Akhtar Raza
Encyclopedia
Akhtar Raza is an Islamic jurist, and currently Grand Mufti
of India
. Mufti Akhtar Raza was born on 23 November 1943 (24 of Dhu al-Qi'dah
1362 Hijri), in the district of Saudagran in the city of Bareilly
, India
. The name given during his Aqeeqah was Muhammad. He was also given the name Muhammad Ismail Raza. However, the name by which he is currently known is Akhtar Raza.
He has been ranked 26th in the list of Most Influential Muslims of the World by Royal Islamic Society of Jordan. Known for his Scholarship and Taqwa he has been adjudged as Leader of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jama'at in India.
He belongs to the Hanafi
Madhab of the Sunni denomination of Islam
, which generally gives special respect to the Aulias (Muslim saints and holy men after Muhammad
) and appreciates Sufism
. The Barelwis are opposed to many elements of the Deobandi
sub-sect. Since India is a secular state, the government does not appoint the Grand Mufti (called Mufti-e-Azam in Persian
, or Mufti `am in Arabic), nor other religious office-bearers, so it is up to the Muslim community of India to appoint this post. The Grand Mufti runs a website called http://www.taajushshariah.com, which also lists his Fatwas.
, performed the ritual.
Mufti Akhtar Raza received his basic Islamic education at home and completed the basic recitation and the study of the Quran under the guidance of his mother. He then studied further under the guidance of his father. Having completed his basic studies at home, he was enrolled in the Darul Uloom Manzar-e-Islam
in Bareilly. There, under the guidance of teachers and scholars, he studied many books, commencing with the basics such as Mizaan, Munshaib, Nahv Meer and proceeding to much more advanced books such as Hidaya Akhirain. On Friday, 15 January 1962, (24 of Dhu al-Qi'dah
1382 Hijri
), Mufti Akhtar Raza reached the age of 20, and received Khilafah (ordination into spiritual succession) by Maulana Mustafa Raza Khan
.
Mufti Akhtar Raza then studied tafsir
and ahadith for three years from 1963-1966 at the Al Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. He achieved the distinction of being one of the best foreign students to have studied at the Al-Azhar University, securing the first position during every examination. He was awarded the Jamia Azhar Award by Colonel Jamal Abdul Nasir upon graduating from the Al Azhar University, He was also presented with a Certificate of Merit in the field of Ahadith (plural of Hadith
, the records of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad). When he went back many years later for a visit, he received the Fakhr e Azhar (Pride of Al Azhar) award.
Mufti Akhtar Raza returned to India at the age of 24, where a large crowd awaited him at the Bareilly railway station. An article describing his return to Bareilly Shareef was written by Umeed Razvi. It was printed in the December issue of the Monthly Ala Hadrat magazine under the title, Great Welcome. The article stated: A beautifully coloured and scented rose from the garden of Ala Hazrat, his Eminence, Maulana Akhtar Raza Khan Qaadiri Al Azhari, the son of Hazrat Mufassir-e-Azam Hind Maulana
Ibrahim Raza Khan arrived in Bareilly Shareef after a lengthy stay at the Al Azhar University in Cairo. He was welcomed at the Bareilly Junction Railway Station by many well-wishers, friends, families, great Ulama and students of Madressa Manzar-e-Islam
under the spiritual supervision of Huzoor Sarkaar Mufti-e-Azam-e-Hind Maulana Mustafa Raza Khan
.
, son of Ala Hazrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan, son of Mufti Naqi Ali Khan, son of Maulana Taqi Ali Khan, son of Hafiz Kazim Ali Khan, son of Maulana Azam Khan, son of Maulana Sa'adat Yaar Khan, son of Maulana Suja'at Jangbahadur Saeedullah Khan.
in many Silsilas including the Qadri, Chishti and Naqshbandi
.
, Hadith
, Fiqh
, Sarf, Nahv, Tajweed, Tassawuf, Mantiq, Seerah, Tareekh, Hayat
, Balaghah, Aqaid, Reyazi, Touqeet, Jafar, and Kalam
. He also speaks and writes Urdu
, Hindi
, Arabic, Persian
and English
fluently.
given by Mufti Akhtar Raza. The collection has been widely acclaimed and accepted by Sunni Muslims all over the world and specially by Sunni Muslim Communities living in the United States
, Europe
, South Africa
and Western countries, as the rulings mainly refer to these countries.
s) was published for the first time entitled Naghmat-e-Akhtar. Later, it was published entitled Safina-e-Bakhshish in 1986. It contains many Naats in the Arabic and Urdu language.
