Contextualizing the Academic Life and Some Fiqhī Works of Shāh Walī Allāh for the Scholars

A Critical Appreciation

Abstract

Why Shāh Walī Allāh is misunderstood between Muslim scholars? The aim of this study is an attempt to make answer of this question and to rectify the misconceptions regarding the most misunderstood personality i.e. Shāh Walī Allāh of Delhi (1703-1762) and his thoughts with especial reference to Islamic law and jurisprudence which are taken wrong way by various Muslim scholars. The methodology of the study is to use the context of Shāh’s academic life and .some of his published fiqhī works, using descriptive approach with a critical appreciation, which is not dealt by the academics as per humble knowledge of the researcher. Explaining the context, his family background, early and later education have been dealt on one hand and on the other hand some of his fiqhī academic works have been used to rectify the misunderstood thoughts by the scholars. Commenting on his juristic thoughts, Shāh was an eminent Mujtahid as well as Muqallid where he was ordained by the Prophet (PBUH) to follow his regional fiqhī school (Hanafī) for making the Muslim society peaceful, despite the fact that he used to follow other sunnī schools too when necessary.