IMAM ALA HAZRAT RADI ALLAHU ANHU

By Leon Marino in SUNNI TIGERS CAMP ·

BASIC FACTS:

Birth Name: Ahmed Raza Khan

Born in: Barelvi Sharif, India

Date of Birth: 10th Shawwal 1272 AH (or 14th June 1856)



IN DEPTH:


Ala Hazrat's Blessed Birth




Imam
Ahmed Raza Khan was born on a Monday, the 10th of Shawal 1272 A.H (14th
June 1856), at the time of Zuhr Namaz in a place called Jasoli, which
is in the city of Barelvi Sharif, India.




A
few days before the birth of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan, his father, Allamah
Mawlana Naqi Ali Khan, had a wonderful dream. He immediately disclosed
this dream to his father, Allamah Mawlana Raza Ali Khan, who
interpreted this dream by saying, "This is a sign that you are going to
be the father of a child, a boy, who will grow up to be pious and
knowledgeable. His name will gain prominence from East to West."




This was the
good news that was given to Allamah Mawlana Naqi Ali Khan concerning
the birth of none other than the ‘Emerald from amongst the Treasures of
Almighty Allah’, the ‘Sweet-scented Rose from the fragrant Garden of
the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,’, the great Imam Ahmed Raza Khan.



His Blessed Name




The name that
was given to him at birth was the beautiful name of Mohammed. The name
corresponding to that was Al Mukhtar. His grandfather, a great Scholar
of the Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat, Allamah Mawlana Raza Ali Khan, also gave
the young child the beautiful name of Ahmed Raza. It was by this name
that he was & still is famously known.

Much later in his life, Ala Hazrat added
the title of Abdul Mustafa to his name, signifying his great love and
respect for Sayyiduna Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.



Illustrious Family History




Imam Ahmed
Raza Khan Al-Qadri, was the son of Allamah Mawlana Naqi Ali Khan, who
was the son of Allamah Mawlana Raza Ali Khan, who was son of Allamah
Mawlana Mohammed Kaazim Ali Khan, who was the son of Allamah Mawlana
Shah Mohammed Azam Khan, who was the son of Allamah Mawlana Sa'adat
Yaar Khan, who was the son of Allamah Mawlana Sa'eedullah Khan (, may
Allah be pleased with him).




The great
forefathers of Ala Hazrat migrated from Qandhar (Kabul) during the
Mogul rule and settled in Lahore. Allamah Mawlana Sa'eedullah Khan, the
first forefather of Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), held
a high government post when he arrived in the Indo-Pak sub-continent.
His son, Allamah Mawlana Sa'adat Yaar Khan , after gaining victory in
the city of Ruhailah, was elected as the Governor of that city.




Allamah
Mawlana Hafiz Kaazim Ali Khan, the son of Mawlana Mohammed Azam Khan (,
may Allah be pleased with him), was a tax-collector in the city of
Badayun. His son, Allamah Mawlana Raza Ali Khan , the illustrious
grandfather of Ala Hazrat, did not serve in the Government. It was from
this generation that the heads of the family began to adopt Tasawwuf as
their way of life.



Here is a very brief history of Ala Hazrat’s father and grandfather:



His Father:

Ala Hazrat’s father, Hazrat Mawlana Naqi Ali Khan (, may Allah be
pleased with him), received his education at the hands of his own
father, Allamah Mawlana Raza Ali Khan (, may Allah be pleased with
him). He
wrote more than 50 books, amongst them was "Suroorul Quloob fi Zikri
Mawloodul Mahboob", which received a very high distinctive position
amongst Islamic literature. The treatise is characteristic in its condemnation of the enemies of Islam, both internally and externally.

He passed away in 1297 A.H. (1880) when Imam Ala Hazrat was 24 years old.



His Grandfather:

One of the greatest Sufis of his time,
Allamah Mawlana Raza Ali Khan was born in the year 1224 A.H. He was
also a great warrior and fought alongside General Bakht Khan against
English invaders in the year 1834. He received his early
education at the hands of Maulvi Khaleerur Rahman. At the age of 23, he
had already completed his Islamic education, earning certificates of
distinction in various fields of knowledge.

He passed away in the month of Jamadiul Awwal in the year 1282 A.H (1866). Ala Hazrat was only 10 years old at this time.



Imam Ahmed Raza's Piety As A Child



Ala Hazrat was a child of 4 years when the following incident took place.

On this particular day, he was dressed in a long Kurta (shirt). As he
stepped out of his house, a few female prostitutes walked past him. In
order to cover his eyes, Ala Hazrat quickly held the bottom of his
Kurta with both his hands and lifted the Kurta over his face. When one
of the prostitutes saw what he did, she said, "Well! Young man, you
covered your eyes, but allowed your Satr to be shown."

With his face and eyes still covered, the young Ala Hazrat replied,
"When the eyes are tempted, then the heart becomes tempted. When the
heart is tempted, then the concealed parts become tempted." So shocked
and affected was this woman on hearing such a reply from a child that
she lost consciousness.



Another incident, which happened in the Month of Ramadan, also shows Ala Hazrat’s piety and fear of Allah.

It should be known that for a little child to keep fast in India during
the summer season is very difficult. The average temperature on a
summer's day rises to approximately 50 degrees Celsius.
Fasting was not Farz (obligatory) upon him because he was still a
child, but on this day he intended to keep fast. The heat of the sun
that day was intense. Hazrat Allamah Naqi Ali Khan took his young son,
Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), into a room where sweets
were kept. He closed the door and said, "There, eat the sweets." Ala
Hazrat replied that he was fasting. His father then said, "The fasting
of children is always like this. The door is closed and no one is
looking. Now you may eat." On hearing this, the young Ala Hazrat
respectfully said, "Through Whose command I am fasting, He is seeing
me." On hearing this answer from a small child, tears began to flow
from the eyes of Hazrat Allamah Naqi Ali Khan (, may Allah be pleased
with him). He then left the room with Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be
pleased with him).



Imam Ahmed Raza's First Lecture




Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat delivered his first lecture at the age of 6 years. It was during the glorious month of Rabiul Awwal.
Ala Hazrat stood on the Mimbar (Pulpit) and delivered the lecture
before a very large gathering, which also consisted of various Ulema.
His lecture lasted for approximately 2 hours. Ala Hazrat spoke on the
Wilaadat (birth) of Sayyiduna Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

He brightened the hearts of the listeners with the love of Sayyiduna Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
The people listening were thoroughly impressed by the maturity and
eloquence of this lecture, which was being delivered by a 6 year old
child!



His Intelligence As A Child




Ala Hazrat
was so gifted and intelligent that there was no need for him to study
beyond the fourth Kitaab of his course under the tutorship of any of
his teachers. He studied the remaining Kitaabs by himself and used to
later ask his teachers to test him.




Once, his
teacher asked him, "Mia! Are you a Jinn or a human being? It takes me
much time to teach a lesson, but it does not take you much time to
learn the same lesson."

Ala Hazrat answered, "Praise be to Allah that I am a human."




When he was 8
years old, Ala Hazrat wrote a Masla concerning Fara'idh (Farz). When
his father looked at the answer, he happily remarked, "If only some
adult could answer in this manner."




At
the age of 10, when he was studying the Kitaab, "I'lm-us-Thuboot,"
under the guidance of his father, he noticed a few objections and
answers of his father on the side of the page. Ala Hazrat studied this
book carefully and wrote such a well- explained footnote that even the
need for an objection was ruled out.

His father came across his research on that objection. He was so
delighted that he stood up, held the young Ala Hazrat to his heart and
said, "Ahmad Raza! You do not learn from me, but you teach me."




Professor Dr Ghulam Mustafa Khan, Head of Department: Urdu, Sindh University, Sindh (Pakistan) said: "Allamah
Hazrat Ahmed Raza Khan is among the outstanding scholars. His deep
learning, intelligence, vision and acumen, surpassed that of great
contemporary thinkers, professors, renowned scholars and orientalist.
Indeed, there is hardly any branch of learning that is foreign to him."



Astonishing Events Of Childhood




At the age of
3, Ala Hazrat was once standing outside the Raza Masjid in Barelvi
Sharif. An unknown person, attired in an Arabian garb, approached him
and spoke to him in the Arabic language. Those who were present and
witnessed this incident heard the young Ala Hazrat converse with the
person in pure Arabic. They were surprised. The person who spoke to Ala
Hazrat was never seen again in Barelvi Sharif!




A
Majzoob (one who is drowned in his love for Almighty Allah), by the
name of Hazrat Basheeruddin Sahib, used to live at the Akhoon Zada
Masjid in Barelvi Sharif. He spoke harshly to anyone who visited him.

Ala Hazrat wished to meet this Majzoob. One night, at about 11 o'clock,
he set off alone to meet him. He sat respectfully for about 15 minutes
outside the Majzoob's house. After some time, the Majzoob became aware
of him and asked, "Who are you to Mawlana Raza Ali Khan (, may Allah be
pleased with him)." Ala Hazrat replied that he was the grandson of
Hazrat Raza Ali Khan (, may Allah be pleased with him). The Majzoob
immediately embraced him and took him into his little room. He asked
Ala Hazrat if he had come for any specific matter, but Ala Hazrat said
that he had come to ask him to make Dua for him. On hearing this, the
Majzoob, for approximately half an hour, made the following Dua: "May
Allah have mercy on you. May Allah bless you."



PRIMARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION:



Commencement Of Islamic Education



During Ala Hazrat’s "Bismillah Kwaani" or "Commencement of Islamic Education", a very strange incident occurred:


His
respected teacher asked him to read the Tasmiyah, and then told him to
read "Alif, Baa, Taa . . ." Ala Hazrat began reading the "Alif, Baa,
Taa ..." until he came to the word "Laam Alif" at which point Ala
Hazrat became silent. When his teacher asked him once more to read
"Laam Alif", he remained silent. The teacher instructed him, "Say,
'Laam Alif'". Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him)
then replied, "I have already read them earlier on. What need is there
for me to repeat it?"




Hazrat
Allamah Raza Ali Khan (, may Allah be pleased with him), who was
witnessing this incident, said, "Son! Listen to what your Ustaad is
saying." Upon further reflection, Hazrat Allamah Raza Ali Khan (, may
Allah be pleased with him) realised the reason for the objection of the
young Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him). It was because the
teacher was teaching Ala Hazrat the lesson on single alphabets.

Ala Hazrat felt that how was it possible that a complete word like
"Laam Alif" should be found in such a lesson that only dealt with
single alphabets!




Hazrat
Allamah Mawlana Raza Ali Khan knew that it was a very delicate matter
that could not be understood by a child. Nevertheless, he explained,
"Son! It is true that which you are thinking of. But the 'Alif' which
you had earlier read, in reality, is 'Hamza' and this which you are
reciting now is 'Alif'. 'Alif' is always 'Sakin' and one cannot
commence with a letter which is 'Sakin'. Therefore, it is for this
reason that the letter 'Laam' is brought before the 'Alif'."




When
Ala Hazrat heard this answer, he replied, "If that be the case, then
any other letter could be joined to the 'Alif'. Why the 'Laam'?"

Mawlana Raza Ali Khan (, may Allah be pleased with him), out of sheer
happiness and excitement, embraced Ala Hazrat and made Dua for him. He
then explained the answer to Ala Hazrat in the following brilliant
manner: "In looking at them they both appear to be very much alike,
since they are both empty. Even when writing them together they look
very much alike. When it comes to their qualities then 'Laam' is the
heart of 'Alif' and 'Alif' is the heart of 'Laam'."




Hazrat
Allamah Mawlana Raza Ali Khan was in reality opening the doors and the
treasures of knowledge and spiritual insight to Ala Hazrat (, may Allah
be pleased with him).




Ala Hazrat
was only 4 years old when he completed the recitation of the holy
Qur’an. Due to the extraordinary intelligence bestowed upon him by
Almighty Allah, Ala Hazrat completed his Islamic education at the very
young age of 13 years, 10 months and 5 days.

Ala Hazrat states that, "I completed my religious education during the
middle of the month of Shabaan in the year 1286 A.H. I was 13 years, 10
months and 5 days old at that time. It was also at this time that Salah
became Farz upon me and I began to have great interest in the Laws of
Shariah". (Al Ijaazatur Radawiyya)




Ala Hazrat
gained his basic knowledge at home. He later continued his studies
under the guidance of certain noted teachers. He studied under his
father, Hazrat Allamah Mawlana Naqi Ali Khan (, may Allah be pleased
with him). He completed his primary education by Janab Mirza Ghulam
Qadir Baig, by whom he studied the book, "Mizaane Munsha'ab."


Ala Hazrat also studied under the guidance of the following luminous personalities :



1. Hazrat Mawlana Abdul Ali Rampuri (, may Allah be pleased with him),



2. Sheikh-e-Kabeer, Hazrat Allamah Syed Shah Abul Hassan Ahmed Noori (, may Allah be pleased with him),



3. Sheikh-e-Tariqah, Hazrat Allamah Shah Ale Rasul Mahrahrewi (, may Allah be pleased with him),




4. Sheikh
Ahmed bin Zain-e-Dahlaan Makki (, may Allah be pleased with him), 5.
Sheikh Abdur Rahman Makki (, may Allah be pleased with him)



6. Sheikh Hussain bin Salih Makki (, may Allah be pleased with him)



Ala Hazrat’s First Fatwa



In a letter sent to his illustrious Khalifa, Hazrat Mawlana Zafaruddin Bihaari, Ala Hazrat writes:

"With the Grace of Almighty Allah, this servant wrote his first Fatwa
at the age of 13. It is also at this age that I completed my religious
education and gained a certificate of proficiency in this field.

On this day, a question was put forward to me as to whether milk, if
reaching the belly of a child, would prove fosterage or not? I replied
that if milk reached the child's belly, either through the nose or
mouth, fosterage would be proven, therefore, making it Haram upon the
child to marry this woman". (Al Malfooz, Part I, page 12)




His father
was so amazed and delighted by this in-depth reply that he assigned the
young Ala Hazrat the task of issuing Fatwas (Islamic verdicts). For
many years, thereafter, Ala Hazrat carried this very important duty
with absolute dignity and responsibility.




Ala Hazrat
began answering hundreds of Fatwas daily. He received them in all
languages - Arabic, Urdu, Persian, English and many other languages.




Professor Dr
J.M.S. Baljon, Department of Islamology, University of Leiden
(Holland), when commenting about Ala Hazrat’s answers to religious
enquiries, said: "Indeed, a great scholar I
must confess. When reading his Fatwas, I am deeply impressed by the
immensely wide reading he demonstrates in his argumentations. Above it,
his views appear much more balanced than I expected. You are completely
right; he deserves to be better known and more appreciated in the West
than is the case at present."



His Marriage And Blessed Children




In the year
1291 A.H. (1874), Ala Hazrat married Sayyidah Irshad Begum (, may Allah
be pleased with him) who was the beloved daughter of Sheikh Fazl
Hussain Sahib. He was 18 years old at the time of his Nikah (marriage).




Almighty
Allah blessed Ala Hazrat with 7 beautiful children - 2 sons and 5
daughters. Both his sons became eminent Islamic Scholars and great
Awliyah Allah.
Ala Hazrat’s eldest son, Hazrat Allamah Mawlana Muhammad Hamid Raza
Khan Noori Barakaati was very much efficient in Arabic and various
other religious sciences. His features resembled his illustrious
father.

Hujjatul Islam left this mundane world on the 17th of Jamadiul Awwal
1362 A.H., while in the state of Salah. His Mazar Sharif (Blessed Tomb)
is in Barelvi Sharif, India.




Huzoor
Mufti-e-Azam-e-Hind, Imam Mustafa Raza Khan Noori Barakati (, may Allah
be pleased with him), the younger son of Ala Hazrat studied primarily
under the guidance of his elder brother. He also received education at
the blessed feet of his father and earned himself a certificate of
proficiency in religious sciences.

Huzoor Mufti-e-Azam-e-Hind has approximately ten million Mureeds
(disciples) around the world. He is also regarded as a Mujaddid
(Reviver) of Islam of the 15th Century.

He left this mundane world on the eve of the 14th of Muharram 1402 A.H. (1981). His Mazar Sharif is also in Barelvi Sharif.



Incidents Pointing To His Immense Knowledge




Speaking
about Ala Hazrat’s immense knowledge, Dr Sayyid Muhammad Abdullah,
Chairman: Department of Encyclopaedia of Islam, University of Punjab,
Lahore (Pakistan) said: "The scholar is said
to be the mind and spokesman of the nation, especially that scholar who
derives inspiration, thought and vision from the Holy Qur’an and the
Holy Prophet's, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,’s
traditions, a narration of divine knowledge, and exponent of divine
scheme. He is the Voice of the Creator, a benefactor of mankind. It is
not an overstatement or exaggeration, but acceptance of truth to say
that Ahmad Raza is such a scholar.



"He, indeed, is a renowned scholar, great philosopher, eminent jurist, man of vision, interpreter of the

Holy Qur’an and the Holy Prophet's, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,’s traditions, and a spell- binding orator."




A
few days after the Nikah of Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with
him), a certain person came to Barelvi Sharif. He presented a Fatwa of
Mawlana Irshad Hussain Mujaddidi to Hazrat Allamah Mawlana Naqi Ali
Khan for an answer. The Fatwa bore the signatures of many Ulema.




Hazrat
Allamah Naqi Ali Khan (, may Allah be pleased with him), instructed the
messenger with the following words: "Go into the room. Maulvi Sahib is
there. He will answer your question."

The messenger entered the room and only saw Ala Hazrat sitting there.
He returned to Hazrat Allamah Naqi Ali Khan and said, "There is no
Maulvi Sahib there. All I see in the room is a young lad." Hazrat
Allamah Naqi Ali Khan told the messenger: "Give the Masla to him and he
will answer it." The messenger went to Ala Hazrat and handed him the
Fatwa. He studied it and realised that the answer on the Fatwa of
Mawlana Irshad Hussain was incorrect. Ala Hazrat wrote the correct
answer to the Fatwa and respectfully presented it to his father. His
father verified his answer as being correct.




The very same
Fatwa was then taken to the Governor of Rampur. After studying the
Fatwa of Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), the Governor
requested the presence of Mawlana Irshad Hussain Sahib (, may Allah be
pleased with him). When the said Mawlana appeared before the Governor,
the Fatwa was shown to him. Mufti Irshad Hussain Sahib humbly
acknowledged that his Fatwa was incorrect and that the Fatwa from
Barelvi Sharif was the correct answer. The Governor of Rampur then
said, "If the Fatwa of Barelvi is correct, then how is it that all the
other Ulema verified and endorsed your Fatwa?"

Mawlana Irshad Hussain replied, "They endorsed my Fatwa because I am
prominent, but the true Fatwa is the one written by the Mufti of
Barelvi."




When the
Governor learnt that Imam Ahmed Raza Khan was only 20 years old, he
immediately had the great yearning to meet him. It so happened that Ala
Hazrat once visited Rampur. The Governor went and met Ala Hazrat (, may
Allah be pleased with him). The Governor was overwhelmed and as a mark
of respect offered him a silver chair to sit on. Ala Hazrat refused to
sit on the silver chair saying that the use of silver furniture is
Haram. Feeling ashamed, the Governor requested Ala Hazrat to sit on the
bed.




While
conversing with Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), the
Governor commented that since he was so brilliant at such a young age,
that Ala Hazrat should study a few books in Logistics under the
supervision of Maulvi Abdul Haq Kheyrabaadi.




Coincidently,
Maulvi Abdul Haq Kheyrabaadi arrived. They were both introduced to one
another. After getting acquainted, he questioned Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat
concerning the books that he had studied in the field of Logistics. Ala
Hazrat told the Maulvi that he had studied the Kitaab, "Kazi Mubarak."
Maulvi Abdul Haq Kheyrabaadi did not believe Ala Hazrat because he felt
that he was too young to study "Kazi Mubarak". He then, very
sarcastically, asked, "Have you studied 'Tahzeeb'?" Ala Hazrat also
answered in a sarcastic manner by saying, "Is 'Tahzeeb' taught after
'Kazi Mubarak' at your institution?"




After
listening to the answers of Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with
him), he began questioning him about his qualifications. Ala Hazrat
said that he preferred teaching, engaging in Fatwa work and writing
books. He further asked Ala Hazrat concerning his field of expertise.
Ala Hazrat replied by saying that he specialised in any field that was
necessary at any given time, and this included debating the Wahabis.




When Maulvi
Abdul Haq heard this reply from Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with
him), he remarked, "That crazy person from Badayoun is also in this
fanaticism." (He was referring to Mawlana Abdul Qadir , may Allah be
pleased with him). On hearing this, Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat became
offended and said, "Your father, Mawlana Fazl-e-Haq Kheyrabaadi (, may
Allah be pleased with him), was the first person to debate the Wahabis,
and he was the one responsible for writing a book against Isma'il
Dehlwi. He called this book 'Al Fatwa Fi Butali Taghwa'."




Mawlana Abdul
Haq Kheyrabbadi then said, "If, in my presence, you answer me in this
way, then it will be impossible for me to teach you."

Ala Hazrat replied by saying, "I have already decided not to study
under you, since for me to study under you will be an insult to the
Ulema-e-Ahle Sunnat".




Mawlana
Mufti Mazharullah said: "Once, I enquired from Ala Hazrat about the
holy sacrifice offered by Muslims. He, in his reply, described
innumerable kinds of sheep, which was a matter of surprise for me. I
kept his letter with me. It so happened that Mawlana Kifayatullah came
to see me and by chance he saw the letter. He was astounded and said,
'No doubt his learning and knowledge knows no boundaries'."



Branches of knowledge studied at his father's feet



Ala Hazrat became proficient in the following branches of knowledge at the feet of his father:



1. Tafseer of the holy Qur’an



2. Tafseer of Ahadith



3. Principles of Ahadith (Usool-e-Hadith)



4. Islamic jurisprudence (all four schools of thought)



5. Principles of jurisprudence (Usool-e-Fiqh)



6. Dialectics



7. Quranic commentary



8. Principles of belief



9. Principles of debate



10. Arabic syntax



11. Principles of rhetoric



12. Language usage of metaphors



13. Science dealing with rhetoric



14. Logic



15. Debates



16. Philosophy and politics



17. Rhetoric devices



18. Physics



19. Mathematics



20. Physical engineering




In the book,
"Al Ijaazatul Mutay'yanah" on page 22, Ala Hazrat has said the
following in connection with the above mentioned 20 branches of
knowledge. He says, "I learnt these 20 branches of knowledge,
personally at the feet of my father".



Other branches of knowledge were attained from various Ulema.




He learnt
Quranic recitation, correct recitation with Tajweed, mysticism,
mystical initiation, Islamic ethics, names of narrators of Ahadith,
biography of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,, Islamic history, in-depth study of Arabic and literature.




Ala
Hazrat states: "these ten branches of knowledge, I achieved at the feet
of the following teachers: Shah Ale Rasul Mahrahrewi, Mawlana Naqi Ali
Khan, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Zain Dahlaan Makki, Sheikh Abdur Rahman Makki,
Sheikh Hussain Bin Saleh Makki, Shah Abul Hassan Ahmed Noori (Alaihimur
Rahmah)."



Branches of knowledge attained without the assistance of any teacher:


Ala Hazrat
learnt arithmetic, algebra, the twelve branches of mathematics, modern
astronomy, science of inheritance, science of prosody, astrology,
science of history, prose in Hindi, prose in Persian, in-depth study of
Arabic and in-depth study of plain Persian writing.




When Ala
Hazrat was questioned about his amazing capabilities in solving
intricate and confusing mathematical theories, and as to who his mentor
was, he replied, "I did not have a teacher in this field. Whatever you
see, I achieved within the four walls of my room. This is indeed
through the grace of Sayyiduna Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him." (Al Mizaan, page 342)




The above are
merely a few branches of knowledge, in which Ala Hazrat reached such
great heights of proficiency that he was considered to be the inventor
of that branch of knowledge! An example of this is to found in his
book, "Ar Raudal Baheej fi Adaabut Takhreej", dealing with the
Principles of Chronomatic Recording of Ahadith.




Commenting on this, the famous Historian, Mawlana Rahman Ali, (M.P. Madya Pradesh) states, "If
there are no books to be found on the subject of Chronomatic Recording
of Ahadith, then Ala Hazrat can be considered to be the very inventor
of this branch of knowledge". (Tazkerah Ulema-e-Hind, page 17)





ACADEMIC SERVICES:



Proficiency in over fifty branches of knowledge




If we study
the life of Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), we will
discover that his proficiency in various subjects total over fifty-four
branches of knowledge. Is it possible today, to find an Islamic scholar
or even a non-Muslim professor, scientist, educationist or a Nobel
Prize owner who possesses such qualifications?

Arab Scholars like Sheikh Ismail bin Khalil and Sheikh Musa Ali Shami
(, may Allah be pleased with him) commended Ala Hazrat as the
Revivalist of the 14th Century A.H.: "if he is called the revivalist of this century (Mujaddid), it will be right and true."




Commenting on Ala Hazrat’s reputation and his knowledge, Dr Jamil Jalibi, Vice Chancellor, Karachi University (Pakistan) said: "Mawlana
Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi was an eminent jurist, leading scholar,
scientist, Naa'tia poet, a keen observer of Shariah and a Saint. His
crowning scholarship can be imagined by the fact that he had commanding
knowledge of about 54 branches of various sciences and humanities. He
has contributed valuable works in almost all of them. He left behind
more than a thousand treatises."




Professor Dr Wahid Ashraf, Baroda University, in Baroda said: "There
is no shortage of renowned personalities in the history of Islam who
made rich contributions to various fields of knowledge through their
divine-gifted qualities of learning, wisdom and insight. Ibn Sina, Umar
Khayyam, Imam Razi, Imam Ghazzali, Al Beruni, Farabi and Ibn Rushd are
a few rich names that shall always be remembered with pride. Among
them, some are renowned for Philosophy and Medicine, some other famous
for Mathematics, another in Astrology, another is known for Moral
Philosophy, and another is an expert in Greek beliefs etc., but the
most outstanding personality was born in India and passed away in the
present century. He was Ahmed Raza Barelvi who enjoyed such a command
in various branches of knowledge that only experts of the special
faculty can discuss fully and successfully."



Translation and commentary of the Holy Qur’an




Many people
have translated the Holy Qur’an into the Urdu language, but the
translation of the Holy Qur’an presented by Ala Hazrat - called "Kanzul
Imaan" - is proven to be the most unique translation in the Urdu
language. In his translation one sees that Ala Hazrat used only those
words in his translation that are worthy for the Attributes and
Qualities of Almighty Allah and of His Beloved Rasul , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.




It
is said that the translation of the Holy Qur’an by Ala Hazrat, Kanzul
Imaan, is not merely a literal translation, but is also the commentary
of the Holy Qur’an. In the words of Hazrat Sayyiduna Muhaddith-e-Azam
Hind (, may Allah be pleased with him), "it is not only the translation
of the Qur’an, it is the Qur’an."




We have taken
just one example of a Verse from the Holy Qur’an that has been
translated by various persons and compared it with the beautiful
translation of Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him). We have
taken Surah 93, Verse 7 as an example:



(1) "And He found you lost on the way and He guided thee."



Translation by Mohammad Asad



(2) "And found thee groping so He showed the way."



Translation by Mohammed Ali Lahori Qadiani



(3) "And He found you uninformed of Islamic laws so He told you the way of Islamic laws."



Translation by Ashraf Ali Thanwi



(4) "Did He not find thee erring and guide thee."



Translation by Arberry



(5) "And saw you unaware of the way so showed you the straight way."



Translation by Fatheh Muhammad Jalledhri



(6) "And He found thee wandering and He gave thee guidance."



Translation by Yusuf Ali




Now that we
have examined six different translations of Surah 93, Verse 7, let us
examine the difference and the uniqueness of the translation of
Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him):

"and He found you drowned in his love therefore gave way unto Him."




Look
at the uniqueness and the cautiousness that is present in this
translation of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan (, may Allah be pleased with him)!
He abstained from using those words that may cause any disrespect to
the dignity and personality of the Holy Prophet , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.




Due to the
vast amount of time Ala Hazrat spent in compiling books on Fiqh and
various other topics, it was not possible for him to compile a complete
commentary of the Holy Qur’an. However, a few learned scholars have
stated that if all the books of Ala Hazrat have to be brought together
then there is a great possibility that a complete commentary of the
Holy Qur’an may be compiled. Like his translation of the Holy Qur’an,
they have said that his Tafseer would also be exceptional.




Commenting
only on the "Bismillahir Rahman nir Rahim", Ala Hazrat presented such a
lengthy lecture on this simple phrase that it was compiled into a
complete book and published under the title, "Al Miladun Nabawiya."




Once, during
the Urs Sharif of Hazrat Mawlana Shah Abdul Qadir Sahib (, may Allah be
pleased with him), Ala Hazrat delivered a lecture on Surah Wad-Duha
from 9 am in the morning right till 3 pm in the afternoon!

This lecture on Surah Wad-Duha alone lasted for 6 hours. After
completing his lecture, Ala Hazrat said, "I only wrote 80 percent of
the commentary on this Surah and had to leave it aside. Where is there
enough time to write the Tafseer of the entire Qur’an-e-Azeem!"




Allamah Ata Muhammad Bandayalwi (, may Allah be pleased with him), Sarghoda (Pakistan) said, "Hazrat
Barelvi has written about a thousand treatises. He exhaustively dealt
with every topic he touched, but his most glorious work is his Urdu
translation and explanation of the Holy Qur’an entitled, 'Kanzul
Imaan'. Indeed, there is no parallel.

Real worth of this monumental work can be evaluated by only those
scholars who possess vast and deep knowledge of various other
translations and explanations of high standard in Urdu. Ala Hazrat kept
the same pattern as adopted by the renown writers, but he excelled in
the explanation and expansion of the most difficult and complicated
subject matter in relatively few simple words."



Authority in the field of Ahadith




Imam Ahmed
Raza Khan was also a great authority of his time when it came to the
subjects of Ahadith and Usool-e-Ahadith. He knew the names of almost
every Hadith narrator. When he was questioned concerning details of a
certain narrator, he was able to give a complete biography of the
narrator. When he studied any Hadith, he was able to explain the type
of Hadith, it's benefits and the reasons behind that Hadith. He wrote
many booklets on the topic of Ahadith. One of his books is entitled,
"Hajizul Jarain An Jamma Bainas Salaatain," which covered the Ahadith
pertaining to "Jamma Bainas Salaatain" or the "Combination of Two
Salahs in one time."




Dr Professor Mohiuddin, Azhar University, Cairo (Egypt) said, "Renowned scholar, Imam Ahmed Raza Khan, visited Arabia twice to perform Hajj at Makkah and paid homage to the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
at Madinah. During his stay, he visited various centres of learning and
had extensive exchange of views with the scholars covering various
branches of learning and religious issues. He secured permission from
some authentics to quote them in reference to particular Ahadith, and
in return, he allowed them to mention his authority in respect of some
other Ahadith.




"It
is an old saying that scholarly talent and poetic exuberance rarely
combine in one person, but Imam Ahmad Raza Khan was an exception. His
achievements contradict this diction. He was not only an acknowledged
research scholar, but also a great poet."



A great jurist of his time




Fiqh (Islamic
Jurisprudence) is that branch of knowledge that is derived from the
Holy Qur’an and the Ahadith of Sayyiduna Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Only that person can be a proper Jurist who is well versed in both the Holy Qur’an and the Ahadith of Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
He must also be well versed in all the other important branches of
knowledge, such as Tafseer, Logic, Philosophy, Translating and many
other branches.




Sayyiduna
Ala Hazrat was regarded as the greatest Jurist of his era. He was
totally proficient in the field of Fiqh and received acceptance by the
great Ulema of the East and the West.

The greatest proof of his position and status in the world of Fiqh can
be understood from his answers concerning the Shariat-e-Mustafa, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,,
which was compiled into 12 large volumes, comprising of approximately
12 000 pages to form the famous book, "Fatwa Radawiyyah," which is used
in every Darul Ifta (Fatwah Departments) around the world today.




A renowned
theologian and a great Saint of Delhi, Hazrat Mawlana Zayd Abul Hassan
Faruqi (, may Allah be pleased with him), who completed his education
at the Al Azhar University, Cairo, acknowledged the unrivalled mastery
of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan over Islamic Jurisprudence and other branches
of learning in the following words, "None
can deny the knowledge of Mawlana Ahmed Raza Khan in the field of Fiqh.
He was, no doubt, the greatest Faqih (Jurist) of his time."




When Sheikh
Ismail Khalil, the Curator of the Library at Makkatul Mukarramah, read
the Fatwas of Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat he was puffed up with joy and wrote
to Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), "By
Allah, if Imam Abu Hanifa Nu'man would have gone through these Fatwa,
undoubtedly, it could have been his heart's delight and granted its
writer among his pupils."



Imam Ahmed Raza’s I'lm-e-Jafar



"I'lm-e-Jafar" refers to "The Knowledge and the Art of Prediction."

Not all persons are blessed with such knowledge by Almighty Allah. It
is a speciality for the Awliyah Allah, and Ala Hazrat too was blessed
with the gift of I'lm-e-Jafar.




Once,
a certain person asked Ala Hazrat concerning the approach of Qiyamah
and the arrival of Imam Mahdi in the future. Ala Hazrat said that
Almighty Allah knows of this and His beloved Rasul, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
is also aware of this fact. After saying this, Ala Hazrat substantiated
these facts by quoting many verses of the Holy Qur’an and Ahadith of
the Holy Prophet , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.


Ala
Hazrat then said, "Through a certain type of knowledge, I feel that
there is a possibility that in 1837 Hijra there will be no Islamic
government left, and in 1900 Hijra Imam Mahdi will appear."

After hearing this answer, someone asked Ala Hazrat if he had gained
this answer through I'lm-e-Jafar. He replied that he did. Ala Hazrat
then said very sarcastically, "Eat the mangoes. Do not count the trees."




There was a
King of Rampur whose wife was very sick. He loved her very much and was
very attached to her. This King, who was a ‘Badd Mazhabi’ (one who does
not follow the religion properly), sent a messenger to Barelvi Sharif
with a special request. He requested Ala Hazrat to predict the time and
place of the death of his wife. The King's wife was, at that moment,
not at her house in Rampur, but she was in a place called Nainital. Ala
Hazrat told the messenger to tell the King that his wife would die in
Rampur in the month of Muharram. When the messenger returned to the
King, he gave him the message of Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased
with him).




With this
message of Ala Hazrat at the back of his mind, the King tried very hard
to keep his wife away from Rampur. He did not want her to be in any way
near Rampur.




It so
happened that rioting broke out in Rampur. It concerned the affairs of
the Kanpur Shaheed Ganj Masjid. The Governor summoned the King to meet
with him urgently in Rampur. The King decided to go on his own, but his
wife insisted on joining him. As soon as they reached Rampur, the
King's wife suddenly died. It was also the month of Muharram. The
prediction of Ala Hazrat proved to be true!



His knowledge of Philosophy and Science




Imam Ahmed
Raza Khan was a great Scientist and Philosopher. He understood Science
and Philosophy better than anyone in his time. He was a master of
Ancient and Modern Sciences.




He proved
through research that various concepts of the modern day science are
illogical and against the theories of the Holy Qur’an and the Ahadith.




Ala Hazrat
wrote many books on Science and Physics. One of his famous books,
"Fauze Mubeen Dar Harkate Zameen," using the Holy Qur’an as its
guidelines, proves that the earth is not rotating but is stationary. He
also proves that the entire Universe is revolving around the earth.
Modern theories believe that the earth is rotating on its axis and that
all the planets, including the earth, are revolving around the sun. Ala
Hazrat also disproved the theories of Scientist such as Galileo Galilei
and Sir Isaac Newton.

Even today, many people in the Western world regard Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat as the "neglected genius of the east."



Knowledge of Astronomy and Astrology



Ala Hazrat gained great expertise in the field of Astronomy and Astrology.



There was a person by the name of Mawlana Ghulam Hussain Sahib, who used to regard himself as an authority in Astrology.


Once,
Mawlana Ghulam Hussain Sahib visited Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased
with him). Ala Hazrat asked him, "So! What is the situation of the
rain?" After working out the position of the stars, Mawlana Ghulam
Sahib drew-up an astronomical table and said,” In this month there will
be no rain. It will only rain in the following month." Mawlana Sahib
then handed over the astronomical table to Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be
pleased with him).


Ala
Hazrat examined it and said, "All the Power is by Allah. If He pleases,
then it may rain now." Mawlana Ghulam Hussain then said, "Are you not
observing the astronomical table?" Ala Hazrat said, "I am observing
everything."




Ala
Hazrat then looked towards the clock and asked, "What time is it?"
Mawlana Ghulam Hussain said, "Quarter past eleven." Sayyiduna Ala
Hazrat said, "That means that there is three quarters of an hour left
for twelve o' clock." Saying this, Ala Hazrat walked up to the
grandfather clock that was in the room. With his finger, he moved the
big needle of the clock until it was on the twelve, thus showing twelve
o'clock. The clock began to chime. Ala Hazrat then said, "You said that
it would take three quarters of an hour for the needle to come to
twelve o' clock." The Mawlana Sahib replied, "But you were responsible
for altering the position of the needle."




On
hearing this, Ala Hazrat said, "Almighty Allah is All Powerful and He
may alter the position of the stars whenever he wishes."



Ala Hazrat had not yet completed his sentence when it began to rain uncontrollably.



A Mathematical Genius




Ala Hazrat
was also a great Mathematician. He used to solve the most difficult
mathematical problems in a short space of time. His authority in the
field of Mathematics will leave modern-day Mathematicians in complete
awe. Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, Logarithms, and other branches of
Mathematics which are normally handled with great difficulty even by
mathematic students today, was like ordinary addition and subtraction
to Imam Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him)!




Once, Sir Zia
uddin, a famous Mathematician, was in a predicament with regards to
part of his research in the mathematical field. He had to go to Berlin
in Germany to seek a solution to this intricate problem. It so
happened, that a certain Mawlana from the famous Aligarh University
advised Sir Zia uddin to visit Ala Hazrat to seek a solution for his
mathematical problem. But, Sir Zia uddin, sounding very unconvinced,
said, "What will an ordinary Mawlana like Mawlana Ahmed Raza be able to
solve? He hasn't even gone out of his city to gain knowledge, so it is
obvious that his knowledge is very limited."

Nevertheless, after some convincing, he agreed to visit Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him).




When he
arrived in Barelvi Sharif, he immediately went to Ala Hazrat (, may
Allah be pleased with him). Presenting the intricate mathematical
problem to Ala Hazrat he said, "I am now going to Germany. I will come
back for the answer, that is, if you do manage to solve it." As he was
speaking, Ala Hazrat was busy writing and listening to him at the same
time. As Sir Zia uddin was about to leave, Ala Hazrat handed him a
sheet of paper. When Sir Zia uddin read what was written on this paper,
he realised that it contained the solution to the mathematical problem
that had him so confused. Sir Zia uddin then said, "today I believe
that there is something known as I'lm-e-Laduni (inspired knowledge)."




Sir Zia uddin, was later recorded to have said about Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), "He
was an un-assuming man of pleasant manners and morals, had deep insight
in Mathematics, although he was not formerly educated by a teacher. It
was an inner divine-gifted inherent knowledge. My query pertained to a
theory of knotting problems of Mathematics, but his manner and
explanation was spontaneous as if he had already carried out a research
in it. Now there is nobody so well versed in all of India. Such a great
scholar, I think, there is none. Allah has bestowed upon him such a
knowledge that is amazing. His insight in the fields of Mathematics,
Euclid, Algebra and Timings is astonishing. A mathematical problem that
I could not solve despite my best efforts, this learned genius
explained in a few moments."



Contribution to the field of Poetry




Imam
Ahmed Raza Khan spent much of his valuable time writing Poetry. His
Poetry mostly consisted of Naat Sharif in praise of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and
Manqabats. In all the Naat Sharif written by Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be
pleased with him), it is evident that his heart and soul was drowned in
the love of the Holy Prophet Muhammad , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.



His Naats were written within the boundaries of the Shariah, and every stanza was filled with pearls of ‘Ilhaam’.


(‘Ilhaam’ is
that, which is inspired by Almighty Allah into the hearts of the
Awliyah Allah. Just as the Ambiya receive ‘Wahi’ or Revelation, so do
the Awliyah receive ‘Ilhaam’.)

Each verse and stanza of his Poetry is the Tafseer (commentary) of the Holy Qur’an and the Hadith of Sayyiduna Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. His Poetry was mainly in the Arabic, Urdu, and Persian languages.



Ala Hazrat’s Poetry was compiled to form the famous, "Hadaiq e Bakshish," (Gardens of Forgiveness).


This famous
and most beautiful Naat Kitaab is used throughout the world. Ala
Hazrat’s humble compilations are read by all who wish to express their
love for Sayyiduna Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.



Mawlana Qari Noorul Hassan, quotes the following stanzas from Ala Hazrat’s Poetry:



"Mulke Sukhan Ki Shahi Tum Ko Raza Musallam

Jis Simt Aagaye ho sikhe Bithaa diye hai"


and says that there are many illiterate and ignorant people, who look
at the above stanzas and accuse Ala Hazrat of praising himself in his
Poetry. This, he says, is not true and is merely a baseless objection.
He further explains:




Hazrat
Hassan Raza Khan (, may Allah be pleased with him), the younger brother
of Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), would often
send his own Poetry to be corrected to Janaab Daagh Delhwi, who was a
famous and distinguished Poet of his time.


One
day, as he was about to leave for Delhi, Ala Hazrat presented one of
his Naats to Hazrat Hassan Raza Khan and said, "Ask Daagh Delhwi to
rectify this Qalaam." The Naat, which Ala Hazrat sent, begins with the
following stanza:



" Unki mehek ne dil ke ghunche kila diye He

Jis raah chal diye he, kooche basa diye he."




When
Hazrat Hassan Raza Khan reached Delhi and presented the Naat to Daagh
Delwhi, he looked at it and said, "This does not seem like the poetry
of Mawlana Hassan Raza Khan. Whose is it?" Hazrat Hassan Raza Khan
replied that it was written by Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with
him).


On
hearing this, Daagh Delhwi said, "you have brought the Qalaam of Ala
Hazrat to me for correction! This is the Qalaam of such a poet who
holds no place for any corrections. But, since it is incomplete, I
would like to write the final verse from my side. Please ask Ala Hazrat
not to change it as I am aware that he does not like anything written
in his praise."



After saying this, he wrote the verse:



"Mulke Sukhan Ki Shahi Tum Ko Raza Musallam

Jis Simt Aagaye ho sikhe Bithaa diye hai"




So,
to those who accuse Ala Hazrat of praising himself in his Poetry, they
will find sufficient evidence to prove that it was Daagh Delhwi who
inserted that stanza and not Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with
him) himself!




Commenting on one of Ala Hazrat’s poems, Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Muhaddith Kichauchawi said, "Once I had the opportunity of reciting the Qasida-e-Me'rajia (a poem of Ala Hazrat regarding the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,'s
Me'raj) in my own style, in a select gathering of men of letters
(highly educated men) at Lucknow. I then asked them about the literary
worth of the poem. Everybody was overwhelmed and they all exclaimed
that the language is superb, pure and divine."



SPIRITUAL LIFE OF ALA HAZRAT:



Bayt and Khilafat




In the year
1294 A.H., at the age of 22 years, Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat became the
Mureed (disciple) of Imamul Asfiya, Sayyiduna Shah Aale Rasul Mahrerwi
(, may Allah be pleased with him).


The incident surrounding the Bayt (spiritual allegiance) and Khilafat (spiritual successorship) of Ala Hazrat is as follows:




Once
Hazrat Mawlana Abdul Qadir Badayouni came to Barelvi Sharif. He invited
Ala Hazrat to go to Mahrera Sharif with him. Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat
accepted his invitation and they both set off to Mahrera Sharif. When
they arrived at the station in Mahrera Sharif, Ala Hazrat said, "I am
receiving the scent of my Murshid."




When
they reached the Khanqah-e-Barakaati and entered, Sayyiduna Shah Aale
Rasul saw Ala Hazrat and said, "come in. I have been awaiting your
presence for a long time."




Sayyiduna
Shah Aale Rasul immediately made Ala Hazrat a Mureed, and then blessed
him with Khilafat and Ijazat in all the Sufi Silsilas. Thus, Ala
Hazrat’s Peer-o-Murshid (spiritual guide) was Hazrat Sayyiduna Shah
Aale Rasul (, may Allah be pleased with him).




Hazrat
Sayyiduna Abul Hussain Noori Barakaati (, may Allah be pleased with
him), who was also the Peer-o-Murshid of Mawlana Mustafa Raza Khan (,
may Allah be pleased with him), was also present in this spiritual
gathering. He was also a great Awliyah Allah and needed no introduction
to Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him).


For the
benefit of the others who were present, and to make them aware of the
exalted calibre and status of Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with
him), he asked Hazrat Sayyiduna Shah Aale Rasul a question.


He asked,
"Huzoor! The ritual here at Mahrera Sharif is that if any person comes
here, and after becoming Mureed desires to gain Khilafat and Ijazat,
then we ask him to perform Mujahida (struggle in the path of Allah). We
also give him dried bread to eat as part of his spiritual training.
After this, if we find him worthy enough, then we grant him Khilafat
and Ijazat in one or two Silsilas, but you have blessed this young man
with Khilafat and Ijazat of all the Silsilas, and even commanded him to
look at and verify all the Kitaabs which you have written. Why is this
so?"




