The Story of Ghazi Ilm Din Shaheed

[mohib]

"As Iqbal placed the body of Ilm Din into the grave, he tearfully declared: "This uneducated young man has surpassed us, the educated ones."

The 1920s in India witnessed the publishing of an inflammatory book vilifying Prophet Muhammad (SAW) thereby adding fuel to the existing Muslim/Hindu tensions. The British Raj ruled India and the creation of Pakistan was still a distant dream in the hearts of the Indian Muslims. The Muslim population was understandably incensed and mass protests were held. Prashaad Prataab had authored Rangeela Rasool (The Colourful Prophet), under the pen name of Pandit Chamupati Lal. The word rangeela means colourful but can be understood in this context to mean playboy. [Nauzbillah]

Rajpal was a Hindu book publisher from Lahore. He took the responsibility of publishing the book in 1923 and pledged not to disclose the authors real name. Pressure from the Muslim community resulted in the matter being taken to Session court Lahore which found Raj Pal guilty and sentenced him. Subsequently Rajpal appealed against the decision of Session Court in the Lahore High court. The appeal was heard by Judge Daleep Singh who gave leave to appeal on the grounds that on the basis of criticism against the religious leaders, no matter how immoral it is, is not covered by S.153 of the Indian Penal Code. Thus Rajpal could not be sentenced as law did not cover blasphemous criticism against religion. The High Court decision was widely criticised and protests were made against it by Muslims of India. Little did anyone suspect that one young mans course of action would bring about a significant change in the Law, ensuring that Islam would be covered by blasphemy laws.

Ilm Din was an illiterate teenager from Lahore. His father was a carpenter. One day he was passing near Masjid (mosque) Wazir Khan. There was a huge crowd shouting slogans against Rajpal. The speaker thundered: "Oh Muslims! The devil Rajpal has sought to dishonour our beloved Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W) by his filthy book!

Ilm Din was deeply affected by this passionate speech and vowed to take action. On 6th September 1929 Ilm Deen set out for the bazaar and purchased a dagger for one rupee. He hid the dagger in his pants and waited opposite Rajpals Shop. Rajpal had not arrived yet. His flight had arrived at Lahore airport and he proceeded to phone the police in order to request them to provide him security. Ilm Deen did not know what the publisher looked like. He asked a few passer-bys as to Rajpals whereabouts and said that he needed to discuss something with him. Rajpal entered the shop without detection but soon after a man alerted Ilm Din that Rajpal was inside. The young man entered the shop, lunged forward and attacked him. He stabbed his dagger into the chest of Rajpal with such force that his heart was ripped from his body. Rajpal fell dead on the ground. Ilm Deen made no attempt to escape. Rajpals employees grabbed him and shouted for help.

The police arrived at the scene and arrested Ilm Deen. He was kept in Mianwali jail. The case went to court and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was his defence lawyer. Jinnah fought Ghazi Ilm Deen's case on a special request from Allama Iqbal. Jinnah urged Ilm Din to enter a plea of not guilty plea and to say that he had acted due to extreme provocation. The fact that Ilm Din was only 19 years old would have also worked in his favour. Ilm Din refused to offer such a plea and insisted that he was proud of his actions. This case was the only one that Jinnah ever lost. The Session Court awarded Ilm Din the death penalty. Against his wishes, the Muslims lodged an appeal, but it was rejected.

Ilm Din's execution occurred on 31st October 1929. When asked if he had any last requests, he simply requested that he be allowed to pray two rakat (units) nafl (voluntary) prayer, thus following the example of Khubaib (RA) who also prayed 2 rakats nafl before the pagan Quraish executed him.

As the noose was put around the neck of Ilm Din, he repeated before the huge crowd:
"O people! Bear witness that I killed Rajpal to defend our last Prophet Muhammed S.A.W, and today they are going to hang me. I am sacrificing my life whilst reciting the kalimah (shahadah - testimony of faith)."

The young man was killed and the authorities buried him without any Janazah (funeral) prayer being offered for him. Mass demonstrations broke out and there the tension between the Hindu and Muslim communities was palpable. The inhabitants of Lahore wanted Ilm Dins body returned in order to give him an Islamic janaza (funeral). Two celebrated activists Dr. Muhammed Allama Iqbal and Mian Abdul Aziz campaigned to have the body of Ilm Din returned to Lahore for the Janaza prayer. The British were worried that this would incite unrest. Only after Allama Iqbal gave his assurance to the British that no riots would erupt, was permission given.


When the body of Ilm Din was exhumed from its grave, it was found to be the intact without any change whatsoever. The kaffan (shroud) had not changed its colour. This occurred on 14th November 1929 a full 15 days after the hanging. After a two-day journey, the body arrived in Lahore. Muslims from the whole city and millions from adjoining areas attended his funeral. Ilmuddin's father requested Allama Muhammad Iqbal to lead the funeral prayer and this shivered Dr. Allama Iqbal who replied that I am a sinful person not competent to do this job to lead the funeral of such a matchless warrior. 200,000 Muslims attended the funeral prayer which led by the Imam of masjid Wazeer Khan, Imam Muhammed Shamsuddeen. Mawlana Zafar Ali Khan said ahead of the burial: "Alas! If only if I had managed to attain such a blessed status!"

Allama Iqbal carried the funeral bier along its final journey. As Iqbal placed the body of Ilm Din into the grave, he tearfully declared: "This uneducated young man has surpassed us, the educated ones."

The killing of Ilm Din had far-reaching repercussions. A provision was added to the Penal Code, making insult to the religious beliefs of any class an offense. Allama Iqbals proposal of a separate Muslim state in 1930 resulted in the creation of Pakistan in 1947. The Pakistan Penal Code makes it a crime for anyone who "by words or visible representation or by an imputation or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiled the name of the Prophet Muhammad pbuh". In 1982, President Zia ul-Haq introduced Section 295B to the Pakistan Penal Code punishing "defiling the Holy Qur'an" with life imprisonment. In 1986, Section 295C was introduced, mandating the death penalty for "use of derogatory remarks in respect of the Holy Prophet" in keeping Islams hudood (prescribed punishments). Ilm Dins legacy is still visible across Pakistan, where parks, hospitals and roads carry his name.

 

[shabanhariuk]

thank you very much for this post my friend....

 

[siddique]

"As Iqbal placed the body of Ilm Din into the grave, he tearfully declared: "This uneducated young man has surpassed us, the educated ones."

The 1920’s in India witnessed the publishing of an inflammatory book vilifying Prophet Muhammad (SAW) thereby adding fuel to the existing Muslim/Hindu tensions. The British Raj ruled India and the creation of Pakistan was still a distant dream in the hearts of the Indian Muslims. The Muslim population was understandably incensed and mass protests were held. Prashaad Prataab had authored Rangeela Rasool (The Colourful Prophet), under the pen name of Pandit Chamupati Lal. The word rangeela means ‘colourful’ but can be understood in this context to mean ‘playboy’. [Nauzbillah]

Rajpal was a Hindu book publisher from Lahore. He took the responsibility of publishing the book in 1923 and pledged not to disclose the author’s real name. Pressure from the Muslim community resulted in the matter being taken to Session court Lahore which found Raj Pal guilty and sentenced him. Subsequently Rajpal appealed against the decision of Session Court in the Lahore High court. The appeal was heard by Judge Daleep Singh who gave leave to appeal on the grounds that on the basis of criticism against the religious leaders, no matter how immoral it is, is not covered by S.153 of the Indian Penal Code. Thus Rajpal could not be sentenced as law did not cover blasphemous criticism against religion. The High Court decision was widely criticised and protests were made against it by Muslims of India. Little did anyone suspect that one young man’s course of action would bring about a significant change in the Law, ensuring that Islam would be covered by blasphemy laws.

Ilm Din was an illiterate teenager from Lahore. His father was a carpenter. One day he was passing near Masjid (mosque) Wazir Khan. There was a huge crowd shouting slogans against Rajpal. The speaker thundered: "Oh Muslims! The devil Rajpal has sought to dishonour our beloved Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W) by his filthy book!”

Ilm Din was deeply affected by this passionate speech and vowed to take action. On 6th September 1929 Ilm Deen set out for the bazaar and purchased a dagger for one rupee. He hid the dagger in his pants and waited opposite Rajpal’s Shop. Rajpal had not arrived yet. His flight had arrived at Lahore airport and he proceeded to phone the police in order to request them to provide him security. Ilm Deen did not know what the publisher looked like. He asked a few passer-by’s as to Rajpal’s whereabouts and said that he needed to discuss something with him. Rajpal entered the shop without detection but soon after a man alerted Ilm Din that Rajpal was inside. The young man entered the shop, lunged forward and attacked him. He stabbed his dagger into the chest of Rajpal with such force that his heart was ripped from his body. Rajpal fell dead on the ground. Ilm Deen made no attempt to escape. Rajpal’s employees grabbed him and shouted for help.

The police arrived at the scene and arrested Ilm Deen. He was kept in Mianwali jail. The case went to court and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was his defence lawyer. Jinnah fought Ghazi Ilm Deen's case on a special request from Allama Iqbal. Jinnah urged Ilm Din to enter a plea of not guilty plea and to say that he had acted due to extreme provocation. The fact that Ilm Din was only 19 years old would have also worked in his favour. Ilm Din refused to offer such a plea and insisted that he was proud of his actions. This case was the only one that Jinnah ever lost. The Session Court awarded Ilm Din the death penalty. Against his wishes, the Muslims lodged an appeal, but it was rejected.

Ilm Din's execution occurred on 31st October 1929. When asked if he had any last requests, he simply requested that he be allowed to pray two rak’at (units) nafl (voluntary) prayer, thus following the example of Khubaib (RA) who also prayed 2 rak’ats nafl before the pagan Quraish executed him.

As the noose was put around the neck of Ilm Din, he repeated before the huge crowd:
"O people! Bear witness that I killed Rajpal to defend our last Prophet Muhammed S.A.W, and today they are going to hang me. I am sacrificing my life whilst reciting the kalimah (shahadah - testimony of faith)."

The young man was killed and the authorities buried him without any Janazah (funeral) prayer being offered for him. Mass demonstrations broke out and there the tension between the Hindu and Muslim communities was palpable. The inhabitants of Lahore wanted Ilm Din’s body returned in order to give him an Islamic janaza (funeral). Two celebrated activists — Dr. Muhammed Allama Iqbal and Mian Abdul Aziz — campaigned to have the body of Ilm Din returned to Lahore for the Janaza prayer. The British were worried that this would incite unrest. Only after Allama Iqbal gave his assurance to the British that no riots would erupt, was permission given.


When the body of Ilm Din was exhumed from its grave, it was found to be the intact without any change whatsoever. The kaffan (shroud) had not changed its colour. This occurred on 14th November 1929 — a full 15 days after the hanging. After a two-day journey, the body arrived in Lahore. Muslims from the whole city and millions from adjoining areas attended his funeral. Ilmuddin's father requested Allama Muhammad Iqbal to lead the funeral prayer and this shivered Dr. Allama Iqbal who replied that I am a sinful person not competent to do this job to lead the funeral of such a matchless warrior. 200,000 Muslims attended the funeral prayer which led by the Imam of masjid Wazeer Khan, Imam Muhammed Shamsuddeen. Mawlana Zafar Ali Khan said ahead of the burial: "Alas! If only if I had managed to attain such a blessed status!"

Allama Iqbal carried the funeral bier along its final journey. As Iqbal placed the body of Ilm Din into the grave, he tearfully declared: "This uneducated young man has surpassed us, the educated ones."

The killing of Ilm Din had far-reaching repercussions. A provision was added to the Penal Code, making insult to the religious beliefs of any class an offense. Allama Iqbal’s proposal of a separate Muslim state in 1930 resulted in the creation of Pakistan in 1947. The Pakistan Penal Code makes it a crime for anyone who "by words or visible representation or by an imputation or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiled the name of the Prophet Muhammad pbuh". In 1982, President Zia ul-Haq introduced Section 295B to the Pakistan Penal Code punishing "defiling the Holy Qur'an" with life imprisonment. In 1986, Section 295C was introduced, mandating the death penalty for "use of derogatory remarks in respect of the Holy Prophet" in keeping Islam’s hudood (prescribed punishments). Ilm Din’s legacy is still visible across Pakistan, where parks, hospitals and roads carry his name.

jazakallah for this post,i have left the forum, but just saw your post, alhumdullilah i am fortunate that i share the same city of lahore with THE GAZI ILM DIN SHAHEED, IF YOU GO TO HIS RESTING PLACE U CAN TELL THAT A TRUE ASHIQ AND UMATE OF OUR BELOVED PEOPHET HAZRET MOHAMMED SALALAHO ALAHAY WASSALM IS RESTING THERE,THE PLACE IS FILLED WITH NOOR AND LOVE!!!!!!!!SUBHANALLAH.

 

[Wadaich]

May Allah (SWT) bless you for such a nice post.

 

[Mughal1]

I rather leave this event to god for his judgement that is perfect in every way.

It was a sad event in varius ways. No doubt it was very wrong of the author to write such a bok because it did not portray the prophet of allah the way allah has portrayed him in the quran.

However I disagree with what followed as well because this mentality was nothing less than what some muslims are doing today.

It is always fault of muslims themselves if our religion or prophet is abused because of our own misrepresentation of them both by our very selves.

The question is, where did the author get his information from? The answer from our own books. There are some very wrong stories about the prophet in our so called hadith books, seerah bookas and isamic history books. Muslims have been very silly in odd cases but vcery careless in their works. They were busy collecting information rahter than scrutiny of it and by the time the task was taken aboard the information already spread widely as it was ie in its raw form.

