The Spiritual Legacy of Mufti Aʿẓam Hind

Mufti A‘ẓam Hind and his Noble Father

Imam Ahl al-Sunnah, Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ raised his younger son, Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, with great affection. At the time of his birth, Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ was 38 years old. Mufti A‘ẓam Hind received spiritual grace from his noble father for approximately 30 years.

My beloved Grand-Murshid, Sayyidī Quṭb al-Madīnah Ḍiyā al-Dīn al-Madanī رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, states:

When Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ would be in the Dār al-Iftā’, his younger son (Mufti A‘ẓam Hind) would sometimes present himself in his service. The manner in which the beloved son of Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ would be present in the court of his father was so endearing that one felt like sacrificing oneself for it. Whoever saw him would exclaim that he was undoubtedly a perfect inborn walī; such manners could not be expected from anyone else. At that time, he was nearly four years old. He would come quietly and sit respectfully before his father in the kneeling position; he would neither create a commotion like mischievous children nor pick up and throw things around. When students and well-wishers congratulated Imam Ahl al-Sunnah رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ on the birth of his younger son, he replied: “May Allah Almighty make your words auspicious. I am merely a humble servant of the religion, and it is my heartfelt desire that my son also makes the service of religion his way of life.”¹

The Blessed Childhood of Mufti A‘ẓam Hind

When Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ reached the age of four years, four months, and four days, Imam Ahl al-Sunnah رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ personally performed the Bismillāh ceremony. He then specifically appointed his elder son, Ḥujjat al-Islam Mawlānā Ḥāmid Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, for his education and care. By the time his Bismillāh ceremony was performed, he had already learned the rules of Ṣalāh and wuḍū’. Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ completed his nāẓirah recitation of the holy Quran in three years. His entire education took place at Dar al-‘Ulūm Manẓar al-Islam, the Islamic seminary established by Sayyidī Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ in Bareilly. He was diligent in his invocations and the recitation of the noble Quran from childhood; there was never a need for anyone to remind him to perform Ṣalāh.²

First Verdict (Fatwā)

Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ graduated (from formal religious education) at the age of 18. Like his noble father, he wrote his first verdict on the issue of “Raḍā‘ah” (nursing of children). Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ expressed great happiness when he found the answer to be correct. He felt the same joy upon seeing his son's verdict as his own father, Shaykh Naqī ‘Alī Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, had felt upon seeing his first verdict; he even had a "stamp" (seal) made and gifted it to him.³

The commentator of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Mufti Sharīf al-Ḥaqq al-Amjadī رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ describes the interesting incident of this first verdict as:

A handwritten volume of A'la Hazrat's Fatāwā Riḍawiyyah used to be kept in the sitting room. A'la Hazrat used to assign some rulings to the scholars present there to write, so they would look at the relevant ruling and write the answer. One day, Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ went to the sitting room. There, he saw a person looking at Fatāwā Riḍawiyyah with a paper placed underneath. When Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ asked, he replied: “I have to write a ruling on an issue.” In view of his familiarity with him, Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ said to him: “This is not an achievement to write a ruling after seeing it in Fatāwā Riḍawiyyah. Write it yourself by finding the ruling in books of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence).” He also replied in the same manner: “Then take it, you write it yourself.” Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ took the question. It was a complex issue regarding Raḍā‘ah (he himself had told me the issue, but I do not recall it at the moment).

References

¹ Jahan-e-Mufti-e-Azam, p. 64

² Jahan-e-Mufti-e-Azam, p. 65

³ Jahan-e-Mufti-e-Azam, p. 65 selected

 

Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ looked at the books that were there, wrote the ruling and supporting references, and sent it to the service of Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ. Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ recognised the handwriting and asked: “Who has given this?” The bearer replied: “Chotay Miyan” (Mufti A‘ẓam Hind was called Chotay Miyan at home). Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ summoned him. Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ came and saw that his father was overjoyed; rays of happiness were radiating from his blessed forehead. He said: "Sign this." After having it signed, Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ wrote "al-Jawāb Ṣaḥīḥ" (the answer is correct) or a similar sentence, signed it himself, and while giving a reward of five rupees, said: “I will get a 'stamp' made for you. Now you should write Fatāwā." Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ personally prepared the sketch for the "stamp" with his own blessed hands, wrote the teknonym and title, and handed it over to the stamp-maker. When the stamp was made, he called him and gifted it to him. The special thing is that Imam Aḥmad Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ did not reduce or add even a single word to this first verdict, nor did he make any corrections. Mufti A‘ẓam Hind's first verdict was so correct and complete that there was no room to find any fault in it.¹

If the beginning is like this, imagine the end!

Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ continued to write fatāwā under the supervision of his noble father, Imam Ahl al-Sunnah رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, from 1328 AH to 1340 AH (12 years). Then, after the sorrowful passing of Imam Ahl al-Sunnah رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, he began issuing fatāwā officially.² The collection of his fatāwā consists of 7 volumes, available under the title "Fatāwā Mufti A‘ẓam." He used to receive letters regarding religious issues from Arabia, Africa, Mauritius, England, America, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and other places, and he would dictate their answers.

References

¹ Jahan-e-Mufti-e-Azam, p. 252 ² Jahan-e-Mufti-e-Azam, p. 65

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيب      صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّد