Professor Dr. Iftikhār Aa’zmī (Muslim University, Aligarh) I have a different aqīdah (creed) to Aḥmad Razā Khān Bareylwī but it must be said that he was of an abnormal mental capability. He became well known due to him being an Alim but his poetry is of the uppermost calibre. He was a master of poetry and of language. The reason for his poetry being so brilliant is due to his utmost love for the Holy Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam. This is why it is also so sincere in its approach. Khan Muhammad Ali Khan of Hoti (President of Education, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad) A’la Hazrat was busy putting the fuel of love into the light of Islam throughout his life. All over the world, new ideas were developing which were out of the bounds of Islam but were presenting their schemes to the Muslims. He never joined any of these organisations. He displayed the true Islam and put to scraps all innovative notions. He taught Islam the way it was taught in the time of the Prophet, the reign of the rightly guided Caliphs and the epoch of the Jurists. He never left the door of the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam and knocked on any other persons door. If he had dependence, it was only on the Mercy of his Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam. If there were a way he would follow, it would only be the path of his beloved Guide śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam. If his heart pounded, it was only due to the blessings and favour that the Rahmatallil-Alamīn (Mercy for Mankind) had bestowed upon him. He was a flower in the Garden of the religion of Mustafa śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam. The level that he attained in the love for the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam is a tower of light for generations to come and the beauty that he delivered via his poetry, God knows for how long it will continue to warm hearts and purify souls. Janaab Manzūr-Ul-Haq (Famous Writer of the Jama’at-e-Islami, Maharashtra) After we read the books and penned works of Mawlana we find that due to his extreme knowledge, if we weigh it alone against the rest of the Úlamā, it still comes out heavier. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal (Lahore) There hasn't been born a Jurist comparable to him in the past many years. He is the Abū Hanīfa of the Indian Subcontinent. Dr. Barbara Metcalf (Historian, California University, America) When he used to come outside, people tended to stretch to shake his hands, some kissed his hands and some kissed his feet. <span>His Passing Away</span><span> </span> A'la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu passed away in his hometown of Bareilly on Friday 28th October, 1921 (25th Safar 1340 AH). He had advised his family to bury him according to the Sunnah and to continuously read Durūd (Salutations) upon Allah’s beloved Messenger śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam. The following are some of the people and organisations who paid their respects: · The Paisa Newspaper, Lahore · Sarshar Aqeeli Tatvi · Justice of Bombay High Court, D.F. Mullah · Dr. Muhammad Iqbal The day on which A’la Hazrat’s rađiyAllāhu ánhu funeral took place, it has been narrated that on the same day, the angels were also performing and participating in his funeral. Conclusion The Great favour that A’la Hazrat Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān Bareylwī rađiyAllāhu ánhu has conferred upon the Ahl as-Sunnah wa-al Jama’ah can never be repaid. Without the Love of the Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam, we are nothing, and this nothing we would have been today if it wasn't for the perseverance of our beloved Imām, Aḥmad Razā Khān Bareylwī rađiyAllāhu ánhu. Today, many gathering of the Ahle-Sunnah mention the name of the Mujaddid of the Century, A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu. A great misfortune is that the Muslims haven't truly realised the position of A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu. Many of the Ahl as-Sunnah do not even know his name. This is indeed a shameful situation. They must be made to realise that it was Aḥmad Razā Bareylwī rađiyAllāhu ánhu who removed darkness and spread light. When the insulters were attempting to steal our Îmân (faith), it was the pen of Aḥmad Razā that worked day and night to restore the true Islam, so that you and I could just have a chance of entering heaven. Let it be known, it wasn't for the arrival of Aḥmad Razā rađiyAllāhu ánhu, who knows whether we could have called ourselves the Ahl as-Sunnah today. It has been said on many an occasion that if Aḥmad Razā rađiyAllāhu ánhu hadn't embraced the Indian Subcontinent with his blessed existence, there may not have been any sign of Imām Abū Hanīfa’s school of thought therein. The reason why A'la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu, even though he was a rich man, didn't pay a penny of Zakāh (welfare contribution) throughout his blessed life was because he used to spend all his money on the welfare of his students and in preaching Islam. This would leave him less than the amount which is needed to make Zakāh (the third Pillar of Islam) obligatory. This money was spent so that me and you, today, could call ourselves the Ahl as-Sunnah wa-al Jama’ah. My beloved A'la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu left this world over eighty years ago, but his teaching and way of thinking is still alive in the hearts of millions of Muslims worldwide. Wherever in the world today a Sunnī is shouting slogans of love for the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam, it is all due to the religious upheaval which A'la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu led. Allah knows best. Muhammad Aqdas
What Others Say About Him Below is a summary of what other scholars, including contemporaries, professors, Directors of Organisations, and eulogists have to write regarding A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu Allâmah’ Hidayatullah Sindhī Muhâjir Madnī (Written in 1912), The scholar of his time, the jurist of his time, the reviver of Islam, the one who sacrificed his life for the religion of Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam and its protection. When it came to eulogising the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam, he left everything behind. He was lost in the ocean of love for the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam at all times. He extracted such pearls from the art of eulogising the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam that these pearls are priceless in this world and in the hereafter. May Allâh Almighty keep him well and keep those who benefit from him alive until the Day of Judgment. Aameen! Allâmah’ Sayyid Muhammad Muhaddith Kachochvira (Lecturer in Subcontinent, a Pioneer in the formation of Pakistan and great Scholar) When I read the ‘Qasīda Me’râjiyah’ of A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu in Lucknow, everyone became mystified with delight. I asked their opinion about the eulogy and the consensus was that it was brilliant. Allâmah’ Abul Hasan Zayd Farūqī Mujaddidī (Graduate of Jamia Azhar, Egypt, and a Grand Scholar of India), When I sent a question to Mawlana Aḥmad Razā he replied with such a complete and comprehensive answer that I kept this answer in a safe place. One day I was looking at the answer when Maulwī Kifayatullah (a well known scholar of the Deobandi sect) suddenly arrived and glanced at the answer and remarked: “It is not an overstatement when it is said that Mawlana Aḥmad Razā’s knowledge was extraordinary”. Zia Ul-Mashaikh Hazrat Muhammad Ibrahim Farūqī Mujaddidī (Kabul, Afghanistan), Indeed Muftī Aḥmad Razā Khān al-Qâdrī was a great scholar. His service to the field of Fiqh (jurisprudence) is a worthy foundation for the Ahle Sunnat-wa al-Jama’at and if his lifelong work is called the might and vigour of the nation then in saying this there is no exaggeration. Ustādh Ul-Úlamâ Allâmah’ Ata Muhammad Bandyalvī (Bandyal, District Sargodha, Pakistan), The star of Bareilly rađiyAllāhu ánhu wrote around a thousand books and whichever subject he lifted his pen upon, he left it complete. The Magnum Opus of these books is his translation of the Glorious Qur’ân, ‘Kanz Ul-Îmân’, which is second to none. Also, only that translation is of the highest quality which is written by one who is an expert of Tafsīr. The difficulties and their solutions which have been solved very strenuously by many Mufassirīn (commentators) using many pages, this Blessed Translation has revealed as much in only a few words. Ashraf Alī Thânvī (A big Scholar of the Deobandī Sect), I have abundant respect for Aḥmad Razā in my heart. He used to call us Kāfir but only on the basis of love for the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam and on no other ground. Abul A’la Mawdūdī (Lahore, Pakistan), I have great respect for Mawlana Aḥmad Razā’s knowledge. He used to possess knowledge of religion in abundance and his greatness is credited by even those who don’t agree with him. Abul Hasan Alī Nadwī (Founder of Nadwat Ul-Úlamâ, Lucknow [Deobandī]), The book that he wrote regarding ‘Sajdah-e Ta’zīmī’ (Prostration of Respect), with its comprehensiveness, is living proof of his scholarship and his power of stating references. He was one who used to read in inexhaustible amounts and one who possessed bountiful knowledge. He was a writer of the highest calibre. In Fiqh Hanafī (Imâm Abū Hanīfa’s School of Jurisprudence), there was no contemporary to his match. His knowledge of Maths and other secular subjects was also extensive and unarguable. It is sometimes thought that Aḥmad Razā bought segregation into the nation, but this is completely wrong. It is also said that Aḥmad Razā created a new sect. However, the truth is that Aḥmad Razā didn’t initiate any new belief, yes; he did revive the original beliefs and notions of Islam. Malik Ghulâm Alī (Vice President, Jama’at-e Islamī, Pakistan) Up until now, we have been in misunderstanding in relation to Aḥmad Razā. After reading some of his books and verdicts, I have reached the conclusion that the knowledge that we see in him cannot be found in very many others. The love for Allâh Almighty and the love Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam can be seen ringing from his every action and writing. Allâmah Abdul Hameed (Shaykh Ul-Jamia Nizamiah, Hyderabad, India) Mawlana Aḥmad Razā Khān was the sword of Islam and its Mujâhid-e-Aázam (Greatest fighter). He was a strong pillar in the revival and protection of the Ahle-Sunnah wa al Jama’ah. He conferred a great favour upon the Muslims when he put the love and respect of the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam and the Saints of the nation in their hearts. He even had an effect on those against him and their disrespectful language was controlled to an extent. He is the Leader of the Ahle-Sunnah wa all Jama’ah. Late Allâmah’ Alauddīn Siddīqī (Former Vice Chancellor, Punjab University, Lahore), The way in which Islam has