By Shaykh Uwais Namazi

Sheikh Ahmad ʿAlī Diwān Lājpūrī (1919-2011)

This obituary was inspired by Dr. Akram Nadwī’s speech at Masjid al-Falah (Leicester) on Saturday 12 March 2011, a day after the Sheikh’s funeral. His Urdu speech can be downloaded from here: http://bit.ly/k6S1am

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[I relate to] Shaykh Aḥmed ʿAlī al-Lājpūrī as-Sūrtī – ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān al-Amrohī – Faḍl ar-Raḥmān ibn Ahl Allāh aṣ-Ṣiddīqī – ʿAbd al-ʿAziz ibn Aḥmed ibn ʿAbd ar-Rahīm ad-Dehlavī (a.k.a Shāh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz) – from his father: Shāh Walī Allāh – Abū Ṭāhir al-Kurdī – Muḥammad Ibrāhīm al-Kūrānī – Ṣafī ad-Dīn Aḥmad al-Qushāshī – Aḥmad ash-Shinnāwī – Shams ad-Dīn Muḥammad ar-Ramlī – Zakariyyā al-Anṣārī – Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī – al-Buhrān Abū Isḥāq Ibrāhīm at-Tannūkhī – Abū al- ʿAbbās Aḥmad Ibn Abī Ṭālib al-Ḥajjār – Abū ʿAbd Allah al-Ḥusayn ibn al-Mubārak az-Zabīdī – Abū al-Waqt ʿAbd al-Awwal ibn ʿIsā al-Harawī as-Sijzī – Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Muẓaffar ad-Dāwūdī al-Būshanjī – Aḥmad ibn Ḥamūyah as-Sarakhsī – Muḥammad ibn Yūsuf ibn Maṭar al-Firabrī – Abū ʿAbdullāh Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl al-Bukhārī – Ismāʿīl ibn ‘Abī ‘Uways – Mālik ibn ‘Anas – Hishām ibn ʿUrwah – his father: ʿUrwat ibn az-Zubayr – ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ:

I heard the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, say: “Allah will not extract knowledge from His slaves but will expel knowledge by uplifting Scholars [from this world] until there will be none left, in which case people will take the ignorant as their leaders. People will consult these ignorant leaders and they will advise without proper knowledge. They are misguided and misguide others.”

—————————————- This is how the shortest and most elevated chain of our times reads.

It is a tremendous endorsement that Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAlī Lājpūrī’s name has now crystallized in the chain of transmitters linking us back to the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessing be upon him. Muslims should take heed and realise the blessing surrounding the Prophetic pronouncements. Ḥadīth students relating transmissions with chains will now invoke Mowlānā’s name and no doubt pray for his mercy.

Indeed there are many proficient Ḥadīth transmitters present today, however ‘elevation’ or ʿuluw, which is to pursue the highest chain with the least number of transmitters, has been much sought after by scholars and students alike. For, it means closeness to Allah and His Prophet amongst many things and this alone is one blessing enough. Imam Aḥmad promulgated ‘the pursuit of an elevated chain is a tradition of those bygone’ while Imam ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī announced that ‘settling for less is a sign of misfortune’ (al-Nuzūl Shu’m). There is no shortage of examples from the Companion generation onwards of people travelling to hear reports from the mouths of the earliest or initial narrators. Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAlī was amongst the last, if not the last, surviving student to have studied under Mowlānā ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān Amrohī. He was in his final year of ʿālim class at Dabhel, an institution founded by the Deobandi prodigy Mowlānā ‘Anwar Shāh Kashmīrī, when its resident Shaykh al-Ḥadīth Mowlānā Shabbīr Aḥmad ʿUthmānī took sabbatical leave. The 30’s and 40’s were decades troubled with politics in the Subcontinent that proved decisive, it led to the notorious partition, and Mowlānā ʿUthmānī was in the thick of much of it. Unlike Deoband’s Shaykh al-Ḥadīth Mowlānā Ḥusayn Aḥmad Madani, Mowlānā ʿUthmānī did not support the Congress cause. Instead, his intuition led him to place faith in the call for a separate Muslim state which later became known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

When I first went to recite Ḥadīth to Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAlī in 2005 with Imam Muṣṭafā ʿUmar (California), he shared his feelings about the political disagreement between the two personages. It was his sincere belief that both had the interests of fellow Muslims at heart and that he was not in a position to judge or fault either. This is an important principle which tends to find lesser acknowledgement today than ever before, especially in a culture where people are expected to hold a partisan opinion. Where posterity is not able to appreciate the context in which dissent is shaped, it should refrain from taking sides. In fact, posterity is advised to exercise caution when confronted with contentions of past contemporaries. For, ill-will and animosity is not uncommon and a lack of care can destroy the past, jeopardise the present and divide the future.

In any case, Mowlānā Shabbīr Aḥmad ʿUthmānī’s sabbatical left the institution in search of an appropriate substitute to take on the leading position of Shaykh al-Ḥadīth. The institution, unable to find a suitor, requested the then frail Mowlānā ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān Amrohī who was escorted from his hometown well over a thousand kilometres away. (Amroha is located in North India, the state of Uttar Pradesh)

This is significant.

Mowlānā Amrohī had many credentials attached to his name. He was the last student to have studied Sunan al-Tirmidhī from Mowlānā Qāsim Nānotwī and had accrued ijazāh from Muftī Rashīd Aḥmad Gangohī. He was also affiliated with Deoband’s spiritual leader, Ḥājī Imdād Allāh, who licensed him in the Chishti order. This meant that there was only one link between Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAlī and the founding fathers of Deoband.

Some thirty years ago, Qārī Ṭayyib, the former principle of Deoband visited Pakistan and during his address to the ʿUlamā’ there, prided over the particular link of Mowlānā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Amrohī. For, it linked him to his grandfather, Mowlānā Qāsim, via one link only. Of late there was none who could claim such an honour 1, not even in the Deoband itself, and just when one feels that it stops here it does not.

Mowlānā Amrohi is also recorded to have studied with Shaykh Ḥusayn ibn Muḥsin al-Yamānī, a Yemeni scholar who set foot in India five years after the Mutiny of 1857 and is responsible for bringing certain strands of thought to the Indian landscape that were otherwise not readily accessible. Shaykh Ḥusayn’s formal studies were under various members of the mighty al-Ahdal family but he had also been blessed with the companionship of both the peerless al-Qaḍī al- Shawkānī and the unrivalled ‘salafī’-oriented Ḥadīth scholar, Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Nāṣir al- Ḥazimī. All conferred their licenses and showed much love and affection. Al-Shawkānī would say to him, ‘Your father is the student of my father, you are my son and student’.

His trip to India came shortly after he faced persecution at the hands of one of al-Ḥudaydah’s governors, a Turk by the name of Ahmed Pasha (al-Ḥudaydah was the Shaykh’s birthplace). This governor wanted to implement an unspecified tax upon pearl merchants, for which he invited scholars to approve his policy. Shaykh Ḥusayn strongly refused. He passionately defended the public, reasoning that there was no basis for it in the Qur’ān, ḥadīth or fiqh texts. This resulted in death/torture threats but he remained steadfast and handed in his resignation. Consequently, he was fettered out into the scorching sun without food or water. His features had changed and everyone who saw his situation condemned the governor. He was released shortly thereafter.

India was undergoing its fair share of political turmoil at the time. Shaykh Ḥusayn made a total of three trips to India, Bhopal in particular. It was his last trip, however, in which he decided to settle in India for good which proved most profitable. Bhopal, thanks to the exceptional Shāh Jehān Begum and her second husband, the Amīr Ahl al-Ḥadīth Fī al-Hind2, Nawāb Ṣiddīq Ḥasan Khān al- Qannowjī, became the capital of Ḥadīth studies and Shaykh Ḥusayn was its centre of attraction.3 Thousands of scholars flocked to study at his feet, Mowlānā Amrohī included, as he was by far one of the most celebrated Ḥadīth scholars of that period.

Most important of all, however, was Mowlānā Amrohī’s affiliation and later license from Mowlānā Faḍl ar-Raḥmān Ganj Murādābādī, a magnificent personage not only well-versed in scripture but also the greatest Sufi authority of his time. It should suffice in noting the famous historian and prodigy, Ḥakīm ʿAbd al-Ḥayy al-Ḥasanī, who was also one of his disciples. He comments that his karāmāt had reached the point of certainty to all, second only to those known of Shaykh ʿAbd al- Qādir al-Jīlānī. Notables from all walks of life flocked to him, including those now considered from various Sunni denominations: Mowlānā Thānvī, Aḥmad Rīḍā Khān and Nawāb Ṣiddīq Ḥasan Khān4 — – all had sought his companionship. Amongst many things, Mowlānā Faḍl ar-Raḥmān is known for his attachment to the ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī. He would have at least two readings of it daily at his khānqāh, which mesmerised all that were present. Mowlānā Faḍl ar-Raḥmān was amongst the last students of Shāh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, the eldest son of Shāh Walī Allāh and Mowlānā Amrohī is considered his last student. This is what made Shaykh Aḥmad’s chain so strong. It’s the most elevated link to India’s polymath and Ḥadīth revivalist, Shāh Walī Allāh.

The majority of senior Deobandi scholars today are students of Mowlānā Ḥusayn Aḥmad Madanī. Mowlānā Madanī’s chain goes via his teacher Mowlānā Maḥmūd al-Ḥasan, “Shaykh al-Hind”. It will read along the following lines:

1. X

2. Mowlānā Madanī

3. Maḥmūd al-Ḥasan/Qāsim Nānotwī/Rashīd Gangohī

4. ʿAbd al-Ghanī ibn Abī Saʿīd

5. Shāh Muḥammad Isḥāq

6. Shāh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz

7. Shāh Walī Allāh

Britain’s senior ʿUlamā’ are students of Shaykh Zakariyyā Kandhelvī, former Shaykh al-Ḥadīth of the Mazāhir al-ʿUlūm (Saharanpur) seminary and author of the famous Faḍā’il al-Aʿmāl. His chain is as follows:

1. Zakariyyā al-Kandhelvī

2. Khalīl Aḥmad Sahāranpūrī

3. ʿAbd al-Ghanī ibn Abī Saʿīd/ʿAbd al-Qayyūm Badhānvī

4. Shāh Muḥammad Isḥāq

5. Shāh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz

6. Shāh Walī Allāh

By contrast and bearing in mind that Moulanā Madanī died in 1957 and Shaykh Zakariyyā in 1982, Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAlī’s is as follows:

1. ShaykhAḥmad(d.2012)

2. ʿAbdar-RaḥmānAmrohī

3. Faḍl ar-Raḥmān Ganj Murādābādī

4. Shāh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz

5. ShāhWalīAllāh(d.1762)

That is an impressive 250 years between three links. —————————

Shaykh Aḥmad was born in 1919, almost a century ago, in the wake of a series of political events that would change the course of history: the Great War and the Second World War, the fall of the Ottoman Caliphate, the partition of India Pakistan etc. His hometown Lājpūr is renowned for its piety and sayyids. Shah Sufi Sulaymān, author of bāgh-e-ʿĀrif, Mufti ʿAbd ar-Raḥīm Lājpūrī, author of the voluminous fatāwā-e-Raḥīmiyyah, Mufti Marghūb ar-Raḥmān Lājpūrī and Mowlānā Ismāʿīl Wādī, an old sage currently residing in Blackburn, are some of the proud sons of this village.

