Consider the following statements with reference to the socio religious uprising:

1. The Wahabi Movement was islamic reformist movement that also advocated western learning.

2. Wahabis declared jihad against sikh kingdom of punjab and attacked English power in the region.

3. Sikh movement adopted a policy of boycotting english laws even before swadeshi.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Solution

● Statement 1 is incorrect: The Wahabi Movement was an Islamic revivalist movement founded by Syed Ahmed of Rai Bareilly. He was inspired by the teachings of Abdul Wahab (1703–87) of Saudi Arabia and Shah Waliullah of Delhi. Syed Ahmed condemned the Western influence on Islam and advocated a return to pure Islam and society as it was in the Arabia of the Prophet’s time. ● Statement 2 is correct: Since Dar al-Harb (territory of war or chaos) was to be converted into Dar al- Islam (the land of Islam), a jihad was declared against the Sikh kingdom of Punjab. After the defeat of the Sikh ruler and incorporation of Punjab into the East India Company’s dominion in 1849, the English dominion in India became the sole target of the Wahabis’ attacks. ● Statement 3 is correct: The Kuka Movement, led by Baba Ram Singh. was a religious purification movement that transformed into a politician campaign. They advocated wearing hand-woven clothes and boycotted English laws. They were against English education and products. The concepts of Swadeshi and non-cooperation were propagated by the Kukas, much before they became part of the Indian national movement in the early 20th century.