Lofty titles: what’s the purpose?

[Surati]

Ulama need to start declining titles that they know aren't befitting or appropriate (yet).

Hasn't Imam Shahid Ali only just graduated? So what exactly makes him an Allamah?

Before Imam Shahid Ali started sharing this poster, did he tell the organisers to remove the Allamah? As far as I can remember, he referred to himself as a nobody (nacheez), so why does a nacheez need a title? Or maybe he considers himself to be an Allamah…

Sunnis need to calm down with this exaggeration and need to stop adding lofty and unnecessary titles in front of every Imam’s name.

What is the true purpose of these titles anyway?

 

[Khanah]

The problem with calling everyone an allamah is that then no one is an allamah.

And it seems every graduate of a part time 3 year programme becomes a mawlana? At least Imam Shahid completed a full course. In reality, dars nizami should be considered beginner level. After all, does anyone become a 'scholar' of the secular sciences after 5 years full time study in high school? I suggest graduation is more like bachelors degree- definitely some knowledge and expertise but not enough to be a 'scholar' in the field

 

[AbdalQadir]

i know this may never see the light of day with actual ulama in the field, but i've been thinking about an occupational classification style job titles/grades for the muftis and allamah's of our era, notwithstanding peers with even loftier titles

(this is Hanafi-desi specific; other mazhabs and ethnicities come up with your own mufti's job grades!)

Junior Mufti / Assistant Mufti - anyone from the below categories who doesn't speak the language of the place he lives in and/or is unaware of the life and culture in that land. in the uk for example, anyone who is not fluent in the english language, can only be counted in this grade at best, reason being he simply won't be in touch with the language and culture of the land and the ground realities surrounding our 'youf' (our future). some people will call this harsh and cold and drop big names who are excellent Sahihul Aqidah ulama. i would concur to their seniority and excellence for the place where they know the language and culture, just not for the uk.

Mufti-1 : Mufti e Bahare Shariat - based on the 80/20 rule that 80% of the masail answered by a mufti, regardless of how good or bad his scholarship level and/or reasoning is, can be answered using Bahar e Shariat (yes, it's that brilliant a book on Hanafi fiqh. i believe even ulama say that just reading this enitre book in the presence of an aalim will make you an aalim). a lot of madrasah graduates and bulk majority of lofty peers really fall under this category (if that) and don't move an inch beyond it.

Mufti-2 : Junior Mufti e Fatawa Ridawiyyah - this mufti sahab can comb thru Ala Hazrat's magnum opus and understand its Urdu, but doesn't have a knack for understanding context and proper qiyas from it for our existing times, places, circumstances and so on - for newer masail, sound rebuttals of deviants, and so on. at times, he'll hit, at times, he'll miss. as for his contextual research and qiyas capability from Arabic books of fiqh or other sciences, the lesser said the better; at times he'll look like a deer in headlights. his approach to Fatawa Ridawiyyah is like a salafi's approach to sahih hadith.

Mufti-3 : Senior Mufti e Fatawa Ridawiyyah - this mufti sahab can comb through Fatawa Ridawiyyah and also picks up on context brilliantly, has good reasoning and a knack for proper qiyas considering newer masail for our times, places, circumstances etc. he can even make a genuine and decent effort to venture out of Fatawa Ridawiyyah (and other Urdu-based fatawa) and gain further comprehensive insights, dispensations, etc. for delicate or newer masail from Arabic works of fiqh or other sciences, but won't be up to speed in it. his rebuttals of modern and newer deviants will be passable (not counting qadianis, devbandis, wahabis, and all deviants in regards to whom Ala Hazrat already did the homework for these muftis!)

where would Mufti's 1, 2, and 3 be without Ala Hazrat and his senior associates!

Mufti-4 : Hanafi Mufti - this mufti sahab is at equal ease and fluidity with Fatawa Ridawiyyah (and other Urdu fatawa) as well as Arabic works of Hanafi fiqh; doesn't ignore context and sound reasoning, and his grasp on qiyas is excellent. he also has a good research capability and solid command over branches of knowledge other than fiqh- like tafsir, hadith, rijal, tasawwuf, seerah, popular and well known books on specific topics and so on. he can offer spot on rebuttals for modern deviancies and deviants (again, not counting devbandis, wahabis, etc. whom Ala Hazrat already refuted).

Mufti-5 : Senior Hanafi Mufti / Allamah / Shaykhul Hadith - better than all of the above, perhaps also has a good command and deep-diving research in other mazhabs and/or specialization and deep research interests in specific sciences

Mufti-6 : Shaykhul Islam

i concede i'm no scholar or student of knowledge and some details of the job descriptions i mentioned above can be refined better by people who are more well-read and well-versed than me. the above is based on my own personal experiences with people of real or perceived scholarship/knowledge, real or fake peers, and my very limited reading

 

[Surati]

Hmmm what about these titles for people nowadays?