Sayyiduna
Shah Aale Rasul answered with the following words: "O people! You do
not know Ahmed Raza. Others who come here need to be prepared before
gaining Ijazat and Khilafat. But Ahmed Raza Khan has come prepared from
Almighty Allah. All he needed was a link and this is why I made him my
Mureed.




I
always feared, due to the fear of Almighty Allah, that if on the day of
Qiyamah He questioned me concerning what I had brought for him from the
world, I would have no answer. But today, that fear no longer exists.
If on the day of Qiyamah the Almighty asks, 'O Aale Rasul! What have
you brought for me?' then, I will immediately present Imam Ahmed Raza
Khan to my Creator."




This highly
spiritual incident alone explains the status of Ala Hazrat, Azeemul
Barkat, Imam Ahmed Raza Khan (, may Allah be pleased with him).




Ala Hazrat
possessed immense love for his Pir-o-Murshid and for their family
members. He also displayed his love for all those who had contact with
them and respected them. Whenever Ala
Hazrat went to Mahrera Sharif to gain blessings from his Pir-o-Murshid,
he would remove his shoes at the station and walk bare feet in Mahrera
Sharif!

Whenever any person or representative from Mahrera Sharif
arrived in Barelvi Sharif to deliver a letter or parcel to Ala Hazrat
(, may Allah be pleased with him), he would treat that person with
great respect and dignity. He addressed the person with words of
respect, such as, "Most Respected Representative" and would not allow
that person to leave without giving him something to eat. Ala Hazrat
would personally go into the house to bring out food for that person.
He even used to carry the dish or plate of food on his head!




If this is
the respect that Ala Hazrat showed towards the representatives of his
Pir-o-Murshid and his family, one cannot imagine or fathom the respect,
which he showed towards them personally!



Imam Ahmed Raza's Mureeds and Khulafa




There were
many Mureeds (disciples) and Khulafa (spiritual successors) of Ala
Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him). They have spread far and wide
over Indo-Pak and also in all parts of the world. Nearly 35 are in the
other parts of the world and 30 in Indo-Pak sub-continent.


These are the leading ones:



1. Hujjatul Islam, Hazrat Allamah Mawlana Muhammad Hamid Raza Khan Noori Barakaati (, may Allah be pleased with him)



2. Mufti-e-Azam-e-Hind, Hazrat Mawlana Mustafa Raza Khan Noori Barakaati (, may Allah be pleased with him)



3. Hazrat Allamah Mawlana Abdus Salaam Jabalpuri (, may Allah be pleased with him)



4. Sadrul-Afaadil, Hazrat Allamah Mawlana Na'eemuddeen Muraadabadi (, may Allah be pleased with him)



5. Malikul Ulema, Hazrat Allamah Mawlana Sayyid Zafar'uddeen Bihaari (, may Allah be pleased with him)



6. Mubbalig-e-Azam, Hazrat Allamah Mawlana Abdul Aleem Siddique (, may Allah be pleased with him)



7. Sadrus Shariah, Hazrat Allamah Mawlana Mufti Amjad Ali (, may Allah be pleased with him)



8. Qutbul Madinatul Munawwara, Hazrat Allamah Sheikh Zia'uddeen Ahmed Al Madani (, may Allah be pleased with him)



9. Burhaan-e-Millat, Hazrat Allamah Burhaanul Haq (, may Allah be pleased with him)



10. Hazrat Allamah Mawlana Mukhtar Ahmad Siddiqi Meerati (, may Allah be pleased with him)



11. Sheikh Muhammad Abd al-Hayy (, may Allah be pleased with him)



12. Sheikh Ahmad Khalil (, may Allah be pleased with him)



13. Sheikh Ahmad Khudravi (, may Allah be pleased with him)



14. Sheikh Muhammad bin Abi Bakr (, may Allah be pleased with him)



15. Sheikh Muhammad Sa'id (, may Allah be pleased with him)

16. Hazrat Mawlana Sayyid Ahmad Ashraf (, may Allah be pleased with him)



17. Hazrat Mawlana Shah Sulayman Ashraf




Imam Ahmed Raza's First Hajj



Imagine the condition of that Lover of the Prophet (or Aashiq-e-Rasul, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,) who is blessed with the opportunity of visiting the Rawza-e-Aqdas of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,, and placing his eyes on the doorstep of the Holy Prophet , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

This opportunity of performing his first Hajj and Ziyarat was granted
to Ala Hazrat on the 26th of Shawwal 1295 A.H (1876). He was 20 years
of age.




One
day, after completing his Hajj, he went to perform his Maghrib Salah
before the Maqaam-e-Ibrahim. Having completed his Salah, the Imam of
the Shafi order of Makkatul Mukarramah, Allamah Hussain bin Saleh
Kamaal (, may Allah be pleased with him), approached him. He clutched
Ala Hazrat by his hand and led him to his house. The Imam then placed
his hand on the blessed forehead of Ala Hazrat and said, "Verily, I am
observing the Noor of Almighty Allah on this forehead."




Without
hesitation, he blessed Ala Hazrat with the Sanad (certificate) of Sahih
Sitta (six Compilers of Hadith: Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, Abu Dawood,
Tirmizi and Nisa'i).

He also began addressing Ala Hazrat by the title of "Zia’uddin" or "the Light & Splendour of Religion."




Ala Hazrat
was also blessed with the Sanads of Ahadith from the Muftis of the
Hanafi order in Makkatul Mukarramah, Sayyiduna Allamah Abdur Rahmaan
Siraaj and Mufti Sheikh Sayed Ahmad Dahlaan Shafi (, may Allah be
pleased with him).




It
was also during this historical visit that Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat
informed the Ulema-e-Haramain Sharifain concerning the blasphemous and
corrupt beliefs of the Ulema-e-Deoband.

Having studied Ala Hazrat’sbooks, "Aljaamu Sunnah Li Ahli Fitna" and
"Al Mu'tamadul Mustanad", which he presented to them, they also gave
their verdicts on those who committed blasphemy and those who had
written words of disrespect against Almighty Allah and His Beloved
Rasul , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

The verdicts of the Ulema of Makkatul Mukarramah and Madinatul Munawwarah were compiled to form the famous, "Husaamul Haramain."



Imam Ahmed Raza's Second Hajj



Imam Ahmed Raza Khan performed his second Hajj in 1323 A.H. (1905). He was 49 years old.




On the 25th
of Zil-Hajj, Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat once again had the opportunity of
meeting the great Imam, Sheikh Saleh Kamaal (, may Allah be pleased
with him). He also met Allamah Sayed Ismail and many other Noble Ulema,
who showed great respect towards him.




It
was on this occasion that Allamah Sheikh Saleh Kamaal presented Ala
Hazrat with five questions pertaining to I'lm-e-Ghaib (Knowledge of the
Unseen). These questions were posed on behalf of the Wahabi Ulema of
Makkatul Mukarramah.

Ala Hazrat had to answer these five questions in two days.




In
so happened that on the following day, Ala Hazrat contracted a heavy
fever. In spite of his illness, he managed to answer all the questions
relating to Ilm-e-Ghaib.

In fact, Ala Hazrat presented such a detailed answer to the question of
Ilm-e-Ghaib that it turned out to be a complete book on its own. He
named this book, "Al Dawlatul Makkiyah Bil Maadatil Ghaibiya."




The learned
Ulema of Haramain Sharifain were totally astounded when Ala Hazrat
presented this book to them on time. He completed this book of
approximately 400 pages in only 8 hours.

It was also in the pure Arabic language. If one totals the numerical
values of the Arabic letters in the context of this Kitaab, "Al
Daulatul Makkiyah Bil Maadatil Ghaibiya," one would discover that they
amount to 1323.

It had the same numbers as the year 1323 A.H, in which Ala Hazrat performed his second Hajj!



In the Presence of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,



It was during Ala Hazrat’s second visit to the Haramain Sharifain that his aspiration to see the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, became extremely great.

Continuously reciting the Durood Sharif with great veneration and humbleness in front of the Rawza-e-Sharif of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,, he felt confidence within himself of seeing the Holy Prophet Muhammad , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.



It was during the second night of his visit to the doorstep of Sayyiduna Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that he was given the opportunity of actually seeing the Blessed Personality of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

On that night, Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), in a state
of total submission, lifted his pen and began writing a Naat in praise
of Sayyiduna Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. The first line of that Naat is: "Wo Soo'e La'la Zaar Phirte hai...”



The beautiful Naat continues praising the Beloved of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and ends with the following verse:"

Koyi Kyu Pooch teri baat Raza, Tujh se kutte hazaar phirte hai"



Here, Ala Hazrat lowers himself in extreme devotion and humility, and addresses himself as the "dog" of the Holy Prophet , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

At this point, he was given the opportunity of seeing with his own eyes, the beloved personality of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, standing beside the Rawza Mubarak!



"Ar're Ai Raza tere dil ka pata chala ba mushkil

Darre Rawza Ke Muqaabil wo hume Nazar to Aaya

Ye na pooch kaisa paaya, Ye Na pooch kaisa paaya

Tuje humd he khuda ya, Tuje humd he khuda ya"



His Love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,



Ala Hazrat spent every moment of his life praising the Holy Prophet , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Everything he did was for the Pleasure of Almighty Allah and His Rasul , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.




Professor Dr Abdul Wahid Halepota, Chairman, Council of Islamic Ideology, Government of Pakistan, said: "Ala
Hazrat Mawlana Shah Ahmed Raza Khan is that ingenious personality of
the Indo-Pak Sub-Continent whose academic position and legal insight
has general recognition. His multifarious achievements deserve that
they should be spread on an international level. His greatest deed is
that he beautified the hearts of the Muslims with the love of the Holy
Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, through his academic wonders, sweet speeches and most valuable Naatya Qalaam (Poetry in praise of the Holy Prophet s.a.w)."




Once,
Ala Hazrat went into the Raza Masjid in Barelvi Sharif. A Majzoob
confronted him, by the name of Hazrat Dhoka Shah (, may Allah be
pleased with him).

The Majzoob said, "O Ahmed Raza! I see the Power of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, only on the earth and not in the skies."



Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), in turn, replied: "The Power of Huzoor, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is on the earth and in the skies." The Majzoob said that he could not see this.



Ala Hazrat said, "Whether you see it or not, it is still present."



The Majzoob, in a highly spiritual state, said, "Go! I have dropped him."




At
that moment, Mawlana Mustafa Raza Khan (Ala Hazrat’s son), who was
still a child, was playing on the roof of the house. When Sayyiduna Ala
Hazrat reached the house, the child’s mother came up to him and said,
"You should know better than to argue with Majzoobs. Look! Mustafa Raza
has fallen off the roof."

Ala Hazrat enquired as to whether his son had been hurt or not. When he
was told that he was not injured, he said, "I am prepared to sacrifice
a thousand Mustafa Raza’s on the Raza (pleasure) of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,, but I will not allow one word to be uttered against the dignity of Rasul-e-Akram , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."




After
some time, the Majzoob returned and met Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat and said,
"o Ahmed Raza! You are victorious. Our case was brought up before
Sultaanul-Hind, Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (, may Allah be pleased with
him). He had passed the verdict on your behalf, and alhamdulillah,
through your blessings, I am now able to see the karam (mercy) of the
Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, even in the skies."




It has been
recorded that Hazrat Mawlana Naeemuddin Muradabadi once asked Ala
Hazrat the reason from him being so severe upon those who disrespected
Sayyiduna Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

Ala Hazrat replied, "O Mawlana! I am severe upon those people, because instead of insulting Sayyiduna Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,,
they should rather make me the target for their insults. I do not have
any interest in what they are calling me. At least, while they are busy
insulting me, my beloved master, Sayyiduna Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is spared from these insults!"




The
above-mentioned incidents clearly highlight the following thoughts of
Imam Ahmed Raza Khan (, may Allah be pleased with him): "If you desire
my life, I will sacrifice it. If you desire my wealth, I will give it.
But, there is one thing that I will never sacrifice, and that is the
love and reverence for the Beloved, Sayyiduna Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."



Dr Karrar Hussain, Vice Chancellor, Baluchistan University Quetta (Baluchistan) said: "I am impressed by his personality because it was he who gave pivotal role to the love and affection of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, without which, Islam is a body without a soul."




Also commenting on the great love that Ala Hazrat had for Sayyiduna Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,, Justice Shamim Hussain Qadri, Punjab High Court, Lahore (Pakistan), said: "He was a devotee of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
from the deepest chambers of his heart, and to popularise this attitude
is the need of the hour. Love, affection and devotion to the Holy
Prophet's, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, personality is the only solution to the multifarious problems of our temporal life and a solution for the life hereafter."



Love and Respect for the Descendants of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,



It is Ala Hazrat who showed the Muslim world how to respect the descendants or family of the Holy Prophet Muhammad , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. His entire life is filled such with incidents.




Many
are aware of this famous incident. Once, Imam Ahmed Raza Khan was
invited to the home of a certain person. In those days, the Ulema were
carried in chariots as a means of transport. Ala Hazrat was sitting in
one of these chariots that was carried by the chariot-bearers. As they
proceeded along the way, Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat suddenly commanded the
chariot-bearers to stop. He immediately alighted from the chariot and
asked, "Who is a Sayyed from amongst you? I am receiving the scent of a
Sayyed." One of the chariot-bearer's, who was a Sayyed, was too scared
to speak. Nevertheless, when Ala Hazrat further prompted that person to
reveal himself, he came forward and admitted that he was Sayyed.




With
tears in his eyes, Ala Hazrat fell at his feet and began asking for
pardon. The Sayyed continuously asked Ala Hazrat to refrain from doing
so but, Ala Hazrat continued asking for pardon, by saying, "Please
forgive me. What would I do on the Day of Qiyamah if the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, asks me concerning this incident, and says to me that I showed disrespect to his family?"




The Sayyed readily forgave Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him). But this Aashiq-e-Rasul, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
was yet not satisfied. He commanded the Sayyed to sit on the chariot,
and placing the chariot on his blessed shoulders, carried the Sayyed
for the same distance for which he had been carried!




Allahu
Akbar! Those who had been witnesses to this incident could not believe
that the Imam of the Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat, the Mujaddid of Islam was
carrying a chariot-bearer on his blessed shoulders. But to Ala Hazrat
(, may Allah be pleased with him), that person that he was carrying was
no ordinary chariot-bearer. It was a family member of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,!




It has also
been stated that a child, who was a Sayyed, used to live in the
vicinity of Barelvi Sharif. The child used to play in the presence of
Ala Hazrat while Ala Hazrat would be busy writing. Each time that the
child ran pass the door or came in the presence of Ala Hazrat (, may
Allah be pleased with him), he would stand up in respect for that
child. Even when the child passed the door ten times in a day, then Ala
Hazrat used to stand up tens times in a day in respect for that Sayyed
child.




When Imam
Ahmed Raza Khan was asked about the Islamic punishment that was to be
meted out to a Sayyed, he remarked, "Even though a Judge is called upon
to declare judgement and punishment upon a Sayyed, and the penalty that
he has decreed is within the tenets of Islam, he (the Judge), should
not have the Niyah (intention) that he is punishing the Sayyed. Rather,
he should think that a small amount of mud has smeared itself on the
Sayyed's feet, which he is merely washing away". (Al Malfooz Sharif)



Imam Ahmed Raza's adherence to the Sunnah



Imam Ahmed Raza Khan laid great emphasis on following the Sunnah of Sayyiduna Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.



