Later Mughals v1.c6.s24: Sec. 23.—The Khutba Riot at Lahor.
Later Mughals v1.c6.s24
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Sec. 23.—The Khutba Riot at Lahor.
v1.c6.s24.1
Early in his reign Bahadur Shah had directed an alteration in the public prayer for the sovereign put up every Friday in every mosque throughout the land. The word wasi or heir was to be added to the titles of Ali, Commander of the Faithful, in the recital of Muhammad's successors. This alteration raised the never ending controversy between the Sunni and the Shias as to the rightful succession to the prophet, and Indian Muham-madans being almost all Sunnis, this formal attribution of heir-ship to Ali was naturally offensive to their religious feelings. Riots had been caused at Ahmadabad and elsewhere by the attempt to recite the new form of prayer.. At Lahor, owing to the objections of the doctors of the law, no khutba had been recited for some time. [K. K. 603, 661, 681.]
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On reaching Lahor, Bahadur Shah summoned the learned men of that city of whom Haji Yar Muhammad, Muhammad Murad and three or four other well-known men attended. They were directed to sit down before the Emperor in the tasbih-khana or praying room. Abdul Qadir nephew of Qazi Mir and two or three other doctors attached to the camp argued the point. Even Bahadur Shah in person quoted books of authority and traditions to prove the use of the word wasi. Haji Yar Muhammad, in meeting the Emperor's arguments, forgot all the usual modes of respect and spoke violently. Bahadur Shah lost his temper and asked him if he had no fear of the sovereign's anger. The Haji retorted that from the Great Giver he besought four things only, learning, recollection of God's word, pilgrimage to the holy places, and martyrdom. "Thanks be to God, three of these favours have been conferred, the fourth by the condescension of a just ruler may also be secured." In investigating these arguments, several days were passed. A number of men in the city, backed up by many Afghan commanders, in all some 100,000 men, promised to support Haji Yar Muhammad. In secret Azim-ush-shan, too, was opposed to the innovation.
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At first Bahadur Shah held firmly to his purpose, the khatib, or reciter of the prayer, at Lahor was arrested and sent to be imprisoned at Agra, while Islam Khan received orders to march into the city on the next Friday at the head of all the artillery and to see that the khutba in the form appointed was duly read. But finally on the 2nd October, 1711, the khutba in the old form was recited at the Jama Masjid of Lahor in the presence of a large armed force and many of the nobles, who had been sent to preserve order. The form accepted was the same as in Alamgir's reign. In it were many honorific titles attached to the name of Ali, but the actual word in dispute, wasi, did not appear. The fact that the Emperor had given way was hardly known and several thousand men of every class had assembled round the mosque ready for an outbreak, and it was only when they heard the old khutba that they dispersed. [Kamwar.]*
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* [Yahya 115b-116b.] Bahadur Shah had strayed from the orthodox faith of the Sunnat. He therefore sent for the learned men of the Panjab and reciting various traditions favourable to Ali said ‘Are these correct? or inventions’? The learned men replied ‘They are correct; and in respect of other companions there are many chapters (fasl) of traditions, there is no dependence (hasan) on such traditions for one only.’ After that the Emperor recited several traditions from which the Lord of the Faithful (Ali) was shown as heir (Wasi) and he asked ‘Are these traditions, too, correct or not?’ They said ‘It is correct.’ The Emperor replied ‘Therefore it is necessary to call the Lord of the Faithful Ali (the grace of God be upon him) the Chosen Heir (Wasi-i-mustaffa) in the public prayer (khutba).’ From this they believed the rumours to be true that they had already heard, namely that Bahadur Shah had become a Shia, and they thought, if we agree to this, he will in future be able to say ‘you must recite such and such words.’ It would be better not to consent now. Therefore they replied ‘There is no doubt that Ali was the Chosen Heir, but in the form of khutba fixed in the past by men of learning and perfect in the faith (mujtahid)—and thought best by them—and ordered to be recited, if the word wasi is left out therein that is no denial of Ali’s heirship. Accordingly, in the holy Quran the word sahib (companion) with regard to the Lord of the Faithful (Sadiq Akbar) is distinctly fixed, Qaulah taali az qal lasahabahu la tahzan an ullah manad. Although we do not refer to him in the khutba by those words, there is by their omission no denial of his companionship (Razi ullah anahu.)’ And although they gave reasonable answers he was not satisfied. He said ‘I will give orders that if you do not obey I will make you eat out of the same platter as the dogs.’ They said ‘That matters not—for we feared that you