Faraizi Movement

The Faraizi movement was founded by Haji Shariatullah by Bengali Muslims. After returning from Mecca (hence the title Hajji) after a 20 year hiatus Shariatullah, seeing the degraded Muslims of Bengal, called on them to give up un-Islamic practices and act upon their duties as Muslims (Faraiz). The movement was also concerned with the British influence upon Muslims and called for social justice. Under his son, muhammad musin or dudu mian, the movement took a more militant form. He organised resistance to Hindu landlords and money lenders, boycotting the payment of taxes and interest charges. He also formed an armed force of cudgel bearers to attack the zamindars and their followers and then went one stage further by attempting to form a parallel Muslim government within East Bengal. District Commissioners called khalifas were appointed to each village, their role being to raise funds, carry out propaganda, and settle disputes between villagers who were expressly forbidden from taking their cases to the British courts without permission. The British made persistent attempts to prosecute Miyan for crimes ranging from theft to murder, but all such allegations foundered from a lack of witnesses prepared to give evidence – though he was placed under arrest during the Mutiny. However the faraizi ‘state within a state’ went into decline following Miyan’s death in 1860.