Impact of Haji Shariat Ullah in the history of Subcontinent
He was born in 1781 in Faridpur district in east Bengal. His family was poor. In 1799 He went to Arabia and spend nineteen years of his Life there. He was greatly influenced by the teaching of Sheikh Muhammad Abdul Wahab.
He believed that The miserable conditions of the muslims made the country Dar-Ul-Harb (Country under Foreign Rule) He told that Friday prayer and Eid prayer cannot be offered here. He also believed that Muslim community had moved away from Islamic teaching and adopted Hindu customs. He started the movement which is called Faraizi Movement.
He restored the Pride of the Muslim families who had been oppressed by Hindu and British by introducing Faraizi movement which removed Hindu customs and evil practices. Emphasis was placed and praying and Muslims promised to offer prayers and live their life according to principle of Islam. The success of this movement caused British and Hindu Landlord’s and they did not want Haji Shariat Ullah to create difficulty for them by uniting a desire to improve their lives and purify their religion so they drove Haji out of the reign to Nawabganj in Dhaka where he died in 1840. His work however was carried by his son Mohsin-ud-Din who continued to improve the position of Muslim in east Bengal. He divides East Bengal into circle under control of each Khalifa to carry out religious activities. He helped Pleasants oppose land taxes and he threatened to declare Jihad against the British so he was captured and put in prison where he died in 1860.
Work of Haji Shariat Ullah was important because it gave them encouragement when they suffered in the hands of British and Hindus. It also brought Islamic teachings and refreshed the faith of Muslims. It also had political Impact and Muslims realized their rights and got united and in later years demanded their separate homeland. This movement also sows some seeds for the Pakistan Movement.