number of the soldiers rose to 80,000 and Peshawar was captured. The Sikh ruler had
become fully aware of the growing influence of Syed Ahmed. He started a full-fledge campaign

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 99

against this movement. He began to break the unity of the jehad force through a Spying
network. Yar Muhammad Khan, who was very close to Syed Ahmed was bribed by the Sikhs for
killing Syed Ahmed. He poisoned Syed Ahmed but he survided. In 1831, he was shifting his
headquarters from Peshawar to Balakot when enemy forces attacked and a fierce battle was
fought in the mountains. Almost 600 soldiers died fighting including Syed Ahmed and Shah
Ismail. It was a heavy blow to Jehad movement. The main leadership was killed and the rest of
the army was led by Vilayat Ali who could not manage it properly and the Jehad Movement
ended.

End of Jehad Movement

Jehad Movement ended after the death of Syed Ahmed in 1831. There were certain reasons for
its failure, for example, its size rose to 80,000 people whose expenditures were more than the
income. On the other hand, many pathan chiefs deserted Syed Ahmed and refused to pay taxes
which was the only source of income to the government. Sikh spies played a vital role in
disintegration of the Jehad army. They tried to create the Doctrinal differences among the
Jehad force. Since majority of the people who joined the force belonged to different areas and
different cultures. Many used to offer prayers in different ways than the others. The spies
exploited these minor differences to create disunity. Another cause of the failure was the weak
military expertise of the Jehad force whereas sikh force was a well trained force under the
superior military command. The desertion of the chiefs and commanders was another blow
which weakened the Jehad army. Last but not least, the death of Syed Ahmed became the most
important reason for the failure.

Importance of Jehad Movement

Though it failed, yet it taught many valuable lessons to the Muslim community. It was clear that
Muslims were able to launch such a powerful militant struggle against any oppressor. They
learned political and administrative experience. It produced military leadership from the
Muslims who became part of the independence movement in future. It gave confidence and
courage to the Muslims who were able to safeguard their rights in certain areas.

Some (a) part questions on Syed Ahmed Barelvi

(1) Who was Syed Ahmed Barelvi?

Syed Ahmed Barelvi hailed form a Hasni Syed family and was a distant relative of Shah wali
Ullah. He was born in 1786 at a village Rai Barelvi near Lucknow. He launched Jehad
Movement on the advice of Shah Abdul Aziz in 1823. He defeated the Sikh forces in NWFP and

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 100

established an Islamic state there. He was slain on the battlefield, fighting with Ranjit Singh’s
forces at Balakot in 1831.

Source: As the morale and commitment of Muslims increased it was inevitable that with the
right leadership some Muslims would take part in more agitation against the British. It was
clear that the Muslim identity would continue to gain strength. One such man was Titu Mir.

(2) Who was Titu Mir? (N2011/P1/1a) [4]

His real name was Syed Nisar Ali and was known as Titu Mir. He was a great Muslim reformer in
Bengal after Haji Shariatullah. He was born in 1782 in Chandpur village in West Bengal. He was
a disciple of Syed Ahmed and well wisher of the Muslim farmers in West Bengal who were
suffering at the hands of British and Hindu land lords during 1830s. He organized his own rule
near Calcutta with a small army. He provoked the British and at last was killed in a battle in
1831 at the age of 49.

(3) What was Jehad Movement? [4]

Jehad Movement was the first militant struggle against the Sikh rule in the Punjab and NWFP.
It was launched by Syed Ahmed Barelvi, a disciple of Shah Abdul Aziz. Its main aim was to
liberate Muslims from the tyranny of the Sikhs and to establish a Muslim rule in the area.
Jehad Movemet ended almost in 1831, when Syed Ahmed was martyred along with his
followers at Balakot.
(4) Describe the achievements of Jehad Movement. [4]

The main achievement of Jehad Movement was to liberate Muslims of the Punjab and NWFP
(Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa) from the oppressive rule of Ranjit Singh and to restore the religious
freedom in the area. The Muslims were able to practise Islam truly and their faith flourished.
Muslims got confidence and were organized politically in the area. It paved the way for future
struggle for a separate homeland for Muslims.

(5) Who was Ranjit Singh? [4]

Ranjit Singh was a one-eyed Sikh leader of the Punjab (known as the Lion of Punjab). He was
born in 1780 and began to rule Lahore in 1790. He expanded his rule & captured the whole of

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 101

Punjab and NWFP. He fought with the Jehad forces at the battle of Bala Kot and killed Syed
Ahmed Shaheed in 1831, putting an end to the Jehad Movement. He died in 1839.

(6) Describe the importance of doctrinal differences to Jehad Movement [4]

Doctrinal differences mean minor differences among Muslims in the ways of fighting and
practicing religion. Since Jehad force was a combination of people belonging to various areas
with their own cultural and religious beliefs. They practiced Islam in their own ways which was
exploited by the spies of Ranjit Singh and created disunity among the soldiers. It caused great
loss to Jehad Movement. It was one of the main reasons of its failure.

(7) How important were the Pathan Chiefs for Jehad Movement? [4]

Initially the Pathan chiefs supported the Jehad Movement and encouraged Syed Ahmed Barelvi
against the Sikhs. Later some of them like Yar Muhammad Khan deserted Syed Ahmed on the
battle field & tried to poison him. Syed Ahmed appointed his brother Sultan Muhammad khan
as Governor of Peshawar but he too deceived him. These chiefs proved beneficial in the
beginning but at the end they were bribed by the Sikhs and became the major cause of the
decline of the Jehad Movement.

(8) What is Jehad? [4]

Jehad means the struggle for the uplift of social, moral, economic & political beliefs of Islam
and the safety and security of Muslims. It also means the military struggle against the enemies
of Islam who want to destroy the religion and its followers. It can be personal or collective,
physical or moraland in cash or in kind. It is one of the most important articles of the Muslim
faith and has a great reward in both the worlds.

(9) Describe the importance of the battles of Akora and Hazro. [4]

These battles were fought at Akora Khattak and Hazro in 1826 one after the other. In both the
battles Sikhs were defeated and put the Jehad Movement on advantage. Jehad movement
became popular and the Pathan Chiefs of the neighboring areas joined Syed Ahmed along with

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their tribes. The number of soldiers increased to 80,000. On the other hand, it alarmed Ranjit
Singh and he planned a strong offensive against the jihad army 1831.

(10) What was the battle of Balakot? [4]

The battle of Balakot was the first and the last Major battle fought between the Sikhs and the
Jehad forces in 1831. It was a sudden and well planned attack of the sikh force facilitated by
the traitors. It was a fatal blow to the Muslims. The Jehad army was out numbered. Six
hundred Muslims, including Shah Ismail and Syed Ahmed himself were killed and Jehad
Movement was almost finished.
(11) What were the causes of the failure of Jehad Movement? [4]

Jehad Movement failed mainly due to lack of cooperation from the neighboring pathan
tribes, doctrinal differences among the Mujahideen, Lack of funds and un trained soldiers in
the jehad force. Another major cause was the strong spying network and military expertise of
Ranjit Singh. The death of Syed Ahmed at the battle of Balakot in 1831 and lack of leadership
after his death were the main causes of the failure of JM.

Some (b) part questions on Syed Ahmed Barelvi

(1) Why did Syed Ahmed Barelvi conduct Jehad against the Sikhs in early 19th century?
[N – 2000 Q1 (b)] [7]

(2) Why did Syed Ahmed Barelvi wish to revive Islam in the Sub-continent?
[N 2003 Q1 (b)] [7]
(3) Why did Syed Ahmed Barelvi have such a major influence on the revival of Islam? [N-
2003 Q1 (b)] [7]
(4) Why did Jehad Movement fail? [7]

(5) Why were there attempts to revive Islam in the sub-continent during the
eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries? ( N 2007 1b) [7]

NEW QUESTIONS
(6) Why was Syed Ahmed Barelvi motivated to launch a militant struggle against the
Sikhs? (New Question) [7]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 103

(7) Why did Shah Abdul Aziz encourage and help Syed Ahmed Barelvi to launch jehad
movement? (New Question) [7]
(8) Why was Jehad movement important for Muslims? (New question) [7]

marking schemes of (b) part questions

(1) Why did Syed Ahmed Barelvi conduct Jehad against the Sikhs in early 19th century?
[N – 2000 Q1 (b)] [7]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

He wanted to liberate Muslims from the yoke of Sikh rule.

LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons [2–4]

.Muslims were living miserable lives in NWFP and the Punjab. Prayers and cow slaughtering
were not allowed and the Call for prayer was also banned.

LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]

Islamic practices were not allowed by the Sikh rule. Mosques were used as stables, call for
prayer was banned and Muslims could not sacrifice cow on the Eid days. Syed Ahmed believed
that India had become Dar-ul-Harb and Jehad was due. He wanted to establish a Muslim state
where Muslims could live according to their belief. He was trained and well supported also by
Shah Abdul Aziz, Shah Ismail and many others.

2) Why did Syed Ahmed Barelvi wish to revive Islam in the Sub-continent?
[N 2003 Q1 (b)] [7]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

He wanted to liberate Muslims from the yoke of Sikh rule.

LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons [2–4]

.Muslims were living miserable lives in NWFP and the Punjab. Prayers and cow slaughtering
were not allowed and the Call for prayer was also banned.

LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]

Islamic practices were not allowed by the Sikh rule. Mosques were used as stables, call for
prayer was banned and Muslims could not sacrifice cow on the Eid days. Syed Ahmed believed

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 104

that India had become Dar-ul-Harb and Jehad was due. He wanted to establish a Muslim state
where Muslims could live according to their belief. He was trained and well supported also by
Shah Abdul Aziz, Shah Ismail and many others.

(3) Why did Syed Ahmed Barelvi have such a major influence on the revival of Islam?
[N-2003 Q1 (b)] [7]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

His services were badly required at that time.

LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons [2–4]

.Mughal power was declining rapidly; he used the power of sword and made rapid success
which was admired by the Muslims.

LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]

In the nineteenth century political scenario had quite changed. Almost 80% areas were under
the control of the British and the rest were under other local rulers. Muslims were living
miserable lives and such a movement left positive influence on them. He defeated the most
formidable force of Sikhs in the region and gave courage to the Muslim community.

(4) Why did Jehad Movement fail? [7]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

Jehad .Movement failed due untrained army.

LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons [2–4]

Pathan chiefs deserted him and the spies of Ranjit Singh created disunity among the
Jehad forces.

LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]

Jehad Movement lacked funds and equipment. The army rose to 80,000 soldiers and meeting
their expenses became a problem for Syed Ahmed. The pathan tribes were reluctant to pay
taxes which caused financial problems. Ranjit’s forces were well trained and well equipped
while Jehad army was a comlbination of volunteers who had joined out of Islamic fervor and
were not properly trained soldiers.

(5) Why were there attempts to revive Islam in the sub-continent during the eighteenth
and early nineteenth centuries? ( N 2007 1b) [7]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

It was needed

LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons [2–4]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 105

To halt the decline of Muslims and spread Islam

LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]

SWU believed that Muslims were ignorant about Islam and the teachings of the Holy Quran.
Therefore an emphasis on Quranic teachings would not onlyimprove their knowledge but
produce a feeling of solidarity. He also believed thatMuslims’ knowledge of Islam was difficult
to gain and so he felt that by translatingthe HolyQuran into Persian would enable more people
read it. SASB wanted ajihad (Holy War) to restore the Muslim faith. The Punjab was under Sikh
rule andthe Punjabi Muslims found it difficult to practise their religion and were humiliatedby
the Sikhs. HSU wanted to spread Islam through the Faraizi Movement whichinsisted that
Muslims should perform their faraiz (religious obligations). This alarmed the Hindu landlords
who were unhappy with the Muslim practices.

Skill development
Prepare the marking scheme of the given questions
yourself

(6) Why was Syed Ahmed Barelvi motivated to launch a militant struggle against the
Sikhs? (New Question) [7]

LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LEVEL2 Identifies reasons [2-4]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LEVEL3 Explains reasons [5-7]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 106

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(7) Why did Shah Abdul Aziz encourage and help Syed Ahmed Barelvi to launch jehad
movement? (New Question) [7]

LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LEVEL2 Identifies reasons [2-4]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LEVEL3 Explains reasons [5-7]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(6) Why was Syed Ahmed Barelvi motivated to launch a militant struggle against the
Sikhs? (New Question) [7]
HINTS:

(i) Teaching of Shah Waliullah and his sons motivated him to struggle against Sikhs.
(ii) Military service in the army of Nawab Amir Khan of Tonk gave him enough
experience of warfare.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 107

(iii) His body language and inclination towards fighting along with the Sikh tyranny in
the NWFP and Punjab and miserable condition of the Muslims became main
factors of motivation.
(7) Why did Shah Abdul Aziz encourage and help Syed Ahmed Barelvi to launch jehad
movement? (New Question) [7]

HINTS:

(i) He wanted to help Muslims of the NWFP and Punjab. He was a great leader like
his father and knew that only the bookish guidance was not sufficient to
organize the Muslim Ummah. He believed that Muslim power was declining
rapidly in India and such a struggle was necessary
(ii) He found in the person of Syed Ahmed a suitable, self motivated and a sincere
crusader.
(8) Why was Jehad movement important for Muslims? (New question) [7]

HINTS:

(i) It was a ray of hope for breathless Muslims living under the atrocious Sikh rule.
(ii) It organized Muslims for a positive cause.
(iii) It set an example of courageous leadership and produced future leaders who
led in the future struggle for independence

HOME ASSIGNMENTS:
write answers according to the marking schemes
(6) Why was Syed Ahmed Barelvi motivated to launch a militant struggle against the
Sikhs? (New question) [7]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 108

Suggested answers
(1) Why did Syed Ahmed Barelvi conduct Jehad against the Sikhs in early 19 th century?
[N – 2000 Q1 (b)] [7]

HINTS
(i) Muslims were not allowed to practice Islam freely.
(ii) He wanted to establish a Muslim state in the Punjab and NWFP.
(iii) He believed that a militant effort was due to be carried out to establish a Muslim state
where Muslims could live peacefully.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
He launched the Jehad Movement because he believed that a militant struggle should be
launched against the Sikh rule in the Punjab & NWFP where Muslims were not allowed to
practice their religion freely. They were not allowed to offer prayers; mosques were used as
stables and call for prayer was also banned. At many places the cow slaughtering was also not
allowed at the Eid-ul-Azha. Hindus were torturing the Muslims by arranging noisy processions
before the mosques at the congregational prayers. He was disturbed at this situation and
wanted to liberate Muslims from the yoke of Ranjit Singh’s rule. He wanted to establish a

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 109

Muslim state in the area because he believed that Muslims should be ruled by Muslims. His
personal experience as a soldier to use modern weapons and to make war plans was an
additional motivation and support for him to conduct Jihad against the Sikhs.

Another reason for conducting Jihad was his worries about the decline of the Mughal
Empire. He was afraid of the future of Muslims if the Mughal rule ended. The British were the
next to rule India and Hindus and Sikhs would, no doubt, support them. Therefore, he believed
that it was the time to launch the militant struggle against the non-Muslim forces. For this
mission he had the support from Shah Abdul Aziz, the son of SWU. He supported him with men
and material both. Finally he launched the movement in 1823 and attacked the Sikh forces in
1826.
(2) Why did Syed Ahmed Barelvi wish to revive Islam in the Sub-continent?
[N 2003 Q1 (b)] [7]
HINTS:
(i) He believed that Islam was in danger due to growing power of Sikhs in the North &
West due to tyrannical Sikh Rule.
(ii) He believed that teachings of Shah Wali Ullah, Shah Abdul Qadir and other scholarly
people were not sufficient to save Islam.
(iii) He thought that Mughal rule was ending and non-Muslims would take over.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
Syed Ahmed shaheed wished to revive Islam because Mughals were counting their last
days in the Red Fort of Dehli and there was no other leader who could save the dying Muslim
rule in the sub-continent. Muslims were either ignorant of the Islamic beliefs or were not
allowed to fulfill the obligations of Islam due to powerful and narrow minded Hindus and
Sikhs. In the Punjab, NWFP and Kashmir Muslims were in majority but they were under the
influence of non Muslim rulers who disrespected Islam and didn’t allow them to practise it
freely. Therefore, he decided to revive Islam in the Sub-continent.

Secondly, he wanted to set an example of leadership in order to help and encourage

Muslims who had lost courage and confidence under the powerful Sikh regime of Ranjit Singh.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 110

He believed that scholarly people like Shah Waliullah and others had done their best to purify
Islam of the superstitious beliefs and to teach Muslim about the true tenets of their faith but
Muslims were facing new problems and challenges. Sikhs and the British were growing powers
in India and Muslims had no strength to counter them. The Mughals had become lazy and ease
loving Kings and had lost the required character as the Muslim rulers. Therefore, he rose to
the occasion with a new courage and determination to revive Islam with the power of sword.
(3) Why did Syed Ahmed Barelvi have such a major influence on the revival of Islam?
[N-2003 Q1 (b)] [7]

HINTS:
(i) His services were badly required at that time.
(ii) He used power of his sword and made rapid success.
(iii) He defeated the most formidable force in the region and Muslims got
relief and peace; courage & confidence.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
Syed Ahmed had a major influence on the revival of Islam due to a number of reasons.
His efforts were very much required at that time because no doubt Shah Waliullah’s efforts
enlightened the Muslim thoughts and had a long lasting effect on the mindset of the people,
but it was almost a century’s story. In the 19 th Century political scenario had quite changed.
The Mughals were losing their power day by day, The British had captured almost 80% of the
sub-continent and Sikhs were after the Muslims in the Punjab and NWFP. Muslims really
wanted a stronger and power leader who could hold the responsibility of the revival of Islam.
He was the one who addressed the problem in time and used the power of sword to crush
those powers who were threatening Muslims in the area.
Another factor of his great influence was his strong and sincere leadership and rapid
success. The successive victories against the most powerful military genius Raja Ranjit Singh
were no doubt an impressive achievement of Syed Ahmed which attracted everyone to his
movement and followed him in his efforts. Therefore, due to his prompt action, sincere efforts
and stunning victories against Sikhs, he had a major influence on the revival of Islam in the mid
nineteenth century.

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(4) Why did Jehad Movement fail? [7]

HINTS:
(i) Untrained mujahedeen v/s professional army of Ranjit Singh.
(ii) Non-cooperation and desertion of the Pathan Chiefs.
(iii) Lack of funds and equipment.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
Jehad movement failed mainly due to the following reasons:
Firstly Jehad forces comprised of non-technical raw hand devotees who joined the force
out of their religious emotions and love for Syed Ahmed Shaheed’spersonality. They could not
face the professionally trained army of Ranjit Singh. They defeated the Sikhs at Akora & Hazro
but were outnumbered in the Battle of Balakot. Secondly, the Pathan chiefs of the neighboring
areas refused to be loyal with Syed Ahmed Barelvi. When Syed Ahmed declared himself a
Khalifa and imposed taxes on the Pathan tribes, they refused to pay such tax and accepted
bribes from the Sikhs for changing their loyalties. Their desertion gave a fatal blow to the
Movement because they had been ‘trusted companions of Syed Ahmed
The Second major cause of the failure of Jehad Movement was shortage of funds
because the tribal elite refused to pay taxes to the Syeds’ Government and it was difficult to
feed and accommodate 80,000 soldiers without a permanent source of income. Apart from
their problems Muslims began to disunite within the Jehad force because more intelligent and
trained spies of the enemy began to exploit the doctrinal differences in the Jehad force.
Therefore, Muslims became weak and the battle of Balakot decided the fate of Jehad
movement in 1831where, Syed Ajmed was slain along with Shah Ismail Shaheed.

(5) Why were there attempts to revive Islam in the sub-continent during the eighteenth
and early nineteenth centuries? (N 2007 1b) [7]

Attempts to revive Islam were made in the sub-continent during the eighteenth and early
nineteenth centuries by Shah Waliullah, Syed Ahmed Barelvi and Haji Shariatullah because
Muslims were going away from the true path and someone was needed to bring them back.
Shah Waliullah believed that this decline was mainly due to ignorance about Islam. He,
therefore, wrote many books and translated the Holy Qur’an into Persian so that everyone

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 112

could understand the message of God. He removed misunderstandings between Shia and Sunni
Muslims by writing an account of the first four caliphs of Islam. Madrassas were teaching the
old syllabus which required changes according to the new situation. He also made a political
attempt to restore the Muslim power in sub-continent by calling Ahmed Shah Abdali of
Afghanistan to crush the power of Marhattas.
Syed Ahmed Barelvi launched a militant movement against the Sikh rule in NWFP and Punjab
because they were not allowed to practice their faith freely. Muslims could not offer prayers;
neither they could sacrifice cows on the Eid days. His movement brought peace and freedom
for the Muslim community there. Haji Shariatullah was a Bengali reformer, who launched
Faraizi Movement in order to purify Islam and liberate Muslims from the yoke of Hindu and
British landlords who were exploiting the Muslim peasantry. There Muslims were living even
worst lives because they were made to work for long hours but no wages were paid to them.
These were enough reasons why these reformers made efforts to revive Islam.

(6) Why was Syed Ahmed Barelvi motivated to launch a militant struggle against the
Sikhs? (New Question) [7]

HINTS:
(iv) Teaching of Shah Waliullah and his sons.
(v) Military service in the army of Nawab Amir Khan of Tonk.
(vi) His body language and inclination along with the Sikh tyranny in the NWFP and
Punjab.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
Syed Ahmed Barelvi had a number of motivating factors to launch the Jehad Movement. He
was already quite very much influenced by the teachings of Jehad due to his association with
the SWU’s school of thought, but his visit to Saudi Arabia and the influence from the scholarly
people over there, had shaped his vision stronger and clearer about Jihad. He believed in
militant struggle against the non-Muslim forces in India. The moral and materialistic support
from Shah Abdul Aziz made the job easy and he launched his Jihad Movement.
Seeing his body language and inclination towards Jihad, Shah Abdul Aziz advised him
further to join the army and learned the modern techniques of war. He joined the Army of
Nawab Amir Khan of Tonk as a soldier with an additional duty to lead the troops in prayers
which earned him respect and fame as well as sound knowledge of using European weapons.
After he resigned from the army he was ready to do something for the Muslims. Ranjit Singh’s

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 113

atrocities on the Muslims of NWFP and Punjab were enough to challenge a person like Syed
Ahmed who, Instead of calling someone from outside like Ahmed Shah Abdali, decided to lead
the Jehad himself. He proved the most suitable person for this service but, unfortunately he
was slain in the battle of Balakot in 1831.

(7) Why did Shah Abdul Aziz encourage and help Syed Ahmed Barelvi to launch jehad
movement? (New Question) [7]
HINTS:
(iii) He was a great leader like his father and knew that only the bookish guidance
was not sufficient to organize the Muslim Ummah because of the Muslim
power was declining rapidly in India
(iv) He found in the person of Syed Ahmed a suitable, self motivated and a sincere
crusader.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
Shah Abdul Aziz was a great scholar like Shah Waliullah, and was well aware of the geo-
political changes that had taken place into the sub-continent after the death of Shah Waliullah
in 1762. He knew that bookish knowledge of the Holy Quran and Hadith was no more effective
tool to revive Islam and keep the Muslim Ummah integrated. It was the time to show a new
way of leadership in order to organize Muslims politically and to centralize their power. He was
lucky enough to have a person like Syed Ahmed Barelvi in his cam whom he could charge with
such a challenging task.

Another reason to support Syed Ahmed Barelvi was his personal interest, motivation,
skills and dream to wage a war against the Sikh rule. Since Syed Ahmed Barelvi returned from
Saudi Arabia he himself advised him to join the army for the sake of learning modern. Methods
of war and to have knowledge of European weapons. Therefore, he found in the person of
Syed Ahmed Barelvi a true soldier and a staunch Muslim who proved to be the right choice for
the Jihad Movement.

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(8) Why was Jehad movement important for Muslims? (New question) [7]

HINTS:
(iv) It was a ray of hope for breathless Muslims living under the atrocious Sikh rule.
(v) It organized Muslims for a positive cause.
(vi) It set an example of courageous leadership and produced future leaders

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
Jehad Movement was very important for Muslims of the sub-continent in general and
for those who were living in servitude and despair under the oppressive Sikh rule in particular.
It was a ray of hope for millions of breathless Muslims who could not simply worship
according to their religious beliefs and the call for prayer was also banned. Jehad Movement
was the first ever powerful resistance against the oppressors which organized Muslim masses
for a collective cause who were dispersed and hopeless as far as their social and religious
freedom was concerned.

It was the most important in the sense that it provided an opportunity to the willing and
able youth to expose their talent and skill for their own benefit. It was the main source of
confidence and courage for the socially isolated and weak Muslims. Strong, courageous and
sincere leadership of Syed Ahmed was an for their example for the future generations to stand
against the oppressors right. It produced many leaders who served the cause of freedom for
the Muslims in the sub-continent. Trully speaking, it paved the way for future struggle for
Pakistan.

Some (C) part questions

(1) Was the work of Syed Ahmed Barelvi the most important effort in the revival of Islam
and Muslims in the sub-continent during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries?
Give reasons for your answer. [14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 115

(2) How successful was Syed Ahmed Barelvi in his attempt to establish an Islamic rule in
the sub-continent? [14]
(3) Was the work of Syed Ahmad Shaheed Barailvi the most important factor in the
revival of Islamin the sub-continent during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries?
Give reasons for youranswer. (J2008/P1/1c) [14]

(4) How will you vouch for the statement that “Jehad Movement of Syed Ahmed Barelvi
paved the way for Pakistan Movement? Explain your argument. (New Question)
[14]

Marking Schemes of (c) part questions

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement. [1-2]

Syed Ahmed Barelvi was a daring reformer
LEVEL 2: Description of Syed Ahmed and/or others [3–6]
Syed Ahmed Barelvi launched the Jehad Movement against the tyrant Sikh rule in
Punjab and NWFP. He wanted to lilberate Muslims from oppressive Sikh rule. He
established a state there and declared himself a caliph.
LEVEL 3: Explains the importance of the work of one person [7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains the importance of the work of 2 or more people. All 3 for max marks [9–
13]
SAB launched the Jehad Movement in 1826 against Ranjit Singh. It was a courageous
step that none other could take except SAB. He had the support of Shah Abdul Aziz;
the son of Shah Waliullah. He established a Muslim state and declared himself a
caliph. His movement became very popular and it rose to 80,000 soldiers. He
captured Peshawar by 1830 and imposed taxes on the neighbopuring tribal areas.
Soon the pathan tribes were reluctant to pay taxes and deserted him. Shah Waliullah
wrote 51 books on Islam and translated the Holy Qur’an into Persian so that Muslims
could get what God wanted them to do. He also called Ahmed Shah Abdali from
Afghanistan to India to crush the power of Marhattas who had threatened the
Mughal Empire. Haji Shariatullah launched the Faraizi Movement in Bengal in the
eary 19th century. He wanted to purify Islam because people were practicing

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 116

superstitious beliefs and the British and Hindu landlords were exploiting the Muslim
peasantry there. Haji gave them courage and confidence and pulled them out of
despair.

LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

(2) How successful was Syed Ahmed Barelvi in his attempt to establish an Islamic rule in
the sub-continent? [14]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement. [1–2]

Syed Ahmed Barelvi launched the Jehad Movement

LEVEL 2: Description of his work [3–6]

He launched Jehad Movement to liberate the Muslims of NWFP and Punjab from the
tyrant rule of Ranjit Singh. He gathered a large army of volunteers and attacked the Sikh
forces at Akora Khatak and Hazro. He won these battles and established a state there.
He declared himself a caliph and advanced towards Balakot where a decisive battle took
place in which he was martyred in 1831.

LEVEL 3: Explains successes Or Failures [7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains the Successes and Failures [9–13]

He was the first to launch such a militant struggle against the strong Sikh ruler. He set an
example of devotion and commitment to the Muslim cause. He gave the Muslims their rights
and let them live as free people in their own areas. He did not belong to the northern areas nor
could speak the languages of those areas, yet he realized his duty as a Muslim to help other
Muslims. He could not bring other areas under the control of Muslim rule due to his early death
at the battle of Balakot. His reform led to the struggle for independence in future.
LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgment or evaluation. [14]

(3) Was the work of Syed Ahmad Shaheed Barailvi the most important factor in the
revival of Islamin the sub-continent during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries?
Give reasons for youranswer. (J2008/P1/1c) [14]

Marking Scheme:
Explains 2 or more factors (SASB to be included for max marks).Also produces a judgment or
evaluation.

SASB spread Islam through the Jihad Movement, which was to become an armed struggle to
liberate the Punjab and the NWF from Sikh rule largely because Muslims were banned from
prayer and had difficulties practising their religion. SWU felt that the Muslims faced many
problems because of their ignorance about Islam and the Holy Quran. He encouraged them to
concentrate on Quranic teachings and helped them by translating the Holy Quran into Persian

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 117

which was the main language of the Muslims at that time. His books were designed to spread
the principles of Islam amongst the Muslims. HSU spread Islam through the Faraizi Movement
which insisted that Muslims should perform their faraiz (religious obligations). This alarmed
some Hindu landlords who were unhappy that working time was being lost. A huge group of
followers grew which were called ‘Faraizis’.
COMPLETE SUGGESTED ANSWERS:
(1) Was the work of Syed Ahmed Barelvi the most important effort in the
revival of Islam and Muslims in the sub-continent during the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries? Give reasons for your answer. [14]

Syed Ahmed Barelvi’s work for the revival of Islam and the Muslims needs special
mention in the history of India because he rose to address the problems of the Muslims living
in the Punjab and the NWFP in the nineteenth century despite the fact that he did not belong
to the same area neither spoke the same language. He took the responsibility to save the
Muslims who were living miserable lives there. They were not allowed to offer prayers and the
call for prayer was also banned. The cow slaughtering was not allowed and the Muslims were
denied other social and cultural liberties in the area. He realized the need for a powerful
resistance to the tyrant Sikh ruleof Ranjit Singh which had made life difficult for Muslims.
Ranjit Singh was a great military genius and had exploited the whole wealth of the area for
creating a great army. Therefore Muslims there were at the mercy of the Sikhs and Hindus.
They were not allowed to use their mosques and offer prayers. Syed Ahmed was very
disturbed and wanted to launch a militant struggle to change this condition of the Muslims. He
believed that an Islamic state should be set up there so that Muslims could live peacefully
according to their religious ways. He was a trained military leader himself and also had full
support and cooperation from Shah Abdul Aziz, the son of Shah Wali Ullah. He launched the
Jehad Movement, gathered an army of 80,000 staunch Muslims and defeated Sikh forces at
Akora Khattak and Hazro in 1826. He established an Islamic State and began to capture
surrounding areas of Peshawar, Naushera and Balakot. Unfortunately he was martyred in the
battle of Balakot in 1831 due to the disloyal Pathan chiefs but his work was marvelous. His
movement produced future leadership of Muslims and revived Islam in NWFP & Punjab in the
19th century.

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Haji shariat Ullah was another reformer of his age. He was born in 1781 and died in
1840. He founded Faraizi Movement in Faridpur district of Bengal and aimed at purifying Islam
of the superstitious beliefs which had crept into Muslims from Hindu influences and to save
Muslim peasants from the exploitation of British and Hindu landlords. He encouraged the
Muslim peasantry and told them not to pay taxes to the British and Hindus because the land
beonged to the Mughal Empire. Muslims were forced to participate and contribute to “Durga
celebrations” an annual Hindu religious ritual. He pressed them not to accept such pressures
and stick to their own religion Islam. He emphasized on them to fulfill the religious obligations
regularly in order to get rid of slavery. He was quite successful and died in 1840. The movement
continued its mission under the more dynamic leadership of his son Muhsin Uddin till his
death in 1862. This movement was also a major source of confidence and encouragement for
the Muslims. They learnt how to fight for their rights by the political organization.

However, Shah Waliullah cannot be forgotten as his services influenced the Muslim
community the most. In fact Shah Waliullah was the first who identified the causes of Muslim
decline in the sub-continent and presented cure as well. He was born in 1703, four years before
the death of Aurangzeb Alamgir and witnessed the declining Mughal rule with great pain and
concern. He was of the opinion that the Muslim decline was due to their distance from Islam.
He also believed that inadequate knowledge of the Holy Qur’an was the cause of disunity in
the Muslim community. First, he wrote 51 books on the basic tenets of Islam in order to
educate the Muslims about their religion. His most important contribution was the translated
the Holy Quran into Persian in 1738-39. The so-called scholars of the time went against him but
he proved that the Qur’an was more to understandthan to recite for Muslims. He was the first
who set the example to translate the holy word of God in the local languages for the sake of
understanding. He addressed the issues of sectarianism, superstitious beliefs and persuaded
nobles, traders, teachers and students to perform their best in their capacities in order to
bring revolutionary change in the society. He also believed like Syed Ahmed Shaheed that
political power was essential for the religious uplift, therefore he persuaded Ahmed Shah
Abdali to come to India and crush the Marhattas who wanted to destroy Mughal Empire.

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Ahmed Shah Abdali. defeated the Marhattas in 1761 and Mughal rule was saved. He was the
greatest reformer of the 18th century because his teachings had lasting effects on the people
of subcontinent. The rest all followed his ways and mostly were influenced by him.
In my opinion Shah Waliullah and his work was the most important effort for the revival
of Islam in the 18th and 19th centuries and the Muslim are still following his teachings in India &
Pakistan.

(2) How successful was Syed Ahmed Barelvi in his attempt to establish an Islamic rule in
the sub-continent? [14]

HINTS:
(i) His Successes:
1. Realizing the need to launch a powerful militant struggle against the tyrant
Sikh rule of Ranjit Singh.
2. Organizing Muslims for their collective cause /duty.
3. Injecting into Muslim, a sense of confidence and courage by defeating the
powerful Sikhs at a couple of battles.

(ii) His Failures:

1. Failure to keep all Muslims united & together.
2. Early death at the battle field.

(iii) Conclusion as a successful campaign that left strong marks on the face of Muslim
struggle against non-Muslim rule.
SUGGESTED ANSWER:
Syed Ahmed Barelvi was a daring Muslim reformer of the 19th century. He was the
follower of Shah Waliullah’s School of thought. For this reason, he was convinced with the idea
of Jehad. He was the one, who realized first, that a strong militant struggle should he made to
establish an Islamic state in the NWFPand Punjab where Muslims were living under the social
and religious restrictions. He believed that Muslims should live under a Muslim rule; otherwise
they should migrate to another Muslim land. Therefore, he decided to defend the oppressed

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 120

Muslims against the tyrant Ranjit Singh. He organized the Muslims of various areas politically
to launch an offensive against Ranjit Singh. It was in fact, a great achievement of Syed Ahmed
to gather such a large number of Muslims for a collective religious duty because Muslim were
politically disorganized and dispersed.
He injected into the Muslim community, a sense of self confidence, self respect and courage to
live with dignity and honour. Jehad forces defeated the Sikhs at Akora khattak and Hazro. He
was successful in establishing an Islamic caliphate in the NWFP where Shariah laws were
implemented and Muslims had no fear of Sikhs.
However, it was not all the way, a successful venture. When the Jehad Movement rose
to its climax after whining the battles of Akora & Hazro, the Sikh ruler became worried and took
all possible measures to crush this movement. Their first attack was to create disunity among
the Muslims. They were quite successful and Muslim force began to divide on petty issues.
Pathan chiefs deserted Syed Ahmed and neighboring population refused to pay taxes. Yar
Muhammad Khan, a pathan Chief tried to poison Syed Ahmed and finally Syed Ahmed was
killed in battle of Balakot in 1831. This was a severe blow to the Jehad Movement. Though it
continued to survive till 1860’s, it could not achieve any notable goals. As a whole it is
considered as a failure.

In my opinion, Syed Ahmed Barelvi and his work were useful for Muslims. Though he
failed to prolong Muslim domination in the area, it brought the Muslim out of the gloom of
hopelessness and fear and taught them how to live with dignity and pride. So he was quite
successful in his attempt to establish a Muslim rule and paved the way for a permanent Muslim
State in India, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

3. Was the work of Syed Ahmad Shaheed Barailvi the most important factor in the
revival of Islamin the sub-continent during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries?
Give reasons for youranswer. (J2008/P1/1c) [14]

NOTE: it is easy to answer this question. Follow the methodology that is;
i- To explain the work of Syed Ahmed Barelvi first and its importance in the revival of
Islam.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 121

ii- Secondly the work of Haji Shariatullah or Shah Waliullah or vice a versa
iii- At last your own judgement and evaluation as to whose work was most important in
the revival of Islam
iv- This question may include few paragraphs like 4 or 5 even.
Try to write the answer in 15 minutes of time.
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(4) How will you vouch for the statement that “Jehad Movement of Syed Ahmed Barelvi
paved the way for Pakistan Movement? Explain your argument. (New Question)
[14]

HINTS:
(i) Jehad Movement awoke the Muslims to realize their rapid decline and loss of
prestige as a glorious people of the past.
(ii) It organized them into a political force and filled them with confidence and sense
of collective duty to resist non-Muslim rule.
(iii) It was the most powerful movement and set an example for future leadership
leading to the Pakistan Movement.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
Jehad Movement was the most important, most powerful and a large scale militant
struggle against the Sikh domination in the North West of the sub-continent. It was neither a
product of a single individual nor an aimless adventure of few emotional young people. It was
the result of continuous observation and a close study of the religious, economic and political
decline of the Muslims in India since Aurangzeb’s death. Sons of Shah Waliullah and others of
the same school of thought had a consensus that such a struggle was inevitable to save Muslim
identity in India.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 123

The first step towards freedom was to awake the Muslim conscience to realize that
they were losing their political power, religious identity and social respect very quickly. Jehad
movement made the Muslims realize that political freedom was necessary for the revival of
Islam and it was not possible under the non Muslim and foreign rule. For this purpose Syed
Ahmedmotivated thousands of people to join together in an organized way to perform their
religious duty of Jehad for the safety and security of the whole Ummah. It was a great
achievement which gave Muslims confidence and polished their leadership qualities. Muslims
learnt how to fight for their right. They also learnt their strengths and weaknesses and became
active.

Jehad Movement was a unique experience and opportunity for Muslims to learn the
war and peace time planning and administrative skills. Though it failed due to a number of
reasons yet it inspired a large number of Muslims to oppose the non Muslim rule or the foreign
invaders. Pakistan movement of the 20th century owes greatly to the Jehad Movement as it
set an example of courage, commitment and producing the leadership from amongst the
Muslims. It left as a legacy, a desire for freedom which was fulfilled by the future leadership of
Pakistan Movement.
Therefore, we can say that it was the fore runner of the Pakistan movement because
the Muslim community was convinced of the idea that political power was essential for the
religious freedom.

Note: prepare the marking scheme for Question 4 after reading the answer.

HAJI SHARIAT ULLAH (1781 – 1840

Biographical details of Haji Shariatullah

He was born in 1781 in Faridpur district of East Bengal. He belonged
to a family of farmers. His father was a small farmer and died when
Shariatullah was 8 years old. He studied in a Madrassa and went for
higher studies to Mecca. He stayed there for 20 years and returned
back in 1818. He was a staunch Muslim and follower of Hanafi School of Thought. He was very
upset on the conditions of Muslims in Bengal and launched the Faraizi Movement.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 124

Beliefs of Haji Shariatullah:
He was influenced by Sheikh Mohammad Abdul Wahab of Saudi Arabia and believed that all
sorts of worships other than God Almighty were Shirk. He was against the terms of ‘Peer and
Mureed’, he preferred instead ‘Ustad and Shagird’ means teacher and student. He also
rejected the saint worship and wanted Muslims to worship Allah alone and don’t attach any
hopes with the shrines etc, his political beliefs were very clear. He was upset on the political
and economic conditions of the Muslims who had been enslaved by the British and the Hindu
landlords. They were exploiting them in everyday life and he wanted them to live better,
independent and honorable lives. He was worried about the superstitious beliefs of the Hindus
which had crept into Muslim society and wanted to remove them from Muslims. He also
believed that Muslims should repent from their previous sins and live pious lives onward in
order to save themselves from the wrath of Almighty.

Why did he launch the Faraizi Movement ?

The Muslims worked as peasants on the fields of British indigo planters and the Hindu
landlords. They were not paid their wages and were forced to participate in the Hindu rituals of
Durga godess. They were heavily taxed by the landlords and religious practices were also
banned. So much so, a beard tax was imposed on the Muslims which was so humiliating and
insulting but no one could raise the voice against their inhuman attitude. Muslims were
ignorant of Islamic teachings and the practice of suprerstitious beliefs was quite common in
Muslims. Friday prayers and call for prayer was not allowed. Muslim could not refuse to attend
and adorn the Durga celebrations. Haji Shariatullah launched the” Faraizi Movement” In order
to get rid of the slavery and to purify Islam as well.

What was Faraizi Movement?

Faraiz is the plural of “Far’z” which means an obligatory religious duty. It was a reform
movement launched by Haji Shariatullah in 1818. His followers were called “ Faraizis” It
emphasized on performing of the obligatory duties of Islam like praying, fasting and avoiding
all other activities like worshipping worldly objects, following Peers/ Saints etc. another
objective was to purify Islam from all superstitious beliefs which had crept into Muslim society
from the Hindu culture. It opposed all illegal taxes and encouraged Muslims to live pious lives
and disobey such orders of the landlords. Muslims were asked not to pay tax on the Khas
Mahal lands to these landlords because the land belonged to the Mughal Empire. Khas Mahal
land was no man’s property except the Mughal government but these Hindu and Btitish
landlords were charging taxes from the Muslim who were cultivating these lands. Haji also
advised the Muslims not to participate in Durga’s functions which annoyed the Hindu

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 125

community. The British supported the Hindus and disturbed Haji Shariatullah. He was forced
to leave the area and live in neighbouring Nawabgang.

Problems of Haji Shariatullah:

He was opposed by the British and Hindu landlords because they were alarmed by his
Movement. He was involved in many false cases which made his life difficult but he never
surrendered. He was arrested and jailed also. At last he was exiled from Faridpur district to
Nawabganj. He died a natural death in 1840. After his death, Mohsinuddin alias Dudu Mian; his
son took the leadership of the Movement and did even better than his father was doing. He
organized the areas and deputed Khalifas who reported him everything from their areas. He
became so popular in the Muslim peasantry that they considered him their true leader. He had
established his own court of law where decided according to Sharia laws and punished the
offenders. He was also disturbed by the opposite forces and finally was charged for gathering
support for the Idian Revolt in 1857. He died in 1860.

Importance and influence of Haji Shariatullah & Faraizi Movement

He was a great leader who encouraged the Muslim peasantry of Bengal and put a new spirit
into their lives. He gave them hope and established the fact that God surely helps those who
help themselves. He injected in them the desire for respectful life and love for freedom. He
enabled the Muslims to seek independence from this slavery. He also produced many leaders
through this movement who, helped the Muslim cause later in the War of Independence in
1857 and after it in the struggle for Muslim homeland in the sub-continent. It would be right to
say that Faraizi Movement of Haji Shariatullah was the forerunner of the Pakistan Movement.

some (a) part questions:

Note : Reward each correct statement with 1 mark. 2 marks can be awarded for a developed
statement

(1) Who was Haji Shariatullah?

Haji Shariatullah was a courageous reformer from Bengal. He was born in 1781 in
Faridpur district of East Bengal. He founded the Faraizi Movement to purify Islam from
superstitious beliefs and to save Muslim peasants from the exploitation of the British and Hindu
land lords. He began to persuade Muslims to fulfill the religious obligations, that means to pray
five times a day, observe fast and to follow the Prophet’s(pbuh) way of life through his Faraizi
Movement. He died in 1840, leaving his son Muhsin-ud-Din taking care of his movement.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 126

(2) What was Faraizi Movement? [N-2012 Q1 (A)]

‘Faraiz’ means religions duties. Faraizi Movement was a reform movement launched by
Haji Shariatullah and aimed at purification of Islam from the Hindu influences and superstitious
beliefs and to safeguard the Muslim peasantry of Bengal from the exploitation of British and
Hindu land lords. It continued after the death of Haji Shariatullah under the leadership of his
son and ended in 1860’s after the death of Muhsin-ud-Din. It saved Muslims from oppression
and let them live respectable lives. It paved the way for future struggle for an independent
homeland for Muslims in India.

(3) What were the achievements of Faraizi Movement?

Faraizi Movement urged the Muslims to fulfill all religious obligations and to refrain
from the practicing the superstitious beliefs because Muslims had forgotton true Islam. Muslim
peasantry became brave enough to face the British and Hindu elite with courage. FM revived
them spiritually, they repented from the past sins and decided to live righteous lives. It
produced leadership qualities in the Muslims and urged them to wage Jehad to get rid of
slavery.

(4) Who was Dhuddu Mian (Mohsin-ud-Din)?

Mohsin-ud-din alias Dhuddu mian was the son of Jahi Shariatullah who took over the
Faraizi Movement after the death of his father. Politically, he was much well organized than his
father was. He divided the area into circles and managed the movement on better lines. He
established his own court of law and decided according to Islamic Shariah.
He angered the British and Hindu land lords and they narrowed the circle
of life on him. At last he was arrested and jailed under so called allegations
where he died in 1862.

(5) Who was Titu Mir?

Titu mir was born in 1782 in Chandpur village in West Bengal. He was the follower of Syed
Ahmed Barelvi and brought religious and political reforms in West Bengal against the Hindu and

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 127

British land lords. He believed in militant struggle against the colonial rule of the British. He
was a Hafiz and well educated in Islamic disciplines. His followers were called “ Hajis” and he
Maulvis because he created a group from within his followers, known as Maulvis. He had
prepared a small army and used to fight with the British forces for the protection of the rights.
He was martyred in 1831 at the age of 49.

Some (b) part question:

(1) Why did Haji Shariat Ullah Launched the Faraizi Movement in Bengal?
(New Question) [7]
(2) Why was the Faraizi Movement important for Muslims?
(New Question) [7]

Marking Schemes
(1) Why did Haji Shariat Ullah Launched the Faraizi Movement in Bengal?
(New Question) [7]

LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1]

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LEVEL2 Identifies reasons [2-4]

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LEVEL3 Explains reasons [5-7]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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(2) Why was the Faraizi Movement important for Muslims?