Chief Justice
) for the entire country of India, during the Urs
e Razavi in October 2006 in the presence of many Ulama
, prominent Islamic Scholars and thousands of people, including:
The title is only symbolic, because India is officially secular.
Mufti Akhtar Raza established the Islamic university Jamiatur Raza
in May 2000, so that it could be conductive to profound learning and the thorough correct understanding of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah, so that the hidden part of Islamic Ideology can be discovered in order to suit the present situations in the scientific and technological era.
He is the president of:
Amongst his famous Khulafa (successors);
Amongst his famous students;
, Islamic rulings) on many different Islamic matters, especially those which people nowadays don't even think about.
(property) of Allah, therefore it is not permissible to donate any part of one's body or (donate) the blood."
Mufti Akhtar Raza disallowed wearing of the Tie and said Muslims must strictly abstain from it. He has written a full book regarding this called Tie Ka Masa'la.
"He who shaves his beard or gets his beard less than fistful is declared sinful. To such a person who commits this sin is not able to lead the prayers. It is Makruh-e-Tahrimi (Strongly Disliked) to perform Salaah behind him."
. Mufti Akhtar Raza has criticized the Wahhabis, and issued fatwas that permit Muslims making supplication, near the mausoleums of the Aulias (Muslim saints after Prophet Muhammad
) and allowing intercession to be sought from them (i.e., praying to Allah though the medium of the Sufi saints). He says: In fact, Wahhabis have refused the commands of the Holy Quran and authentic Traditions of the Holy Messenger (Sallal-Laahu Ta'ala Alaihi Wasallam) and have adopted very irrespective manners towards the Saints and pious persons. They are misled and every baseless act of Wahhabis is against Islamic faith.
Further, he says, It is my advice to all Sunnis and especially to the Mureeds (disciples) of Silsila Razvia to keep away from all these wrong doings. Please also avoid sending your children to Wahhabi Madrassas and Darul Ulooms and bring them up in a Sunni environment and make them refrain from being Wahhabi.
The Deobandi school of Islam, which has stricter rules in regards to reverence of Sufi Saints, has been declared un-Islamic by Mufti Akhtar Raza: It is not permissible to read Namaaz behind a Deobandi Aalim (singular of Ulema) on any account. Namaaz performed behind a Deobandi Aalim, as well as behind unbelievers, is totally incorrect.
During Mufti Akhtar Raza's August 2008 trip to Syria
, he was asked to pray for rain by the Damascus Ulema. He did so and caused rain at a time of year, when it had not rained in five years. During the same trip, Sheikh al-Sabah stated that he when he walked by the place where Mufti Akhtar Raza was staying, he saw Anwaar (plural of nur, lit., light) emanating from within.
Other attributed miracles include several cases of Indian Hindus accepting Islam after seeing Mufti Akhtar Raza in dreams.
Sayyid Abdullah Fad’aq Hashimi (Da’iyah of Makkah and student of the late Sayyid Muhammad Alawi Maliki), who referred to the Shaykh as “Fadilat al-Imam al-Shaykh Muhammad Akhtar Ridha Khan al-Azhari al-Mufti al-Azam fi al-Hind”
Shaykh Isa Mani al-Himyari (Muhadith of Dubai) who referred to the Shaykh as “al-Shaykh al-Aarif billah al-Muhadith Muhammad Akhtar Ridha al-Hanafi al-Qadiri al-Azhari”
Shaykh Waathiq Fu’ad Ubaydi (Baghdad) who called him “Shaykhuna al-Jalil, Sahib al-Radd al-Qati, Murshid al-Saalikeen, al-Mahfouz bi-Rabb al-alameen, al-Aalim al-Fadhil” and “Taaj al-Shari’ah”
Mufti Jamal Abdul Kareem al-Dabban (Baghdad) who referred to him as “al-Imam al-Allamah al-Qudwah Sahib al-Fadhilat al-Shaykh”
Grand Mufti
The title of Grand Mufti refers to the highest official of religious law in a Sunni or Ibadi Muslim country. The Grand Mufti issues legal opinions and edicts, fatwā, on interpretations of Islamic law for private clients or to assist judges in deciding cases...
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Mufti Akhtar Raza was born on 23 November 1943 (24 of Dhu al-Qi'dah
Dhu al-Qi'dah
Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu'l-Qadah, or Dhu al-Qi'dah is the eleventh month in the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months in Islam during which warfare is prohibited, hence the name ‘Master of Truce’.- Timing :...
1362 Hijri), in the district of Saudagran in the city of Bareilly
Bareilly
Bareilly is a prominent city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of the Bareilly division and the geographical region Rohilkhand...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The name given during his Aqeeqah was Muhammad. He was also given the name Muhammad Ismail Raza. However, the name by which he is currently known is Akhtar Raza.