He received his initial education at home and later pursued formal studies at the Jāmʿiah Taʿlīm ad- Dīn seminary at Dabhel. After graduation, he taught there for some years. In 1950 he was invited to serve as Imam in South Africa. Travelling then was accomplished via sea and took months. By the time he had reached South Africa, the mosque committee that invited him had changed and the vacancy filled. The Shaykh then decided to retreat to his teaching post in Dabhel when others suggested neighbouring Mozambique was desperately in need of an Imam. Mozambique too, by the time he had reached there, had found someone. However, his arrival in Mozambique had coincided with an individual from Malawi who was in search of an Imam.

From 1950 onwards, for 12-14 years, Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAlī served as full-time Imam and teacher at the town of Dedza. Thereafter he retired with a shop in Namadzi, a trading post which connected the North and Central Malawi with the South, in particular to the country’s former capital Zomba. His shop was strategically situated across the town’s mosque. Namadzi, located on a famous travelers route, functioned as a pit-stop where travelers would stop to pray, snack and catch up with news. When the Malawi dictatorship, like many of its African counterparts, took up the Africanisation policy which put non-natives at a disadvantage, the Shaykh, along with the rest of the commonwealth Africans of Asian heritage, migrated to England, Leicester to be precise, which is home, till date, to the largest population of African Asian migrants. He arrived here in 1970.

Throughout my visits I realised he was essentially a man of that past era. He embodied all the charm and warmth of our immediate predecessors, which is fast becoming extinct with the departure of this first generation of migrants. Their ‘values’ are alien to the third/fourth generation of British Muslims today.

Following the sunnah was beyond question, he adhered to the configurations of the Deobandi school passionately. In it, he found his comfort and conviction. On a Ramadhan visit to an Arab country, he related how Arab students had decided to read 8-12 rakʿats of the tarāwīh prayer. The Shaykh, with all humility and indifference, told them that while they were free to pray however many they wished, he would pray the full twenty. He was very respectful and mindful in this which brought about a great sense of admiration, even to those who did not hold similar positions.

Last year, thanks to Shaykh Haytham al-Ḥaddād and Dr. Akram Nadwī’s efforts, Britain witnessed its first ever public reading of the ṣaḥīḥ al-bukhārī. Over a period of 5 weekend sittings and in the presence of Britain’s leading Ḥadīth experts, students – both male and female – recited the entire ṣaḥīḥ al-bukhārī to the Shaykh. It was a historic event and the elders of Masjid al-Falāḥ should be commended for allowing the programme to materialise. It was not merely the recitation itself or the quick Ḥadīth comments in between recitation that made it a memorable experience, the post session interaction and the Masjid sleepovers generated fruitful exchanges and dialogue which would not have been possible otherwise. They will no doubt form cherished memories for those that were present.

The Bukhārī recitation instigated further interest. Shaykh Aḥmad was invited to London on behalf of Buruj Press where Yaḥyā ibn Yaḥyā al-Laythī’s recension of the muwaṭṭā’ was read over a weekend. I had planned to visit but poverty, and nothing else, had prevented me from attending. Students shortly thereafter were contemplating on a recitation of ṣaḥīḥ muslim but Allah had other plans.

His recognition and high isnād attracted Ḥadīth students from all across the globe. Students, from the Middle East in particular, flocked to sit at his feet in Leicester. The grandson of the Saudi luminary Shaykh Nāṣir al-ʿAqīl, ‘Anas al-ʿAqīl related how his friends and students at Makkah were amazed when he told them he was travelling to England to recite Ḥadīth and obtain a very special isnād. “ENGLAND?!” they exclaimed with shock and horror.

There is much political discourse surrounding the failure of multiculturalism but seldom will it highlight the rich exchanges that are surfacing within Muslims themselves as a result of figures like these.5 The prospect of various Muslim orientations and students travelling from foreign lands would have not been possible otherwise.6

In May 2010, the Kuwaiti Islamic cultural bureau had organised a recital of ṣaḥīḥ al-bukhārī in front of six leading authorities, Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAlī was amongst them. During his annual visits to the Ḥaramayn, he would be surrounded by an army of students eager to recite Ḥadīth to him and connect with his chain.

My last visit to the Shaykh was in mid January when news had reached me of his critical health, a fever that was potentially to cost him his life. Many rushed to see him the following morning. By the grace of Allah he had recovered, rather promisingly, before our return. It was during this visit he told us he had two wishes left in life: to make ʿUmrah and to visit his parents graves in India. Of those, he was granted the first. He returned on Sunday 6 March, four days after which he breathed his last. In shā’ Allah, his wish to be reunited with his parents was answered in the form of his death. He can be forever at peace with them, knowing that his name is now formidably attached to a long list of luminaries which ends with our beloved Prophet (SAW). He will be remembered for his piety and wisdom.

Details about his ʿUmrah trip and his death are given by his only son, Shamshul Haque. His statement is repeated here in its entirety:

“My father was 92 years old when he passed away and I was fortunate to accompany him on his last ʿUmrah trip. Prior to going for ‘Umrah on 20 February 2011 my respected father’s health was not good. He was weak but he had this burning desire to visit Makkah and Medīnah with his family.

So on Sunday 20 February 2011 myself, my four sisters and his son in law, nephew and niece left for Makkah. On arrival in Makkah his health improved considerably and the respected Shaykh performed ʿUmrah with ease and with tears rolling kissed the ḥajar-e-‘aswad, or black stone.

Word had spread that the respected Shaykh was in Makkah and lots of people came to the hotel to meet him and read Ḥadīth. At the end of each session the respected Shaykh emphasised the importance of reading Ḥadīth and, more importantly, putting in to practice the sunnah our beloved Prophet (SAW) in our daily life. The respected Shaykh always requested duʿās to die with īmān and was very concerned with the state of the ummah. The respected Shaykh prayed for the welfare of the entire ʿummah.

After seven days in Makkah we departed to Med īnah. On reaching Medīnah the respected Shaykh was very quiet and with humility went to the grave of Rasūl (SAW) and again with tears flowing presented himself. Again in Madīnah word had spread and many Shaykhs came to visit him. Here in Madīnah a complete reading of the muwaṭṭā’ was made in six days. When the time came to leave Madīnah the respected Shaykh went very quiet. There was also reading on his way to the airport. Throughout the journey back home, the respected Shaykh was very quiet and in deep meditation.

The Respected Shaykh passed away on Thursday 10 March at time between ʿasr and maghrib prayers. The family was with him, the Shaykh had come from Masjid al-Falah along with family members, he read chapter 36, surah yāsīn, and passed away looking up smiling and reciting the kalimah, ‘lā ilāha ‘illa Allāh, Muḥammad Rasūl Allāh’, there is no God but Allah and Muḥammad is his Messenger.

May Allah (SWT) elevate His status in Jannah and give him a lofty place in the Firdaws.

I have indeed lost a wonderful father.”

The Shaykh leaves behind four caring daughters and a son. All of them married and reside in England. One can only pray that Allah give them solace and the strength to overcome the immeasurable loss.

His funeral saw the attendance of some of Britain’s leading scholars, all of whom recognised the loss of this otherwise unknown towering figure whose name gave British Muslim scholarship a face and much recognition in the field of Ḥadīth.

As the teacher of teachers, the Shāh Wajīh ad-Dīn al-ʿAlawī of our time, Mufti Shabbīr Aḥmad rightly lamented, paraphrasing the ḥadīth of Umm Ayman: “I weep not because the Prophet has died but because the communication from the above has now been severed.”7 By this, he was referring to the tradition of public Ḥadīth readings.

Uwais Namazi

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1 Dr. Akram in his address makes note of Mowlānā Sarfaraz Khān Ṣafdar as an exception. He was a student of Mowlānā Madanī, who died in May 5 2009 at the age of 98. The additional links that are to follow, however, forms part of Sheikh Aḥmad ʿAlī’s legacy only.

2 Literally, the leader of the ahl-e-ḥadīth in India

3 For a wonderful and recent presentation on the Begum, see the prodigious Barbara Metcalf’s Jan 2011 presidential address at the 125th annual American Historical Association meeting. Her presentation is titled, “Islam and Power in Colonial India: The Making and Unmaking of a Muslim Prince(ss)”. It can be viewed here: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0B_AjI_FRw)

4 The Nawāb did not meet him in person but kept correspondence and sent his sons to keep in his company.

5 I understand it is beyond the political remit to acknowledge this phenomenon, nonetheless other perspectives reading into multiculturalism should not ignore it either.

6 I am grateful to none other than my diligent and ecumenical friend, Shaykh Andrew Booso, for bringing this point to the attention of others. See his article here: (http://bit.ly/hv3ZOk)

7 The ḥadīth is narrated in several Ḥadīth collections. The following is a translation from ṣaḥīḥ muslim:

Abū bakr said to ʿUmar, Allah be pleased with them both, after the Prophet’s demise, “let us go visit Umm Ayman, Allah be pleased with her, like the Prophet used to visit her”. When we got to her she started crying. Both Abū Bakr and ʿUmar said, “What causes you to cry? Don’t you know what is with Allah is better for the Messenger of Allah?” She replied, “I do not cry for that reason, for I am fully aware what Allah has is better for the Messenger of Allah but I weep because the revelation has now stopped descending from the sky.” Thus, she provoked them [in crying] and they started crying with her.

By Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller

In the name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate

14 July 1995

Dear Suleman ‘Ali:
“Recently a pamphlet has been circulated around Oxford saying that evolution is synonymous with kufr and shirk. I myself am a biologist and am convinced by the evidence which supports the theory of evolution. I am writing to ask whether the Quranic account of Creation is incompatible with man having evolved. Are there any books which you would recommend on the subject?” Thank you for your fax of 27 June 1995 which said, in part:

During my “logic of scientific explanation” period at the University of Chicago, I used to think that scientific theories had to have coherence, logicality, applicability, and adequacy, and I was accustomed to examine theory statements by looking at these things in turn. Perhaps they furnish a reasonable point of departure to give your question an answer which, if cursory and somewhat personal, may yet shed some light on the issues you are asking about.

By Zameelur Rahman

Imam Abu Hanifah, despite his mastery in the Islamic sciences, was recognised for his piety (taqwa), scrupulousness (wara’) and worship (‘ibadah). In the following I will quote a few excerpts from Imam al-Khatib al-Baghdadi’s biographical dictionary Tarikh Baghdad, omitting the chains and relaying the editor’s, Dr Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma’ruf’s, gradings of the chains, as he graciously included his expert analysis on most of the narrations from Abu Hanifah’s biography in the footnotes.