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 128

(New Question) [7]

LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LEVEL2 Identifies reasons [2-4]

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LEVEL3 Explains reasons [5-7]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HINTS FOR PREPARING MARKING SCHEMES

(1) Why did Haji Shariat Ullah Launched the Faraizi Movement in Bengal? [7]

 Islam had been over powered by the dominating Hindu culture.

 Muslims were practicing superstitious beliefs
 Muslim peasantry was being exploited by the British & Hindu landlord.

(2) Why was the Faraizi Movement important for Muslims?

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 129

 Muslims became aware of true Islam and abandoned the Hindu culture.
 Their economic and social status also raised and they began to live with dignity and
pride.
 They learned how to organize for a common cause.

Complete suggested responses

(1) Why did Haji Shariat Ullah Launched the Faraizi Movement in Bengal? [7]

HINTS:
(i) Islam had been over powered by the dominating Hindu culture.
(ii) Muslims were practicing superstitious beliefs
(iii) Muslim peasantry was being exploited by the British & Hindu landlord.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
Haji Shariat Ullah was born in Faridpur district in Bengal in 1781. He launched Faraizi
Movement because it was the time when Hindu culture had prevailed in the area. Muslims
were also following the superstitious beliefs which had crept into then from Hindus. They were
foced to participate in the celebration of famous Hindu godess durga. A humiliating tax was
imposed on beards and Islam was in danger. He told the Muslims to fulfill the ‘Faraiz’ means
religious duties like five times prayer and 30 days mandatory fast to be observed. He urged
them to stop practicing superstitious beliefs and customs.
Another reason for starting the Faraizi Movement was to help Muslim peasantry for the
improvement of their economic & social status. Hindu land lords and the British indigo plainters
did not pay their due wages. They were living like slaves. They had also to pay taxes to the
British & Hindu landlords. Haji Shariat Ullah encouraged Muslims to refuse to pay such taxes
and use the Khas Mahal Land for earning their livelihood because land belonged to the Mughal
Empire and not to the Hindus & British land lords.

(2) Why was the Faraizi Movement important for Muslims? (New Question)[7]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 130

HINTS:
(i) Muslims became aware of true Islam and abandoned the Hindu culture.
(ii) Their economic, political and social status also raised and they began to live with
dignity and pride.
(iii) They learned how to organize politivally for a common cause and led to the
struggle for Pakistan.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
Faraizi Movement was very important for the Muslim of Bengal. It brought them out of
the slumber of ignorance and taught them pure Islam. They were no more ignorant of their
faith as they began to fulfill the ‘faraiz’. Now the muslim community was able to abandon the
Hindu culture because they had awareness and moral support. Haji Shariat Ullah gave then
courage to fight for their rights and to maintain their identity as Muslims. For this revivalist
service, Hindus & British became enomies of Haji Shariat Ullah but he faced with great courage
and determination. Their economic, political and social status raised in the area and they began
to live with dignity and pride. They got self confidence and love for freedom.
It was for another reason, very important Movement for Mulims that they were no more
victimized by the Hindu and the British landlords. Their humiliation stopped and they could live
with dignity and pride. Muslims were able to practice their religion freely and their economic
status also rose to their satisfaction. Therefore Faraizi Movement was important due to which
Islam was purified and Muslims were freed from the clutches of the British & Hindu oppressors.
It gave them a sense of political organization which paved the way for future struggle for
Pakistan.

Some (C) part questions on Haji Shariatullah:

(1) Which of the following was the most important in the spread of Islam during the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries?
(i) Shah Wali Ullah

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 131

(ii) Syed Ahmed Shaheed Barelvi
(iii) Haji Shariat Ullah
Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above. [14]
(2) Did Haji Shariat Ullah contribute more to the spread of Islam than anyone else in the
subcontinent before 1850? Explain your answer. (N2011/P1/2c) [14]

New Question
(3) “Faraizi Movement was the forerunner of Pakistan Movement”. Explain your answer
if you agree or disagree with this statement. (New Question) [14]

Marking Schemes

(1) Which of the following was the most important in the spread of Islam during the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries?
(i) Shah Wali Ullah
(ii) Syed Ahmed Shaheed Barelvi
(iii) Haji Shariat Ullah
Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above. [14]
LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement. [1–2]
Shah Wali Ullah was a great scholar

LEVEL 2: Description of Shah Wali Ullah and/or others [3–6]

Hajji Shariat Ullah established the Faraizi Movement. Shah Wali Ullah taught at the
Madrassa in Delhi, spent some time in Medina and wrote a number of books. Syed Ahmad
Barailvi was a follower of Shah Abdul Aziz and founded the Jihad Movement.

LEVEL 3: Explains the importance of the work of one person [7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains the importance of the work of 2 or more people. All 3 for max marks
[9-13]

Shah Wali Ullah felt that the Muslims faced many problems because of their ignorance about
Islam and the Holy Quran. He encouraged them to concentrate on Quranic teachings and
helped them by translating the Holy Quran into Persian which was the main language of the
Muslims at that time. His books were designed to spread the principles of Islam amongst the

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 132

Muslims. Syed Ahmad Shaheed Barailvi spread Islam through the Jihad Movement, which was
to become an armed struggle to liberate the Punjab and the NWF from Sikh rule largely
because Muslims were banned from prayer and had to undergo many humiliations, which
made it difficult to practise their religion. Hajji Shariat Ullah spread Islam through the Faraizi
Movement which insisted that Muslims should perform their faraiz (religious obligations). This
alarmed the Hindu landlords who were unhappy with the Muslim practices. A huge group of
followers grew which were called ‘Faraizis’.

LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

(2) Did Haji Shariat Ullah contribute more to the spread of Islam than anyone else in the
subcontinent before 1850? Explain your answer. (N2011/P1/2c) [14]

Marking Scheme: Explains 2 or more factors including HSU. Also produces a judgement or
evaluation.

HSU spread Islam through the Faraizi Movement which insisted that Muslims should perform
their faraiz (religious obligations). This alarmed the Hindu landlords who were unhappy with the
Muslim practices. A huge group of followers grew, who were called ‘Faraizis’. SWU felt that the
Muslims faced many problems because of their ignorance about Islam and the Holy Quran.
He encouraged them to concentrate on Quranic teachings and helped them by translating the
Holy Quran into Persian, which was the main language of the Muslims at that time. His books
were designed to spread the principles of Islam amongst the Muslims. SASB spread Islam
through the Jihad Movement, which was to become an armed struggle to liberate the Punjab
and the NWF from Sikh rule, largely because Muslims were banned from prayer and had to
undergo many humiliations, which made it difficult to practise their religion.

Skill development
Prepare the marking scheme yourself

(3) “Faraizi Movement was the forerunner of Pakistan Movement”. Explain your answer if
you agree or disagree with this statement. (New Question) [14]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement. [1–2]

LEVEL 2: Description of Shah Wali Ullah and/or others [3–6]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 133

LEVEL 4: Explains the importance of the work of 2 or more people. All 3 for max marks
[9–13]
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LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

Hints for preparing marking scheme

(i) Faraizi Movement awoke the Muslims of Bengal from the slumber of ignorance.
(ii) Faraizi Movement gave political awareness and sense of organization to the
Muslim. It also gave them courage and confidence.
(iii) Faraizi Movement set an example of courageous leadership for future Muslims.
HOME ASSIGNMENT
Write answer to Question No.3 according to the marking scheme
(3) “Faraizi Movement was the forerunner of Pakistan Movement”. Explain your answer if
you agree or disagree with this statement. (New Question) [14]
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GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 135

Faraizi Movement was launched by Haji Shariat Ullah in the beginning of Nineteenth century.
Muslim Ummah was facing the economic, social, political and religious decline in the whole of
the sub-continent in general and in Bengal in particular. True Islam was not seen anywhere,
Muslims were practicing un-Islamic & Superstitious beliefs which had come from a long
association with Hindus. There was no one who could guide them to the right path of Islam.
Muslims were living like slaves under the directives of the British and Hindu landlords. As a
majority peasantry class they were made to work on the fields of British and Hindu landlords
but could not demand their wages. So much so, they were forced to contribute to the Hindu
celebrations, particularly to Durga celebrations which was the famous godess of Hindus in
Bengal. Haji shariatullah believed that the poor condition of Muslims was due to deviation from
Islam. He started the Faraizi Movement in order to awake the Muslims and to purify Islam. He
told the Muslims to fulfill ‘Faraiz’ (religious obligations) only and not to indulge in any un-
Islamic custom of Hindus. No doubt, Muslims said yes to his call and refused to accept the
influence of Hindu culture.

Muslims began to realize their political weight. Faraizi Movement provided them with a
platform and an opportunity to organize them politically together so that they could live as a
separate and well integrated nation and not like a dispersed population. Faraizi Movement did
the job and Muslims took a sigh of relief. It restored their self respect and social status in the
society. They became organised politically and were able to live like others. Mohsin uddin alias
Duddu Mian rose to lead the movement after the death of his father, Haji shariatullah and
established his own courts of law where he used to decide the cases against Muslims. He
organized the Muslims even more effectively than his father and divided the area into many
small units for better coordination.
Although this unity andrenaissance of the Muslims alarmed the opposition forces and they
began to disturb Mohsinuddin. The British and Hindu land lords were afraid of his activities and
began to put false allegations on him. At last he died in 1862.
It was a good example of leadership for future Muslims and an eye opener for them as well. It
can be said that this movement was short lived due to strong opposition of the British and

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Hindus but it is true also that Muslims look a sigh of relief after the emergence of Haji Shariat
Ullah and his son
Muhsin-ud-din who took over Faraizi Movement after the death of his father in 1840. Mohsin-
ud-din known as Dhuddu Mian was more capable leader who had established his own court of
law and punished the offenders himself. Muslims were allowed to practice Islam freely and no
one now exploited them. Later in 1860s. Dhuddu Mian died and the movement ended but we
can say that this was a great movement and paved the way for future Pakistan Movement.
Therefore it can be rightly said that Faraizi Movement was the fore runner of the Pakistan
movement.

THE EAST INDIA COMPANY

OBJECTIVES OF STUDY:
 To know the reasons for its creation
 To know and understand the reasons for coming to India
 To know, understand and evaluate its rule, policies successes and failures

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What was the British East India Company?
 The East India Company was a trading company of England.
 It was formed in 1600 in England by the approval of Queen Elizabeth-I.
 It was given the charter to trade with the countries east of Africa under the
directives of the British Government.
 The EIC was also given the monopoly in trade for fifteen years.
 It landed at Surat in 1608 and got permission to trade in India in 1612.
 It moved their headquarters to Bombay in 1664 and gained power in the
18th century.
 Finally it captured the whole of the sub-continent by mid 19th century.

Why did the East India Company decide to come to the sub continent?
 Disappointment from the Indonesian side became the immediate reason
for their coming to india.The EIC could not settle in Indonesia because the
 Dutch had already captured the spice trade there. They decided to try their
luck in the sub continent.
 The immense wealth of India was another attracting factor for the British.
The vast riches of India included the costly spices, silk, hides, indigo, wool
and slaves etc. These valuable commodities could have earned them
unlimited profits.
 India’s adventures and romanticism was another attraction for the British.
Colorful climate, variety of seasons, sweat waters, mighty rivers, and snow
covered mountains, vast lands, beautiful and simple people were a new
experience for the Europeans.
 To expand their control to the warm water ports in the East in order to
protect their trade there was the desire of the British imperial regime.
 Spread of Christianity was a natural desire of the British. They believed that
all their blessings and fortunes were due to Christianity. They were
confident that they will be able to spread their faith easily among the
Indians. Indians being the dwellers of tropical and sub-tropical lands were
emotional, hot tempered, impulsive and poor, therefore, they were easy

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to be handled by the Europeans who were the inhabitants of the cool lands
with sharp and cool minds.

How did the British East India Company progress in India?

(Trade and Politics)

 The first ship of the EIC reached India in August 1608 at Surat under the
command of Captain Hawkins.
 They got permission to trade in 1612 from the court of Jahangir. Initially
they were refused, but later, Khurram, the future Shah Jahan granted them
permission.
 EIC started trade with full dedication and faced difficulties from the French
and the Portuguese but, things became under control when they chased
them out of India.
 They established their headquarters at Bombay in 1664 and founded the
town of Calcutta in 1690.
 In 1691, they were suspected by Aurangzeb of issuing their own coins and
avoiding taxes. So a fight broke out in which Aurangzeb defeated them. He
pardoned them after they apologized and paid a heavy fine.
 By 1740, the trade had flourished so well that 10% of the total revenue of
England was being generated from India. In 1751, the battle of Arcot was
fought and the French were made to leave India, leaving a vast empire for
the British.

Beginning of the British rule:

 In 1756, the British were reported to have been violating the terms of
trade agreement and the taxation laws for a long time, for which nawab
Siraj-ud-Daula punished them at the fort William, Calcutta. Some 43 British
were locked in a small airless prison cell and died of suffocation.

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Battle of Plassey (the revenge of the British):
 In 1757, Lord Robert Clive decided to take revenge of their defeat at
Calcutta. He lured Mir Jaffar, the right hand man of the nawab and won
him over. Mir Jaffar betrayed his master right at the battle field of Plassey,
Siraj-ud-Daula was defeated and got killed. His body was found in a stream
three days later. Robert Clive installed Mir Jaffar as the new nawab of
Bengal as a reward and kept getting from him endless favours .
 It was the first major victory for the British.
 The British had now become the king makers. They were able to install the
local ruler of their own choice on the throne of Bengal, who would depend
on their support or will be at their mercy.
 The Battle of Plassey gave them tremendous amount of confidence and
left vast riches of Bengal on their disposal.
 It was a successful experience of divide and rule formula.

The battle of Buxar in 1764

 It was another remarkable victory of the EIC against three local chiefs; Mir
Qasim, the son-in-law of Mir Jaffar, the nawab of Oudh and Shah Alam II,
the Mughal emperor. The EIC won this battle too and was able to get
favours in their trade from Bihar, Orissa and Oudh also.

Anarchy increased:
Anarchy prevailed in Bengal and Behar when the EIC became powerful and
its officer’s, filthy rich. They received personal gifts from the locals in kind
of lands and money. This greed and anarchy of the company embarrassed
the British government and they warned the company of good
governance in India by an Act of Parliament in 1773.
The British government takes over the EIC:
 The British government decided to take control of the affairs of the EIC in
their own hands in 1784 by another Act of Parliament, called ‘the India Act’
or sometimes called the Pitt’s Act. A Governor General was appointed as

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the Chief Executive of all three presidencies.Provincial governors, police
and the Civil Service was started.
 In 1782, Warren Hasting was made the first GG of India who signed a treaty
with the Marhattas.

End of Tipu Sultan of Mysor:

 Tipu sultan was son of Hyder Ali who was the ruler of the South Indian
state of Mysor. He was a military genius and rose to this position due to his
bravery and dedication from an ordinary soldier. He was a great statesman
and a bitterest enemy of the British. He fought many battles against the
British, Marhattas and the Nizams of Hyderabad Deccan together and
never lost even a single one. Fateh Ali alias Tipu Sultan was his ablest son
who succeeded him as the ruler of Mysor. Tipu was a brave man like his
father and a kind ruler for his subjects regardless of their religion. He was a
symbol of terror for the British and they were afraid of him so, they made
an alliance with Marhattas and the Nizams of Hyderabad (the Muslim
rulers) by bribing his chief minister, Mir Sadiq, who betrayed Tipu. He was
killed defending the fort of Serangapatam. He is a hero in the eyes of
Indians but a monster to the British.
 In 1799, Lord Cornwallis invaded Mysor by killing Tipu Sultan and paved the
way for entering Dehli.

The British entered Dehli; The Capital of The Mughal Dynasty:

 In 1803, the British dream of controlling India was just to come true. The
troops entered Dehli and took the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam, under their
protection.
 The British were almost in control of India but they could not declare it
openly lest the Indians should rise against them for throwing out their
beloved king.
 They were wise people; they decided not to depose the Mughal Emperor
but to improving the administration of India.

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 In 1829, suttee was banned and In 1831, another local comrade of Bengal,
Mir Nisar Ali, commonly known as Titu Mir, waged a war against the British
rule and defeated them in couple of encounters but, was killed fighting at
last, leaving Bengal to the British control.
 In 1834, the official language of India was replaced with English.
 Lord Macaulay launched an extensive education reform in India in 1834. It
was the beginning of producing the ‘Westernized Indians’ who would
support the British rule in India in future.
 In 1834, they spared a large amount of10,000 pounds for the education of
Indians.
 Now the British had entered the final phase of their strategy of invading
India. Only Punjab, NWFP and Sindh were the areas to be annexed.
 They adopted a constitutional way to snatch the Indian lands, called the
annexation or the land grabbing policy of the British. In 1852, Lord
Dalhousie introduced the ‘Doctrine of Lapse’. Under this policy the British
government would confiscate the lands and states of those rulers who
failed to have their natural heirs like Jhansi, Sitara and Nagpur states whose
rulers did not have their own sons.
 In 1854-6 the British government introduced the Railways and Telegraph
system in India. This development would benefit them in trade and
transportation of raw materials to the ports and finished goods from the
ports to main cities of India. It would establish them as a developed and
advance nation and would guarantee their authority over Indians. On the
other hand, it provided the employment opportunities to Indians as well as
a new and comfortable way of life was given to them.

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The Annexation program of the British started:

Annexation of Sindh, Punjab and NWFP in 1843 and1849:

The British were in control of the whole India except Sindh, Punjab and the NWFP.
These were the areas of great importance for them and they were now to get
hold of them as soon as possible.

Capture of Sindh
 The Russians had been casting their eyes on the Indian sub continent since
long and the British were afraid of their expansion into this region, so they
wanted to save these areas by taking their control in their own hands. For
this it was necessary to save Afghanistan first because it was the bordering
state between Russia and the British controlled India.
 They wanted Ranjit Singh to help them invading Afghanistan but he did
not want to involve in this battle because it had been agreed between the
two that Afghanistan will remain independent as a buffer state. The British
were too anxious to invade Afghanistan so they decided to act
independently and marched to Afghanistan in 1841. The Afghans killed the
whole British army, leaving only one soldier alive so that he would tell the
story to the rest.
 It was a humiliating defeat for the British. They wanted to restore their
prestige on one hand and the other; to establish their rule in India. So they
provoke the Ameers of Sindh to fight and captured Sindh.

Capture of Punjab and NWFP

 The Punjab and NWFP were also annexed in 1849 because Ranjit Singh
died in 1839 leaving behind his widow and two legal heirs. They were
expecting that the British might invade their areas as they had invaded
Sindh, so they attacked the British forces in advance and suffered defeat in
1846. They made another attempt in 1848-9 and were defeated again. That
was the end of the Sikh Rule in Punjab and NWFP.

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The Land Grabbing Policy
 Doctrine of Lapse in 1852 was a policy of the British to annex the rest of
the lands which they could not or did not invade by fighting like Hyderabad
Deccan, Jhansi and Oudh. Lord Dalhousie was the master mind and the
policy said if a local ruler failed to have a legal male heir, his lands would be
taken by the British. Oudh, Jhansi, Nagpur and Satara were the affected
states. Oudh was the last state to be annexed in 1856. This was a un
popular policy of the British and caused resentment.
 In 1857, the Greased Cartridges were introduced to the soldiers which
were reported to be coated in pig and cow fats. The Hindu and Muslim
sepoys refused to use the cartridges and were jailed and executed. At
meerut cantonment some Indian sepoys broke into the prison and killed all
white people at the cantt. This was how the war of independence started.
 In 1858, the British were able to control the situation well and captured the
whole India, establishing the British Raj.

The Time Line of the Events at a Glance

1600 the EIC was established in England

1608 the first ship of the EIC arrived in India

1612 got permission from the Mughal Court

1664 established headquarters at Bombay

1690 calcutta was established

1756 black hole tragedy at Fort William, Calcutta

1757 Battle of Plassey was fought

1764 Battle of Buxar was fought

1773 the Act of Parliament was passed to warn the EIC of good governance in
India

1784 Act of Parliament was passed to take control of the affairs of the EIC

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1799 battle of Srengapatam was fought and Tipu was killed

1803 the British entered Dehli

1818 the EIC defeated the Marhattas

1831 Titu Mir’s rebellion and death in Bengal

1834 Lord Macaulay replaced the Persian with English

1843 Sindh was annexed

1849 Punjab and NWFP (KPK) was annexed

1852 Doctrine of Lapse was issued

1856 Oudh was annexed

1857 War of Independence was fought

1858 India became the British Colony

Some (a) part questions

1. What was the EIC?

2. Describe the battle of Plassey.

3. Describe the battle of Buxar.

4. Who was Robert Clive?

5. What was the Black Hole Tragedy?

6. Describe the importance of Lord Clive to the British.

7. Describe the Battle of Sranga Patam.

8. What was the Doctrine of Laps?

9. What was the Pitts Act/ the East India Company Act?

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2. Describe the battle of Plassey.

The battle of Plassey was the first victory of the British against the nawab of
Bengal, Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula in 1757. The British took revenge in this battle
because the nawab punished them in 1756 for certain violations in the area. Lord
Robert Clive, the governor of the EIC won the favours of Mir Jaffar, the Chief
Minister of nawab Siraj-ud-Daula, who betrayed his master right at the battle field
and Clive won this battle. He made Mir Jafar, the Nawab of Bengal as per promise
and received many favours for the EIC. Nawab’s body was found in a river after
the battle. This battle was the first step to conquer India and paved the way for
future victories as well.

3. Describe the battle of Buxar.

Battle of Buxar was the second most important battle for the British. It was fought
in 1764 between the British EIC and the three local partners, Mir Qasim, the son-
in-law of Mir Jaffar, the nawab of Oudh and Shah Alam II, the Mughal Emperor.
The British stood victorious and got control of Bengal, Bihar, Orrissa and Oudh as
well. This battle proved even more fatal for the Mughals and far better for the
British. After this battle they became more powerful, confident and rich and were
able to defeat Tipu Sultan in 1799.

4. Who was Robert Clive?

Robert Clive was the governor of the British East India Company who paved the
way for British Rule in India. He was the most ambitious officer who fought the

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battle of Plassey against the nawab of Bengal in 1757 and won for his company,
vast benefits. He was charged for corruption in India, was declared innocent by
the English court of law but went into isolation. He committed suicide in 1774 in
England.

5. What was the Black Hole Tragedy?

It was an incident in which 43 British officials of the EIC were suffocated to death
at Fort William in Calcutta in 1756. Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula attacked the Fort
William to punish the British for violating the trade agreement as well as the
taxation laws of the state since long. There were 64 to 69 British captives whom
they put in a small prison cell there. They remained there overnight and the next
morning 43 was found dead. According to some British historians, the number of
the dead is 122 out of 143 which has no other evidence.