Even today I doubt if many of us know the rules and principles for putting the islamic information together in a sensible way. We are just leaving everything to uneducated and resourceless people to fulfil our religious responsibility and when things go wrong just blame the others. This is what has ruined us always. It is time we ourselves took at least the esential responsibilities to ensure that we are really doing what we are required to do by allah and humanity.

As for, part of iqbaal and jinnah in all this, 1929 is quite early part in their lives to draw many worthy lessons. A man needs to spend about 25 years of his life just to get basic education and then starts life experience to use one's school training as if it were. Again one needs 25-30 years to learn by various trials and errors and all depends on how wide expereicne of things one comes across and what kinds of interests and associates one has to discuss and debate with them to help learn things and reach a level that is needed for clarity of thoughts.

The first stages is to study what other knew before you and then comes stage of looking at them critically to see where they were right and where they went wrong and then to come up with one's own ideas to fill the loop wholes and only if that fails that one has to come up with a complete idea that is all new.

So we should not take each and evry word or deed of thes egreat leaders as great but that does not means they do not deserve our respect for whatever great they came up with.

Likewise we too need to rise to levels necessary to solve our problems by first understanding them and loking at solutions if any on the table and filling the gaps if any and if nothing is there that helps us solve our problems then we need to come up with a whole new qworkable plan and try gain support for that by letting other examine the plan for its workability and significance. Only if we can get support for an idea that we can then try and impliment it by having right people in the organisation for this very purpose.

regards and all the best.

 

[Nice2MU]

I rather leave this event to god for his judgement that is perfect in every way.

...................e. Only if we can get support for an idea that we can then try and impliment it by having right people in the organisation for this very purpose.

regards and all the best.

I don't know why you want to be the Aflaatoon (Plato) of 21st Century. People like you don't understand the Jazba of Eemaan, which is not new.

It exists for the last 1400 years and would exist till Qayama. It wouldn't finish what-so-ever people like you argue.

You should be thankful to Allah that you don't have such spirit because you even don't need it rather consider it as "Rubbish"

Note: You either don't know the English Grammar and doing it intentionally that you are continuously writing Proper nouns with small letter. i.e. you even wrote Allah as allah (NauzuBillah)

 

[Nice2MU]

The Same message

 

[Mughal1]

I don't know why you want to be the Aflaatoon (Plato) of 21st Century. People like you don't understand the Jazba of Eemaan, which is not new.

It exists for the last 1400 years and would exist till Qayama. It wouldn't finish what-so-ever people like you argue.

You should be thankful to Allah that you don't have such spirit because you even don't need it rather consider it as "Rubbish"

Note: You either don't know the English Grammar and doing it intentionally that you are continuously writing Proper nouns with small letter. i.e. you even wrote Allah as allah (NauzuBillah)

Dear Nice2MU, thank you for giving me the chance to explain things a bit further.

I am not against emotional outbursts but my view is that it must be under wisdom. This needs a bit of training so that only some situations lead to such out bursts.

Here is what the quran has to sasy on all this.

Mental and physical strength matures at age around 40 see 46/15.

If any rumers are around better investigate and verify matters to prevent unnecessary harm 49/6.

Taking law in to one's own hands is not a good thing let the people incharge handle things 4/83.

You are probably aware of christian woman who has been charged and is being tried under blasphemy law.

This is not a good thing in my view because this will give our religion and prophet yet more bad name and the whole purpose of allah sending his messengers will be derailed.

I do not like any more than you that some one throws abuse on our religious personalities and beliefs but the message was sent for the reason to counter such meantalities by reacting nicely to them to prove them wrong. If we react badly exactly the way they are saying or expecting of us then we are playing in their hands and proving them right.

In time of the prophet and his companions, kufaar not only blasphemed against the prophet but also against others before him and of course against Allah Himself to their face. Now I ask you to tell me, how those great people reacted these repeated provocations? The christian even today tell us jesus is son of god and they did the same to the prophet along his followers right in side the masjide nabvi. The prophet let them do their worship right in his masjid.

Here is how angry allah gets when when people blasphem;

These verses are from surah al mariam 19/88-90.

There are more verses in the quran that guide us on matter like these. For example, killing a person who does not deserve killing according to law of Allah is a sin as great as killing all the prophets and godly people 5/45.

So please do consider such like teachings of the quran and likewise there are ahadith as well and I am sure you know them.