1. Yazid ibn Harun (118 – 206) said: “I comprehended the people and I have not seen anyone more intelligent, nor more virtuous, nor more scrupulous than Abu Hanifah.”(Tarikh Baghdad 15:498) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments, “Its isnad is sahih.”

Yazid ibn Harun is a narrator of hadith found in the six famous collections, and is one of the greatest huffaz of hadith, said to have memorised over twenty thousand hadiths. He was one of the most reliable transmitters of hadith, and was also recognised for his devotion and piety. (Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 11:366-9)

2. Sulayman ibn Abi Shaykh (151 – 246) said: “Abu Hanifah was scrupulous and generous.” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:462-3) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments on this narration, “Its narrators are trustworthy (thiqat).”

3. Yahya ibn Ma‘in said: I heard Yahya al-Qattan say: “We have sat in the company of Abu Hanifah, by Allah, and we heard from him. By Allah, when I would look at him, I recognised in his face that he feared Allah!” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:482) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments: “Its isnad is hasan.”

Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Qattan (120 – 198) was also a follower of the opinions of Abu Hanifah in fiqh, as shown in an earlier post. His standing in hadith was unmatched. (see: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 216-20)

4. Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Balkhi narrated to us: I heard al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Laythi say: “I came to Kufa and inquired about the most devout (a’bad) of its inhabitants and I was directed to Abu Hanifah. Then I came when I was an old man and inquired about the best faqih amongst its inhabitants and I was directed to Abu Hanifah.” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:482) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments, “Its isnad is good (jayyid).”

Al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Laythi was the Qadi of Marw and ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak was favourably disposed to him. (Ibn Hibban, Kitab al-Thiqat 8:168) This narration, therefore, shows Abu Hanifah from an early period was known to the people of Kufa as the one who performed the most worship amongst them. Kufa was at that time a large city containing many learned and pious inhabitants.

5. Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah (107 – 98) said: “Allah have mercy on Abu Hanifah. He was from the worshippers (musallin), that is, he was one of many Salahs.” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:482) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments, “A sahih report.”

‘Ali ibn al-Madini narrated: I heard Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah say: “Abu Hanifah was an honourable person, and he would perform [much] Salah from early in his life.” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:483) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments, “Its isnad is good.”

Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah is the most prominent hadith-teacher of Imam al-Shafi’i, and is a prolific narrator found in the six famous collections of hadith.

6. Abu Muti‘ said: “I was at Makkah, and I did not enter into Tawaf in a moment from the moments of the night except I saw Abu Hanifah and Sufyan (al-Thawri) in Tawaf.” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:483) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments, “Its isnad is hasan.”

7. Yahya ibn Ayyub al-Zahid (d. 168) said: “Abu Hanifah would not sleep at night [i.e. he would stay awake in worship].” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:483) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments, “Its isnad is hasan.”

Yahya ibn Ayyub al-Ghafiqi is also a narrator of hadith found in the six famous collections.

8. Abu ‘Asim al-Nabil (122-214) said: “Abu Hanifah would be called ‘the peg’ (al-watad) because of the abundance of his Salah.” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:484) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments, “Its isnad is sahih. Its narrators are trustworthy.”

Abu ‘Asim al-Dahhak ibn Makhlad is a narrator of the six famous collections of hadith, and he is the greatest and eldest of al-Bukhari’s shaykhs. Some of al-Bukhari’s thulathiyyat (three-narrator chains) which are the shortest of al-Bukhari’s chains go through him. (Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 4:450-3)

9. It is narrated from Imam Abu Yusuf: “While I was walking with Abu Hanifah, I heard a man say to another man: ‘This is Abu Hanifah, he does not sleep at night.’ Abu Hanifah said: ‘By Allah: It is not said of me what I do not do.’ He would revive the night in prayer, supplication and devotion.” (Tarikh Baghdad 485-6) Dr Bashshar comments that its chain is acceptable (salih).

10. It is narrated from Mis’ar ibn Kidam (d. 155): “One night I entered the masjid and I saw a man praying, and I found his recitation pleasing. He recited a seventh (of the Qur’an) and I thought he would bow down. Then he recited a third and then half and he continued to recite until he completed it all in one rak‘ah. I looked, and behold, it was Abu Hanifah.” (Tarikh Baghdad 487-8) Dr Bashshar comments that it has a hasan chain with all the narrators being trustworthy (thiqah) except Hafs ibn Abd al-Rahman who is reliable (saduq).

Mis’ar ibn Kidam was a contemporary of Abu Hanifah, and he is a narrator found in the six famous collections of hadith, and was known for his worship and piety.

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Imam al-Dhahabi wrote in a volume dedicated to the merits of Imam Abu Hanifah and his two companions: “Abu Hanifah’s standing in the night in prayer, his night-vigilance, and his devotion have been mass-transmitted (tawatarat).” (Manaqib al-Imam Abu Hanifah, al-Dhahabi, Lajnatu Ihya’ al-Ma’arif al-Nu’maniyyah, pp. 20-1)

Many pious men of the generation of the Atba’ al-Tabi’in kept the company of Imam Abu Hanifah, such as Dawud al-Ta’i, Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad and Shaqiq al-Balkhi, whose virtues are endless and can be read in the biographical literature. This is also a great testament to the profound spiritual station reached by Imam Abu Hanifah.

B

‘Allamah Zafar Ahmad al-’Uthmani wrote in his Abu Hanifah wa Ashabuhu al-Muhaddithun: “Know that the opinions of Imam Abu Hanifah in al-Jarh wa al-Ta’dil (narrator-criticism) and the principles of hadith were accepted and received from him by the ‘ulama of this field. They quoted him in their books as proof or for consideration, just as they took from Imam Ahmad, al-Bukhari, Ibn Ma’in, Ibn al-Madini, and other scholars of this field. This shows you his great standing in [the science of] hadith and his expansive knowledge and mastery.” (Abu Hanifah wa Ashabuhu al-Muhaddithun, Idarat al-Qur’an wa al-’Ulum al-Islamiyyah, p. 45)

I will quote below a few examples of the scholarly acceptance of Imam Abu Hanifah’s pronouncements in this important field:

1. Al-Saymari narrates in his published book Akhbar Abi Hanifah wa Ashabih: Muhammad ibn ‘Imran ibn Musa al-Marzubani reported to us: Muhammad ibn Makhlad al-‘Attar narrated to us: Abu Musa Qays al-Mu’addib narrated to us: Suwayd ibn Sa‘id narrated to us: Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah narrated to us: “The first to sit me down to narrate hadith was Abu Hanifah.” I [Suwayd] said: “How was this so?” He said: “When I entered Kufa, Abu Hanifah said to them [i.e. the Kufans]: ‘This is the most learned of them regarding [the hadiths of] ‘Amr ibn Dinar.’ Then the scholars (mashayikh) gathered around me, asking me about the hadiths of ‘Amr ibn Dinar.” (Akhbar Abi Hanifah wa Ashabih, p. 82)

This chain is hasan: Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad Al-Saymari (351 – 436) is a Hanafi faqih and muhaddith who narrated from al-Daraqutni and Ibn Shahin, and is saduqaccording to al-Khatib (Tarikh Baghdad 8:634-5); Abu ‘Ubayd Allah Muhammad ibn ‘Imran ibn Musa al-Marzubani (296 – 384) is thiqah according to al-‘Atiqi. (Tarikh Baghdad 4:227-9); Muhammad ibn Makhlad al-‘Attar (d. 331) is thiqah according to al-Daraqutni (Tarikh Baghdad 4:501); Abu Musa Qays ibn Ibrahim ibn Qays al-Tawabiqi al-Mu’addib (d. 284), al-Daraqutni said he is acceptable (salih) (Tarikh Baghdad 14:478-9); Suwayd ibn Sa‘id ibn Sahl al-Harawi (140 – 240) is thiqah according to Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and a narrator of Muslim (Tahdhib al-Kamal)

The same narration was also narrated by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr through a different chain:

Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: [Abu Ya‘qub Yusuf ibn al-Dakhil narrated in his book Fada’il Abi Hanifah wa Akhbaruhu]: Abu l-‘Abbas al-Farid narrated to us: Muhammad ibn Isma‘il [al-Sa’igh] narrated to us: Suwayd ibn Sa‘id al-Anbari narrated to us: I heard Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah say: “The first to sit me down to narrate hadith in Kufa was Abu Hanifah. He sat me down in the mosque and said: ‘This is the strongest of people regarding the hadith of ‘Amr ibn Dinar,’ then I narrated to them.” (al-Intiqa fi Fada’il al-A’immat al-Thalathah, p. 199)

Ibn al-Dakhil (d. 388) is described as the “muhaddith of Makkah” by al-Dhahabi in Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala, but besides this there is no other criticism or praise of him, although his biography is known. Abu al-‘Abbas Muhammad ibn al-Husayn al-Farid, his reliability is unknown. Muhammad ibn Isma‘il al-Sa’igh (d. 276) is thiqah according to Abu Dawud and al-Dhahabi. Hence, although the chain is weak because of the unknown narrator in the chain, it is not “very weak” (da‘if jiddan) that it cannot be used as a supporting narration. This narration therefore strengthens the previous one.

The narration also corresponds with the information known about Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah (107 – 198) from the books of Rijal. As mentioned in Taqrib, he “was the strongest narrator from ‘Amr ibn Dinar (45 – 126).” Ibn ‘Uyaynah himself referred to ‘Amr ibn Dinar as “thiqah thiqah thiqah” – the repetition is for emphasis. And it is known some major Kufan narrators like Waki‘ ibn al-Jarrah and Yahya ibn Zakariyyah ibn Abi Za’idah narrated from him as mentioned inTahdhib al-Tahdhib (4:118). Waki‘, as mentioned in an earlier post, would issue fatwas according to the opinions of Abu Hanifah, and Yahya ibn Zakariyya ibn Abi Za’idah, who was the strongest and greatest narrator in Kufa after Sufyan al-Thawri, is known to have been a “student of Abu Hanifah” as mentioned in al-Dhahabi’s Tadhkirat al-Huffaz.

After mentioning the abovementioned narration, ‘Allamah Zafar Ahmad al-‘Uthmani says: “Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah is one of the outstanding imams, chief of the muhaddithin and shaykh of Islam, yet he says: ‘The first to sit me down to narrate hadith was Abu Hanifah.’ In this is a great proof of the greatness of Abu Hanifah in the science of hadith, and people’s reliance on his opinion with respect to the reliability of narrators. Thus, he (Allah be pleased with him) was not only a muhaddith, but he was from those who made men muhaddithin!” (Abu Hanifah wa Ashabuhu al-Muhaddithun, p. 17)

2. Imam al-Tirmidhi narrates in his Kitab al-‘Ilal: Mahmud ibn Ghaylan narrated to us: He said: Abu Yahya al-Himmani narrated to us: He said: I heard Abu Hanifah say: “I have not seen anyone a greater liar than Jabir al-Ju‘fi (d. 128), nor anyone more virtuous that ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah (27 – 115).” (Al-Jami‘ al-Kabir, Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf ed., 6:233)

Imam al-Tirmidhi narrated this in the context of determining the provenance of the science of al-Jarh wa al-Ta’dil. The narrators in al-Tirmidhi’s chain are reliable: Mahmud ibn Ghaylan (d. 239) is a narrator found in the Sahihs of al-Bukhari and Muslim, and declared thiqah by Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani in al-Taqrib (Tahrir al-Taqrib 3:353). Abu Yahya ‘Abd al-Hamid al-Himmani (d. 202) is also a narrator found in the Sahihs of al-Bukhari and Muslim, and declared thiqahby Ibn Ma‘in, al-Nasa’i, Ibn Qani‘ and others, although some invalid criticism was levelled at him because of irja’. (Tahrir al-Taqrib 2:300-1)

This narration has also been quoted in the books of Rijal under the biographies of Jabir al-Ju’fi and ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah (e.g. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 2:48), illustrating the acceptance of Imam Abu Hanifah’s view amongst the later experts of this science.

3. In an earlier post, I also quoted Imam Abu Hanifah’s authentic criticism of deviant groups:

Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi narrates: al-Khallal reported to us: al-Hariri reported to us that ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Nakha‘i narrated to them: Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Mukram narrated to us: Bishr ibn al-Walid narrated to us: I heard Abu Yusuf say: Abu Hanifah said: “Two groups of the worst of people are from Khurasan: the Jahmiyyah and the Mushabbihah(antropomorphists),” and he probably said “Muqatiliyyah (followers of Muqatil ibn Sulayman (d. 150 H)).” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:514-15) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf said: “Its isnad is sahih, its narrators are trustworthy (thiqat).”

With the same chain, al-Khatib narrates: al-Nakha‘i said: Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Affan narrated to us: Yahya ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Himmani narrated to us from his father: I heard Abu Hanifah say: “Jahm ibn Safwan is a kafir.” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:515) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf said: “Its isnad is hasan.”

Imam Abu Hanifah’s opinion on Jahm is in fact quoted in the books of Rijal. Al-’Asqalani said in Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (vol 10:281): “Muhammad ibn Sima’ah (who is thiqah according al-Saymari and saduq according to al-’Asqalani in al-Taqrib) narrated from Abu Yusuf from Abu Hanifah that he said: ‘Jahm went overboard in negation until he said: He [i.e. Allah] is nothing, and Muqatil went overboard in affirmation until He deemed Allah to be like His creation.’” Al-’Asqalani also quotes him saying: “Two disgusting opinions came to us from the east: Jahm the negator [of Allah's attributes] and Muqatil the anthropomorphist.”

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For more examples of the recorded statements of Imam Abu Hanifah on al-Jarh wa al-Ta‘dil from Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, see Abu Hanifah wa Ashabuhu al-Muhaddithun, pp. 45-7.

Question:

What is the virtue of spending on one’s family on the day of ‘Ashura and what is the authenticity of the hadith that encourages this sort of spending?

Answer:

The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) is reported to have said: “Whoever expands his expenditure on his family on the day of ‘Ashura, Allah I will inflate his sustenance for the rest of that year.”

This hadith has been reported by several Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), among them are the following:

1) Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him). (al-Istidhkar of Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, 10:140)

Hafiz “Iraqi (may Allah be pleased with him) declared the chain of this hadith to be on par in authenticity with the standards of Imam Muslim (may Allah be pleased with him) (al-Maqasid al-Hasanah, no.1193)

2) Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). (Shu‘ab al-Iman, no. 3515, al-Targhib, 2:15-116). This hadith was classified as sahih (sound) by Hafiz Ibn Nasir (may Allah be pleased with him). (al-Maqasid al-Hasanah, no.1193)

3) Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him). (Shu‘ab al-Iman, no.3514)

4) Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him). (Shu‘ab al-Iman, no.3513)

After recording the above hadiths, Imam Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) comments: “When all the chains of these narrations are gathered, they assume (sufficient) strength”.

5) Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). (al-Afrad of Daraqutni, Tanzih al-Shari‘ah, 2:158)

This has also been reported with a fair chain like the statement of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) (al-Afrad of Daraqutni, al-Maqasid al-Hasanah, no.1193, Tanzih al-Shari‘ah, 2:158)

Furthermore, several narrators of the hadith have been reported to have echoed the following testimony, “We have tried this out and have found it to be accurate”. (al-Istidhkar, 10:140). This further strengthens the credibility of the narration.

‘Allamah ‘Iraqi (may Allah have mercy on him) has authored a detailed treatise on this hadith in which he has proven its acceptability beyond a shadow of doubt. He has also vehemently rebutted the assumption of Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) that the hadith has no basis. ‘Iraqi (may Allah have mercy on him) – like many others –expressed his amazement at such an irrational assertion! (see Tanzih al-Shari‘ah, 2:158)

Lastly, this hadith provides an ideal solution during these times of global financial constraint. The extent of expansion in expenditure will naturally differ from one individual to another.

And Allah Ta’ala knows best.

Note: Imam Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) has written that the practice of applying kuhl (antimony, or surma) on ‘Ashura (for specific reasons…) has been reported by an extremely weak narration. (Shu‘ab al-Iman, 5:334) and should therefore be avoided.

[Mawlana] Mohammed Haroon Abasoomer
Camperdown
South Africa

By Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani

Muharram is the month with which the Muslims begin their lunar Hijri calendar. It is one of the four sanctified months about which the Holy Quran says, “The number of months according to Allah is twelve (mentioned) in the Book of Allah on the day He created the heavens and the earth. Among these (twelve months) there are four sanctified.”

These four months, according to the authentic traditions, are Dhu ’l-Qa‘dah, Dhu ’l-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. All the commentators of the Holy Quran agree upon this point because the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) during his sermon on the occasion of his last Hajj declared: “One year consists of twelve months, of which four are sanctified months. Three of them are in sequence: Dhu ’l-Qa‘dah, Dhu ’l-Hijjah, Muharram, and the fourth is Rajab.”

The specific mention of these four months does not imply that no other month is sanctified because the month of Ramadan is admittedly the most sanctified month in the year. Rather, these four months are specifically termed as sanctified months for the simple reason that their sanctity was accepted even by the pagans of Makkah.

In fact, every month out of the twelve is intrinsically equal to the other, and there is no inherent sanctity that may be attributed to one of them in comparison to the other months. When Allah Almighty chooses a particular time for His special blessings the same acquires sanctity out of His grace.

Thus, the sanctity of these four months was recognized right from the days of Sayyiduna Ibrahim, upon him be peace. Since the pagans of Makkah attributed themselves to Sayyiduna Ibrahim, upon him be peace, they observed the sanctity of these four months and, despite their frequent tribal battles, held it unlawful to fight in them.

In the Shari‘ah of our Noble Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, the sanctity of the months was upheld and the Holy Quran referred to them as the “sanctified months” (ashhur hurum).

Muharram has certain other characteristics special to it, which are specified below.

Fasting During the Month

The Noble Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, has said: “The best fasts after the fasts of Ramadan are those of the month of Muharram.”

Although the fasts of the month of Muharram are not obligatory, yet one who fasts in these days out of his own will is entitled to a great reward by Allah Almighty. The hadith cited above signifies that the fasts of the month of Muharram are the most rewarding of the nafl (or voluntary) fasts.

The hadith does not mean that the award promised for fasting in Muharram can be achieved only by fasting for the entire month. On the contrary, each fast during this month has merit. Therefore, one should avail of each opportunity as much as he can.

The Day of ‘Ashura

Although Muharram is a sanctified month as a whole, the 10^th day of Muharram is the most sacred of all its days. This day is called ‘Ashurah. According to the noble Companion Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), when the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) migrated to Madinah he found that the Jews of Madinah used to fast on the 10^th day of Muharram. They said that it was the day on which the Holy Prophet Musa (Moses), upon him be peace, and his followers crossed the Red Sea miraculously and the Pharaoh was drowned in its waters. On hearing this from the Jews, the Holy Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, said, “We are certainly closer to Musa (upon him be peace) than you,” and directed the Muslims to fast on the day of ‘Ashura. (Abu Dawud)

It is also reported in a number of authentic traditions that in the beginning, fasting on the day of ‘Ashura was obligatory upon Muslims. It was only later that the fasts of Ramadan were made obligatory and the fast on the day of ‘Ashura was made optional. Sayyidatuna ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, has said:

“When the Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, came to Madinah, he fasted on the day of ‘Ashura and directed the people to fast. But when the fasts of Ramadan were made obligatory, the obligation of fasting was confined to Ramadan and the obligatory nature of the fast of ‘Ashura was abandoned. Whoever so desires should fast on it and whoever so likes can avoid fasting on it.” (Abu Dawud)

However, the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) used to fast on the day of ‘Ashura even after the fasting of Ramadan was made obligatory. ‘Abdullah ibn Musa, may Allah be pleased with him, reports that the Holy Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, preferred the fast of ‘Ashura over the fasts of other days and preferred the fasts of Ramadan over the fast of ‘Ashura. (Bukhari and Muslim)

In short, it is established through a number of authentic hadith that fasting on the day of ‘Ashura is a sunnah of the Holy Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, and makes one entitled to a great reward.

According to another hadith, it is more advisable that the fast of ‘Ashura either be preceded or followed by another fast. This means that one should fast two days: the 9th and 10th of Muharram, or the 10th and 11th. The reason for this additional fast as mentioned by the Holy Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, is that the Jews used to fast on the day of ‘Ashura alone, and the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) wanted to distinguish between the Muslim method of fasting and that of the Jews. Therefore, he advised the Muslims to add another fast to that of ‘Ashura.

Some traditions signify another feature of the day of ‘Ashura. According to these traditions, one should be more generous to his family by providing more food to them on this day as compared to other days. These traditions are not rigorously authentic according to the principles of hadith criticism. Yet, some scholars like Bayhaqi and Ibn Hibban have accepted them as reliable.

What is mentioned above is all that is supported through authentic sources about ‘Ashura.

Misconceptions and Baseless Traditions

There are some legends and misconceptions with regard to ‘Ashura that have managed to find their way into the minds of the uneducated and have no support from authentic Islamic sources. Some very common misconceptions amongst them include the idea that it is the day on which Adam (upon him be peace) was created. Or that it is the day when Ibrahim (upon him be peace) was born. Or that it is the day when Allah accepted the repentance of Sayyiduna Adam, upon him be peace. Or that it is the day when Qiyamah (Doomsday) will take place. Or, lastly, that whoever takes a bath on the day of ‘Ashura will never get ill. All these and other similar whims and fancies are totally baseless and the traditions referred to in this respect are not worthy of any credit.

Some people take it as a sunnah to prepare a particular type of meal on the day of ‘Ashura. This practice, too, has no basis in the authentic Islamic sources. Some other people attribute the sanctity of ‘Ashura to the martyrdom of Sayyiduna Husayn, may Allah be pleased with him, during his battle with the Syrian army. No doubt, the martyrdom of Sayyiduna Husayn, may Allah be pleased with him, is one of the most tragic episodes of our history. Yet, the sanctity of ‘Ashura cannot be ascribed to this event for the simple reason that the sanctity of ‘Ashura was established during the days of the Holy Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, much earlier than the birth of Sayyiduna Husayn, may Allah be pleased with him. On the contrary, it is one of the merits of Sayyiduna Husayn, may Allah be pleased with him, that his martyrdom took place on the day of ‘Ashura.

Another misconception about the month of Muharram is the idea that it is an evil or unlucky month because Sayyiduna Husayn, may Allah be pleased with him, was killed in it. It is due to this misconception that people avoid holding marriage ceremonies in the month of Muharram. This is again a baseless concept, which is contrary to the express teachings of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah. If the death of an eminent person on a particular day renders that day unlucky for all times to come, one can hardly find a day of the year free from this bad luck because every day is associated with the demise of some eminent person. The Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, have liberated us from such superstitious beliefs.

Lamentations and Mourning

Another wrong practice related to this month is to hold lamentation and mourning ceremonies in the memory of the martyrdom of Sayyiduna Husayn, may Allah be pleased with him. As mentioned earlier, the event of Karbala is one of the most tragic events of our history, but the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) has forbidden us from holding mourning ceremonies on the death of any person. The people of Jahiliyyah (the days of ignorance) used to mourn their deceased through loud lamentations, tearing their clothes, and beating their cheeks and chests. The Holy Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, prevented the Muslims from it all and directed them to observe patience by exclaiming “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji‘un” (We are indeed Allah’s and to Him shall we return). A number of authentic hadiths are available on the subject. To quote only one of them: “He is not from us who slaps his checks, tears his clothes, and cries in the manner of the people of Jahiliyyah (the Age of Ignorance).” (Sahih Bukhari)

All the authentic jurists are unanimous on the point that the mourning of this type is impermissible. Even Sayyiduna Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) shortly before his demise had advised his beloved sister Sayyidah Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) not to mourn over his death in this manner. He said, “My dear sister! I swear upon you that in case I die you shall not tear your clothes, nor scratch your face, nor curse anyone for me or pray for your death.” (al-Kamil, Ibn al-Athir 4:24)

It is evident from this advice of Sayyiduna Husayn, may Allah be pleased with him, that this type of mourning was condemned by even the same blessed person for the memory of whom these mourning ceremonies are held. Every Muslim should avoid this practice and abide by the teachings of the Holy Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, and his beloved grandchild Sayyiduna Husayn, may Allah be pleased with him.

By ‘Allamah  Abu ’l-Hasan ‘Ali al-Nadwi

The fast of ‘Ashura was prescribed before the fasts of Ramadan. The Jews observed it and so did the people of Arabia before the dawn of Islam.

It is related by Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) came to Madinah he found that the Jews observed the fast of ‘Ashura. He enquired about it from them and was told that it was the day on which God had delivered the Children of Israel from the enemy and Moses (upon him be peace) used to keep a fast on it as an expression of gratitude to the Almighty. The Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) thereupon, remarked that “Moses has a greater claim upon me than upon you,” and he fasted on that day and instructed his followers to do the same.

It is also mentioned in Sahih Muslim that it is a most important day. On this day God had delivered Moses (upon him be peace) and his followers and drowned Pharaoh and his men. Moses (upon him be peace) fasted on it in thanksgiving. Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) adds that it is related by Abu Bishr: “We also keep fast as a token of respect to Moses (upon him be peace).”

But the celebrated mathematician Abu Rayhan Beruni challenged the veracity of these reports on the basis of a comparative study of the Jewish and Arabian calendars. He writes:

It is said that ‘Ashur is a Hebrew word which became ‘Ashura in Arabic. It stands for the tenth day of the Jewish month of Tisri. The fast observed on this day is called Yom Kippur. It came to be incorporated in the Arab Calendar and the name was given to the tenth day of the first month of their year in the same way in which it denoted the tenth day of the first month of the Jewish calendar. It was instituted as a day of fasting among the Muslims in the first year of Migration. Later, when fasting was enjoined in the month of Ramadan it was dropped. A tradition has it that when the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) came to Madinah and saw that the Jews observed the fast of ‘Ashura he enquired about it and was told that it was the day on which God had drowned Pharaoh and his people and delivered Moses (upon him be peace) and his followers from them, and that Moses (upon him be peace) used to fast on it in thanksgiving. The Prophet, then, remarked that Moses (upon him be peace) had a greater claim upon him than upon them and he fasted on that day and instructed his followers to do the same. When the fasts of Ramadan were prescribed, the Prophet neither enjoined the fast of ‘Ashura nor forbade it.

But this report is fallacious and does not stand the test of enquiry. The first day of the month of Muharram in the first year of hijrah (Migration) was Friday, which corresponds to the 16th of Tamuz, 933 (A.E.). As against it, the first day of that year among the Jews was Sunday, the 12th of Awwal which corresponds to the 29th of Safar. Hence, the fast of ‘Ashura should have fallen on Tuesday, the 9th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal, while the Migration had taken place during the first half of that month. The two dates, at any rate, do not correspond to each other.

He then adds:

The contention that on this day God drowned the Pharaoh, too, is not supported by what is given in the Torah. The event of the drowning of the Pharaoh had taken place, according to Torah, on the 21st of Nisan, which is the seventh day of the festival of Passover. The first Jewish fast of Passover, after the arrival of the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) in Madinah, occurred on Tuesday, the 22nd of Azhar 933 which corresponds to the 17th of Ramadan. This report also is, therefore, without a foundation.

With due respect to the scholarship of Beruni, it is clear that he has built his thesis wholly on conjecture. He has, for instance, surmised that the conversation reported by Ibn ‘Abbas and other Companions had taken place on the very first day of the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace)’s arrival in Madinah as is evident from his observation, “when the sacred Prophet came to Madinah or entered it.”

This misconception is due to the ignorance of the Science of Traditions and of the holy Companion’s mode of narration, innumerable instances of which are available in the hadith tradition. For example, it is related by Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him):

When the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) came to Madinah and (saw that) there were two days which the people of that place celebrated as festivals he enquired about their significance. (The people of Madinah) told him, “These were our days of fun and entertainment during the days of Paganism.” The Prophet, thereupon, observed, “God has given you two better days in their place, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.”

Now, will it be proper for anyone to infer from the above Tradition that the arrival of the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) in Madinah took place on the same day of celebration in that town, and to proceed to question the veracity of the Tradition on the ground that it was not chronometrically possible? Similar errors of interpretation have been made in respect of other traditions as well, like the one relating to pollination of date palms.

Commenting on the argument advanced by Beruni, ‘Allamah Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani (may Allah have mercy on him) says,

He found it difficult to accept the tradition due to the misunderstanding that when the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) arrived in Madinah he saw the Jews in the state of keeping the fast of ‘Ashura while, in fact, it was in the month of Rabi‘ al-Awwal that the Prophet arrived in Madinah. The answer to this is that he erred in the interpretation of the tradition. What the tradition actually means is that the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) came to know of the fast of ‘Ashura only when he had migrated to Madinah and made his enquiry, for the first time, after he had reached there. In other words, the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace), when he came to Madinah and stayed there till ‘Ashura, found that the Jews fasted on that day.

There is left no chronological contradiction after ‘Allamah Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him)’s explanation of the hadith regarding the fast of ‘Ashura.

The second misconception under which Beruni labors is that the fast of ‘Ashura mentioned in the hadith signifies the tenth day of the Jewish month of Tisri which is also known as Yom Kippur, or the Fast of Atonement, and is observed by them with greater ceremony than any other fast. But there is nothing in the tradition to warrant such a conclusion, and it is also not supported by the Torah because the Fast of Atonement was instituted in expiation of a mortal sin and observed as a day of penance and mourning.

The Day of Atonement, which is the tenth day of the seventh month of Tisri, is referred to in these words in the Third Book of Moses called, Leviticus:

And this will be a statute for ever unto you; that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger who sojourneth among you: for on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute forever. (Lev. 16:29-31)

At another place, in the same Book, it is said:

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And ye shall do no work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God. (Lev. 23:26-28)

Similarly, in the Book of Numbers, it is set forth: “And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month a holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls; ye shall not do any work therein.”

On the other hand, it explicitly occurs in the traditions that the day of ‘Ashura (on which the Muslims are enjoined to fast) was a day of rejoicing among the Jews. As Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) has related it on the authority of Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him), the Jews regarded it to be a day of Eid and it was on seeing it that the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) advised his Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) also to keep fast on it.

In Sahih Muslim, also, it is related from Qays ibn Muslim that men of good-doing observed the fast of ‘Ashura and celebrated it as the day of Eid, with their women wearing the best of clothes and ornaments. The Prophet (upon him blessings and peace), on seeing it, said to us, “You should also fast on this day.”

It is, further, related by Kurayb ibn Sa‘d from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that, “On the Day of Judgment God will ask you only about two fasts, the fasts of Ramadan and the fast of the day of adornment (i.e., ‘Ashura).”

In the light of the facts given above, it will be incorrect to say that ‘Ashura is the Day of Atonement. Were it so, it would have been a day of lamentation and mortification while ‘Ashura, as mentioned in the tradition, is a day of merriment and decoration.

The same fallacy is shared by a number of Western scholars as well. For instance, Abraham Katish observes about the Day of Atonement in his book entitled Judaism in Islam that “Mohammad, in the beginning, instituted it as a day of fasting for Muslims.”

The assertion of the Jews themselves about ‘Ashura that it was the day on which God had delivered the Israelites from their enemies is enough to set at rest all doubts in this connection. In the Torah it has been repeatedly mentioned as Abib which later came to be known as Nisan. About Abib, we read in Da’irat al-Ma‘arif, “It is a Hebraic word which means ‘green’. It is the name of the first month of the Hebraic year. This name was given to it by Moses and it corresponds nearly to the month of April. When the Jews were exiled in Babylon they changed its name to Nisan, meaning ‘the month of flowers.’ Their Eid al-Fatir (Passover) is also held in the middle of it.”

Beruni, also, has admitted that it is wrong to suppose that the Day of Atonement signified the day on which God had drowned Pharaoh and his men. He says, “Their contention that on this day God had drowned Pharaoh is opposed to what is stated in the Torah because the event of drowning took place on the 21st of Nisan, which is the seventh day of Ayam al-Fatir (Passover). It is set forth in Torah (Ex. 12: 18): ‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even’.”