The following account clearly describes Ala Hazrat’s great trust and faith upon the Sunnah.

Ala Hazrat narrates, "There was once a rumour in Barelvi, that the
Plague had appeared. Coincidently, at that moment, my gums became
extremely inflamed. It continued to such proportions that it became
difficult for me to open my mouth. I also had a high fever, coupled
with inflamed glands. The doctor who was called, looked at me closely
for a few minutes. He exclaimed that I had the Plague. I could not
speak at that moment, or else I could have told him that his diagnosis
was incorrect and false.




"I
was certain that I did not have the Plague or any other major disease,
simply because I had already recited a Dua as explained by Sayyiduna
Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who said
that if one sees a serious and deadly illness, he should recite the
following Dua, which would protect the person from such an illness. I
had, therefore, recited this dua: 'Alhamdulillahil lazi aafini mim mab
tilaaka bihi wa fad dalni 'ala katheeram mimam khalaqa tafdeelan.'

Whenever I saw a serious illness, including the Plague, I recited this Dua therefore I was protected against it.”



Ala Hazrat continues: "Thereafter, with extreme respect, I proclaimed, 'O Allah! Prove that the words of your Beloved Habib, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is true, and that the words of the doctor is false'.

At that moment, a voice on my right advised me to use the Miswaak and
black pepper. With a little difficulty, I performed brushing with the
Miswaak and kept the black pepper on my tongue as a tablet. Infinite,
indeed, is the Mercy of Almighty Allah! Within a few minutes, I had
gained my strength and sent the doctor away by proving that his
diagnosis was false and baseless."



A similar incident, showing the great trust that Ala Hazrat had in Almighty Allah and His beloved Habib, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,, is recorded by Mawlana Mohammed Sharif.

He says, "Once, when Ala Hazrat was returning from Hajj by ship with
his father, there was a great storm. The storm reached such intensity
that the Captain advised the passengers to wear their kafans (shrouds),
for he could see no escape from such a storm. Ala Hazrat (, may Allah
be pleased with him), noticing the concern on the face of his father,
inquired as to what had transpired. His father replied, 'My beloved
son, I have no concern for myself, rather it is for you that I am sad'.
The young Ala Hazrat replied, 'O father! If the captain has lost hope
then let him do so. We should have complete faith in Allah and His
Beloved Habib, Sayyiduna Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. In accordance with the commands of the Beloved Habib, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,,
when entering this ship, I recited the Dua: 'Subhaanallazi sakh khara
lana haaza wa maa kunna lahu muqrineen wa inna ila Rabbina la mun
qalibun'.

Sayyiduna Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
has stated that, 'Whosoever, recites this Dua when entering a ship (any
mode of transport), that ship would not be destroyed. Therefore, I have
absolute certainty that generations may change, yet, this ship would
never sink'."




Ala Hazrat
had merely spoken these words, when the Captain arrived and began
informing the passengers that the storm is subsiding and that there was
no need for concern!



Love for Sayyiduna Ghawsul Azam (, may Allah be pleased with him)




Imam Ahmed
Raza Khan possessed immense love for Sayyiduna Ghawsul Azam, Sheikh
Abdul Qadir Jilani Baghdadi (, may Allah be pleased with him).




Hazrat
Muhaddith-e-Azam Hind reported that in the period when he was given
permission to serve in the Darul Ifta at Barelvi Sharif, Ala Hazrat
bought sweets (Niyaaz) to the value of 11 Rupees and made the Fatiha of
Sayyiduna Ghawsul Azam (, may Allah be pleased with him). He then
distributed the sweets to those who were present. While the sweets were
being distributed, those who were present became astonished to see Ala
Hazrat standing up from his chair and kneeling down on to the floor in
the Sajda position. They immediately came closer to him too see what
had happened. Then only did they realise that the person distributing
the Niyaaz had dropped a little on the ground, and Ala Hazrat was
lifting this piece of Niyaaz with the tip of his blessed tongue!




This
alone shows the great amount of love and respect that Ala Hazrat
possessed for Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (, may Allah be pleased with
him). It has been stated that Ala Hazrat was not only the Na'ib
(Helper) of Sayyiduna Ghawsul Azam (, may Allah be pleased with him),
but he was also the Ghawsul Azam of his time. He wrote many Manqabats
in praise of Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (, may Allah be pleased
with him).



His Contentment and Abstention from Worldly Activities




It is
recorded that Ala Hazrat had a few acres of land in his possession. Ala
Hazrat left the entire maintenance of the land in the responsibility
and trust of others. Although Ala Hazrat received a monthly allowance
from his own property, he spent his allowance in the service of guests,
of Sayyeds and in the purchasing of books.

There were times when Ala Hazrat was left with only a few pennies in
his pocket! But he never inquired about the income that he received
from his few possessions. (Al Mizaan, page 335)




During the
Khilafat Movement, Ghandi was advised that he should meet with the
distinguished Imam Ahmed Raza Khan (, may Allah be pleased with him).
People such as the Ali Brothers, Mawlana Qiyaamudin and Abdul Baari
Faranghi made this suggestion to Ghandi. They said that since Ala
Hazrat commanded the respect of the large Muslim populace, it would
assist them in their Khilafat Movement.




When Ala
Hazrat was told that the Ghandi wished to meet and speak to him, he
said, "What would he speak about? Religion or worldly affairs? If it is
worldly affairs, what can I partake in, for I have abstained from the
world and have no interest in it." (Al Mizaan, page 335)



SERVICES AS A MUJADDID



Imam Ahmed Raza as the Mujaddid of the 14th Century




Undoubtedly,
besides being recognised as a great Wali, as the Ghawsul Azam and as
the Imam Abu Hanifa (, may Allah be pleased with him) of his time, Ala
Hazrat was also the Mujaddid (Reviver) of Islam of the 14th century.

He possessed all the conditions of a Mujaddid and his entire life was
spent trying to revive the Deen of the Holy Prophet Muhammad , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.




A cloud of
darkness had covered most of the world and the false concepts of
Polytheism (Shirk) and Innovations (Bid'at) were coming into existence.
The Muslims were in a state of confusion. They were surrounded by
clouds of Kufr (disbelief), Shirk and Bid'at.

It is through the Divine Grace of Almighty Allah and the Sadqah of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
that the Reviver of the 14th Century, Imam-e-Ahle Sunnat Imam Ahmed
Raza Khan shone like the sun in this darkness, and with his bright
proofs, he destroyed the darkness of Kufr and revived Islam.




Professor Manzooruddin Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, University of Karachi said: "The
reality is that on reading several books of Imam Ahmed Raza, I have
come to the conclusion that through his writings and speeches, the
Fatwa (inquisitions) and hundreds of small and bulky treatises, he had
struggled for the revival of Islam, and as a reward he was declared as
a Mujaddid of his century by the Ulema (scholars of Islam), in
particular, the scholars of Makkah and Madinah (Haramain Sharifain)."




A Hadith recorded in Mishkaat Sharif and quoted by Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah says that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
said: "Verily, at the end of every century, Almighty Allah will send
such a person to the Ummah, who will revive the Deen for the them (the
Ummah)."




In
other the words, when there comes a period in which there is a shortage
of knowledge and a deterioration in following of the Sunnah; when there
is an increase in false innovations and ignorance; then Almighty Allah
will send a person at the beginning or end of every century who will
show the difference between Sunnah and Bid'at. He will refute and
destroy false innovations and will fear none but Almighty Allah. He
will very bravely and sincerely hoist the flag of Deen-e-Muhammadi , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Such a person is known as a "Mujaddid" (Reviver) of Deen.




The author of
the book, "Siraajum Muneer", has explained who a Mujaddid is in the
following words: "In other words, to revive the Deen is to revive those
teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah that are being destroyed and to give
command according to the Qur’an and Sunnah."



Allamah Munaadi states: “A Mujaddid is one who separates Sunnah from Bid'ah and one who degrades the status of the Ahle Bid'ah."




Why does a
Mujaddid come after 100 years? A Mujaddid is sent after every 100 years
because after every century the surroundings, the environment, the
manner of thinking and ways of the people tend to pass through a
massive transformation. It has been stated in the Hadith of Bukhari
Sharif that during the latter stages of the Prophet's, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
physical life, one night, after performing Esha Salaah, he stood up and
said, "Should I inform you of the importance of this night? From this
night onwards, right up to the end of a 100 years, that person who is
alive on the earth (presently) will not be alive."




Can there be
more than one Mujaddid in a century? Yes. There can be more, and there
has already been more than one Mujaddid in a century.

In the Hadith, the Arabic word that is used to explain the coming of
the Mujaddid is in the singular tense, but according to the meaning, it
is a plural as it has been explained in the Kitaabs of Usool-e-Fiqh.
Allamah Mullah Ali bin Sultan Qaari who is the Mujaddid of the 11th
century says, "From the words, not only one single person is implied,
but the implication is towards a group of people, from amongst whom
each one is reforming a single type of knowledge or all types of
knowledge in his city."



A List of Known Mujaddids from the First Century:



1st century:



a. Sayyiduna Imam Umar bin Abdul Aziz



2nd century:



a. Imam Hassan Basri,



b. Imam Muhammad bin Hassan Shaibani



c. Imam Maalik bin Anas



d. Imam Abdullah bin Idrees Shafi



3rd century:



a. Imam Abul Hassan bin Umar,



b. Imam Ahmad bin Hambal



4th century:



a. Imam Tahtaawi,



b. Imam Isma'eel bin Hamaad Ja'fari,



c. Imam Abu Jaafar bin Jareer Tibri,



d. Imam Abu Haatim Raazi



5th century:



a. Imam Abu Naeem Isfahani,



b. Imam Abul Hussain Ahmad bin Muhammad Abi Bakr-il-Qaadir,



c. Imam Hussain bin Raaghib,



d. Imam Muhammad bin Muhammad Ghazali





6th century:



a. Imam Abul Fadhl Umar Raazi,



b. Allamah Imam Umar Nasfi,



c. Imam Qaazi Fakhrud'Deen Hassan Mansoor,



d. Imam Abu Muhammad Hussain bin Mas'ood Fara'a





7th century:



a. Allamah Imam Abul Fadhl Jamaaluddeen Muhammad bin Afriqi Misri,



b. Imam Sheikh Shahbuddin Suharwardi,



c. Khwaja Muhi'yuddeen Chishti Ajmeri,



d. Imam Abul Hassan Uz'zuddeen Ali bin Muhammad Ibn Atheer,



e. Imam Sheikh Akbar Muhi'yuddeen Muhammad ibn Arabi





8th century:



a. Imam Taaj'uddeen bin Ata'ullah Sikandari,



b. Khwaja Nizamuddin Awliyah Mahboob-e-Ilahi,



c. Imam Umar bin Mas'ood Taftazaani





9th century:



a. Imam Hafiz Jallaluddeen Abu Bakr Abdur Rahmaan Suyuti,



b. Imam Nooruddin bin Ahmad Misri,



c. Imam Muhammad bin Yusuf Karmani,



d. Imam Shamsuddin Abul Kheyr Muhammad bin Abdur Rahmaan Sakhawi,



e. Allamah Imam Sayed Sharif Ali bin Muhammad Jarmaani





10th century:



a. Imam Shahabuddin Abu Bakr Ahmad bin Muhammad Khatib Qistalaani,



b. Imam Muhammad Sharbini,



c. Allamah Sheikh Muhammad Taahir Muhaddith





11th century:



a. Imam Ali bin Sultaan Qaari,



b. Imam Sheikh Ahmad Sarhindi Mujaddid-e-Alf Thaani,



c. Sultaanul Arifeen Imam Muhammad Baahu





12th century:



a. Allamah Mawlana Imam Abul Hassan Muhammad bin Abdul Haadi Sindhi,



b. Imam Abdul Ghani Taablisi,



c. Sheikh Ahmad Mullah Jeewan





13th century:



a. Imam Abdul Ali Luckhnowi,



b. Imam Sheikh Ahmad Saadi Maaliki,



c. Allamah Imam Ahmad bin Ismaeel Tahtaawi,



d. Allamah Shah Abdul Azeez Muhaddith-e-Delhwi





14TH CENTURY:



Imam-e-Ahle Sunnah, Qami-e-Bid'at, Mujaddid-e-Azam, Ala Hazrat, Ash Shah Imam Ahmed Raza Khan





Imam Ahmed Raza's Jihad against the Insulters of Sayyiduna Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,



Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat spent much of his time also refuting those who insulted the dignity of the Holy Prophet , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. He left no stone unturned in safeguarding the dignity and integrity of Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,, in spite of being personally attacked by the misguided. These personal attacks did not bother him in the least bit!




Allamah Abdul Hamid, Vice Chancellor of Al Jamia Al-Nizamiyya (Hyderbad, India), said: "Mawlana
Ahmed Raza Khan was a Sword of Islam and a great commander for the
cause of Islam. He may justifiably be called an invincible fort that
helped to defend the basic tenets and ideas of the Ahle Sunnah wal
Jamaat. It is on accord of his untiring efforts that due respect and
regard for the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and other Sufis & Saints of Islam is still alive in the Muslim
society. His opponents had to mend their ways. No doubt he is the Imam
(Leader) of the Ahle Sunnah. His written and compiled works reflect
immense depth and vision."




Justice
Allamah Mufti Sayyid Shuja'at Ali Qadri (, may Allah be pleased with
him), Shariah Court, Government of Pakistan (Islamabad), said: "He
was pious like Ahmad bin Hambal and Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani. He had
true acumen and insight of Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Abu Yusuf. He
commanded the force of logic like Imam Razi and Imam Ghazali, bold
enough like Mujaddid Alf Thaani and Mansoor Hallaj to proclaim the
truth. Indeed, he was intolerant to non-believers, kind and sympathetic
to devotees, and the affectionates of the Holy Prophet , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."




The
adversaries of Ala Hazrat levelled many accusations and tried
desperately in defending their Kufr statements. After much proofs, when
it became absolutely clear to Ala Hazrat that certain misguided
individuals were not prepared in withdrawing their Kufr statements and
making Tawba, in order to protect Islam he passed Kufr Fatwas against
those persons.

We should remember that he passed the
"Fatwa-e-Takfeer" (Kufr Fatwa) against those persons who insulted the
status and dignity of Almighty Allah and His Rasul , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
He passed the Fatwa-e-Takfeer on persons such as Ashraf Ali Thanwi,
Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi and Khalil Ahmad Ambetwi and others because,
through their writings, it was evident that they had insulted the Holy
Prophet , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.



We will quote some of the following blasphemous statements that were made by them:




- In page 51
of "Baraahin Qatia", Khalil Ahmed Ambetwi says: "After looking at the
condition of Satan and the Angel of Death, it can be gained that they
possess a great depth of knowledge and this has been proven from Quran
and Ahadith. To prove such knowledge for Fakhre Aalam (Muhammad s.a.w)
without proof from the Quran and Ahadith, but from common sense, is a
false thought. If, to do so is not a Shirk, then in which category of
faith does it fall?"




- In page 6
of "Hifzul Imaan", (Printed in Mazahirul Uloom), Ashraf Ali Thanvi
says: "If Knowledge of the Unseen refers to partial knowledge, then
what speciality is there in Nabi , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Such knowledge is possessed by Zaid and Amr (any Tom, Dick and Harry), every child, insane people and all types of animals."




