389

C O N C L U S I O N

Th« philosophy of Shah Waliullah» as we concXudt,

i s a sufi philosophy. We have admitted i t elsewhere and

so we do here that the Shah was a practising Sufi and i t

i s therefore, that his epistemology, metaphysics and ethics

are dominated by sufism but i t does not mean that he has

nothing t o do with philosophy as such. Shah Waliullah

even in the explanation of sufi problems presents rational

arguments. Moreover, he takes to c r i t i c i s e the sufis at

many places.

The thesis at hand t r i e s to present a comprehensive

philosophy of shah waliullah. We have begun i t with

epistemology. As we are aware, the philosophers in

general, c<»isider the reason and the sense experience

as the two sources of knowledge. Regarding their veracity

and truth, there i s a controversy among the philosc^hers.

we have taken to discuss i t in the beginning of his

epistemology. Shah Waliullah neither challenges the

authority of the senses nor does he defy the validity of

reason as the sources of knowledge but he does enphasise

on a hierarchy. To him the lowest kind of knowledge i s

inparted by the senses. The reason gives a higher kind

 390

of knowXtdgt. Apart from those sources he also considers

the heart» the soul and the hidden power (slrr) as the

sources of knowledge, and one yields higher knowledge

than the other, shah wallullah being a sufi gives imich

enphasls to the soul (juh) and considers i t t o be the

highest source of knowledge. Besides, he lays imich

emphasis on the forms of intuitive knowledge. Meditation

(Kashf), insplrati(»i (Xlhaot), contemplation (Maraqba)»

revelation (Wahi) and hidd«n power (sirr)» all of thi^

are the forms of intuitive knowledge. Here he shares

many o t h ^ sufls like Ghazall* Ilurai etc. Like him they

also believe in these forms of intuitive knovdedge.

In the light of his views on epistemology we come t o

conclude that shah Waliullah emphasises on the knovdedge

of the dispositions for the attainment of the knowledge

of the world and that of the divine being (God).

According t o him the dispositions bring out a discipline

in the l i f e of a sufi meaning thereby that i t stands as

indlspensdble for the pcrsuit of Sufi course. Shah

Waliullah i s of the view that the ignorance of the

dispositi<X)s prevents his progress and whatever he keeps

on practising lacks experience. Shah sraliuliah, therefore,

speaks of the advantages of their knowledge and also

 391

Infoxms of th« harms of their Ignorance. The advantages

of the knowledige of dispositions that he speaks of are

(1) The sufi knows the right way to remanber God,

(2) he becomes aware of the fact that the knowledge of

the things falling out of the span of senses can be attained

by the dispositions* Describing the harms of their

ignorance Shah waliullah holds that (1) in case of the

ignorance from dispositions the weak senses cannot be made

strong. As a matter of fact he i s unable to know as t o

which of these dispositions i s weak and how i t can be made

strong, i t is indeed essential for him as any such

ignorance would hamper his progress. Moreover, he should

be aware, which of the dispositions should dominate the

others so that he might control the strange powers in him,

(2) the other harm consists in the fact that the sufi

passing through the alternate stages of annihilation and

subsistence finds himself in a complete astonishment and

wonder, for he i s at a loss t o understand as to what i s

going on with him and «^en he i s at a particular stage*

S t i l l another harm of the ignorance of these dispositions

l i e s in the fact that the sufi i s unable to understand

the stage of his predecessors and considers i t as the

highest or the final one. Here i t may be pointed out

 392
that Shah WaXlullah 8«emt t o c r i t i c i s e the followers of

unitlsm (Wahdatul VIUjud). It can be established on the

b a s i s of his ideas regarding the stage of wahdatul wujud

which he considers as lower than *Shuhud*. We have

discussed i t in his metaphysics. However, we shall bring

i t to l i g h t in the proceeding passage. But we may repeat

that Shah Wallullah, though does not reject unitism, yet

considers i t as the lower stage. Thus the knowledge of

the dispositions i s indispensable for a sufi because of

i t s advantages on one hand and <m the other that he can

save himself of the harms in the case of ignorance from

them. As a matter of fact saving oneself of these harms i s

a l s o an advantage."^

Shah Waliullah proceeds on the diecussicKi and gives

us an analytical approach by describing the meanings of

different terms used by the s u f i s . He i s of the view that

the meanings should necessarily be determined so that the

context may be clear and there should be no d i f f i c u l t y in

understanding and comprehending the underlying thought.

Discussing the problem, he takes up the term *nafs* which

i s sometimes used as the nature of man and sometimes as the

lower soul and at others as the heart* in each case i t

w i l l have different implicationsf defects and q u a l i t i e s .

 393

In the same way the heart i s also used t o mean different

things* Sc»netiines i t i s used t o mean a b i t of flesh in

the body, and at others the power that controls the

ttnotions. In the l a t e r case i t i s a disposition, shah

Waliullah a l s o uses them in different meanings but the

context helps us t o determine them, we shall not be wrong

t o assert that no philosopher in the east takes up t h i s

analytical approach and even in the west t h i s i s one of

the modern approadies which has recently been emphasiset4

Thus having gone through h i s discussion on the terminology

we must acknowledge his i n i t i a t i v e in adqpting t h i s

approach. It i s not only here that he mphasises on the

c l a r i t y of terms but at many places he infoxms the sufis

t o avoid the confusion arising out of the difference of

meaning implied by the terms*

Shah Waliullah also discusses in h i s ^istemology

the limitations of the sources of knowledge. It stands as

a fact that each one of them imparts the knowledge but in

i t s limited span. He takes them t o discuss so that people

may not r e l y on any (xie of them as every one of them has

i t s own area of p e r c ^ t i o n and cannot be understood as

s u f f i c i e n t for the knowledge of everything. He begins i t

with the external senses (Jawarih). They give us the

 394

knowledge of the worldly objects as they are seen and

perceived but the r e a l i t y there In cannot be known. The

heart gives us the knowledge of emotions* The reason in the

same way has also i t s own domain. It perceives the

opposites. By them he means the actual and the abstract.

Explaining i t e x p l i c i t l y we should assert that Shah Waliullah

repeatedly brings i t out that every object in the world has

i t s form in the world of forms* Thus the object present

in the world i s the actualisation of the forms present in

the world of forms* The reason perceives their difference

and the relation as well. 2t also comprehends the d i f f e r ^ c e

of the attribute and the substance and along with t h i s a l s o

sees through their relation. Higher than the reason in

the system of Shah Waliullah there i s yet another soiree

of knowledge known as the hidden power or the * s i r r * . It,

as we have pointed out in the beginning, i s a form of

i n t u i t i v e knowledge. Shah Waliullah l i k e many other s u f i s

r e l i e s on the validity of the i n t u i t i v e knowledge,

meditation, contemplation, inspiration and revelation. All

of them have been given due place as the sources of knowledge*

As i t has been said that many of the s u f i s rely on i n t u i t i o n ,

adding t o i t we should assert that philosophers a l s o

b e l i e v e in i t s priority. Supporting our contention we can

 395

r e f e r t o Iq^al and Bergson. For Iqbal Intuition probes

i n t o the matters where the reas<»i i s struck with wonder

and unable t o see which i s which. Zt w i l l be apt t o quote

hin : :^U;^^yJ^^'j^^ ^ / > ^

Many other verses can be cited but we need not go i n t o

the d e t a i l s for we have just menticmed him. The quotations

are enough t o prove that Iqbal l i k e Shah Waliullah, believed

in the v a l i d i t y of the i n t u i t i v e knowledge and r e l i e d on

i t more than any other source of knowledge. Ghazali and

Rumi also emphasise on i n t u i t i o n . For them the revelation

i s one of the forms of i n t u i t i v e knowledge, has p r i o r i t y

over a l l of the sources of knowledge, ^o i t i s in the case

of Shah Waliullah. He a l s o does not challenge* as nentiontd

before, the authority of other sources, yet the knowledge

imparted by the Intuiticn i s the most sure and the most

correct. S i t r being the hidden power in man makes him

r e a l i s e the secret of truth which i s the highest type of

knoivledge. But i t should be kept in viev/ that even t h i s

hidden pov<rer ( sirr) i s not prior t o revelation. He again

and again tfnphasises on the lieed of the prophet and

considers the i n s t i t u t i o n of prophethood as the soiree of

human welfare. Thus Shah Waliullah, l i k e other sufls and

 396

phlIot<^h«T8, accepting the v a l i d i t y of other sources of

knowledge, emph««ise« on i n t u i t i m as the source of

a
knowledge.
«

Having spoken of the limitations of the sources and

the importanco of the hidden power (sirr)« Shah Waliullah

comes t o discuss the d i s t i n c t i o n between reason and *zauq'«

Here again he wnphasises on the c l a r i t y of the terms and by

doing so removes the confusion that a r i s e s otherwise. Both

reas<Mi and Zauq impart t o us the knowledge of the (Ejects.

Vet they are not one and the same and are distinguished on

the b a s i s of their domain. The reason conceives the quali-

t i e s of objects and Zauq i s the power t h r o u ^ whidi the

existing object with i t s contradictory q'lalities i s comprehen-

ded. Reason f a i l s t o understand the contradiction of the

q u a l i t i e s existing in the objects. As a matter of fact

i t i s the error of the senses which apparently perceive

the contradiction of q u a l i t i e s , otherwise* in a c t u a l i t y ,

as Shah Waliullah thinks* there e x i s t s no such contradiction.

Supporting his assertion he argues that no two individuals

are alike and yet they are not different from each other.

It i s obvious that they are not alike due t o the individual

q u a l i t i e s and not different from each other due t o foraal

and essential q u a l i t i e s . Besides* i t also stands as a fact

 397

that neither of these qualities make the individual what

he i s . Explaining i t he gives the example of some of

the q u a l i t i e s existing in man, yet only these q u a l i t i e s

do not go t o make him a man, for even without th«B he

would have been the same what he i s due t o t h e i r presence

in him. Looking through the difference in the individuals

he comes t o conclude that the world exhibits opposites

meaning thereby that every cdbject i s present in abstracta

and i t i s i t s form. I t i s evident that they are neither

alike nor different from each other. Even after being

separate they are related with one another and t h i s relation

i s established in the foiin of manifestation by the universal

soul which i s devoid of a l l q u a l i t i e s . C r i t i c i s i n g the

followers of wahdatul wujud he asserts that they are at a

»

l o s s t o understand the relation between the external world

and the human beings and the universal soul, in the

l i g h t of t h i s discussion we may conclude that the 2^uq

perceives t h i s relation and gives us i t s knowledge.

Shah waliullah being a practising sufi eaphasises much

on the soul. He i s of the view that the essence of man

and other things i s the soul though i t d i f f e r s in category.

Keeping i t in view he describes different categories of

soul namely the animal soul (zuh«halwani) the rational

 398

•oul (nafs« natiqa), universal soul (nafs« tculliyah),

divlna 8cul (zuha a l a v i ) , angelic $oul (nafae realakiyah),

world soul (ruhe samavi), heavenly soul (nafsa falakiyah)

and perfect soul (nafse kamila)* Apart from them there

are some other categories l i k e the mineral soul (nafst

madaniya)* vegetative soul (nafse nabatiyah). Each of th«fB

resides in the matter related t o i t s capacity and i s the

being of the object. We have discussed these categories

in his epistemology, for i t stands as the source of knowledge.

At present we should point out that there Shah Waliullah

echoEs A r i s t o t l e who» in his boc^ *De Anima* speaks of

different souls end thus discusses the heirarchy of souls*

Here Shah v;aliullah takes i t uo partly, for l i k e A r i s t o t l e

holds that the entire existence comes from one form and

i t i s the universal soul (nafse kulliyah). But, unlik*

A r i s t o t l e , Shah waliullah does not regard i t as the absolute

form. He believes in God as the creator of a l l things.

He does not consider God as the form of forms or the

absolute form but understands him transcending a l l . Thus

we may conclude that Shah Waliullah seems to be influenced

by Aristotle but he Is not a mere follower. He has something

t o add as h i s own.

Discussing the categories of soul Shah Waliullah a l s o

 399

describee t h e nature of every one of them and i n accordance

with t h e i r nature they have t h e i r ovm functions t o perform.

To begin with every on© of them i s d i v i n e but t h e element

of d i v i n i t y i s in accordance with t h e i r grades* The animal

soul i s created out of t h e t e n p e r a t u r e and c o n t r o l s t h e

animality* The r a t i o n a l soul i s c<»ifined t o man and c o n t r o l s

him as a man. Man possessing both t h e animal and r a t i o n a l

tendencies a l s o has both t h e souls viz,t t h e animal and

t h e r a t i o n a l and each of them c o n t r o l s the tendencies

related to than. As a matter of fact the former i s the

element of t h e l a t t e r . The u n i v e r s a l soul i s more d i v i n e in

n a t u r e and manifests i t s e l f in d i f f e r e n t garbs of e x i s t e n c e .

The mineral, t h e v e g e t a t i v e , t h e animal and t h e r a t i o n a l

souls are i t s manifestation and i t manifests i t s e l f in

accordance with the universal expediency (maslihate k u l l i ) .

In h i s epistemology we have discussed in d e t a i l t h a t

Shah Waliullah b e l i e v e s in t h r e e types of d i s p o s i t i o n s

namely t h e external ( j a w a r i h ) , t h e i n t e r n a l ( h e a r t , reason

and s o u l ) , t h e secret d i s p o s i t i o n s - t h e d i v i n e soul and t h e

world s o u l . Wt have mentioned i t here t o point out t h a t

Shah Waliullah includes t h e soul in two d i s p o s i t i o n s , t h e

i n t a r n a l and t h e secret ones. By doing i t he on one hand

d i s c u s s e s the hierarchy of soul and on t h e other p o i n t s cut

 400

that th« knowledge of more subtle things cannot be gained

by the soul of lower capacity. The divine soul and the

world soul thcHigh are present in man, yet are not realised

u n t i l the internal dispositions are not purified and with

the help of these dispositions the sufi enables himself t o

know the secrets of the world and heaven.

Discussing the divine soul Shah waliullah speaks of

a point known as *hajre bahat* and i t i s the essence of

the divine soul and i s realised by a sufi who reaches the

stage of pure consciousness (sahwe bahat), Having realised

the point he sees through many other secrets which so far

remained unknown t o him. On the basis of the discussion

regarding *hajre bahat* we may conclude that i t i s the

7
source of the highest type of i n t u i t i v e knowledge.

