Haji Sahib of Turangzai

Haji Sahib of Turangzai real name was Fazal Wahid (b. 1858 d. 14th of December 1937 )was a pashtun freedom fighter and social worker in the late 19th century and early 20th century.

Born to a noble family in 1858 at Turangzai; a famous town in district Charsadda. His father's name was Fazal Ahad, after receiving his early religious education at home. Haji Sahib went to the Darul Uloom Deoband where he grew an attachment to Sheikh ul Hind Maulana Mahmood ul Hasan and in 1890, accompanied the Sheikh on the Hajj.

On his return he fought against the British in the 1897 Frontier revolt, in which there was a general uprising against the British by the frontier tribes.

the revolt was ultimately unsuccessful, and in 1908, Haji Sahib went on the Hajj once again. On his return he became preoccupied with social work education in particular, it was during this time he started touring each village and town along with Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, better known as Bacha Khan. The movement proved successful, and almost 120 schools were established in the space of a few years.

The British government reacted negatively to events and accused Haji Sahib as well as Ghaffar Khan of running a parallel government to that of the British and had him arrested and put on trial. He briefly attempted to oppose the British government but was arrested, on the basis of lack of evidence, Haji Sahib was released but his fellow workers were given sentences of up to three years.

In 1913, Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum Khan chose Haji Sahib Turangzai to inaugurate the foundation laying ceremony of the Darul Uloom Islamia in Peshawar, present day Islamia College.

In June 1915 the British government issued an arrest warrant against him evading arrest at midnight, Haji Sahib left Peshawar and headed for Mohmand Territory along with his sons and trusted friends. Within days of arriving at Mohmand Agency, Haji Sahib along with Mujahideen from Chamarkand accelerated attacks on British positions in the nearby areas. The Chamarkand Mujahideen were under the leadership of Ameer Niamatullah Khan. In August 1915, they attacked a British camp stationed at Rustam in Mardan.

In 1923, the British sent their troops to Mohmand Territory to stamp out the resistance. This time however, instead of any bloodshed they managed to sign a truce after which they pushed back their troops. It proved a pyrrhic victory, and he eventually settled in Mohmand agency where he became preoccupied with building a mosque.

In 1936, Haji Sahib fell seriously ill. With time, his condition worsened and died on 14th of December 1937 aged 81.

His tomb has turned into a shrine for locals, and his children started construction of the mosque along with Haji Sahib tomb in 1979 and completed it in 1990. The Mosque is known as Turangzai Babaji Mosque.

The Mosque recently came into the news when armed groups of Taliban fighters took over the Mosque

References

*Haji Sahib Turangzai: Life and struggle City Notes (Thursday August 02, 2007) by Abid Jan Razarwal. [http://www.statesman.com.pk|Statesman] . Retrieved 6th August 2007
* [http://www.khyber.org|Haji Sahib Turangzai Muhammad Shafi Sabir Tazkara Sarfaroshan e Sarhad]

