صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيب صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى
مُحَمَّد
Three
Hajj
Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ was blessed with the opportunity to
perform Hajj and visit Madinah three times. During his final pilgrimage, he
also met the scholars of the Ḥaramayn in the sacred Makkah, who had the honor
of meeting Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ
عَلَيْهِ during his time in the sacred Ḥaramayn.¹
References
¹
Jahan-e-Mufti-e-Azam, pp. 994-995 selected
Prophetic
Odes of Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ
Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ received a generous share of Prophetic
odes as an inheritance. He wrote several Ḥamds (divine praises) of Allah
Almighty, Prophetic odes in honour of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم, and general odes for
the pious predecessors رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ.
There is no Shar‘ī or technical flaw in his poetry.
His collection of Prophetic odes,
titled Saman-e-Bakhshish, is truly worth reading, listening to, and
understanding. Maktaba-tul-Madinah has printed it beautifully. It can be read
by downloading it for free from Dawat-e-Islami’s website.
His
Passing
Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ always offered prayer in the masjid, but a
day before his passing, on Wednesday, when he could not reach the masjid for Ẓuhr
and ‘Aṣr, people became worried with the realisation that his health had deteriorated
significantly. On his final night, he offered the ‘Ishā’ prayer on his bed.
After that, he blessed everyone by blowing on them and quietly lay down with
his eyes closed to complete his daily invocations. When half of the night of
Thursday had passed, he opened his eyes, looked with great composure at the
sorrow-filled faces, and as a waṣiyyah, he stated: “Adhere to the Sunnah of
al-Muṣṭafā صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم
in every state as this is the path to salvation and success.” Then, after a
little while, he said: “In every difficult time, keep reciting حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيل.”
After these two important pieces of
advice, he recited Surah al-Mulk, then Āyat al-Kursī, and then he passed away
while continually reciting the Kalimah Ṭayyibah.
وَاِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَاِنَّا اِلَيْهِ
رَاجِعُوْنَ!¹
On 14th Muḥarram al-Ḥarām 1402 AH,
corresponding to November 12, 1981, the clock showed 1:40 AM at the time of his
demise. At the time of passing, he was lying on his bed positioned in the shape
of the name "Muhammad".²
Ghusl,
Funeral Prayer, and Burial
On Friday, 14th Muḥarram al-Ḥarām
1402 AH, November 13, 1981, at 8:00 AM, the final bath (Ghusl) was given to
him. Sarkār-e-Kalān Mawlānā Sayyid Mukhtār Ashraf رَحْمَةُ
اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ (Custodian of Kichocha Sharif) led his funeral prayer at
Islamiah Inter College, Bareilly (India), in which millions of Muslims
participated. He was then buried to the left side of his noble father, Imam Ahl
al-Sunnah Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ
عَلَيْهِ.³
May Allah Almighty have mercy on
Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ
and forgive us by his virtue without accountability!
References
¹
Tarikh Mashā’ikh-e-Qādiriyyah Riḍawiyyah , p. 571
²
Tarikh Mashā’ikh-e-Qādiriyyah Riḍawiyyah, pp. 571-572 derived
³
Mufti-e-Azam Hind aur unke Khulafa, p. 102
آمِينْ بِجَاهِ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ صَلَّى
اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم
صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيب صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى
مُحَمَّد
Impressions
of the Scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah in Relation to the Four Letters of Mufti A‘ẓam’s
Pen Name 'نوری'
(1)
Sayyidunā Ḥāfiẓ al-Millah ‘Allāmah Ḥāfiẓ ‘Abd al-‘Azīz رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ stated:
“No one receives such an honor and
popularity in their own city, but the honor and popularity that Mufti A‘ẓam
Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ possesses in his own
city is unmatched.”¹
(2)
Mujāhid al-Millah ‘Allāmah Muhammad Ḥabīb al-Raḥmān
al-Riḍāwī al-Ariswī رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ
stated:
“In this era, Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ is unparalleled —
especially in the field of issuing legal edicts. Even in daily conversation, he
employs very cautious and appropriate words and constraints. Only the people of
knowledge truly enjoy his level.”²
(3)
The Ghazālī of this age, Sayyid ‘Allāmah Sa‘īd Aḥmad
al-Kāẓimī رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ
stated:
“The status of Sayyidī Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ is evident from the
fact that besides being the beloved son and true successor of Imam Ahl
al-Sunnah, the Mujaddid, Mawlānā Shāh Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ
اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, he is the true embodiment of the saying, 'الولد سر ابیه' (the son is the secret of his father).”³
(4)
The successor of Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan, Sayyidī Quṭb
al-Madinah Ḍiyā’ al-Din Aḥmad al-madanī رَحْمَةُ
اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ stated:
“Mufti A‘ẓam Hind is the Mufti
A‘ẓam, he is A‘lā Hazrat. He is stationed at the rank of Ṣiddīqiyyah.”⁴
The founder of Dawat-e-Islami,
Mawlānā Muhammad Ilyas ‘Aṭṭār al-Qādirī دَامَتْ
بَرَكَاتُهُمُ الْعَالِيَه states: “The pride of Ahl al-Sunnah, the
beloved son of Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan, Mufti A‘ẓam Hind Mawlānā Muṣṭafā Riḍā Khan
al-Nūrī al-Riḍāwī رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ
was a great graduate of Dar al-‘Ulūm Manẓar al-Islam, Bareilly, an expert in
sciences and arts, the Mufti of Islam, an Islamic scholar of the modern era,
author of various books, an Islamic poet, and a famous spiritual guide.” In
another place, he states: “Mufti A‘ẓam Hind Mawlānā Muṣṭafā Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ was the beloved son of
Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ.
Both he and his father are walīs and devotees of the holy Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم.”¹
Amīr Ahl al-Sunnah has written an
ode in the praise of Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ
عَلَيْهِ, which can be seen in his book Wasaa'il-e-Bakhshish.
References
¹
Mufti-e-Azam Hind Number, Mahnama Istiqamat, p. 559
²
Mufti-e-Azam Hind Number, Mahnama Istiqamat, p. 559
³
Tarikh-e-Mashā’ikh-e-Qādiriyyah, p. 551
⁴
Tarikh-e-Mashā’ikh-e-Qādiriyyah, p. 552
صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيب صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى
مُحَمَّد