Xt i s obvious that the point mentioned above can be

the source of knowledge for the few only. Here again i t

depends on the stage reached by the s u f i . As we know the

divine soul i s a composite of (1) n t i o n a l soul, (2)

the world soul and (3) the hajre bahat. One of the three

dominates the others and the stage of the sufi i s determined

on the basis of the domination which has betfi discussed

in his episteraology. At present i t w i l l suffice t o say

that the « j f i in any of these stages understands the fact

 401

that i t i s the universal soul which manifests i t s e l f in

different garbs. Criticising the followers of Wahdatul

Mijud Shah waliullah points out that they could not

compr^end t h i s fact and considered the existence t o be the

manifestation of the One beyond our reach. Besides, he

a l s o c r i t i c i s e s the followers for not having perceived the

relation between the attributes and the substance. Although»

as he thinks, there i s a unity underlying the d i v e r s i t y ,

yet i t i s not of the kind which marges into One. To him

the unity i s hidden in the opposites. The reason must

understand It by seeing the cwitradictory qpaalities of the

objects «^ich are inh«c^ent in their being. The q u a l i t i e s

of one are shared by others. It i s because that all of them

are manifestations of universal soul and being i t s

manifestation there i s a resemblance with each other, and

on the basis of these s i m i l a r i t i e s t h e / are bound up in a

unity. And on the basis of t h i s unity they are related

with each other. Thus i t i s neither the relationship, at

understood by the followers of viahdatul ^ j u d nor i s i t

the one grasped by the people of wahadatul shahud. Here

Shah Waliullah partly supports the unitlsm by understanding

the objects t o be the manifestation though not of God but

of the universal soul (nafse kulliya) and he d i f f e r s fron

 4G2

the school by asserting that the complete knowledge of God

i s a matter of Impossibility, we only know a part of the

txuth.^

It i s but natural that i f these sources of knowledge

are perverted, the l i f e as a whole s^tould be affected.

During the perversion a pttrson w i l l be unable t o know

the right thing and thus the wrong would guide h i s l i f e .

It i s therefore that Shah Waliullah emphasises on the

purification of these di8po8iti<»is* In case they are

properly purified and trained man would lead a virtuous

and moral l i f e and the otherwise would perform the evil

deeds. Shah ViTaliullah i s of the view that any of these

dispositions can be perverted and the perversion of each

of them would influence the other. Besides, the perversion

of one would result into the creation of a particular

evil. Explaining i t he holds that i f the soul i s perverted,

man would lead a sexual l i f e ; i f the heart i s perverted,

he w i l l be guided by h i s emotions and the perverted reason

would not l e t him discern the right and wrong. He

r i g h t l y asserts that the perversion of any of them would

etffect the other, for a l l of them work in coordination

and^any of them goes astray, the others will a l s o folJUow it*

The purified and trained dispositions would help man

 403

i n c u l c a t t a l l th« K<rn<l vlrtu«t namtly pl«ty (taharat),

attention to God (khuzu), detachment (Samahat) and Justice

(adalat). On the basis of t h i s discussion we may conclude

that the correct knowledge depends on the right sources

and i f they are untrained and unpurified they cannot lead

us t o true knowledge. Xn the case of not being able t o get

the txrue knowledge i t w i l l be d i f f i c u l t iot man t o lead a

good and virtuous l i f e .

There has been a controversy regarding the Shariah and

*tariqat*. some of the sufis are of the view that *tariqat

i s more important than the *Shariah*. It w i l l be worthwhile

t o mention here, as Shah waliullah has himself discussed,

that the ftaqshbandis in particular laid emphasis on i t and

did not give due importance t o Shariah. But as Shah Waliullah

thinks that Khwaja Naqshband indeed did not mean i t , his

followers rather misunderstood him and misinterpreted h i s

thought. It was, therefore, that Shah Waliullah tock up

t o explain the importance of Shariah but i t should be

borne in mind that he s t i l l p e r s i s t s t o follow his method

of synthesis and consequently affirming the inportance of

Shariah does not, however, defy the relevance of »tariqat».

But i t stands as a fact that the Shariah being the s p i r i t

o
of Islam i s more important.
 404
We dean i t t o be a very paxtlnent remark t h a t Shah

Wallullah had a great insight i n t o human n a t u r e . He was

completely aware of the fact t h a t in s p i t e of the nature

of human beings, which i s good in i t s e l f , t h a t may be

perverted due t o t h e weakness i n h e r i t e d by man from h i s

ancestors. I t i s for t h i s reason t h a t he vehemently

emphasises on t h e p u r i f i c a t i o n and t r a i n i n g of t h e

d i s p o s i t i c m s possessed by man. To him, Shariah i s only

t h e way t o purify and t r a i n t h e s e d i s p o s i t i o n s . Discussing

i t he holds t h a t t h e r e are two aspects of Shariah namely

t h e i n t e r n a l and t h e external one. The external aspect

p u r i f i e s t h e five sense (Jawarih). I t keeps man r e f r a i n

from the s i n s and e s t a b l i s h e s a system of v a l u e s . The

inteiYial aspect of Shariah p u r i f i e s man* s soul and makes

him understand the meaning of v i c e and v i r t u e . On t h i s

b a s i s we may conclude t h a t by following t h e external

aspect man t r a v e l ^ s on the path of righteousness without

any conception and penetration i n t o t h e v a l i d i t y of h i s

action and following the i n t e r n a l aspect he pursues t h e

r i g h t course by being cc»vinced of i t s righteousness* It

comes t o mean t h a t Shah Wallullah suggests t h a t righteousness

i s based on shariah and i t i s r a t h e r advisable for man t o

be convinced of leading a l i f e of v i r t u e and goodness, which

 4C5
as «rt may conclude, i s a niattttr of impotslbllity If th*

dispositions are not purified and trained. Ttnis the

external and the Internal aspects purify different

d i s p o s i t i o n s and in accordance with the purification of

the dispositions the stage of the salik i s determined.

For example one whose heart i s purified and trained i s

txuthful ( s i d d i q ) , one whose animality i s trained i s a man

of penitmice (zahid), one whose reason i s purified i s a

learned man (rasikhul i l m ) , and one virtiose dispositions

and senses are hot trained but he avoids a l i f e of senses*

i s righteous (Sahibul yamln).

The chief importance of the Shariah l i e s in the fact

that there are two tendencies in man, namely the animal

or sensual tendencies and the rational or angelic twidencies.

The former i n s t i g a t e man t o the l i f e of sin and profanity

and the l a t t e r help man t o the l i f e of piety and virtue.

Shariah being a d i s c i p l i n e helps sublime the former

tendencies and due t o t h e i r sublimation man becomes pure

and pious. Thus i t may be concluded that Shariah enjoys

a p r i o r i t y in the inculcation of v i r t u e in the l i f e of

man. Moreover, i t helps man impart the knowledge. Being

the complete d i s c i p l i n e i t informs roan about the right and

the wrong. Thus i t i s established that the Shariah has

 4C6

• t h i c a l and •pist«(nological importance and e a s e n t l a l l y

be acted upon. ^

Shah WallullaJi a l s o emphasises <» t h e habitual

obediance t o God. Man must obey God not because t h a t Ht

has conmOinded for i t but because we feel an urge of obedience.

I t can be c u l t i v a t e d in him by worship and prayer. It i t

necessary, then t h a t t h e worship and prayer should

c a t e g o r i c a l l y be performed by man, Me have discussed i t

in d e t a i l in h i s epict<wiology. I t will suffice t o say

t h a t speaking on t h e importance of worship Shah Waliullah

i s of the view t h a t i t p u r i f i e s the d i s p o s i t i o n and helps

man reach a stage. He i s r i g h t t o understand i t in t h i s

way, for many s u f i s l i k e Ghazali and others have emphasised

on the performance of worship and prayer. Islam i t s e l f

l a y s a great emphasis on i t s performance and considers I t

t o be t h e duty of man.

Love has a great in^Jortance in t h e sufl d i s c i p l i n e .

I t i s r a t h e r indispensable for the r e a s w as i t begets

t h e f l i c k e r of d e s i r e in the care of t h e heart of the sufi*

I t w i l l not be wrong t o say t h a t without love t h e pursuance

of t h e sufi course for t h e salik i s a matter of in^osel*

bility. Like Ghazali and other s u f i s . Shah Waliullah i s

a l s o convinced of t h i s fact and t h a t i s why he mentions

 407

i t as on« of the stages of sufi course (suluk).

Having explained the sources of knowledge Shah

vraliullah takes up the dangers of getting f a l s e knowledge*

The f i r s t one of them l i e s in the misunderstanding.

