Académique Documents
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CONTENTS
The desire for sacred traditional knowledge led him to Jamia Qadria,
Mardan, Khybar Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) in Pakistan; the city of his noble
teacher, the Grand Mufti of KPK, Allama Fazl-e-Subhan Qadri. Shaykh
Zulfqar spent several years undergoing vigorous training in advanced
Dars Nizami texts that are rarely taught in present times. Under the
tutelage of Allama Fazl-e-Subhan Qadri, Shaykh Zulfqar mastered over
fifty sacred traditional texts such as Mir Zahid Umur Amah in Ilm alKalam, Sharh Mulla Jami in Nahw, al-Tawdeeh wat Talweeh in Usul alFiqh, Shams Bazigha in Classical Philosophy, Mir Qutbi in Mantiq (Logic),
numerous texts relating to Farsi literature, numerous texts relating to
Maqulat (rational sciences) which include Mir Zahid Risala Qutbiyyah,
Mir Zahid Mulla Jalal, Mulla Hassan and Hamdullah.
There are only two distinguished scholars in the sanad between Imam
Ahmad Rida Khan (radiallahu anhu) and Shaykh Zulfqar.
In 2004 Shaykh Abdul Hakim Sharaf Qadri, a direct student of Ustadhul-Ulama Mawlana Ata Muhammad Chishti Bandyalvi (radiallahu anhu),
granted Shaykh Zulfqar all of his Ijazaat in Ulum Aqliyya (Rational
Sciences), Ulum Naqliyya (Transmitted Sciences) and Tareeqah.
Upon return from KPK, Shaykh Zulfqar produced the first prospectus of
traditional Dars Nizami in English; Foundation Diploma in Islamic
Sciences & Classical Arabic and Advanced Diploma in Islamic Sciences
and Traditional Scholarship.
He has also authored the first English book detailing the characteristics
of Arabic etymological chapters, namely Diya al-Khawwas, alongside
translating the classical Persian text Nahw Mir into Arabic, editing and
verifying Tasrif al-Zanjani and writing numerous articles. The Shaykh is
currently researching and compiling other Dars Nizami texts.
The Luminary of the Nation, Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah alAzhari (radiallah anhu) serves as an inspiration to Shaykh Zulfqar. After
having spent time as a child in the Grand Shaykhs company, Shaykh
Zulfqar seeks guidance and inspiration in the teachings and personality
of the Grand Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari (radiallahu
anhu).
FOREWORD
A brief biography of Imam Ahmad Rida Khan (radiallahu anhu)
By Shaykh Zulfqar Haidar Pirzada Al-Azhari
Imam Ahmad Rida b. Naqiy Ali Khan al-Hanafi more commonly known
as Aala Hazrat, was born in Bareilly, in the United Provinces, India, in
1272/1856. Imam Ahmad Rida Khan was blessed with a spiritual
environment from birth.
Imam Ahmad Rida Khans most important teacher was his father with
whom he completed the entire Dars Nizami syllabus at the age of
fourteen. His father then entrusted him the responsibility of writing
fatawa due to his scholarly insights and astounding memory.
At the
age of twenty one Imam Ahmad Rida Khan became a disciple of Shah
Aal-e-Rasul (d. 1297/1880) of Marehra, India, and entered the Qadiri
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Sufi Order. During his life he also benefited from Ahmad b. Zayni
Dahlan; the Shafii Mufti of Makkah, Abd al-Rahman al-Makki, Husayn b.
Saleh al-Makki and Shah Abul Husayn Ahmad al-Nuri.
Many exemplary stories about him even whilst he was very young have
been mentioned by his biographers. For example when learning the
Arabic alphabet from his grandfather he instinctively understood the
deeper significance of the letter la with which the shahada begins. He
understood not only its outward meaning that related to Oneness of
God, but grasped its esoteric mystical knowledge communicated to him
by his grandfather. Such stories explain why he later not only became a
great intellectual but a Sufi mystic also.
during Hajj when the Shafii Imam, Husayn b. Saleh al-Makki, one day
took him aside after the evening prayer and said he saw the light of Allah
(most High) shine in his forehead. He then gave him a certificate in the
six Hadith collections as well as one in the Qadiri Order signing it with
his own hands. One of the scholars of Makkah; Sayyid Ismail b. Sayyid
Khalil Afandi, after reading a book written by Imam Ahmad Rida Khan
proclaimed, By Allah I tell you the truth! Had Abu Hanifa al-Numan
seen this, his eyed would be cooled and he would include the author of
this book amongst his students. The Hijazi scholars who met him or
read his works held him in high esteem and through his pilgrimages he
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Imam Ahmad Rida Khan being a man of his time realised that the Persian
language in the Indian Subcontinent in his time was rapidly being
replaced with Urdu and for this reason most of his works are in Urdu. In
1330/1911 he translated the Quran into Urdu entitled Kanz al-Iman fi
Tarjama al-Quran (Treasure of Faith Relating to Translation of the
Quran). His two works in Ifta Methodology are masterpieces in the
science of issuing religious verdicts according to Hanafi Jurisprudence;
Al-Fadl al-Mawhibi fi Mana idha Sahhal Hadith fahuwa Madhhabi
(Gifted Favour in the meaning of When the Hadith is Sound It Is My
Madhhab) and Ajla al-Ilam annal Fatwa Mutlaqan ala Qawlil Imam
(The Most Manifest Information that the Fatwa is Absolutely According
to the Teaching of the Imam). He authored approximately seven
hundred books in Tafsir, Usul al-Hadith, Takhrij al-Hadith, Asma al-Rijal,
Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Ifta, Tajwid, Ilm al-Kalam and Tasawwuf.