For further details one may read Altaf Qadir, "Haji Sahib of Turangzai and His Reform Movement in the North West Frontier Province" in Journal of the Pakistan Historical Society, Karachi, Pakistan vol. XL, No. 3,July-September 2006. and Altaf Qadir, "Anti-Colonial Movement: The Struggle of Haji Sahib Turangzai to do away with the authority of the British Raj" in Journal of the Pakistan 1 Babur, founder of the Mughal rule in India, established his rule in Afghanistan and established cordial relations with the Yusufzais by marrying Bibi Mubaraka, daughter of the Yusufzai chief Malak Shah Mansoor. Humayun, son and successor of Babur at the seat of Delhi, was at last defeated and compelled to leave India by Sher Shah Suri: an Afghan chief. However, Humayun succeeded in reoccupying Delhi in 1555. His son and successor Akbar established friendly relations with Malak Akor, chief of the Khattak tribe. Malak Akor was not only given jagir but was also bestowed with the authority to collect the toll tax in lieu of protecting the highway from Khairabad to Peshawar.2 Olaf Caroe, The Pathan 550 BC─AD 1957 (London: Macmillan & Co. Ltd., 1965), p. 329.3 Lal Baha, NWFP Administration Under British Rule 1901─1919 (Islamabad: National Commission on Historical and Cultural Research, 1978), p. 5.4 Diwan Chand Obhrai, The Evolution of North West Frontier Province, reprint (Peshawar: Saeed Book Bank, 1983), pp. 118-19.5 Abdul Wali Khan, Bacha Khan aw Khudai Khidmatgari, vol.,I (Pukhtu) (Peshawar: Chapzai, 1992), p. 344.6 Mir Abdul Samad, Loe Pukhtun (Pukhtu) (Peshawar: University Book Agency, n.d.), p. 54.7 Andre Singer, Lords of Khyber: The Story of the North-West Frontier (London: Faber and Faber, 1984), pp. 158-59.8 Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah, Ethnicity, Islam and Nationalism: Muslim Politics in North West Frontier Province 1937-1947 (Karachi: Oxford University Press, 2001), p.11.9 For more details of his reform movement see Altaf Qadir “Haji Sahib of Turangzai and his Reform Movement in the North West Frontier Province”, Journal of the Pakistan Historical Society (Karachi), (July-September 2006), pp. 85-95.10 S. M. Ikram, Muslim Rule in India (Lahore: Institute of Cultural Research, 1997), p. 480. For a detailed study on the Muslim Judicial System in India see Muhammad Basheer Ahmad, Judicial System of the Mughal Empire: A Study in Outline of the Administration of Justice Under the Mughal Emperors based mainly on cases Decided by Muslim Courts in India─With a Forward by Lord Parker (Karachi: Pakistan Historical Society, 1978).11 For a survey of jarga system see Dr. Sher Zaman Taizai, Jirgah System in Tribal Life (Peshawar: Area Study Centre, University of Peshawar, 2007) see also Syed Fida Yunas, Afghanistan─Jirgahs and Loya Jirgas ─ the Afghan tradition 977 AD to 1992 AD (Peshawar: Area Study Centre, University of Peshawar, 1998). 12 Abdul Qayyum, Mashaheer-i-Sarhad (Urdu) (Peshawar: University Book Agency, n.d.), p. 225.13 Muhammad Shafi Sabir, Tazkira Sarfaroshan-i-Soba Sarhad (Peshawar: University Book Agency, n.d.,),p. 225. It is imperative to know that the jarga normally obtains consent of both the parties before making its verdict public thus gives legal status to its decision. 14 Farigh Bukhari, Tehreek-i-Azadi aur Bacha Khan (Urdu) (Lahore: Fiction House, 1991), p. 14.15 Sabir, Tazkira, p. 225.16 AF-18 vol. VI, CID record 1916, NWFP Provincial Archives Peshawar, p. 71.17 Hussain Ahmad Madni, Naqsh-i-Hayat (Karachi: Nafees Academy, n.d.), p.299.18 Abdul Wali Khan, p. 334.19 Ibid., p.333. 20 Sandakai Mulla was follower of Haji Sahib Turangzai in his educational reforms. He opened private schools on Peshawar and Kalu Khan (Swabi). See Khurshid, “Sandakai Mulla: Career and Role in the Formation of Swat State, Pakistan”, Journal of the Pakistan Historical Society (Karachi), (April-June 1999).21 North West Frontier Province Provincial Diaries 1916, File 50, Bundle 4, NWFP Provincial Archives Peshawar, p. 189. 22 Mian Akbar Shah, Azadi ki Talash(Urdu) (Islamabad: National Commission on Historical and Cultural Research, 1989), p. 58.23 NWFP Provincial Diaries 1918, File 52, Bundle 4, p. 178. Also Political Administration Report 1918-19, File 123, Bundle 49, NWPF Provincial Archives Peshawar.24 Mohmand Border Administration Report 1923-24, File 155, Bundle 9. NWFP Provincial Archives Peshawar, p. 33.25 PPD 1927, File 129, Bundle 7, p. 13.26 Ibid., p. 15.27 Ibid., p. 34.28 Ibid., pp. 39-40.29 Reports on Mohmand Situation 1927, File 188, Bundle 10, NWFP Provincial Archives Peshawar, p. 5. 30 Musa Khels were followers of the Haji Sahib. Since 1913 they were neither visiting the authorities nor receiving their allowances when the Haji Sahib was busy to reform their society. The colonial government increased their allowance and tried through the assured tribes and won over them to their side and ultimately a jarga was convened. The jarga contemplated visiting Peshawar, and the Haji Sahib sent his Mazoons to prevent the departure of the Malaks. Subsequently, he sent his son to Mitai and imported the elders in the name of Quran not to go. The Malaks replied that the matter is of great importance for them hence they would certainly go. At this the Haji Sahib left Mitai and threatened the tribe with his retaliatory action. 31 Reports on Mohmand Situation 1927, p. 27.32 Ibid., pp. 29-30.33 Political Diaries Mohmand 1927, File 101, Bundle 6, NWFP Provincial Archives Peshawar, pp. 30-31.34 Ibid., pp. 31-33.35 PPD 1928, File 130, Bundle 7, NWFP Provincial Archives Peshawar, pp. 53-55.36 Political Border Administration Report 1931-32, File 62, Bundle 9, NWFP Provincial Archives Peshawar, p. 37. 37 Political Diaries Mohmand 1924, File 94, Bundle 6, NWFP Provincial Archives Peshawar, p. 27.38 Ibid., p. 50. 39 Ibid., p. 52.40 Ibid., This type of truce for a specific time is called Tiga or Kanray, and is practiced even these days in the tribal belt. The aim of such peace is to find time for negotiations for permanent peace settlement.41 Political Diaries Mohmand 1925, File 95, Bundle 6, NWFP Provincial Archives Peshawar, p. 8.42 Ibid., p. 84.43 Peshawar Political Diaries 1930, File 105, Bundle 7, NWFP Provincial Peshawar, p. 55.44 Political Diaries Mohmand 1930, File 105, Bundle 6, NWFP Provincial Archives Peshawar, p. 27. Published in The Journal of Pakistan Historical Society Karachi, No.2, April-June 2008.Historical Society, Karachi, Pakistan No.2, April-June 2008.