Shah Waliullah i s of the view that many of the sufis

are not capable of understanding the stages of annihilation

and subsistence and i t i s therefore that the scholars of

shariah have not explained them. But Shah Waliullah

considering i t as indispensable takes up t o explain them

because the sufis of h i s time were rather confused about

these stages and he saw in i t a p o s s i b i l i t y of miscompr^en-

s i on and chaos.

Discussing the dangers the Shah points out that they

are rooted in the sources of knowledge namely the heart,

reason and soul. We have described them in h i s epistemology

and need not repeat them here. Shah waliullah i s convinced

of the fact that every event has i t s cause, i t should

however not be mistaken that he believes in the correspon-

dence theory of causation. Every danger rooted in the

sources of knowledge can be eradicated by analysing i t s

cause and, as a matter of fact, as inferred on the basis

of h i s views, the best possible way of i t s eradication

l i e s in the purification of the dispositions.*^^

 4C8

speaking of the dangers shah Waliullah a l s o atsertt

that the sufi should be able to know the divine motive.

Discussing i t he asserts that the urge i s created in the

world of forms by the universal expediency (maslihate

fculli) and i s brought t o the individuals by the higher

angels in the world of forms. The salik must have the

capacity of admitting i t . He however i s informed of the

divine motive in different ways. Shah Waliullah speaks

of different p o s s i b i l i t i e s which have already been

described in his epistemology. Concluding i t we may

assert that shah Waliullah presents a complete epistemology*

He does not only speak of the sources of knowledge but also

suggests as t o how the correct and true knowledge can be

gained. Alongwith t h i s * he informs of the confusion

regarding the use of terminology and a l s o warns of the

dangers in the attainment of true knowledge."^'^

At the outset of metaphysics of Shah waliullah we

have taken the problem of synthesis which may rightly be

considered as his main contribution in the realm of

metaphysics and s u f i w . By bringing out the synthesis he

not only resolved the c(mtroversy but also reformed

sufism. And t h i s brings us t o conclude that he should be

given the status enjoyed by Ghazali and others in the

 4C9
hittoary of Muslim thought. w« ar« of the view that

Shah Waliullah was dn epoch making person. He did not only

influence the people of h i s age but also l e f t a great

deal of i t on the generations coming after him. He

dominated the p o l i t i c a l and the social scene of the time

and also pondered over the philosophical problems regarded

as actue in the history of Muslim philosophy. One of

them was the controversy between the two schools of sufism,

namely wahdatul wujud and wahdatul shahud. He tocric up t o

resolve the controversy neither by rejecting any of them

nor by propounding any other school but by seeking a

reconciliation between the too. And, as history witnesses*

he was successful in his efforts. His philosophical

writings could earn for him a good deal of fame and

reputation. Besides* he was honoured as a r«nowned

14

traditicmist and an erudite scholar of jurisprudence.

Shah waliullah did not attempt only at finding out

s i m i l a r i t i e s between the above mentioned schools of

sufism but he also tried t o resolve the controversies in

different realms, namely shariat and tariqat and various

schools of jurisprudence ( f i q a h ) . We have mentioned i t

t o prove that for Shah waliullah synthesis was a method

and he applied i t in h i s various writings on different

 410
subjects. This work only discusses the synthesis of ths

described schools. Shah Wallullah puts forward convincing

arguments to point out that wujudlyat and shahudlyat are

the two stages and as the shahudlyat has been propounded

In a latjller period of history. It I s a higher stage. It

should be borne In mind that Mujaddld Alf Thanl also holds

the same opinion but h i s followers reject one and propound

the other. But Shah Wallullah does not take himself t o any

such thing. Contrary t o t h i s , he explains that they,

being the stages should not be rejected. Shah Wallullah -

I s of the view that the place of a thought In the history

should be determined and having determined It we should try

t o understand the development of knowledge. He holds that

every age has I t s own span of knowledge and whatever Is

written In It I s undoubtedly In accordance with the

comprehension made possible on the basis of I t s development.

Putting It more e x p l i c i t l y he asserts that the people b*>

longing t o different ages have t h e i r own domain of

perception which categorically deptnds on the standard of

the knowledge developed In that age. In brief, one come

t o conclude that Shah Wallullah does not reject the

thought of any of his elders. Instead of I t he respects

a l l of th«n and resolve the controversy by saying that

 411
thty should be undtrstood by placing in history, th«ir

tlmt i s the most suitable detexmlnant of their value.

It i s suggestive of the fact that Shah Waliullah believes

in the development of knowledge in a p o s i t i v e direction

and i s a l s o convinced of the increasing complexities of

the ages and knowledge itself.*^

Discussing the s i m i l a r i t i e s between the two schools

Shah waliullah proceeds on saying that Truth i s one and

so Vast that i t cannot be claimed t o have achieved i t

fully. As a matter of fact the truth even after being one

i s an ocean in i t s e l f and the seeker, inspite of his a l l

e f f o r t s , gets only a drop and i s contiMited with i t .

Explaining i t he presents the traditional analogy of the

birds taking water from the spring drop by drop with

t h e i r beaks and a traditional example of blind men having

f e l t the parts of the t r e e . Bach of them considered

the part as wtiole. By presenting these examples Shah

Waliullah aims at asserting that in the f i r s t case the

truth stands beyond our reach and in the second phase i t

has been mistakenly understood. The anology shows the

vastness of the truth and the example gives us a clue of

the miscomprehension of i t s seekers, in the f i r s t case i t

undoubtedly stands as convincible and in the second, as

 412

shah Waliullah hlmstlf a s s e r t s , a man of sound vision may

correct the mistaka. This assertion i s suggestive of the

fact that the followers of *wujud« and * shuhud* have not

grasped, as they cannot, the whole truth and have mistaken

by considering i t as a whole when in fact, i t i s only a

part. In the man of sound vision we see the projection

of Shah Waliullah* s personality. In (Hir opinion he does

not only claim t o have understood the t ruth but he infact

did probe in i t and apprehended i t s r e a l i t y . He realised the

vastnees of the truth on one hand and i t s misinterpret at i m

based on, i f we can say in Moore* s language, n a t u r a l i s t i c

falacy on the other. He was the f i r s t man t o point out

that the controversy carried no weight and could easily be

resolved i f the philosophy of the two schools was placed

in the historical perspective. Thus Shah waliullah helped

the scholars a great deal by making them r e a l i s e the

f u t i l i t y of the controversy.

Explaining the s i m i l a r i t i e s between wujud and

shuhud shah waliullah brings t o l i g h t a very important

discussion. He begins i t by asserting that the existence

and concept are separable and are different on the basis

of the q u a l i t i e s . The existence in concept i s an abstract

existence and the existence perceived i s characterised by

 413

torn* cfualitles and the roost important of them are the

objectivity and the existence i t s e l f , shah Waliullah

has made a contribution by pointing out the Gjualities

in the objects. It should also be borne in mind that

he does not speak of the coronon and essoritial q u a l i t i e s

but i s a l s o aware of the q u a l i t i e s which make an object

an individual* TNjs i t i s suggestive of the fact that

the objects possess two types of q u a l i t i e s namely i

(1) the common and essential q u a l i t i e s and (2) the individual

q u a l i t i e s and both running through the dbjects make i t what

i t i s p«rceived. The existence i s a common and essential

quality of the objects. I t runs through a l l the bodies

and thus i t unites them all* I t i s cm t h i s basis that the

unityism or wijudiyat i s supported by J*>ah waliullah.

writing about the Shuhudiyat, Shah Waliullah agrees with

the Mujaddid on the point of the existence of the opposites

but he does not agree with him when he asserts that the

world i s not the manifestation but the reflection of the

attributes. To Shah waliullah the difference between

the two ijnr statements i s the difference of interpretations.