He has been ranked 26th in the list of Most Influential Muslims of the World by Royal Islamic Society of Jordan. Known for his Scholarship and Taqwa he has been adjudged as Leader of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jama'at in India.
He belongs to the Hanafi
Hanafi
The Hanafi school is one of the four Madhhab in jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. The Hanafi madhhab is named after the Persian scholar Abu Hanifa an-Nu‘man ibn Thābit , a Tabi‘i whose legal views were preserved primarily by his two most important disciples, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad al-Shaybani...
Madhab of the Sunni denomination of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, which generally gives special respect to the Aulias (Muslim saints and holy men after Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
) and appreciates Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
. The Barelwis are opposed to many elements of the Deobandi
Deobandi
Deobandi is a movement of Sunni Islam. The movement began at Darul Uloom Deoband in Deoband, India, where its foundation was laid on 30 May 1866.-History:...
sub-sect. Since India is a secular state, the government does not appoint the Grand Mufti (called Mufti-e-Azam in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, or Mufti `am in Arabic), nor other religious office-bearers, so it is up to the Muslim community of India to appoint this post. The Grand Mufti runs a website called http://www.taajushshariah.com, which also lists his Fatwas.
Education
When Mufti Akhtar Raza reached the age of 4 years, 4 months, and 4 days, his father, Islamic scholar Maulana Ibrahim Raza Khan, arranged for his Bismillah Khwaani (commencement of Islamic studies). His maternal grandfather Mustafa Raza KhanMustafa Raza Khan
Mustafa Raza Khan, commonly known among the Muslims of South Asia as Mufti e Azam e Hind, was born in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1892. His father, Ahmed Raza Khan was the founder of the Barelvi school of Sunni Islam in South Asia.. His grandfather, Moulana Naqi Ali Khan Mustafa Raza Khan,...
, performed the ritual.
Manzar-e-Islam
Madrasa Manzar-e-Islam is the first Islamic seminary of the Barelvi movement. It was founded in 1904 in Bareilly, India by Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi....
in Bareilly. There, under the guidance of teachers and scholars, he studied many books, commencing with the basics such as Mizaan, Munshaib, Nahv Meer and proceeding to much more advanced books such as Hidaya Akhirain. On Friday, 15 January 1962, (24 of Dhu al-Qi'dah
Dhu al-Qi'dah
Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu'l-Qadah, or Dhu al-Qi'dah is the eleventh month in the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months in Islam during which warfare is prohibited, hence the name ‘Master of Truce’.- Timing :...
1382 Hijri
Islamic calendar
The Hijri calendar , also known as the Muslim calendar or Islamic calendar , is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days. It is used to date events in many Muslim countries , and used by Muslims everywhere to determine the proper day on which to celebrate Islamic...
), Mufti Akhtar Raza reached the age of 20, and received Khilafah (ordination into spiritual succession) by Maulana Mustafa Raza Khan
Mustafa Raza Khan
Mustafa Raza Khan, commonly known among the Muslims of South Asia as Mufti e Azam e Hind, was born in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1892. His father, Ahmed Raza Khan was the founder of the Barelvi school of Sunni Islam in South Asia.. His grandfather, Moulana Naqi Ali Khan Mustafa Raza Khan,...
.
Mufti Akhtar Raza then studied tafsir
Tafsir
Tafseer is the Arabic word for exegesis or commentary, usually of the Qur'an. Ta'wīl is a subset of tafsir and refers to esoteric or mystical interpretation. An author of tafsir is a mufassir .- Etymology :...
and ahadith for three years from 1963-1966 at the Al Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. He achieved the distinction of being one of the best foreign students to have studied at the Al-Azhar University, securing the first position during every examination. He was awarded the Jamia Azhar Award by Colonel Jamal Abdul Nasir upon graduating from the Al Azhar University, He was also presented with a Certificate of Merit in the field of Ahadith (plural of Hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
, the records of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad). When he went back many years later for a visit, he received the Fakhr e Azhar (Pride of Al Azhar) award.
Maulana
Mawlānā is an Arabic word literally meaning "our lord" or "our master" ....
Ibrahim Raza Khan arrived in Bareilly Shareef after a lengthy stay at the Al Azhar University in Cairo. He was welcomed at the Bareilly Junction Railway Station by many well-wishers, friends, families, great Ulama and students of Madressa Manzar-e-Islam
Manzar-e-Islam
Madrasa Manzar-e-Islam is the first Islamic seminary of the Barelvi movement. It was founded in 1904 in Bareilly, India by Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi....
under the spiritual supervision of Huzoor Sarkaar Mufti-e-Azam-e-Hind Maulana Mustafa Raza Khan
Mustafa Raza Khan
Mustafa Raza Khan, commonly known among the Muslims of South Asia as Mufti e Azam e Hind, was born in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1892. His father, Ahmed Raza Khan was the founder of the Barelvi school of Sunni Islam in South Asia.. His grandfather, Moulana Naqi Ali Khan Mustafa Raza Khan,...