We, therefore, conclude that ‘Ashura, which is mentioned in the traditions related by Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and others and on which day the Muslims have been exhorted to fast and was included among the near-obligatory duties in Islam before the fasts of Ramadan were prescribed, corresponds, in the largest measure, to the day which falls in the middle of the Hebraic month of Abib, whose name was changed to Nisan by the Jews during the period of their exile in Babylon and was celebrated by them as an Eid and an event of fasting and entertainment. It was on this day that the Israelites had come out of Egypt and the Pharaoh was drowned. In the second Book of Moses it is related: “And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place; there shall no leavened bread be eaten. This day came ye out in the month of Abib.” (Ex. 13: 3-4)

In summary, the general consensus among Muslim theologians and religious scholars is that ‘Ashura fell on the tenth day of the Arab month of Muharram in the second year of Migration and that it was later annulled by Ramadan.

Besides, any attempt to make the Lunar Arabian Calendar correspond to the Solar Jewish Calendar can, at the best, be only hypothetical. The ancient custom of nasi has also taken a hand in adding to the confusion. This practice was quite common in Arabia, both before and after the advent of Islam, till it was prohibited by the Qur’anic injunction which reads: “Postponement of a month is only an excess of disbelief, whereby those who disbelieve are misled.” (9:37)

On the occasion of the Farewell Hajj, the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) had declared, “Time has returned to the original state that obtained when the heavens and the earth were created.” These words were of divine inspiration for the Arab arrangement of time into days, weeks, months and years had been changed so frequently that it could not be relied upon nor restored to its original form through mathematical calculation. It is, therefore, incorrect to question the authenticity of successive traditions merely on the basis of an erratic and inconstant calendar.

It is also possible that the Jews of Madinah were different from other Jewish communities where the fast of ‘Ashura was concerned and observed it with greater enthusiasm and regularity, and, in this respect, they were similar to the Arabs who, seeing that so many important events had taken place on that day, fasted on it out of reverence.

It is related by Umm al-Mu’minin ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), “The Quraysh fasted on the day of ‘Ashura during the Period of Ignorance and the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) also kept it.” (Muslim) Further, the days of fasting among the Jews living in different countries differed from one another. We have seen how in the Jewish Encyclopedia it is indicated that apart from the fixed fast-days many fasts of a local or national character had become established among the Jews from the early days which varied from place to place. Private fasts were also common among the Jews and one could take it upon oneself to fast on certain days in memory of certain events or at the time of adversity to arouse God’s mercy. In these circumstances, it is quite possible that the fast of ‘Ashura, on the tenth day of the first month of the Arab Calendar, was peculiar to the Jews living in Arabia alone. Perhaps, it is for this reason that the Talmud and the Jewish Calendar are silent on this score. Some historians have treated it as identical to the Fast of Atonement which all the Jews, wherever they be, consider obligatory. Thus, those who subscribe to this view are inclined to doubt the veracity of the aforementioned traditions. But their judgment is influenced by the ignorance of the habits and practices of the Jews living in various parts of the world, especially in Arabia where they had been settled for generations as a distinct community, possessing their own beliefs and customs and receiving local impressions in the historical course of things.

Mawlana Zakariyya's Library

In the last century, India has undoubtedly become an important center for the study of hadith, and the scholars of India have become well-known for their passion for religious knowledge. Upon them ended the era of leadership in teaching hadiths, codification of the special fields (funun) of hadith, and commentary upon its texts (mutun).

Such was their mastery of this science that Muhammad Rashid Rida mentions in the introduction of his book Miftah Kunuz al-Sunna, “Were it not for the superb attention to detail in the science of hadith displayed by our brothers, the scholars of India in the present era, this science would have withered away in the eastern cities. And, indeed, mastery of this science has been waning in Egypt and Syria since the tenth century ah.” There is no doubt that Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyya was among the most distinguished hadith scholars of India and a great contributor in service of the Sunna. He was given the honorary title of Shaykh al-Hadith, or “Great Scholar of Hadith,” by his teacher, Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, who recognized his deep insight, clear-sightedness, and extensive knowledge of hadith and related sciences.

Lineage and Upbringing

He was born in the village of Kandhla (in Uttar Pradesh, India) on Ramadan 10, 1315 ah (February 12, 1898 CE). His full name was Muhammad Zakariyya ibn Muhammad Yahya ibn Muhammad Isma‘il, and his lineage continues all the way back to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), the great Companion of the Messenger (upon him be peace).

Shaykh Abu ’l-Hasan Nadwi said about him, “Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyya was born into a household rooted in knowledge and passion for Islam. His immediate family and his predecessors were distinguished by firm resolve, perseverance, steadfastness, and adherence to religion…. His family included many notable scholars … and his grandmother memorized the entire Qur’an while nursing her son [Shaykh Zakariyya’s father].”

His father, Shaykh Muhammad Yahya, was among the great scholars of India in both the Related (manqulat) and Logical sciences (ma‘qulat). His primary teacher in hadith was Shaykh Rashid Ahmad Gangohi. Under him he studied Sahih al-Bukhari, Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Maja and others of the six famous authentic books of hadith (Sihah sitta). Shaykh Yahya went on to teach at Madrasa Mazahir ‘Ulum, in the district of Saharanpur, but did not accept any payment for his services. He instead made his living through his own book-publishing business.

As a young boy, Shaykh Zakariyya moved with his father to the village of Gangoh, in the district of Saharanpur. Since his father and Shaykh Gangohi had a close relationship, Shaykh Zakariyya quickly earned the affection of his father’s teacher.

Growing up in this virtuous environment, he began learning how to read with Hakim ‘Abd al-Rahman of Muzaffarnagar. He memorized the Qur’an with his father and also studied books in Persian and the introductory Arabic books with his uncle Shaykh Muhammad Ilyas (founder of the Tabligh movement). He stayed with his father in the company of Shaykh Gangohi until age eight, when the shaykh passed away. Shaykh Abu al-Hasan Nadwi says, “He was brought up in the best of environments in this era; the most adhering to the conduct and the sunna and the furthest from the corruption that had begun to spread in the world.

At the age of twelve, Shaykh Zakariyya traveled with his father to Mazahir ‘Ulum. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Yahya [his father] bathed and performed two rak’ats of prayer and began teaching Mishkat al-Masabih. He then made a lengthy prayer for himself and his son. From that day on, hadith became the main focus and goal of Shaykh Zakariyya’s life. There, under his father, he advanced his study of Arabic, tackling many classical texts on Arabic morphology, grammar, literature, and also logic. But by the time he was seventeen, hadith became the main focus of his life. He studied five of the six authentic books of hadith with his father, and then he studied Sahih al-Bukhari and Sunan al-Tirmidhi (for a second time) with the honorable Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri. Out of his immense respect for h adith, Shaykh Zakariyya was extremely particular about always studying the hadith narrations with wudu’.

On Dhu ’l-Qa‘da 10, 1334 ah, when Shaykh Zakariyya was just nineteen, his dear father passed away. This event was extremely traumatic for Shaykh Zakariyya, as he lost not only a father but also a teacher and mentor. His deep sorrow remained with him for the rest of his life.

Teachers

Shaykh Zakariyya was blessed to live and learn in an era considered by many to be one of great achievements in Islamic knowledge by scholars in the Indian subcontinent. He studied with few but select teachers who reached the highest levels of learning, research, authorship, and piety. One of his most influential teachers was his own father, Shaykh Muhammad Yahya, born in 1287 ah. Shaykh Zakariyya memorized the Qur’an at the age of seven, then as per his father’s instruction he would recite the whole Qur’an each morning. In addition to his father and uncle (Shaykh Muhammad Ilyas), he studied under the hadith scholar Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, author of the Badhl al-Majhud, a commentary on Sunan Abi Dawud. Shaykh Zakariyya acquired a hadith authorization from him and remained his student until Shaykh Khalil’s death in Madina Munawwara in 1346 ah.

Before his death, Shaykh Khalil Ahmad expressed his desire to write Badhl al-Majhud, and he sought Shaykh Zakariyya’s assistance as his right-hand man. This was the beginning of his good fortune and the route to his excellence. His work earned him a special position with his Shaykh. The shaykh would direct him towards the possible texts and religious sources from which he could take the subject matter. Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyya would collect the information and present them to his Shaykh, who would then select from the collection whatever he required. Thereafter he would dictate it to Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyya who would write it down. This is how the completion of Badhl al-Majhud fi hall Abi Dawud took place. This experience revealed Shaykh Zakariyya’s gift of penmanship and, furthermore, expanded his insight in the science of hadith. He worked hard on the project, He undertook the task of publishing his shayk’s work in the Indian press and devoted his attention to its correction, publishing it with complete sincerity. He attained the pleasure and trust of his shaykh, He became a successor (khalifa) and representative (na’ib) of his shaykh and was even mentioned by name in the commentary.

Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri mentions in the introduction of Badhl al-Majhud, “I was helped by some of my friends, notable amongst whom is my relative and the coolness of my eyes and heart, Hajj Hafiz Molwi Muhammad Zakariyya ibn Mawlana Hafiz Molwi Muhammad Yahya Kandhlawi (may Allah have mercy on him). I was incapable of writing or pursuing it (without his help), due to the shaking of my hand and due to weakness in mind and vision. I would dictate to him and he would write. He would search for the difficult subject matter from the sources, thus facilitating the dictation for me. I thank Allah for his effort and ask Him to grant him the best reward for whatever he spent of his effort. Allah has gifted him with intrinsic and apparent knowledge, beneficial in this world and in the hereafter, and with accepted, illuminated, good deeds.”

This indeed opened the door to Shaykh Zakariyya’s authoring many literary works and treatises over the course of his life.

Teaching Career

In Muharram 1335 ah he was appointed as a teacher at Madrasa Mazahir ‘Ulum, where he was assigned to teach books on Arabic grammar, morphology, and literature, as well as a number of primary texts of Islamic jurisprudence. In 1341 ah he was assigned to teach three sections of Sahih al-Bukhari upon the insistence of Shaykh Khalil Ahmad. He also taught Mishkat al-Masabih until 1344 ah. Shaykh Abu al-Hasan Nadwi said, “Although he was one of the youngest teachers at the school, he was selected to teach works generally not assigned to those of his age, nor to anyone in the early stages of his teaching career. Nevertheless, he showed that he was not only an able, but an exceptional teacher.”

In 1345 ah he traveled to Madina Munawwara, the city of Allah’s Messenger (upon him be peace) where he resided for one year. There he taught Sunan Abi Dawud at Madrasa al-‘Ulum al-Shar‘iyya. While in Madina, he began working on Awjaz al-Masalik ila Muwatta’ Imam Malik, a commentary on Imam Malik’s Muwatta’. He was twenty-nine at the time.

When he returned to India, he resumed teaching at Mazahir ‘Ulum. He began teaching Sunan Abi Dawud, Sunan al-Nasa‘i, the Muwatta’ of Imam Muhammad, and the second half of Sahih al-Bukhari. The school’s principle taught the first half of Sahih al-Bukhari, and after his death, Shaykh Zakariyya was given the honor of teaching the entire work.

