Islamic Services of Sadr-ush-Shari’ah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه

The legendary and leading scholar of Shari’ah and Tareeqah, ‘Allamah Maulana Mufti Muhammad Amjad Ali A’zami رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born in 1882 (1300 AH) in a town named Madina-tul-‘Ulama (Ghausi) of East UP, India. His father Hakeem Jamaluddeen and grandfather Khuda Bakhsh رَحِمَهُمَا الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی were experts in the science of medicine.

He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه received his early education from his grandfather, Maulana Khuda Bakhsh رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه at home, thereafter he went to a Madrasah called ‘Naasir-ul-‘Uloom’ and received further education from Maulana Ilahi Bakhsh رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه in his hometown. Then, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه reached Jaunpur and studied some lessons from his cousin and teacher Maulana Muhammad Siddeeq رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه. Thereafter, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه furthered his Islamic education from a ‘teacher of scholars’, ‘Allamah Hidayatullah Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه and it is here that he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه completed his Dars-e-Nizami (‘Aalim Course). He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه then completed Dars-e-Hadees in Pilibhit under the guidance of the ‘teacher of Muhaddiseen’, Maulana Wasee Ahmad Muhaddis Soorti رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه who acknowledged the incredible talents of his promising student in these words: ‘If somebody has learnt from me, it is Amjad Ali’.

(Tazkirah Sadr-ush-Shari’ah, pp. 5)

Scholarly achievement of Sadr-ush-Shari’ah

It is certainly a great favour of Sadr-ush-Shari’ah, Mufti Muhammad Amjad ‘Ali A’zami رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه upon the Muslims especially of the Subcontinent that he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه accumulated rulings on jurisprudence in one place in simple writing, which are generally spread out in voluminous Arabic books. This book, ‘Bahar-e-Shari’at’, contains thousands of rulings from birth to death. It also contains countless rulings which are compulsory for every Islamic brother and Islamic sister to learn. Commenting on the causes of writing the book Bahar-e-Shari’at, Sadr-ush-Shari’ah, Mufti Muhammad Amjad ‘Ali A’zami رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has mentioned, ‘There is not a single book written in the Urdu language, until now, that comprises correct rulings and is sufficient for the needs.’

The glory and greatness of Sadr-ush-Shari’ah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه can be judged by this thing that the revivalist of the religion Islam and our nation, leader of the Ahl-e-Sunnah made him the Qadi of Islam in Hind. Judge the glory and greatness of Sadr-ush-Shari’ah from this thing that A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه granted his Khilafat upon him. Sadr-ush-Shari’ah was faithful to the Aastanah of his Murshid. Sadr-ush-Shari’ah was very kind and affectionate towards small children. Acting upon the Sunnah, Sadr-ush-Shari’ah used to carry out household chores with his own hands, despite being extremely busy. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه would strictly act upon the Sunnahs of the Beloved and Blessed Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم .

جن کی ہر ہر اَدا سُنّتِ مُصطَفٰی

ایسے صدر الشّریعہ پہ لاکھوں سلام

He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه would never miss his Salah whether he was at home or traveling. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه would offer Salah regularly even in a state of being seriously ill. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه had such a great passion for Salah with Jama’at that if for any reason the Muazzin was unable to reach on time, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه would call out the Azan himself. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه loved fasts so much that he did not miss his fasts even during serious illness. No matter how busy he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was, he would recite one part of the Holy Al Quran after Fajr Salah. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه would regularly recite Salat Razawiyyah 100 times after Jumu’ah (Friday) Salah. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه would be very careful about the practical education and upbringing of his children and students. Sadr-ush-Shari’ah was a great lover of the Beloved Rasool. At the time of listening to blessed Na’at, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه would fold his hands, close his eyes due to the reverence for the blessed Na’at and would weep in deep remembrance of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه passed away while traveling to Madinah Munawwarah. Pure fragrance had been smelt from his blessed shrine (Mazaar) for many days. His great scholarly achievement was that he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه granted the Ummah of Mustafa صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم such a book that when studied properly makes a person an ‘Islamic scholar’, this book is called ‘Bahar-e-Shari’at’.

جس کے دم سے بہارِ شریعت ملی

ایسے صدرِ شریعت پہ لاکھوں سلام

There is no respect for the young and the elderly. The rights of relatives, neighbours, ordinary Sadr-ush-Shari’ah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه had two permanent duties to carry out. (1) Teaching in the Madrasah (2) dealing with all pieces of work related to press i.e., correction of copies and proofs, dispatching books, replies to letters and keeping accounts of receiving and expenses. He would carry out all these duties alone. Besides these activities, he would also carry out the tasks of rewriting Fatawa and writing Fatawa (Islamic verdicts) in the presence of A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه on a permanent basis. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه would also attend the congregations of preaching Islam in different areas.

(Tazkirah Sadr-ush-Shari’ah, pp. 15)

مُصنِّف بھی، مُقرِّر بھی، فَقیہِ عصرِ حاضِر بھی

وہ اپنے آپ میں تھا اِک اِدارہ عِلم و حکمت کا

Explanation of couplet: The meaning of this couplet is this: Mufti Muhammad Amjad ‘Ali A’zami رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was a writer (that is, he would write books, deliver speeches) and a great Islamic scholar at the same time. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was an institution of knowledge himself, سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه عَزَّوَجَلَّ. Indeed, the life of Sadr-ush-Shari’ah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه is the best ideal for us because he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه did not let any moment of his life go to waste without serving Islam and the Sunnahs, without propagating Islamic knowledge and propagating Islam. In addition to this, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ granted great blessings in his time and pen. Therefore, despite being busy the whole day with virtuous acts, he remained active.

Remember! He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه did not carry out this task for any greed, but he carried it out only for the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. After Fajr Salah, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه started his activities (Islamic activities) which continued until late night, even until 2 o’clock when he finally rest. اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ for these outstanding services, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ blessed him with a high rank that even today a large number of people are attaining the blessings from the books which he wrote, in particular, ‘Bahar-e-Shari’at’. Furthermore, the brother of A’la Hadrat, Maulana Muhammad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was so impressed by his passion for serving Islam that he uttered this praiseworthy and historical sentence in the honour of Sadr-ush-Shari’ah: ‘Maulana Amjad Ali is the machine of work and the machine that never fails.’

This great personage accumulated rulings on jurisprudence selected from the famous books of jurisprudence, which also contain verses of the Glorious Quran and many Ahadees, all compiled in a great book named, ‘Bahar-e-Shari’at’, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه also had the privilege to get the Holy Quran translated from his spiritual guide, A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه . Proving himself to be faithful and loving to his spiritual guide he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه made the city of his spiritual guide his residence to the end. Despite being very busy, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه never abandoned his Salah even during his illness. Furthermore, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه would happily carry out household chores himself with the intention of acting upon a Sunnah. May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ also bless us with a Madani thought like what Sadr-ush-Shari’ah had, so that we can also attain the yearning to serve Islam, be loyal to our spiritual guide and become from amongst those who act upon the beautiful Sunnahs of also carrying out household chores!

اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِه وَسَلَّم

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد