The Reformist Approach of Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi as Reflected in Contemporary Writings

المنهجُ الإصلاحيُّ عندَ الشيخِ السرهنديِّ كما عَكَسَتْهُ الكُتُبُ المعاصِرَةُ

Abstract

This paper explores the reformist vision of Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi (d. 1624 CE), a prominent Islamic scholar and mystic of the Naqshbandi order during the Mughal era. It examines how his intellectual and spiritual reform movement has been represented in various contemporary Arabic and non-Arabic works. Through a critical study of primary sources, especially his letters in Maktubat-e-Imam Rabbani, and modern writings by scholars like Abu al-Hasan al-Nadwi and Muhammad Iqram Nadwi, the paper highlights his consistent struggle against religious innovations (bidʿah), his defense of Sunni orthodoxy, and his call for a sharia-compliant spiritual path. By reviewing contemporary academic and spiritual literature, this paper analyzes how Sirhindi's reformist project is interpreted today. It concludes that the diversity in perspectives—from theological revival to Sufi purification—reflects the richness of his legacy and the need for further critical engagement.