6. Describe the importance of Lord Clive to the British.

Lord Robert Clive was the governor of the EIC. He was a very ambitious and brave
officer. He was the first administrator of Bengal and the creator of the British rule
in India. He joined the British army as a soldier and rose to the rank of Major
General by his commitment. He was a hero of the famous battle of Plassey in
1757, which paved the way for another big victory at Buxar in 1764 and the fall of
Tipu Sultan in 1799. He was charged with corruption in India, felt insulted and
died at the age of 49 by committing suicide in 1774.

7. Describe the Battle of Srenga Patam.

It was fought in 1799 between Lord Cornwallis and Tipu Sultan at Srengapatam;
the capital city of Mysor. It is also known as the 4th Ansglo-Mysor War, The British
had the support of Marhattas and the Nizams of Hyderabad Deccan as well. It
was one of the most important battles for the British in India. Tipu Sultan was
perhaps the biggest hurdle in the way of British rule. The British won this battle
with the help of Mir Sadiq who betrayed Tipu, like Mir Jaffar betrayed his master
in Plassey. Tipu was killed fighting gallantly and the British were now free to have
control over India.

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8. What was the “Doctrine of Lapse”?

It was a land grabbing policy of the British. In 1852, Lord Dalhousei announced
this policy under which the British government would annex the lands of those
rulers who did not have their biological male heirs like the rulers of Oudh, Sitara,
Nagpur and Jhansi did not have their real sons, so the states went to the British
control. It was most important of all other land grabbing policies and caused
resentment and fear in India. This became one of the most important causes of
the War of Independence in 1857.

9. What was the Pitt’s Act/ the East India Company Act?

The East India Company Act is also known as the Pitt’s Act or the Parliament Act
of 1784. It came about because the previous acts to control the activities of the
East India Company had failed. The main objective of this act was to gain control
over all the possessions of the East India Company in India, to contain Russia, to
keep an eye on the neighboring lands like China and Central Asia and to save
their prestige. A board was formed to check the East India Company affairs then
the British Govt. assumed control of India in their own hands.

Some (b) part questions

1. Why did the British East India Company take interest to come to the
Indian Sub-continent in the beginning of the 17th century? [7]
2. Why was the Britain able to expand its control of the sub-continent in the
period 1750-1850? [7]
3. Why were the British able to control India by 1850? [7]
4. Why did the British government take control of the affairs of the EIC in
their own hands by 1784? [7]
5. Why did the British introduce Railways in India by 1850’s? [7]

Marking Schemes

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1. Why did the British East India Company take interest to come to the Indian Sub-
continent in the beginning of the 17th century? [7]
LEVEL 1:Simplistic statement [1]
They were interested in the country
LEVEL 2: Identifiesreasons [2–4]
To trade and extend their sphere of influence in the East
LEVEL 3:Explains reasons [5-7]
Traders reported evidence of immense wealth in the sub-Continent, which led to the EIC
establishing a trading base there since they saw a profitable future in the trade of spices,
cotton and silk. It also wanted to establish its influence in the sub-Continent and to oust the
Dutch and Portuguese, especially since the East Indies was already out of reach with the
Dutch in control of the Spice trade. The EIC also wanted to establish a strategic port in the
sub-continent that would protect its trading interests there and the warm waters were
especially attractive to all year trading.
2. Why was the Britain able to expand its control of the sub-continent in the period
1750-1850? [7]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

They were better fighters
LEVEL 2:Identifies reasons [2–4]
They captured rich lands and had a better army
LEVEL 3:Explains reasons [5–7]
The battles of Plassey and Buxar gave the British the vast riches of Bengal and favourable
trading rights with the local nawabs. This provided massive new resources which Britain could
use to consolidate its control. The British also introduced governor-generals into the provinces
who administered them on British lines and provided yet more control. The British army using
its vast local resources and superior weapons and skills were increasingly taking control of more
land.

3. Why were the British able to control India by 1850? [7]

LEVEL 1:Simplistic answer [1]

They were better.
LEVEL 2:Identifies reasons [2–4]
They built roads and railways and had a good army.
LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]
The British built a huge network of roads and later railways that meant that communication
and transport links between cities became better, soldiers could travel much more easily
from trouble spot to trouble spot. It also benefitted British trading links which in turn

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produced more wealth. The battles of Plassey and Buxar also gave the British the vast riches
of Bengal and favourable trading rights with the local nawabs. This provided massive new
resources which Britain could use to consolidate its control. The British also introduce
governor generals into the provinces who administered them on British lines and provided
yet more control. The British army using its vast local resources and superior weapons and
skills were increasingly taking control of more land.
4. Why did the British government take control of the affairs of the EIC in their own
hands by 1784? [7]

LEVEL 1: simplistic statement [1]

The British government could do better

LEVEL 2: identifies reasons [2-4]
The EIC officers were corrupt, the volume of trade had expanded much larger and Russians
were trying to expand their influence into sub continent.
LEVEL 3: explains reasons [5-7]
The British government decided to take control of the affairs of the EIC in their own hands
because the EIC was a trading company but the situation in India demanded better control
of the areas to carry out trade safely. The volume of trade had become so large that only
the company was not enough to handle such a large business. They were afraid of the
Russian interests in this region also. The Russians had the intentions to extend their
influence in the sub continent since long but now absence of the British government could
give them a chance to do so, therefore, the British government introduced an Act of
Parliament in 1784 declaring that the EIC would continue trading but won’t have the
administrative rights in India.

5. Why did the British introduce Railways in India by 1850’s? [7]

LEVEL 1: simplistic statement [1]

The introduction of railways in India was a dramatic change in Indian life.

LEVEL 2: identifies reasons [2-4]
The railways enabled the British to increase their trade, job opportunities for Indians and
paved the way for British rule in future.
LEVEL 3: explains reasons [5-7]
The British decided to introduce railways and telegraph systems in India because they
wanted to expand their control now. It would help in their trade as to transport the raw
materials from far off areas to the port cities and to carry valuable British goods from the
ports to major trade centers of India. It would establish them as the most advanced and

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capable nation who, for this reason, had the right to rule the backward people like Indians.
On the other hands, it would provide jobs to labour and skilled classes. It would be a
modern style of life for many and would confirm the British rule in India in near future.

Complete Suggested Responses

1. Why did the British East India Company take interest to come to the Indian Sub-
continent in the beginning of the 17th century? [7]

The EIC took interest to come to the sub-continent in the beginning of the 17th century because
they were disappointed from Indonesia. The Dutch were in control of the spice trade their and
would not let the British to settle their trade there. The Indian land attracted them due to its
vast riches like good amount of silk produced, vast agricultural lands producing raw materials
like cotton and indigo and the spices which were a well paying trading item in Europe. The ratio
of profit was almost 1:80.

Another reason was to extend their control in the East especially to the warm water ports of
the sub-continent which would help their trade in this region. They had heard a lot about the
beauty of India. Its colourful people, mighty rivers and variety of landscape. Apart from it, they
were hoping for a good slave trade also.

Spreading Christianity was also another prime objective which caused their arrival to India
because they believed that it was a better faith and all their blessings were due to Christianity.
So they brought with them the Christian missionary people who would teach Christianity to the
people by opening schools in India.

2. Why was the Britain able to expand its control of the sub-continent in the period
1750-1850? [7]

3. Why were the British able to control India by 1850?

The British were able to expand their control of the sub-continent during 100 years between
1750 and 1850 because they were better than the local rulers of India. They had excelled in
trade all over the world which had enabled them to deal with the people better than the local
Indians who were not exposed to the world much yet.

They were experts in “divide and rule “ tactics which they used in India and captured Bengal by
defeating nawab Sirajuddaula. Later they won the battle of Buxar which gave them control

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over Behar and Orissa. It gave them tremendous wealth and fame and they were able to
maintain an efficient army. Apart from a large army with superior discipline and weapons, they
were better planners of war and good fighters too. The Indians were no match with them due
to their traditional ways to fighting and old weapons.

They introduced new and amazing ways of life in India and established modern system of
administration on British lines. They began to spread their education system through
missionaries and a remarkable number of well off Indians got higher education from British
universities which benefitted them later when this westernized class favoured their rule in India
instead of that of the Mughals’.

4. Why did the British government take control of the affairs of the EIC in their own
hands by 1784? [7]

The British government decided to take control of the affairs of the EIC in their own hands in
1784 through an Act of Parliament, called the Pitt’s Act or the East India Company Act, because
the EIC officers were reported to have been corrupt and taking bribes and gifts from the locals
which was not according to the code of conduct they were bound to abide by. The British
government took it as an insult as if they were damaging their reputation and took control in
their own hands.

Another reason of doing so was the huge volume of trade at their disposal. The British
government realized that it was not wise to leave such a large and profitable trade on the
disposal of a trading company with such corrupt officials. They wanted to handle the affairs in a
better and systematic way as they appointed a Governor General and his cabinet to establish a
proper system like a government. In this way, the whole profit would go to the British Govt.

Yet another reason was the fear of Russian expansion in this region. Russians had been
interested to come to this area to try their luck also but British took lead and now were
prospering, so it would be a great blow to their trade and prestige both if the Russian could
manage to come. Therefore in order to contain Russia and keep an eye on the neighboring
lands like China and Afghanistan, they decided to take control, of the affairs of the EIC in their
own hands.

5. Why did the British introduce Railways in India by 1850’s? [7]

The British introduced railway and telegraph systems in India in 1850’s as to boast their trade in
the sub-continent. It was the evidence of their intentions that they were going to establish their
rule in India now. It was a wonderful step which would bring a revolutionary change in their
business and trade. It wou8ld connect the major cities of India which would enhance the
revenue for them. The transportation of raw materials from rural areas to the ports and of the

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finished goods, from the ports to major trade centres will be very easy and quick. It would also
establish their authority over millions of backward Indians who would benefit from these new
ways of life.

On the other hand, it was the introduction of a new and modern life style to the backward and
uneducated Indians. It would not only bring job opportunities for many skilled and unskilled
people, it would add a great comfort also to their lives. It would connect all major towns and
cities which would increase people to people contact and the process of urbanization in India.
Many would use it for health and education purposes also.

Some (c) part questions

Marking Schemes

1. Was the work of the Christian missionaries the most important reason why the
Indians opposed British attempts to westernize them between 1750 and 1850? Explain
your answer. ( J 2015] [10]

LEVEL 1:Simplistic statement [1–2]

They converted people.

LEVEL 2:Description/identification of reasons [3–4]

Christianity was taught in schools.
LEVEL 3:Explains the work of Christian missionaries OR other reasons

[5–7]

LEVEL 4:Explains the work of Christian missionaries AND other reasons

[6–9]
Christian missionaries came to India to convert the local population as well as to set up schools.
In these schools the missionaries taught Christianity and expected local religions to be given up
which was resented by Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs alike.

However, there were other reasons why the Indians opposed the British attempts to
westernize them. The replacement of Persian and Sanskrit by English as the official language in
the 1830s deeply upset both the Muslims and Hindus. This had the potential to threaten their
languages.

A number of social reforms had been imposed by the British without consultation or care for
local feeling which caused much unrest. Indians had to send their children to co-educational

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 153

schools which was hated since it appeared to impose the British system on the Indians without
due regard to their religious and cultural feelings. Thomas Macaulay believed that European
ideas of education were vastly superior to anything coming out of India and, as a result, the
British imposed a system of education that promoted western values on a people who resented
this interference. They were also forced to abandon purdha which had been an Indian custom
for centuries. In 1795 the killing of baby daughters was declared to be murder, but the British
found difficulty in enforcing this as it was again a tradition practised in many parts of India.
Suttee, the ritual burning of Indian women on the funeral pyres of their husbands was also
banned by the British, first in Bengal and then in the rest of the country. Although the British
had been reluctant to get involved in banning this practice, there was little opposition to the
outlawing of it.
LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgment or evaluation [10]

2. How successful was Indian resistance to British attempts to take control of lands in the
sub-continent between 1750 and 1850? Explain your answer.
[14]

LEVEL 1:Simplistic statement. [1–2]

The British imposed their will on the sub-continent.

LEVEL 2:Description of annexation [3–6]

Outlines the events in Bengal, the Punjab, NWFP and Sindhi.

LEVEL 3: Explains successes OR failures[7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains successes AND failures[9–13]

Successes: power of local Nawabs, early successes of Tipu Sultan, Ranjit Singh Failures:
strength of British army eventual failure of Tipu Sultan and Ranjit Singh conquests of British
against weaker opposition

LEVEL 5:As Level 4 – also produces a judgment or evaluation[14]

Q.3: The Indian resistance to British attempts to take control of lands in the sub-continent
in the hundred years before 1850 was totally unsuccessful.’ Do you agree? Give reasons for
your answer. (J2008/P1/2c) [14]

Marking Scheme: Explains successes AND failures. Also produces a judgement or evaluation.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 154

Note: 1. the question requires the answer giving argument as to how successful was the Indian
resistance.
2. Consider the dates carefully. Give events/ attempts of Indians between 1750 and 1850 i.e.
one hundred years; not before 1750 and not after 1850.

Successes:
Power of local Nawabs e.g. Nawab Sirajuddaula of Bengal and Mir Qasim etc.
Early successes of Tipu Sultan; victories against the British in the First and Second Anglo Mysore
Wars
Ranjit Singh

Failures:
Strength of British army
Eventual failure of Tipu Sultan and Ranjit Singh
Conquests of British against weaker opposition

Q.4: How successful were the British attempts to take control of lands in the
sub-continent between 1750 and 1856? [14]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement.(1–2)

The British imposed their will on the sub-continent.

LEVEL 2: Description of British conquests. (3–6)

Outlines the events in Bengal, the Punjab, NWFP and Sindh.

LEVEL 3: Explains successes OR Failures (7–10)

LEVEL 4: Explains both: (9–13)

Successes
Strength of British Army.
Eventual failure of Tipu Sultan and Ranjit Singh.
Identifies successful conquests of British against weaker opposition.
Annexation of Oudh under the Doctrine of Lapse.

Failures
Power of local Nawabs.
Early successes of Tipu Sultan.
Ranjit Singh.
Afghanistan campaign. (9–13)

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 155

LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. (14)

MODEL ANSWER TO QUESTION NO 1

1. Was the work of the Christian missionaries the most important reason why the
Indians opposed British attempts to westernize them between 1750 and 1850? Explain
your answer. ( J 2015] [10]

The Christian missionaries came to India along the British EIC in order to spread Chistianity, the
western education system and English language. They began to convert Indians into Christianity
by giving them benefits or threats. The local Hindu, Muslim and Sikhs resented these
missionaries equally because they did not want anyone to interfere into their religion. These
missionaries opened schools in India where they taught Christianity. Many locals did not send
their children to these schools lest they should be converted into Christianity.

In 1834, when the British government replace Persian with English. Lord Machauley introduced
a new education policy and opened a number of schools in India. He wanted to create a class
from amongst the locals which would be Indian only in complexion, their taste and way of
thinking would be British. So it was a common belief of the Indians that the British wanted to
anglicize them. Another reason to resent this reform was the co-education system. The
Muslims, Hindu and Sikhs hated this system and considered it opposite to their values and
culture.

However, the British imposed a number of social reforms without consulting the Indians. For
example, Indians were advised to send their children to co- educational schools. It was against
the local culture and religions. Purda (veil ) was abandoned which was another attack on the
local culture and religion. In 1795, the killing of baby daughters was made illegal and a criminal
act and in 1829, suttee was banned which was another custom of rich Hindus. They used to
burn the widows on the funeral pyres of their husbands in order to show that they were loyal to
their husbands. It was such a cruel custom, and in human also. The British did not want to
interfere in the local custom perhaps but they did it for certain reasons. Whatever the reasons
may have been, the Indians opposed these attempts considering them against their culture and
religion.

In my opinion, social reasons were more important because they affected masses rather than
imparting western education. Indians were such a people who could not tolerate any
interference in their culture and religion both.

Source Questions

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SOURCE A
Nawab Siraj-ud-Duala opposed the growing British power in Bengal in 1757. Robert Clive,
commander of the British East India Company’s troops that had just retaken Calcutta from the
Nawab, began to re-establish control of Bengal. Clive was heavily outnumbered by the Nawab’s
forces, but persuaded Mir Jafar, the Nawab’s commander, to switch sides and not fight when the two
armies met. The Nawab opened the battle with heavy gunfire which went on until it started to rain
heavily. Clive’s troops covered their cannon and muskets to protect them from the rain, whilst the
Nawab’s troops did not. When the rain cleared, Clive attacked. The Nawab’s troops retreated. 22 of
Clive’s soldiers were killed and 500 of the Nawab’s soldiers were killed.

From Seven Years’ War: Battle of Plassey by Kennedy Hickman

(a) AccordingtoSourceA,whatreasonsare suggestedforthe Britishvictoryatthe
battleofPlasseyin1757? ( J2015) [3]

Reward eachcorrect statementidentifiedfromsourcewith1mark,uptoamaximum of3.

 ClivepersuadedMirJafar toswitchsides
 Nawab’s ope
 -inggunfirewasineffective
 TheNawab didn’tcovertheircannonandmusketswhenitrained
 Englishsoldiersknewhowtoprepareforbattleintherainbetter
 Nawab’s musketswereuselessduetothewetpowder
 MirJafar’s men unwillingtofightagainsttheBritish
 Jafar hadturned traitor/beencorruptedbytheBritish
 Nawab had500casualtiestoClive’s22
 TheNawab’s troopsretreated.

SOURCE B

The British East India Company

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A painting of a British official of the British East India Company riding in an Indian procession
in 1825.

(b) What doesSourceBtellusaboutthe BritishEastIndia Companyin1825?(June 2015)

[5]

LEVEL1:Identifysurfacefeaturesfromthesource[1]

ABritishofficerisridingahorsesurroundedbyIndians.

LEVEL2:Unsupportedinferences[2–3]

TheBritishofficerlooksimportant, theBritishlookpowerful.

LEVEL3:Inference(s)supportedbydetailfromthesourceand/or contextualknowledge
[4–5]

Thepainter hasmadetheBritishofficerthelargestfiguretodemonstrate theimportancethat

theyheldinIndia.SimilarlytheIndians areshown assmallpeople toreflecttheirlowly status.
Localrulersareonhorseback behind theBritishofficial.Theyareshown assmaller,
reflecting theirlowerstatustotheBritish.
Thehorsesareshown aslarge animals,graceful inappearanceandmovement, again
showing superiority andpower. Thisisreinforcedbysoldiersonhorseswhowerecarrying
weapons.
TheEast IndiaCompany isshown asbeingawealthyorganisationasseenintheuniforms
andthedecorations onthehorses.TheCompanywereabletoachievethiswealththrough
trading ascanbeseenbytheboat shown inthepictureandthrough thegainingoflands through
conquestandagreementswithlocalrulers. Thisisshown bytheweaponsdisplayed
andthewealthyappearanceoftheIndians thattheBritishwerealso abletoexploit

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 158

THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE 1857
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY:
 You are required to have complete knowledge, understanding and evaluation of the
causes of the Indian Revolt.
 Reasons for its failure and its impacts on the Indians in general and the Muslims in
particular.
 You also must have to have understanding of the constitutional reforms which
followed.

The war of independence was the most serious challenge to the British Rule
since their arrival in India. It happened to be in May 1857, when the local
soldiers broke into the prison at Meerut cantonment to free their fellow sepoys
who had refused to use the greased cartridges and were in the jail as a
punishment. The British call it ‘Mutiny, Revolt or Uprising’ and the Indians call it
the ‘War of Independence’ because the British were the foreigners who wanted
to capture their homeland. This war ended in August 1858. The British won and
the Mughal Empire ended. Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal king was
arrested and sent to “Rangoon Fort” in Burma (Myanmar). His sons were blown
up by the cannons and he died in 1862. War started due to many reasons and
failed also due to many. Read the following to know all.

THE CAUSES OF THE INDIAN REVOLT

Following are the major causes of the Indian Revolt:

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Political causes:
 Doctrine of Lapse- The EIC was trying to capture the states of
Jhansi, Oudh, Tanjore and Sitara so they introduced the land
grabbing potlicies like ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ and many othersby
which Indian lands could be taken by the Company in case of no
male heir to the throne of the state or mismanagement of the
land was reported etc. This provoked Nana Sahib, the adopted
son of the Marhatta Peshwa and Rani of Jhansi to fight against the
British.
 Mistreatment of the Mughal King- The British declared that the
royal family had to move out of the Red Fort and the successors of
the last emperor were not allowed to use the title of emperor any
more. This angered many in India who felt it was the insult to
their kings and joined the rebel forces when revolt started.
 Change of Language- the British replaced the official language of
India with English which caused political, social and cultural
concern and people began to suspect the intentions of the British
in future.
 Underrepresentation of Indians- Indians were under-represented
in all political affairs including opportunities of jobs and business
and were not satisfied with the British policies.

Economic Causes:
 No or Low ranking jobs- the British did not trust Indians very
much, neither considered them fit for high level jobs due to being
uneducated. They were kept at lower positions like peons and the
messengers. They were also given low wages as compare to the
British employees.
 High taxes- the British imposed heavy taxes on Indians which they
could not pay. Some taxes were imposed on the uncultivated
lands also which became unbearable for poor Indians. The
defaulters were punished and disgraced often.

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 Destruction of Local industry- the factory made superior British
goods flowed into the local markets and the local goods could not
compete with the imported ones. The British goods were of better
quality and cheaper as well due to the economy of scale. As a
result, the local goods could not be sold in the Indian markets.
Industry suffered and the local artisans became jobless. Poverty
and frustration began to prevail in the lower classes of society.
 Monopoly in Trade- British had full control on the trade because
they didn’t have to pay import duties. Ports were free for them
and the Indian markets were flooded with imported goods. Local
goods were produced manually so, were expensive and of low
quality.

Religious and Social Causes:

 Religious-Christian Missionaries were spreading their faith in
India with full support of the British government. Indians believed
that their faith was in danger as many were being lured, bribed or
forced to convert into Christians. The common Indian and the
sepoys in the British army were worried about this.
 Banning Suttee- the British disrespected the Indian religion and
culture, they put ban on Suttee, a Hindu custom which angered
the Hindu community. Though it was a cruel and inhuman
custom, yet it was in practice since centuries in India and the
British had to have respect for local culture.
 Co-education and banning veil upset the Muslim community.
 Social causes- the British had no respect for Indian culture which
annoyed those who were concerned, for example some buildings
had sign boards which read, “Dogs and Indians are not allowed”.
 Change of language was also an objectionable move of the British
which created suspicion about the British designs in India.

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Greased Cartridges/Immediate cause:
The British introduced a new rifle in January 1857, using gun powder packed in
paper cartridges. It was greased from inside with cow and pig fats to keep the
powder dry and safe from the damp. It had to be bitten with teeth before use,
so the Indian soldiers were upset on the use of fats of these two animals
because cow was a sacred animal for Hindus and pig was abhorrent to
Muslims. In March, 1857,Mangal Panday, a Hindu sepoy was court-martialled
for defying his British officers and was executed at Barrakpur, Calcutta. Two
months later, some sepoys broke into a prison at the Meerut cantonment to
release their fellow men. They sacked the whole camp and killed all Europeans
present in the cantonment area. After this the revolt started in other areas
too.

Describe the events of the war of independence

January 1857: the British introduced a new cartridge containing gunpowder

which was greased from inside with the cow and pig fat.