Shah waliullah again points out that the Mujaddid i s right

t o assert that the appeared and the appearing, i . e . reflected

and the reflecting are different. It i s on the will of

 414

the reflecting to reflect as long as I t d e s i r e s . That i s

t o say that the image formed after reflection r e s t s in the

body reflecting and i t remains in the mirror so long as

foody i s present before i t . In s p i t e of i t s being the

image of the same body i t cannot however be asserted that

the two are i d e n t i c a l . Ibne Arabi, as Shah W a l i u l l ^

thinks I perceived t h i s identity in the s t a t e of ecstacy

on which the distinction between the two namely God

and the world i s not clear due t o the over powering of

the rapturous condition of the suf i . Thus Shah Waliullah

points out that the followers should understand the s t a t e

of Ibne Arab! and pass on t o others by considering i t to

be one of the many states of the sufi course (Suluk) and

i t can be possible only by the right placement of the thcught

17
in the h i s t o r i c a l perspective,*

Writing about sufism Shah t P l i u l l a h points out the

importance of sufi practices. He philosophically explains

the two aspects of Islam namely the external and the

internal, the shariah and Ihsan ( b e a u t i f i c a t i o n ) . JEach

one of them i s formed by different types of people i . e .

(1) the reformers, Mujaddids e t c . and (2) by suf i s . It

w i l l not be out of place to mention here that the sufis

have r e a l l y rendered a great service for the advent of

 415

Ztlam. It i s not mere a proposition but a fact based

on the h i s t o r i c a l evidences. I t should be taken as a

contribution that shah Waliullah discusses the development

of sufisiB. Not only this* he also points out the nature

of the phases and also informs us about t h e i r importance.

Having described i t he comes t o the important problem of

travelling (SUXUK). uixxmxin^ Uoin Luwt>«» mix^t I«e ^Zi»

not name, he defines suluk as the will of aod and a l s o

points out i t s different stages, on the basis of his

discussicm we may conclude that t r a v e l l i n g (suluk) i s

the course desired by Qod on which a t r a v e l l e r should go

for the union with him. Shah Waliullah a l s o points out

the importance of r e p e t i t i w (awrad) and prayers (wazaif)

in the sufi course. Apart from i t , he discusses absorption

(jazb). It i s evident that absorption (Jazb) i s more

significant in the sufi practices.

Having described i t Shah Waliullah comes t o discuss

different attributes which are acquired by a sufi with

the help of his r e p e t i t i v e e f f o r t s . To present a brief

of them we shall give only their names :

1) attribute of piety : I t i s indeed necessary for a sufi

in particular and for the people in general. Cleanliness

has been adorned by almost a l l the r e l i g i o n s .

 416

2) A t t r i b u t e of Relief (Nisbate sakina) t The s e c r e t of

t h i » a t t r i b u t e l i e s in t h e contentment and r e l i e f of t h e

heart. I t can be acquired in three phases; (1) by

rememberance of God, (2) by inclusion of mercy (shumule

rahmat) and (3) by t h e admittance of the l i g h t of t h e

d i v i n e names.

3) Thereafter he discusses the Owaisia a t t r i b u t e which i s

acquired by seeking the proximity with t h e angelic or t h e

sufi s o u l s .

Discussing t h e a t t r i b u t e of memory Shah sjaliullah

p o i n t s out a very important t h i n g . He holds t h a t the

knowledge of t h e object i s gained with t h e help of t h e

images. I t i s important because the modern psychologists

of our times a l s o share the <;ame view and tnhen one ccmes

across Shah w a i i u l l a h ' s thought he f e e l s himself bound

t o admire h i s genius. Shah Wallullah a l s o d e s c r i b e s t h e

importance of l o v e . I t , as we know, has a great importance

in sufism and almost a l l the sufis have emphasised on i t s

importance. I t i s the only way which l e a d s t o gnosis*

In t h e philosophy of shah Waliullah we often find t h e

references of t h e world of forms. He i s of the view t h a t

every object i s the copy or manifestation of i t s form. It

goes t o suggest t h a t Shah waliullah i s influenced by

 417

P l a t o who nam«8 t h e s t foxms as ideas* Like h i s id«as th»

foxms of Shah VPliuXlah are a l s o not present in t h i s world

but in another t o which he, however, does not c a l l t h e

supernatural one. But i t s being supernatural may be

concluded with no d i f f i c u l t y .

Besides, Shah Waliullah often sp&aks of the a t t r i b u t e s

of God, He n e i t h e r thinks them t o be other than His essence

nor he considers them excluded from His essence, in our

opinion he shares Ibne Arabi and considers essence over

and aobve the a t t r i b u t e s . Putting i t in b r i e f . Shah Waliullah

p o i n t s <^t t h a t h i s a t t r i b u t e s should be understood as

simile but one should be careful t o unfold i t . 21

Like many Greek and Muslim philosophers Shah Waliullah

a l s o bases h i s e t h i c s on metaphysics, in the introduction

of t h e Chapter on h i s e t h i c s we have strongly supported

our contention by giving t h e example of Greek and Muslim

philosophers, we need not repeat them here. His e t h i c a l

philosophy i s rooted in metaphysics. We shall a l s o not be

wrong t o conclude t h a t the code of conduct he recommends,

i s mystical in n a t u r e . I t i s r a t h e r Indispensable for he

himself was a p r a c t i s i n g sufi and thereby must have

prescribed the sufi way of l i f e .

£thics by d e f i n i t i o n i s t n e science of r i g h t and

 418

wrong meaning thereby t h e vice and v i r t u e . Shah Waiiullah

understanding i t s nature begins i t with t h e d e f i n i t i o n of

virtue. He i s of t h e qpinion t h a t every cA>ject whether

animate or inanimate possesses some a t t r i b u t e s (Kamalat).

Discussing them he holds t h a t there are two types of

a t t r i b u t e s (Kamalat) namely t h e n a t u r a l or t h e i n n a t e ones

and t h e acquired ones. In the case of inanimate object i t

may evidently be inferred t h a t t h e r e a r i s e s no question

of any acquired a t t r i b u t e s . They must possess only t h e

innate or the n a t u r a l ones. I t i s In t h e case of man and

some other higher animals t h a t some a t t r i b u t e s a r e acquired.

The presence of innate a t t r i b u t e s i s e s s e n t i a l in a l l t h e

species though i t i s evident t h a t there would be a difference

in accordance with the nature of the t h i n g s . B'^en a f t e r

t h a t there are some q u a l i t i e s (Kamalat) which are common

in the s p e c i e s . Shah Waiiullah gives many examples of

t h e s e common and e s s e n t i a l q u a l i t i e s in d i f f e r e n t species^

and in them he speaks of t h e common and e s s e n t i a l qualities

i n h e r i t e d by d i f f e r e n t s p e c i e s . Some of them a r e shared

by man and inanimate objects, some of them a r e ccmmon in

man and p l a n t s t and others are shared by man and animals*

These common and e s s e n t i a l q u a l i t i e s shared by d i f f e r e n t

species cannot be counted »9 t h e i r v i r t u e s for they a r e in

 419

th«lr very being or in other words innate. Their possession

cannot be ccmsidered as something specific which can

separate them (Xi t h e i r basis as virtuous or v i c i o u s .

These qpalities can be regarded as virtues in the case

of species without which their existence i s a matter of

impossibility, in our opinion a h i l l without height cannot

be imagined. Thus height can be taken as the virtue of a

hill. But, as Shah waliullah rightly remarks that i t cannot

be taken as v i r t u e , for i t i s present in the very nature

or innate in i t , and i f at a l l i t i s counted as virtue

the h i l l possesses i t the most. On t h i s basis we may infer

that man also shares the attribute of height. But on the

very same grounds i t i s not a virtue at a l l . Similarly

the qualities ccsnmon between plants, animals and man

can a l s o not be counted as virtue, for they also are

innate and their presence i s e s s e n t i a l . We have described

these attributes in his ethics and i t will be mere repetition

i f we discuss them here again.

