Faraizi Movement

Haji Shariatullah founded the Faraizi Movement in 1818. The objective of the movement was:

• to spread the new found realizations of Shariatullah about Islam;
• following the Fard. Fard is the religious duty commanded by Allah.

The movement gained popularity during the British rule mainly among the Muslims in Bengal. Shariatullah felt that Islam got degraded under the British influence. Hence he proposed for radical social, cultural and religious changes.

• Shariatullah through the movement tried to establish a parallel government to the British.
• Kaliphas were made commissioners of the villages. They raised funds and settled disputes among the villagers.
• He even organized a small army which attacked the Zamindars and European Indigo planters.
• The reaction of the landlords and planters to these attacks resulted in a socio-economic crisis.

The British Arrested Haji Shariatullah in many instances but could not prove him guilty. After the death of Shariatullah, his son Muhsinuddin Ahmad Dudu Miyan became the leader of the movement. Under the leadership of Dudu Miyan, the movement became mostly agrarian in character. It was anti-landlord and anti-planter in character. In 1838, Dudu Miyan asked his followers to not pay rent and also disobey the dictates of Indigo planters. This led to the beginning of the revolt. The movement slowly shrunk after the death of Dudu Miyan in 1862.