The power of the pen or the written word is signified in every culture from across the globe. The men and women with a pen have chronicled the history of the world as we know it today. Out of billions of human beings to brace the earth, very few have impacted it more than writers. And out of this rare breed of intellectuals, very few were able to revolutionize their generations.
While revolutionary authors can be found as early as the history of the civilized world exists, we will look at the five most influential authors in the modern era. To be precise, we will look at the authors from the 19th and 20th centuries only. Why this period? Because most of the ideologies in existence today, except the prominent world religions, were, more or less, shaped during this period.
The global power structure, the political affluence, the educational reforms, the agitations of the lowest in the economic structure – every socioeconomic and political aspect of the world at the moment has its roots in the last two centuries. Books by these stalwarts continue to move revolutions, agitations, and ideologies in various parts of the world. Criteria for the selection of the authors is as follows:
1. The author should be born between 1800-1950
2. The author must have followers in more than a single continent
3. The author must have written works that influence socioeconomic & political affairs of the regions they influence
So, let’s discuss the first of the top 5 revolutionary authors of the modern era:
Ahmed Raza Khan – The Underrated Muslim Polymath
Introduction
Ahmed Raza Khan, also known as AlaHazrat, was born in 1856 in a family of Islamic scholars from Bareilly, a famous town in the United Provinces. The young boy was given formal education within his home and was primarily taught by his father, Naqi Ali Khan. At a very early age, he learned to read the Quran and subsequently studied Islamic sciences till the age of 13, when he graduated. Later, he studied under prominent personalities like Syed Ahmad bin Zayni Dahlan, the famous Islamic Scholar of the Ottoman Era, and Syed Abul Hussain Noori, the revered Islamic mystic from Marhera, Etah District.
Following his formal education, he took the office of Dar al Ifta, where he passed Islamic judgments for about 54 years. During this particular period, he challenged many scientific theories of his time, formulated some of his own, and refuted the British and other British-sponsored sects that plague the world even today. While Sunni Muslims across the globe revere him, in this particular article, we will discuss his scientific, social, and political achievements and his influence over people in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Turkey, and the West.
Refutation of Theory of Gravity, Rotation & Revolution of the Earth
During the British Raj, the Indian polymath did not only challenge the theories of Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Albert Porta but also wrote books that stood head and shoulders above the rest in his era. To understand Ahmed Raza Khan’s impact on the scientific world, we will first analyze the theories he refuted. In his work, ‘A Fair Success in Refuting the Motion of the Earth’ (1919), Ahmed Raza Khan refuted multiple theories related to modern earth theories, including Newton’s theory of gravity and Einstein’s theories drafted to prove the motion of the earth.
While this may sound quite radical, a little research shows that Newton’s theory of gravity has been refuted by modern scientists as well. In August 2019, scientists dismissed Newton’s theory of gravity and indicated that the next in line would be Albert Einstein. Subsequently, in September 2020, a group of scientists also termed Einstein’s theory flawed and called for a review of the theory of relativity. This comes 101 years after Ahmed Raza Khan refuted him and 90 years after a consortium of German scientists published ‘A Hundred Authors Against Einstein.’
Refutation of Prof Albert F. Porta
Ahmed Raza Khan was the first scientist to refute American astronomer Albert F. Porta’s prediction that several countries of the world would cease to exist after a meteoric explosion due to a certain alignment of stars and the sun. He predicted that the explosion would occur on December 17, 1919. However, Ahmed Raza Khan refuted Porta’s prediction and wrote a booklet proving that according to astronomic calculations, the alignment of stars isn’t possible the way Porta had predicted.
Khan’s research was published in two Indian newspapers – Express, a daily from Bakipur, and Al Raza, an Urdu newspaper from Bareilly, and was compiled under the name ‘A Fair Guide on the Revolving Sun and the Static Earth.’ According to experts, Ahmed Raza Khan’s research was also published in the New York Times on December 16 and 18, 1919. While many discarded his research before the 17th, considering that Porta was a Professor at the prestigious University of Michigan and Khan was only a “Molvi” from a backward Indian city. However, when the prediction fell flat and Khan’s research proved to be correct, he received appreciation from various factions of the civilized scientific world.
Other Great Examples of Ahmed Raza Khan’s Scientific Influence
Another example of his scientific prowess was his work written in 1880, ‘Refutation of Ancient Philosophy.’ According to the popular narrative, “an atom can be further divided” was an idea presented by J.J. Thompson in the year 1897. However, the AlaHazrat, as his followers across the globe refer to him, wrote a similar treatise, proving the divisibility of an atom almost a decade earlier. Unfortunately, due to a lack of resources at the time of the British Raj, the publishing of the book was delayed until it was published in 1919-1920. He was also well-versed in phonetician science, as can be found in his famous book, ‘Clarification on the Question of Gramophone’ (1909). Likewise, in work ‘Light and Luster for the Ruling on Absolute Water’ (1915), the polymath discusses forms of water and ultimately documents a staggering 306 types.
