The great reformer’s treatment of fiqh differences as intellectual richness, his bay’ah in multiple Sufi orders, and his revival of Hadith literature constitute a comprehensive antidote to the sectarianism fragmenting the contemporary Ummah
Tahir Iqbal
If we sincerely want to end the sectarian conflicts and reconstruct genuine Muslim unity, we must revisit the intellectual patrimony of Shah Waliullah Dehlavi. His teachings remain a remedy to the melancholy of sectarianism and disunity. The quintessential part of his work would act as medicine for our present religious entanglements. Shaykh Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi calls him a great Mujadid (reviver of Islam). Prof Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi even praised him more for his work on the unification of the Ummah than Imam al-Ghazali.
Shah Waliullah Dehlavi’s greatest service to the Muslim Ummah was his effort to unify Muslims on the basis of knowledge, balance, and spirituality. His translation of the Glorious Qur’an into Persian was a historic attempt to dismantle religious elitism. His message was clear that the Qur’an is not the private property of intellectual elites; it is divine guidance meant for the common masses. Its message should flourish among the masses so they can understand and implement it in their lives.
Divisions created by alien philosophies had been dealt with in Qur’anic responses by Shah Waliullah Dehlavi. Maulana Manazir Ahsan Gilani says in his book “Tazkira’h Shah Waliullah” that Shah Sahab expounded the Qur’anic paradigm against the onslaught of alien thoughts of Iranian philosophers like Mir Damad and Mulla Sadra, which were replete with just verbiage, having no substance in Quranic parlance.
Shah Waliullah played a pivotal role in reducing the differences in fiqh. He did not turn juristic (Fiqh) disagreements into sectarian identities. Rather, he treated them as part of the intellectual richness of the Muslim Ummah. In his book “Al-Asbab fi Bayan Sabab al-Ikhtilaf”, he explains the reasons for the differences among jurists. Those fiqh differences, according to him, were not based on sectarian mentality but understanding of the textual evidence and other subtle aspects of Shariah principles. The fiqh differences don’t divide the Muslim Ummah; they hold it together in relation to the applicability of Shariah rulings.
To diminish the intra-faith conflicts, particularly in Sufi circles, he offered a balanced hermeneutics. He clarified that Wahdat al-Wajood and Wahdat al-Shuhood are not contradictory Sufi theories, but two paths leading toward the same reality. His own spiritual life reflected this inclusive temperament. His bay‘ah in multiple Sufi orders was itself a sign of harmony rather than rivalry.
Perhaps his greatest effort was the revival of Hadith literature in the Indian subcontinent. This revival later became a major source for overcoming religious differences among Muslims, as it helped to reconnect the Ummah to the pristine source of prophetic guidance. The legacy he left gives us hope for an Islamic revival grounded in the original light of the Prophetic tradition, rather than in sectarian slogans and inherited rivalries.
A big cause of sectarianism is rigidity in religious verdicts/legal positions without meaning. People become too harsh and resort to conflicts within the Ummah. Shah Waliuallah Dehlavi interpreted the Islamic Ahkam through a logico-spiritual framework and showed wisdom and moral architecture behind Shariah. Restoring the meaning and philosophy of Islamic Ahkam means creating balance, and this balance is a guiding rule for unity and cohesion among Muslims.
In a time when Muslim society is increasingly divided with sectarian conflicts, Shah Waliullah Dehlavi remains a strong reminder that Muslim unity is not achieved by silencing differences, but by restoring spiritual aura, intellectual sincerity, and a shared commitment to the Qur’an and Sunnah. The Muslim Ummah does not need mere slogans. It needs profound understanding and tolerance.
The writer is an Assistant Professor, Islamic Studies, in J&K’s Higher Education Department
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