The main point is Allah does not like people to create fasaad in the earth and killing of a person by a person from an oppsit clan or sect or religion recipe for roits and uncontrolable killings. In other words lawless situations are not good and better keep away from them.

regards and all the best.

 

[kmanzar]

I don't know why you want to be the Aflaatoon (Plato) of 21st Century. People like you don't understand the Jazba of Eemaan, which is not new.
It exists for the last 1400 years and would exist till Qayama. It wouldn't finish what-so-ever people like you argue.

Now you get an example of such Jazba-e-Eemaan today, as Governer Punjab shot died by an elite force person Mumtaz Qadri, same for the Tauheen e Risalat thing
I don't know when such madness comes to end

 

[Nice2MU]

Dear Nice2MU, thank you for giving me the chance to explain things a bit further.

I am not against emotional outbursts but my view is that it must be under wisdom. This needs a bit of training so that only some situations lead to such out bursts.

Here is what the quran has to sasy on all this.

Mental and physical strength matures at age around 40 see 46/15.

If any rumers are around better investigate and verify matters to prevent unnecessary harm 49/6.

Taking law in to one's own hands is not a good thing let the people incharge handle things 4/83.

You are probably aware of christian woman who has been charged and is being tried under blasphemy law.

This is not a good thing in my view because this will give our religion and prophet yet more bad name and the whole purpose of allah sending his messengers will be derailed.

I do not like any more than you that some one throws abuse on our religious personalities and beliefs but the message was sent for the reason to counter such meantalities by reacting nicely to them to prove them wrong. If we react badly exactly the way they are saying or expecting of us then we are playing in their hands and proving them right.

In time of the prophet and his companions, kufaar not only blasphemed against the prophet but also against others before him and of course against Allah Himself to their face. Now I ask you to tell me, how those great people reacted these repeated provocations? The christian even today tell us jesus is son of god and they did the same to the prophet along his followers right in side the masjide nabvi. The prophet let them do their worship right in his masjid.

Here is how angry allah gets when when people blasphem;

These verses are from surah al mariam 19/88-90.

There are more verses in the quran that guide us on matter like these. For example, killing a person who does not deserve killing according to law of Allah is a sin as great as killing all the prophets and godly people 5/45.

So please do consider such like teachings of the quran and likewise there are ahadith as well and I am sure you know them.

The main point is Allah does not like people to create fasaad in the earth and killing of a person by a person from an oppsit clan or sect or religion recipe for roits and uncontrolable killings. In other words lawless situations are not good and better keep away from them.

regards and all the best.

Dear at the time of Ghazi Ilmuddin Shaheed, there was no such law otherwise Ilmuddin wouldn't kill Rajpal. Why did the British Govt. make Blasphemous Law after this incident? The answer is simple to stop such incident in future because whatever you or me argue, we can't stop it.

Can we blame Zia or "Mullas" also after the incident of Ilmuddin Shaheed? Zia just take this law and implement.

Just imagine in the absence of this law, what would happen. Everyone would take a knife or Pistol and would kill an "innocent" person.

 

[pakistan1234]

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله

Make an effort for the world to the extent of your stay here. And make an effort for the hereafter to the extent of your stay there.

Rasulullah (Sallallahu alaihe wasallam) said: 'When a
man dies and his relatives are busy in funeral, there stands
an extremely handsome man by his head. When the dead body is shrouded, that man gets in between the shroud and the chest of the deceased.

When after the burial, the people return home, 2 angels, Munkar and Nakeer(names of two special Angels), come in the grave and try to separate this handsome man so that they may be able to interrogate the dead man in privacy about his faith. But the handsome man says, 'He is my companion, he is my
friend. I will not leave him alone in any case. If you
are appointed for interrogation, do your job. I cannot leave
him until I get him admitted into Paradise '.

Thereafter he turns to his dead companion and says, 'I am the Qur'an, which you used to read, sometimes in a loud voice and sometimes in a low voice. Do not worry. After the interrogation of Munkarand Naker, you will have no grief.'
When the interrogation is over, the handsome man arranges for him from Al-Mala'ul A'laa (the angels in Heaven) silk
bedding filled with musk.. Rasulullah
(Sallallahu alaihe wasallam) said: 'On the Day of
Judgement, before Allah, no other Intercessor will have a
greater status than the Qur'an, neither a Prophet nor an angel.'

Please keep forwarding this 'Hadith' to all ....because
Rasulullah (Sallallahu alaihe wasallam) said: 'Pass on
knowledge from me even if it is only one verse'.

May Allah bestow this favour on all of us.

AMEEN
Assalamu Alaikum

 

[Vitamin_C]

​Sorry disliked by mistake