Ilm-ud-Din

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Ghazi Ilm-ud-din Shaheed (Rahmatullahi Ta'ala Alayh):(December 4, 1908- October 31, 1929 A.D) was although an illiterate ordinary carpenter but his death became an important feature in Islamic history.

This young man belonged to the city of Lahore, which is now called the heart of Pakistan. His father was a carpenter. When he was old enough to work he started working alongside his father on his shop. He had a friend named Abdul Rasheed, who was called "Sheeda". Sheeda's father’s shop was in front of the Wazir Khan Mosque. One day both the friends, Alam Deen and Sheeda were passing near the mosque Wazeer khan. There was a huge crowd near the mosque. People were shouting slogans against Raj Pal. "We will sacrifice our lives but we will not let the demon Raj Pal live. He disgraced our beloved Prophet Muhammed (Salalaho Alayhi Wasalam) by publishing the book "Rangeela Rasool" and the fire of revenge is burning in the heart of every Muslim" The speakers were shouting.

These words ignited the fire of revenge in the hearts of the two friends. They were both impatient and restless now. Ghazi Alam Deen returned home, but his heart was restless. He asked his father: "Can anyone stay alive after insulting our beloved Prophet Muhammed Salalaho Alayhi Wasalam?" The Father replied: "Son, the Muslims will not let him live." "Will the one who kills the disgracer of Prophet Salalaho Alayhi Wasalam be punished?" Alam Deen asked his father again. "Yes son! According to the law of the British the one who kills this man will be hanged" the father replied his son, but he was worried why his son was asking such questions.

What happened actually was that a student of Swami Deyaanand, Krishan Prashaad Prataab wrote the book "Rangeela Rasool" by the Pen name of Champu Pati Lal. In this book he disgraced the Prophet Muhammed and attacked his character with heinous allegations. A book publisher from Lahore, Raj Pal, took the responsibility of publishing this book. In 1923, this book was published and released in bookstores, and it enraged the Muslims of India. The Indian Muslims started a movement which demanded the book to be banned, but the British government of India paid no attention to Muslim demands. When Alam Deen heard about the book near the Mosque Wazeer Khan, he said to himself: "O Ilmuddin! Your enemy has disgraced your beloved Prophet Muhammed Salalaho Alayhi Wasalam, and you are sleeping in ignorance... Wake Up and do something quickly!" He was extremely restless now. The next morning he took his tools and went to his friend Sheeda.

Ilmuddin unveiled his intention to his friend, but he found that Sheeda was as restless as he was. Both the friends wanted to kill Raj Pal and they disputed. Both were eager, and each wanted to be the killer of the author. They decided to draw and settle the matter between them. The draw went in favor of Ilmuddin three times. Ilmuddin was extremely happy and Sheeda congratulated him. Both of them then went to their work.

Later, Ilmuddin went back to his home to sleep, but something inside him would not let him sleep and he said to himself, "O Ilmuddin! This is not the time to sleep. It is the time to Act, or someone else will take the reward before you and you will not get any reward from Allah!!!"

Ilmuddin went to see Sheeda for the last time. He said goodbye to his friend. He then took a Ghusl i.e. comprehensive ablution and wore his best clothes. He wore a perfume and asked his mother to cook sweet rice. The father and son ate the food and prostrated before their God. They recited Quran and Ilmuddin cried to his Lord...“O My Lord! Grant me success in this mission!!”. He asked his beloved and dear mother to pray for him as well.

He then went to bazaar and bought a dagger for one rupee. He hid the dagger in his pants and then he headed towards Raj Pal’s Shop. Raj Pal had not arrived yet. It was 6 September 1929. Raj Pal’s flight had arrived on the Lahore airport, but prior to this he wanted the police to provide security for him.

As soon as Alam Deen saw Raj Pal entering his shop, he attacked him with the swiftness of a tiger. He stabbed the dagger in the chest of the wretched demon. The dagger went through his heart, and he fell dead on the ground. Ghazi Alam Deen went out of the shop and fell in Sajdah, and thanked the Lord of the worlds who granted him success. The employees of Raj Pal were shouting, "He killed him, go get him”. "I avenged my Prophet Salalaho Alayhi Wasalam!!! I avenged my Prophet Salalaho Alayhi Wasalam!!!" he shouted back with courage. During all this time the police had also arrived at the scene. They arrested Alam Deen, and sent him to Mianwali Jail situated in Punjab Province of Pakistan on October 4, 1929. He went to trial and was declared guilty. He was given death penalty. The Muslims lodged an appeal against the court decision but the appeal was rejected. When Ghazi Ilmuddin was told about this he fell in sajdah with happiness and said: "What can be better than this? I am going to be martyred and I am going to meet my Lord!"

Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, was a lawyer by profession and he was asked by Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal and other allies to fight the case of Ghazi Ilm-ud-din and he took that case without charging a single penny. When the trial started Muhammad Ali Jinnah told Ghazi to refuse the acceptance of the assassination in front of the judge, so that he would not at least get Capital Punishment but Ghazi Ilm-ud-din refused because that would fail the cause^{[dubious – discuss]}.

At last, on 31 October 1929, the time arrived for Ghazi Ilm-ud-din to meet his Lord. Ghazi ilm-ud-din Din spent the whole night in remembrance of his Lord, and tahajjud. He read Quran and prayed to his Lord to forgive him with His Mercy.next day he executed.

The next morning before being hanged in Mianwali Jail, he was asked his last wish, he only asked for time to pray two rakah salah. On getting the permission he prostrated before his Lord, and thanked Him. He wanted to wrap the rope around his neck himself but thought came that it may be a suicide and therefore the rope was wrapped around his neck he said: "O people! Be witness, I killed Raj Pal in defense of my Prophet Muhammed Salalaho Alayhi Wasalam, and today while reciting the kalimah of my Lord I am sacrificing my life to Him. Then officials took him towards the gallows and he kissed the noose and went towards his actual life. The Authorities buried his sacred body without Janazah prayer in front of the Mianwali Jail but with the intervention of leaders like Dr. Allama Muhammed Iqbal and Mian Abdul Aziz the Muslims were able to get his body back. When the body was dug out of the grave, it was found to be the same as it was at the time of burial; even the shroud had not changed its color. It was 14 November 1929. The dead body of Ilmuddin was in the grave from 31 October to 14 November but Allah Subhanuhu wa Ta'ala preserved it (Please avoid making it a fantasy tale). Later his body was sent to Lahore for burial by the efforts of Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal and his allies.

Muslims from the whole city and millions from adjoining areas attended his funeral. Ilmuddin's father requested Allama Muhammad Iqbal to lead the funeral prayer and this shivered Dr. Allama Iqbal who replied that I am a sinful person not competent to do this job to lead the funeral of such a matchless warrior. The Janazah Prayer was then lead by the Imam of the Mosque Wazeer Khan, Imam Muhammed Shams-ud-deen. Lahore has never seen such a big Funeral procession. He was buried at the Grave yard of Miani Sahib Bahawalpur Road Lahore, Pakistan. A mosque is also built in Mianwali Jail, Mianwali Pakistan called Ghazi Ilmuddin Shaheed Mosque to offer him tribute for his bravery and sacrifice.

• Mawlana Zafar Ali Khan said before the burial: "Ah only if I had attained this blessed status!"
• Muhammed Iqbal placed the body in the grave with tears in his eyes and said: "This young man left us, the educated men behind [in status]."

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