Sayyid Ahmad Khan's Representations of Sufi Life of Shahjahanabad (Delhi)

Abstract

The paper seeks to highlight Sayyid Ahmad Khan's representation of the religious life of the Mughal Delhi/Shahjahanabad during the first half of the nineteenth century as portrayed in Asar al-Sanadid the archaeological history of the city of Delhi. The work from the pen of one of the most articulate Muslim of nineteenth-century South Asia is not only about the buildings and monuments of Delhi but it is also a significant document for restructuring the social and intellectual life of the imperial city during the period of colonial ascendancy. Sayyid Ahmad Khan's account of the Sufi life as portrayed in Asar al-Sanadid, shows that the mysticism ( tasawwuf) the social manifestation of devotion, piety, and Islamic scholarship was an integral part of Islamic lifestyle of urban elite and notables of the imperial metropolis. It is a picture of reformed Sufism and Sufi practices as embodied in the person of eighteenth-century savant Shah Wali Allah Dehlawi. Despite its acknowledged authenticity, the account presented a highly idealised view, if not romanticised one, of the mystic life with no consideration of impact of the socio-economic changes that occurred after the colonial takeover of the city. It is being argued that the economic policies of the new rulers adversely affected the social life of the city. The cultural and religious establishments such as the mosques, madrasas and khanqahs (Sufi hospices), as well as the individuals whose fate was bound with these institutions, came under heavy strains and stresses. The Mughal capital and its inhabitants were groaning under colonial repression, which found its expression in the great Revolt of 1857. But the resistance to the colonial rule proved even more disastrous. The punishment that followed in the wake of British retribution meant that the life of the city would not be the same again. The religious places and institutions as well as the people associated with these centres of learning became the prime target because of the perceived British association of these spiritual centres with the rebels whom they called Mujahidin (warriors in defense of the faith). Consequently, much of the traditional urban fabric of the city was destroyed, which like its history became distant in time and space. More unfortunate was the loss of human lives which continued to haunt the psyche of those who were witness to the tragedy. The citizens of Delhi knew that the life of Hazrat-i-Dehli would never be same again as reflected in the narratives of Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib, its foremost citizen.