March, April at Barrakpur , Kolkata: March 18 57, Mangal Pandey defied his
officers and was hanged to death as a punishment .

8 April, 1857, Mngal Pandey was executed at Barrakpur, Kolkata.

6 May at Meerut: 85 Indian soldiers out of 90, refused to use the cartridges
and were court-martialled and jailed for 10 years. Their uniforms were
stripped off their bodies in front of civilian crowd. It sent a wave of annoyance
to all who were present or knew it later.

May 10, the Native sepoys sacked the Meerut cantonment and freed their
fellow sepoys from the prison. They killed few British officers and civilians. The
war started.

11May, at Dehli, the mutineers reached Dehli and captured it. Bahdur Shah
Zafar was proclaimed the Emperor of India and became the symbol of unity. By
September, the English forces re-captured Dehli, arrested the Mughal

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Emperor, killed his sons in front of him and sent him to the fort of Rangoon(
present day Yangoon), where he died in 1862.

June-December, 1857 at Kanpur: Nana Sahib defended the town of Kanpur till
December, but could not match the might and resources of the British. He lost
the battle and the British captured Kanpur.

March 1858 Lucknow captured: the British captured Lukcknow by fighting

with the locals in March.

June 1858 at Jhansi:Rani of Jhansi, Lukshmi Bai fought with Great Spirit from
March till June along with Tatya Topi but their velour could not match the
superior discipline and resources of the British and lost to them by 18 June.

Main areas of the war

Meerut , Dehli, Kanpur , Luknow , Allahabad and Jhansi were the main areas of
the war. Meerut and Dehli were captured by the sepoys, Kanpur, Jhansi and
Gawaliar were saved by Rani of Jhansi and Tantya Topi and Wajid Ali Shah
resisted in Luknow. The rest of India was calm and quiet.

Why did the War of Independence fail?

Weaknesses of the Mughals

i- Mughal king was already under the protection of the British so

could not oppose them openly
ii- The Mughal army was not fully trained, disciplined and well
equipped
iii- True freedom fighters were lesser in numbers, majority of the
people were opportunists, fulfilling their vested interests,
looting and plundering
iv- Local rulers were not interested to restore the Mughal Empire,
only few fought but could not resist for long, some were killed

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like Rani of Jhansi and some ran for life like Nana Sahib and
Tantya Topi.
v- Lack of support to Bakht Khan from Mughal family, who was
leading the rebel forces
vi- Mughals had no naval force and no contacts with the outer
world to seek diplomatic and military help.
vii- Many educated people were not in favour of this uprising like
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and wanted the British to continue ruling
India for an indefinite time.

Strengths of the British

i- British were resourceful and more focused. They had full

control over the revenue of India
ii- They had disciplined army, superior weapons and single
objective
iii- They had superior military leadership, perfect planning and
abundance of resources like transportation and ammunition
supplies
iv- They had already won the support of many local rulers who
were either neutral or in their favour, e.g. Punjab remained
aloof from the whole venture and Kashmir sent 2000 troops to
help them.
v- They had strong navy that had surrounded the whole Indian
coastal line.
vi- They had better diplomatic skills to win support of the local
rulers or to make them stay neutral.
Consequences of the War of Independence

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After the war was over, the British began to punish all those who they thought
were involved in the war. Many were executed and transported to unknown
places for further investigations.

For mutineers in general, of course the consequences were horrible. The British
government wanted to clean up India of all those who were part of the revolt in
one way or the other. They arrested all the suspects; Hindus and Muslims and
hanged them at different places. Many were transported to unknown places for
further investigations.

For Muslims, the British were harsh and hostile.

Muslims were the main target of British whose crime was to be Muslims because
they believed that Muslims, who had been ruling India for the last 1000 years,
were the prime suspects of the war, so took harsh measures to deal with them.

 They were thrown out of good posts, disarmed and degraded and their
political and social status was also damaged.
 Their children were disallowed to get good education and they were also
denied religious freedom.
 They were disarmed and reduced to poverty so that they could not think of
revolting against the British in future.
 Their economic, social and cultural downfall was the primary objective of
the British
 They supported Hindus against the Muslims knowing their natural
differences against each other.
 Therefore, Muslims were living at the mercy of the British and the Hindus.

For Hindus, the British had a soft corner

 They favoured the Hindus by giving them jobs and good education in India.
 Hindus were more trustworthy people than Muslims.
 It was not surprising that the British were good with them because the
Hindus also welcomed them as their new masters along with their culture.

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 The British wanted to please them in order to keep the Muslims under
threat. It worked well for the British rule till the beginning of the Twentieth
century.

The wave of nationalism began to take shape

Despite the fact that the British favoured Hindus in all walks of life against the
Muslims, they did not feel very happy with the British way of ruling. A wave of
nationalism began to rise in both the Hindus and Muslims. First they remained
loyal to the British but later realized that the British had enslaved them for their
benefits. By the end of 19th century, a radical group began to demand that the
British should leave India. This was quite worrying for the British and they decided
to support Muslims to counter the Hindu extremists. Therefore, in the beginning
of 20th century, Muslims formed their own political association and the struggle
for Independence started. Finally Pakistan and India came into being as two
separate states in the sub-continent.

 The INC was the first political association of the Indians, established in
1885, 28years after the War of Independence.
 The AIML was the political party of the Muslims, established in 1906, after
49 years of British and Hindu oppression.
 The Indians learnt new ways of life, the old monarchies were forgotten and
democratic system of government was being introduced in India.
 The Hindu Muslim unity was achieved and perished a number of times,
testing the possibility of living together as one nation which gave way to
the Two-Nation Theory.
 Political struggle started which ended at the independence in 1947.
 The Muslims got rid of the British as well as the Hindus and Pakistan
emerged as the largest Muslim state in the world.
 It was, no doubt, a blessing for the Mluslims of India.
(a) PART QUESTIONS:

Q.1: What was the war of Independence 1857?

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The last and powerful, yet an untimely and unplanned attempt of all
Indians to get rid of the British hegemony is known as the war of Independence
1857. The British call it Indian Revolt and the Indians, the freedom struggle. This
war started from Meerut cantonment in May 1857, when Indian soldiers broke
into the prison to release their fellow seepoys from the jail who had been
punished for refusing to use the greased cartridges. First, the Indians took control
of some areas but soon the British re captured them. At the end, the British Raj
was established in India in August 1858.

Q.2: What was the importance of the war of Independence 1857?

It was important for Indians and the British both. The British realized their
strengths and the Indians their weaknesses. It enabled the British to take effective
measures to consolidate their rule in India and the Indians began to look forward
to learn modern knowledge and English language as a respectable means of
survival under the British Raj. New ways of life opened to them and development
began to take place. The freedom struggle began and the Indians learnt modern
ways of politics from the British which enabled them to achieve independence in
1947.

Q.3: Describe the issue of Greased Cartridges.

In January 1857 the British introduced the Greased Cartridges for a new
riffle. These Cartridges contained gun powder & were coated from inside with the
cow and pig fats. Cow and the Pig were both special ones for Indians. Pig is
considered as the dirtiest of all the animals and Islam does not approve of
Muslims to use its meat, blood, or even its rearing or trading is not allowed in
Islam where as cow is the sacred animal for Hindus. They worship and consider it

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 167

as their mother. It hurt their sentiments and they refused to use the cartridges.
They were jailed and executed. It was how this issue became the immediate
cause of the War of Independence.

Q.4: What was the importance of the ‘Greased Cartridges’ issue?

This issue became the immediate cause of the war, because the Hindu and
Muslim sepoys refused to obey the orders of their British officers to use these
cartridges. Due to this issue many Indian sepoys were jailed and executed. British
Army was divided and the mutiny broke out at Meerut when angry Indian soldiers
attacked on the jail to release their fellow soldiers. It became the immediate
cause of the War of Independence 1857.

Q.5: Who was Mangal Pandey?

Mangal Panday was a Hindu sepoy. When he came to know that “greased
cartridges” were actually coated in cow and pig fats, he refused to use them and
defied his officers. He was Court Martialled and then executed on 8th April 1857 at
Barrakpur, Calcutta, but he set an example for others to disobey the wrong and
insulting orders of the British officers and paved the way for the War of
Independence 1857.

Q.6: Who was Rani of Jhansi?

She was one of the bravest leaders of the war of Independence. Her real
name was Luxmibai and she was the female ruler (Rani) of the state of ‘Jhansi’.
When the Revolt started at Meeruth, she preferred to fight for the defense rather
than surrender to the British. She was a fierce fighter at the battle field. She

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captured Gawaliar from the British but died fighting with the British Army dressed
up as a man.

Q.7: Who was Lord Dalhousie?

Lord Dalhousie was the Governor General of India between 1848 and 1856. He
was an ambitious leader and a good administrator who made policies to gain for
the British, as much lands of India as possible. He annexed the provinces of Sindh,
Punjab and Oudh in 1843, 1849 and 1856 respectively. He took the decision to
oust the Royal family from the Red fort of Delhi. He was the creator of the
‘Doctrine of Lapse’ His policies annoyed the Indians because he deprived them of
their basic human rights in their own homeland. He was the master mind of the
‘land grabbing’ policy of the British.
Q.8: Describe the Doctrine of Lapse?
Lord Dalhousie issued Doctrine of Lapse in 1852 along with other schemes for
‘grabbing Indian lands’. Doctrine of Lapse was a British policy under which the
British would capture those states whose rulers or Raja’s failed to produce their
own male heirs. This policy was not against the local rulers only; it was an open
violation of the human rights also. It became one of the major reasons for the
War of Independence. Sitara, Jhansi, Nagpur and Oudh were of the main affected
states whose rulers were deprived of their properties under this policy.
Q.9: Describe how war of Independence started in 1857.
The local soldiers were deeply hurt by the introduction of the greased cartridges
and refused to use them. The sepoys were court martialled, maltreated and were
given death sentences and long prisons. On 2nd of May 1857, their fellow sepoys
attacked the jail at Meerut cantonment and freed the imprisoned soldiers. They
killed all English officers, soldiers and families present at the garrison. It was the

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beginning of the War of Independence. They then marched towards Dehli and
captured other areas on the way. Some local rulers supported the rebels and the
Revolt started.
Q.10: What happened at the battle of Kanpur? (J2011/P1/2a) [4]

Marking Scheme: Candidates might refer to:

Troops joined revolt, killed their ofﬁcers, led by Nana Sahib, British held out for 3 weeks, then
surrendered, soldiers and 300 women and children slaughtered, remainder kept as prisoners,
reinforcements arrived and prisoners killed, British carried out acts of revenge, Sahib escaped.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 170

Marking Schemes of some (b) part questions
(1) Explain three reasons for the war of Independence in 1857.
[June 2000 Q1(b)] [7]
LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1-2]
The Indians wanted independence from the British
LEVEL 2 Identifies reasons [2-4]
Doctrine of Lapse was the main reason, social reasons were also there
LEVEL 3 Explains reasons [5-7]
The British wanted to grab Indian lands through different policies. Doctrine of Lapse
became the most horrible. The rulers of Oudh, Nagpur and Jhansi lost their states due to not
having their natural male heirs, under this policy. The British thought they were superior to the
Indians and looked down upon them. They were paid low salaries as compared to the English
soldiers and no high posts were given to Indians. Greased cartridges became the immediate
cause of the war when local sepoys were ordered to use the cartridges coated in Cow and Pig
fats.
(2) Why did the war of Independence of 1857 fail?
[June 2002 Q2 (b), N 2007 Q2(b), N 2009 Q.1(b)] [7]
LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1-2] The
Indians were weaker than the British
LEVEL 2 Identifies reasons [2-4]
Indians were disunited and lacked coordination
LEVEL 3 Explains reasons [5-7]
The local forces were not that trained and well equipped. The British army was better equipped
with modern weapons and was superbly disciplined. Mughal army had lost its confidence and
comprised of some opportunists who were exploiting Bahadur Shah Zafar for their personal
interests. Weak military leadership and absence of common goal caused failure. British had
abundance of resources and a strong Navy which Mughals could not even think of having.
(3) Why did the Indians not achieve independence in 1857? [7]
(N2011/P1/2b)

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 171

LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1-2]
The Indians were weaker than the British
LEVEL 2 Identifies reasons [2-4]
Indians were disunited and many areas did not participate in the war
LEVEL 3 Explains reasons [5-7]
There was no unity in the freedom fighting forces because their goal
was not clear. Many areas did not support the freedom fighters, like Punjab
remained disinterested and Kashmir sent 2000 troops to help the British
against the local forces. British had superbly disciplined soldiers and modern
weapons as well that Indians could not match.

Prepare Marking Schemes of some new questions

Q.4: Why did the British take tough measures against the Muslims after the war of
Independence? [7]

LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1]

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LEVEL2 Identifies reasons [2-4]

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LEVEL3 Explains reasons [5-7]

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GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 172

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Q.5: Why was the War of Independence of 1857 a blessing for Muslims of the sub-
continent? [7]

LEVEL1 Simplistic statement [1]

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LEVEL2 Identifies reasons [2-4]

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LEVEL3 Explains reasons [5-7]

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HINTS FOR PREPARING MARKING SCHEMES

Q.4: Why did the British take tough measures against the Muslims after the war of
Independence? [7]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 173

i- The British were afraid of them and wanted to crush them politically and
economically
ii- To teach them a lesson and show others as well
iii- To please the Hindus in order to gain their support for their rule

Q.5: Why was the War of Independence of 1857 a blessing for Muslims of the sub-
continent? [7]

(i) Muslims began to unite and a sense of nationalism developed in them, they
realized their weaknesses and learned to overcome them.
(ii) Political awareness and struggle for freedom began, resulting in the creation of
Muslim homeland.

HOME ASSIGNMENTS FOR PRACTICE

Answer the given questions according to the marking schemes
(1) Explain three reasons for the war of Independence in 1857. [June 2000 Q1(b)]
[7]
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GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 174

(2) Why did the war of Independence of 1857 fail?

[June 2002 Q2 (b), N 2007 Q2(b), N 2009 Q.1(b)] [7]
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Complete suggested answers

Q.1: Explain three reasons for the war of Independence in 1857.

[J 2000 Q1 (b)] [7]

HINTS:

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 175

(i) Social reasons, Indians were considered as an inferior race by the British and
they were converting them into Christians.
(ii) Land grabbing and annexation program annoyed the local rulers and land
lords.
(iii) Greased Cartridges issue triggered the uprising at Meerut.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
The war of Independence started because the Indians were deeply hurt by
the British attitude that they considered them as inferior as dogs. Indians were
not allowed in many buildings under the British use but to add more insult some
contained the instructions which read “dogs and Indians are not allowed”. They
considered themselves as a superior race that had the right to rule the locals. The
British enjoyed the immunity in India from being charged by the court of law
against certain crimes if they were committed against Indians, even murder.

Lord Dalhousie took charge of India as Governor General in 1848 and began
to grab Indian Lands under various schemes. ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ was the most
important of all under which local kingdoms had to be annexed by the British if
their rulers did not have their own male heirs. Apart from this, important
provinces like Sindh, Punjab and Oudh were also annexed by the British in 1843,
1849 and 1856 respectively which angered large number of Indians and they
supported the revolt in1857. Greased Cartridges issue was the most important
and the immediate reason for the war. The British introduced a new riffle. For this
the gunpowder was packed in a cartridge which was coated from inside in the
Cow and Pig fats. When the local soldiers came to know that cow & Pig fats were
used in them, they refused to use them. They were court martialled and were
sentenced to long imprisonments and executions which finally caused the war.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 176

Q.2: Why did the war of Independence of 1857 fail?
[J 2002 Q2 (b), N 2007 Q2 (b), N 2009 Q1 (b)] [7]
HINTS:
(i) Disunity and lack of coordination in the freedom fighters.
(ii) Lack of planning, funds and absence of common goal.
(iii) Better discipline and equipment of the British and support from some local
rulers.

SUGGESTED ANSWERS:
The war of Independence failed on account of various reasons. Most important
was disunity and lack of coordination in the commanders of the liberation army.
Since whole India was not at war with the British, only Delhi Meerut Gawaliar,
Ahmadabad and Lucknow with surrounding areas were involved. Proper
coordination and timings were not observed which caused failure. Another
reason for the failure was the lack of planning and resources, weak leadership of
the last Mughal Emperor and acute shortage of resources caused great problems
for the rebels. There was no common goal for which the Indians were fighting;
many people joined the revolt for their personal interests. Looting, plundering
and quenching the thirst of their personal rivalries were also seen as evidence to
the fact that Indians were not fighting for the freedom from the British, there
were other objectives also.
Superior discipline of the British army and modern weapons were also
remarkable facts. The Indians were using their traditional weapons and were not
the trained soldiers. They had joined out of their emotions or other interests.
Many local rules sided with the British like Kashmir sent 2000 troops to help the

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 177

British and Punjab was not involved in the war. These all facts put the British in
better position and the war of Independence failed to achieve its objectives.
Q.3: Why did the Indians not achieve independence in 1857? [7]
(N2011/P1/2b)
The Indians could not achieve independence in 1857 because they were weaker than the
British. The British had superior army which was well disciplined, well trained and well
equipped with modern weapons. The local rebel forces comprised of some opportunist
elements and some sepoys who had rebelled against the British army due to greased cartridge
issue. Their goals were not common but they were fighting for their vested interests. Some had
joined the freedom army for looting and plundering and the others to quench the thurst of
their old rivalries. Punjab were disinterested in this war and Kashmir sent 2000 troops to help
the British army.
There was lack of military leadership and coordination in the local army because the royal
family had no consensus on this war, secondly the princes were afraid that in case of victory,
who will take the throne and/Or what will happen if lost. Therefore, old Bahadur Shah was not
able to command the freedom fighters effectively.
NEW QUESTIONS

Q.4: Why did the British take tough measures against the Muslims after the war of
Independence? [7]

HINTS:
(i) They suspected the Muslims most for the uprising so they wanted to crush
their economic & political strength.
(ii) To please the Hindu majority to win their support.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
The British took harsh measures against the Muslims because they
considered them the prime suspects of the war. The British were really surprised

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 178

by the uprising because it was unexpected and untimely effort on the Indian’s
part. They suspected the Muslims most for this uprising because they had been
ruling India for the last 1000 years. Therefore, once the war was over, they took
tough measures against Muslims so that they could not create such a trouble
again. They needed no proof to punish them, only being Muslim was enough
crime. They were deposed from key posts, deprived of their lands and basic rights
as citizens and were disarmed as well despite the fact that all Hindus, Muslims
and Sikhs were at the forefront of the uprising.
Another reason for harsh treatment of Muslims had a political reason behind.
Hindus were 75 – 80% of the sub-continent and had welcomed the British
education as well as their leadership quite earlier. Now, they wanted to please
the Hindu majority by ignoring Muslim interests in all walks of life. Their scheme
was no doubt successful and Hindus welcomed them as their new Masters. They
carried out their duties under the British control and Muslims suffered till the
advent of the 20th century.
Q.5: Why was the war of Independence of 1857 a blessing for Muslims of the sub-
continents? [7]
HINSTS:
(iii) Muslims began to unite and a sense of nationalism developed in them, they
realized their weaknesses and learned to overcome them.
(iv) Political awareness and struggle for freedom began, resulting in the creation of
Muslim homeland.
SUGGESTED ANSWER:
The war of Independence came as blessings for Muslims because they
began to unite due to harsh treatment of the British. The British thought they
were the main culprits of the war and discriminated them in all walks of life.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 179

Muslims were deposed from high posts, their children were denied good
education and they were reduced to a poor and helpless minority in India. They
began to realize their weaknesses of the past being ignorant, selfish and lazy,
awoke their conscience. They forgot their differences and came closer to each
other to take a shape of a nation. Some prominent leaders like Sir Syed Ahmed
Khan took special notice of their position and tried to bridge the differences with
the British. It helped to create a sense of nationalism in the Muslims.
In the beginning of the twentieth century, the relations improved and the
Muslims began to organize politically. Growing influence of the Indian National
Congress forced the British to support Muslims in order to counter it. The
political journey of the Muslims was marked by the partition of Bengal, Muslims
felt confident and AIML was founded in the following year. It was the beginning
of the struggle for the achievement of the Muslim homeland, Pakistan. Muslims
had learnt a lot to settle down with the British and were now ready to launch
political campaign for their better and respectable future in India. This strength
eventually turned into Pakistan Movement and under the dynamic leadership of
Quaid-e-Azam they achieved their own Muslim homeland Pakistan in 1947. It was
all due to the great uprising. We can say that there would be no Pakistan in
1947, if there was no war of Independence in 1857. Therefore, war of
Independence was a blessing for Muslims.

marking schemes of some (c) part questions:

(1) Was the introduction of Doctrine of Lapse in 1852 the most important reason for the
war of Independence in 1857? Explain your Answer.
[J-2001 Q.1 (c)] [14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 180

(2) War of Independence of 1857 achieved nothing. Give reasons why you might agree
and disagree with this statement. [N 2002 Q.1 (c)] [14]

(3) The War of Independence of 1857 was caused by the Greased Cartridges incident give
reasons why you might agree and disagree with this statement. [J 2003 Q.1 (c)]
[14]

(4) A lack of unity and coordination was the main reason for the failure of the war of
independence by 1857. Do you agree? Give reasons for you answer. [J 2004 Q.1 (c)]
[14]

(6) “Religious factors were more important than any other in causing the war of
independence of 1857-58”. Do you agree? *N 2008 Q.1 (c)+ *14+

(7) Was the lack of Unity among the Indians the main reason for the War of Independence
1857-58? Explain your answer. [J 2010 Q.1 (c)] [14]

(8) Was the greased cartridge incident the most important cause of the War of
Independence of 1857? Explain your answer. June 2012Q1C [14]

NEW QUESTION:
(9) “War of Independence was a blessing in disguise for the Muslims of India”. Do you
agree? Explain your answer. [14]
OR
War of Independence led to the establishment of Pakistan in 1947. Do you agree?
Explain your answer. [14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 181

Marking Schemes of some (c) part questions
Q.1: Was the introduction of Doctrine of Lapse in 1852 the most important reason
for the war of Independence in 1857? Explain your Answer.
[J-2001 Q.1 (c)] [14]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement. [1–2]

The War was the fault of the British

LEVEL 2: Description of/identifies reasons [3–6]

The Doctrine of Lapse occurred when any local kingdom not having a direct heir was to be
taken over by the British. A new rifle cartridge, which was coated in both cow and pig fat, was
introduced.

LEVEL 3: Explains Doctrine of Lapse or other reasons [7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains Doctrine of lapse and other reasons [9–13]

The Doctrine of Lapse, under which any local kingdom not having a direct heir was to be taken
over by the British, had been introduced without any consultation or care for local feeling. It
caused great unrest. Other reforms had also been introduced similarly. The replacement of
Persian and Sanskrit by English as the official language in 1832 deeply upset both the Muslims
and Hindus who were concerned about the loss of their culture through a change of language.
A number of social reforms had been imposed without consultation or care for local feeling
which also caused unrest. Indians had to send their children to coeducational schools and were
forced to abandon purdah, which again was seen as a threat to their culture. The British
introduced a new cartridge, which was coated in both cow and pig fat. Because the soldiers had
to chew the fat it caused great resentment since the Muslims forbade pig fat and the cow was a
sacred animal in the eyes of the Hindus.