Mufti e Azam
Khateeb e Azam
Mufakkir e Islam
Mufti e Islam
Munazair e Islam
Ghazi e Millat
Taj ul Ulama

 

[Shadman]

i know this may never see the light of day with actual ulama in the field, but i've been thinking about an occupational classification style job titles/grades for the muftis and allamah's of our era, notwithstanding peers with even loftier titles

(this is Hanafi-desi specific; other mazhabs and ethnicities come up with your own mufti's job grades!)

Junior Mufti / Assistant Mufti - anyone from the below categories who doesn't speak the language of the place he lives in and/or is unaware of the life and culture in that land. in the uk for example, anyone who is not fluent in the english language, can only be counted in this grade at best, reason being he simply won't be in touch with the language and culture of the land and the ground realities surrounding our 'youf' (our future). some people will call this harsh and cold and drop big names who are excellent Sahihul Aqidah ulama. i would concur to their seniority and excellence for the place where they know the language and culture, just not for the uk.

Mufti-1 : Mufti e Bahare Shariat - based on the 80/20 rule that 80% of the masail answered by a mufti, regardless of how good or bad his scholarship level and/or reasoning is, can be answered using Bahar e Shariat (yes, it's that brilliant a book on Hanafi fiqh. i believe even ulama say that just reading this enitre book in the presence of an aalim will make you an aalim). a lot of madrasah graduates and bulk majority of lofty peers really fall under this category (if that) and don't move an inch beyond it.

Mufti-2 : Junior Mufti e Fatawa Ridawiyyah - this mufti sahab can comb thru Ala Hazrat's magnum opus and understand its Urdu, but doesn't have a knack for understanding context and proper qiyas from it for our existing times, places, circumstances and so on - for newer masail, sound rebuttals of deviants, and so on. at times, he'll hit, at times, he'll miss. as for his contextual research and qiyas capability from Arabic books of fiqh or other sciences, the lesser said the better; at times he'll look like a deer in headlights. his approach to Fatawa Ridawiyyah is like a salafi's approach to sahih hadith.

Mufti-3 : Senior Mufti e Fatawa Ridawiyyah - this mufti sahab can comb through Fatawa Ridawiyyah and also picks up on context brilliantly, has good reasoning and a knack for proper qiyas considering newer masail for our times, places, circumstances etc. he can even make a genuine and decent effort to venture out of Fatawa Ridawiyyah (and other Urdu-based fatawa) and gain further comprehensive insights, dispensations, etc. for delicate or newer masail from Arabic works of fiqh or other sciences, but won't be up to speed in it. his rebuttals of modern and newer deviants will be passable (not counting qadianis, devbandis, wahabis, and all deviants in regards to whom Ala Hazrat already did the homework for these muftis!)

where would Mufti's 1, 2, and 3 be without Ala Hazrat and his senior associates!

Mufti-4 : Hanafi Mufti - this mufti sahab is at equal ease and fluidity with Fatawa Ridawiyyah (and other Urdu fatawa) as well as Arabic works of Hanafi fiqh; doesn't ignore context and sound reasoning, and his grasp on qiyas is excellent. he also has a good research capability and solid command over branches of knowledge other than fiqh- like tafsir, hadith, rijal, tasawwuf, seerah, popular and well known books on specific topics and so on. he can offer spot on rebuttals for modern deviancies and deviants (again, not counting devbandis, wahabis, etc. whom Ala Hazrat already refuted).

Mufti-5 : Senior Hanafi Mufti / Allamah / Shaykhul Hadith - better than all of the above, perhaps also has a good command and deep-diving research in other mazhabs and/or specialization and deep research interests in specific sciences

Mufti-6 : Shaykhul Islam

i concede i'm no scholar or student of knowledge and some details of the job descriptions i mentioned above can be refined better by people who are more well-read and well-versed than me. the above is based on my own personal experiences with people of real or perceived scholarship/knowledge, real or fake peers, and my very limited reading

Anything less would be "Ustade Noorani Qaida", I assume.

 

[Surati]

There’s nothing wrong with Ustaad, Imam or Mawlana. Nowadays if people aren’t called Shaykh or Allamah but say are referred to as “Hafiz Sahab” (if they’re a hafidh ul Qur’an) they feel offended as if this is a downgrade.

 

[Shadman]

There’s nothing wrong with Ustaad, Imam or Mawlana. Nowadays if people aren’t called Shaykh or Allamah but say are referred to as “Hafiz Sahab” (if they’re a hafidh ul Qur’an) they feel offended as if this is a downgrade.

Classically, didn't the title of Hafiz meant the individual has memorized over 100K hadith?

 

[Khanah]

I heard from some lecture that in Mauritania, they don't call you haafiz unless you memorized two recitations. Not sure how true that is.

As for titles- if you don't know the difference between ذ, ز and ظ, then you shouldn't be called mufakkir e Islam, let's agree on that at least.

 

[Unbeknown]

@AbdalQadir Mufti-Level-3 onwards, knowledge of secular sciences becomes mandatory. Increasing at each step.

Those who haven't reached this level yet need not be called "muftis". A simple hazrat or mawlana should be good enough.