When the winds of Iman blow, they bring astonishing feats in belief, actions and character. People see amazing deeds of bravery, conviction, chastity and trustworthiness, self-sacrifice and selflessness, a spirit of voluntary obedience and hope for reward, disregard for material comforts and embellishments, large heartedness and lofty vision. They see examples of justice and mercy, and love and loyalty, which they had almost forgotten and lost hope in.
These blessed winds blew periodically in history- sometimes for a short while, and for long periods on other occasions. These are well recorded in the history of Islamic da’wah and Islamic revival. These winds blew in India in the beginning of the 13th century of the Hijrah. They revived memories of the early centuries of Islam on the day when Imam Sayyid Ahmad bin Irfan Shahid stood up to call towards Tauhid, Islamic revival and Jihad. He called towards pure Islam and ignited in the hearts, the spirit of Iman, Islamic sentiment and Jihad in the path of Allah. Him and those Mujahidun who trained under him defeated the Sikhs, who had occupied the Punjab region and had let loose a reign of terror on the Muslims, in many battles.
A short biography of the leader of this group precedes the historical anecdotes so that the reader may learn some facts about him and have a brief overview of his life. It is hoped that this will aid the reader in understanding the background of the events and how they link up.