In all, he taught the first half of Sahih al-Bukhari twenty-five times, the complete Sahih al-Bukhari sixteen times, and Sunan Abi Dawud thirty times. He did not just teach hadith as a matter of routine; the work of hadith had become his passion, and he put his heart and soul into it. Shaykh Zakariyya taught until 1388 ah, when he was forced to give up teaching after developing eye cataracts.

Travels to the Two Holy Cities

Allah Most High blessed him with the opportunity to visit the two holy cities of Makka and Madina. He performed hajj several times, and his multiple trips had a profound personal effect on him, both spiritually and educationally. He made the blessed journey with Shaykh Khalil Ahmad in 1338 ah. During the trip, Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri discovered that there was a manuscript of Musnad Abdul Razzaq, which he intended to purchase but the seller was asking for an exorbitant price and Shaykh Khalil Ahmad, not having the required amount, was unable to purchase it. When Shaykh Zakariyya learned of this, he asked to borrow the manuscript from the bookseller. Knowing that he had only ten days left until his return to India (not nearly enough time for them to transcribe it) the seller gave it to him. Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyya took the manuscript and began copying it with the help of some of his acquaintances. In ten days, they finished copying the entire manuscript and also proofread it completely (before returning the original). Shaykh Saharanpuri was surprised by the high aspirations (himma) of his student, his discernment (nabaha), and his effort, and prayed on his behalf.

He traveled with the shaykh again in 1344. It was during the second trip that Shaykh Khalil completed Badhl al-Majhud; he died shortly thereafter and was buried in the Baqi‘ graveyard in Madina. May Allah have mercy on him and put light in his grave.

Sincere Love for Allah and the Prophet

Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyya inherited piety, honesty, and good character from his father (may Allah be pleased with him). He aspired to follow the Qur’an and Sunna in all matters, big and small, with a passion not found in many scholars. He had extreme love for the Prophet (upon him be peace) and the blessed city of Madina. His students have related that whenever the death of the Messenger (upon him be peace) was mentioned during a lecture on Sunan Abi Dawud or Sahih al-Bukhari, his eyes would well up with tears, his voice would choke up, and he would be overcome with crying. So evocative were his tears that his students could do nothing but weep with raised voices.

He was often tested with regard to his sincerity. He was offered many teaching jobs at two or three times the salary that was customarily given at Mazahir ‘Ulum, but he always graciously declined the offers. For most of his teaching career, Shaykh Zakariyya never accepted any money for his services at Mazahir ‘Ulum; he did the work voluntarily, seeking Allah’s pleasure. Although he did accept a small salary at the beginning of his career, he later totaled up the amount and paid it back in its entirety.

Household

Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyya married twice. He first married the daughter of Shaykh Ra’uf al-Hasan in Kandhla. She passed away on Dhu ’l- Hijja 5, 1355 ah. He then married the daughter of Shaykh Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi in 1356 ah. Allah blessed him with five daughters and three sons from his first wife, and two daughters and one son from his second marriage.

Daily Routine

Shaykh Zakariyya organized his time meticulously. He would rise an hour before dawn and occupy himself in tahajjud and recitation of Qur’an before performing the Fajr prayer in the masjid. After Fajr, he would read his morning supplications and litany until sunrise. Thereafter he would go to meet with some people and drink tea (but never ate anything with it). He would then return to his quarters to read. During this time he would also research and compile his literary works, and, with few exceptions, no one was allowed to visit him at this time. When it was time for lunch he would come out and sit with his guests, who were from all walks of life; he would respect and treat them well, irrespective of who they were. After Zuhr prayer, he would take a siesta and then spend some time listening to his correspondence (which amounted to around forty or fifty letters daily from different places) and dictating replies. He also taught for two hours before ‘Asr. After ‘Asr, he would sit with a large group of people, offering them tea. After performing Maghrib, he would remain devoted in solitude to optional prayer and to supplication. He did not take an evening meal except to entertain an important guest.

Personality and Appearance

Shaykh Abu ’l-Hasan ‘Ali Nadwi says about his characteristics, “He was of medium height, heavyset, good-looking, with a fair, rosy complexion, as though pomegranate seeds had burst unto both his cheeks. “He was extremely vibrant, never lazy; light-hearted, smiling, cheerful, friendly; and he often jested with his close friends and acquaintances. We saw in him good character and forbearance with people, as well as a rare humility; and above all, his personal qualities were always governed by his deep faith and sense of contentment.”

Death

He had always hoped to meet Allah while in the city of the Messenger (upon him be peace); Allah granted his wish. He died there on Monday Sha‘ban 1, 1402 ah (May 24, 1982 CE) and was buried in Jannat al-Baqi‘, in the company of the Companions and the noble family members of the Messenger (upon him be peace). His funeral procession was followed by a large number of people and he was buried in the Baqi‘ graveyard next to his teacher Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri. May Allah forgive him, grant mercy, and elevate his status. Amin.

Scholars’ Praise of Him

Many scholars, both Arab and non-Arab, have praised him and recognized his knowledge and excellence. ‘Allama Muhammad Yusuf Binnori relates,

Indeed there are some remnants of the scholars of past generations living today among the scholars of today’s generation. They have been guided to praiseworthy efforts in multiple religious sciences, such as jurisprudence; they are on par with the previous generations in their knowledge, excellence, fear of Allah, and piety; they stir up memories of the blessed golden age of scholarship. Among these scholars is a unique figure envied for his excellence in knowledge and action, the author of outstanding, beneficial works and of beautiful, superb commentaries: Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhlawi Saharanpuri.

Shaykh Sa‘id Ahmad, the head of Islamic studies at the University of Aligarh, UP, relates, It is evident to one who takes a look at his works that he had a brilliancy, both in knowledge and with the pen, like that of Ibn al-Jawzi and Imam Ghazali. Of the scholars of his era, I know of no one comparable to him in this regard, except Imam ‘Abd al-Hayy al-Farangi Mahalli (of Lucknow).

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda said regarding him,

“The Shaykh, the Imam, the honorable, the Jurist, the scholar, the noble, the fragrant flower and sweet basil of India and Hijaz (Rayhanat al-Hind wa’l-Hijaz), the exponent of spiritual realities (haqiqa) and allusions (majaz), our leader, and our blessing.”

Doctor Sayyid Muhammad Ibn ‘Alawi al-Maliki relates,

“His Moral excellence (Sahib al-Fadila), the hadith scholar, the remnant of the predecessors and adornment of the successors, the blessed Imam, caller to Allah, my leader (sayyidi) and my teacher: Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyya.”

The hadith scholar, Hafiz al-Tijani portrayed him in the following words:

“The scholar of hadith, most erudite of the honorable, (Hadrat ‘Allama), Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhelwi, most erudite, the outstanding (fadil), the meticulous, the inquirer (muhaqqiq).”

‘Allama Sayyid Sulayman Nadwi mentioned upon his trip to Hijaz,

“In the 1369 ah, I met the honorable Shaykh Sayyid ‘Alawi al-Maliki, who was praising the work Awjaz al-masalik and its author. He was saying, “There is no literary work comparable to this in the works of the predecessors (mutaqaddimin).”

Shaykh Abu ’l-Hasan ‘Ali Nadwi relates that Shaykh ‘Alawi al-Maliki said,

When he reports the ruling and evidences of the Maliki school [in his writings], we Malikis are astonished at the accuracy and integrity of the report.… If the author had not mentioned in the introduction of [his] book that he was a Hanafi, I would not have known that he was Hanafi, but would have definitely concluded that he was a Maliki, since in his Awjaz he cites by-laws and derivatives of the Maliki school from their books that even we have a hard time obtaining.

Shaykh Abu ’l-Hasan ‘Ali al-Nadwi relates of him that the hadith was not only a profession or a science for him, but a desire and a state in which he lived and lived for.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Wahhab ‘Abd al-Latif said,

“He was the author of the work Awjaz al-masalik, in six volumes. In it is contained a great deal of effort in compiling, and an extent of reporting from the books of hadith and jurisprudence which has made the compiler deserving of praise.”

Students

Shaykh Zakariyya had numerous students who spread around the world and continue, to this day, to serve Islam, particularly establishing traditional Islamic schools in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, England, Canada, America, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and other countries. Some of his more prominent students in the field of hadith were Mu h addith Muhammad Yusuf Kandhlawi (d. 1384 ah), author of Amani ’l-Ahbar Sharh Ibn Ma‘ani ’l-Athar, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Jabbar A’zami, author of Imdad al-Bari (Urdu commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari) , and Mufti Mahmud Hasan Gangohi (d. 1417 ah). Many other scholars and students also acquired authorizations in hadith from him, including Dr. Mustafa’ al-Siba‘i, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda, Dr. Muhammad ‘Alawi al-Maliki, and Shaykh Muhammad Taha al-Barakati.

Written Works

Shaykh Zakariyya wrote many works both in Arabic and Urdu. A number of them treat specialized subjects intended for scholars, and the rest have been written for the general public. His works demonstrate his deep knowledge and intelligence; his ability to understand the issue at hand, research it thoroughly, and present a complete, clear and comprehensive discussion; his moderation, humility (as can be seen from the preface of this book), patience, and attention to detail. His respect and awe for the pious predecessors are evident in his works, even when he disagrees with their opinions on any particular aspect.

His first written work was a three-volume commentary of the Alfiyya Ibn Malik (on Arabic grammar), which he wrote as a student when he was only thirteen. His written works amount to over one hundred. He did not withhold any rights to his works and made it publicly known that he only published his works for the sake of Allah’s pleasure. Whoever wished to publish them was permitted to, on the condition that they were left unaltered and their accuracy maintained.

Hence, his books have gained overwhelming acceptance throughout the world, so much so that his work Fada’il al-Qur’an (Virtues of the Qur’an) has been translated into eleven languages, Fada’il Ramadan (Virtues of Ramadan) into twelve languages, and Fada’il al-Salat (Virtues of Prayer) into fifteen languages. He wrote four books on Qur’an commentary (tafsir) and proper recitation (tajwid), forty-four books on hadith and its related sciences, six books on jurisprudence (fiqh) and its related sciences, twenty-four historical and biographical books, four books on Islamic creed (aqida), twelve books on abstinence (zuhd) and heart-softening accounts (riqaq), three books in Arabic grammar and logic, and six books on modern-day groups and movements.

Some of His Hadith Works

One can find a complete list and description of his books in the various biographies written on him. Here is a brief description of a few of his more popular works on hadith:

Awjaz al-Masalik ila Muwatta’ Imam Malik: One of the most comprehensive commentaries on the Muwatta’ of Imam Malik in terms of the science of hadith, jurisprudence, and hadith explication. Shaykh Zakariyya provides the summaries of many other commentaries in a clear, intellectual, and scholarly way, dealing with the various opinions on each issue, mentioning the differences of opinions among the various scholars, and comparing their evidences. This commentary, written in Arabic, has won great acclaim from a number of Maliki scholars.