LEVEL 5: As Level 4 - also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

Q.2: War of Independence of 1857 achieved nothing. Give reasons why you might agree
and disagree with this statement. [N 2002 Q.1 (c)] [14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 182

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement. [1–2]

The War of Independence was the biggest resistance from the Indians.

LEVEL 2: Description ofthe results in general [3–6]

The war a difficult venture for Indians because they were not as planned, focused and
resourceful as the British were yet it posed a serious threat to the authority and prestige of the
British.

LEVEL 3: Explains disadvantages of the war [7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains both the disadvantages and advantages [9–13]

The war of Independence was a useless and untimely venture of the Indians. Neither the
Mughal king himself nor the majority of nobility nor was intelligencia of India in favour of this
war. It was waste of time and loss of lives of the Indians. It brought no good results to the
Indians like they were punished and executed for being part of it. Many people lost their jobs
and many children were deprived of their basic right of taking good education. The last Mughal
king Bahadur Shah Zafar paid a heavy price by losing his throne and lives of his sons. Otherwise
the British could have favoured him for living a respectable life in India.
However, it proved as a blessing in disguise for Indians in general and the most targeted Muslim
community of India. The British introduced semi democratic reforms in India on the style of
ones practiced in England. This practice gave Muslims a chance to organize themselves
politically. They came to learn English on the advice of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and got jobs in the
British government. The British introduced railways and telegraph services in India which
benefitted both Hindus and Muslims. They learnt, to some extent modern ways of life and a
notable elite became British educated class who, struggled for independence from the British
which paved the way for Muslim homeland; Pakistan in 1947.
LEVEL 5: As Level 4 - also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]
Q.3: The War of Independence of 1857 was caused by the Greased Cartridges
incident give reasons why you might agree and disagree with this statement. [J 2003
Q.1 (c)] [14]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement. [1–2]

Greased cartridges issue became the immediate cause of the war.
LEVEL 2: Description of/identifies reasons [3–6]
Greased cartridges were introduced for a new rifle which was coated in both cow and pig fat. Sepoys
refused to use these cartridges and were punished for it. Doctrine of Lapse was another reason that
caused the war.
LEVEL 3: Explains Greased cartridges or other reasons [7–10]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 183

LEVEL 4: Explains Greased cartridges and other reasons [9–13]

The British introduced a new cartridge, which was coated in both cow and pig fat. Because the
soldiers had to chew the fat it caused great resentment since the Muslims forbade pig fat and
the cow was a sacred animal in the eyes of the Hindus.
The Doctrine of Lapse, under which any local kingdom not having a direct heir was to be taken
over by the British, had been introduced without any consultation or care for local feeling. It
caused great unrest. Other reforms had also been introduced similarly. The replacement of
Persian and Sanskrit by English as the official language in 1832 deeply upset both the Muslims
and Hindus who were concerned about the loss of their culture through a change of language.
A number of social reforms had been imposed without consultation or care for local feeling
which also caused unrest. Indians had to send their children to coeducational schools and were
forced to abandon purdah, which again was seen as a threat to their culture.
LEVEL 5: As Level 4 - also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

(4) A lack of unity and coordination was the main reason for the failure of the war of
independence by 1857. Do you agree? Give reasons for you answer. [J 2004 Q.1
(c)] [14]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement.[1-2]

The British were better OR describes the war and/or causes.
LEVEL 2: Description of above or other reasons for failure[3-6]
The opposition to the British was too weak.
LEVEL 3: Explains one factor [7-10]
LEVEL 4: Explains at least two factors [9-13]
There was a lack of unity and common cause amongst the Indian population. The Punjab were
uninterested in helping the rebellion and actually sent men and supplies to help the British. This
also happened in Kashmir. The British had more modern methods of fighting and the army was
better disciplined as well as being supplied by some of the local rulers.
LEVEL 5: As Level 4 - also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 184

(5) The establishment of English as the official language of the sub-continent in 1834
was the main reason on for the war of independence of 1857. Do you agree or
disagree? Give reasons for your answer.
[J 2007 Q.2 (c)] [14]
LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1-2]
It was resented.
LEVEL 2: Description of English as the official language or other factors [3-6]
English replaced Persian.
LEVEL 3: Explains at least one factor [7-10]
LEVEL 4: Explains at least two. English to be explained for maximum marks
[9-13]
The replacement of Persian and Sanskrit by English as the official language in the 1830s deeply
upset both the Muslims and Hindus. A number of social reforms had been imposed by the
British without consultation or care for local feeling which caused much unrest. Indians had to
send their children to co-educational schools which was hated since it appeared to impose the
British system on the Indians without due regard to their religious and cultural feelings. They
were also forced to abandon purdha which had been an Indian custom for centuries. The
‘Doctrine of Lapse’ was gradually introduced, especially under Dalhousie, and caused great
unrest because any local kingdom not having a direct male heir was taken over by the British. A
new musket cartridge was introduced by the British which was coated in both cow and pig fat.
Because the soldiers had to chew the fat caused great resentment since pig fat was forbidden
to the Muslims and the cow was a sacred animal in the eyes of the Hindus.
LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation [14]

(6) “Religious factors were more important than any other in causing the war of
independence of 1857-58”. Do you agree? *N 2008 Q.1 (c)+ *14+

LEVEL1: Simplistic statement. [1–2]

The British were resented.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 185

LEVEL 2: Description of religious or other causes [3–6]

Christianity was taught in schools.

LEVEL 3: Explains one factor [7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains at least two factors. English to be explained for maximum marks.
[9–13]

Christian missionaries came to India to convert the local population as well as set
up schools. In these schools the missionaries taught Christianity and expected
local religions to be given up which was resented by Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs
alike.The replacement of Persian and Sanskrit by English as the official language in
the 1830s deeply upset both the Muslims and Hindus. A number of social reforms
had been imposed by the British without consultation or care for local feeling
which caused much unrest. Indians had to send their children to co-educational
schools which was hated since it appeared to impose the British system on the
Indians without due regard to their religious and cultural feelings. They were also
forced to abandon purdha which had been an Indian custom for centuries. The
‘Doctrine of Lapse’ caused great unrest because any local kingdom not having a
direct male heir was taken over by the British. A new cartridge was introduced by
the British which was coated in both cow and pig fat. Because the soldiers had to
chew the fat, this caused great resentment since pig fat was forbidden by the
Muslims while the cow was a sacred animal in the eyes of the Hindus.

LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

7. Was the lack of Unity among the Indians the main reason for the War of Independence
1857-58? Explain your answer. [J 2010 Q.1 (c)] [14]
LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement. (1–2)
The British were better OR describes the war and/or causes.
LEVEL 2: Description/identification of reasons (3–6)
The opposition to the British was too weak.
LEVEL 3: Explains one reason (7–10)
LEVEL 4: Explains more than one reason including a lack of unity (9–13)
There was a lack of unity and common cause amongst the Indian population. The Punjab was
uninterested in helping the rebellion and actually sent men and supplies to help the British. This

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 186

also happened in Kashmir. The British had more modern methods of fighting and the army was
better disciplined as well as being supplied by some of the local rulers.
LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. (14)

(8) Was the greased cartridge incident the most important cause of the War of
Independence of 1857? Explain your answer. June 2012Q1C [14]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement. [1–2]

It was the most important reason

LEVEL 2: Description /identification of reasons [3–6]

A new cartridge was introduced by the British which was folded in both cow and pig fat. The
cartridge had to be unfolded by chewing with teeth before using them in the guns.

LEVEL 3: Explains the greased cartridge incident OR other reasons [7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains the greased cartridge incident AND other reasons [9–10]
A new cartridge was introduced by the British which was coated in both cow and pig fat.
Because the soldiers had to chew the fat caused great resentment since pig fat was
forbidden by the Muslims and the cow was a sacred animal in the eyes of the Hindus.
However there were other reasons for the War. The replacement of Persian and Sanskrit by
English as the official language in 1832 deeply upset both the Muslims and Hindus. In 1852 the
‘Doctrine of Lapse’ was introduced and caused great unrest because any local kingdom not
having a direct male heir was taken over by the British. A number of social reforms had been
imposed without consultation or care for local feeling which also caused unrest. Indians had to
send their children to co-educational schools and were forced to abandon purdha.

LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

Prepare the marking scheme of Question No. 9 yourself

(10) “War of Independence was a blessing in disguise for the Muslims of India”. Do you
agree? Explain your answer. [14]
OR
War of Independence led to the establishment of Pakistan in 1947. Do you agree?
Explain your answer. [14]
LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement. [1–2]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 187

LEVEL 2: Description /identification of reasons [3–6]
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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEVEL 3: Explains the
greased cartridge incident OR other reasons [7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains the greased cartridge incident AND other reasons [9–10]
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LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

Complete answers to all questions

Q.1: Was the introduction of Doctrine of lapse in 1852 the most important reason for the
War of Independence in 1857? Explain your answer.
[J 2001 Q1 (c)] [14]

HINTS:
(i) Explain the negative impact of Doctrine of Lapse.
(ii) Explain two more causes of the war.
(iii) Conclusion giving your judgment.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 188

War of independence of 1857 did not break out in a day or two. There are many
long term and short term causes which forced the Indians to take up arms against
the British. Doctrine of Lapse was one of the long term causes of the war. In 1852,
Lord Dalhousie introduced many policies in order to gain control over the Indian
lands. It was the most important that disheartened the Indian rulers and created
annoyance. According to this Doctrine, British would annex the local states if their
rulers failed to produce their own male heirs. It was not a fair rule because if not a
male, a female child can also be a successor of her father’s property. It was
considered as an unfair mean to grab the lands of local rulers and to colorize
India. This policy hurt the Indian ruling elite and they felt deprived, so supported
the mutiny.
Annexation of Sindh, Punjab and Oudh one after the other worried the Indians.
They were in no doubt as to what game were the British going to play against
them. They captured Sindh in 1843 for no reasons, Punjab in 1849 and Oudh in
1856. In most cases their actions were not justified in the light of humanity
because they were power drunk and had decided to get complete hold of the sub-
continent. Despite the fact that the rulers of their areas had maintained good
relations with the British, they violated all rules of Justice and didn’t even care
about the public opinion. Thus war of Independence became their last attempt to
save their authority over their lands.
However, a short term and even the most immediate cause was the introduction
of greased Cartridges. In January 1857, the British introduced a new riffle and for
it new cartridges were also introduced containing gun powder to be used in that
weapon. These cartridges were coated from inside with a kind of fat in order to
keep the powder dry. It was rumored that cow and pig fat was used in them.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 189

These animals have special status to Hindus and Muslims respectively. The cow is
a sacred animal for Hindus and the pig is the most unclean of all animals for
Muslim which they cannot even touch. Therefore, the sepoys refused to obey the
orders of their British officers regarding the use of these cartridges. On April 8,
Mangal Pandey, a loyal sepoy refused to use the cartridge and was executed,
many were imprisoned also at Barakpur. On May 10, at Meerut cantonment,
some sepoys broke into the jail and released their fellow soldiers. During their
mission they killed all their British officers and even British civilians as well. It was
the beginning of the War of independence.
Therefore, the Greased cartridges issue was the most important cause of the
War of Independence. Had it not happened, the Indians might have tolerated the
rest of violations as they had compromised with the British to a greater extend
and many important figures like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, who was the supporter of
the British rule in India and was against the ‘untimely war’ against them.
Q.2: “The War of Independence of 1857 achieved nothing”. Give reason why you might
agree and disagree with this statement. [N 2002 Q1(c)] [14]

HINTS:
Agree:
(i) Indians lost their lands and power, lives and prestige.
Disagree:
(i) Sense of nationalism began to grow which organized Indians politically to
achieve freedom from the British.
(ii) Conclusion giving both views of the War of Independence.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
War of Independence broke out in 1857 as an accident when Indian sepoys
refused to use the greased cartridges because they were coated in the cow and

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 190

pig fat. It was not a planned war neither was it timely. Many moderate Muslims,
including Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, were of the opinion that it was an untimely and
undesired attempt against the British. They were in full mood to control India
because they had been preparing for it since a long time under the nose of
Mughal rulers as well as the local chiefs. On the other side, the locals had been on
a compromising end and not strong enough to fight the British. Therefore, they
lost to the British on all fronts. One year of this discoordinated struggle added
insult to the injury and India became the British colony. Most of Hindu and
Muslim rulers were deprived of their properties. Some supported them for their
interests and the rest of them became British slaves. The British executed
hundreds of thousands of the Indians for the sake of their discipline and many
disappeared from the face of the earth in the name of liberty and independence.
The Muslim community paid the highest price for this venture. It was a terrible
experience for them as they were considered the prime suspects of the war. They
were discriminated in economic, political and social spheres of life and were
deprived of their basic rights as human beings as well. Their children were denied
good education in schools and good jobs in the offices. Therefore, the Indians
achieved nothing out of this war except losing whatever they possessed in the
name of honour and authority, wealth and properties.
However, it was not such a bad experience if we look into it with a
positive approach. The war of independence achieved much more than Indians
could have expected otherwise. The failure of the war of Independence brought
them closer to each other. A sense of nationalism began to grow in the Indians
and Hindu Muslim unity was achieved. No doubt, it perished later, but both the
nations became aware of their political rights. Political parties were formed and

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 191

rather than the street fights, constitutional struggle for Independence began.
Modern education and love for technological advancement grew. Indians
accepted the British education system in India which helped them in their struggle
for independence. New schools, colleges and universities were opened in India
and the Indians were introduced to the new world of science and technology.
However, it was not until the twentieth century that the Indians began to reap
the benefit of English rule. The British, unlike the Mughals, ruled India more
effectively and efficiently. Law and order was restored and religious liberties
were given as long as they did not threaten their rule. Though not very effective,
Indians participated in the local government bodies to rule over the vast Indian
territories. People were introduced with the new system of government as
Democracy and the old Monarchies were forgotten along with old, unfair and
inhuman practices like Suttee.
For all these reasons we can say that War of Independence proved instrumental
for Indians to realize their right of freedom and helped to achieve it in 1947.
Though it took a long time, yet it was possible for the Indians to get rid of the
foreign rule. The Muslims got double bonus; the independence from both the
British and the Hindus and their own Homeland which was their dream.

Q.3: The War of independence of 1857 was caused by the greased cartridges incident only”
Give reasons why you might agree and disagree with this statement. [J 2003 Q1
(c)] [14]
HINTS:
Agree:
 Explain the cartridge issue in detail highlighting its importance as an immediate
cause of the War.
Disagree:

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 Give at least two more effective & deep seated reasons for the war of
Independence.
Conclusion:
 War of Independence was not the result of a single factor. Many were the reasons
which resulted into war but greased cartridges issue was the most immediate one.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
The greased cartridges incident was the most unfortunate and mysterious
one which caused the Indian Revolt in 1857. It was unfortunate because it caused
great loss to the lives, properties and the honour of Indians and the mysterious
one because why did the intelligent and the wise British command issued such
controversial cartridges. They knew about the sentiments of Indian soldiers about
these two animals i.e. the cow and the Pig. Come what may, the Indians would
not use the cartridges made up of cow and the Pig fat. Whatever the reasons, this
issue became serious. The sepoys refused to touch these cartridges so they were
court martialled, imprisonment and even sentenced to death. It was in May 1857
that the British imprisoned the Indian soldiers at Meerut cantonment, the next
day, their colleagues attacked the prison, released them out and killed all white
people in the cantonment area including civilians, ladies and children. After this
they marched towards Dehli, declared Bahadur Shah Zafar their Emperor and
decided to fight till they throw the British out of India. Thus, greased cartridge
incident became the main cause of initiating the war of Independence.
However, we may disagree also with the fact that greased cartridge was the only
factor that caused the war. Because the War of Independence was not a personal
rift between two small groups. It was a massive revolt against the most powerful

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and most resourceful European power. There were other deep seated reasons
which led the Indians to rise against the British.
One of the major causes of the war was British attitude towards Indians. They
always considered Indians as an inferior race and did not respect their cultural
and religious values. This attitude and discrimination was obvious in the courts of
law as well as in the government and military departments. The British had great
privilege in all domains of legal and social life. Continuous humiliation by the
foreign rulers in addition to the meager means of living became vital concerns of
Indians.
Economicinjustice prevailed everywhere; there was a great difference in the
salaries of English and the local soldiers. Due to the Industrial Revolution in
England, Indian artisans became jobless and unemployed. Nobility and land lords
were afraid because the English Government was snatching their lands. Rajas and
Maharjas were also uneasy because their states were being annexed under one
charge or the other. Under such uncertain conditions the War of independence
became a way out of their insecurity and deprivation.
In my opinion greased cartridge incident was the most immediate one to start the
war but not the only one factor. There were other factors also which became the
leading reasons for the war of Independence 1857.

Q.4: “Lack of Unity & coordination was the main reason for the failure of the War of
Independence by 1858”. Do you agree give reasons for you answer? *J 2010 Q.1 (C)+
HINTS:
(i) Explain consequences of disunity and lack of coordination among the freedom
fighters.
(ii) Conclusion endorsing the given factor as the main factor leading the war of
Independence to failure.

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SUGGESTED ANSWER:
The war of Independence failed due to lack of unity and coordination
among the Indians. It was not a planned war. The Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah
Zafar did not have any army at his command neither he had any power or
authority as ruler. He was old, weak and dependent on the British for even his
own bread and butter. When Indian soldiers broke into the prison at Meerut
cantonment in order to release their fellow sepoys, the fight broke out and they
killed all white people living in the area. It was not a small matter that British
would ignore; the sepoys continued fighting and marched towards Delhi. They
declared the so called Mughal Emperor as their leader and others also joined
them. This is how it became the war of Independence. It was not the fight of the
whole sub-continent, only Delhi, Meerut, Allahabad, Jhansi, Lukhnow, kawnpur
and the surrounding areas were involved in the war but due to lack of unity and
coordination, the commanders did not know exactly what was happening in other
areas. Bahadue Shah Zafar was commanding the forces at Dehli and its
surroundings. Tantia Topi led cawnpur and Rani of Jhansi headed the rebel forces
at Jhansi. These people had neither close communication with each other nor
they shared one single objective. They were fighting for different aims. Disunity
among Indians was obviously seen from the fact that many Indian states
supported the British during that war. Kashmir sent 2000 troops to help the
British forces against the liberation army and the Punjab remained aloof from it.
The strength of the British was another major factor which led to the failure
of the war of Independence. The British had a well equipped army with superb
discipline and excellent military command. They had modern weapons and

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artillery with strong navy as well. On the other hand, the Indians were a group of
rebels who were fighting in the false hope of throwing the British out with
conventional weapons under the command of local nawabs who were trying to
save their own states only.

Q.5: “The establishment of English as the official language of the sub-continent in 1834 was
the main reason for the War of independence of 1857”. Do you agree or disagree?
Give reason for your answer. [J 2007 Q2 (C)] [14]

HINTS:
(i) Explain the consequences of English as national language.
(ii) At least two other reasons for the war of Independence to be explained.
(iii) Conclusion to be given, highlighting most important reason.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:
The English replaced Persian as the official language in 1834. It was an attempt to
anglicize India and part of British policy to colorize the sub-continent. Lord Thomas MacAulay
realized in 1835 that education should be in English language because it was better language
than all Indian languages. In fact the British wanted to produce a class of the Indians who would
be Indians by their looks but British in their thought and taste. They wanted to use this
anglicized class as a bridge between them and the Indian masses. Hindus & Muslims both
condemned this decision and felt deprived of their liberty. They were also afraid that British
wanted to eliminate their culture from India. Many took it as a threat to their religion, thus this
issue became a great concern for Indians and is considered to be one of the cause of the War of
Independence.

However, it was not the main cause of the war, some social and political reasons had
deeper effect on the people. For example, Indians were not considered equal to the British.

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They were considered as inferior race and were treated unfairly in all fields of life. They were
not given high positions in the civil and military administration and were also paid low salaries
as compared to their British counter parts. Lord Dalhousie introduced Doctrine of lapse in 1852
in order to grab Indian lands. The local rulers of the princely states were very upset because the
British government was taking their states and properties under the so called ‘rules’. In fact
after the annexation program started Indians were in no doubt as to what was the intention of
the British. Therefore, it created in them, a sense of insecurity and deprivation which caused
great uprising in 1857.
Till 1857, there did not seem any planning or possibility of such an armed conflict with the
British. It was only in January when British government introduced a new riffle which used new
cartridges. These cartridges were coated in cow and pig fat and the sepoys refused to use them.
On this issue many soldiers were sentenced to death, many were imprisoned and even
transported to un known places. At Meerut cantonment, near Delhi, many Indian Sepoys were
imprisoned and their fellow Indian soldiers attacked the jail, released their countrymen and
killed all British officers and civilians in the town. It was in fact the beginning of the war of
Independence.

In my opinion, greased cartridges were the main factor leading to the Revolt. It was the
most important and immediate cause of the war of independence 1857.

Q.6: Religions factors were more important factors than any other in causing the war of
Independence of 1857-58. Do you Agree? Explain your answer. [N 2008 Q1 (C)]

HINTS:
(i) Explain religious causes like spreading Christianity banning suttee and veil.
(ii) Explain economic and one other factor of the war.
(iii) Conclusion giving most important cause of the war.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:

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Religion has been one of the most powerful factors of man’s life since beginning. The people of
the sub-continent were in practice of two major faiths Hinduism and Islam and had their rich
cultures. When the British came to India, they began to influence the Indian culture. For the
purpose they brought Christian missionaries into India and began to spread Christianity. All
major races living in India including Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs felt threatened by the
introduction of missionaries and believed that they would eliminate their religions. Therefore,
an extreme dislike had developed in the society against the British.

Another religious factor which became a reason for the war of Independence was
abandonment of suttee and reservations about veil or (parda). Suttee was an old Hindu custom
in which a widow had to burn herself alive on the funeral pyre of her dead husband. This
custom was in practice in the high class Hindus and Brahmans being custodian of the Hindu
religion, posed a bitter threat againt the ban on it. similarly veil was observed by Muslim
women as a commandment of Allah Almighty. For certain reasons it was not allowed which
created anger and fear in Muslims.

However, there were other causes of the war as well. Economic condition of local
sepoys and other government servants were not impressive as that of the British. General
public also suffered because of the Industrial revolution in England. English goods sold cheaper
in the sub-continent and the Indian artisans faced very odd circumstances because they could
not complete the British goods in cost and quality. As a result their small industries closed. On
the other hand, British used to engage Indian lands for the cultivation of only “Raw Materials”
for their industry in England and did not bother to grow food crops for the local population.
Therefore, millions of Indians died in famines caused by the selfishness of the British. When all
these atrocities, injustices and exploitation came into the notice of masses, a general
discontent and disapproval grew for the British rulers, therefore, the Revolt became inevitable.
Land grabbing policies of the British also became a vital cause of the war of independence.
When Lord Dalhousie began to annex Indian lands under various excuses including “Doctrine of

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Laps” under this doctrine any Indian ruler who failed to produce his own male heir, British Govt.
would annex his state.

