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WALI KHAN

.... the nobles placed Nazir Shah on the throne. He undertook to restore Meng Soamwun. At firsta general styled in the Arakanese history Wali Khan was charged with this duty; but he betrayedhis trust, and joining with a discontented Arakanese chief, imprisoned Meng Soamwun.1 ArthurPhayre.

On the agreement reached between the Bengal king, Sultan Jalal-uddin MohammadNasiruddin Nazir Shah (1419-31)and Narameikhla (Min Saw Mun),the exiled king ofArakan Nazir Shah sent a Bengal army of Pathan, twenty thousand in number 2 under thecommander in chief,General Wali Khan,the governor of Chittagong with Narameikhla in1428 to restore him to his kingdom. Wali Khan had many difficulties to face before he could

place his foot on the lowest step of the ladder of fame; but he overcame all of thembecause he was a genius, with abilities above ordinary minds, and he had an intensepower of making others believe in him and adore him. When he once made up his mindthat a thing was possible, no mere difficulties daunted him. He led his soldiers to a seriesof brilliant victories in the pleasant, fertile fields of Arakan against the occupying Talaingforces. They marched through Chittagong and crossed the Naaf river and Mayu rangethrough the Gaulaungyi Pass and reached a village, two miles south of Buthidaung, knownas Ali Khan Para or Wali Khan Para (which owes its name to this Muslim general ofBengal).3

Hearing the news of this march the occupying Talaing forces4 hurried down to givebattle, but Wali Khan wisely decided to entrench himself at Ali Khan Para. A fierce battle

took place at this village. So long as the battle went well for their side the Talaing forcesfought with determination. But the morale of the Talaing forces was by no means high, forthey had grown war-weary. Many of them had marched long distance from their homes infar-off Talaing kingdom. They had fought in many battles in the great struggle between Avaand the Talaing kingdom of Pegu and they now longed to return to their wives, relativesand friends and to cultivate their fields again. Although they had been well led, well treated

1. Arthur Phayre, History of Burma, p.78.

2. M.K.Rahman, Burma Muslims,p.100

3. Inquilab dated 24th October, 1960, p.5.4. After the flight of Narameikhla Arakan was for a considerable time one of the theatres of war in great

struggle between the Burmese and the Talaings. Both sides sought to gain control over Arakan. Firstthe Burmese, then the Talaings placed their nominees on its throne. In 1426 the Talaings were completelysuccessful in driving the Burmese from Arakan. (D.G.E.Hall, A History of South-east Asia, p.367.R.B.Smart,Burma Gazetteer, Akayab District, Vol;A,pp.24 & 71. Harvey, History of Burma, p.139.U Aung Tha Oo, A ShortHistory of Arakan, p.44.)

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and well rewarded, they lacked the spirit of self-sacrifice to see their task out to the end.For many years they had followed their general and given devoted services. Now theircourage began to fail when they saw their comrades die, and they began to desert, leavingthe Muslims masters of the field. Wali Khan left a portion of his army at Ali Khan Parawhere they later settled.5

This victory threw open the road to Laungkyet, the then capital of Arakan. TheTalaing Governor U Lu Kin was killed.6 Town after twon fell to the Muslim forces. Swiftlyand triumphantly the tide of victory flowed over Arakan. Wali Khans skillful generalshipand courageous devotion of his troops in those days added a lustrous page to the historyof Arakan.

This Victorious Muslim force of Bengal placed Narameikhla on the throne of Arakanwith the Muslim title Samoom Sulaiman Shah. But Wali Khan joining with a discontentedArakanese chief probably Ananda Thein kept Narameikhla in restraint,7 and ruled over thecountry and made it an Islamic kingdom.8 He had the ambition to establish a permanentMuslim kingdom in Arakan. But fortune did not favour him to make it permanent because

Narameikhla ran away to Bengal and as a result Nazir Shah had to send Sandi Khan to puta stop to his schemes. It was the first attempt of Muslims to establish themselves as kingsin Arakan.He sent some of the soldiers to the frontiers such as Maungdaw, Buthidaung,Akyab, Ramree and Sandoway, and adopted Persian as Court language, and appointedQazis (administrators) for Islamic administration. Since then the Qazi system was in forcein Arakan, and this system was adopted by the Arakanese and the Burmese kings inArakan and the British Government. Some of the famous Qazis of Arakan were DaulatQazi, Nala Qazi. Gua Qazi, Shujah Qazi, Abdul Karim Qazi, Mohammad Hussain Qazi,Utham Qazi, Abdul Jabbar Qazi, Moulvi Abdul Ghafoor Qazi. Mohammad Yusoof Qazi,Moulvi Raushan Ali Qazi, Syed Alam Shah Qazi, Akbal Ahmad Qazi, Noor MohammadQazi, and Zainud Ahmad Qazi, the great-grand father of my father.9

However Narameikhla escaped from the restraint and reported the matter to NazirShah who lost his temper with Wali Khan.10 He took pity on his miserable plight anddespatched with him another Bengal force of Pathans stronger than the previous oneunder the command of General Sandi Khan and recalled Wali Khan.11 Sandi Khan broughtWali Khans schemes of making Arakan a permanent Islamic kingdom to an end.

The seal of Akbal Ahmed Qazi 1217 A.H (1798 A.D.)---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5. Inquilab dated 24th October, 1960, p.56. Burma Gazetteer, Akyab District, Vol:A.p.71.7. Phayre, History of Burma, p.78. A History of South-east Asia, p.368.8. Burma Muslims, p.102.9. Ibid, p48+102. U Ba Tha, The Coming of Islam to Arakan, Guardian Magazine, Vol: XII, No.3, March,1965,p.10.U Ba Tha, Muslims in Arakan, Islamic Review, April, 1966,p.26.10. Sayadaw U Nyanna, Dannyawaddi Razawinthit, Vol:II,p.72.

11. Ibid, p.72, M.K.Rahman, Burma Muslims, RUMSA Annual Number. 1952-53.

24-7-1982.