Refutation of the Wahabi Ideology
Ahmed Raza Khan’s greatest achievement that continues to impact the world is his staunch refutation of the Anglosphere-backed Islamic extremist groups like the Wahabis, an extremist sect emerging from the Eastern Arabian Peninsula in modern-day Saudi Arabia. Most of the terror groups like Al Qaeda, ISIS, Boko Haram, Lashkar e Taiba, etc., have their ideological roots in the Wahabi movement, which began in the late 18th century. So articulate and effective was the great scholar in his refutation and opposition to the Wahabis that ISIS or any other terror group hasn’t been able to infiltrate wherever his followers are found in vast numbers.
For instance, in countries where the influence of Ahmed Raza Khan prevails over others, like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, England, Nepal, South Africa, Morocco, etc., the Wahabi ideologue terror outfits haven’t been able to recruit as many Muslims as they have in the regions with the lesser influence of Khan. This alone is a great achievement, and hadn’t he been in India, the situation could have been much worse.
A Literary Giant
Ahmed Raza Khan has written over 1,000 books, most of which have been published. In ‘Ijazat ul Mateena’ (1904), he himself mentions that he’s written books on at least 55 subjects, including physics, chemistry, biology, linguistics, philosophy, theology, economics, and logarithms. His magnum opus, Fatawa Razviyya, spans 30 volumes and is regarded as the encyclopedia of the Hanafi School of Jurisprudence. You can find a list of his popular books here.
His collection of poems, ‘Orchards of Forgiveness’, is a three-volume mammoth work in Urdu literature. Various Islamic jurists from the sub-continent and elsewhere have written voluminous commentaries on this magnificent collection, which includes the likes of Faiz Ahmed Owaisi and Ghulam Hasan Qadri. ‘Orchards of Forgiveness’ consists of poems in Urdu, Persian, Arabic, Hindi, and Bhojpuri. Ahmed Raza Khan was also very well conversant in English, as many questions he received from the West were usually in English, to which he replied in the same language.
In fact, he answered all the questions in the language they were asked. Moreover, there were instances when a question was asked in the form of poetry, and Khan answered it in a similar fashion. He mastered many such unique traits, which made his books interesting in many aspects. One such trait was the Arabic writing system of Abjad, a science applying which one can derive the numeric value of words. Khan applied this science to the title of each of his books, and the derived numeric value became the Hijri year in which the book was written.
Ahmed Raza Khan’s Legacy and Influence in Current Times
Ahmed Raza Khan’s mausoleum in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, India, is one of the most famous and revered Sufi shrines in the sub-continent. On the 25th Day of the second month of the Hijri Calendar, hundreds of thousands of his devotees gather at his shrine to commemorate his death anniversary. Dargah e AlaHazrat, Khan’s resting place, is regarded as Islamic Jurisprudence for Sunni Muslims across the globe.
There are numerous academic and non-academic social organizations around the globe named after him and/or functioning on his principles. The most prominent institutions following Khan include the World Islamic Mission (Mecca, KSA), Centre of Islamic Studies Jamiatur Raza (Bareilly, India), Al Jamiat ul Ashrafia (Mubarakpur, India), Raza Academy (Mumbai, India), Imam Mustafa Raza Academy (Durban, South Africa), Sunni Hanafi Organization (Nagpur, India), Al Mustafa Islamic Cultural Centre Ireland (Dublin, Ireland), Jamia al Karam (Eaton, UK), and more.
American historian and researcher Dr. Usha Sanyal completed her Ph.D. dissertation analyzing Ahmed Raza Khan. Currently, a lecturer at the Queen’s University of Charlotte, North Carolina, Sanyal has two monumental works on the great scholar – ‘Devotional Islam and Politics in British India: Ahmed Raza Khan Barelwi and His Movement, 1870-1920’ and ‘Ahmed Raza Khan: In the Path of the Prophet.’ Till 2007, about 23 scholars had completed their Ph.D. on Khan, which includes Dr. Ghulam Jabir Shams, Dr. Abdul Naeem Azizi, Dr. Muhammad Anwar Khan, and Dr. Syed Shahid Ali Noorani.
Popular Books on Ahmed Raza Khan:
Hayat e Ala Hazrat – Syed Muhammad Zafaruddin Bihari
Sawaneh Ala Hazrat – Badruddin Ahmad Qadri
Ahmed Raza Khan: In the Path of the Prophet – Dr. Usha Sanyal
Scientific Work of Imam Ahmed Raza – Dr. Majeedullah Qadri
Ikram e Imam Ahmed Raza – Hakim Abdul Baqi Siddiqui
Imam Ahmed Raza Arbaab e Ilm o Danish Ki Nazar Mein – Yaseen Akhtar Misbahi
Checkout – Revolutionary Books About Revolutionary Leaders
Noman Shaikh is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Bombay Reads. He grew up in Mumbai, a city he loves more than any other, and currently works as a content consultant. His expertise lies in creating high-quality academic and marketing content in the form of blogs, articles, op-eds, etc. Noman has worked with reputed brands, including Economic Times (through Spiral Media), Coinbase (through MattsenKumar), AdEngage, Della Group, GBIM Technologies, VAP Group, etc. For his published portfolio, click here. Contact Noman on noman@bombayreads for engagement.