precedence over all other religions, the Ahle-Sunnah wa all Jama’ah have superiority over all other sects. When the religious virtues were being lowered, it was at this time that Mawlana Shâh Aḥmad Razā Khān al-Qâdrī stepped forward and he brought the religion back onto its threshold. A’la Hazrat al-Bareylwī was the Imâm of the Ahle-Sunnah and this is why the Muslims should make him their ideal. Professor Dr. Muhammad Tahir Ul-Qâdrī (Director, Idarah Minhâj Ul-Qur’ân, Lahore) When we explore the work that Mawlana Aḥmad Razā Khān Bareylwi rađiyAllāhu ánhu did for Islam, it is pleasant to notice that simultaneously, he possessed the status of: · A mystic · A jurist · A reviver The way in which these three characteristics are gathered in his personality, in the same way the work that he did for the righteous religion also consists of these three attributes. · When we look at his help towards the restoration of true belief, then we can see a reviver · On the basis of juridical services, we can see a jurist · If we look at him from the perspective of mysticism, we can see a Sufi (mystic) Professor Muhammad Rafiullah Siddiqi (Hyderabad, Sindh) If we keep in mind that in 1912, Mawlana Aḥmad Razā Khān gave the Muslims the advice that they should not spend money on unimportant things and save as much as possible. Then we look at the present day society, we can see that governments are attempting to make people spend less and save more. Can people still not see Mawlana Aḥmad Razā’s intuitive genius? Can people still not see how vividly Mawlana could see the future? J.M. Keynes could receive a big prize on the grounds that he asked for that same thing which Mawlana Aḥmad Razā Bareylwi had written twenty-four years earlier. However, it is unfortunate that Muslims haven't paid attention to such findings. Professor Dr. Farmaan Fatehpuri (Karachi University) Out of the Úlamâ, the biggest name in eulogising is that of Mawlana Aḥmad Razā Khān al-Bareylwī. Mawlana Aḥmad Razā Khān was born in 1856 and passed away in 1921. Therefore, he was a contemporary of Maulwi Haali, Maulwi Shibli, Ameer Menai and Akbar Ilahabadi. The basis of his poetry is the life of the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam. The Honourable Mawlana was a person of Sharī’á (Islam law) and also one of Tarīqah (Islamic mysticism). He only sang the praises of the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam and of the Holy Saints but he sang them with utmost beauty and love. His eulogies and salutations (Salaam) are widely read and heard in many gatherings. Maulana Aḥmad Razā Khān Bareylwī’s compilation of eulogies 'Hadaiq-e-Bakhshish' has been published many times." Professor Dr. Pir Muhammad Hasan (Idarah Tahqiqaat-e-Islami, Islamabad, Pakistan) Shaykh Ul-Akbar (Muhyuddin ibn Arabi) says that, “The books that I have written weren’t for the purpose that I would become a writer. Rather it is the case that if I didn't write these books I would be in danger of being destroyed” - this same thing is seen in the penned works of Mawlana [Aḥmad Razā Khān]. Professor Dr. Mukhtaruddin Aarzu (Muslim University, Aligarh) His personality was a living picture of ‘Love for the sake of Allah, hate for the sake of Allah’. He would befriend anyone who had love for Allah and His Prophet and he would make an enemy whosoever was a foe of Allah and His Messenger. Every moment of A'la Hazrat’s life was enlightened with the following of the Sunnah (Way of the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam). Professor Dr. Waheed Ashraf (M.A., Ph.D., Baroda University, India) The World of Islam isn’t short of personalities who have, with their knowledge and sense, benefited the World. Ibn Sina, Umar Khayyam, Imām Rāzī, Imām Ghazâlī, Al-Bayruni, Farabi, ibn Rushd and so on are personalities whose achievements even the living world acknowledges. Amongst these are leaders of philosophy, mathematics, science and other fields. However, even more notable than these is a man, born in India, and only passed away last century. The character of Mawlana Aḥmad Razā Khān is such a comprehensive one that upon whichever field he lifted his pen, only an expert in that field could understand and appreciate his genius. Professor Dr. Malik Zadah Manzoor (M.A., Ph.D., Lucknow University, India) The reviver of Islam Mawlana Aḥmad Razā Khān possessed so much love for the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam that someone in comparison to him cannot be found. The revolution which he initiated amongst the Muslims can be witnessed in the whole of the twentieth century. Dr. Ḥāmid Alī Khan (M.A., Ph.D., Muslim University, Aligarh, India) His acumen was such that he completed a year’s work in days and a month’s work in hours. With this beautiful accomplishment, he made the scholars of his time look bantam.
