Ahmad Raza Khan

All you want to know about Ahmad Raza Khan

Dargah Aala Hazrat
Ahmed Rida Khan
India
Modern era
Full name Ahmed Raza Khan
Birth 14 June 1856 CE [1]
Death 1921 CE
School/tradition Sunni
Main interests Aqeedah, Fiqh, Tasawwuf
Notable ideas Love of Holy Prophet, hot dialogues with other Muslim groups over religious issues
Influenced by
Influenced

Ahmad Raza Khan (ur:مولانا احمد رضاخان, hi:इमाम अहमद रजा) was a Sunni Muslim scholar and founder of Barelwi school of thought. He has written many books on a vast range of topics covering religion, science and philosophy. A collection of fatwas by the title of Fatawa Ridawiyya, is his magnus opus.

Contents

Early Life

Ahmad Raza Khan was born in 14th of June, 1856 CE 1272 AH in Bareilly, Rohilkhand, British India, a city now in Uttar Pradesh, India. His mother named him Amman Miyān, father Ahmed Miyān while grand father named Ahmed Raza[2] but he didn't satisfy on any of these names and personally called and written himself Abdul Mustafa in various occasions and in correspondences.[3]

He studies Islamic sciences and complete the traditionl dars-e nizami course under the supervision and tutelage of his father Mawlānā Naqī Áli Khān.

Ahmed Rida Khan learnt a few books of Urdu and Persian from Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Qadir Beg. He also learnt a little from Abdul Ali of Rampuri (d. 1885). He learnt 21 subjects from his respected father, Hazrat Naqi Ali Khan (d. 1880). Besides, he was also taught by his master, Shah Al-i-Rasùl of Marehrah Sharif (d. 1879) and H.H. Shah Abdul Hasan Nùri of Marehrah Sharif (d. 1906).

Works

Islam in India




History
Architecture

Mughal · Indo-Islamic · Indo-Saracenic
Major figures

Moinuddin Chishti · Akbar
 · Ahmad Raza Khan
 · Maulana Azad
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan · Bahadur Yar Jung
Communities

Northern · Mappilas · Tamil
Konkani · Marathi · Vora Patel
Memons · North-Eastern · Kashmiris
Hyderabadi · Dawoodi Bohras · Khoja
Oriya · Nawayath · Bearys · The Saits
Meo · Sunni Bohras
Kayamkhani · Bengali
Schools of law

Hanafi · Shafi`i · Maliki · Hanbali
Schools of thought

Barelvi · Deobandi · Shia · Ahle Hadith
Mosques in India

Historic Mosques of India
Culture

Muslim culture of Hyderabad
Other topics

Ahle Sunnat Movement in South Asia
Islahi Movement in Kerala
Indian Muslim nationalism
Muslim chronicles for Indian history

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Part of a series on
Sunni Islam
Beliefs

Monotheism
Prophethood & Messengership
Holy Books • Angels
Judgement Day • Predestination
Pillars

Declaration of Faith • Prayer
Charity • Fasting • Pilgramage
Rightly Guided Caliphs

Abu Bakr • Umar ibn al-Khattab
Uthman ibn Affan • Ali ibn Abi Talib
Schools of Law

Hanafi • Shafi`i • Maliki • Hanbali
Schools of Theology

Maturidi • Ash'ari • Athari • Mu'tazili
Movements

Deobandi • Barelwi • Salafi
Wahhabi • Jamaat al-Muslimeen

Hadith Collections

Sahih Bukhari • Sahih Muslim
Al-Sunan al-Sughra
Sunan Abu Dawood
Sunan al-Tirmidhi
Sunan ibn Maja • Al-Muwatta
Sunan al-Darami
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Religious contributions

  • Ahmad Raza Khan has translated the Holy Quran into Urdu first published in 1912 by the title of Kanz al-Iman fi Tarjuma al-Qur’an. The translation provides simple, idiomatic and appropriate language. It fully preserves the position, prestige and purpose of Allah and His Prophet.
  • He has written several books on the subject of collection and compilation of Hadiths.
  • He was a mufti of international repute. Questions for fatwa from various places were received by Ahmad Raza Khan, who replied them explicitly with ample references and quotations from Holy Quran, Hadith and other authentic Islamic books. He has written a number of books and booklets on a number of issues and the masterpiece is his Fatawa Ridawiyya which runs in 12 volumes and each volume is spread over 1000 pages.
  • In the field of research, he has contributed in various Islamic religious acts such as Wuzu, Tayammum and ghusl (bath) etc. He has fixed various “Do and don’t” for them.
  • In the search about the names of Holy Prophet, he claimed that he had gathered around 1400 different names from various sources.
  • He also researched, gathered and compiled various critical data about the historic journey of Imam Hussain toward Kerbala, a historic event of Islamic world.

Scientific Approach

  • In a booklet, Ahmad Raza Khan dared to challenge the theory (now established fact) about earth moves constantly about its own axis and also round the sun, which is stationary. Instead of that, Ahmad Raza Khan presents his controversial hypothesis not just among Muslims but scientist that the Islamic principle is that “the sky and earth are stationary and the planets rotate. It is sun that moves round the earth; it is not earth that moves round the sun.” He has given various logics about his claim.

Antagonism towards Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, claimed to be the promised Messiah and Mahdi awaited by the Muslims. These claims proved to be extremely controversial among Muslims and he was branded as a heretic and apostate by many religious scholars of the time, including Ahmed Rida. To prove his point, when Ahmed Rida visited Mecca and Madina for pilgrimage in 1905, he prepared a draft document entitled "AlMotamad AlMustanad" (The Reliable Proofs) for presentation to the eminent scholars of Mecca and Madina-E-Pak. Ahmed Raza collected opinions of the Ulama of Hejaz and compiled them in a compendium written in Arabic language with the title, Husam al Harmain (The Sword of two sanctuaries), a work containing the thirty-three Ulamas’ thirty -four verdicts (20 Meccan and 13 Medinese Ulama). The overall import of this work was that Ghulam Ahmad's beliefs were blasphemous and tantamount to apostasy.

Secularism

During the period of the Indian Khilafat Movement, Gandhi was advised that he should meet with Aĥmed Riđā. When he was told that the Gandhi wished to meet and speak to him about the Khilafat Movement. Aĥmad Razaā said, "What would he speak about? Religion or worldly affairs? If it is worldly affairs, what can I partake in, for I have abstained from the world and have no interest in it."[4]

Criticism

  • He is well known for often attacking and abusing other Muslim religious group such as Deobandis and Wahabbis after accusing them of being disrespectful towards Prophet Muhammad.

Deobandi and Salafi scholars believe that Ahmed Raza Khan has made these accusations due to his "exaggeration" in loving the prophet and therefore disobeyed the following hadith:

Umer narrates :[5]

I heard the Prophet saying, "Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians praised the son of Mary, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of Allah and His Apostle."

All Muslims show immense love for the Muhammad but innovations are no way of showing love. The followers of Barelwi school of thought respond to this that the Christians exaggerated in praising Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) to the level that they considered him to be either a God, son of God or a partner of God. Hence, it will be completely unlawful and disbelief to elevate the status of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) in a manner that one considers him to be a God, son of God or a partner of Allah as indicated by Imam Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (Allah have mercy on him). Hence, one should send blessings on him and praise him as much as possible. It is a sign of being a Muslim as indicated in the Noble Qurán.

  • Sometimes he used uttered words that were not worthy of a common man, much less of a man to whom learning and leadership have been attributed. This habit was so much deep rotted in him that his friends and advocates of his beliefs and thoughts were forced to say, 'He was hard headed and callous to his opponents. He did not take any care required by the Sharia'. [6]
  • Robinson writes :[7]

The Bareilawi died of pleurisy. Reports tell us that shortly before his death he made a number of wills. These bequests have been collected in an independent tract and published under the name 'Wasaya Shariff'. In this tract he bequeathed his party as follows: 'Hold fast to my faith and doctrine which is apparent from my works. Hold fast to it and remain honest to it, for it is the most significant duty among the duties.

  • He is in support of Sufi concept of caste system in Muslims. He has written in his book Fatawa Ridawiyya about this. Many Muslim scholars consider this an act against basic Islamic principles.

If a un-touchable muslim becomes a alim, he is not equal to syed, sheikh, pathan (surfah key kufu nahin).

  • In another place, Ahmed Raza Khan wrote: [8]

If you are embarrassed in your affairs, seek help from the inmates of the tombs.

  • He also writes about Abdul Qadir Jilani's power on this world which many Muslims consider it an act of shirk : [9]

Shaikh Abdul qadir has the power of disposition in the universe. He has been granted permission and he has the authority. He is the conductor of the affairs of the world.

References

  1. ^ Hayat-e-Aala Hadhrat, vol.1 p.1
  2. ^ Aala Hadhrat by Bastawi, p.25
  3. ^ Man huwa Ahmad Rida by Shaja'at Ali al-Qadri, p.15
  4. ^ Al Mizaan P:335
  5. ^ Bukhari volume 4, Book 55 Hadith No 654
  6. ^ Hayat Ala Hadrat, p.211
  7. ^ Robinson: Separatism among Indian Muslims, Cambridge, 1974 p. 443
  8. ^ Wal Ula, p.46
  9. ^ Hadaiq bakshish by Ahmed Raza Khan, p,26
  • Baraka, A - A Saviour in a Dark World (Article) The Islamic Times, March 2003 Stockport, UK

Haroon, M The World of Importance of Imam Ahmad Raza Kazi Publications, Lahore 1974

See also

External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Rida_Khan"

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