- In page 5
of "Tahzeerun Naas", (Published in Makhtaba Fayz Nazd Jami Masjid
Deoband), Qasim Nanotwi says: "Prophets are superior to their followers
only in Knowledge, but in good deeds, followers sometimes seem equal
and occasionally even become superior to them."




- In Part 2,
page 12 of "Fatwa Rasheedia", (Published Makhtaba Rasheedia Jami Masjid
Delhi), Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi says: "The word 'Rahmatul lil A'lameen'
is not a speciality of Rasul , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. But other Prophets, Saints and great Ulema are also cause for mercy unto the worlds, even though Rasul, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is the highest of them all. Therefore, to use this word on others, is also permissible."




If one
examines the original books that were written by such persons, one will
find other similar disrespectful statements found in their writings.




Sayyiduna Ala
Hazrat’s cautiousness in declaring a person a Kafir is to be noted in
many of his books. In his book, "Subhaanus Subooh", he academically
destroys the arguments of Maulvi Ismail Dehlwi.

Yet, at the end of the book, Ala Hazrat says, "The Ulema have not
termed this individual as a Kafir, therefore, one has to be careful."




Once again,
refuting the arguments of Maulvi Ismail Dehlwi and a few of his
"infamous" followers in another book, "Al Kaukabatush Sha'haabiya", Ala
Hazrat says: "In our opinion (the opinion of Islam), to term a person a
Kafir and to control one's tongue is an act of extreme precaution and
analysis."




In
another treatise entitled, "Sallus Suyooful Hindiya", Ala Hazrat
states: "There is indeed a difference between accepting words of Kufr
and branding a person a Kafir. We have to be extremely careful. We have
to remain silent. If there is the smallest possibility that he is still
a Muslim, we should fear terming that person a Kafir."




In his book,
"Subhaanus Subooh", Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat says, "We do not give any
comment on the Kufr of Maulvi Ismail Dehlwi, simply because Sayyiduna
Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has warned
us against terming the Ahle Qibla as Kaafirs. (It is only possible) to
term a person a Kafir if his Kufr becomes clear as the sun and the
smallest indication does not remain that he is still a Muslim."
(Tamheed-e-Imaan, page 42-43)




From the
above statements, we clearly see how careful Ala Hazrat was in terming
a person a Kafir. He was merely fulfilling his duty as a conscientious
and responsible Muslim. The fault was indeed of those individuals, who
even after being warned, remained steadfast in their own beliefs and
words of Kufr.




As
we have already stated earlier, Imam Ahmed Raza Khan sent many of the
blasphemous and insulting statements to the Ulema of Makkatul
Mukarramah and Madinatul Munawwarah for clarification. They did not
hesitate in passing the Fatwa of Kufr against such people who insulted
Almighty Allah and the Holy Prophet , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.



A few Fatwas of the Ulema-e-Haramain Sharifain



- First Fatwa:




"All Praise is due to Allah, the Master of the Worlds, Who has made the Ulema-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
the freshness of this world. By manifesting truth and guidance, and
filling cities and heights, and by siding the religion of Sayyidul
Mursaleen, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,, they saved the society of Huzoor, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, from violation and (with their bright proofs) they destroyed the heresy of those who were misled.




"After
sending praise and salutations, I have seen that which that learned
person and professional teacher has purely written. It is a struggle on
behalf of the religion of Muhammad , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
In other words, my brother and my respected Hazrat Ahmed Raza Khan (,
may Allah be pleased with him), who in his book, "Al Mu'tamadul
Mustanad" has refuted the evil leaders of the false sects and false
beliefs. Such people are worse than all evil, wicked and seditious
people. Our author, in his book, has summarised and stated the names of
those wrongdoers, who due to their wrong doings, are soon to become the
worst and the lowest amongst the infidels.




"May Almighty
Allah grant him (Imam Ahmed Raza) great reward for unveiling the
wickedness and wrongness. May Allah accept his efforts and place his
most high honour into the hearts of all people."



He has said this with his tongue and his writing has given an order. He is hopeful in gaining all he wishes from his Creator.



MUHAMMAD SAEED BIN BAABSEEL - MUFTI OF THE SHAFI ORDER IN MAKKAH (, may Allah be pleased with him)



- Second Fatwa:




"All Praise
is for Allah Who is One. After praise, I have heard of this bright and
evident book. I have realised that our leader and most learned sea of
great wisdom, Hazrat Ahmed Raza Khan has made obvious the wrongs of
those who have left the fold of Deen, those who walk on the path of the
infidels and the wicked ones, in his book "Al Mu'tamadul Mustanad."
From among their corrupt beliefs, not one of them did he leave
un-examined.




"O! Readers,
it is essential for you to hold on to this Kitaab in which it's author
has written with great swiftness. You will find in this book bright and
evident proof in refutal of these groups. Especially those individuals
who intend to undo the objective which is already bound. Who are these
individuals who are known as Wahabis? From amongst them is "Ghulam
Ahmad Qadiani" who has claimed Prophethood, and the other ones who have
come out of Deen and insulted the dignity of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, are Qasim Nanotwi, Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi, Khalil Ahmad Ambetwi and Ashraf Ali Thanwi and all those who follow their ways.




"Almighty
Allah grant Imam Ahmed Raza Khan great reward for he has given cure and
has answered his decree which is in his book, "Al Mu'tamadul Mustanad",
in which are also the decrees of the Ulema of Makkah and Madinah. Due
to the corruption and trouble, it has become necessary for them as they
(the misguided) are spreading corruption on this earth, they and all
those on their path.




"May Almighty
Allah execute them where they behave arrogantly. May Allah give Imam
Ahmed Raza glad tidings and shower His blessings upon him and his
children amongst those who will speak truthfully until Qiyamah. Ameen."



One in need of forgiveness from his Powerful Creator,

MUHAMMAD BIN ABDUS SALAAM DAGHISTANI - MUFTI MADINATUL MUNAWWARA (, may Allah be pleased with him)





- Third Fatwa:




"All Praise
is due to Almighty Allah Who has shown the path to those whom He has
guided and with His Justice, misguided him who He has left, and granted
the Believers an easy path to gain advice. He has opened their hearts
to bring faith in Almighty Allah and bear witness with their tongues
and keep sincerity with their hearts and follow that which Allah and
His Books have shown.




"Peace and
Salutations upon him whom Allah has sent as a mercy unto the worlds,
and upon him sent down His Clear Kitaab in which is the bright
explanation of everything and to terminate the wrongness of the
disbelievers. This Nabi, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,,
whose proof and arguments are clear, has made it obvious from his
practices. Salutations upon his family for they are guides, and upon
his Companions who have made the Deen firm and beneficent, and upon
their followers until Qiyamah, especially, the four A'ima-e-Mujtahideen
and those Muslims who are their followers.




"After Praise
and Salutations, I put my sight on the book of a learned person on this
earth. He has widened the path of knowledge and, in it (the book) made
obvious every interpretation and utterance in his clearly convincing
and sufficient arguments. He is Hazrat Ahmed Raza Khan under whose name
is "Al Mu'tamadul Mustanad."




"May Almighty
Allah protect his life and always keep him happy. Now, that which is in
refutal of those people, cursed and evil Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani,
who is the Dajjal Khazzab of the last decade and Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi,
Khalil Ambetwi and Ashraf Ali Thanwi, degrading and insulting Nabi , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
It is no doubt that they are Kafirs and those who have the power to
execute them, then it is necessary for them to do so, to give them the
death sentence."



This has been said by the servant of Allah,

MUHAMMAD BIN HAMDAAN MAHSARI- SERVANT AT MASJID-E-NABAWI (, may Allah be pleased with him)



Some Titles bestowed upon Imam Ala Hazrat by:

the Noble Ulema of Makkatul Mukarramah



1. Coolness for the eyes of the Ulema



2. A Beloved and Accepted Slave of Almighty Allah



3. The Seal of great Islamic research scholars



4. A leader of Ulema



5. The Mujaddid of this century



These titles are recorded in the books, "Al Fuyuzaatul Makkiya", "Hisaamul Haramain" and "Ad Daulatul Makkiya."



Some Titles bestowed upon Imam Ala Hazrat by:

the Noble Ulema of Madinatul Munawwarah



1. The leader among Imams



2. The leader among Mystics (Sufis)



3. The pride of great preceding Ulema and the leader of future Ulema



4. The Mujaddid of this Ummah



5. A judge among Islamic judges



6. The Imam among scholars of Ahadith



7. The destroyer of Bid’at and the Upholder of Sunnah



8. The Mujaddid of this century



These titles are recorded in the books, "Al Fuyuzaatul Makkiya", "Hisaamul Haramain", and "Ad Daulatul Makkiya."



His Unique Memory




Once Ala
Hazrat went to Pillibit Sharif. He stayed with Muhaddith-e-Surat,
Hazrat Mawlana Wasi Ahmad Sahib (, may Allah be pleased with him).

Before leaving for Barelvi Sharif, Ala
Hazrat requested to borrow a Kitaab called "Uqoodul Arya" from him. As
there was only one copy of the book he gave Ala Hazrat the book and
said, "After studying the book, please return it as these are the only
few kitaabs that I have for Fatwa writing."




Ala
Hazrat was supposed to depart from Pillibit Sharif that night, but
since he had been invited at another person's home, he stayed one more
night in Pillibit Sharif. Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat spent the entire night
studying the Kitaab, which consisted of numerous volumes.




The
following morning, before leaving for the railway station to meet Ala
Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), Hazrat Muhaddith-e-Surat
found that the Kitaab that he had lent Ala Hazrat had been returned. He
thought that Ala Hazrat was angry and displeased with him for asking
him to return the Kitaab quickly. He immediately went to Ala Hazrat and
asked for pardon. Ala Hazrat smiled and then said, "That is not the
reason for returning the Kitaab. I stayed one more night, so I studied
the book and, therefore, did not find the need to take it with me."




When
Hazrat Muhaddith-e-Surat heard this, he was surprised and exclaimed,
"You have studied this book in one night!" Ala Hazrat replied,
"Inshallah, for the next 3 months I will not need to look at the book
to find any statements, and as for the essence of the book, inshallah,
I will not forget it in my lifetime." He then said, "The book did not
have a table of contents. I have drawn up one for you."




Ala Hazrat
initially was not a Hafizul Qur’an. Once, someone wrote a letter to
Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat and addressed him as "Hafiz".

When Ala Hazrat saw this, he became depressed for he felt that he was
not worthy of such a title. He immediately decided to become a Hafiz of
the Holy Qur’an.




How did he
become a Hafizul Quran? It has been stated that in the time period from
Wudhu till the time of Jamaat, Hazrat Allamah Sadrush Shariat would
recite one Sipara. Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat would listen to it and,
thereafter, recite the same Sipara in the Taraweeh Salaah. He continued
this routine for 30 days, and by the end of the month of Ramadan, Ala
Hazrat became a complete Hafiz of the Holy Qur’an!





BLESSED QUALITIES



His Blessed Character




Both the
inner and outer personality of Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat was the same. He
never compromised when it came to Shariat-e-Mustafa , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
He used to reprimand anyone who even uttered one word against Shariah.
He was the perfect living example of "love for the sake of almighty
Allah and hate for the sake of Allah."




He never hurt
the feelings of any good Muslim. He showed a splendid amount of
affection towards the poor and orphans. On a certain occasion, Ala
Hazrat was invited to a person's house. Allamah Zafruddin Bihari
accompanied him. The host, due to his extreme poverty, could only
afford to place a few pieces of bread and some beef before his
honourable guests. When Allamah Zafruddin saw the beef on the table, he
became very uncomfortable as he knew that Ala Hazrat never used to eat
beef. It did not agree with his health. But, Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat did
not object to the food. He sensed what Allamah Zafruddin was thinking
about, so he said, "If any Muslim recites the following dua before
eating, then no harm will be caused by the food."




After
completing the meal and, as they were departing, Allamah Zafruddin
questioned the host about his reason for inviting Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat
to his house in such a time of poverty. The host very confidently
replied that although he was in such a state, he was sure that by Ala
Hazrat’s presence in his home, his home would be blessed with Barakah
and Mercy from Almighty Allah.



Once, a young boy went to see Ala Hazrat at his home. He said, "Huzoor! You are invited to my house tomorrow morning."

Ala Hazrat lovingly asked the boy, "What will you be feeding me?" The
boy, undoing a knot at the bottom of his kurta, happily replied, "Look!
I have brought some Dhaal and chillies." Ala Hazrat said, "Very well
then. I shall come tomorrow."




The
following morning, Haji Kifaayatullah accompanied Ala Hazrat to the
boy's house. As they entered the house, Haji Kifaayatullah commented,
"Huzoor! This is the home of a musician." Just then the boy appeared to
wash their hands. Ala Hazrat asked him, "Where is your father and what
is his occupation?"

Before the boy could answer, the boy's mother, from behind the Pardah
(curtain), respectfully said, "Huzoor! My husband passed away and he
used to be a musician, but before his death he repented. Now, all that
I have is this young boy who works to support us." Ala Hazrat then made
Dua-e-Barakah and sat down to eat. After eating he said, "If I would
receive such sincere invitations daily, then I will definitely accept
them."




Professor Dr Mukhtaruddin Arzoo, Dean of the Department of Arabic, Muslim University Aligarh, said: "His
affection and hate were all for the sake of Allah. Believers in
Almighty Allah were his friends, and non-believers his enemies.
Followers of Allah and His Last Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
were close and dear to him. He was not unkind to his personal
opponents. He was never harsh to them, but he never spared the enemies
of Islam. The entire life of Ala Hazrat was illuminated with the
glorious observance of Sunnat-e-Nabawi , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."



Obedience towards Parents




After the
demise of his father, Hazrat Allamah Mawlana Naqi Ali Khan (, may Allah
be pleased with him), Ala Hazrat inherited all his properties. Although
he was the sole owner and beneficiary of these properties, Ala Hazrat
never spent a single cent of this wealth without first seeking the
permission of his blessed mother. Even if he wished to buy a Kitaab for
study purposes he asked permission from his mother!




When
Ala Hazrat wished to fulfil his heart's desire of being present in
front of the Rawza-e-Anwar, the Blessed Tomb of Sayyiduna Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,, he first sought the permission of his blessed mother.

She immediately granted him permission by saying: "Bismillahi Khuda Hafiz."



Respect towards the Superior Ulema




While
studying the life of Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), it
is difficult not to comprehend that he was, towards the enemies of
Islam, an example of "Ashidda'aoo alal kuffar" (harsh upon the Kufaar).
Towards the pious Muslims he was the shining example of "Ruhhamaoo
bainahuma" (caring towards each other).




Ala Hazrat
always showed immense love and respect towards the Ulema of the Ahle
Sunnat wal Jamaat. He had a liking towards Allamah Abdul Qadir
Badayouni (, may Allah be pleased with him).

Concerning the Ulema-e-Haq, Ala Hazrat always praised them with the
following words, "these Ulema are such that if they had to enter a
barren town, then it turns into a bright city, and when they depart
from a city, it becomes a barren town."




Hazrat
Mahdi Hassan Barkaati (, may Allah be pleased with him), the Sajjada
Nasheen of Sarkaare Kilan Mahrerah Sharif states, "When I used to go to
Barelvi Sharif, Huzoor Ala Hazrat would personally bring out the food
for me, and he would also wash my hands. Once, while washing my hands,
he requested me to give him my ring and bangle, which were made of
gold. I immediately presented them to him. Later, I departed to Bombay.
When I returned to Mahrerah Sharif, my daughter informed me that there
was a parcel for me from Barelvi Sharif. I opened the parcel and found
enclosed the ring and bangle. There was also a note in it which Ala
Hazrat wrote presenting the jewels to my daughter."




