Moulvi Ahmadullah Shah Faiyzabadi :- Greatest hero of the First war of Indian Independence.
Moulvi Ahmadullah Shah Fyzabadi, who created panic among the British camps, was born in 1787 in Chennai of present Tamil Nadu State. His father was Moulvi Mohammad Ali Khan. Moulvi’s original name was Syed Ahmed Ali Khan. Due to his spiritual knowledge, he acquired the title Moulvi.
He was regarded and respected as Moulvi by the people. He received training in Martial arts along with other academic studies. Moulvi Ahmadullah Shah went on a tour to England, Iraq, Iran and Mecca and Madina on the invitation of the Nizam, Nawab of Hyderabad.
After returning to India, Moulvi Ahmadullah got attracted towards the Sufi ideology and became the disciple of Syed Furkhan Ali Shah, who belonged to the ‘Quadri’ silsila. Ahmadullah Shah was sent to Gwalior by his Pir (Guru) to propagate the Sufi ideology among the people. While preaching Sufi philosophy to people, he was also inspiring them to revolt against the exploitative foreign rule.
This angered the British officials, who imprisoned him on charges of treason. Meanwhile, the The First War of Indian Independence of 1857 broke out. Moulvi Ahmadullah plunged into it and fought against the forces of East India Company and registered several victories over them.
Moulvi Ahmadullah had personally participated in several battles in the first war of independence, which were fought by Sardar Hikhmatullah (formally Deputy Collector in East India Company), Begum Hazarat Mahal, (Queen of Awadh), Khan Bahadur Khan (ruler of Rohilkhand), Firoz Shah, (Moghal Prince). The East India Company announced a reward of Rs. 50,000, to catch Moulvi Ahmadullah alive or dead.
The greedy brother of Jagannath Sinha, the king of Powen, shot the Moulvi dead, when he went to Powen to invite Sinha into the First war of Independence. Moulvi Ahmadullah Shah Fyzabadi was beside the Sinha at Powen when he was shot dead. Later, Sinha’s brother beheaded Moulvi Ahmadullah and took his head covered with a cloth to the nearest British police station at Shahjahanpur.
Thus, Moulvi Ahamadulla Shah Fyzabad attained martyrdom on 5 June, 1858. ‘The beast of Powen’, who committed the worst treason, got a reward of Rs.50,000-00 from the British. The British generals were over joyed with the news of death of Moulvi Ahamadull Shah Fyzabadi. They felt that they were able to eliminate a ‘very powerful enemy of East India Company in North India’
(Source : The Immortals, Album of 155 Muslim Freedom Fighters, authored by Syed Naseer Ahamed in 2014, Mobile : 9440241727)
