Fazl-e-Haq was a philosopher, an author, a poet, a religious scholar and a rationalist thinker. He issued a fatwa of armed fighting in favor of jihad against the British empire in 1857.
Life
Fazl-e-Haq was born into a family of Indian Muslims. He was born in 1796 or 1797 in Khairabad, Sitapur. His father was sadr-ul-sadur, the chief advisor to the Mughals regarding religious matters. He became a teacher by the age of 13. In 1828, he was appointed to the position of mufti in the Department of Qaza. Shortly after the Indian Rebellion of 1857 failed, he was covered by an amnesty and was arrested by the British authorities on 30 January 1859 at Khairabad for inciting violence. He was tried and found guilty of encouraging murder and role in the 'jihad'. He had chosen to be his own counsel and defended himself. His arguments and the way he defended his case was so convincing that the presiding magistrate was writing a judgement to exonerate him, when he confessed to giving the fatwa, declaring that he could not lie. He was sentenced for life to the prison at Kalapani on Andaman Island, and his property was confiscated by the judicial commissioner of Awadh court. He reached Andaman Island on 8 October 1859 aboard the steam frigate "Fire Queen". He would remain imprisoned there until his death in 1861. Besides being a scholar of Islamic studies and theology, he was also a literary persona, especially of Urdu, Arabic and Persian literature. More than 4,00 couplets in Arabic are attributed to him. He edited the first diwan of Mirza Ghalib on his request. He had a phenomenal memory and memorized the Qur'an in a little over four months. He has also completed the curriculum in Arabic, Persian and religious studies by the age of thirteen. On account of his deep knowledge and erudition he was called "Allama" and later was venerated as a great sufi. He was also bestowed with the title imam hikmat and kalaam. He was considered the final authority on issuing fatwas or religious rulings. He possessed a great presence of mind and was very witty. There are many stories about his repartee with Mirza Ghalib and other contemporary eminent poets, writers and intellectuals. He and his son Abdul al-Haq Khairabadi established Madrasa Khairabad in northern India, where many scholars got educated. He wrote Risala-e-Sauratul Hindia in Arabic language, and wrote an account of the rebellion called As-Saurat al Hindiya.
Fatawas against Deobandi theories
Khairabadi issued fatwas against the Wahabi-Deobandi doctrine of God's alleged ability to lie. Darul Uloom Deoband, founder Rashid Ahmad Gangohi stated that God has the ability to lie. This doctrine is called Imkan-i Kizb. According to this doctrine, because God is omnipotent, God is capable of lying. Gangohi supported the doctrine that God has the ability to make additional prophets after Muhammad and other prophets equal to Muhammad. AllamaFazle Haq Khairabadi refuted these theories and wrote that according to the Qur’an and Hadith, the prophet Muhammad is the final prophet, and there can be no other prophet or "messenger" after him. To believe that there can be another Muhammad would necessitate that Allah did something apart from what he has stated in the Qur’an, that is, that Allah has lied. Lying is a flaw and it is impossible for Allah to have a flaw. This reflects his deep insight to the political, social and religious environment which was emerging with the growing influence of Englishmen and at last capture of Delhi by them.
''Fatwa'' of Jihad
In 1857, Khairabadi signed a Fatwa of Jihad against British government which led to his arrest, and then he was sent into exile to Kalapani.
Personal life
He was Farooqui. One of his sons, Abdul Haque, was also a leading and respected scholar and was given the title of Shamsul Ulema. His grandson is Muztar Khairabadi. Jan Nisar Akhtar is his great-grandson. Among his sons Abdul Haq Khairabadi was a rational scholar, a teacher of Majid Ali Jaunpuri.