Having spoken of the convnon and essential q u a l i t i e s

Shah Waliullah discusses the attributes particularly

possessed by man alone, some of them are, for example

the high morale, courage and good e f f o r t s . To Shah Waliullah

they are pi r t i a l v i r t u e s , for many of them are possessed

 4^U

by higher animals. Courage I t one of the examplet. There

comes then the question as t o what the virtue i s . The answer

t o t h i s qiiestii^ as Shah Waliullah tiiinks* i s that virtue

i s one controlled by soul and desired by reason, we may

conclude that the acquired attributes are the virtues. They

t o o are present in the nature of man but are not realised

unless attempted at and hence are counted as the acquired

ones. Moreover, they are virtues because they control

the animal and sensual tendencies harmful for the conduct

^ 22
of man.

It i s but indispensable that the virtue i s embodied

in the action, and every action cannot, however, be

regarded as v i r t u s . I t i s obvious and requires no

clarity. 5hah Waliullah, admitting the f a c t , speaks of

two types of actions namely one related t o the world and

the other related t o d i v i n i t y . Both the types of action

are potential in man and he r e a l i s e s t o perform them

when the time d^nands. Courage, for example i s shown at

the time of danger, otherwise i t l i e s hidden as potentia-

l i t y and does not come forth unless demanded. Similar i s

the case with other actic»is related t o the world. Shah

Waliullah i s of the opinion that these actions are v i r t u e s

but not in the real sense. And i t i s also evident that a l l

 421

of th«B» cannot be regarded as virtua (Saadat) for many of

them belong to the animal tendencies «»hich in no way do any

good t o mankind. The second type of actions, as Shah

Wallullah holds* are also potential in man, and since they

are concerned with d i v i n i t y and are the q u a l i t i e s of man

aloni^e are held as virtue in the real sense* 23

Like the modem psychologists. Shah Waliullah speaks

of the two types of tendencies in man, namely, the rational

or angelic tendencies and the animal tendencies. Not only

the psychologists, the philosophers of different ages have

admitted t h i s f a c t . A r i s t o t l e , for example, recognises

these tendencies present in man, but he distinguishes th^a

on the basis of reason or in other words the rational

tendencies, and that i s vHiy he c a l l s man as the rational

animal. It i s e x p l i c i t that he c a l l s him animal due t o

the presence of aniroality in him. Shah Waliullah also

acknowledges, as we have earlier pointed out, these two

tendencies in man but for him as well the reason remains as

the distinguishing force between man and the animal.

Supporting our contention we may point out that i t i s ,

therefore that he l a y s tmich emphasis on the dominance of

rational or angelic tendwicies and i t i s for t h i s reason

that he considers the second kind of actions as the virtue

 422

in the real sense as they consist in prayer and penitence

and are related t o the angelic or rational tendencies. It

i s thus clear that Shah Waliullaht l i k e many other

philosophers and psychologists, considers reason t o be

the share of man alone.

It also stands as a £act that for being a man

animality must be sublimated. And i t i s therefore that the

philosophers have suggested different ways for i t s

suppression. The Ishraqis, for example, as Shah waliullah

himself mentions, preferred t o destroy i t cc»npletely« But

i t i s rather d i f f i c u l t for a man t o do i t and so Shah

tf/aliullah prefers another way wriiich in our opinicn, i s

more psychological and suitable to tiie human nature. Ht

holds that the complete destruction of animality i t a

matter of impossibility but i t i s true that i t can be

sublimated to a great extent and when i t w i l l be suppressed

i t i s evident that the angelic or raticvial tendencies

which we may c a l l the d i v i n i t y would dominate and i t s

doiBination would result into the cultivation of the virtue

in the real sense (saadat) belwiging t o the second

category of actions. Here Shah waliuUah shares many other

philosphers which he does not mention. However, the way

which he suggests i s more practicable even for the common

 423

man t o nak* hlni virtuous and i t i s , indeed halpful in the

r e a l i s a t i o n of Saada, the virtue in the real sense. As

we know, Ghazali has also used the woid (saadaat* but he

uses i t for the end «^ich a l s o includes in i t s pervlew

the means by which the end i s achieved. For Shah waliullah

*Saadat* i s the virtue which consists in the cultivation

of the habit of performing the second type of actions

25
meaning therday the prayer and the penitence.

The second type of actions lead t o the creation of

following virtues which must necessarily be possessed by

a virtuous man. Shah iValiuliah names them as (1) purity

(Taharat), (2) humility ( I j z ) , (3) detachmwt (Samahat),

and (4) j u s t i c e . ( Adalat) * All of these virtues are

cultivated voluntarily and when man becomes habitual of

th«n, he f e e l s uneasiness in their absence. It should

not however^laken t o mean that Islam advocates for a

complete detachment Qr segregation from d e s i r e s but i t

does plead that man should not engage himself in the

pursuit of wordly pleasures t o the extent that he should

forget the l i f e hereafter, islam, thus being a practical

r e l i g i o n , prescribes a way of l i f e which touches neither

Of the extremes.

in spite of the fact the sufls in general have

 424
preferred t h e l i f e of detachment or at l e a s t they have not

induigedthemsdlves in t h e worldly d e s i r e s at t h e cost of

the b l e s s i n g s of God meaning thereby t h a t they have l e d a

l i f e of p i e t y and penitence, AS i t has e a r l i e r been

discussed that many of the sufis believed in t t a r i q a t ^ .

In connection with t h i s the 'Naqshbandis' have already been

referred. Thoss following t h e path of t a r i q a t always led

a l i f e of complete detachment for the reason t h a t attachmwit

t o t h e world c r e a t e s disturbance in t h e p r a y e r s , p e n i t w c e

and rfflnembrance of God. Detachment thus becomes the most

important v i r t u e v;hich i s a must in t h e caso of a S^lik.

I t v d l i be v/orthv»hile if wo mention Ghazali in t h i s

connection. Having taught in t h e University of Baghdad

for a long time h i s doubts regarding t h e knowledge he

had gained forced him t o leava t h a t l i f e and he went t o

seclusion t o lead a l i f e of complete detachment and

segregation. Having l i v a d for a long in t h i s s t a t e he

came back t o t h e i n s t i t u t i o n with more c l a r i t y and b e t t e r

r o a l i s a t i o n of t r u t h . Thus detachment has been t h e source

of knowledge not only for Ghazali but a l s o for many other

s u f i s and s a i n t s . Buddha may a l s o be r e f e r r e d in t h e same

connection.

Shah Waliullah being a p r a c t i s i n g sufi advocates

 425

for th« c u l t i v a t i o n of t h i s v i r t u * , AS we are aware of

h i s l i f e , he never l i v e d in a complete detachment and

segregation but i t a l s o stands as a fact that he was never

i n c l i n e d towards t h e l i f e of luxury and sensual pleasures*

I t may thus be concluded from his biography t h a t t h e

2ft

detachment he pleads for i s t h e one advocated by Shariah.

Shah Waliullah i s of the view t h a t man should detach

himself in a l l walks of l i f e . He also speaks of t h e

d i f f e r e n t terms used for i t In d i f f e r e n t f i e l d s we have

already discussed them in h i s e t h i c s .

The l a s t of t h e s e four cardinal v i r t u e s i s j u s t i c e

(adalat). i t i s t h e v i r t u e which enables man for adminis-

tration. Regarding i t Shah Waliullah holds t h a t t h e

objectives of administration are in t h e world of angels or

t h e world of souls (alame malakut). The human soul has

t h e capacity t o acquire t h e a t t r i b u t e of a d m i n i s t r a t i o n .

