ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>BARELAV&#298 SAYYID AHMAD (1786-1831)</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="BARELAV*,SAYYID,AHMAD,Person,Person"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279BARELAV&#298, SAYYID AHMAD (1786-1831), leader of the militant Wah&#257b&#299 movement in India for the purification and rehabilitation of Islam, was born at R&#257e Barel&#299, in present-day Uttar Pradesh, on 29 November 1786, in a Sayyid family. At school, he took more interest in sports than in studies. He attained proficiency in wrestling, swimming and archery and developed a robust physique. During 1803-04, when 18 years of age, he set out for Lucknow with seven companions in search of employment. For seven months, he lived on the hospitality of a local aristocrat who knew the family, but got no employment. He then went to Delhi where he became a disciple of Sh&#257h Abdul Az&#299z, son of Sh&#257h Wal&#299ullah (1702-63) of the Naqshband&#299 order, who became the moving spirit for the reform and renovation of Islam in India. About 1808, he returned to R&#257e Barel&#299 and got married. He left for Delhi again in 1811 and, after a short stay there, proceeded to Central India to join Am&#299r <u>Kh</u>&#257n Ruh&#299l&#257, an ambitious Af<u>gh</u>&#257n adventurer connected with the notorious predatory Pi&#7751&#7693&#257r&#299s. Am&#299r <u>Kh</u>&#257n was later elevated Naw&#257b of &#7788o&#7749k by the British. He stayed with Am&#299r <u>Kh</u>&#257n for about six years, and returned to Delhi in 1818. There he turned a religious zealot and began to preach and make disciples. He toured various districts of Uttar Pradesh, his following constantly increasing. In 1822, he visited Mecca and, on return to India the following year, proclaimed himself a reformer (<i>mujtahid</i>), preaching Wah&#257b&#299 doctrines.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sayyid Ahmad gathered around himself a motley crowd of followers, religious enthusiasts, <i>mullahs</i>, mercenaries, and all those willing to wage war in the cause of Islam. Fearful of fomenting trouble in the British territory, he, in 1826, crossed over to Af<u>gh</u>&#257n-Sikh borders. Among his supporters were the Naw&#257b of &#7788o&#7749k and the T&#257lpurian Am&#299rs of Sindh. He reached Qandah&#257r and fording the River K&#257bul, entered the turbulent Y&#363safza&#299 hills. From the barren Y&#363safza&#299 hills, he raised the cry of holy war (<i>jih&#257d</i>) against the "infidel Sikhs" who, he proclaimed, had usurped all Af<u>gh</u>&#257n territories in India. In a manifesto issued in December 1826, he charged Sikhs with having committed atrocities on Muslims. To their total annihilation he pledged himself.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On 21 December 1826, Sayyid Ahmad crossed the Sikh frontier and fell upon Ako&#7771&#257, near Attock, but the garrison under Buddh Si&#7749gh Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257 repulsed him. Sayyid Ahmad hastily retired, having lost a large number of his men. Early in 1827, about 80, 000 Y&#363safza&#299s and 20, 000 Durr&#257n&#299 troops, with 8 guns, swelled the ranks of the Sayyid's <i>muj&#257hid&#299n</i>. The host then advanced towards Buddh Si&#7749gh's new camp at Shaid&#363, a few kilometres south of Ako&#7771&#257. The <i>muj&#257hid&#299n</i> had some initial success in forcing the Sikh advance posts back to their camp, but ultimately the Sikhs won the day, though Buddh Si&#7749gh himself was killed in the battle.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sayyid Ahmad continued inciting the Af<u>gh</u>&#257n tribes against the Sikhs. In 1829, his men invaded Pesh&#257war whose tributary governor, Y&#257r Muhammad <u>Kh</u>&#257n, was fatally wounded, but the arrival of a force under Ka&#7749var Sher Si&#7749gh and General Ventura saved the situation for the Sikhs. Sayyid Ahmad fled towards Haz&#257r&#257, but continued his campaign of calumny against the Sikhs. In 1830, a Sikh force commanded by Har&#299 Si&#7749gh Nalv&#257 and General Ventura drove him across the River Indus, but soon after he fell upon Pesh&#257war, defeated its new governor, Sult&#257n Muhammad <u>Kh</u>&#257n B&#257rakza&#299, and occupied the town. The jubilant Af<u>gh</u>&#257n tribes hailed him as the <i><u>Kh</u>alif&#257t ul-Musalm&#299n</i>, i. e. the Caliph of the Muslims. He installed himself as the ruler of Pesh&#257war and struck coins in his name with high-sounding inscriptions.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;His rule was, however, short-lived. The innovations he introduced in the agrarian system and in the administration of justice in accordance with his fanatical doctrines aroused the opposition of the Sunn&#299 <i>mullahs</i>. Further, he imposed a tithe on the peasants. The Af<u>gh</u>&#257n <i>jirg&#257s</i> denounced him as an impostor and the <i>mullahs</i> clamoured for his expulsion from among their midst. Sayyid Ahmad hastily surrendered Pesh&#257war to Sult&#257n Muhammad <u>Kh</u>&#257n B&#257rakza&#299, the Sikh tributary, and fled across the Indus.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In May 1831, a strong Sikh force under Prince Sher Si&#7749gh overtook him, and in a short action at B&#257l&#257ko&#7789, on 6 May 1831, he was slain along with his few adherents. Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh ordered celebration of the event with illuminations and discharge of guns throughout the kingdom.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> S&#363r&#299, Sohan L&#257l, '<i>Umd&#257t-ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i>. Lahore, 1885-89<BR> <li class="C1"> Ahmad, Mohiuddin, <i>Saiyid Ahmad Shahid</i>. Lucknow, 1975<BR> <li class="C1"> Hasrat, B. J. , <i>Life and Times of Ra&#7751jit Si&#7749gh</i>. Nabha, 1977<BR> <li class="C1"> Khushwant Singh, <i>A History of the Sikhs</i>, vol. I. Princeton, 1963<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Sard&#257r Si&#7749gh Bh&#257&#7789&#299&#257<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>