In August 1915, thousands of wild Afghan tribesmen were ready to attack British India. Their leader? The powerful Haji of Turangzai. The British were scared! In 1932, something amazing happened. 40,000 tribesmen, led by the old Haji of Turangzai, marched towards Peshawar. Their demand? Free Mahatma Gandhi from jail!
Who Was This Mysterious Haji?
Born as Fazal Wahid in 1842, Haji of Turangzai grew up in the Northwest Frontier Province. He studied in a local madrasa and then went to the famous Darul Uloom in Deoband.
At Deoband, Haji made important friends. He went on Hajj with big names like Maulana Mahmud ul Hasan and Maulana Qasim Nanotvi. These people were not just religious leaders, but freedom fighters too!
A Promise to Free India
In Arab, Haji met Haji Imadadullah, a hero of the 1857 revolt against the British. He promised to help free India from English rule.
Haji also learned from Mulla Hadda, a famous anti-British scholar. This knowledge helped him lead many fights against the colonial rulers.
Haji of Turangzai wasn’t just a fighter. He was a bridge between different groups:
1. He connected Deoband scholars with Sufi revolutionaries.
2. He worked with Hindu and Sikh freedom fighters.
3. He even inspired Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the famous “Frontier Gandhi”!
Fighting for Justice
Haji didn’t just fight the British. He also worked to make his own people better:
1. He stopped tribal raids on Hindus and Muslims.
2. He started schools for national education.
3. He dreamed of unity between Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs.
Despite his amazing life and work, Haji of Turangzai is often missing from our history books. But his story shows us how people from different backgrounds came together to fight for India’s freedom.
For detailed story, please visit: Awaz the voice
Also Read: The Sacred Pause: Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra and the Mazar of Salabega
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