The Excellence and Noble Character of Mufti Aʿẓam Hind

The ‘Imāmah of Mufti A‘ẓam Hind on the Head of Amīr Ahl al-Sunnah

Amīr Ahl al-Sunnah, founder of Dawat-e-Islami, Mawlānā Muhammad Ilyas ‘Aṭṭār al-Qādirī دَامَتْ بَرَكَاتُهُمُ الْعَالِيَه states:

Before the formation of Dawat-e-Islami, in Kharadar, Karachi, in the Ḥaydari Masjid located at the resting place of Sayyidunā Muhammad Shāh Dulhā al-Bukhārī al-Sabzwārī رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, Mawlānā Ḥamīd al-Raḥmān al-Qādirī al-Riḍāwī رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, the son of the Khalifah of Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan, Maddāḥ al-Ḥabīb Mawlānā Jamīl al-Raḥmān al-Qādirī al-Riḍāwī رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, used to lead prayer. His house was approximately six to seven kilometers away from the masjid. He possessed the blessed ‘imāmah of Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ. Due to his absence, I was blessed with the opportunity to lead Fajr prayer, and I would be privileged to receive that very ‘imāmah of Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, from which I would seek blessings. اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ! The ‘imāmah of a perfect walī has touched my hands and head many times. إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ, the fire of Hell will not touch my hands and head, and since it will not touch the hands and head, إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ, the entire body will remain protected.

The Marriage of Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ

His marriage took place in the household of his uncle, Muhammad Riḍā Khan. Allah Almighty blessed him with seven children, one of whom was a son and the rest were daughters. His son, Anwār Riḍā, passed away at a young age.¹

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيب      صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّد

Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ Stayed Away from Rulers

Mufti A‘ẓam Hind Mawlānā Muṣṭafā Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ always remained distant from ministers and government officials. Ra’īs al-Qalam Mawlānā Arshad al-Qādirī رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ has stated:

And this is also an unparalleled example of religious sense of honor that Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ in his long life of ninety-two years, neither went to the house of any head of state nor was he ever seen at the bungalow of any great ruler. Rather, what is astonishing is that many heads of state and many royals of the time sought permission to be admitted to his gathering, and Mufti-e-Azam رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ refused to meet them, saying: “A Dervish has nothing to do with kings and those in power?”²

Thus, Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ was the personification of this couplet by his noble father:

Karun Madh-e-Duwal raza

Pare is bala me meri bala

Me Gada hun apne kareem ka

Mera deen para-e-Naa nahi.³

Explanation of Riḍā’s Poetry

The Maqta‘ (closing couplet) of Imam Aḥmad Riḍā’s poetry means: “O Riḍā! Should I praise and flatter the world’s wealthy aristocrats and rulers? Not at all! Instead, may my trouble be ruined in such a destruction of flattery towards the rich! (It is impossible for me to do so.) I am merely a beggar at the court of my beloved Messenger صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم. My religion is not a 'morsel of bread' (that I should incline toward wealth!).”

References

¹ Jahan-e-Mufti-e-Azam, p. 65 selected

² Mufti-e-Azam ki Istiqamat-o-Karamat, p. 110

³ Hadaiq-e-Bakhshish, p. 109

Gold Rings are Prohibited for Men

‘Allāmah Arshad al-Qādirī رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ has stated:

For the son of Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan, Mufti A‘ẓam رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, the most distressing sight was seeing a Muslim violating the Islamic Shariah. When fulfilling the duty of أَمْرٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهْيٌ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ (commanding good and forbidding evil), he made no distinction between the small or the great, the rich or the poor, the ruler or the ruled. It was a common occurrence in Mufti-e-Azam’s court that regardless of how wealthy a person was or how high-ranking an officer, if he came with a gold ring on his finger, Mufti A‘ẓam رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ would immediately have it removed. With immense compassion and love, he would instruct him that the use of gold is prohibited (haram) for men in Shariah of the final Prophet. Then, in a tone that won the heart, he would say: “Some sins last for a moment or two, or an hour or two, but the sin of a gold ring is such that as long as you wear it, you are in a state of continuous sin.”¹

(For detailed religious rulings regarding rings, read the book 550 Sunnahs and Manners by Amīr Ahl al-Sunnah.)

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيب      صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّد

If only we would become those who command good and forbid evil by virtue of Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ. If you call someone to righteousness, you will receive the reward of one year of worship for every single word spoken, just as Imam Abū Ḥāmid Muhammad b. Muhammad b. Muhammad al-Ghazālī رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ has stated:

Once, Sayyiduna Mūsā Kalimullāh عليه الصلاة والسلام asked in the Divine court of Allah Almighty: “O Allah! What is the reward for the one who commands his brother to do good and forbids him from evil?” Allah Almighty replied: “I record the reward of one year of worship for every word he speaks, and it is against my honor to punish him with the fire of Hell.”²

سُبْحَانَ اللّٰه! Dear Islamic brothers! Be eager in gathering virtues. Intensify the campaign to make others perform prayer. Whenever you go to the masjid for congregational prayer, encourage others and take them along. Teach those who do not know how to perform prayer. If even one person becomes a regular performer of prayer because of you, then as long as they continue to perform prayer, you will continue to receive the reward for every one of their prayers. Enroll in Dawat-e-Islami’s Madrasa-tul-Madinah (for adults); learn the holy Quran yourself and teach others. Whenever the one who learns from you recites, you will receive the reward for their recitation as well. Practice the sunan yourself and encourage others to practice them. If you teach someone a single Sunnah, then every time they act upon it, you will receive the reward equal to the one acting upon that Sunnah. Become a "Machine" for turning all Muslims into "pious individuals" by running a vigorous campaign for the area visit for the call to righteousness and traveling with Sunnah-inspired Madani Qafilahs. إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّه, you will accumulate a mountain of reward, and you will be successful in both worlds. If a person were to see the reward for the "Call to Righteousness" in this world that is reserved for the Hereafter, they would not waste a single moment and would spend all their time spreading the call to righteousness.

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيب      صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّد

References

¹ Mufti-e-Azam ki Istiqamat-o-Karamat, p. 146

2 Mukāshafat al-Qulūb, p. 48