10 Indian Muslim Freedom Fighters To Be Inspired By
The story of India’s independence is often told through a few familiar names – Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and B. R. Ambedkar, to name a few – but often left out are the Muslim men and women who stood shoulder to shoulder with these revolutionaries. From rebel kings and queens to poets and barristers whose words were as sharp and incisive as swords, Indian Muslims played a central role in India’s fight for freedom against brutal British colonialism.
Here are ten figures whose revolutionary spirit continues to inspire us today.
1. Tipu Sultan – The Tiger of Mysore
In 1767, as the British sought to tighten their grip on the subcontinent by seeking control over its many princely states, they faced fierce resistance from Tipu Sultan, the Mughal king of Mysore (which is now part of modern-day Karnataka). Nicknamed the Tiger of Mysore, Tipu Sultan refused to acquiesce to the British the way other Indian princes and kings had, and was one of the first of these kings to launch military campaigns against British expansion.
Tipu Sultan introduced military innovations that would later inspire British weaponry, including iron-cased Mysorean rockets. His army repeatedly defeated British forces during the Anglo-Mysore wars of the late 18th century, forcing them into uneasy truces. He was considered the last formidable opponent the British would face before the establishment of colonial rule.
It would take the combined efforts of the British and several allies to finally overrun Mysore in 1799. Rather than surrender, Tipu Sultan chose to fight to the death, and he was killed while leading his troops into battle.
A proverb oft-attributed to him serves as a powerful summation of his life:
“Better to live one day as a tiger than a thousand years as a sheep.”
2. Begum Hazrat Mahal – The Rebel Queen of Awadh
Begum Hazrat Mahal, queen of the Awadh kingdom in what is now Uttar Pradesh, was characterized by her unwillingness to surrender. She refused to accept British rule after foreign troops annexed her state and exiled her husband, Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. Instead of surrendering, she rallied an army, and became one of the key figures in the Rebellion of 1857.
This rebellion, also known as India’s First War of Independence, was a landmark moment in the country’s resistance to colonial rule. What began as a mutiny among Indian soldiers (sepoys) in the British army quickly spread into a full-scale uprising against the discriminatory policies, communal interference, and land annexations of the British East India Company. Begum Hazrat Mahal was one of many leaders, including Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi and freedom fighter Nana Sahib, who challenged British dominance through battle.
During the rebellion, Begum Hazrat Mahal took control of Lucknow, and was even reported to have appeared on the battlefield herself on multiple occasions. She was also scathing in her criticism of the British, mocking their claims of religious tolerance in a proclamation:
“To eat pigs and drink wine, to bite greased cartridges and to mix pig’s fat with sweetmeats, to destroy Hindu and Muslim temples and mosques on the pretense of making roads… to institute English schools, and pay people a monthly stipend for learning the English sciences, while the places of worship of Hindus and Muslims are to this day entirely neglected; with all this, how can people believe that religion will not be interfered with?”
Even after British forces regained control of Lucknow, she refused to surrender, instead retreating to Nepal, where she continued to support the freedom struggle in exile. Today, she is remembered as a warrior queen who defied empire and fought for India’s sovereignty.
3. Peer Ali Khan – The Unsung Martyr of 1857
Peer Ali Khan’s contributions to the freedom struggle often go unsung, though he played a role in one of the most prominent uprisings against the British. A bookseller in Patna, he secretly distributed anti-British literature, organized rebel networks, and was considered one of the main conspirators in attacks against British officers during the 1857 Revolt. It was suspected that his small home-turned-bookshop, where he sold handwritten literature, was a site for revolutionary meetings.
When the British uncovered his activities, he was arrested on charges of mutiny, tortured, and executed in public on July 7, 1857. Before his death, it is said he turned down clemency with a smile:
“There are some occasions on which it is good to give up life … You can hang me or those like me every day, but thousands will come up in my place and your cause will never succeed.”
4. Badruddin Tyabji – The First Muslim President of the Indian National Congress
Decades before Gandhi launched his fight for independence, there were plenty of Indians who helped pave the way for Indian freedom. One of them was Badruddin Tyabji—a lawyer, reformer, and the first Muslim president of the Indian National Congress. Born in 1844, he was one of the earliest Indians to qualify as a barrister in England, and he used his legal skills to challenge British injustices in Indian courts.
