The Ulama in the Age of Colonialism

from it being a duty binding on Muslims to wage armed jihad against the British, given the prevailing conditions, it was not even lawful according to the Islamic Shariah. Hence, a consultative meeting was held in Deoband, in which, among others, Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi and Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanotvi (both of whom were soon to be closely involved in the establishment of the Darul Uloom at Deoband) also participated. Describing this discussion, Maulana Husain Ahmad Madani writes in his autobiography titled, Naqsh-e-Hayat: In this meeting, the issue of jihad was discussed. Very courteously, Hazrat Nanotvi asked Maulana Shaikh Muhammad, “Hazrat, what is the reason that you do not declare jihad to be a binding duty (farz), nor even permissible (ja’iz)?” He replied, “We do not have the weapons and instruments for jihad. We are lacking in resources.” Maulana Nanotvi then said, “Do [we] not have even that many resources as [the Muslims had] during the battle of Badr?” At this, Maulana Shaikh Muhammad remained silent. (Naqsh-e-Hayat, 1954, Vol. 2, p. 42) This comparison made by Maulana Nanotvi with the Battle of Badr (in 624 CE, in which the Makkan