Lami‘ al-Dirari ‘ ala Jami‘ ’l-Bukhari: Written in Arabic, a collection of the unique remarks and observations on Sahih al-Bukhari presented by Shaykh Rashid Ahmad Gangohi . These life-long acquired wisdoms were recorded by his student Shaykh Yahya Kandhlawi (Shaykh Zakariyya’s father) during their lessons. Shaykh Zakariyya edited, arranged, and commented on his father’s compilation, clarifying the text and adding a comprehensive introduction at the beginning.

Al-Abwab wa ’l-Tarajim li ’l-Bukhari: An explanation of the chapter headings of Imam Bukhari’s Sahih al-Bukhari. Assigning chapter headings in a hadith collection is a science in itself, known among the scholars as al-abwab wa ’l-tarajim (chapters and explanations). In it, the compiler explains the reasons for the chapter heading and the connections between the chapter headings and the hadiths quoted therein. It is well known that the commentators of Sahih al-Bukhari have paid special attention to the titles therein, in tune with the Arabic saying: “The fiqh of Bukhari is in his chapter headings” ( fiqh al-Bukhari fi tarajimihi). Shaykh Zakariyya not only quotes and compiles what has been mentioned by other scholars like Shah Wali Allah al-Dehlawi and Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani, but also correlates and clarifies these opinions and presents findings from his own research in many instances.

Juz’ Hajjat al-Wida‘ wa ‘ Umrat al-Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) : A comprehensive Arabic commentary on the detailed accounts of the pilgrimage (hajj) of Allah’s Messenger (upon him be peace) . It includes the details of any juridical discussions on the various aspects of pilgrimage, giving the locations, modern-day names, and other details of the places the Messenger of Allah (upon him be peace) passed by or stayed at.

Khasa’il Nabawi Sharh Shama’il al-Tirmidhi: Composed in Urdu, a commentary on Imam Tirmidhi’s renowned work Al-Shama’il al-Muhammadiyya, a collection of hadiths detailing the characteristics of the Messenger (upon him be peace) . This commentary explains the various aspects related to the different characteristics and practices of Allah’s Messenger (upon him be peace). It has been translated into English and is widely available.

[Adapted from the Arabic biography on Shaykh Zakariyya Kandhlawi by Wali ’l-Din Nadwi. Taken from whitethreadpress.com]

Answered by Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam

Question

Could you please explain the difference between Ahad and Mutawatir Hadith? In particular, could you specify how many narrations make a Hadith Mutawatir? Also, are Ahad hadith taken into Aqidah or only Mutawatir?

Reply

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

A Hadith Mutawatir (continuous) is that which is related by whole groups of individuals from whole group of individuals, in multiple contiguous channels of transmission leading back to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give peace), such as that the sheer number of separate channels at each stage of transmission is too many for it to be possible for all to have conspired to fabricate the Hadith.

As such, a Hadith is classified as Mutawatir only when it fulfils the following conditions:

1) It is reported by such a large number of narrators that under normal circumstances it would be impossible for them to conspire a lie.

2) Such a number exists throughout the chain of narration, i.e. from the beginning to the end.

3) The reporters must base their report on sense perception, i.e. on something that is heard or seen.

4) That the narration necessitates certain knowledge for the listener. (Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, Sharh Nukhba al-Fikr, P.21).

Example of a Mutawatir Hadith is:

“Whoever lies about me deliberately must prepare himself for a place in the fire of Hell” (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih muslim).

Imam an-Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him) states that this narration has been narrated from approximately 200 Companions (Allah be pleased with them all) (Introduction to Sahih Muslim).

The Ahad or solitary Hadith (also known as Khabar al-Wahid) is the Hadith which fails to fulfil the requirement of Mutawatir. Ahad Hadith may be sound (sahih), good (hasan) or weak (Da’eef). It is a Hadith which does not impart positive knowledge on its own unless it is supported by extraneous or circumstantial evidence.

According to the majority of the four Sunni schools, acting upon Ahad is obligatory even if Ahad fails to engender positive knowledge provided certain conditions are met.

As far as establishing matters of Aqidah is concerned, the majority of the scholars are of the view that Ahad may not be relied upon as the basis of belief (aqidah), for matters of belief must be founded in certainty. Therefore, issues that revolve between belief (iman) and disbelief (kufr) can not be proven by Ahad narrations (See: Fawatih al-Rahmut, 2/136).

However, this refers to beliefs on which the actual Iman is dependent. As for Ahad narrations pertaining to subsidiary matters which are not essential to belief such as intercession (shafa’ah), etc…, these must be accepted and believed. Anyone who denies them is a sinner (fasiq) but not a Kafir, as he denies something which is not decisively proven (Abu Zahra, Usul al-Fiqh, P.85).

None of the previous scholars rejected any belief that was not established by Hadith Mutawatir. In fact, the great Hadith expert, Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani (Allah have mercy on him) states in his monumental commentary of Sahih al-Bukhari that, Ahad narrations are a source of evidence when the Ummah accepts it and acts upon it. It then has the power to become firm belief (Fath al-Bari, V.13, P.234).

Many beliefs have been established by Ahad narrations, yet they have not been rejected by the great scholars of this Ummah. Beliefs such as the intercession (shafa’ah) of the blessed Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give peace), descriptions of the angels, Jinn, Jannah, Jahannam, and much more.

In conclusion, matters of Aqidah can and have been proven by Ahad narrations and accepted by the majority of the Ummah. Yes, those integrals of Aqidah on which an individual’s Iman depends can not be established by Ahad narrations. As a result, denying beliefs that are proven by Ahad will not constitute Kufr, rather a sin.

And Allah Knows Best

[Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam
Darul Iftaa
Leicester , UK

By Khalid Baig

Imam Malik bin Anas (b. 93 AH, d. 179 AH) was one of the greatest Islamic scholars of all times. Among his 1300 disciples were people from all walks of life; rulers, judges, historians, Sufis, poets, and scholars of Qur’an, Hadith, and Fiqh. The Khalifah attended his class as an ordinary student along with others.

In the best traditions of this Ummah Imam Malik considered his knowledge as a trust. When he knew something to be right or wrong, no intimidation could stop him from declaring so. It was his fatwa that divorce given under compulsion is invalid, that earned him the wrath of the ruler (as it implied that pledge of allegiance given under compulsion was also invalid). He was punished with lashes and at every strike he said, “I am Malik bin Anas and I declare that divorce given under compulsion is invalid.”

Yet it was the same Imam Malik who was more likely to say “la adree” (I don’t know) or “la ahsin” (I don’t know it very well) in response to the constant flow of queries directed toward him. Once a person approached him and told him that he had come from Marrakesh — after a six month journey — only to ask a question. “My people back home are waiting for your answer,” he said. After hearing the question Imam Malik replied, “Please tell your people that I do not know the answer to your question.” In one case he was asked forty-eight questions and in response to thirty-two of them he said, “I don’t know.” It was commonly said that if somebody wrote down Imam Malik’s answers to questions, he could easily fill pages with “I don’t know” before writing a real answer.

The reason for this extraordinary care was nothing but a deep sense of accountability before Allah. It was the caution of a person who was standing between Hell and Heaven, fearful that one wrong step could lead him to the former. “Before you answer a question about religious law, visualize that you are standing at the gates of Hell and Heaven,” he used to advise others.

Of course, he was not alone. Ibn Jareej used to attend the majlis (sitting) of Abdullah ibn Umar, Radi-Allahu anhuma. “In answer to more than half the questions he used to say I don’t know.” Ibn Abi Layla saw 120 Sahaba (companions). “Whenever one of them was asked a question he wished that someone else would answer it.”

Nor was this caution restricted to Fiqh (Islamic Law). In interpreting the Qur’an or the Hadith, they exercised same care. Imam Muslim whose Sahih Muslim is unanimously considered second of the two most authentic collections of Hadith, had set for himself only the task of Hadith collection leaving the job of interpreting them to others. He was so concerned about this that he did not even divide the book into chapters for such classification would amount to interpretation.

They were the authoritative source on Islamic teachings, having devoted their lives to learning and practicing them. They knew very well the tremendous burden inherent in a statement that begins “Allah says”, or “The Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, says”. For here stating something that is not so means that a person is attributing something to Allah or the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, that is not true. What can be a greater sin than that! They always remembered that it is Haram to give fatwa without knowledge. They always remembered the Hadith, “Whoever interprets the Qur’an without knowledge should make his abode in Hell.”

Fast forward to today and you are in a totally different world. Across the Muslim world today there are innumerable “experts” who are willing to interpret the Qur’an and Hadith, give fatwas, even do Ijtihad — all without the benefit of even the minimum religious education and training. If such a person is a good writer or speaker that is qualification enough. For the audiences today readily confuse eloquence with scholarship. If the “expert” also carries the magic title “Dr.” that certainly fills any gaps in his authority. It does not matter whether his educational achievement maybe in gynecology or business administration, journalism or nuclear science, physics or animal husbandry.

The results have been disastrous. The vast confusion and ignorance of even elementary subjects in religious teachings among the seemingly “educated” classes today is unprecedented. Today one can find all sorts of un-Islamic ideas and practices, conjectures, whims, and desires finding approval in the “Ijtihaddom” that has been concocted. What is more we also make a virtue out of this catastrophe by bragging that we have broken the “shackles of blind following” and opened direct access to the original sources of Islamic teachings. But no amount of bragging can hide the fact that this is the equivalent of allowing unlicensed and untrained people to practice medicine. Although in this case the resulting death and injury is not physical and is therefore less visible.

The reasons for this malaise are complex but two stand out. First, the schooling of our “educated” people included very little or none of Islamic education. Plainly, we do not know and we do not know that we do not know. Second, many of us harbor great mistrust of those who have received formal Islamic education. In turn this is also based on ignorance of what constitutes such education. It is a distant world, a black box, and all we know is that there is something wrong with it.

For a change let us visit a darul-uloom where they are screening candidates for admission to the next ifta class. The top scorers from the regular alim course were given a test and just the top ten scorers from the test will be brought for interview. They are tested not only for their knowledge of Arabic and religious texts but also their ability to understand complex real life situations and to communicate well. Once they graduate, they will do an internship for years under qualified and experienced muftis. But even the best of their teachers will consult others when they face a difficult issue. After exercising the best of caution they will learn to say “Allah knows best” at the end of their answers.

It is not to say that the decline of Muslim political power and the general decline of Muslim civilization has had no effect on this area of activity or our darul-iftas are running problem free. But can anyone in all honesty declare that an alternative that misses each and everyone of these features is better? There is a famous saying in Urdu. “A pseudo doctor is danger to life. A pseudo religious scholar is danger to faith.” Do we know the danger?

Courtesy of alBalagh.net