On Sunni Islam Shah Waliullah defined
Sunni Islam in broad terms, rather than confining it to a specific school of theology. According to Shah, ''Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jam'ah
are those who followed the Qur'an and Sunnah on the way of the Sahaba (companions) and Tabi'īn, by holding "fast to the beliefs of the pious ancestors (al-salaf)." He considered the four legal schools, as well as both the Ahl al-Hadith (Athari) and Ahl al-Ra'y'' (
Maturidi and
Ash'ari) schools of theology to be part of Sunnism. According to Shah, the differences between them are only over secondary issues of valid
Ikhtilaf; while on fundamental issues they remain united.
On Fiqh (Jurisprudence) He believed that leaders should rule in accordance with the precepts of Islam and the teachings of Islam should be purified by teachers with
ijtihad based on the basis on which the
Quran and
Hadith is founded on. He believed that there are certain boundaries that must be placed on
Sufism and that the four main
Madhahib were to be mixed into one system of law and moral codes. He said: In his work
Tahfimat al-Ilahiyya, Shah declared his conviction that the unity of
Hanafi and
Shafi'i schools of law was essential for Indian Islamic revival. Thus, many of his legal positions aligned with the views of Imam
al-Shafi'i. Shah Waliullah sought the reconciliation of differences of the Shafi'i and Hanafi schools of
Fiqh as his duty. He was particularly concerned with the pervasive Hanafi fanaticism prevalent in his community, which he rebuked, and called for an inclusive association of all of the schools of law. He said:
On Divine Attributes On the nature of Divine Attributes, Shah Waliullah held the positions of the Ash'ari creed. Despite being an Ash'ari, Shah Waliullah opposed excessiveness in
Kalam (speculative theology) and defended the position of the early
Athari creed
. In contrast to those speculative theologians which he deemed to be in err, he said the following regarding the limits of interpretation and its speculative nature: "There is no ruling to the effect that God meant what we hold, nor is there a consensus that one should believe in them and acknowledge them; such a thing would be absurd."
Correspondence with Ahmad Shah Abdali to invade India Shah Waliullah Dehlawi is reported to have written letters to
Ahmad Shah Abdali (also known as Ahmad Shah Durrani), the founder of the
Durrani Empire, in which he urged Abdali to intervene militarily against the expanding influence of the
Maratha Empire, which had gained significant control over former Mughal territories following the decline of the
Mughal Empire. According to several historians, Shah Waliullah viewed the Maratha ascendancy as a threat to Muslim political authority in North India and believed that Abdali’s intervention would help restore a balance of power. Abdali subsequently invaded India multiple times, culminating in the
Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, in which Maratha forces were decisively defeated. Historians differ in their assessment of Shah Waliullah’s motivations and the extent of his influence on Abdali’s decision to invade. Some view his appeal as primarily political, aimed at countering Maratha expansion, while others interpret it within the broader context of 18th-century power struggles in the region.
Arab culture Shah Waliullah strongly advocated against adopting non-Islamic customs, and argued for commitment to Arabic Islamic culture. Shah Waliullah believed that:
"Muslims, no matter where they live, wherever they spend their youthful days, they should in any case be completely separated from the natives of that country in their culture, traditions and mannerisms. And wherever they are, they must be immersed in their Arabic splendor and Arabic trends
" ==Death==