A brief life-sketch of Hadrat Allama Mawlana Mufti Mehmood Jaan Qadiri Alaihir raHmah

Hadrat Allama Mawlana al-Haaj Shah Mehmood Jaan Khan
Qadiri Barakaati Ridawi Jamjodhpuri Peshawari (Alaihir raHmah)

Khalifa-e-AlaHadrat, Aalim-e-Jaleel, Fazil-e-Nabeel, Haami-e-Sunan, Maahi-e-Fitan, Hadrat Allama Mawlana Al-Haaj Shah Mehmood Jaan Khan Sahab Sunni Hanafi Qadiri Barakaati Ridawi Jamjodhpuri Peshawari (Alaihir raHmah) was born around the year 1820 in Peshawar. His father Hafidh Ghulam Rasool (Alaihir raHmah) was a distinguished Aalim and teacher of his time. Many would come from, Kabul, Qandahar, Baarqand and Samarkand by travelling lengthy journeys to sit respectfully at his feet and attain knowledge of Deen-e-Islam. Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) also attained his academic knowledge from his father, where upon completion of his Islamic studies, he migrated to Jamjodhpur (Katyawadh, Gujarat, India), where he served the Muslims. Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah), like his father Hafidh Ghulam Rasool (Alaihir raHmah) was also popular for his debating skills. He brought many Christian leaders to their feet during debates.

SPIRITUAL GUIDE

Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) did not become a mureed until he had reached an advanced age. He later became a Mureed of Sayyidi AlaHadrat Ash-Shah Imam Ahmad Rida Khan al-Qadiri (Alaihir raHmah). Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) narrates:

"For a long time, this thought was in my heart, that unless and until, I do not find a Kaamil and exalted Shaykh, I will not become a mureed. It was during this time, that I began reading the Islamic Magazine (Touf-e-Hanafiyyah) prepared by Hadrat Maulana Zia'ud'deen Sahab Pilibhiti (Alaihir raHmah), which was filled with gems of knowledge and wisdom and it was in this that I read about Sayyiduna AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah). My heart immediately said that in this Era to find such a  great personality is not ordinary. Through divine guidance, I travelled to Bareilly Shareef where I presented myself in the Court of AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah). The moment I saw His bright face, my heart melted, my Imaan came to life and my heart blossomed like never before.

I had found a Peer (Spiritual Guide) even greater than I had ever imagined. I requested to be initiated into the Silsilah, and my Shaykh accepted me as His disciple (Mureed), blessed me immediately with Ijaazat and Khilafat, and then went into the house, removed what He was wearing at that time and blessed me with His Kurta, Paijamah, Amaama and Waistcoat. This was a great blessing from such a sea of generosity. He blessed this humble servant with the crown of Khilafat in the Silsila Aaliya, Qadiriyah, Barakatiyah, Ridawiyyah, Chishtiyah, Soharwardiyah, Naqshabandiyah and other Salasil. He showed great love and respect for me, and in that time, he bestowed so many titles upon me and showed such love to me, that I will never forget as long as I live."

It must be noted that Hadrat Allama Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) did not make anyone mureed or give khilafat to anyone. It is related that when anyone came to him for the purpose of becoming a mureed, he would direct them towards Sayyidi AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah).

During 1339 Hijra, Sayyidi AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah) wrote a letter to Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah). In it he addressed him as 'Haami-e-Sunan' (The Helper of Sunnah) and 'Maahi-e-Fitan' (Eradicator of Fitna). He further wrote:

"Due to my busy schedule and my duties, I unintentionally left out your name, which should have been engraved in gold, in the list of names of my well wishers and supporters at the end of Qasidah Al-Istimdaad. I only realized this after it was published, and to this very day I regret my oversight."

The letter sent to Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan sent by Sayyidi AlaHadrat.
This letter because of its age is quite fragile, hence the glass casing.

Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) commented on this blessed letter (which is still present to this day) by saying:

"Nine or ten months before AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah)'s Wisaal, he wrote a Blessed letter to me, in which He said that in His book Al-Istimdaad, He added the names of all His Khulafa, and my name was unintentionally left out in printing. I say that, by unintentionally missing out my name was a means of great blessings for me, since my Shaykh prayed for me on this occasion."

LOVE AND FAITH IN HIS SHAYKH

Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) was drowned in the love of his Shaykh and had true faith in his Shaykh. During the forty days khatam of Sayyidi AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah), Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) went to the Mazaar Sharif of his Shaykh and made Dua to Allah Ta'ala, that through the wasila of his chosen servant, Sayyidi AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah), Allah Ta'ala bless him with a son. Alhamdulillah within the same year, Allah Ta'ala blessed Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) with a son, whom he named Ahmed Raza. However, Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) had so much respect for his Shaykh that he never called his son by his name, and always referred to him as Hadrat.

VISUALIZER OF THE DOME OF ALAHADRAT ALAIHIR RAHMAH

Very few people know that Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) is responsible for the design of the Gumbad of Sayyidi AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah). Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) presented his design - which he drew by burning match-sticks as he did not have a pen - to Hadrat Hujjat al-islam (Alaihir raHmah) and Hadrat Mufti-e-Azam Hind (Alaihir raHmah) and said:

"Huzoor, Next to the Gumbad-e-Khazra of Aaqa-e-do Aalam (SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam) there is a Minaret, and on that Minaret there is white and black design, and since AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah) had spent His whole life trying to explain the Exaltedness of Sarkaar (SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam), by fighting against the enemies of Sarkaar (SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam), therefore it is my wish that the Gumbad of AlaHadrat, should contain that same black and white design that is on that Minarat next to the Gumbad-e-Khazra of the Madani Aqaa (SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam)."

Hujjat al-Islam, Mufti-e-Azam, Sadr al-Shari'ah and all the other esteemed Ulama (Radi Allahu Anhum) of the time, had a liking for this design and decided that this design was most fitting for the Dargah Sharif of Sayyidi AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah). Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah), in those days contributed 10000 Rupees and stayed in Bareilly Sharif until the construction of the Dargah Sharif was completed. Hadrat used to say,

"Jaisa yeh Mujjaddid Anokha, waisa unka Mazaar bhi Anokha hona chahiye."

Some of the Blessed Relics that were given to Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah)
by Sayyidi AlaHadrat Imam Ahmad Rida Khan Qadiri (Alaihir raHmah)

PERSONAL QUALITIES AND BLESSED HABITS

Although it is almost impossible to pin point which quality or habit of Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) was more beautiful, for the sake of Barakat, I will mention a few qualities that I have heard of.

One of the most blessed qualities of Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) was that he was firm on Maslak-e-AlaHadrat. In other words he was steadfast on the blessed Shari'ah and did not allow anything to come between him and Islam.

Sayyidi AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah) said the following words with regard to Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) in his Khilafat Nama:

"Be Fadhlihi Ta'ala, Mawlana mausoof jumla Mazahid wa Masharib mein is Faqeer ke Qadam ba - Qadam hai. Tamam Biraderaan-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat ke, is Faqeer ke Muhib aur Hum-Mazhab ho! Mawlana ke Masa'ail wa Hidayaat wa Irshaadat pe be-Ta'amul, Amal farmaen"

Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) aslo used to remove Jinns from people. One incident that was accounted to me is as follows:

There was once a man who had consulted Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) for the removal of the Jinn within him. He had been brought to Hadrat by his mother. She complained that the Jinn was troublesome to them. Hadrat, after listening to her warned her that he would have to beat her son so much that he would bleed profusely. This had to be done in order to force the Jinn out of him. However even though her son would be beaten, he would not feel any pain. When she had agreed, Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) began to beat her son so much that he indeed began to bleed profusely, until the Jinn himself began to say that he would leave. Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) ordered the Jinn to leave the man immediately to go into a big bottle which was closed after the Jinn had entered it. Thereafter Hadrat would dig a deep hole and bury the bottle containing the Jinn.

One of the blessed habits of Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) loved to recite Surah al-Quraish. He would read this Surah seven times and would blow it on any goods that he had for sale. He would also encourage his wife to read this surah and blow it on the food that she would prepare. He used to say that by reading this surah would bring barakat in the home. 

The Blessed Amamah (Bottom left), Blessed Shawl (top) and Libaas Mubarak of
Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan Qadiri (Alaihir raHmah)

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY

The family genealogy of Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) is as follows: 

Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan Sahab Ibn Hafidh Ghulam Rasool Sahab Ibn Muhammad Isma'eel Sahab Ibn Muhammad Siddiq Sahab Ibn Umar Sahab Ibn Ramzan Ibn Saboor Sahab Meer Ibn Haji Muhammad Akbar Sahab Ibn Maulvi Haamid'duddin Sahab Ibn Maulvi Shahbaaz Sahab Ibn Khush-Haal Sahab Ibn Gohar Ibn Rehmatullah Sahab Ibn Khwaja Ubaidullah Sahab.

Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) was married thrice in his lifetime and had sixteen children in total:

First wife: Marhooma Maryam bai

1. Mawlana Ghulam Mustapha Raza Khan (during Sayyidi alaHadrat's Alaihir raHmah last illness, when he used to be carried to the masjid on a chair, among the four people who used to carry the chair of sayyidi alaHadrat Alaihir raHmah on their shoulder, was Mawlana ghulam mustapha raza khan)
2. Ayesha bai
3. Ghulam Murtaza Raza (passed on at a young age)

Second wife: Marhooma Halima bai

4. Mawlana Ghulam Mujtaba Raza (buried in Malawi)
5. Hawwa bai
6. Ruqaiyyah bai

Third wife: Marhooma Amatullah bai

7. Raheema bai
8. Kareema bai
9. Hajiani khadija bai
10. Ayesha bai
11. Mawlana Ghulam Ahmed Raza Khan, He was granted khilaafat by Hadrat Mufti-e-Azam Hind . Hadrat Mufti Mehood Jaan used to say, "Hadrat mere Ilm ko jayb mein rakh ke Ghoomtay hain)."
12. Marhooma Jamila bai (passed away during childhood, after an incident that led to a short illness)
13. Mawlana Ahmed Jaan Khan
14. Hajiani fatima bai (Alhamdulillah, she is currently living in Zimbabwe)
15. Hajiani Amina bai (Alhamdulillah, she is currently living in Upleta)
16. Hajiani Jamila bai (it is said she was born when Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan Alaihir raHmah was at the age of 100. That was in 1935.)

External view of Razvi Masjid in Jamjodhpur built by Mawlana Mehmood Jaan

KARAAMAAT

When I had asked the daughter of Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) if she remembered any Karamat of her father, she replied simply by saying, "Thousands". However, for the sake of Barakat, I will mention one karamat of Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah).

A man named Muhammad, during his childhood had German measles. The doctors had no hope of his recovery and advised his parents to expect the worst. Hearing this Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) came to his parents home and asked them why they had not consulted him, as he was still Alive. Hadrat, put his blessed saliva on the child and prayed for him. He was cured in no time and went on to live a comfortable life.

BOOK CREDENTIALS

Two of the books written by Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) received great success namely:

1. Zikr-e-Raza: Khalifa of AlaHadrat, Malik al-Ulama, Hadrat-e-Allama Mawlana Zafar al-Din Bihari (Alaihir raHmah), mentions in his Sawaneh Hayaat of Sayyidi AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah), that the first Sawaneh Hayaat written on the life of Sayyidi AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah) was by Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) under the title of Zikr-e-Raza. The specialty of this book is that it has been written in the form of poetry. It has also been translated into the English language by Sayyid Shah Aulad-e-Rasool Qudsi Misbahi (Daamat Barakatuhum al-Qudsiyyah).

2. Eezah-e-Sunnat: This kitaab was based on the eight questions posed by the Bud-Muzhabs. In this book Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) answered all their  questions by providing authentic proof from the Holy Qur'an and the blessed Ahadith. This book was certified and verified by sixty three distinguished scholars by their blessed words and blessed seals, such as Sayyidi AlaHadrat, Hujjat al-Islam, Mufti-e-Azam Hind, Sadr al-Shari'ah, and many other learned Ulama of that time (Radi Allahu Anhum Ajma'een).

Sayyidi alaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah)'s verification was as follows:

"O ALLAH, for YOU is ALL Praise! This Blessed book which has been written by my companion and my Beloved Brother in Islam, the Helper of the Sunnah, and Eradicator of the Fitnah, Respected Mawlana Moulvi Mehmood Jaan Saahib Qadiri Barakaati Peshawari, has passed before Me. I found it adorned with great attributes and I have found it to be complete and concise. I thanked ALLAH for blessing the author with such Taufeeq to support the Deen in such a difficult and corrupt time. Verily the Blessing of ALLAH and HIS Rasool (SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam) is upon this Learned Faadhil and Insha-ALLAH, His reward for this effort, through the Blessing of the Holy Prophet (SallAllaahu Alaihi wa Sallam) is closeness to ALLAH and a blessed place in the Blessed Paradise. WA ALLAHU AA'LAM."

This book too, has been translated into the English language by the khalifa of Hadrat Taaj al-Shari'ah and Muhaddith al-Kabeer, Mawlana Aftaab Qasim Qadiri Ridawi (Hafidhahullahu Ta'ala), and is available in three volumes.

The Blessed Seal of Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah)

CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS ISLAM

Hadrat Taaj al-Shari'ah, Allama Mawlana Mufti al-Haaj Shah Muhammad Akhtar Rida Khan, Sunni Hanafi Qadiri Barakaati Ridwi Noori Azhari (Daamat Barakatuhum al-Aaliyah), during the 61st Urs-e-Razvi Mehmoodi Sharif in Jamjodhpur Sharif said the following words:

"...AlaHadrat ke Sache Khulafa, jin mein Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan Sahab, ek the aur laakhon mein ek the, aur Jamjodhpur ke log aur Jamjodhpur ke Atraaf-o-khoob-o-Jawar ke log, Unki Istiqamat aur Maslak-e-AlaHadrat par sakhti se kaarbandhi aur uski tarweej-o-isha'at mein Unki jo zindagi guzri, woh yahan ke log toh usse waakif hai hi, Africa ke mumalik mein bhi reh kar yahin kaam kiya aur AlaHadrat Azeem-ul-Barkat ke Silsile se, aur Unke Khanwaade se, Unke Gharane se aur subse badi baat yeh hai ke Unke Maslak se logon ko wabista kiya..."

The blessed month of Muharram is celebrated the world over, and in many instances there are many elements in which some of the followers of Sayyidi AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah), forget his teachings. However, due to the teachings of Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah), the inhabitants of Jamjodhpur shareef celebrate muharram according to the Maslak of alaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah). It is said that Hadrat used to burn the 'Taajias' that were made.

In gujrat, there is a Muslim clan known as the Meer. In the past the people of this caste used to be looked down upon by the inhabitants of the area. This carried on until Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) had decided to include them in his Jama'at. A little while after, some of these people wished to be initiated into the Silsila Aaliyah Qadiriyyah Barakaatiyyah Ridawiyyah and hence Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (alahir rahma) decided to take them to Sayyidi AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah). When they were introduced to Sayyidi alaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah), he exclaimed that their dress and appearance did not resemble (they were clad in their traditional gujrati attire) that of a muslim. Sayyidi alaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah) then inquired the name of one of the men present which coincidently was Raju. Sayyidi alaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah) then proceeded to re-name the man as Ghulam Muhammad and he was initiated into the Silsila. However since he had no beard, Sayyidi AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah) advised him to first go and look at himself in the mirror and then, grows a beard according to the Sunnah and if he thought the beard to be fine, then he should not shave it. Alhamdulillah, the Meer left their orthodox ways and began living as the Muslims that they truly were.

Interior view of Razvi Masjid in Jamjodhpur Sharif built by Mawlana Mehmood Jaan

WISAAL SHARIF

Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) left this mundane world on the 3rd of Safar-al-Muzaffar 1370 Hijri {14th of October, 1950} at the blessed age of 130. In his last days, he suffered from diabetes and other ailments and his advanced age did not alleviate his situation.

On the morning of the Wisaal of Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah), he rose early and asked his son, Mawlana Ghulam Ahmed Raza to make him Paak and Saaf while his wife cleaned his bed and laid new sheets. After this he requested his son to purify himself and come and read Yaseen Sharif for him. However, when Mawlana Ghulam Ahmed Raza returned to recite the Yaseen Sharif he found that his blessed father had already read the Yaseen Sahrif. When Shah Sahab from Dhoraji had come to visit Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah), he related to him and his son Hadrat Mawlana Ghulam Ahmed Raza, that he had been blessed with the sight of Ssayyiduna Rasoolullah (SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam) and Sayyidi AlaHadrat (Alaihir raHmah) in his dream, in which they had asked him to come along with them. After while Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) requested Shah Sahab to move to another room as he wished to be surrounded by his children.

 He called upon each of his daughters who stood at the foot of his bed by their name and advised them to look at him until their hearts were content as his time to leave was near. He told them even though he had surpassed the age of 100 his Nafs still had to taste death.

Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan made Du'a for all his children and when he noticed his children had began to cry, Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) told them that he was not dying, but he was only transferring his home. He also told them that his youngest son, Mawlana Ahmed Jaan was going to be married soon and he would be present at his marriage, however they would not see him but he would see them.

After saying all this Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) told his son that there is book on top of the cupboard in which there were some taweez for some of the people who had requested them and he told his family that due to his illness he had made three obligatory fasts and a certain amount of Salaah Qazah, for which the kaffarah must be paid for before his Janazah Salaah was to be performed. He told his son that his son-in-law, Mawlana Abdul Qadir (Alaihir raHmah) was to perform his Janazah Salaah. Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah) then recited his Shahadat and just after the Aadhaan of Zuhar he left this world towards the hereafter and like this the light that had brightened the hearts of many by removing the darkness of Kufr and Shirk, had come to rest in the love of the Master. His blessed Mazaar Sharif is in the small town of Jamjodhpur, Saurashtra, Gujarat, India. – Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Raji'oon!!

The Blessed Mazaar Sharif of Hadrat Mawlana Mehmood Jaan (Alaihir raHmah)

— — —
Penned by:
Muhammad Akhtar Raza Abd al-Qadir [Harare – Zimbabwe]
The Great Grandson of Hadrat Mufti Mehmood Jaan Qadiri Alaihir raHma

--
Shahzad Afzal
http://www.pakistanprobe.com

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ایک عجیب اور آزمودہ کام

بسم اللہ الرحمٰن الرحیم السلام و علیکم و رحمۃ اللہ و برکاتہ ایک عجیب اور آزمودہ  کام جسمانی جوڑوں کی حرکت کا بعض حروف  کی ادائیگی سے کیا تعلق ہے؟ ! ! ! ! ! سادہ سا جواب تو یہی بنتا ہے کہ کوئی تعلق نہیں۔ ! لیکن آئیے ایک تجربہ کرکے  خود دیکھتے ہیں -------- ! ! ! ! ! مثال کے طور پر ہم ایک حرف  (س) لیتے ہیں 1 اپنی گردن کو مضبوطی سے اس طرح پکڑیئے جس طرح کہ تصویر میں دکھایا گیا ہے   Aik Dafa Darood Shareef اب حرف –س- کو واضح طریقہ سے ادا کیجئے۔۔ ! ! ! مثال کے طور پر نیچے دیا ہوا جملہ بولیئے:    سبحان اللہ   سبحان اللہ سبحان اللہ سبحان اللہ  سبحان اللہ  سبحان اللہ  سبحان اللہ  سبحان اللہ  سبحان اللہ  سبحان اللہ   -     - -  -  -  -     - 2 اب ہاتھ کی گرفت کو ڈھیلا کرتے ہوئے گردن کو چھوڑ دیجیئے اب ایک بار پھر اُسی وضاحت کے ساتھ ان کلمات کو  دہرائیے: سبحان الله سبحان الله سبحان الله سبحان الله سبحان الله سبحان الله سبحان الله سبحان الله سبحان الله سبحان الله سبحان الله سبحان الله - -   - - - - کوئی فرق نظر آیا آپکو؟  -  -  - -  -  -  -  - -  -   کمال ہے، کوئی بھی فرق نہیں پڑا، دونوں بار ایک جیسی ہی ادائیگی اور وہ بھی بغیر کسی فرق کے اس طرح تو یہی ظاہر ہوتا ہے کہ کسی بھی حال میں، اٹھتے، بیٹھتے یا لیٹے ہوئے  اللہ کا ذکر کرنے میں کوئی حرج یا رکاوٹ نہیں ہوتی۔ بجائے اس کے کہ فارغ بیٹھ کر وقت کا ضیاع کیا جائے یا ضروری ہے کہ  کوئی آ کر آپ کی گردن  پکڑے اور تب ہی آپ سبحان اللہ  کہیں گے؟

--
Shahzad Afzal
http://www.pakistanprobe.com/

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A Man Among the Men of Allah | Mufti Akhtar Rida al-Qadiri Hafidhahullahu Ta'ala

A Man Among the Men of Allah
Mufti Akhtar Rida al-Qadiri Hafidhahullahu Ta'ala

Shaykh al-Islam wa al-Muslimeen, Sultan al-Fuqaha, Faqeeh al-Asr, Taaj al-Shari'ah Mufti Muhammad Akhtar Rida Khan (may Allah preserve him) has produced a number of first-rate works/translations in various Islamic disciplines. Among them are (non-exhaustive list):

1) Mufti Akhtar Rida translated "al-Zulal al-Anqa Min Bahr Sabaqat al-Atqa" into Urdu which was written by Imam Ahmad Rida Khan in Arabic on the commentary of the verse "those who are most God-fearing will be far removed from it" (92:17). This scholarly commentary argues to establish that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddique is the most virtuous companion. It contains arguments against Tafdhili Shi'ites and requires an in-depth understanding of Usul al-Tafsir and Usul al-Din.

2) Mufti Akhtar Rida wrote an Arabic commentary to a selection of Hadiths to Sahih al-Bukhari which is titled "Namudhaj Hashiyat al-Bukhari". His strength and authenticity of arguments is very clear in the way he rebuts Ahmad Ali Saharanpuri in a number of Fiqh related issues.

3) He also wrote and excellent Usuli commentary to the Hadith of the intention "Actions are based upon intentions" which he called "Sharh Hadith al-Niyyah".

4) [Fiqh/Hadith] The Shaykh dictated the translation to Imam Ahmad Riza Khan's magnum opus work on the issue of combining prayers titled "Haajiz al-Bahrayn al-Waaqi an al-Jam bayn al-Salatayn" into Arabic. The work combines Fiqh with Hadith and perfectly illustrates how a faqih analyses Hadith evidences.

5) [Usul al-Hadith] Mufti Akhtar Rida fully dictated the Arabic translation to Imam Ahmad Rida Khan's "al-Haad al-Kaaf Fi Hukm al-Di'aaf" (The Sufficient Guide on Weak Hadiths). It was published by Dar al-Sananbil of Damascus and Dar al-Hawi of Beirut in 2009. The work uniquely examines the definitions of weak Hadith, and their application and usage in areas of Fiqh uncovering Wahhabi fallacies in their understanding of their acceptance and rejection. It is ample with scholarly discussions and is an outstanding gift for the student and teacher as its signatory Sayyid Yusuf al-Hashimi al-Beiruti (p. 139) clearly points in his endorsement,

فوجدته فريدا في بابه، يغني عن تطلابه، ثقيل المضمون، منكوز العلم، مرصوص العبارة، دقيق المباحث، طويل النقول، يتعرض للعويصات والمشكلات. فبالجملة: إن الكتاب له قيمة علمية راقية

This book can be obtained from Dar al-Faqih in Abu Dhabi, Dar al-Dhiya lil-Nashr in Kuwait, Maktabah Tarim al-Hadithah in Tarim, Dar al-Salam in Cairo, Maktabah al-Tamam in Beirut and Dar al-Ulum al-Islamiyya in Indonesia. Six Ulama endorsed it with their remarks. They are: Abu Muhammad Musa Abduh Yusuf al-Is'haqi (from the Is'haqiyya Ashraf of Somali-Jeddah), Muhammad Anas Muhammad Saleem Murad who wrote the endorsement on behalf of his Shaykh Sa'd al-Din al-Murad (Jeddah), Sayyid Yusuf Muhammad Idris al-Hasani al-Husaini al-Hashimi (Beirut), Sayyid Yusuf Hashim Rifa'i (Kuwait), Shaykh Mahmud al-Huwt al-Nabhani (Halab, Syria) and Muhammad Nazim Ali Misbahi (Mubarakpur, India).

Sayyid Yusuf al-Rifa'i (p. 240-1) thanks the Shaykh for producing the translation of a work that was much needed in the Arabic language such that it now "fills an empty area in the library of the Ah al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah" and addressed him saying "al-Allamah al-Mukarram al-Akh al-Shaykh al-Mubajjal al-Shaykh Akhtar Ridha" and "al-Allamah al-Hafid al-Da'iyah".

Shaykh Mahmud al-Huwt (p. 244-5) refers to the Shaykh as "al-Imam" and "Taaj al-Shari'ah" and claims that "he has never seen a work of its kind" saying,

فما أن أحظيت بهذا الكنز، وبصرت في عنوانه، وتمنعت في مقدمته، حتى أسلمني أوله إلى اخره، فقرأته في رحلته هذه، والحق أقول: إنني ما رأيت مؤلفا نسج على منواله، ولا كتابا حوى بديع خصاله

Shaykh Musa Abduh Yusuf al-Is'haqi (p. 236) calls the Shaykh "Mawlana wa-Ustadhuna al-Fadhil" among other revering names. Here is the Arabic,

ولقد قام مولانا وأستاذنا الفاضل وسليل السادة الأفاضل، شيخنا الأكبر ومرشدنا الأنور، تاج الشريعة سماحة المفتي محمد أختر خريج الجامع الأزهر بترجمة "الهاد الكاف في حكم الضعاف" من اللغة الأردية إلى اللغة العربية، وأضاف إليها إضافات سنية ومرضية من معلومات فائقة وشائقة، مما كسا الكتاب رونقا وجمالا، وزاده روعة وكمال، فلله دره، وأطال الله عمره، ويسر الله أمره، ورفع الله قدره، وأجزل الله أجره، ونفع بعلومه الخاص والعام من أهل الإسلام

 

6) Mufti Akhtar Rida dictated the complete Arabic translation of Imam Ahmad Rida Khan's "al-Amnu wa al-Ula li-Naa'iti al-Mustafa bi-Daafi al-Bala" (Protection and Eminence for the Person who Praises the Chosen One as an Eliminator of Calamity) which was published Dar al-Nu'man, Damascus, 2009. This work is a scholarly refutation of Muftis that considered the "Salat Taajiyah" shirk on the basis that is impermissible to call anyone other than Allah "Daafi al-Balaa". It categorically refutes the Wahhabi stance using numerous verses of al-Qur'an al-Karim and its commentaries and two hundred and eighteen Hadiths of the Noble Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) with their sources on the topic making it an encyclopaedic work. The muqaddima contains an excellent explanation to the types of Isnad and Nisbah highlighting the correct usage of this title for the Noble Prophet (may Allah bless him ad give him peace). The Shaykh put excellent Hadith notes to this work and his student created its bibliographical references.

It contains a three page endorsement by the great fadhil and adeeb, Abdul Jaleel Ata in which he addresses the Shaykh with titles such as "Fadilat al-Allamah al-Jalil al-Shaykh Muhammad Akhtar Rida Khan", "Taaj al-Shari'ah", "Fadilat al-Shaykh al-Jalil al-Murabbi al-Fadil" and praises the scholarly activities of the Shaykh saying,

فاهنأ يا فضيلة الشيخ الجليل المربي الفاضل وأنت تنعش اثارا جليلة تحيي به وفاء واداء بعض ما أنت به قمين لنشر العلوم الغزيرة التي أنبتها روضكم العامر، وأثمرتها أشجاركم الباسقة. يناعة وغذاء للألباب والعقول والأفكار! ولا زلت كما مرّ أسلافك الكرام منارات اهتداء وأسنة مشرعة في الدفاع عن حصن الشريعة الغراء بكل عزة وشموخ وكبرياء. ولا زالت جهودنا الوضيعة في خدمة علومكم الغزيرة فتوة، وتمكّنا بفضل ما طوقتمونا به من ثقة وحسن ظن! فلنكن عند حسن ظنكم، ودام ظلكم الوارف لمزيد من إحياء اثار الجد الجليل، ولتدم منكم الهمة القعساء للنهوض بالأجيال القادمة تربية وتعليما وإرشادا، وحلما وتسديدا. وفقكم الله للمزيد، وفر أعينكم بكل محب مريد، وأدام عطاءكم بلا تحديد

7) Mufti Akhtar Rida Khan dictated the full translation of Shah Fazl al-Rasul Badayouni's "al-Mu'taqad al-Muntaqad" from the Arabic into Urdu, and its commentary "al-Mu'tamad al-Mustanad" by Imam Ahmad Rida Khan. Those teaching Aqidah know how difficult of a text this work is. It contains many intricate discussions on Asma wa-Sifaat yet the Shaykh has effectively translated the work which when read in Urdu seems as though it was originally written in Urdu! The Shaykh translated this work throughout the car and aeroplane journey to Sri Lanka in 2003 and completed it within six months. This single example is sufficient to establish to our readers the immensity of the Shaykh's knowledge and determined efforts to teach.

8) [Asma wa-Sifat] The Shaykh has dictated the translation to Imam Ahmad Riza Khan's "Subhan al-Subbuh an Ayb Kadhib Maqbuh" into Arabic. I sat in one of awe-filling majalis to listen to the Shaykh's mastery in the subject and translation of the text. This will be the largest known work on establishing the sifah of truth (sidq) for Allah Most Sublime and refuting the view of Imkan al-Kadhib. It shall shatter - by the aid of the Most Truthful - the Deobandi stance in Arabic when released. The work is a masterpiece in Asma wa-Sifat containing a wealth of rational and transmitted proofs. The translation is near completion, wal-hamdulillah. None other than an expert can embark such a task.

9) [Hadith/Aqidah] The Shaykh dictated the translation of "Shumul al-Islam li-Usul al-Rasul al-Kiram" by Imam Ahmad Rida Khan into Arabic on the Iman of the parents of our Noble Prophet (upon him peace and blessings). This was published along with the Shaykh's study on the Father of Sayyiduna Ibrahim in Arabic titled "Tahqiq Anna Aba Ibrahim Tarih wa-laysa Azar". These works were endorsed by the following Ulama:

Sayyid Abdullah Fad'aq Hashimi (Da'iyah of Makkah and student of the late Sayyid Muhammad Alawi Maliki), who referred to the Shaykh as "Fadilat al-Imam al-Shaykh Muhammad Akhtar Ridha Khan al-Azhari al-Mufti al-Azam fi al-Hind"

Shaykh Isa Mani al-Himyari (Muhadith of Dubai) who referred to the Shaykh as "al-Shaykh al-Aarif billah al-Muhadith Muhammad Akhtar Ridha al-Hanafi al-Qadiri al-Azhari"

Shaykh Waathiq Fu'ad Ubaydi (Baghdad) who called him "Shaykhuna al-Jalil, Sahib al-Radd al-Qati, Murshid al-Saalikeen, al-Mahfouz bi-Rabb al-alameen, al-Aalim al-Fadhil" and "Taaj al-Shari'ah"

Mufti Jamal Abdul Kareem al-Dabban (Baghdad) who referred to him as "al-Imam al-Allamah al-Qudwah Sahib al-Fadhilat al-Shaykh"

10) [Qasaid/Madih] During my stay in Jeddah in Dhul Hijjah (2009) after the completion of Haj, I visited Mufti Akhtar Rida Khan in Jeddah and witnessed his knowledge and piety. He gave his daily commentary on Qasidah Burdah (verses 90-91) fluently in Arabic which was being recorded (I personally possess 3 unedited audio cds).

The Shaykh has memorised the entire Qasidah Burdah and Dalai'il al-Khayrat by heart. Every morning after Fajr, he recites the entire Burdah till sunrise. After every Asr prayer, he recites a section from Dala'il al-Khayrat. This has been his wird-occupation since teenage years. I witnessed this on the 13th morning of Dhul Hijjah in Mina and after Asr in Jeddah. The Shaykh has a Diwan to his name titled "Safinah-e-Bakhshish" which contains several qasaid and mada'ih on the Noble Prophet (upon him peace and blessings) and the chosen people, some of which are in Arabic too. One of his famous Qasidahs is which he recited in his majlis with the Ulama of Damascus in August 2008 and in Jeddah 2009 (partial):

الله الله الله ۔۔۔ ما لي رب إلا هو
يفنى الكل ويبقى هو ۔۔۔ ليس الباقي إلا هو
من كان دعاه أن يا هو ۔۔۔ ذاك حميد عقباه
من كان لربي دنياه ۔۔۔ ذاك سعيد اخراه
من كنت الهي مولاه ۔۔۔ كل الناس تولاه
تنسى ربك يا فاني ۔۔۔ دم إن شئت بذكراه
ترجو الناس لجدواهم ۔۔۔ إن الحدوى جدواه
ربي رب الأرباب ۔۔۔ ليس يضاهى حاشاه
كن لنبي الله رضى ۔۔۔ تحظ لديه بزلفاه
وهذا أختر أدناكم ۔۔۔ ربي أحسن مثواه

When the Shaykh recited the last verse, Sayyid Abdul Aziz Khatib (Damascus) began profoundly saying (as heard from students that were present):

أختر سيدنا وابن سيدنا

Expressing his yearning for the Noble Habib (may Allah give him peace and blessing) Mufti Akhtar Rida writes (partial):

رسول الله يا كنز الأماني
على أعتابكم وقف المعاني
بهذا الباب يعتز الذليل
لهذا الباب يأتي كل عان
لهذا الباب انتدب الرحيم
ذوي الأوزار من قاص ودان
رسول الله إني مستجير
لدى أعتابكم من كل جان
لكم جاءت رواحلنا حفافأ
وكم صدرت محملة عواني
فداكم مهجتي أنتم عمادي
مرادي بغيتي كنزي أماني
ألا تحيون من قلبي مواتا
ألا تأتون مندرس المكان
ولا زالت بحارك تفيض
وأمطار الندى مر الأوان
اما للشمس في ليلي شروق

ألا ما يجلو محياكم كياني

A Notice: The reader must keep in mind that Mufti Akhtar Rida Khan is visually impaired and cannot read or write. He listens to a text and dictates the translation and those occupied in translating know how difficult of a task this is especially when translating difficult texts in Islamic disciplines!

Acclaim Among Contemporary Arab Ulama:

1) Shaykh Abdul Jaleel Ata (Damascus) recited the following qasidah in praise of the Shaykh in Damascus in the presence of numerous scholars and students who gathered to join the Shaykh, every letter of which lustres with love and truth,

یا کوکب من بھاء الدین ذاألق ۔۔۔ ومنھا من دقیق العلم متسق
اقدام قولک في التحقیق مصدرہ ۔۔۔ اھل التمکن في النبراس کالشفق

ولو تباھی رسول اللہ في أحد ۔۔۔ مثل طلعتکم یا فاتح العبق
محمد أختر جاء الرضا به ۔۔۔ فمر حبافي منبع الحصن الدرق

This majlis was attended by Shaykh Abdur-Razzaq Halabi, Shaykh Hussam al-Din Farfour, Shaykh Abdul Aziz Khateeb, Shaykh Hisham Burhani, Shaykh Abdul Hadi Kharsah and many others.

2) In his first-rate work on the defining the manhaj of Imam Ahmad Rida Khan titled "Insaf al-Imam", the Egyptian author Shaykh Muhammad Khalid Thabit (p. 114-5) speaks of his encounter with Mufti Akhtar Rida Khan in Egypt in the following words,

منذ أيام – وأنا أكتب هذه السطور- استنارت مصر بزيارة الشيخ الكبير محمد أختر رضا القادري الأزهري المعروف بتاج الشريعة المفتي الأعظم بالهند، حفيد الإمام أحمد رضا خان البريلوي والقائم على جماعته، ورأيت حديثه عن جده الإمام اكثر من حديثه عن نفسه، واعتزازه بجده الإمام الأعظم من اعتزاز بنفسه، ورأيت تمسكه بما أرساه جده من القواعد ومن الثبات على الحق مما يثير الإعجاب حقا...نظرت إلى وجه الشيخ الكبير محمد أختر والبهاء يكسوه، والسكينة والوقار يجللانه، واستمعت إلى كلماته –بلغة عربية صحيحة-تخرج من فمه في قوة وثقة تصدق بالحق المبين فوجدتني أقول: سبحان الله...ذرية بعضها من بعض

3) The Azhar Journal titled "Sawt al-Azhar" (May Issue 2009) referred to the Shaykh as "Mufti al-Hind". In this visit, the Shaykh met with Shaykh al-Azhar in his office for an hour and who presented him an Azhar award for his scholarly achievements and activities.

Among Those Who Visited Mufti Akhtar Rida Khan in Bareilly:

1) The late Muhadith of Makkah, Sayyid Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki (may Allah have mercy on him) travelled to Bareilly in April 2004 during Rabi' al-Awwal. They engaged in a number of scholarly discussions with Shaykh Akhtar and in his talk addressed Shaykh Akhtar with the title "al-Mufti al-A'zam bil-alam". When he studied the Shaykh's Arabic Hashiya on Sahih al-Bukhari titled "Namudhaj Hashiyat al-Azhari" he regarded the Shaykh as "Muhadith Hanafi" before those that were present.

2) Sayyid Muhammad Umar ibn Saleem al-Mahdi al-Dabbagh of Baghdad was appointed as the Head of Arabic literature at Jamiat al-Ridha in Bareilly in 2007. He showed immense love for the Shaykh and wrote a qasidah in his praise which he publicly recited on the Imam Ahmad Rida Conference in Bareilly on the 24th Safar, 2007.

3) The Mufti of Damascus, Shaykh Abdul Fattah Bizm visited Mufti Akhtar Rida at his residence twice during the last Hajj season (2009) in Jeddah and in Madinah Tayyibah. I personally witnessed the amount of love these Shuyukh had for one another on both occasions. In his talk in Jeddah, Mufti Abdul Fattah expressed his feelings about the Shaykh and spoke of his previous meetings with him in Syria and Bareilly. He said, "When the Shaykh came to Damascus the first time round, I heard about him and wanted to visit him. Some people prevented me but I went to meet him and at the first sight Allah made me realise that he is from the people of Allah (Ahlullah)".

He then added, speaking of a miracle he experienced, that when the Shaykh invited him to Bareilly he was in two minds about travelling even to the moment of submitting his passport. For some reason, the visa was not issued. Upon collecting the passport, he mentioned that Shaykh Akhtar rang him and said, "If you make a firm intention, Allah will make the means easy". Mufti Abdul Fattah said, "This struck my heart and I came to realise that the Shaykh is aware of the state of my heart". Thereafter, I made a firm intention and re-submitted my passport and received the visa".

He also said, "When I travelled to Bareilly and saw the thousands of people that are attached to Shaykh Akhtar, it brought joy to my heart that the people of India are still connected with their shuyukh and illustrate immense love and respect for them". This is what I remember from his comments. If anyone requires an audio recording of this talk, Insha Allah, I can try to facilitate it and perhaps others too.

Acclaim in Indo-Pakistan:

Bareilly, as all of us know, has a massive Sunni following in and around the world. Mufti Akhtar Rida Khan has been the Shaykh of the silsilah and head Mufti there for many years. The claim that he is not known among India's people is clearly a lie intended to discredit the Shaykh. A 700 page book has been compiled on the life, works and activities of the Shaykh titled "Tajalliyaat Taaj al-Shariah" containing the comments, letters, articles of hundreds of ulama from around the world to the Shaykh and their views about him. Majority of these articles, letters, qasa'id are in Urdu by scholars of India and Pakistan. It includes articles on the Shaykh's travels within India and meetings with its people that shatter the false notion. Mufti Abdul Fattah Bizm has witnessed the annual urs event at Bareilly in the month of Safar whose remarks I presented above

The Manhaj of Mufti Akhtar Rida Khan in Love and Hate:

It would be not be a hyperbolic comment if I were to assert that Mufti Akhtar Rida is an embodiment of the Hadith "Love for the sake of Allah and Hate for the sake of Allah". He loves the awliya of the entire world and hates the enemies of Allah and His Messenger (upon him peace and blessings). He does not unite with those who "offend" Allah and His Messenger with comments that are by nature "repulsive", "repugnant", "below the standards of scholarly discourse", "indefensible breaches of proper respect" and thus "unacceptable to Muslims around the world" and neither does he have compassion for those who shamelessly destroy the graves of the companions and Ahlul Bayt, demolish Muslim sites and heritage whilst preserving Jewish landmarks and relics of their Kings in their museums, and speak with minimal respect about the Noble Habib (may Allah bless him and give him peace), his companions, kin, and the majority of the Ummah whom they consider misguided. He has no love for those who consider it permissible to shout out Shirk and kufr slogans to those who recite the Burdah and Dalai'il. He has written and spoken against such people and their beliefs as this is the duty (wajib dini) of every upright scholar from Ahlus-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah, and is not a hobby as some may assert, to warn people from wavering and falling into the trap of the Shaytan.

As for the claim that the Shaykh makes takfir of everyone other than himself and those affiliated with him is another exaggeration, rather, a lie that stems from animosity. The Shaykh has replied to this accusation in Arabic in his "Mira'at al-Najdiyyah" published by the name "Haqiqat al-Barelwiyyah", which is the reply to Qadhi Atiyyah's endorsement to Ihasan Ali Zahir's "al-Barelwiyyah" (Published in Egypt by Dar al-Muqattam, 2009) asking him to produce a single nas of our ulama in which they have made takfir of Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn Abdul Wahhab and their followers. Rather, it is these people who make takfir and tadlil of the entire ummah. This accusation is the popular one found in "Nuzhat al-Khawatir" and "al-Barelwiyyah" about Barelwis and is false.

Conclusions:

On these premise, our conclusions therefore are that Shaykh Akhtar Rida Khan

a) is a scholar, a Mufti and one who possesses immense knowledge "Allamah" of the Shari'ah.
b) is a tireless teacher of the Islamic sciences, valuing time and teaching throughout his travels.
c) has excellent command on the Arabic language and translation skills.
d) is beloved to the Ulama of the Arab world and has been received with warm hearts and love.
e) produces works in various scholarly disciplines which have brought immense benefit to the Ahlus-Sunnah.
f) is not just a scholar of the outward sciences but a man of Allah whose presence is awe-filling and a person of karaamat.
g) is on the manhaj of the Ahlus-Sunnah Wa al-Jama'ah.
h) is well-known in India and its people of the Ahlus-Sunnah.

And to hold otherwise leads to the falsification of popular accounts by ulama and awliya on the basis of a solitary report lacking proper adab of discourse which appears biased to anyone who reads it with a sound mind. Supporting false notions attributed to the Shaykh such that he is not an "alim", he is "unknown" and that he makes "takfir of everyone" is unlawful when there are clear signs to the contrary. Beware too of having animosity towards the awliya as its consequence from Allah is devastating! And alone gives guidance.

———
Penned by
Shaykh Munawwar Ateeq
[Birmingham - United Kingdom]

 

--
Shahzad Afzal
http://www.pakistanprobe.com

Read more >>

True Anecdotes | The King of Yemen

It's been recorded in Hujjatullahi ala al-Alameen and Taarikh Ibn Asaakir that 1,000 years before the arrival of the Holy Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam, the King of Yemen (Tabaa Awwal Hamīri) assembled 12,000 of his scholars and officials, 132,000 horsemen, and 113,000 foot soldiers to accompany him on a tour of his kingdom. During this expedition, they arrived in the city of Makkah and were surprised to find none of its residents interested in coming out to salute them. When the king enquired from his officials as to the reason for this, his prime-minister responded,

"There's a structure in this city called 'the House of Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala' which people from all over – way more than this army, in fact – come to pay their respects towards and to the city's residents. Why then would they concern themselves with this measly procession?"

The king became infuriated upon hearing this and swore,

"I'll tear that structure down and have all of these people killed!"

He then suddenly found blood emerging from his eyes, nose and mouth (along with a liquid so horrendous in smell that no-one in his company could bear sitting next to him). After seeking help from his numerous doctors to cure this condition of his (all to no avail), one of his priests finally stepped forward and said,

"O King! This sickness is from the Heavens, while we possess cures only from the Earth. The only way to rid yourself of it is to seek forgiveness for any bad intention you may have had recently."

So, the king repented from his earlier plans against the Kaaba and the Makkans and immediately found his condition return to its normal state again! Unable to contain his happiness, he then ordered for a silk covering to be prepared and draped over the Kaaba, before presenting every resident of the city with wealth and some silk clothing.

The army then proceeded to Madinah al-Munawwarah. Upon their arrival, those that were scholars of the Heavenly Books examined its sand, stones and landscape and immediately recognized the area to be the future residence of the Final Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam. For this reason, they turned to their king and said,

"We'd rather die than leave this city! Should fortune favour us, the Final Messenger will one day arrive and bless us with his companionship. Otherwise, the sand from his feet will surely land on our graves, and this will be sufficient for our salvation."

So, the king built 400 houses for them in the city, and in the region of his chief-priest's residence, he constructed a few houses better than the others (intending that when the Holy Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam did arrive, he'd choose to stay in one of them). After then giving them enough money to begin their new lives, the king gave a letter to his main priest with the following instruction,

"Give this to the Prophet if you see him in your lifetime. If not, keep it in your family until he arrives."

This letter passed from generation to generation in the priest's family (for 1,000 years) until it finally came into the hands of the famous Companion, Hadrat Abu Ayyub al-Ansaari Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu (who requested his servant, Abu Layla, to safeguard it). Written in it was the following,

'From the most insignificant creation, Tabaa Awwal Hamīri, to the Intercessor of Sinners & Leader of Prophets Alaihim as-Salam, Muhammadur-Rasoolullah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam. O Beloved of Allah SallAllaho Alaika wa Sallam, I bring faith upon you, the book which will be revealed to you, and the religion that you will propagate. Should I see you in my lifetime, it would only be my good fortune. Otherwise, I ask that you intercede for me and do not forsake me. I'm from your first Ummah and also pledge allegiance (بيعة) to you. I hereby testify that Allah is One and that you are his true Messenger SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam.'

When the Prophet neared Madinah al-Munawwarah at the end of his migration, its residents were so ecstatic to meet him that they came out in large numbers, decorating and tidying their homes and streets, all with the intention of having the blessed Messenger choose to stay with them over everyone else.

Since he did not want to show favour to one family over another, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah entered the city and said,

"Leave the nose-string of my camel and let it to walk freely. Wherever it stops, I'll stay there."

In this way, the camel roamed for a short while until it finally stopped outside the house of Hadrat Abu Ayyub al-Ansaari Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu (who was, incidentally, staying in the very same residence built by the King of Yemen 1,000 years earlier!). When his servant, Abu Layla, presented himself before the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam, Rasoolullah SallAllao Alaihi wa Sallam noticed him and said,

"You're Abu Layla; I'm the Messenger of Allah. Give me the King's letter."

 
Rasoolullah was then presented with the letter; and after reading it, he said in reply,

"I congratulate the virtuous brother Tabaa." [Mizaan al-Adyaan, Page 171]

Lesson: The Holy Messenger was praised even before his birth… and the people who praised him even received honour for their praise! How then can we, who are in the Ummah of the Beloved Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam, not be shown any favour by him?! We also come to know the Prophet is aware of the past, and that cleaning and decorating buildings on the arrival of esteemed personalities is not a bad practice. In fact, it is the practice of the Sahabah al-Kiram Alaihim ar-Ridwan.

———
Extracted from
Stories Of The Prophets (Partial Translation of Sacchi Hikayaat)
Urdu: Maulānā Abun-Nūr Muhammad Bashīr | English: Omar Sayed

--
Shahzad Afzal
http://www.pakistanprobe.com

Read more >>

Reminder: Weekly Q/A Session with Mufti Akhtar Rida al-Qadiri [December 18, 2011] from Jeddah - Hijaz Al Muqaddas

Assalamu Alaikum wa raHmatullahi  Ta'ala wa Barakaatuhu

 

This email is a reminder for the LIVE Question & Answer Session with Taaj al-Shari'ah Mufti Muhammad Akhtar Rida Khan al-Qadri  tonight (Sunday), 18th December 2011 at 06:30pm | 18:30 Madinah Munawwarah Time i.e. GMT +3:00 from Jeddah - Hijaz al-Muqaddas in sha ALLAH over

 

http://www.jamiaturraza.com/live
 

You may send your Questions to AsjadRazaKhan@gmail.com ... Questions can be asked in Arabic, Urdu and English languages.

 

Note: Dars of Sahih al-Bukhari Sharif with Taaj al-Shariah Mufti Akhtar Rida al-Qadiri Hafidhahullahu Ta'ala goes On-Air from Mondays to Saturdays at 10:00pm - 2200 IST (India Standard Time i.e. GMT +5:30).