Tyabji was a revolutionary in many ways, including in the realm of women’s rights. He argued against the practice of “purdah” (separation of women) in Muslim communities, and lived by example by sending his daughters abroad for their education. He supported the Age of Consent Bill (1891), which raised the age of consent for all girls, both married and unmarried. He strongly believed in secularism and unity among faiths.
In 1887, Tyabji became the first Muslim to lead the Indian National Congress, pushing for self-rule and political reform while advocating for the rights of Muslims within a united India. In 1895, Tyabji became a judge of the Bombay High Court, where he was praised for his courage and fairness by Hindus, Parsis, and Muslims alike.
The key to his popularity may well be seen in his address after being unanimously elected President of the Indian National Congress:
“Be moderate in your demands, be just in your criticism, be accurate in your facts, be logical in your conclusions, and you may rest assured that any propositions you may make to our rulers will be received with that benign consideration, which is the characteristic of a strong and enlightened Government.”
5. Saifuddin Kitchlew – The Face of Protest
Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew was a lawyer and educator. He is best known for being the face of protests against the Rowlatt Acts of 1919, which allowed the British to detain Indians without trial or evidence.
A staunch supporter of Gandhi, Kitchlew gave up his legal practice to join in the Indian independence struggle. After the Rowlatt Acts were passed, he riled up fierce protests in Amritsar, Punjab – and he did it without calling for any violence. In a speech he gave to a gathering of nearly 30,000, he declared:
“The message of Mahatma Gandhi has been read to you. All citizens should be prepared for resistance. This does not mean that this sacred town or country should be flooded with blood. The resistance should be a passive one. Do not use harsh words in respect of any policeman or traitor which might cause him pain or lead to the possibility of a breach of peace.”
Kitchlew’s leadership, along with his close ally Dr. Satyapal, fostered tight bonds among Amritsar’s Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs. It was the arrest of Kitchlew, Satyapal, and Gandhi that triggered a massive multifaith gathering of protest on April 13, 1919 – a gathering that General Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to fire into, resulting in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
Throughout his life, Kitchlew remained a strong proponent of Hindu-Muslim unity. When he passed away in 1936, he was mourned by India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who praised him as a “brave and steadfast captain in the struggle for India’s freedom.”
6. Abadi Bano Begum – The Fearless Mother of Revolution
Abadi Bano Begum, also known as Bi Amman, was one of the first Muslim women to publicly participate in politics. Born in the 1850s, she was the mother of freedom fighters Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar and Maulana Shaukat Ali, but she was also a warrior in her own right.
At a time when women were rarely seen in public life, she broke the custom of purdah (seclusion of women) by actively participating in the anti-British struggle. She was one of the first Muslim women to publicly address political gatherings, urging the Indian public to fight against British rule:
“Countrymen! Give up the way of life of these foreigners. Stick to the traditional way of life of your ancestors. Serve not these foreigners, nor accept honors from them because these people are very crafty and fraudulent.”
In particular, she gave speeches to rally India’s women, calling on them to join the freedom struggle. So strong was her influence that she eventually became part of the Khilafat Committee, helping shape a pan-Islamist show of solidarity against British oppression.
Freedom fighter Maulana Mohammad Jouhar even praised her above his male comrades: “Suffice it to say that, although she was essentially illiterate, I have, in all my experience, of men of all kinds, come across none that I could call wiser and certainly that was more truly godly and spiritual than our mother.”
7. Hasrat Mohani – The Poet Who Gave India “Inquilab Zindabad”
Hasrat Mohani, a freedom fighter and poet, was the man who coined the slogan “Inquilab Zindabad” (Long Live the Revolution), a phrase that became the battle cry of India’s independence movement. His fiery speeches led to multiple arrests – though prison walls didn’t stop him from composing Urdu ghazals on love, beauty, and revolution.
Mohani lived a life dedicated to the struggle for justice. He was known for formally demanding complete independence from British rule early on—a bold move at a time when many political leaders were still asking for limited self-governance. Throughout his life, he wore many hats—social activist, politician, freedom fighter, journalist, critic, poet, and devout Muslim– but he always remained committed to the idea of a united and secular India. He held firm to this commitment as a member of the Constituent Assembly, which worked on drafting the Constitution of India – though he did not sign it for personal reasons.
Mohani’s revolutionary spirit can be seen reflected in his poetry, which remains celebrated today:
“How long will tyranny succeed, let us see
Till when will freedom be a dream, let us see
Hindustan’s riches are in the clutches of plunderers.
Till when will this continue, let us see.”
8. Ashfaqulla Khan – The Revolutionary Who Died for Freedom
A name often overshadowed in history books, Ashfaqulla Khan was a devout Muslim, poet, and fiery revolutionary who believed in taking direct action against British rule. A member of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), he worked alongside famous revolutionaries like Ram Prasad Bismil, Bhagat Singh, and Chandrashekhar Azad.
In 1925, Khan and his comrades carried out the Kakori Train Robbery, during which revolutionaries looted British government money to fund their movement. Infuriated, the British responded with an intense investigation to find the culprits. While many revolutionaries managed to escape, Khan was betrayed by an informant, arrested, and sentenced to death.
Even in his final moments, Khan refused to show fear. He cheerfully asked his prison guards if “everything [was] ready” when they arrived to escort him to the gallows. Before being hanged, he tied a copy of the Quran to his chest and recited the Muslim declaration of faith.
In a letter to his nephews, Khan wrote,
“The brave dies once, cowards daily… I have been accused of loving my country and for this crime I have been given the death sentence. The only wish I have from you both is that after my death you must read the proceedings of my case. You will come to know to what extent I loved my motherland as a true Muslim.”
9. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad – Words of Revolution
A brilliant scholar, journalist, and leader, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad fought the British not with weapons, but with words and ideas. An important voice of India’s freedom struggle and a friend of Mahatma Gandhi, he was repeatedly imprisoned for his civil disobedience, including during the and the Quit India Movement.
Azad was the creator and editor of Al-Hilal, a revolutionary and highly influential Urdu-language newspaper that fiercely criticized British rule. The British saw his writing as so dangerous that they banned his publication and exiled him from Bengal in 1916. This did little to deter Azad. When he returned to Calcutta in 1920, he became a key figure in the Indian National Congress, eventually serving as its youngest president at the age of 35.
Azad was deeply committed to Hindu-Muslim unity and fought fiercely against the partition of India. In a famous speech made outside of Delhi’s historic Jama Masjid, Azad called Partition “a fundamental mistake,” and called on Muslims to remain in India:
“The minarets of Jama Masjid want to ask you a question. Where have you lost the glorious pages from your chronicles? Was it only yesterday that on the banks of the Jamuna, your caravans performed wudu (ablution for prayer)? Today, you are afraid of living here. Remember, Delhi has been nurtured with your blood.”
Azad himself continued to play a key role in shaping the future post-independence India, championing knowledge, equality, and secularism till the end.
10. Zakir Husain – Education as Resistance
Dr. Zakir Husain was the first Muslim president of independent India and a freedom fighter who turned education itself into an act of rebellion. This passion informed every aspect of his career, his advocacy, and his role in revolution.
In 1920, Husain took part in Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement, a nationwide boycott of British educational institutions, government services, and goods. Instead of continuing his graduate studies at Aligarh University, which at the time was known for its British patronage, he quit and instead poured his energy into building up what would become one of India’s most well-known universities, Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, where he served as Vice Chancellor.
Husain was also an ally of Gandhi, and was invited by the great freedom fighter to become the chairman of the National Committee on Basic Education in 1937. There, he worked on developing a Gandhian syllabus for schools, emphasizing the values of nonviolence, pluralism, and tolerance.
He held these values close to heart as well, which he emphasized during his swearing-in ceremony after being elected President in 1967, as well as in another speech to the Indian Parliament 1969:
“The key to success lies in fostering the concept of Indian nationalism and secularism in the minds and hearts of our people.”
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These ten freedom fighters—warriors, queens, poets, lawyers, and intellectuals—represent just a fraction of the contributions Indian Muslims made to India’s independence. They fought in different ways, but they shared a common goal: a free India, where people of all religions, backgrounds, and beliefs could live with dignity.
In the words of Abul Kalam Azad: “I want you to remind you that these bright etchings which you see all around you, are relics of processions of your forefathers. Do not forget them. Do not forsake them. Live like their worthy inheritors… Come, today let us pledge that this country is ours, we belong to it and any fundamental decisions about its destiny will remain incomplete without our consent.”
