'Ilm-ud-din (December 4, 1908- October 31, 1929) was a carpenter who murdered a book publisher for publishing a book, Muslims found offensive.
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Ilmuddin hailed from city of Lahore, Pakistan (pre-partition). His father was a carpenter. When he was old enough to work he started working alongside his father on his shop. He had a friend named Abdul Rasheed, who was called "Sheeda". Sheeda's father’s shop was in front of the Wazir Khan Mosque. One day both the friends, Ilm-ud-din and Sheeda were passing near the mosque Wazeer khan. There was a huge crowd near the mosque. People were shouting slogans against Raj Pal.
"We will sacrifice our lives but we will not let the demon Raj Pal live. He disgraced our beloved Prophet Muhammed by publishing the book "Rangeela Rasool" and the fire of revenge is burning in the heart of every Muslim", the speakers were shouting.
A student of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Krishan Prashaad Prataab wrote the book "Rangeela Rasool" by the Pen name of Champu Pati Lal. It was alleged by some sections of Muslim community that the book had made allegations against the Prophet Muhammed.
The book was published in 1923 by a Publisher from Lahore, Raj Pal. Various sections of the Indian Muslims started a movement demanding the book to be banned, but the British government of India apparently paid no attention to Muslim demands.
Ilmuddin unveiled his intention to his friend. According to one account, both of them decided to murder the publisher as a punishment.
He then went to bazaar and bought a dagger for one rupee. He hid the dagger in his pants and then he headed towards Raj Pal’s Shop. Raj Pal had not arrived yet. It was 6 September 1929. Raj Pal’s flight had arrived on the Lahore airport.
As soon as Alam Deen saw Raj Pal entering his shop, he attacked him in . He stabbed Raj Pal using the dagger. He then went out of the shop and fell in Sajdah, and thanked the Lord of the worlds who granted him success. The employees of Raj Pal were quick to react and started shouting, "go get him”. he apparently shouted back at them. Then police arrived and arrested Alam Deen, and sent him to Mianwali Jail situated in Punjab Province of Pakistan on October 4, 1929. Later, he was convicted and awarded death penalty according to Indian Penal Code.[1]
An appeal was made against the conviction, but the appeal was subsequently rejected.
The trial lawyer for Ilm-ud-din was Farrukh Hussain. Ilm-ud-din claimed that he was not guilty. The defence produced two witnesses that claimed that he was not guilty. Two witnesses from the prosecution side claimed that he was guilty. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, then a prominent Indian lawyer, and later the founder of Pakistan, was then hired for a fee to appear in the appeal at the Lahore High Court. Jinnah attacked the testimony of the prosecution witnesses but the court over-ruled his arguments. Jinnah then appealed that there were extenuating circumstances, i.e. Ilm-ud-din was a man of 19 or 20 who was riled up by feelings of veneration for the founder of his faith, which could turn the death sentence into transportation for life. This contention was also rejected.[2]
Jinnah who was at the time considered an ambassador of Hindu Muslim Unity was criticised by the Hindi Newspaper "Pratap" which claimed that this would be a blow to Jinnah's prestige amongst the Hindus. It bears remembering that Jinnah himself had sat on the select committee for the bill that introduced 295-A to Indian Penal Code for which Jinnah sounded a warning that the law might be used to stifle dissent and academic criticism of religion.
On 31 October 1929, morning before being hanged in Mianwali Jail, he was asked his last wish, he only asked for time to pray two rakah salah. On getting the permission he prostrated before his Lord, and thanked Him. He wanted to wrap the rope around his neck himself but thought came that it may be a suicide and therefore the rope was wrapped around his neck he said: "O people! Be witness, I killed Raj Pal in defense of my Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu 'Alayhe Wasallam (Peace be Upon Him), and today while reciting the Kalimah of my Lord I am sacrificing my life to Him." Then officials took him towards the gallows. The authorities buried his body without Janazah prayer in front of the Mianwali Jail but with the intervention of leaders like Dr. Allama Muhammed Iqbal, Mian Amiruddin and Mian Abdul Aziz the Muslims were able to get his body back.. Later his body was sent to Lahore for burial by the efforts of Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal and his allies.
Muslims from the whole city and millions from adjoining areas attended his funeral. Ilmuddin's father requested Allama Muhammad Iqbal to lead the funeral prayer. Dr. Allama Iqbal replied, "I am a sinful person not competent to do this job to lead the funeral of such a great warrior and referred Syed Deedar Ali Shah the founder of Hizb Ul Ahnaf Lahore for the Namaz e Janaza and Burial." The Janazah Prayer was then led by the Imam of the Mosque Wazeer Khan, Imam Muhammed Shams-ud-deen, Syed Deedar Ali Shah because of the crowd Namaz e Janaza had to be offered three times, Allama Iqbal, Syed Deedar Ali Shah along with many notable Scholars Drove Ghazi Ilm Ud Din Shaheed into His Grave. It was among the largest funeral processions seen by Lahore. He was buried at the Grave yard of Miani Sahib Bahawalpur Road Lahore, Pakistan. A mosque is also built in Mianwali Jail, Mianwali Pakistan called Ghazi Ilmuddin Shaheed Mosque to offer him tribute.