Sufis Of Andaman Dargah Auliya Allah
| S.NO. | DISTRICT | DARGAH | CITY |
| 1 | Andaman | Allama Fazle Haq Khairabadi | Andaman Nicobar |
Allama Fazl-e-Haq (1797– 20 August 1861) was one of the main poets of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He was a philosopher, an author, a poet, a religious scholar, but is most remembered for issuing a fatwa of armed fighting in favor of Jihad against the British empire in 1857.
Allama Fazle Haq Khairabadi had been a chief judge in Lucknow. After the Indian Rebellion of 1857 failed, believing himself covered by an amnesty Khairabadi surrendered himself to the British authorities on 30 January 1859 at Khairabad.
He was tried and found guilty of encouraging murder and taking a leadership role in the rebellion. He had chosen to be his own counsel and defended himself.
His arguments and the way he defended his case was so convincing that the presiding magistrate was writing his judgement, exonerating him, when he confessed to giving the fatwa’ declaring that he could not lie.
He was sentenced for life to the prison at Kalapani (Cellular Jail) on Andaman island with confiscation of his property by the Judicial Commissioner, Awadh Court. He reached Andaman on 8 October 1859 aboard the Steam Frigate “Fire Queen”.
He had a phenomenal memory and memorized the Qur’an in a little over 4 months. He has also completed the curriculum in Arabic, Persian and religious studies by the age of thirteen.
On account of his deep knowledge and erudition he was called Allama and later was venerated as a great Sufi. He was also bestowed with the title Imam hikmat and Kalaam (The imam of logic, philosophy and literature). He was considered the final authority on issuing fatwas or religious rulings.
He possessed a great presence of mind and was very witty. There are many stories about his repartee with Mirza Ghalib and other contemporary eminent poets, writers and intellectuals.
He and his son Abd al-Haq Khairabadi established Madrasa Khairabad in northern India, where many scholars got educated. He wrote Risala-e-Sauratul Hindia in Arabic language.