.
His paternal ancestry
Mufti Akhtar Raza Khan, son of Mufassir e Azam Hind Maulana Ibrahim Raza Khan, son of Hujjat-ul Islam Maulana Hamid Raza KhanHamid Raza Khan
Hamid Raza Khan Qaadiri: was an Islamic scholar and mystic of the Barelvi movement. Qaaderi was born in 1875 , in the city of Bareilly, India...
, son of Ala Hazrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan, son of Mufti Naqi Ali Khan, son of Maulana Taqi Ali Khan, son of Hafiz Kazim Ali Khan, son of Maulana Azam Khan, son of Maulana Sa'adat Yaar Khan, son of Maulana Suja'at Jangbahadur Saeedullah Khan.
Tasawwuf
Mufti Akhtar Raza has received many Ijaazahs and Sanads from all over the world. The famous one's coming from; Mufti Mustafa Raza KhanMustafa Raza Khan
Mustafa Raza Khan, commonly known among the Muslims of South Asia as Mufti e Azam e Hind, was born in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1892. His father, Ahmed Raza Khan was the founder of the Barelvi school of Sunni Islam in South Asia.. His grandfather, Moulana Naqi Ali Khan Mustafa Raza Khan,...
in many Silsilas including the Qadri, Chishti and Naqshbandi
Naqshbandi
Naqshbandi is one of the major Sufi spiritual orders of Sufi Islam. It is considered to be a "Potent" order.The Naqshbandi order is over 1,300 years old, and is active today...
.
Scholarly Activities
Mufti Akhtar Raza is well versed in several branches of Islamic learning, including TafsirTafsir
Tafseer is the Arabic word for exegesis or commentary, usually of the Qur'an. Ta'wīl is a subset of tafsir and refers to esoteric or mystical interpretation. An author of tafsir is a mufassir .- Etymology :...
, Hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
, Fiqh
Fiqh
Fiqh is Islamic jurisprudence. Fiqh is an expansion of the code of conduct expounded in the Quran, often supplemented by tradition and implemented by the rulings and interpretations of Islamic jurists....
, Sarf, Nahv, Tajweed, Tassawuf, Mantiq, Seerah, Tareekh, Hayat
Hayat
Hayat may refer to:* Hayat, Algeria, a city in Algeria* Həyat, Azerbaijan* Hayāt, a kind of Persian Garden* Al-Hayat, a pan-Arab newspaper* Hayat , a Persian movie* Hayat TV, a Bosnian TV channel* Hayat, a female given name....
, Balaghah, Aqaid, Reyazi, Touqeet, Jafar, and Kalam
Kalam
ʿIlm al-Kalām is the Islamic philosophical discipline of seeking theological principles through dialectic. Kalām in Islamic practice relates to the discipline of seeking theological knowledge through debate and argument. A scholar of kalām is referred to as a mutakallim...
. He also speaks and writes Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, Arabic, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
fluently.
Books
Mufti Akhtar Raza has written many books on a vast range of topics covering cience, religion and philosophy. A collection of fatwas by the title of Azharul Fatawa is his magnum opus. He also did many translations.- Al-Haqqul Mobeen (الحق المبين)
- Difa Kanzul ImanKanzul ImanKanzul Iman is the name of the 1910 Urdu translation of the Qur'an by Ahmad Raza Khan. It was subsequently translated into English by Professor Shah Faridul Haque...
(دفاع كنزالايمان) - T.V.Video Ka Sharai Operation (ثيوي ويديوكا شرعي ابريشن)
- Miratun Najdiyah (مرات النجديه)
- Tasweeron ka Sharai Hukm (تصويروكاشرعي حكم)
- Sharah Hadees e Niyat (شرح حديث نيت)
- Aasar e Qiyamat (اثارقيامث)
Azharul Fatawa
Azharul Fatawa is a collection of English-language fatwaFatwa
A fatwā in the Islamic faith is a juristic ruling concerning Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar. In Sunni Islam any fatwā is non-binding, whereas in Shia Islam it could be considered by an individual as binding, depending on his or her relation to the scholar. The person who issues a fatwā...
given by Mufti Akhtar Raza. The collection has been widely acclaimed and accepted by Sunni Muslims all over the world and specially by Sunni Muslim Communities living in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Western countries, as the rulings mainly refer to these countries.