So I can say that religious factors were one of the main causes for the war of
Independence but not the most important ones. There were economic and political factors
which are more responsible for the war of independence then the religious ones.

Q.9: The War of Independence was a blessing in disguise for the Muslim of the sub-
continent”, do you agree? Explain your Answer. *New Question+
OR
The War of Independence 1857 led to the establishment of Pakistan in 1947”, explain
if you agree or disagree.

HINTS:
(i) Crushing defeat, humiliation and insult moved the Muslim community to gather.
(ii) Nationalism was born and political struggle began which resulted at the creation
of Pakistan.
(iii) Conclusion, summing up the long term benefit of the war.

SUGGESTED ANSWER:

The war of Independence of 1857 had two types of impacts on the Muslims, short term impacts
and long term impacts. Short term impact was not less than a nightmare. They were declared
the prime suspects of the war and were subject to economic, political and social discrimination.
They were removed from key positions and their status as ruling elite of the past decreased
rapidly in the society. Hindus were insightful enough to bridge their differences immediately
after the war and became the camp followers of the British but Muslims suffered in all walks of
life because the British thought that they were Muslims only who initiated the war and would
definitely try to regain their position in future. For these reasons, they took all possible

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measures to keep Muslims, weak, illiterate and disarmed, therefore the defeat in the war
together with humiliation and insult left Muslims at the mercy of the British. This particular
condition forced Muslims to become united and think about the future.
In the beginning of the 2th century, both Muslims and the British realized the importance of
each other. They removed the tension between them which existed since 1857. A new wave of
nationalism began to grow in Muslims and they formed their own political party “All India
Muslim League” in 1906. It was the time when British Government was looking forward to rule
India smoothly. For the purpose, they allowed Muslims to organize politically so that they could
play their role in the system that British were going to introduce in India in future.
All India Muslim League developed the idea of self rule in India and later the Quaid-e-Azam and
Allama Iqbal realized the idea of a separate homeland for Muslims. Imperial rule of the British,
a narrow mindedness of Hindu leaders and the congress rule of 1937 – 39 taught Muslims that
‘Pakistan’ was the only solution of the problems of the Indian Muslims. So it became a reality
under the leadership of dynamic Quaid-e-Azam in 1947.
It can, therefore, be said that the War of Independence was a blessing in disguise because it
was the War and the War only which enabled the Muslims to think about having their own
homeland in the sub-continent. Pakistan would not have come into being if there had been no
war of independence.

NOTE: Please prepare answers to questions 7&8 yourself following the

methodology and the marking schemes given above.
A SOURCE QUESTION
SOURCE A
Full accounts of the earlier scenes of the recent revolt in the Bengal army have now reached us.
Several regiments have out into open mutiny, murdered their officers and entered into direct
rebellion against the British government. At present revolt seems to be confined to the army of
Bengal, the largest and most important of the three presidencies, and only about 8000 men

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have taken part. Everywhere else, according to reports received, all is quiet and the native army
is true to its duty.
An account of the events of 1857, written in an English newspaper in June 1857.

(a) According to source A how widespread was the “Revolt”? [3]

SOURCE B
Hanging of the accused of the war of Independence in public

(b) What does source B tell us about the British attitude

towards the uprising? [5]

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SIR SYED AHMED KHAN

1817-1898
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY:
 To know his biographical details e.g. family education and career
 To have knowledge, understanding and comprehension of his beliefs about the
political, economic and social conditions of Muslims of India
 His views about the British rule and the war of independence
 His contribution to increasing education and political acumen of the Muslims.
 Emergence of two Nation theory, its deep seated reasons and impacts on the
creation of Pakistan

BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS OF SIR SYED AHMED KHAN:

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Birth and Ancestory: Sir syed belonged to a very noble syed family of Dehli that traced its
genealogy to Hazrat Imam Hussain (A.S). His forefathers migrated from Hirat in times of Akbar
and remained in the service of the Mughal Court. His father Syed Muttaqi was a brave and loyal
officer in the Mughal court who had managed his dignity. in service of the Mughal Court and
enjoyed a great reputation.
Education and Service: he received early education at home and then learnt Arabic,
Persian, mathematics, astrology and medicine at the age of 18. His father died and the pension
discontinued abruptly from the Mughal court except a small maintenance allowance for his
mother Aziz-un-Nisa, which was not sufficient to run the household. So he joined the legal
department of the British East India Company in 1339 as a low grade clerk. He rose to the
position of a judge very soon and earned great fame till his last breath. He died in 1898 at
Aligarh.

CRONOLOGY / TIMELINE OF EVENTS

October 1817 Birth at Dehli
1838 his father, syed Muttaqi died
1839 appointed as a low grade clerk in the EIC at Agra
1846 he became a judge at Dehli.
1847 He wrote ‘Asaar-us-Sanadeed’ a marvelous book on the history and
archeology, giving details of countless monuments of Muslim rulers from
850 years.
1857 revolt started at Meeruth on 10 May.
1857 he was at Bijnaur at the time of the Revolt.
1857 he saved the lives of 20 Europeans happened to be at Bijnaur at that
time.
1858 he was transferred to Muradabad where he wrote “The Causes of the
Indian Revolt”
1859 he published “The Causes of the Indian Revolt”
1859 he opened a school at Muradabad.

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1860 published another journal “ Loyal Muhammadans of India” to show
loyalties of Muslims to the British crown.
1863 he established “Scientific Society” at Ghazipur to translate useful books
from other languages into Urdu.
1864 he opened another school at Ghazipur, where five languages were used
as the medium of instructions.
1864 transferred to Aligarh.
1866 “Aligarh Institute Gazette” started.
1869 left Banaras for England
1870 “Tehzeeb-ul-Akhlaq” started.
1875 “The M.A.O (Mohammadan Anglo Oriental) school was established at
Aligarh.
1876 He retired from service
1877 the MAO school was transformed into MAO College which later became
the Aligarh Muslim University in 1920.
1886 established Muhammadan Educational Conference.
1898 he passed away on 27 March at Aligarh.

SIR SYED’S BELIEFS

• He believed that the Muslims of India were losing their socio- political, economic
and religious status sharply.
• He believed that the British and Hindus were treating them as second-class citizens.
• The Muslims were also responsible for their declining status because they were
reluctant to learn modern knowledge and accept the British as their rulers.
• He believed that the War of Independence was an untimely venture and the British
should have ruled India instead for they could bring more economic prosperity to
India.
• That Muslims should stay united and be loyal to the British.
• He believed in strong inter-faith relations between Islam and Christianity.

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• He also believed that Muslims were not the prime suspects of the war; there was a
united resistance from all communities of the sub-continent.
SERVICES OF SIR SYED AHMED
Sir syed’s role started after the war of independence when the British put all the responsibility
of the war on Muslims and began to take harsh measures against them. They expelled them
out of their jobs and isolated them socially and politically. His first job was to clear their
position and to remove misunderstandings.

Improving relations between the Muslims and the British

Since Sir Syed believed that Muslims could prosper in India only when they have good relations
with the British, he tried to improve their relations in different ways;
 He wrote a pamphlet “The Causes of the Indian Revolt” in which he highlighted the
real causes of the war of independence. He told the British of their unfair policies,
like less promotion for Indians in the army and their forceful conversion into
Christianity were the main reasons for the war.
 “Loyal Mohammadans of India” was another journal in which he wrote that
Muslims had been loyal to the British and sacrificed their lives for the “British
crown”.
 “Tbayeen-ul- Kalam” was a soft commentary on the Holy Bible. He wrote in order to
show similarities between Islam and the Christianity.
 Explanation of the word “Nazarath” which was wrongly taken by the British as if it
was a bad word that the Muslims used for them. Nazarath or Nasir in Arabic means
helper and benefactor, which carried a positive sense and not a negative impression
of the British.
 Establishment of the British Indian Association for better understanding of each
other.
Encouraging Muslims to learn English

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 He told Muslims that it was important for them to learn English for two reasons;
Frist to get jobs in the British government and Second to seek knowledge of science
and technology.
 He made them realize that the British were advanced and powerful people and
might stay in India for an indefinite time, so keeping away from their language
would not benefit them at all.
 He also cleared them if they thought English language was anti-Islam by reasoning
and logic.
 He issued a journal “Tehzeeb-ul-Akhlaq” in which many renowned personalities
wrote essays in favour of learning English language.
Encouraging Muslims to take Modern knowledge/ education
 After he returned from England, He opened a number of schools in India for the
provision of modern education to the Indian in general and Muslims in particular.
 He opened fist school at Muradabad in 1859.
 He established another school at Ghazipur in 1864.
 He established the MAO school at Aligarh in 1875.
 It rose to the status of MAO College in 1877.
 In 1863, he founded the Scientific Society, to translate scientific books from English
or other languages into Urdu.
 In 1886, he founded the “Muhammadan Educational Conference” to promote the
standard of education.

Political Services of Sir Syed

 Opposition to the democratic system of government in India: Sir Syed Ahmed had a
great political acumen and could see that the parliamentary democracy would not
work in India because Indian society was heterogeneous; speaking different
languages and following different cultures and religions whereas the English society

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 206

was homogenous; believing in the same religion and culture. He saw especially
Muslims at disadvantage because they were a minority and Hindus would always
dominate them.
 He also demanded the quota for Muslims in the Higher Civil Services of India
because Muslims were not well versed in English and could not compete the
competitive examinations which were held in English.
 He also warned Muslims of the consequences of joining the Indian National
Congress unless they were highly educated.

some (a) part questions:

(1) What was the importance of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan?

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was very important for Muslims. He opened a number of schools
including the famous Muhammadan Anglo Oriental College and motivated Muslims to accept
English language and modern education. He was the founder of Two Nation theory. He also
bridged the differences between the Muslim & the British after the war of Independence in
1857. He educated the Muslims through his writings and essays about the moral and religious
as well as their political duties to save them from slumber of ignorance and to live better lives
along with other nations of the world.

(2) What was “The Causes of the Indian Revolt”?

It was an Urdu pamphlet “Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind” (The causes of Indian Revolt)
written and published by Sir syed in 1858. In it were mentioned the real causes of the war as
the lack of participation of Indians in the govt. services, forcible conversion of Indians to
Christianity, land grabbing and other harsh policies which actually caused the uprising. He
claimed that it was wrong to declare Muslims as the prime suspects of the war because other
communities were equally involved.
(3) What was the “Loyal Muhammadan of India”?
It was Sir Syed Ahmed khan’s reconciliatory work for better relations between the Muslims
and the British. He wrote it in 1860 to highlight the services and sacrifices of the Muslims in the

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British Army and the general services under the crown in order to prove that Muslims had been
and still were the loyal subjects of the British.
(4) What was “Tabyeen-ul-kalam”?
Tabyeen-ul-Kalam was a soft commentary on the Holy bible. Sir Syed Ahmed tried to
show similarities between Islam and Christianity in his work to remove misunderstandings
between the two communities, to soften their feelings about each other and to improve
cooperation and harmony between them. He wanted to improve confidence of the Muslims in
the British and to develop a strong inter-faith relationship between Muslims and the British.
(5) What was the “Tehzib-ul-Akhlaq”
It was an Urdu Journal launched by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. It contained Sir Syeds reforms
and essays written by famous Muslim scholars in favour of modern education. Despite great
opposition, this magazine was able to shape the Muslim thought according to the needs of time
and they began to learn English as it could bring them prosperity in India.
(6) Describe the importance of scientific society.
Sir Syed founded scientific society at Ghazipur in 1864. It comprised of Hindu and
Muslim scholars. Its main objective was to translate rare and use full scientific books of English,
Persian or Arabic in Urdu language in order to facilitate Urdu readers. It also provided a
plateform to the British-Indian discussions for the development of Indians.
(7) What was Two Nation Theory?
Two Nation Theory was the idea of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan which he developed at Banaras
in 1867, after some Hindu members of his Scientific Society demanded that Urdu should be
written in Deonagri script. Seeing their narrow mindedness, he declared that Hindus and
Muslims were two separate peoples and could never live together as one nation in India. It
came to be known as Two-Nation Theory and Sir Syed its father. This theory became the basis
for the establishment of Pakistan.
(8) Describe Hindi- Urdu controversy.
Hindi Urdu controversy was an argument on the demand of some Hindu colleagues of
Sir Syed’s Scientific Society that Urdu should be written in Deonagri scrip instead of the Arabic
one. It started in 1867 at Banaras. It was a blow to the existence of Urdu language and the

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Muslim culture in India. Sir Syed was disappointed and declared his Two Nation Theory. It
created hatred between the Hindus and Muslims.
(9) What was the importance of MAO College?
The Muhammadan Anglo Oriental (MAO) School was set up in Aligarh in 1875 and rose
to the level of college in 1877. It was the first college set up on the pattern of British
Educational institutions, offering western and local education to the Indians. It became Aligarh
Muslim University in 1920 after the death of Sir Syed, which produced great Muslim leaders like
Liaquat Ali Khan & Ayub Khan. It produced main leadership to the All India Muslim League and
contributed most to the establishment of Pakistan.
(10) What was Aligarh Movement of Sir Syed?
Aligarh Movement is the name given to the services of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan that he
rendered for the social economic, political and moral uplift of the Muslims after the failure of
the war of Independence in 1857; more importantly his educational and political efforts from
Aligarh are called Aligarh Movement.
(11) What was the importance of the Indian National Congress?
Indian National Congress was the first, the largest and most prominent political
organization of the Indians, formed in 1885 with the help of a retired British officer; Mr. Allan
Octavian Hume. It worked like a safety valve for Indians and the British were able to have
feedback and understanding of Indian’s feelings about the British policies. It was a bridge
between educated Indians and the British authorities. INC won, at last freedom from the British
rule in 1947.

some(b) part questions:

Q.1: Why did Sir Syed Ahmed Khan try to improve relations between the Muslim and the
British? [N 2000 Q2 (b)] [7]
Q.2: Why did Sir Syed ahmed Khan develop his two Nation Theory
[J 2001 Q2 (b)] [7]

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Q.3: Why did Sir Syed Ahmed Khan wish to develop a better understanding with the British
following the War of Independence 1857? [J 2008 Q2 (b)] [7]

NEW QUESTIONS
Q.4: Why did Sir Syed Ahmed Khan believe opposition to the British was pointless?
[7]
Q.5: Why did sir Syed write “The Causes of India Revolt”? *7+
Q.6: Why did Sir Syed think that modern education was the most important need for
Muslims? [7]
Q.7: Why did Sir Syed change his mind from Hindu-Muslim unity to the Two-Nation Theory?
[7]
Q.8: Why was the Indian National congress formed? [7]

Marking Schemes of (b) part questions

Q.1: Why did Sir Syed Ahmed Khan try to improve relations between the Muslim and the
British? [N 2000 Q2 (b)] [7]
LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]
He believed they were in power. LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons
[2–4]
He wanted to see Muslims prosper and improve their socio-political and economic conditions.

LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]

If they were to improve their poor status then the Muslims had to accept more British ideas and
take advantage of British education. He wanted to improve their social and economic
conditions by taking up posts in the civil service and the army. If they didn’t do these things
then they would see others prosper instead. The Hindus were a majority and in good terms
with the British.
Q.2: Why did Sir Syed ahmed Khan develop his two Nation Theory
[J 2001 Q2 (b)] [7]

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LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]
He developed the TNT because he wanted to save Muslims. LEVEL 2:
Identifies reasons [2–4]
Hindi-Urdu controversy upset him and both the communities would not cooperate with each
other in future.
LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]
His Hindu colleagues of the Scientific Society demanded that Urdu should be written in
Deonagri script instead. It was an un natural demand that displeased him. He knew that the
gulf of hatred would widened day by day. Muslim culture was in danger if steps not taken to
maintain its original form. The protection of Urdu was important and it was not expected from
narrow minded Hindus.

Q.3: Why did Sir Syed Ahmed Khan wish to develop a better understanding with the British
following the War of Independence 1857? [J 2008 Q2 (b)] [7]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

He believed they were in power.
LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons [2–4]
He wanted to see Muslims prosper and improve their socio-political and economic conditions.

LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]

New Questions

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 211

Q.4: Why did Sir Syed Ahmed Khan believe opposition to the British was pointless?
[7]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

It was not possible for Indians to get rid of the British. LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons
[2–4]
The British were too powerful to be ousted. The British were advanced nation and Indians could
learn from them a lot.
LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]
Sir Syed believed that it was not possible for Indians to oust the British because they were too
powerful and resourceful. The Indians were not able to give a decisive blow to the British. They
were an advanced nation and had developed in science and technology and Indians could learn
from them a lot.

Q.5: Why did Sir Syed write “The Causes of India Revolt”? *7+

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

He wanted to remove misunderstandings between the Muslims and the British. LEVEL 2:
Identifies reasons [2–4]
To convey the real causes of the war and to maintain better relations.
LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]
Sir Syed was disturbed to see that the British considered Muslims the prime suspects of the
war. He wanted to reveal the real causes of the war. He wanted to save the Muslims from
oppression and to maintain good relations between them.

Q.6: Why did Sir Syed think modern education was the most important need for Muslims?
[7]
LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 212

The Muslims were backward in science and technology. LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons
[2–4]
It was necessary for prosperity and development and to maintain the identity.
LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]
It was essential for Muslims to learn modern education because they could not bring
about economic development without it. The Hindus were quite eager to learn modern
knowledge and were in better position than that of Muslims. It was important also to
maintain Muslim identity in India.
Q.7: Why did Sir Syed change his mind from Hindu-Muslim unity to the Two-Nation Theory?
[7]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

Sir Syed was a great supporter of the Muslims.
LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons [2–4]
Hindi-Urdu controversy at Banaras and fear of losing Muslim culture.
LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]
Sir Syed was a great supporter of the Muslim welfare. He wanted to see them flourish in India.
It was necessary to declare Muslims a separate nation in order to save their identity and
culture in India. Hindi-Urdu controversy at Banaras became the main reason when
Hindu leaders of the Scientific Society demanded that Urdu should be written in
Deonagri script. He found it a deep seated conspiracy of the Hindus against Muslims.
Q.8: Why was the Indian National congress formed? [7]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

It was a communication bridge between the rulers and the ruled.
LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons [2–4]
.To safeguards the rights and express the demands.
LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 213

It was needed because the British wanted to know what Indians thought about British policies.
They wanted to prevent another revolt in India so they assigned Mr. Allan Octavian Hume, the
duty to from such a political party. It was necessary also to maintain better relations between
the British and the locals.

HOME ASSIGNMENT
Write answers according to the marking schemes
NEW QUESTIONS
Q.4: Why did Sir Syed Ahmed Khan believe opposition to the British was pointless?
[7]
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Q.7: Why did Sir Syed change his mind from Hindu-Muslim unity to the Two-Nation Theory?
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COMPLETE ANSWERS

Q.1: Why did Sir syed Ahmed Khan try to improve the relations between the Muslim and
the British? [N 2000 Q2 (b)] [7]

HINSTS
• It was necessary for Muslim’s survival in India because the British were in power and
Hindu community was in majority.
• He wanted Muslim to learn some modern knowledge which was possible only by
having better relation with the British

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan tried hard to improve relations between the Muslims and the British
because he thought it was necessary for the survival of Muslims in India. Both the communities
had developed hatred and suspicion towards each other which could be disastrous for Muslims
more than the British. He realized that it was essential for Muslims to have good relations with
the British. Hindu majority was hostile towards Muslims. Only good relations with the British
could guarantee their peaceful existence in the sub-continent in the future years.
Another reason why Sir Syed tried to improve relations was his wish that Muslims should learn
the knowledge of science and technology which was possible only by learning English language
and having good relations with the British because they were the first to have Industrial
revolution in England and the custodian of modern knowledge of science and technology. Sir
Syed wanted that Muslims should be able to live with dignity and pride and prosper in India
otherwise they would be subjugated. For this purpose he tried to improve relations between
the Muslims and the British.

Q.2: Why did Sir Syed Ahmed Khan develop his Two Nation Theory? [7]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 216

HINTS:
• Hindi Urdu controversy forced him to change his views in particular.
• Narrow mildness of Hindus would not let Muslim culture flourish in India.
• Peaceful co-existence was difficult without maintaining the Muslim identity.
SUGGESTED ANSWER

Sir Syed Ahmed was forced to develop the idea of Two-Nations after the Hindi-Urdu
controversy. This was an event in 1867 at Banaras when some Hindu colleagues of Sir Syed’s
scientific society demanded that Urdu should be written in Deonagri script. Sir Syed was
shocked to feel the deep seated hatred of Hindus who wanted to eliminate Urdu language as
well as Muslim culture from India. Therefore, Sir Syed announced that Hindus & Muslim were
two separate nations and cannot live together as one nation in India. This idea came to be
known as the Two-Nation Theory.
Another reason was the Hindu attitude and their narrow-mindedness towards Muslims
after the war of Independence of 1857. They tried to maintain better relations with the British
and supported the democratic system of government in India so that they could subjugate the
Muslims forever. He knew that peaceful co-existence of both the communities was difficult
without maintaining Muslim identity in India. The politics of Indian National congress was
another alarming factor because it was a Hindu party and would not safeguard the rights of
Muslims but will ensure their political and socio-economic down fall as early as possible.
Therefore, he developed the idea of Two Nations.

Q.3: Why did Sir Syed Ahmed Khan wish to develop a better understanding with the British
following the war of Independence (1857 – 58?)
[J 2008 Q2 (b)]
Note:
Please refer to the answer of Question No 1

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 217

NEW QUESTIOS:
Q.4: Why did Sir Syed believe opposition to the British was pointless? [7]

HINTS:
• British were too powerful to be ousted and Indians were not united.
• British were an advanced Nation and Indians could learn from them modern
knowledge of science and technology.
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and many other educated people of India believed that opposition to the
British was pointless because they were too powerful and disciplined to be thrown out, that it
was not possible for local soldiers to defeat them. Since 1608, they were the most interested
Europeans in the sub-continent. Since the battle of plassey in 1757, they had been proving
their might and superiority against the local rulers including the Mughal Emperors. For this
reason the war of Independence of 1857, Sir syed said, was pointless and untimely move of
the Indians.
Another reason why Sir Syed Ahmed Khan believed so was the knowledge, inventions and
discoveries of the British in the field of science & technology. They were the first to experience
industrial revolution in England and expanded their business all over the world. Therefore they
were the most advanced people of the time and powerful to be defeated, while Muslims were
a disunited group of people and had no knowledge of the advanced world. It was, therefore,
better for them to be friendly with them and not to wage a war.
Q.5: Why did Sir Syed write “The Causes of India Revolt”? [7]
HINTS:

• To convey the real causes of the Revolt and to clear the misunderstanding that
Muslims were the prime suspects of the War.

• To win the moral support of Liberal British leaders in order to save Muslims from the
harsh treatment of the British.