 

Regards,

 

C.I.S. Jamiat-ur-Raza

Bareilly Sharif (U.P.), India

 

Download Previous Dars-e-Hadith

DARS096 - A believer's fear that his actions will come to nothing without his being aware of it (Part - II) [14th September 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS095 - A believer's fear that his actions will come to nothing without his being aware of it (Part - I) [13th September 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS094 - Following the funeral procession of a Muslim (Part - II) [12th September 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS093 - Following the funeral procession of a Muslim (Part - I) [11th September 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS092 - Zakat is part of Islam (Part - IV) [10th September 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS091 - Zakat is part of Islam (Part - III) [9th September 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS090 - Zakat is part of Islam (Part - II) [8th September 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS089 - Zakat is part of Islam (Part - I) [7th September 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS088 - Increasing and Decreasing of Belief (Part - IV) [6th September 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS087 - Increasing and Decreasing of Belief (Part - III) [5th September 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS086 - Increasing and Decreasing of Belief (Part - II) [4th September 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS085 - Increasing and Decreasing of Belief (Part - I) [3rd September 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS084 - Allah loves the constancy in deen (Part - II) [2nd September 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS083 - Allah loves the constancy in deen (Part - I) [1st September 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS082 - The Excellence of a Man's Islam (Part - III) [31st August 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS081 - The Excellence of a Man's Islam (Part - II) [30th August 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS080 - The Excellence of a Man's Islam (Part - I) [27th August 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS079 - Paryer is part of Belief (Part - III) [26th August 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS078 - Paryer is part of Belief (Part - II) [25th August 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS077 - Paryer is part of Belief (Part - I) [24th August 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS076 - The Deen (Religion) is Easy (Part - III) [23rd August 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS075 - The Deen (Religion) is Easy (Part - II) [22nd August 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS074 - The Deen (Religion) is Easy (Part - I) [21st August 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS073 - Fasting Ramadan in Expectation of Reward [20th August 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS072 - Voluntary Prayers in Ramadan [19th August 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS071 - Jihad is a part of Belief [18th August 2011 - Delhi]

DARS070 - Performing the Prayer on the Night of Power (Part - II) [17th August 2011 - Delhi]

DARS069 - Performing the Prayer on the Night of Power (Part - I) [16th August 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS068 - Signs of the Hypocrite (Part - III) [15th August 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS067 - Signs of the Hypocrite (Part - II) [14th August 2011 - Madinah Munawwarah]

DARS066 - Signs of the Hypocrite (Part - I) [13th August 2011 - Madinah Munawwarah]

DARS065 - One injustice is able to be less than another injustice (Part - II) [12th August 2011 - Madinah Munawwarah]

DARS064 - One injustice is able to be less than another injustice (Part - I) [10th August 2011 - Madinah Munawwarah]

DARS063 - If two groups of Muslims fight against each other, reconcile them (Part - II) [8th August 2011 - Madinah Munawwarah]

DARS062 - If two groups of Muslims fight against each other, reconcile them (Part - I) [7th August 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS061 - Disobedience is part of Jahiliyyah [6th August 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS060 - Ingratitude after Ingratitude (Part - II) [5th August 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS059 - Ingratitude after Ingratitude (Part - I) [4th August 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS058 - Greeting widely is part of Islam (Part - II) [3rd August 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS057 - Greeting widely is part of Islam (Part - I) [2nd August 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS056 - When Islam is Genuine? (Part - III) [1st August 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS055 - When Islam is Genuine? (Part - II) [30th July 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS055 - When Islam is Genuine? (Part - II) [30th July 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS054 - When Islam is Genuine? (Part - I) [29th July 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS053 - Belief lies in Actions (Part - III) [28th July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS052 - Belief lies in Actions (Part - II) [27th July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS051 - Belief lies in Actions (Part - I) [26th July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS050 - On Allah's words (9:5) [25th July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS049 - Modesty is part of belief (Part - II) [24th July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS048 - Modesty is part of belief (Part - I) [23rd July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS047 - Grading of the superiority of the believers is based on their deeds (Part - II) [21st  July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS046 - Grading of the superiority of the believers is based on their deeds (Part - I) [20th  July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS045 - Hating to revert to disbelief as much as being thrown into a fire (Part - III) [19th  July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS044 - Hating to revert to disbelief as much as being thrown into a fire (Part - II) [17th  July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS043 - Hating to revert to disbelief as much as being thrown into a fire (Part - I) [14th July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS042 - True Knowledge is an Action of the Heart [13th July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS041 - Fleeing from Civil Strife (Fitan) is part of Belief (Part - II) [11th July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS040 - Fleeing from Civil Strife (Fitan) is part of Belief (Part - I) [10th July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS039 - Love for Ansaar is a sign of Belief (Part - VII) [9th July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS038 - Love for Ansaar is a sign of Belief (Part - VI) [8th July 2011 - Bombay]

DARS037 - Love for Ansaar is a sign of Belief (Part - V) [7th July 2011 - Bombay]

DARS036 - Love for Ansaar is a sign of Belief (Part - IV) [6th July 2011 - Nashik]

DARS035 - Love for Ansaar is a sign of Belief (Part - III) [5th July 2011 - Bombay]

DARS034 - Love for Ansaar is a sign of Belief (Part - II) [5th July 2011 - Bombay]

DARS033 - Love for Ansaar is a sign of Belief (Part - I) [4th July 2011 - Bangalore]

DARS032 - The Sweetness of Belief (Part - V) [2nd July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS031 - The Sweetness of Belief (Part - IV) [1st July 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS030 - The Sweetness of Belief (Part - III) [30th June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS029 - The Sweetness of Belief (Part - II) [29th June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS028 - The Sweetness of Belief (Part - I) [28th June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS027 - Love for the Beloved Prophet is Part of Belief (Part - III) [27th June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS026 - Love for the Beloved Prophet is Part of Belief (Part - II) [25th June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS025 - Love for the Beloved Prophet is Part of Belief (Part - I) [24th June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS024 - Want for your Brother what you want for yourself (Part - II) [23rd June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS023 - Want for your Brother what you want for yourself (Part - I) [22nd June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS022 - Whose Islam is Best (Part - IV) [21st June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS021 - Whose Islam is Best (Part - III) [20th June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS020 - Whose Islam is Best (Part - II) [19th June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS019 - Whose Islam is Best (Part - I) [18th June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS018 - A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe (Part - III) [17th June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS017 - A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe (Part - II) [16th June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS016 - A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe (Part - I) [15th June 2011 - Bareilly Sharif]

DARS015 - Modesty is a branch of Belief [14th June 2011 - Delhi]

DARS014 - Islam is based on Five things (Part - III) [10th June 2011 - Dubai]

DARS013 - Islam is based on Five things (Part - II) [9th June 2011 - Dubai]

DARS012 - Islam is based on Five things (Part - I) [4th June 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS011 - Hadith-e-Hiraqal (Part - III) [3rd June 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS010 - Hadith-e-Hiraqal (Part - II) [31st May 2011 - Madina Munawwarah]

DARS009 - Hadith-e-Hiraqal (Part - I) [30th May 2011 - Madina Munawwarah]

DARS008 - The Beginning of Revelation (Part - IV) [27th May 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS007 - The Beginning of Revelation (Part - III) [24th May 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS006 - The Beginning of Revelation (Part - II) [23rd May 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS005 - The Beginning of Revelation (Part - I) [21st May 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS004 - Every Man has what He Intends (Part - II) [19th May 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS002 - Sharah Hadith-e-Niyyat (Part - II) [15th May 2011 - Jeddah]

DARS001 - Sharah Hadith-e-Niyyat (Part - I) [14th May 2011 - Jeddah]

Files are in MP3 Format and can easily be downloaded to you device. Right Click and Choose 'Save As' to download and save to your device.

--

"The Superiority of the learned man over the worshiper is like that of the moon, on the night when it is full, over the rest of the stars. The learned are the heirs of the Prophets (Alaihim as-Salam), and the Prophets leave neither dinar nor dirham, leaving only knowledge, and he who takes it takes a big fortune." 

 

--
Shahzad Afzal
http://www.pakistanprobe.com

Read more >>