Subhanallah!
Look at the respect and wisdom that Ala Hazrat showed towards his
superiors. He practised upon the law of "Amr bil Ma'roof Wa Nahi Anil
Munkir" (forbidding that which is not proper and practising that which
is good), and at the same time showing great respect towards Hazrat
Mahdi Hassan Barkaati (, may Allah be pleased with him).



Respect for the Masjid




Once,
Ala Hazrat was performing Itikaaf in the Masjid in Barelvi Sharif. It
was a cold winter's night. It was raining quiet heavily. Ala Hazrat
went to perform his Wudhu.

In order not to allow the Masjid floors from becoming wet, he placed
the blanket that he was wearing on to the Masjid floor by folding it
four times to soak in the water. He then made his Wudhu on the blanket.
Thus, he did not allow one drop of water to fall in the Masjid.


Ala Hazrat then spent the entire night shivering in the cold since he
did not have a blanket to cover himself with because it was damp with
water.



Love and Respect towards Pilgrims




Ala Hazrat
always showed great respect to Pilgrims (Hajis). He made it his duty to
meet with the Hajis when they arrived from the Haramain Sharifain.


Whenever he would meet a Haji, the very
first question he used to ask was, "did you visit the Mazar of the Holy
Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,?" If
the answer he received was in the affirmative, then he would kiss the
feet of the Haji. If the Hajee replied that he did not, then Ala Hazrat
would show his dissatisfaction and would end his conversation with that
person.



Care for children




Hazrat
Allamah Zafruddin Bihari states that while he was still a student in
Barelvi Sharif, he and many others used to spend their Eid in Barelvi
Sharif. They did not go home to their families as they lived far from
the Madrassa.

But, he says that Eid was always spent joyfully because Ala Hazrat used
to treat them like his very own children. He used to also give them
"Eidi" (spending money) on that day.




When
Muffasir-e-Azam-e-Hind, Hazrat Ibrahim Raza Khan (, may Allah be
pleased with him) (who is the father of Tajush Shariah, Hazrat Allamah
Mufti Mohammed Akhtar Raza Khan Al Azhari) was born, his grandfather,
Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), out of great joy, invited
all the students of Madrassa Manzare Islam to a meal.

Before preparing the meal, Ala Hazrat asked each group of students as
to what they enjoyed eating. Accordingly, he prepared the meals for
them - fish and rice for the Bengali students; Firini, Zarda and
Biryani for the Bihari students; and sheep for the Punjabi and other
foreign students.




Ala Hazrat
loved and cared for children. He always made them feel comfortable
around him. He never shouted or scolded at them unnecessarily.

If any child did something wrong, he would gently explain to that child
their error, and show them the right path. He always returned the
Salaams of little children.



A few of Imam Ahmed Raza’s Unique Habits



1. He never kept any ordinary book on the books of Ahadith.



2. He would be displeased if anyone spoke out unnecessarily while he explained the Ahadith.



3. He did not prefer anyone to sit with one leg onto the lap of the other leg. He would usually sit with both knees erect.



4. He would sit in the position of Tashahhud from the beginning to the end in a Mehfil-e-Milad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,, which sometimes lasted for 5 or 6 hours.



5. He would never chew paan during a lecture.



6. On hearing the name "Muhammad", he would immediately say "sallal lahu alaihi wa sallam."



7. He would never laugh out loud.



8. He slept in the position of the Arabic form of the word "Muhammad", as advised by Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. This is also known as the foetal position.



9. He would never spit or stretch his feet in the direction of the Qibla.



10. He always did everything form the right-hand side.



His Mystical (Sufi) Powers



Without any exaggeration, an entire book on the Karaamats (Miracles) of Ala Hazrat can be compiled.

In this time, the greatest Karaamat that any person can display is his followance of Shariat-e-Mustafa , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Ala Hazrat never fell short of this in any way. We also wish to state
that, in reality, the mere existence of Ala Hazrat was a miracle on its
own.

However, for the sake of attaining blessings, a few or his Karaamats are being quoted for the benefit of his lovers.




Janaab
Amjad Ali was a resident of Bhasouri. He was a dedicated Mureed of Ala
Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him). Once Amjad Ali took his rifle
and went out hunting. While he was hunting, a stray bullet from his
rifle accidentally hit a passer-by, killing him. Amjad Ali was later
arrested for murder. He was tried and the verdict was passed that he
was to be hanged.




A
few days before his execution, a few members of his family came to
visit him. With the mere thought of his execution, they began to weep
bitterly.

He smiled at them and said, "Go home and do not weep. I will return on
the day of my execution. My Peer-o-Murshid, Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat has
stated that he has released me."




On
the night of his execution, his mother went to visit him. Thinking how
near the time of his execution had come, she began to weep out of fear.
But Amjad Ali's faith in the words of his Peer-o-Murshid was very
strong.

He asked his mother to go home and to stop worrying. He told her that
through the Will of Almighty Allah, he will return home in a little
while to have breakfast with her. Being visibly shaken, she returned
home.




The
time had finally arrived. Amjad Ali was escorted to the gallows to be
hanged. The noose was put around his neck. The authorities asked him if
he had any final request.

Very calmly, he replied, "There is no need to request anything. My time of death has not yet arrived."

The authorities were baffled by his composure. Nevertheless, they
decided to proceed with the hanging. As they were about to hang him,
the authorities received a telegram. The telegram stated that due to
the crowning of Queen Elizabeth, a certain number of prisoners were
being released. Amjad Ali Sahib's name was on that list! He was
immediately released.


As promised he went home to have breakfast with his mother. In this
Karaamat of Ala Hazrat(, may Allah be pleased with him), not only was
Amjad Ali pardoned but, many other prisoners were freed.




Once, a woman
came crying to Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him). She
reminded him that he had once made Dua for Allah to gift her with a
child, and through his Dua a male child was born. She told him that the
child had now passed away and she could not bear this loss. She cried
and begged Ala Hazrat to bring the child back to life.




Ala Hazrat
went to her home. He noticed that the child was lying on a bed and was
covered with a sheet. In the meantime, the mother of the child
continuously asked Ala Hazrat to bring the child back to life.

Ala Hazrat removed the sheet from the face of the child, placed his
blessed hands over the child's eyes and commanded the child, "Son! Wake
up and listen to that which your mother is saying."

All of a sudden, the child began to cry. All those present were
astonished. They thanked Ala Hazrat abundantly. He humbly smiled and
said, "I did not do anything. He was asleep. All I did was wake him up."




There
lived a certain person in Barelvi Sharif who had very false concepts
concerning Ulema, Awliyah and Peer-o-Murshid & Mureed
relationships. One of his friends, who was on his way to meet Ala
Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), asked this person to
accompany him and meet Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him).

He also suggested that by discussing his false concepts and beliefs
with Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), he would be shown
the right path.

While discussing whether or not to go, that person with the false
concepts saw a vendor selling fresh sweetmeats. He said, "First buy me
some sweetmeats then I will go with you." His friend agreed to buy it
for him on the way back home.




Nevertheless,
after much convincing he agreed to accompany his friend to the house of
Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him). They entered his blessed
house and sat there. A Mureed arrived and brought some sweetmeats. It
was the procedure in the court of Ala Hazrat that those persons with
beards would get two shares, and those without beards would receive
only one share as they were still taken as children.




The
Mureed who was responsible for distributing the sweetmeats only gave
one share to the person who had misconceptions about Awliyah and Ulema.
Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), who was present there and
witnessing the entire incident, commanded the Mureed to give that
person two shares.

The Mureed remarked, "Huzoor! He has no beard. He should grow one." Ala Hazrat replied, "Give him two. He desires to have two."

When the person heard this, he immediately repented and became the
Mureed of Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him). His desire was
to receive two shares and he realised that Ala Hazrat was even aware of
the thoughts in his heart.



WRITINGS AND WORKS OF ALA HAZRAT 



Works of Imam Ahmed Raza



Earlier in this book, we learnt that Ala Hazrat gained proficiency in more that fifty branches of knowledge.

With this, Ala Hazrat wrote many books on various aspects of Islam. Ala
Hazrat was an author of amazing genius. He wrote numerous books and
treatises in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu on diversified topics.




To date, it
has not been fully ascertained as to exactly how many books he wrote,
for in doing so, requires research and many personnel.

There has risen, over the past years, many Islamic Scholars in the
Indo-Pak sub-continent and in other parts of the world, who are making
serious attempts in studying or translating the works of this great
Mujaddid of Islam.




In 1887, at
the age of 30 years, Imam Ala Hazrat had completed writing 75 books and
treatises. In 1909, at the age of 43 years, this number increased up to
500.

However, it has been estimated that the number of books written by
Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat exceeds 1,000 on more than 50 branches of
knowledge.

Apart from these contributions, he had written annotations and
commentaries on more than 150 books pertaining to various branches of
learning.




Professor Dr Muhammad Hassan, Shaikhul Adab, Islamia University, Bhawalpur, said: "Mawlana
was a prolific writer. He wrote a large number of treatises. It is due
to the fact that his head and heart had surging waves of knowledge
which were hard to restrain."



From the many books that were written by him, a total of 549 books have been classified.



The names of a few books written by Ala Hazrat have been listed below:



1. Fatwa Radawiyyah (12 volumes approx. 12 000 pages)



2. Husaamul Haramain



3. Ad Daulatul Makkiya Bil Madatul Ghaibiya



4. Al Mu'tamadul Mustanad



5. Al Amn o wa Ula



6. Alkaukabatush Shahabiya



7. Al Istimdaad



8. Al Fuyoozul Makkiyah



9. Al Meeladun Nabawiyyah



10. Kanzul Imaan (translation of Holy Quran)



11. Fauze Mubeen Dar Harkate Zameen



12. Hidayake Bakhshish



13. Subhaanus Subooh



14. Sallus Say yaaful Hindiya



15. Ahkaame Shariat



16. Az Zubdatuz Zakkiya



17. Abna ul Mustafa



18. Tamheede Imaan



19. Angote Choomne ka Mas'ala




Professor Abdul Shakoor Shad, Kabul University, Afghanistan, said: "The
research works of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan are worth presenting. There is
due need that Historical and Cultural Societies of India, Pakistan,
Afghanistan and Iran together with other such institutions keep all his
writings duly catalogued in their libraries."




His divinely
bestowed intelligence was such, that when Ala Hazrat completed a
quarter of any given book at the feet of a teacher, he used to study
and memorize the remainder of the book by himself. It is recorded that
he completed an Arabic commentary on the book, "Hidaayatun Nahw", on
Arabic Syntax, when he was only 8 years old!



Organisations and Institutes Spiritually Affiliated to Imam Ahmed Raza




In
the year 1904, Ala Hazrat founded "Darul Uloom Manzare Islam" in
Barelvi Sharif. This great religious institution has thus far served
the Muslim world superbly.

Each year, a large number of students graduate from this institution as Fadhils, Aalims, Hufaaz and Qur'ra.



Many of Ulema of South Africa are also students of Madrassa Manzare Islam.

To name a few: Mawlana Abdul Hadi Al Qaderi; Mawlana Abdul Hamid Palmer
Al Qaderi; Mawlana Ahmad Muqaddam Al Qaderi; Qaari Ahmad Khalil Razvi;
Mawlana Sayed Muhammad Husain Al Qaderi; Mawlana Muhammad Khan Al
Qaderi Barkaati; Mawlana Ghulam Mu'hiyyuddeen Jaafar; Mawlana Zainul
Abedeen Al Qaderi Razvi; Mawlana Muhammad Mustaqeem Al Qadri; Mawlana
Muhammad Afthab Razvi; Mawlana Nazir Farouk Razvi.




With the
exception of Madressa Manzare Islam, there are also scores of
institutes and organisations world-wide that are spiritually affiliated
to Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him).


A few of them are:



1. Jaamia Nooria Radawiyah (Barelvi Sharif) - India



2. Madressa Mazhare Islam (Barelvi Sharif) - India



3. Razvi Darul Ifta (Barelvi Sharif) - India



4. Raza Academy (Bombay) - India



5. Idara Tahqeeqaat-e Imam Ahmad Raza - Pakistan



6. Raza Masjid - London



7. Raza Academy - London



8. Imam Ahmad Raza Academy - South Africa



9. Sunni Razvi Centre - Mauritius - S. Africa



10. Muhibbane Raza-e-Mustafa - South Africa



11. Jamia Razvia (Lahore) - Pakistan



12. Jamia Razvia Zia Ul Uloom (Rawalpindi) - Pakistan



13. Darul Uloom Imam Ahmad Raza - India





COMMENTS & PRAISE FOR THE GREAT IMAM ALA HAZRAT, AHMAD RAZA KHAN (, may Allah be pleased with him)



Comments by the Noble Ulema of Makkatul Mukarramah



Ustaad Ulema-e-Haram, Allamah Sa'eedullah (, may Allah be pleased with him):

"My respected brother, who is striving in the path of Nabi, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,, is a perfect teacher, in other words, Hazrat Ahmed Raza Khan (, may Allah be pleased with him).

May Almighty Allah grant him great reward, and accept his endeavour,
and may Almighty Allah build his respect into the hearts of the people
of knowledge." Ameen.



Allamah Mufti Muhammad Saleh Kamal (, may Allah be pleased with him):

"The
learned person on this earth, the sea of great knowledge, the coolness
of the eyes of the Ulema-e-Haq, is Mawlana Ahmed Raza Khan (, may Allah
be pleased with him). Salutations upon the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and all the spiritual guides, especially Hazrat Ahmed Raza Khan (, may Allah be pleased with him). May he always be protected." Ameen.



Aftaabul Uloom, Allamah Sheikh Ali bin Siddique Kamal (, may Allah be pleased with him):

"Our
leader and bright star, the sharp blade on the throats of the Wahabis,
our respected teacher, our famous leader, is Hazrat Ahmed Raza Khan (,
may Allah be pleased with him). May Almighty Allah grant him
tranquillity and keep him victorious over his opposition." Ameen.



Comments by the Noble Ulema of Madinatul Munawwarah



Mufti Taaj'uddeen Ilyaas Hanafi (, may Allah be pleased with him):

"The
famous and professional Aalim, Mawlana Ahmed Raza Khan is from amongst
the Ulema-e-Hind. May Almighty Allah grant him great reward and
success. May Almighty Allah grant him Barkah in his life and destroy
all those false sects through his blessing." Ameen.



Sheikh Malikiya, Allamah Sayed Ahmad Juz'iri:

"May
Almighty Allah brighten up the lives of the Muslims through (the Sadqa
of) Imam Ahmed Raza Khan (, may Allah be pleased with him). May
Almighty Allah increase his age and allow all his future generations to
be amongst the Ahle Jannah." Ameen.



Allamah Khaleel bin Ibrahim Kharbooti (, may Allah be pleased with him):

"May
Almighty Allah grant the Muslims benefit forever through the blessings
of this Kaamil Faadhil, Allamah Ahmed Raza Khan (, may Allah be pleased
with him). O Allah! Give glad tidings to Islam and Muslims." Ameen.