Since man does not possess, the a b i l i t y t o knew the w i l l

of God regarding t h e administration, God, t h e r e f o r e , sends

prophets t o teach man His r u l e s which are in accordance

with His w i l l . I t may be concluded t h a t t h e selected

ones, as we know a l l of them do n o t , a r e able t o acquire

t h i s q u a l i t y and they alone should have the p r W i l ^ ^ g e

t o look a f t e r t h e administration so t h a t t h e nation may

 426

20

thrive and be benefitted by h i s capacitlet and a b i l i t i e s .

Regarding t h i s virtue, i f perusivel/ analysed we can

safely assert that Shah Waliullah s«ems t o echo Plato and

Ghazali. Plato in his 'Republic' holds Justice t o be the

highest virtue and on i t s basis'^Us of the opinion that the

philosopher should be the king of his ideal s t a t e , shah

Waliullah does not advocate the legacy of the Philosophers

in the matter of kingship nor does he consider that Justice

(adalat) i s the highest kind of virtue. To him, however,

i t i s , as i t has been said, ^ e of the cardial virtues and

l i k e Plattt he also holds that the selected human souls

are able t o acquire the attribute of Justice which helps

them look after the administration. Inam Ghazali discusses

in d e t a i l these cardinal virtues and shah Waliullah

repeatedly mentions the book of Ghazali, *Ihya-ul-ulum*•

This shows the impact of Ghazalian thought on Shah Waliullah.

Shah Waliullah considers the above described virtues as the

cardial ones, but along with i t he a l s o ponders over other

actions which are either t o be taken as virtues or as s i n s ,

in his ethics he f i r s t takes up the actions held as v i r t u e s .

The f i r s t one of them i s the belief in the unity of

God. He considers i t as one of the essential virtues t o be

possessed by man <xc he would not be taken t o be a Muslim.

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Describing i t he speaks of the stages* namely t h e b e l i e f in

t h e unity of God (X) as the only existence, (2) as t h e only

creator, (3) as t h e only designer of t h e u n i v e r s e and

(4) as the only one t o be worshipped.

In t h e l i g h t of h i s d i s c u s s i m on t h e u n i t y of God

we s h a l l not be wrong t o i n f e r t h a t Shah Waliullah advocates

for a perfect b e l i e f in His u n i t y . By describing t h e

stages he means t o point out t h a t God i s t h e only one in

a l l r e s p e c t s and t h e r e i s none t o share him at any s t a g e .

Like him, Ghazali a l s o speaks of t h e same s t a g e s .

The second of t h e s e virtuous actiwis i s t h e b e l i e f in

t h e a t t r i b u t e s of God. All t h e Muslims and t h e followers

of d i f f e r e n t r e l i g i o u s b e l i e v e in His a t t r i b u t e s and have

i n t e r p r e t e d them in a very controversial way. In dealing

with Shah Waliullah* s metaphysics we have already referred

t o t h e controversy regarding t h e a t t r i b u t e s and t h e

essence in t h e schools of Muslim philosophy. Such

c o n t r o v e r s i e s , however, a r e found in other r e l i g i o n s as

well. There i s no doubt that they are d i f f e r e n t in n a t u r e .

Shankra, for example, advocates t h e b e l i e f in t h e God

without a t t r i b u t e s (Nirgun Bramha) and considers him t o be

r e a l l y Real. Shah Waliullah a l s o takes up t h e problem and

present h i s own s o l u t i o n . He considers the a t t r i b u t e s t o

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be the t i m i l l e s which should carefully be unfolded. Due

t o the d i f f i c u l t i e s he agrees with the Islamic view that

the common man should not contemplate over them. Besides,

he also d e s c r i b e s t h e i r categories namely (1) the

attributes allowed t o be thought over by Shariah, (2) the

attributes disallowed to be thought over by Shariah, and

(3) the attributes t o be thought over as per necessity.

For instance, laughing (zahak), happiness (farhat) etc.

belong t o the f i r s t category; sobbing and lamenting are

included in the second category; and the attributes l i k e

that of knowledge such as seeing, hearing e t c . come under

the pervlew of the third category. By giving these catego*

r i e s Shah Waliullah means t o point out that b e l i e f in the

attributes i s necessary but the ponderance on them may

mislead the people. Summing i t up, we may come t o

conclude that Shah Waliullah was aware of the controversies

and also had an insight in the d i f f i c u l t i e s t o be faced by

the people in general if they contemplate over them. And

i t i s , therefore, that he considers them as s i m i l e s , and

thjis he points out the difference between the actual and

l i k e actual. One should not, ho>/«9ver, be mistaken as the

other.^^

Shah Waliullah i s of the opinion that the destiny

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i s g r e a t e s t of a l l v i r t u e s . In order t o support h i s

contentiiM he c i t e s c e r t a i n t r a d i t i c n s which we have

mentioned in h i s e t h i c s . Besides* he a l s o speaks of i t s

f i v e stages namtly ( I ) t h e stage of form, (2) the stage

of number, (3) stage of Adam's c r e a t i o n of and h i s

p o s t e r i t y , (4) stage of t h e fusion of t h e soul i n t o t h e

foetus and (5) I t i s t h e stage when t h e events happening

in t h e world of matter a r e recorded in t h e world of

heaven. From t h e discussion of t h e s e stages i t i s c l e a r

t h a t Shah Waliullah professes a staunch b e l i e f in destiny

and advocates i t with the same force and firmness. The

s t a g e s c a t e g o r i c a l l y suggest t h a t Shah waliullah does not

b e l i e v e in complete freedom of will but i t should a l s o

be taken i n t o account that he n e i t h e r denies t h e freedoa

of man. He i s of t h e view t h a t In s p i t e of t h e determlni«B

man has been given t h e power of choice and t h i s Implies

t h a t he i s r e s p o n s i b l e for h i s r i g h t and wrong dtedf. It

can, however, be affirmed t h a t in a l l stage of d e s t i n y

described here every thing regarding man has been d e s t i n e d .

The affirmati(»i would be t r u e and i t would lead us t o

conclude t h a t the pow^r of choice i s a l s o destined and

being t h e d e s t i n y of man he should be held r e s p o n s i b l e for

t h e r i g h t and wrong. P u t t i n g i t in b r i e f , i t may be

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concluded that Shah Waliullah, l i k e Asharltest advocates

semi determinism or the determined freedcm. 32

m the discussion of virtues* Shah Waliullah also

takes up worship. He regards i t as one of the greatest

virtues man should cultivate in him for i t benefits hia

and s a t i s f i e s h i s nature. Shah Waliullah repeatedly

emphasises on the importance of worship. He regards i t

essential for the training of senses and i t but has a l s o

brought t o l i g h t i t s types. He regards the pagans as

polythelsts. He thinks those t o be the same who worship

the planets, and what actually draws our attention i s that

he also considers Christians as p o l y t h e l s t s . Christianity,

as we know, i s one of the semetlc r e l i g i o n s and has

preached monism but there i s no doubt that the monism in

Christianity i s much l i k e the monotheism, for i t advocates

the belief in the unity in Trinity. Shah Waliullah and

other Muslim thinkers, however, could not agree with t h i s

unity for the Holy Quran categorically asserts that there

i s none t o share God. He has neither begotten anyone nor

has been begotten by anyone. The followers of Christianity

b e l i e v e that the Christ i s the son of God. The b e l i e f i s

against the contents of the Holy quran and cannot, therefore,

be held by Muslims. Moreover being the son means sharing

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Godhood and any such proposition would certainly lead

t o polytheism. I t i s therefore that shah Waliullah

considers Christians as pctlythtists.

