What was the chief objective of the Wahabi movement in nineteenth century India?

Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to the topic of socio religious movements in nineteenth century India. It focuses on the Wahabi movement, which was an Islamic revivalist movement. Understanding the key objective of such movements is important for history and general studies examinations because they relate to both religious reform and resistance to colonial rule.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The movement under discussion is the Wahabi movement in India.
• The question asks for its chief objective, not every aspect of its activities.
• Four possible goals are given, ranging from purification of religion to relations with the British and social reforms.

Concept / Approach:
The Wahabi movement, inspired by the teachings of Abdul Wahab in Arabia and carried forward in India by leaders such as Syed Ahmed Barelvi, aimed primarily at purifying Islam by returning to what its followers considered the original, unadulterated teachings of the Quran and the Hadith. The movement opposed practices it viewed as innovations or corruptions that had crept into popular religious life. While it had political dimensions and at times took on an anti colonial character, its central motivating idea was religious purification rather than forging better relations with the British or focusing on modern education or women's reforms.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Wahabi movement is classified as a puritanical, revivalist Islamic movement.Step 2: Focus on the phrase “chief objective,” which directs you to the main religious aim rather than secondary consequences.Step 3: Among the options, identify “Purify Islam” as directly describing the core religious motivation of the movement.Step 4: Eliminate options that refer to better relations with the British, women's issues or rational education, which were not its primary goals.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by comparing Wahabi movement with other contemporary movements. For example, movements like Aligarh under Sir Syed Ahmad Khan emphasised modern education, while social reformers such as Raja Ram Mohan Roy worked on issues like women's rights and sati. The Wahabi movement, however, is consistently described in textbooks as a movement to purify Islam and oppose un Islamic practices, confirming option B as correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A: The Wahabis did not aim to build cordial relations with the British; in fact, they were often viewed with suspicion by colonial authorities due to their militant tendencies.Option C: Although religious reform can have indirect effects on society, the movement was not primarily focused on improving the condition of women.Option D: Adopting rational or modern education was more characteristic of other reform movements, not the central aim of the Wahabi movement.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to treat all nineteenth century movements as social reform movements focused on women and education. In reality, different movements had different emphases. The Wahabi movement was primarily religious and puritanical, aiming at internal reform of Islam. Keeping a clear mental map of which movement focused on which main issue helps to avoid confusion in multiple choice questions.

Final Answer:
Correct answer: Purify Islam