Challenging the Wahābī and Deobandī Úlamâ The main task with which the Wahābī and Deobandī scholars involved themselves with was to denigrate and lower the status of the Holy Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam. To counteract this, A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu worked day and night to restore the true Islam and rid the Indian subcontinent of these wrong ideas which the Wahābī and Deobandī Úlamâ preached. The names of some of these Úlamâ are listed below: · Ismail Dehlwī · Ashraf Alī Thânvī · Rashīd Aḥmad Gangohī · Qâsim Nanotwī · Khalīl Aḥmad Ambethvī There were many other Úlamâ who preached similar ideas to those mentioned above, however, the above are considered to be the pioneers. It was the dogmas that the Wahābī and Deobandī scholars wrote about which were the focal point of A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu writings. As it has been mentioned earlier, one of the lies that was told by the misguided scholars was that the Holy Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam was like a normal human being, and so he should be treated like our elder brother. It was scandalous statements such as this one which caused A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu to centre his writings around Nūr-e-Muhammadī (the light from which the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam was made). The Wahābī and Deobandī Úlamâ received such brilliant proof from A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu regarding our Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam being Nūr (light) that they accepted that he was not a normal Alim (scholar) but was a great thinker of the time. It was when A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu was on Hajj that he heard the Úlamâ of Makkah arguing in negation of the Prophet's śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam knowledge of the unseen (Ilm-e Ghayb). Due to Ilm-e Ghayb being an attribute of the Holy Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam, denying it is a serious matter. Therefore, A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu, in order to save these Úlamâ from adopting misguided beliefs and also to hold high the Status of our beloved Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam (a status that we can't even begin to imagine), decided to compile a book in the Arabic language. However, this was to be no ordinary book. It would in the end consist of 135 pages and be written from start to finish in a diminutive period of eight hours. Also, since A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu was on a trip, he wasn't carrying any books to which he could refer whilst writing his masterpiece. This is another certification of A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu genius and also proof of his astounding love for the Messenger śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam of which there are many more which cannot all be mentioned. After reading this work of genius, the Úlamâ were shunned at the wisdom that A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu possessed. When it came to identifying a Kâfir (disbeliever), A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu was a personality that didn’t care to look at the person’s position. The fatwa of Kufr (disbelief) would have been given by A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu whether the person was an illiterate nobody or whether the person served as the Principal of a big Dar Ul-Ulūm (House of Knowledge). All in all, it was the struggle of A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu that halted the efforts of the Wahābī and Deobandī Úlamâ in achieving their goal to snatch the love of the Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam from the hearts of innocent Muslims who didn't know better for worse in matters of Aqīdah (creed). The perseverance of A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu paid dividends and today the Muslims of the World are steadfast on the Sirât-e Mustaqīm (the Right Path), the path that A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu re-opened for us to follow.
The Riddance of False Ideas As it has been mentioned earlier, during the mid and late nineteenth century, the Indian subcontinent was being propagandised by so-called Ulema who were doing nothing for Islam except for destroying it. Below are some of the anti-Islamic beliefs that these Ulema preached: · the thought of the beloved Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam during Salâh (prayer) is worse than thinking of a donkey · the names Muhammad and Ali don't deserve any special reverence · the beloved Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam is like our elder brother and should be respected as such · Khatamun Nabiyeen (seal of Prophets álayhis salâm) didn’t mean that our beloved Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam was the final prophet · Allâh Almighty was capable of lying · the organising of gatherings to celebrate the Holy birth of our beloved Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam and participating in them was against Islam · the way in which our beloved Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam has knowledge of the unseen (Ilm-e Ghayb), in the same way little children and animals also have this knowledge · they questioned the idea of following Jurists (taqlīd) · they questioned the Sufis (mystics) · they questioned the righteous Ulema It was in this weak point in Islamic history that, A’la Hazrat Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān al-Bareylwī rađiyAllāhu ánhu, using Ishq-e Rasūl (love of the Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam) as his one and only tool, rescued the Muslims of coming generations from adopting anti-Islamic thoughts and teachings and led a battle single-handedly against the Wahābī and Deobandī Úlamā (those who preached false ideas). His Oceanic Knowledge A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu was a great scholar; he was a living miracle of Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam. A scholar of the Holy city of Makkah once read an Arabic fatwa of A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu and remarked that, “If Imâm Aázam Abu Hanīfa Nu’mān bin Thâbit rađiyAllāhu ánhu read this fatwa it would bring coolness to his eyes and he would choose A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu as one of his students”. Even the scholars of Arabia wrote to A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu regarding religious verdicts and received answers which were astounding The University of Patna in India granted a doctorate to his fatawa and also the professors of Leiden University in the Netherlands are currently studying them. The Qur’ân, Tafsīr (exegesis of the Qur’ân), Ĥadīth and Fiqh (jurisprudence) were his main fields but it is said that he was an expert in one hundred and five subjects. It was for these reasons that the Ulema of India for the first time in the year 1900, began to write ‘Mujaddid’ (reviver) alongside the name of A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu. Out of the thousand or so books that A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu wrote throughout his life, his Magnum Opus was the ‘Fatawah ar-Riđawiyyah’ which consists of twelve volumes each of around one thousand pages. This book contains the religious verdicts that A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu gave during his most illustrious life. The magnificence of the whole collection of ‘Fatawah ar-Riđawiyyah’ can be judged by the fact that the whole of the first volume alone is only concerned with cleanliness. As it has been stated, A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu was an expert in one hundred and five fields, fields which not just related to Islam but related to secular studies. The Vice Chancellor of Aligarh University, India, Sir Ziauddīn once had a mathematical problem that he, nor any mathematician he knew, could solve. Therefore, he planned to go to Germany and find his solution. However, someone advised him first to visit A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu to see if he could solve this problem to save Ziauddīn a long journey. Sir Ziauddīn replied, “He (A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu) is an Alim, how could he possibly resolve a mathematical query?” After some discussion Sir Ziauddīn was persuaded to visit Bareilly. When he showed A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu the problem, A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu instantly gave Sir Ziauddīn the solution which left Sir Ziauddīn to declare: “I have until now only heard of ‘Ilm Ladunnī’ (knowledge which is granted by Allâh Almighty without any effort from the recipient), but today I have seen it in Aḥmad Razā.” Love for the Messenger śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam It was the immense love for Allâh Almighty himself that made A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu hold so much love and affection for the beloved Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam. A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu always taught that it was the love of the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam that was the foundation of Islam. It was due to the love for the Holy Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam that the Muslim nation came into existence, it was due to the love for the Holy Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam that the Muslim nation is living, and it is also because of the love for the Messenger of Allâh śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam that the nation will continue to live. A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu taught that when the love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam disappears so the death of the nation will befall. He didn't let the Muslim hearts lose this love, he kept it alive. He knew well that it was this very love that gave the Sahâba rađiyAllāhu ánhum victory. Alongside the love for the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam, he also preached that the knowledge of the unseen was given to the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam. He questioned that if the Qur'an contains the knowledge of the entire world and the Qur'an is also embedded in the heart of the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam, both of which are true, then why can't the beloved Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam possess all the knowledge that exists? The love that A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu had for the Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam can also be seen in his anthology ‘Hadayeq-e Bakhshish’ (Garden of Generosity), in which every line of every page is impervious of the fact that the most sacred thing in the world to A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu was the love of the Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam. . It is people like A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu that remind us of the Hadīth of the final Prophet śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam, None of you can truly become a believer until you love me more than your parents, your children and the whole of creation. A Hadīth which, when we look at the life of A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu, confirms that he was the truest Mu’min (believer). Political Mind Even though the idea of separation of Pakistan from India is largely thought to be the work of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and originally the idea of Allama Muhammad Iqbal which succeeded in 1947, it was A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu who was the first person to think of division. A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu exclaimed the slogan of two nations when Muhammad Alī Jinnah and Allâmah Iqbal were both still thinking of the one nation idea. The voice of A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu reached the ears of both of these people and forced them change their mind and adopt the two nation thought which in the end resulted in the formation of Pakistan.