As Islam categorises. Shah Waliullah a l s o c l a s s i f i e s

the sins as the major and the minor ones. 33

Apart from i t , he speaks of other virtuous a c t i o i s

l i k e prayer ( s a l a t ) , fasting (saun), holy tax (zakat)

pilgrimage toMecca ( h a j ) , holy war (Jahad), ablution

(wazu), bathing (ghusl). In additi(vt t o t h i s he also

34
describes the secrets lying behind these v i r t u e s .

Shah Waliullah has given a complete system of ethics*

He has not discussed the virtues alone but has a l s o

described the v i c e s . At the outset of the discussion of

the vices he takes up polytheism. It means that to him i t

i s the greatest evil and must, therefore, be eradicated

fron the society. We shall not be wrong t o assert that

many of the r e l i g i o n s , particularly the Semitic ones have

attonpted at i t s eradication and become successful t o a

great extent. As a consequeee t o t h i s , a great number

of people profess a b e l i e f in monism or u n i t a r i a n i m ,

but even after that polytheism i s practised and has invited

the attention of the philosophers l i k e Shah Waliullah. He

has not only discussed dispositic»)s, and also considers i t

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n e c e s e a r / for building up a higher moral conotuct. He i t

of t h e view t h a t t h e worship should be performed by w i l l

and not by hahrit* Here he explains t h e meaning of w i l l . The

power of w i l l l i e s in t h e power of choice. He explains i t

by c r i t i c i s i n g t h e philosophers t h a t the w i l l implies doing

and not doing of an a c t i o n , and before i t i s done or not

done i t does not mean anything, meaning t h e r ^ y t h a t t h e

a c t i o n i s p r i o r t o w i l l , i t s performance depends on i t .

Thus he explains t h a t t h e action i s p r i o r t o w i l l . It is

created by God, f i r s t in world of forms and then in t h e

world of c&jacts and man chooses i t s doing or not doing.

And worship being one of t h e v i r t u o u s actions should be

chosen by man by h i s ovm w i l l . Rationalising i t further

he a s s e r t s t h a t (1) God should be worshipped as He has

created man, (2) He should be worshipped as He rewards t h e

v i r t u o u s and punishes t h e v i c i o u s . In addition t o t h i s ,

he a l s o t a k e s up t h e problem whether t h e s i n n ^ will be

redeemed. Explaining i t he i s of the view t h a t t h e r e

should be a difference between an a t h e i s t , a pagan, and a

b e l i e v e r , and as they are d i f f e r e n t in s t a g e s , they i^ould

be d e a l t with d i f f e r e n t l y in the l i f e h e r e a f t e r . In t h i s

c o n n e c t i ^ he presents an analogy of a b i r d in a cage. We

need not repeat i t here, however, on t h e basis of t h i s

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discussion Shah waliullah comes to conduct* that the

bcliftver and t h t non«b«liever cannot be treated on ecjual

footings. His view i s supported by the tradition that

some w i l l be burnt in the f i r e of h e l l , others w i l l face

i t s blazes and s t i l l others w i l l be tortured for sometime

and thereafter rede«aed. Thus i t i s evident that the sinner

i s distinguished from the non-believer and w i l l be redeemed

after a sufficient torture for h i s misdeeds. The same

controversy he resolves by pointing out that there are two

types of actions namely (Ja) voluntary, Qb) involuntary and

(2) laws. They are also of two types, ( i ) necessary and

( i i ) probable. Explaining i t he gives the example of a

statement of a person declaring that the poison necessarily

causes death. The other defies the statement and challenges

i t s necessity. To him a person taking poison may survive.

Thus in one case i t i s necessary, and in the other i t i s

probable. The example suggests that the necessity and

probability a relative. What i s necessary in the case

of man may be probable in the case of Qod. To make i t

e x p l i c i t we should take up the proposition that God

rewards the virtue and punishes the vice but Htf v.<ir> iz

otherwise. L«t us refer here to Mutazilites who considered

i t as necessary, and, again, t o Asharites who thought i t

 434
t o be prc^able meaning thereby what i t necessary may e i t h e r

be probable in t h e case of God as He I s a l l powerful and

cannot be bound. On t h i s b a s i s we may conclude t h a t Sh«h

tfaliullah suggests t h a t a sinner may be forgiven. The

p o s i t i o n t h a t he takes up i s the one taken by the A s h a r i t e s .

35
but t h e difference l i e s in i t s explanation.

In addition t o the other perversions brought abojt

by t h e s i n , i t ctffects the outward behaviour of man. As

he l i v e s in t h e society he must behave in a way which

does not affect the i n s t i t u t i c s t , and i f he does not do so,

not only t h e society but he t o o will be affected and t h e

developmont of both, man and society will be hampered.

Thus the referjtoation in t h e outward behaviour i s a must.

In our opinion, most of t h e r e l i g i o n s attempt at wiping

36
out the social e v i l s , so that man and society may progress*

The second cause c o n s i s t s in the b l e s s i n g and curse

of t h e higher angels in » k h a t i r a t u l quds*. Their b l e s s i n g

i s reward and t h e i r curse i s punishment. Shah Waliullah

c l a r i f i e s i t saying t h a t f i n a l l y God b l e s s e s t h e v i r t u o u s

and p e n a l i s e s t h e v i c i o u s . Man having t h e power of choice

earns any one of them for himself. R a t i o n a l i s i n g i t , ht

holds t h a t every c r e a t u r e f e e l s contented and relieved i f

i t does i n accordance with i t s nalttre and i f i t a c t s

 435
otherwltft i t f««Xt suffocation and tortur*. Tht sam«

i s t i u e in the case of man. He possesses the divine

dispositicm (Latifae noorani) which i s the case of h i s

nature, consec|uently, he must perform the actions satisfying

t h i s disposition. If his actions correspond t o h i s nature,

he f e e l s s a t i s f a c t i o n , and i f the case i s otherwise, he

f e e l s torture and pain. On the basis of t h i s discussion

we may conclude that Shah Waliullah i s of the view that man

i s good by h i s nature, and he may ranain so i f the sensuality

does not dominate his d i v i n i t y . But the mundane pleasures

often lead him t o indulge in the acts of sensuality and

so he f e e l s d i s s a t i s f i e d and discontented. Shah Waliullah

a l s o points cut that the rewaard brings delight and the

37
punishment leads t o abhorrence and torture.

In the l i g h t of the previous discussion we may

conclude that Shah Waliullah presents a complete system of

ethics. Regarding virtue he i s of the view that i t *dll

be determined in accordance with the species. The virtue

in the case of other species of animals will be the

innate attributes (Kamalate naui) and in case of man i t

w i l l be determined on the basis of acquiring those

q u a l i t i e s helping the dominance of d i v i n i t y present

in the essence of man. Regarding destiny i t has been

 436

ascertained that he advocates s«Bi-detexmini«n. shah

Waliullah does not reject the principle of reward and

punishment( instead of i t he holds that God being the

knower of a l l things also knows the dastiny of man which

he w i l l choose for himself in his future. Shah Waliullah

i s also of the view that blessing and curse of God

depends an His w i l l . Like Asharites he never l i k e s to

l i m i t the powers of God in any sphere. In our opinion

Shah yifaliullah, by considering man t o be good by nature*

presents an ideal of man who i s perfect in a l l respects

and that man i s Prophet Muhammad (Xnsan-i-Kamil)*

To c<»^clude the resumef we may assert that Shah

Waliullah presents a compact philosophy which i s dominated

by sufism. He has not only influenced his contemporaries

but also the l a t e r gorier at i o n s . And for a long time

the Indian Muslim thinkers have been interpreting h i s

philosophy. Their interpretations require a peruslve

study which I wish to take up thereafter.