Muslim leaders made significant contributions and sacrifices to India's struggle for independence from the last Mughal ruler to ordinary people. Some of the key Muslim leaders who fought for independence included Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and Maulana Muhammad Ali. The British exploited Indian people economically through practices like forcing low prices on artisans, contributing to the First War of Independence in 1857. Initially, Muslims strongly supported the Indian National Congress's independence efforts, but later in the 19th century some leaders formed the Muslim League to advocate for separate political interests and eventually a separate Muslim homeland.

1. Muslims leaders struggle
to independence
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2. Muslim leadership contributed enormously to divergent phases of the Indian struggle for
independence. They (Muslims) played a larger-than-life role and made significant sacrifices
in this struggle for independence. From the last Mughal ruler Bahadur Shah Zafar to nawabs,
princes, landlords of all sizes, clergy, ulema and the ordinary people, they all stood for the
cause and took on enormous challenges and made supreme sacrifices.

3. Muslim leaders who contributed to India’s
struggle for independence were: Khan Abdul
Ghaffar Khan, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad,
Maulana Muhammad Ali, Maulana Shaukat Ali,
Allama Iqbal, Muhammad Barkathulla, Bi Amma
(mother of Ali brothers), Badarudeen Tyabji,
Hakim Ajmal Khan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Dr
M.A. Ansari, Dr Siafudeen Kichlu, Dr Basheer
Ahmad, Syed Ameer Ali, Dr Syed Muhammad,
Hasrat Mohani, Nawab Abdul Latheef, Altaf
Hussain Hali, Syed Ahmad Sirhindi, Syed Ahmad
Bareilly, Maulana Shibli Numani, Munshi Karamat
Ali, Munshi Zakaullah.

4. The main reason for the First War of Independence in 1857 was the British’s ruthless
exploitation of the Indian people. The British rule formally established a foothold in
Bengal after the Battle of Plassey in 1757. They strove to fill the coffers of the East
India Company at the expense of the people of India because the greedy
merchants and traders governed the company. The British effectively forced their
trade monopoly over the area under their control, eliminated competition from
Indian traders and forced artisans to sell their products at low prices. As per a
saying, the weavers of Dhaka cut their thumbs to protest against such low
payments for their superb work on muslin renowned for its fine texture. Thousands
of Indians were crushed in the wake of the first war of independence in 1857.

5. When the INC was formed, the Muslims responded enthusiastically and supported all its
efforts throughout the freedom struggle until India became free. The most enthusiastic
support for the INC was from the Muslims of the conservative Ulama of Deoband. Earlier, the
Ulama had participated in the 1857 uprising with heart and soul. They made great sacrifices,
and hundreds of them were sent to Andaman-Nicobar and many to Malta, an island to the
south of Italy.

6. y the closing of the 19th Century, people started concentrating on communalism rather than
fighting educational, economic, and cultural difficulties. The separatist and loyalist
tendencies among the section of educated Muslims, nawabs and landlords reached their
climax in 1906. In 1905 Bengal was partitioned, and in October 1906, Muslim Leauge was
formed under the leadership of Nawab Salimullah of Dhaka to protect the separate interests
of the Muslims. Over time, it developed into an all-India organisation that competed with the
INC for the vote of the Indian Muslims. As the league expanded in strength, it advanced a
novel theory that the Hindus and Muslims in India were two distinct nations. The next step
was demanding a separate homeland for Indian Muslims, being carved out of India’s
territory.