Introduction The two reasons why this article was written are as follows. Firstly, so that people may become aware of the life-long struggle and perseverance of a true Aashiq-e Rasūl (one who has immense love for the beloved Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam. Secondly it is a small gift which I present to my subject as a token of thanks, and it will become apparent why my subject is a worthy recipient of this as we progress. If a book were to be written about my subject that included all his accomplishments, it would take years upon years to compile it. It is for this reason that I have attempted to keep this article short and have tried to summarise my opinions. Background Prior to the mid-nineteenth century, the Muslims of the world were segregated only into two major groups: the Sunnīs who formed the majority of the Muslims and the Shi’ites, who were somewhat less populous. It was in this particular period of Islamic history that the Muslim World was to witness the emergence of new sects in their religion. This new emergence was not, however, the work of Muslims but was the propaganda of the British who were to be found in Indian Subcontinent at this time. The British saw that the Muslims of the world were split only into two groups which were managing to get along and seemed to ignore each other and keep out of each other’s way. This got the British frustrated and so they tried to think of ways in which they could cause strife amongst the Muslims. It would be appropriate at this stage to highlight the fact that a school headmaster in those days would receive sixteen rupees a month as his wages. It was this sum of money which gave the British their ideas and notions. They decided to offer any Muslim scholar who would cause tension amongst the Muslims six hundred rupees a month to write and preach against the teachings of Islam. This would inevitably cause friction and misunderstandings amongst the Muslims. So, when the British initiated this trait, some scholars, who were obviously not quite loyal to their religion, accepted the offer and began writing and preaching a false Islam. At this weak point in Islamic history, the Muslims were looking for a saviour. A saviour to the likes of Imâm al-Ghazâlī, who, when anti-Islamists attempted to destroy Islam using philosophy, studied philosophy and brought shame to their frail attempts. They were seeking a leader who was in line with Salahuddin Ayubi, who defeated the Christians and bought Jerusalem back to the Muslims. They were searching for a liberator to the liking of Shaykh Aḥmad Sirhindī, who, when Akbar tried to invent his own religion and make people bow down to him instead of Allâh Almighty, with his unique ability, refused to bow down to Akbar and saved the Muslims from Shirk (polytheism). At this point, it gives me great honour to write that they were looking for none other than A’la Hazrat, Imām of the Ahl as-Sunnah, the Reviver of Islam, the Leader of the Aashiqīn (those who sincerely have love for Prophet Muhammad śallAllāhu álayhi wa âlihi wa sallam) Ash-Shah, Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān al-Bareylwī rađiyAllāhu ánhu (may Allah Almighty shower abundant blessings on his soul). From now on, I will address my subject by the title which is attributed to him by all those who recognise his greatness, namely A’la Hazrat, meaning the highest one. Birth and Early Life Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān al-Bareylwī rađiyAllāhu ánhu was born on the 14th of June in the year 1856 (10th Shawwal 1272 AH) in the north-Indian town of Bareilly (U.P.). From an early age, his intellect shone through and he particularly enjoyed games that involved numbers. Astrologers had predicted that a great occurrence would transpire on the day that he was born. A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu completed the reading the Qur’ân at the age of four and at the tender of six, he delivered a two-hour long lecture on the subject of Mīlâd-un-Nabī śallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam and by the time he was twelve, he had already written a book in Arabic. Therefore, it is clearly evident that A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu possessed an extraordinary mental ability. A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu deduced his year of birth (1272 AH) from a verse of the Qur’ân and also his year of demise (1340 AH). His Graduation and first Hajj A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu received his religious education from his grandfather and his father, who were both great scholars of their time. In the year 1869, A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu received his Dastaar-e-Fazilah (graduation) and was now, at the age of thirteen a full Alim (Scholar) and in the same year he gave his first religious ruling (fatwa). In the year 1878, whilst A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu was on Hajj, Shaykh Husain bin Salih Jamīl claimed that he saw the Nūr (divine light) of Allah Almighty on the face of A’la Hazrat rađiyAllāhu ánhu.
