In the Aftermath of World War II

and adultery, ignoring the fact that large sections of the populace have developed an aversion to them. In January 1827, Sayyed Ahmad Barelvi and his companions had established what they called an Islamic government in the Peshawar region, near the Afghan border. Sayyed Ahmad was selected as the head of the state, the Amir ul-Momineen (Commander of the Faithful). However, very soon, significant differences developed, to the point where the local Muslims set about killing the representatives that Sayyed Ahmad had appointed in their areas. Thus, this ‘Islamic government’ collapsed almost as soon as it had been established! This failed attempt to establish Islamic rule without adequately preparing the Muslim society for it, was not, however, taken as an eye-opener by later generations. That is why efforts continue to be made even in our day to repeat this experiment which, some two hundred years ago, very clearly had shown how impossible it was for it to succeed. By the middle of the 20th century, movements aiming for what their proponents called the ‘Islamic Revolution’ emerged almost all over the Muslim world. These were led by Ulama, as well as Islamist intellectuals. However, these people, both when they