Alaa Hazrat issued many fatwas against the British.
The country became independent on 15 August 1947. Millions of martyrs sacrificed for the freedom of the country. The biggest war of independence started in 1857 against the British. It got the name ‘Gadar’ and in this war all the bonds of caste and religion were broken. Freedom fighters were ready to sacrifice their lives to free the country from the shackles of slavery. Exactly one year before this revolt, on 14 June 1856, a child’s cry echoed in Mohalla Jasauli, Bareilly. The house in which the child was born was a family of revolutionaries. His grandfather and father were eyesores for the British. When the child grew up, it disturbed the British so much that the British government announced a reward of 500 rupees for its beheading. The child’s name was Ahmad Raza Khan, he received the title of ‘Imam’ and was later called ‘Ala Hazrat’.
Ala Hazrat was against the British rule from his childhood. His father Maulana Naqi Ali Khan and grandfather Maulana Mufti Raza Ali Khan participated in the freedom struggle in 1857. He supported the fatwas issued against the British from Delhi in Bareilly. The British tried many times to arrest Ala Hazrat’s father but failed each time. Maulana Naqi Ali Khan was on his way to the mosque when he got wind of the arrival of the British army. The British did not dare to go there.
Jihad was declared against the British
Fazil-e-Barelvi Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (Ala Hazrat) issued several fatwas against the British. The impact of his fatwas shook the British government. This was the reason why he was hated by the high officials of the British government. Ala Hazrat also declared jihad against the British. He forbade Muslims from attending shows and languages organized by the British. He used to prevent Muslims from attending any of his events.
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Dargah Ala Hazrat.
Revolutionaries lived in mansions, provided horses
Ala Hazrat lived in his haveli in Mohalla Jasauli in Bareilly. His ancestors from Afghanistan held great status in the Mughal government. He also held important positions in the Mughal military and administrative staff. Ala Hazrat lived in a mansion built in the same period and his horses were stabled in this mansion. Ala Hazrat used to give these horses to the revolutionaries who fought in the freedom struggle. This revolutionary also lived in this mansion.
A reward of Rs 500 for beheading Ala Hazrat
Ala Hazrat hated English so much that whenever he sent any letter by post he would not affix a stamp directly on it. The reason for this was Mallika Victoria’s picture printed on the ticket. He was doing this to insult the British rule. When the then General Lord Hastings came to know about this, he was furious. He kept a reward of five hundred rupees for beheading Alaa Hazrat.
Refused to go to court
Ala Hazrat’s fatwas and speeches had a great impact on the Sunni Muslims of the country. He used to issue fatwas against the British rule every day. According to his biography, Alaa Hazrat forbade Muslims from entering the courts run under British rule. He used to ask them to solve mutual problems in their homes or from scholars in the light of religion. He believed that instead of filling the British coffers by spending crores of rupees on stamps in litigation, it would be better to decide between the Muslims in case of disputes. Ala Hazrat also wrote many books on these issues and their solutions.
Ala Hazrat’s parents came from Afghanistan
This is early 18th century. The 13th Mughal Emperor Mohammad Shah established the Mughal Empire in the country and the throne of Delhi. During this period a family migrates to Lahore from the city of Kandahar in Afghanistan. The family belonged to the Barhech tribe of Pakhtun. The name of the head of this family was Maulana Saidullah Khan. After spending a few days in Lahore, Maulana Syedullah Khan comes to Delhi. After coming to Delhi, Maulana Syedullah Khan gets a high level government job. After the victory, the Mughal government made his son Maulana Saadat Yar Khan the governor of Ruhaila city. After that the whole family settled in Rohilkhand (Bareli).
Bareilly was made a center for the service of the poor.
Mohammad Azam Khan, son of Governor Maulana Saadat Yar Khan, was given responsibility in the army and his son Maulana Kazim Ali Khan was made Tehsildar of Badaun district. From the Mughal government he got 12 majras of Kartauli village in the district for cultivation. Despite the government job, the whole family lived a religious life. Maulana Raza Ali Khan, son of Maulana Kazim Ali Khan, shunned government service and took to the service of religion. He started writing fatwas according to Shariat and made his center in Bareilly. He was a great scholar of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat.
Dargah Sharif Khankahe Barkatiya, Marhara Sharif.
Marhara Sharif devotees, Government of India issued postage stamps
Maulana Naqi Ali Khan, son of Maulana Raza Ali Khan, also followed his father’s path in the service of religion. ‘Ala Hazrat’ was the son of Maulana Naqi Ali Khan. His childhood name was ‘Mohammed’. Grandfather Maulana Raza Ali Khan named him ‘Ahmad Raza’, which later became the title of ‘Imam Ahmed Raza’ and ‘Ala Hazrat’. The famous elder of Dargah Khanqah Barkatiya in Marhara Sharif town of Etah district of Uttar Pradesh was a follower of Hazrat Syed Shah Ale Rasool. He also gained the caliphate from Khanqah Sharif. On 31 December 1995, the Government of India issued a commemorative postage stamp in honor of Ala Hazrat. Railways run Al Hazrat Express from Bareilly to Bhuj in his name.