Allamah Mawlana Umar bin Hamdaan (, may Allah be pleased with him):

"Imam
Ahmed Raza Khan is that great Aalim, great philosopher and such a great
researcher that his research baffles the mind. May Almighty Allah
protect him and always keep him pleased." Ameen.



Comments by the Noble Ulema of the Indo-Pak sub-continent




Sayyiduna
Shah Aale Rasul (, may Allah be pleased with him): "On the day of
Qiyamah, when Almighty Allah asks me concerning what I had brought for
Him from earth, then I will present Imam Ahmed Raza Khan (, may Allah
be pleased with him)."




Hazrat Sayed
Shah Abul Husain Ahmad Noori (, may Allah be pleased with him): "Ala
Hazrat is the brightness and the torch of the Khandaan-e-Barakaati."




Hazrat
Allamah Ali Hussain Kichauchawi (, may Allah be pleased with him): "My
path of Shariah and Tariqah is that which is the path of Huzoor
Purnoor, Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him)."




Hazrat
Mawlana Mu'eenuddin Sahib (, may Allah be pleased with him): "Phira hoo
me us gali se Nuzhat ho jis me gumra sheikh o kaazi Raza e Ahmad Usi me
samjunga muj se Ahmad Raza ho Raazi."




Allamah
Naee'muddin Muradabadi (, may Allah be pleased with him): "The
expertise that Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat possessed in Fiqh was such that
great Ulema of the East and West were humbled before him."



Imam Ahmed Raza in the Eyes of Others




Justice Mufti
Sayyid Shujaat Ali Qadri (, may Allah be pleased with him), Shariah
Court, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad (Pakistan): "Ala
Hazrat’s appearance is such a commanding stature in terms of knowledge
and action that every man of letters considers it an honour and pride
to write about him. This worthless man also has the honour of
opportunity and has contributed some write-ups and articles of Ala
Hazrat. My first compilation in Arabic, entitled 'Mujaddid-al-Mata' has
been published and distributed the world over, and this practice is
going on regularly and steadily.




"All
the men of letters know that Ala Hazrat was born in such a period when
the Muslim Ummah was being threatened by different Fitna (sedition)
from all sides. Among all the prevalent sedition, the most dangerous
and harmful was one which meant to infect non-Muslim elements in the
beliefs of the Ahle Sunnat.




"Ala
Hazrat performed incomparable services to safeguard the beliefs of the
Ahle Sunnat. He wrote several books for the rejection of Shirk
(Polytheism) and for the dissuasion from the Bid'ats (innovations in
Deen causing divergences). He safeguarded the status of Nabuwat
(Prophethood), Sahabiyat (Companionship), Ahle Bait (the Members of the
Prophet's s.a.w family) and Wilayat (the Friendship with Allah the
Magnificent).


He published crushing and silencing articles against the criticism
brought forward by the atheists, heretics and apostates against the
revered Mystics of Islam and Islamic Mysticism. As far as my study is
concerned, Ala Hazrat always had good opinion about all the Muslims,
and took all Muslims as Muslims, did not scratch and touch the people's
beliefs, and did never scold unreasonably or speak rubbish to others.
However, if someone committed any mistake in writing or speech, he
invited him repeatedly to the Truth. This is the method which is called
the good conduct of the Holy Prophet , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

May Allah the Magnificent favour us through the benevolence of the Awliya Allah (Friends of Allah)."




Ziya-ul Mashaa'ikh, Allamah Muhammad Ibrahim Farooqi Mujad'didi (, may Allah be pleased with him): "No
doubt that Mufti Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi was a great scholar. He had
the insight in the norms of Muslim conduct and behaviour and stages of
spiritual transcendentalism (Tariqah). His competence as regard to
exposition and explanation of the Islamic thought; his approach to the
inner knowledge deserves high praise, and his contribution in Islamic
Jurisprudence will always be remembered in respect of their relevance
to the basic principles of Ahle Sunnah Wal Jamaat. Finally, it is not
an exaggeration to state that his research works shall always serve as
a beacon light for those who traverse this faith."




Professor Muhammad Rafi'ullah Siddique, Director of College Education, Hyderabad, Region - Hyderabaad (India): "Let
the thought of recollecting minds recall the circumstances of Muslims
in 1912, when Hazrat Ahmed Raza Khan appealed to the Ummah to control
conspicuous consumption and save money to use for productive purposes.
Now, everywhere the governments are emphasising the need for austerity
to solve the multifarious economic problems.


Will the men of vision not realise the far sightedness of the late Ala
Hazrat Barelvi? J.M. Keynes was awarded the highest title for the same
proposition and exposition which Mawlana Barelvi had disclosed at least
24 years before him. Alas! Muslims did not pay heed to his advice."




Professor Preshan Khattak, (Former Chairman) Pakistan Academy of Letters, Government of Pakistan: "Imam
Ahmed Raza's personality needs no introduction to Muslims of the
Indo-Pakistan. Such a rare encyclopaedic person is born after a long
awaiting period. He served as a searchlight for his own people and
proved a strong rock for the powers of persecution and cruelty. Nobody
can doubt his knowledge and greatness.


The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
has declared academic differences as sources of blessing and goodness
for the evolution of the Deen of Islam and civilisation. This has
opened new vistas of thinking and has helped in creating more vastness
and comprehension in the Deen of Islam in order to cope with the need
of the changing time. Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi has completed an
important role for the evolution of the Islamic thinking in the
sub-continent. It is not easy to present and interpret Islamic
teachings in the present age without making use of his writings and
views."




Professor Dr Ayub Razvi, Head of Department Urdu, Urdu College, Pakistan, Karachi: "The
learned Mawlana Ahmad Raza Khan (1856-1921) was a famous scholar,
Jurist, Mathematician, Writer and Genius. He had special insight in
Mathematics. There is no parallel to his expertise in Jurisprudence."




Dr Ilahi Bakhsh Ali Awan, Peshawar (Pakistan): "Various
aspects of his personality are very impressive and valuable. His real
contributions in different fields are so comprehensive and exhaustive
that men of thought and vision find it difficult to pinpoint the most
attractive and impressive aspect of his intellectual personality which
is so vast in every direction that sight is lost in wilderness."




Dr Muhammad Tahir Malik, Chairman, Department of Islamic Learning, University of Karachi (Pakistan): "After
a thorough study of many books and treatises of Imam Ahmed Raza, I have
concluded that he gives much importance to the teacher, book, paper and
school, etc. in the articles allied to Education. In our present day
education system, a teacher is no more estimated than a salaried
servant, and the book is regarded as a collection of letters and works.
From our teaching institutions, the respect of the book and teacher has
faded away. This is why the restrictions of a teacher and pupil have
been reduced to nothing at our schools, colleges and universities.




"Today,
to ignore or to forget the books of knowledge, gifted by these teachers
has become a common practice. One sees often the pupils dancing for
pleasure on the teachers promenade and playing with their turbans. Why
is this? The answer outlined by Mawlana Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi is that
our ideology of education is lacking in high and sacred values. The
Imam Sahib says, 'Keep in vies (striving) the bonds of your teachers.
If respect is given to the paper, the book and the school, this
undesirable situation can not happen'."




Dr Ghulam Yahya Anjum, Department of Comparative Religions, Hamdard University, New Delhi: "Imam
Ahmed Raza Khan is an outstanding personality among 20th century
renowned scholars of Islam. Very few can claim his eminence because if
someone has some similarity with him in certain particular fields, he
lacks significant achievement in some other field in which Imam Ahmed
Raza is leading."



Dr Hassan Raza Khan Azami, Patna: "A study of the 'Fatwa Razvi' (Judicial Opinions) of Ala Hazrat, has revealed his multi-dimensional personality to me.



1. As a Jurist his discussion reflects his reach of imagination, deep insight, wisdom, sagacity and unparallel scholarly talent.




2.
I found him a great historian that goes on quoting numerous historical
references to support his viewpoint in the matter under consideration.



3. He appears to be an expert in Arabic grammar and diction alongside being an inspiring Naatia poet.



4. He is observed as a great scholar of Ahadith, when he mentions logical interpretation of the Ahadith that he quotes.




5.
After a deep study of his works, one finds in him not only a renowned
Jurist, a great Logistician but also an outstanding Physicist,
Astronomer, Mathematician, Philosopher, Philologist and Geographer
whose expertise covers the smallest of details on the subject."




Professor
Wasim Barelvi, Rohailkand University, Barelvi, U.P (Dawn, Karachi, May
13 1992): Indian poet, Wasim Barelvi, speaking at a function in his
honour on Monday night, emphasised the need for fresh research on our
Beloved Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi and other Muslim scholars of the
Sub-Continent, particularly those from Barelvi.




Eulogising
Allamah Ahmed Raza Khan, Professor said that his services as a pioneer
of a religious school is known to everybody, but his achievements as a
writer have not yet been properly highlighted.




He said that
a research work on Allamah Ahmed Raza Khan compiled in Rohailkand under
his supervision has made revelations regarding the writings of Allamah
Barelvi. This research work is likely to challenge the history of Urdu
prose as it proves that Allamah Barelvi should be counted as one of the
pioneers of Urdu prose, and as one of the great writers who spread
modern thought in the Sub-Continent."




Justice Naeemuddin, Supreme Court of Pakistan: "Imam
Ahmad Raza's grand personality, a representation of our most esteem
ancestors, is history making, and a history uni-central in his self.




"You
may estimate his high status from the fact that he spent all his
lifetime in expressing the praise of the great and auspicious Holy
Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,, in defending
his veneration, in delivering speeches regarding his unique conduct,
and in promoting and spreading the Law of Shariah which was revealed
upon him for the entire humanity of all times. His renowned name is
'Muhammad', peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,, the Prophet of Almighty Allah.




"The
valuable books written by a encyclopaedic scholar like Imam Ahmed Raza,
in my view, are the lamps of light which will keep enlightened and
radiant the hearts and minds of the men of knowledge and insight for a
long time."




A Western Scholar, Dr Barbara D. Metcalf, Department of History, Barkley University, United States of America: "He
was outstanding from the very beginning on account of his extra-
ordinary intelligence. He enjoyed a divine gift of deep insight in
Mathematics. It is said that he solved a mathematical problem for Dr
Ziauddin for which the learned Mathematician was intending to visit
Germany. Ahmed Raza himself was a towering figure, revered for his
extra-ordinary memory, mental agility, and intellectual capacity, and
honoured as a Mujaddid and a Sheikh. Guarded in his relation to the
British Government, he sought above all to guard what he saw as correct
practice and make religion vital in the personal life of Muslims of his
day."



The great poet, Hazrat Allamah Doctor Iqbal says:

"I have carefully studied the decrees of Imam Ahmed Raza and thereby
formed this opinion; his Fatwa bear testimony to his acumen,
intellectual calibre, the quality of his creative thinking, his
excellent jurisdiction and his ocean-like Islamic knowledge.


Once Imam Ahmed Raza forms an opinion he stays firm on it; he expresses
his opinion after a sober reflection. Therefore, the need never arises
to withdraw any of his religious decrees and judgements. With all this,
Shah Ahmed Raza would have been the Imam Abu Hanifa of his age."
(Arafat, 1970, Lahore)


In another place he says, "Such a genius and intelligent jurist did not emerge."



Imam Ahmed Raza in the Eyes of the Opposition




Abul Ula Maudoodi: "I
have great respect in my heart for the knowledge and status of Imam
Ahmed Raza Khan (, may Allah be pleased with him). He has great
foresight over the knowledge of Deen and even his opposition are forced
to accept this fact."




Ashraf Ali Thanwi: "I
have great respect in my heart for Ahmed Raza Khan (, may Allah be
pleased with him). He calls us Kaafirs, but he says this only on the
basis for his love for the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and not out of any other reason."




Muee'nuddeen Nadwi: "The
late Ahmed Raza Khan in this present time was "The Person of
Knowledge". His every Fatwa, be it in support or refutal of anyone, is
worthy of being studied."





IMAM AHMED RAZA'S DEMISE



Imam Ahmed Raza’s final advice before his demise



1. Nothing with photos of living objects should be near me when my Ruh (Soul) leaves.



2. Recite Sura Yasin and Sura Ra'ad beside me.



3. Recite Durood in abundance.



4. Keep those who are weeping away from me.



5. Give my Ghusl according to the Sunnah.



6. Either Mawlana Haamid Raza or Allamah Amjad Ali should perform my Janaza Salaah (, may Allah be pleased with him)



7. Do not delay my Janazah.



8. When taking my Janazah, recite "Kaabe ke Badru Duja".



9. Do not read anything in my praise.



10. Place me softly in the grave.



12. My grave should be dug according to my height.



13. My Kafan should be according to the Sunnah.



14. The food of my Fatiha must be given to the poor.




15. Haamid
Raza must give a fair share of everything to Chothe Mia (Huzoor Mufti
Azam Hind). If not, my Rooh will be displeased. (, may Allah be pleased
with him)



16. All of you must remain steadfast on Deen. Do not leave the path of Shariah. Stay on the Deen on which I was.



Wisaal of Imam Ahmed Raza




The brightly
shining sun of Barelvi Sharif, the Coolness of the Eyes of the Ulema,
the Mujaddid of the Century, the Imam Abu Hanifa of his time, the
Ghawsul Azam of his time, the Sweet-scented Rose from the Fragrant
Garden of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,,
Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat , Imam Ahmad Raza Khan left this mundane world on
Friday, the 25th of Safar 1340 A.H. (28 October 1921) at 2.38 p.m. It
was the exact time of the Jummah Azaan.




The date of
the Wisaal of Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat was actually deduced by himself from
the Holy Qur’an four months and twenty days prior to his passing away.




At
the time of the demise of Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased
with him), a certain Saint of Syria dreamt of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
while he was in the Baitul Muqaddas. In his dream, the Saint saw many
Sahaba Ikraam (, may Allah be pleased with him) seated around the Holy
Prophet , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. All of them seemed to be waiting for someone.

The Saint says that, in his dream, he asked, "Ya Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,! Whose presence is being awaited?" The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, replied, "Ahmed Raza Khan." The blessed Saint then asked, "Who is Ahmed Raza Khan?" The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, answered, "An Aalim from Barelvi."




When
this Saint awoke, he immediately journeyed from Syria to Barelvi Sharif
to meet Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him). However, to his
dismay, he learnt that Ala Hazrat had already departed from this world.




It is said by
those true lovers of Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat that after he passed away he
was spiritually transported to Madinatul Munawwarah to be close to the
Holy Prophet , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

They say this because once, Ala Hazrat personally said: "the time of
demise is close and India is India. But, I do not even feel like
passing away in Makkah. My desire is this, that I should pass away with
Imaan in Madinatul Munawwarah and then be buried with kindness in
Jannatul Baqi. Almighty Allah is most powerful."



Mazar Sharif



The Mazar Sharif (Blessed Tomb) of Sayyiduna Ala Hazrat is situated in the Mohalla Saudagran, Barelvi Sharif in India (U.P).


Each year, in the month of Safar, during the Urs Sharif of Sayyiduna
Ala Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him), hundreds of thousands of
Muslims from all over the world present themselves in Barelvi Sharif to
partake in the Urs Sharif of the Mujaddid of Islam, Sayyiduna Ala
Hazrat (, may Allah be pleased with him).
 Radhiyallaaho T`aalaa A`nho


May Almighty Allah shower his choicest blessings upon the Mazar-e-Anwaar of this great Saint and Scholar of Islam. Ameen!