Dr. Nazir Ahmad Zargar 1 Mawlana Ilyas: Life, works, teachings, contribution and impact Before the independence, condition of the Muslims of the Indian sub- continent was grim. The onslaught of the Company had brought humiliation to them. The failure of the 1857 uprising had resulted into terrifying problems resulting into various setbacks and defeats at several levels; they were passing through feelings of disappointment, disintegration, deprivation and dejection. Failure of the ‘Khilafat Movement’ made their condition still worse. There was uncertainty at both political and social levels. Yet another problem which in fact ate into the vitals of the Muslim society was the confusion and chaos caused by the vested interest by inciting sectarian bias on the basis of jurisprudential issues of trivial nature. All such grave problems confronted the Indian Muslims in the first quarter of the twentieth century. However, despite such miserable condition, they were still having determination and yearning for higher aims and objectives of life for they were continuously being invigorated, revitalized and boosted by selfless leaders and far-sighted thinkers who were striving to their utmost to improve their deteriorating condition . The dynamic leadership of these religious and social personalities like Shaykh al-Hind Mawlana Mahmud Hasan and Muhammad Ali Jawhar, Sir Muhammad Iqbal and Akbar Ilahabadi saved the Muslims from total fall and complete desperation. The history of pre-independence India provides an interesting and glaring example of the sincerity and sacrifices of the Muslim leaders. Notwithstanding the differences in their methods and methodologies, their 1 Assistant Professor, Department of religious Studies, Central Universities of Kashmir, Srinagar, India.