Very interesting article. Thanks for bringing this to the notice of people who has lost touch with prominent Indian literature for lack of Urdu readership. I personally wasn’t aware and your article is trying to bridge a gap. Best
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This article is amazing.
keepup the good work.
he is definitely on top of my top 5 revolutionary writers.
my 4 generations previous and current chose him as leader for our religious and wordly matters.
Alhamdulillah his knowledge inspired our generations
i am a Becholar of Civil engineering from University of Mumbai.
my father have a Master’s degree in Mathematics from Allahabad University.
my grandfather father was a Mufti learned directly under one of his (ala hazrat radi allahu anhu’s) khalifa named Maula Hashmat ali khan popularly know as Mazhar e Alahazrat
Thank you🌹
Good. When you are quite sure about Authenticity of his ‘Scientific research”, why his name no where among Muslim scientists and philosophers. In none of the universities of India, work of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan Sahb is being considered. Check the syallabus of Islamic – studies of all concerned Indian Universities, you will not find a bit about his views. However, Abu Ala Maududi, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Abul Kalaam Azad, Shibli Noumani , etc etc. can be found everywhere
Please familiarise me , what is the reason that he has not been given a credit, if he has so much credible work in his credit
The books you mentioned have been written out of love and respect for him and are partial in approach. Suggest any book based on critical analysis about him.
To say that Ahmed Raza Khan’s name isn’t mentioned anywhere is a gross understatement. Also, please read Syncretic Islam: Life and Times of Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi to get a fair view of why his research is not popularized. Additionally, while Ahmed Raza Khan wrote significant scientific texts, his primary and most notable work was against the Wahabi movement and its various forms in the Indian sub-continent. Instead of critical analysis about him, read his books for yourself. Here are some suggestions:
1. Fauz e Mubeen Dar Radd e Harkat e Zameen
2. Subhanus Subooh
3. At-Dawlatul Makkiyah
Also, please note that Ahmed Raza Bareilvi was in staunch opposition to introducing the Convent form of education in the Muslim community. Hence, he opposed Nadwa, Aligarh, and other similar movements. The names you’ve mentioned were either apologists or confirmed with the modern worldview of Islam, which is why they were more acceptable to liberal minds. For instance, Sir Syed denied the existence of Angels, while Abul Kalam Azad compromised basic tenets to align with other Congress leaders. Ahmed Raza Bareilvi refused to do so; hence, the liberal Muslim elite, which led Muslims in India, despised him and kept him away from the mainstream. Please read various doctoral theses written on him, especially by sub-continent scholars. Works on him by Prof. Masood Ahmad (Pakistan) and Dr Usha Sanyal are commendable and highly detailed. If you need further details, please contact local Sunni Islamic scholars.
Sir, now you reached the point. Ahmad Raza Khan Sahib was merely a egoistic & self-centred person , who considered every other person, every other ideology and opinion flawed. For him, he was only truest person on this planet. He wasted his life criticising people and dealt blow to unity of ummah in subcontinent. His works are balanced by his parochialism and disunity created by him….But my point isn’t this. My point is about your article if he was such a great scientist why he’s not recognised as the one. Yes, only one section of Muslims – Barelviyah has promoted him too much – and have created economist , historical, geographist, politicain, polymath , scientist out of him. But, scholars of respective fields don’t accept him, even they don’t bat an eye lid….. And saying that Imam Ahmad Raza Khan didn’t compromise his Islam , so was ignored is a myth. When usna sanyal can do research on him with precision why would have others declined him. Pakistanis who have done most of work on Imam Ahmad Raza Khan aren’t accepting him to be scientist as you tried to present him.
Thank you
Local Sunnis have been made to believe stories. Molvi will not decide whether Ahmad Raza Khan Sahib’s opinion about gravity is correct or wrong ? A Sunni scholar can not comment about Ahmed Raza’s views on Geocentrism. A Molvi has not right to declare Imam’s economic viewpoint authentic. It’s purely a scientific arena where only experts can opinion and none of the Muslim Economist, Scientist, etc have considered his works – as all that isn’t flawless. He opined about different subjects , but 98% of his opinion aren’t in accordance with present research. That’s why , Barelviyah – despite being a biggest sect in India could not achieve the goal of introducing him in universities, colleges etc… Yes Molvis of Pakistan did , for having influence on Pakistani politics.
Curse Sir Syed but the work he did is far more greater that Imam Ahmad Raza Khan. What millions of Barelvis can’t do , Sir Syed did it single-handedly.