Imam Ahmad Rida Khan lived in India at a time when Indian poets and
litterateurs were seen as cultural heroes. Poets like Mirza Ghalib (d.
1285/1869) had gained much fame throughout India. Poets during that
era used their talent at times for material gains from the rich. However
Imam Ahmad Rida Khan mastered the art of poetry and used his talent
to defend and praise the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with
great love and devotion. He gave himself the name Abd al-Mustafa
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(servant of the Chosen One). The soul of Imam Ahmad Rida Khan
departed from his body on Friday 25 Safar 1340/Friday 28 October 1921
at the exact time when the Muazzin calling people for Friday prayers
said Hayya alal falah.
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INTRODUCTION
Objections have been previously raised and directed towards Imam
Ahmad Rida Khan (radiallahu anhu) by those who failed to recognize the
status of this great Imam.
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THE RESPONSE
In essence, Imam Ahmad Rida Khans (radiallahu anhu) works are not in
need of any introduction. However, in the context of this discussion I
will briefly mention a few necessary points relating to his poetic
masterpiece, Hadaiq-e-Bakhshish, which has come under scrutiny.
There is no doubt the Imam was the greatest scholar of his era and was
accepted as such by his contemporaries all over the world. He stood as
an outstanding jurist, a master of Hadith, logic, rhetoric, philosophy,
astronomy, mathematics, and all of the known sciences of his time, even
some sciences which were extremely rare. He was an orator, researcher,
poet and devout lover of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa
sallam) and his noble family (radiallahu anhum).
In 1923, two years after the demise of Imam Ahmad Rida Khan
(radiallahu anhu), Mawlana Mahboob Ali Khan collected poetry of Imam
Ahmad Rida Khan (radiallahu anhu) that was found in various texts and
writings of the Imam and not mentioned in the two volumes of Hadaiqe-Bakhshish. Mawlana Mahboob Ali Khan then compiled and published
the previously unpublished poetry and entitled it Hadaiq-e-Bakhshish,
Volume Three. The task of publishing it was given to Nabhah Steam
Press in India.1
Ihsan Ilahi Zaheer ki Kitab Al-Barelwiyyah ka Tahqiqi awr Tanqidi Jaizah, p139,
Maktaba Qadria, Lahore, 2006.
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THE MISTAKE
In Hadaiq-e-Bakhshish Volume Three a poem exalting Sayyida Aisha
(radiallahu anha) was published. The scribe, who was not from the Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamaah, either intentionally or unintentionally inserted
couplets which were originally written in reference to Umm Zar2 and
other polytheist women into the poem in praise of Sayyida Aisha
(radiallahu anha)3.
Umm Zar and the other polytheist women have been mentioned in numerous
books of hadith including Bukhari and Muslim.
Ihsan Ilahi Zaheer ki Kitab Al-Barelwiyyah ka Tahqiqi awr Tanqidi Jaizah, p140,
Maktaba Qadria, Lahore, 2006.
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THE TRUTH
It is of paramount importance to emphasize that Imam Ahmad Rida
Khan (radiallahu anhu) did not endorse this book (Hadaiq-e-Bakhshish
Volume Three) as he had passed away in 1921, two years prior to its
publication.
Allamah Abdul Hakim Sharaf Qadri raised several points regarding the
lenient nature of Mawlana Mahboob Ali Khans publication:
3. The title page of the third volume states that it was published in
1907. However, this was actually the year in which the first two
volumes were published. As stated previously, the third volume
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Ihsan Ilahi Zaheer ki Kitab Al-Barelwiyyah ka Tahqiqi awr Tanqidi Jaizah, p140,
Maktaba Qadria, Lahore, 2006.
4
17
Ihsan Ilahi Zaheer ki Kitab Al-Barelwiyyah ka Tahqiqi awr Tanqidi Jaizah, p141,
Maktaba Qadria, Lahore, 2006.
5
18
Ihsan Ilahi Zaheer ki Kitab Al-Barelwiyyah ka Tahqiqi awr Tanqidi Jaizah, p141,
Maktaba Qadria, Lahore, 2006.
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THE OUTCOME
Despite Mawlana Mahboob Ali Khans public repentance and
acknowledgement of the mistake, Deobandi scholars continued their
protests and disregarded the Tawbah Namah.
Ihsan Ilahi Zaheer ki Kitab Al-Barelwiyyah ka Tahqiqi awr Tanqidi Jaizah, p142,
Maktaba Qadria, Lahore, 2006.
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THE CONCLUSION
In conclusion, it is unreasonable to raise an objection against Imam
Ahmad Rida Khan (radiallahu anhu) when Mawlana Mahboob Ali Khan
accepted full responsibility for the error in publication. The volume
under objection was not published during the life of the exalted Imam
and therefore could not be endorsed by him.
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