The History of Ulama in the Indian Subcontinent

Course Overview

The Indian Sub-Continent has given us the Farangi Mahall scholars, the Khayrabadi scholars, the Deobandis, Barelvis, Aligarh, Tabligh, Jamaat-i-Islami, Ahle-Hadis and more. But where did all these movements come from? And how did Muslim scholars (ʿulama) adapt when empires fell, colonial courts replaced Sharia and new ideas of nation and modernity took over?

In this course, we’ll dive into the real story of the ʿulama—scholars who weren’t just bookish teachers, but movers and shakers of Muslim life. From Ml Husain Ahmad Madani to Ml Ahmad Rada Khan to Ml Mawdudi to so many more, We’ll see how they:

•⁠ ⁠Took on the challenges of colonial rule and foreign law.

•⁠ ⁠Built powerful reform and revivalist movements.

•⁠ ⁠Balanced tradition with modern change.

•⁠ ⁠Shaped Muslim identity in the Indian Sub-Continent and beyond.

This isn’t dry history—it’s the story of struggle, survival, and creativity. By the end, you’ll see the ʿulama not as old-fashioned clerics, but as key players who helped shape the world Muslims live in today.

Course Instructor/s: SherShah Khan with guest lectures from Prof. Asad Q Ahmed, Prof. Sher Ali Tareen and Prof. Waleed Ziad

Start date: 1st November 2025

Course Duration: 16 lessons (4 months)

Lesson Length: 1 hour a week

Lesson Timings: Every Saturday 7 pm to 8 pm UK time

Course fee: £70 one-time payment or £35 over 2 months or £10 over 7 months (payment taken closer to the start date)

FOR THOSE UNABLE TO ATTEND LIVE, ALL RECORDINGS AND DOCUMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED IN YOUR ONLINE PORTAL WITH LIFETIME ACCESS

Students will be provided with reading lists and guidance on how to read various works.

Detailed Course Outline

Part 1: The Career of Sovereignty from Pre-colonial to Post-Colonial Era

Lesson 1: Sovereignty in the Mughal and Safavid eras

Lesson 2: Sovereignty in the Colonial Era: The birth of the modern state

Lesson 3: Contesting Sovereignty in Post-Colonial Pakistan

Part 2: Reform Movements: Origins, Contributions, Worldviews

Lesson 4: Farangi Mahall

Lesson 5: The Shah Family

Lesson 6: Khayrabadi

Lesson 7: Aligarh

Lesson 8: Deoband & Tablighi Jamaat

Lesson 9: Barelvi

Lesson 10: Mawlana Abu’l A’la Mawdudi & Jamaat-i-Islami

Part 3: Social and Intellectual Histories, Scholarly Networks and Curricula

Lesson 11: History of Sufism in India (1200 – 1900)

Lesson 12: The Post-Classical Commentarial Tradition of Logic & Dars-i-Nizami Curriculum in Modern South Asia

Lesson 13: The Mujadidi Sufi Scholarly Network between Oxus and Indus (1700-1850)

Lesson 14: Sufism Encounter with Indic Traditions in Mughal India

Lesson 15: The Muslim Public of 19th-century Colonial India: A Social and Intellectual History

Part 4: Ulama and Islamic Law in Transition

Lesson 16: Islamic Law in Transition: The Creation of Anglo-Muhammadan Law in Colonial India

Lesson 17: The Political Orientation of Ulama through the 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries