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The religio-political progress in the British North West Frontier Province (NWFP now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) was influenced by two types of scholars. In the first category there were scholars who were traditionalists and on the other side those thinkers who revolutionized the society and responded as per the tendency of the time. Mullā Marwat (1879-1940) is one of the very important and prominent figures in the province who played an active, some time dubbed as controversial role, in the socio-political cross-currents in the NWFP. He remained an active mobiliser of JUH and the Khāksārs in the first half of the twentieth century. He associated with JUH as well as a devoted leader of the Khāksār movement in the 1940s. His life represented both sides and he was labelled as close to the British during World War II.
This paper deals with the career, services and contributions of Mullā Marwat as well as touching some of the controversial issues surround his personality. The N.W.F.P. history moulded by different kinds of 'ulama who played a role according to their own perception as sometimes pro and sometimes anti-British. Mullā Marwat was among those who were considered to be played part in linking JamTatul Ulama Sarhad to British mandate.
Keywords: Religion, Politics, Mullā Marwat, British, JamTat.
Background and Early Life
Mullā Marwat was one of the great theologians produced by North West Frontier Province (Pukhtun Khuwa - PK). He appeared on the political scene for two decades (1920 to 1940). His actual name was 'Abdul Qahăr and he was born in 1296/1879 A.D., in Landivah a small village in the sub-division of Lakki Marwat (now district Lakki Marwat). His grandfather took part in the jihad movement of Sayed Ahmed Barelvi (1776-1831) and was martyred in the war against the Sikhs.1 His father Mawlānā Hubāb Shāh of Ismā'īla2 (Mardān) was also a renowned scholar3 and a right hand man of the Kota Mullā.4 He was among those 'ulama' in PK who gave Fatwā of Jihad against the British in 1857. After the British occupation some antagonists conspired against the father of Mullā Marwat, so his father migrated to Landewa in the district of Lakki Marwat and lived there for a long time that is the reason why Mawlānā 'Abdul Qahār...