After the War of Independence in 1857, the British Empire identified the greatest threat to its rule in India: the Islamic scholars (ulama) and spiritual leaders who played a leading role in mobilizing the public against colonial oppression. These scholars—such as Shah Abdul Aziz, Syed Ahmad Barelvi, and Maulana Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi—were seen as the ideological backbone of the resistance. Recognizing their influence, the British moved to suppress this class through executions, exile, and long-term imprisonment1.
To weaken Muslim unity and resistance in the long term, the British devised a strategic plan: to create a movement from within Islam that would erode its core teachings, especially the concept of jihad, which had been a major source of resistance during the rebellion2.
A high-level British delegation, comprising scholars, politicians, and Parliament members, was allegedly sent to India to study the socio-economic and religious condition of Muslims. Based on this research, a detailed report was compiled and later made public under the title:
"The Arrival of the British Empire in India" (often referenced in colonial archives and Muslim literature, though the original report's public version remains debated)3.
One of the key recommendations in this report was the need to find a Muslim figure who could falsely claim divine inspiration or prophethood and use his position to declare jihad as forbidden, thus neutralizing future religious resistance to British rule.
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani was identified as a suitable candidate. His family had a record of serving and cooperating with the British Raj. In fact, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad himself admitted in his own writings:
“My father was a loyal servant of the British government… I myself have written many books prohibiting jihad.”
(Tiryaq-ul-Quloob, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 15, p. 155)4
He went so far as to claim that jihad had been abrogated, declaring:
“From now on, jihad with the sword is forbidden. The only jihad is to spread the teachings of Islam peacefully.”
(Majmu‘a Ishtiharat, Vol. 3, p. 297)5
This doctrine served the colonial agenda, helping to pacify Muslim resistance. His claim of being the "Promised Messiah" and "a prophet in a metaphorical sense" further distanced many Muslims from his movement, leading to widespread condemnation from mainstream Islamic scholars across India and the Muslim world6.
Through Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani, the British were able to establish a movement (Ahmadiyya) that diluted Islamic doctrines under the pretext of modern reinterpretation. This movement was rejected by every major Islamic school of thought and continues to be regarded by the majority of Muslims as a deviation from Islam.
References & Footnotes
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Footnotes
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William Dalrymple, The Last Mughal (2006); Also see The Ulema's Role in the 1857 Rebellion, Darul Uloom Deoband publications. ↩
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Syed Ahmad Shaheed’s jihad movement and the Fatwas of Shah Abdul Aziz declared the British as enemies of Islam, fueling resistance. See: Dr. Ishtiaq Husain Qureshi, Ulema in Politics. ↩
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The title "The Arrival of the British Empire in India" is commonly referenced in South Asian literature, particularly in the context of colonial conspiracies against Islam, but exact archival citations vary. The theme aligns with known British tactics in colonial governance (see: Thomas Metcalf, Ideologies of the Raj). ↩
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Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Tiryaq-ul-Quloob, Ruhani Khazain Vol. 15, p. 155. ↩
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Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Majmu‘a Ishtiharat, Vol. 3, p. 297. ↩
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Aqaid-e-Qadianiat by Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari; Al-Qaul al-Fasl by Maulana Muhammad Ali (Lahori); and Tahzir-un-Nas by Maulana Qasim Nanotvi. ↩
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