• To maintain good relations between the two communities and to get for Muslims
their right place in the sub-continent.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 218

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was a great supporter of the Muslims and wanted them to flourish in
India. He wrote ‘The Causes of the Indian Revolt’ right after the War of Independence 1857
when the British put the whole responsibility of the war on Muslim community and took harsh
measures against them. He wanted to tell them the real causes of the war so that Muslims
could be saved from their oppression. He also wished to seek the support from the liberal
British elements for the Muslim community because he believed it was unfair to blame the
Muslims only whereas it was a united resistance from the Indians.
He did it to remove the misunderstandings and to maintain good relations between the British
and the Muslims. He was afraid of the Hindu domination if British did not consider Muslims
equal partners in the state affairs because mostly the Hindus were working in the government
departments and not the Muslims.
Q.6: Why did Sir Syed think modern education was the most important need for Muslims?
[7]

Hints:
• Education was essential for Muslims because they were backward in the field of
science which was necessary to bring about worldly prosperity.
• Because Hindus were far ahead the Muslims as far as seeking modern education was
concerned, if they did not, Hindus would become superior to them.
• It was difficult to save their culture and religious identity without modern education.
Sir Syed believed that modern education was essential for Muslims because they were
backward in this field and it was not possible for them to bring about economic prosperity
without it. There were fewer Muslims in the government because they were reluctant to learn
modern knowledge and English language. Hindus were far ahead the Muslim community, they
accepted the western system of education happily but Muslims did not.
Another reason for seeking modern education was to safeguard the religious identity of the
Muslims. It was not possible, he believed, to save one’s religion or culture without will and
power. Muslims had will and desire to save their religious and cultural identity but they lacked
the power. Hindus were rather more powerful and did not like Muslim culture to flourish. It

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 219

was, therefore, necessary for Muslims to learn modern knowledge and English language as
early as possible.
Q.7: Why did Sir Syed change his mind from Hindu-Muslim unity to the Two-Nation Theory?
[7]
Hints:
• Due to the Hindi-Urdu controversy at Banaras in 1867.

• He did so out of the fear that Muslims would lose their identity if not declared as a
distinct and separate community.

Sir Syed was a strong supporter of the Hindu-Muslim unity but he changed his mind to the
Two-Nation Theory in 1867 when he was serving at Banaras. Some of his Hindu colleagues
demanded that Urdu should be written in Deonagri script instead of the Arabic alphabets. It
was a shocking news for Sir Sysed because he knew what it meant. He declared that Hindus
and Muslims were two separate people and had their own distinct cultures and languages,
who could not live together as one nation in future.

He was afraid of the narrow mindedness of the Hindus that they would create every
possible problem for Muslims culture to be eliminated from India, so he decided to warn
the Muslim community of the Hindu designs. He believed that Muslims should maintain
their own religious and cultural identity in India because they were a remarkable
community and the rulers of India since centuries.

Q.8: Why was the Indian National congress formed? [7]

HINTS:
• The British wanted it to be established to know the response of the Indians against
their policies
• The Indians wanted to safeguard their rights as more participation in India’s
government etc.
• To maintain better relations between the British and the Indians.
The INC was formed in 1885 with the help of a retired British officer Mr. Allan Octavian
Hume because the British were afraid of another revolt if they did not know the feelings of
Indians about their policies. The INC was to serve as the source of information to the British
and a safety valve to the Indians. It was a plateform where the Indians would express their
views about the British policies and the British would review them according to the needs of

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 220

locals. The Indians would be able to safeguard their rights and by having dialogue with the
British high command.

It was formed also to maintain the relationship between the Indian educated people and
the British authorities. They demanded more jobs in the government departments and
more participation in the Indian Councils so that their voice could be heard in the policy
making process of the government. Another purpose of formation of the INC was to
organize the Indian people in order to safeguard their cultural and religious identities as
well.

Some (c) part questions

Q.1: Was the attempt to achieve a better understanding with the British the most
important contribution that Sir Syed Ahmad Khan made to the Muslim cause during the
nineteenth century? Explain your answer. (J2015 2c) [14]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1–2]

Sir Syed helped the Muslims.

LEVEL 2: Description/identification of reasons [3–6]

He wrote a number of books and opened a school and university.

LEVEL 3: Explains the attempt to achieve a better understanding OR other contributions

[7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains the attempt to achieve a better understanding AND other contributions
[9–13]

He suggested that the British should try to understand Muslims better. He gave an
explanation of the word ‘Nadarath’ in an attempt to remove the misunderstanding of the
British about the Muslims. He believed that relations with the British could be improved by
improving the understanding of Christianity by Muslims. He tried to overcome this by writing
Tabyin-ul-Kalam, in which he pointed out the similarities between Islam and Christianity. He
wrote a number of books following the War of Independence in which he tried to show the
British that the Muslims were only partly to blame and that there were many who were
supporters of the British government. He was also aware that the British knew little about Islam
and was offended by a book he read in Britain on the life of the Prophet and, as a result, he
wrote his own work correcting the many errors he had read. However, he contributed many

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 221

other things. Sir Syed wanted democratic rights in India but believed that this would only
disadvantage Muslims since Hindus were in the majority and would win all the elections. He
therefore felt that the British should treat the Muslims and Hindus differently since they lived
separate and different lives from one another and so were really like separate nations. Sir Syed
was the first person to express this point of view and it became known as the Two Nation
Theory that gave hope to Muslims of a separate homeland. He attempted to improve the
position of Muslims through education. In 1863 he founded the Scientific Society at Ghazipore.
He wanted to make scientific writings available to Muslims by translating them from English
into Urdu. He established a Muslim college which led to the Muslim-Anglo Oriental College in
1876. This became the University of Aligarh which became important in Pakistani history as
providing an education for many of its future leaders.

LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation [14]

Q.2: was removing misunderstandings between the British and the Muslims the most
important service of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan for the revival of Muslims of the sub-continent?
Give reasons for your answer. [14]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1–2]

Sir Syed was a modern reformer of the 19th century.

LEVEL 2: Description of his services [3–6]

He removed misunderstandings between the British and the Muslims because he wanted
Muslims to develop their economic, political and social status in India. He made efforts to
educate the Muslim community and opened schools in India.

LEVEL 3: Explains the attempt to achieve a better understanding OR other contributions

[7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains the attempt to achieve a better understanding AND other contributions
[9–13]
He wrote ‘the Causes of the Indian Revolt’,’ the Loyal Mohammadans of India’, Tabyeen-ul-
Kalam’ and a number of pamphlets in order to pave the way to better relationship between the
two communities. He opened a number of schools in India. He opened his first school in 1859 at
Muradabad, in 1864 at Ghazipur and in 1875 at Aligharh, the MAO school which rose to the
status of a college and then Aligarh Muslim University in 1920. He also rendered political
services to the Muslim cause like opposition to the democratic system in India and the system
through which the Indian Civil Service Exams were conducted in England. He also presented his
point of view about Hindi-Urdu controversy and declared that both the communities can not
live together in India as one nation. It came to be known as the Two-Nation Theory.
LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation [14]

Q.3: which of the following was the most important of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan’s contribution
to revive the conditions of Muslim community in India?

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 222

I- Bridging the differences between Muslims and the British

II- opening of schools in India for modern education

III- opposing the British policies of ruling India and Indians

Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above. [14]

Prepare the marking scheme of Question No.3 yourself and write the
answer accordingly.
LEVEL 1:Simplistic statement. [1–2]
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LEVEL 2: Description of Huge size or others [3–6]

LEVEL 3: Explains one cause [7–10]

LEVEL 4: Explains at least two causes. All 3 for max.marks

[9-13]
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LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

Answer Question 3.
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Q.4: Was the development of a western education system the most important contribution
of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in developing the cause of Muslims during the nineteenth century?
Explain your answer. (J2009/P1/2c) [14]

Marking Scheme: Explains at least TWO factors, including education. Also produces a
judgement or evaluation.

He attempted to improve the position of Muslims through education. In 1863 he founded the
Scientiﬁc Society at Ghazipore. He wanted to make scientiﬁc writings available to Muslims by
translating them from English into Urdu. He established a Muslim college which led to the
Muslim-Anglo Oriental College in 1876. This became the University of Aligarh which became
important in Pakistani history as providing an education for many of its future leaders. He also
made a contribution in politics. He believed that Muslims would never win any election because
of the majority of the population was Hindu. He therefore advocated separate seats Muslim

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 224

and a separate Muslim electorate, which was the forerunner of the future demand for a
separate Muslim homeland. He wrote a number of books following the War of Independence in
which he tried to show the British that the Muslims were only partly to blame and that there
many who were supporters of the British government. He suggested that the British should try
to understand Muslims better. He explained ‘Nadarath’ in an attempt to remove British
misunderstanding of Muslims.

Q.5: Were the religious views of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan his most important contribution in
developing the cause of Muslims during the nineteenth century? Explain your answer.
(N2010/P1/2c) [14]

Marking Scheme: Explains at least two factors including religion. Also produces a judgement
or evaluation.

He believed that relations with the British could be improved by improving the understanding
of Christianity by Muslims. He tried to overcome this by writing Tabyin-ul-Kalam, in which he
pointed out the similarities between Islam and Christianity. He was also aware that the British
knew little about Islam and was offended by a book he read in Britain on the life of the Prophet
and as a result he wrote his own work correcting the many errors he had read. However he
contributed many other things. He attempted to improve the position of Muslims through
education. In 1863 he founded the Scientiﬁc Society at Ghazipore. He wanted to make scientiﬁc
writings available to Muslims by translating them from English into Urdu. He established a
Muslim college which led to the Muslim-Anglo Oriental College in 1876. This became the
University of Aligarh which became important in Pakistani history as providing an education for
many of its future leaders. He also made a contribution in politics. He believed that Muslims
would never win any election because of the Hindu majority population. He therefore
advocated separate seats and a separate electorate which was the forerunner of the future
demand for a separate homeland. He wrote a number of books following the War of
Independence in which he tried to show the British that the Muslims were only partly to blame
and that there were many who were supporters of the British government. He suggested that
the British should try to understand Muslims better. He gave an explanation of the word
’Nadarath’ in an attempt to remove the misunderstanding of the British about the Muslims.

Note: develop answers of Questions 4 and 5 according to the marking

schemes.
Q.4: Was the development of a western education system the most important contribution
of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in developing the cause of Muslims during the nineteenth century?
Explain your answer. (J2009/P1/2c) [14]
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Q.5: Were the religious views of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan his most important contribution in
developing the cause of Muslims during the nineteenth century? Explain your answer.
(N2010/P1/2c) [14]
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GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 227

THE LANGUAGES OF PAKISTAN

URDU
Brief history

Urdu emerged as a new language in India some 300 years ago taking words from
Hindi, Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, Turkish , later it absorbed English words also.
Urdu is a Turkish word that means “Army”. So Urdu came to be known as the
language of the Royal Army which comprised of the people from various areas.

Development before 1947

In the beginning long stories and poems were read in this language and later
many remarkable poets and writers developed this language. Wali Dakkani and
Amir Khusro are known as the first poets of Urdu. Mir Taqi Mir, Ghalib and Hali
enriched the language later by writing their short poems called “Ghazals”. Fort
William College, Calcutta also played a great role to develop Urdu grammar in
order to teach the language toyoung British officers. Baba-e-Urdu; Maulvi Abdul
Haq compiled the first dictionary of Urdu. The Holy Qur’an was translated into
Urdu. Hindi-Urdu controversy started in 1867 when Hindu wanted Hindi to be the
national language of India. Sir syed Ahmed saved the language by his literary
movement. The great poet-philosopher of the East; Dr. Allama Iqbal wrote his
great work in Urdu, awakening the Indian Muslims from the slumber and

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 228

inculcated in them the urge for independence, so it attracted so many people
towards Urdu.

Development after 1947

After 1947, Urdu was chosen by Mr. Jinnah as the national language of Pakistan
because it was the only language that the people of all five provinces could speak,
understand and write. It was promoted through radio, newspapers, magazines,
films and literature. Later T.V also revolutionized the promotion of Urdu by giving
dramas, telefilms, news and commercials. Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Amjad Islam Amjad,
Ahmed Fraz, Munir Niazi, Ashfaq Ahmed, Bano Qudsia and many more were the
most famous and popular writers of Urdu who influenced the masses with their
writings. Apart from this, Urdu was made the medium of instructions in schools,
colleges and universities as well.

REGIONAL LANGUAGES OF PAKISTAN

PUNJABI

Brief history
Punjabi is the language of Punjab province which was partitioned into East Punjab
in India and West Punjab in Pakistan. It was spoken in the surrounding areas of
Dehli, Meerut and Kashmir. It was written in Gurmukhi script which is still in
practice in East Punjab and is the main language of “Guru Granth Sahib”, the Holy
Book of the Sikhs but in the Mughal time, Arabic alphabets were used. It is a
mixture of Hindi, Persian, Arabic, Turkish and English. It resembles Urdu very
much and both are written in the same scripts.

It was called “Al-Hindi” by a great historian Al-Bairuni, another historian Masoodi

called it “Multani and Baba Guru Nanak Dev called it “Zaban-e-Jattan” means the
language of the Jats (farmers). In KPK it was known as “Hindko”. It has many
dialects. In south Punjab it is known as Saraiki which is influenced by Sindhi and in
Sargodha, Mianwali and Rawalpindi it has different dialects like Pothohari etc.
The name “Punjabi” was given to this language by Hafiz Barkhurdar in 1080.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 229

Development before 1947

This language was popular in the limited areas of Punjab and NWFP and was
used to write the love tales. Sassi Punnu, Heer Ranjha, Sohni Mahinwal, Saiful
Muluk, and Shahnama-e- Karbala are some famous works of great poets like
Hashim Shah, Syed Waris Shah, Mian Muhammad Bukhsh and Daim Iqbal.

Development after 1947

Punjab was the largest in population after the independence, so the language also
flourished quickly. Lahore became the cultural centre where Punjabi film
industry flourished. Punjabi films attracted the crowd from all over Pakistan due
to fantastic acting of Muhammad Ali, Mustafa Qureshi, Munawwar Zareef and
the legendary Sultan Rahi. Punjabi songs also promoted the language a great deal
which are still attractive to all regions of Pakistan. The Queen of melody madam
Noor Jahan, Mehdi Hassan, Ghulam Ali, Ata-ullah Khan Isa Khelvi and Abrar-ul-
Haq made Punjabi the most popular regional language. Radio played a great role
in the development of Punjabi and later T.V dramas added to its popularity at
homes. Theatre was another means of its development. Translation of the Holy
Qur’an by Muhammad Ali Faiq promoted the language a step further. Punjabi
poets like Munir Niazi, Sharif Kunjahi, Ahmed Rahi and Baba Najmi have
attracted masses towards this language due to their touching verses.

SINDHI
Brief history

Sindhi is an old language. It was spoken in the Sindh when Muhammad Bin Qasim
reached here in 711 AD and was written in “Marvari” and “Arz Nagri” scripts.
Later many Arabic words came into this language and after Mahmood of Ghazni
and Muhammad Ghauri came from Central Asia, it absorbed Persian and Turkish
words and was written in Arabic script.

Development before 1947

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 230

Makhdum Nuh of Hala and Qazi Qazan of Thatta were famous poets of Sindhi
who produced quality work which caused its promotion. Sindhi literature was
further enriched by great Sufi poets like Sachal Sarmast and Shah Abdul Latif
which promoted the language.

Development after 1947

After the independence, Sindhi Literary Board was established in 1948. Under
this organization many books were printed and magazines were published.

Bazm-e-Talib-ul-Maula and Sachal Sarmast Academy were set up in 1954 for the
promotion of Sindhi. It was taught in the schools and collegesas a compulsory
subject. Sindhiology department was opened in the Karachi University for higher
studies.

PASHTO

Brief history and development before 1947

Pushto is the language of former NWFP and present KPK. It is also spoken in
Balochistan province. It is an old language and have the influence from Arabic,
Persian, Greek and Pehlvi. It has three main stages as far as its development is
considered.

The first period is from 2nd century AD to 13th AD. Amir Khan Pehlvan and Bayazid
Ansari were the famous poets of this time. Khair-ul-Bayan was the first book
written on Sufism. The second period starts from the 13th century for about 100
years. It was a golden period of Pashto literature. High quality prose was
produced during this period. Hazrat Mian Umar, Sa’adat Ali Khan and Amir
Mohammad Ansari were remarkable scholars of Pushto. The third period goes till
the establishment of the British rule in India. Sufi poet Rahman Baba, Khushhal
Khan Khattak and Akhund Dardeeza produced quality work. They also wrote to
awake their people politically. Later Sahibzada Abdul Qayum Khan carried out
their mission to educate his nation and prepared them to fight for independence
from the British. He made efforts to establish the Islamia College Peshawar in

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 231

1913 which contributed to develop the language as well as supported the
independence struggle.

development after1947
After the partition special focus was laid on the development of the language.
Peshawar University was established in 1950 where the language was taught till
Master level. The Pashto Academy was also established in 1954 and worked to
compile the first dictionary of Pashto language. The language was developed
through Pashto Film Industr and T.V programs. It was promoted through daily
newspapers and magazines. It is still used as a medium of instruction in schools in
the whole province and taught in the universities till M.A level.

BALOCHI

Brief history
Balochi is an old language of the Dravidian clan. It has two main types i.e. Brahvi
and Sulaimanki. People also speak Pushto and Persian. This language was
brought in this region by the nomad tribes who migrated into present Balochistan
from the Central Asia and North West Iran. This language was used as an oral
expression and no written stuff was available because its speakers were not
settled people. Literary work in Balochi was little. Only some love tales and the
war stories were the form of literature. It was not in written form but in the
memories of the people. No books or papers were published. First time Balochi
literature came to be known by others in1830 when an English traveler
Mr.W.Leech revealed it in his report in the Journal of Asiatic Society.

Development before 1947

There was hardly any development of Balochi language before 1947 because this
region was not developed by the British Government. They did not introduce the
reforms and people remained disturbed throughout. Illiteracy prevailed due to
absence of Educational institutions and literature was on its decline. People could
recite the old tales of bravery and some love stories of the tribal heroes.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 232

Development after 1947

Balochi is the least developed of all the regional languages. After the partition,
steps were taken to promote the language. Radio Pakistan Karachi presented
Balochi service. Balochi Literary Association was established an some weekly and
monthly magazines were published. The first weekly was ‘ Nan Kessan’ and the
monthly the ‘ Olasses’. Quetta Television started in 1975 with Balochi
transmission. Drama and telefilms have contributed to development of the
language. Renowned poets like Jam Darag, Atta Shaad and Ishaq Shamin and the
writers like Gul Khan Nazir and Azad Jamaldin have played a greater role in
developing Balochi. At present, more T.V channels are operating in Balochistan.

Some (a) part questions

1. Describe the importance of Urdu language.
2. How was Sindhi developed after partition in 1947?
3. What is the importance of a language to a nation?
4. Describe the history of Urdu language.

1. Describe the importance of Urdu language.

Urdu’s importance is beyond measure because it is the national language of

Pakistan. It has been, throughout the history, the major custodian of the
Islamic heritage and culture. The Holy Qur’an was translated into Urdu and all
the Ahadees of the Prophet (pbuh) have also been translated into Urdu. It had
been the Lingua Franca of the Pakistan Movement and a cementing force to
unite the Muslims of the sub-continent. After the partition, it was the only
source to keep the Muslims together because it was the only language to be
spoken, written and understood in all provinces of Pakistan including the East
Pakistan.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 233

2. How was Sindhi developed after partition in 1947?
Sindhi was developed efficiently after the partition. A Sindhi Literary Board
was established in 1954 and Bazm-e-Talib-ul-Maula was set up for the
promotion of Sindhi. Sacha Sarmast Academy was also set up and
Sindhiology department was opened in the Karachi University to promote
the language. It is taught as a compulsory subjects in schools and colleges
and is also used as the medium of instruction. Film, T.V and print media are
playing additional role for the development of Sindhi.
3. What is the importance of a language to a nation?
A language is the only way to express or transfer one’s feelings whatsoever
either by writing or speaking. In both the ways, we need a language. It is,
therefore, the most essential tool for the physical, moral, political or social
training of a nation. It is true to say that without a language, we can not
build a nation. Language is the first and the most important step to survive
as a civilized people on the globe.
4. Describe the history of Urdu language.
Urdu is a Turkish word that means ‘Army’. It was a language that took
shape in the Mughal Army taking words from different Indian and
foreign languages like Hindi, Sansikrat, prakrit, Punjabi, Gujrati etc and
Turkish, Persian, Arabic and later English. It is some 300 years old
language. The first poet of this language was Amir ‘Khusro or Wali
Dakkani. Later on many world class poets and writers developed this
language to the world standard.

Some (b) part questions

1. Why was Urdu chosen as the National Language of Pakistan in 1947?
2. Why have regional languages been promoted by Pakistan government
since independence?

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 234

Marking Schemes
1. Why was Urdu chosen as the National Language of Pakistan in 1947?

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

It was the best language.

LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons [2–4]

It’s understood by all Pakistanis.

LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]

It carries immense importance for all Pakistanis since it has been considered to be the language
of all Muslims for 300 years. It was the language associated with the Pakistani Movement
throughout its struggle with the British and the Hindus. After Independence, it was felt that the
language was the uniting force behind the nation and the government is committed to using it
at all levels in society.

2. Why have regional languages been promoted by Pakistan government

since independence?

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1]

They are spoken in Pakistan

LEVEL 2: Identifies reasons [2–4]

To keep the languages alive

LEVEL 3: Explains reasons [5–7]

It was felt that the literature and work undertaken by authors in such areas as Sindh should be
kept alive and so the government set up bodies to promote it such as the Sindhi Literary Board
in 1948. Many languages have played an important role in the history of the region, e.g. Pushto
literature had an important role in creating opposition to British rule and the movement for
independence. Balochi had little development before 1947 and its literature was in decline.
However the government felt that it should be kept alive and not lost forever. Hence the
language was promoted.

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 235

Some (c) part questions
1. ‘The promotion of regional languages in Pakistan between 1947 and 1988 has been
more successful than the promotion of Urdu.’ Do you agree? Explain your answer.
[14]

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement.[1-2]

Pushto is a regional language

LEVEL 2: Description of regional languages and/or Urdu. [3-6]

Pushto is spoken in the NWFP. Sindhi is the second major language spoken in Pakistan

LEVEL 3: Explains promotion of regional languages OR Urdu [7-10]

LEVEL 4: Explains both[9-13]

Punjabi is the local language of the Punjab. It was a popular language amongst the Sufi
poets who used it for their romantic folk poetry. These poems contributed greatly to the
popularity of Punjabi. After Independence, steps were taken for the promotion and
development of the language in other parts of the province. The Government have ensured
its development by giving support to those institutions who are using it. Sindhi was written
in ‘Marwari’ and ‘Arz Nagari’ was of writing which was subsequently changed into Arabic.
After Independence, steps were taken to promote the language e.g. the Sindhi Literary
Board was set up in 1948 which has printed many books and magazines in the language.
Pushto literature was boosted after Independence since the poets had contributed a great
deal to the freedom struggle. The Baluchi language has also been promoted by its
broadcasting on the radio. The establishment of the Quetta Television Station has also
helped to promote it. Urdu carries immense importance for all Pakistanis since it has been
considered to be the language of all Muslims for 300 years. It was the language associated
with the Pakistani Movement throughout its struggle with the British and the Hindus. After

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 236

Independence it was felt that the language was the uniting force behind the nation and the
government is committed to using at all levels in society.

LEVEL 5: As Level 4 - also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

GHULAM MEHDI 03219211062 Page 237

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