Safeena-e-Bakhshish
Mufti Akhtar Raza's Diwan (Collection of NaatNaat
A Na`at is a poetry that specifically praises the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Many of the famous scholars in the earlier days of Islam wrote Naat. People who recite Naat are known as Naat-Khua'an or Sana'a-Khua'an.-History:...
s) was published for the first time entitled Naghmat-e-Akhtar. Later, it was published entitled Safina-e-Bakhshish in 1986. It contains many Naats in the Arabic and Urdu language.
Islamic Chief Justice of India
Mufti Akhtar Raza was declared the Qaazi-ul-Quzzaat or Qadi-ul-Qudat (MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
) for the entire country of India, during the Urs
Urs
Urs is the death anniversary of a Sufi saint in South Asia, usually held at the saint's dargah . South Asian Sufis being mainly Chishtiyya, refer to their saints as lovers and God as beloved...
e Razavi in October 2006 in the presence of many Ulama
Ulama
-In Islam:* Ulema, also transliterated "ulama", a community of legal scholars of Islam and its laws . See:**Nahdlatul Ulama **Darul-uloom Nadwatul Ulama **Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal**Jamiat ul-Ulama -Other:...
, prominent Islamic Scholars and thousands of people, including:
- Mazhar-e-mufti-e-azam sadrul ulama Allama Tehseen raza khan.
- Muhaddith e Kabeer Mufti Zia ul Mustafa Azmi
- Mufti Abdul Mannan Azmi
The title is only symbolic, because India is officially secular.
Centre of Islamic Studies
Jamiatur Raza
Markazuddrasatal Islami Jamiatur Raza is an Islamic university located near Bareilly in India. It was established by Akhtar Raza Khan in 2000.-Shariah Council of India:...
in May 2000, so that it could be conductive to profound learning and the thorough correct understanding of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah, so that the hidden part of Islamic Ideology can be discovered in order to suit the present situations in the scientific and technological era.
Services for Islam
There are many institutes working under the guidance of Mufti Akhtar Raza, including:- Markazi Darul Ifta, BareillyBareillyBareilly is a prominent city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of the Bareilly division and the geographical region Rohilkhand...
- Akhtar Raza Library, LahoreLahoreLahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
- Markazi Darul Ifta, Holland
- Imam Ahmad Raza Academy, DurbanDurbanDurban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... - Madrassa Raza Darul Uloom, Bombay
- Madrassa Ghausia Jashn e Raza, GujratGujratGujrat is a city in Pakistan. It is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in the Punjab Province. People living in Gujrat refer to themselves as Gujratis, which sometimes leads to confusion with people from the Indian state of Gujarat which adjoins Pakistan...
He is the president of:
- All India Jamiatul Ulema
- Shariah Board
- U.P. Muslim Personal Law Council
- Shar'ee Council of India
Disciples
Mufti Akhtar Raza is the torch-bearer of the Razvi Silsila. He has many mureeds all over the world, including; Iraq, Pakistan, Madina, Makkah, India, UK, Holland, South Africa, America, Turkey and Malawi. Many of his mureeds (disciples) are great Ulema, poets, authors, doctors and research scholars.Amongst his famous Khulafa (successors);
- Maulana Asjad Raza Khan (his son)
- Maulana Qamarul Hasan Bastawi (America)
- Syed Shahid Ali Razvi (Rampur)
- Shaykh Abu Bakr (Kerala)
- Maulana Saeed Noori (Mumbai)
- Haji Haneef Tayyab (Pakistan)
Amongst his famous students;
- Maulana Mannan Raza Khan (his brother)
- Maulana Muzaffar Hussain (Bareilly)
- Maulana Wasi Ahmed Razvi (Birmingham)
Pronouncements
He has issued many fataawa (plural of fatwaFatwa
A fatwā in the Islamic faith is a juristic ruling concerning Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar. In Sunni Islam any fatwā is non-binding, whereas in Shia Islam it could be considered by an individual as binding, depending on his or her relation to the scholar. The person who issues a fatwā...
, Islamic rulings) on many different Islamic matters, especially those which people nowadays don't even think about.
Organ transplant and blood transfusion
"One cannot donate blood and organs because these are the AmanahAmanah
In Islam, amanah , is free will, which has been given only to humans and jinn. In contrast, other entities do not have this quality....
(property) of Allah, therefore it is not permissible to donate any part of one's body or (donate) the blood."
One Imam conducting Jummah prayer in two places
"There is no legitimacy to lead Jummah prayer anywhere after you have performed it in one place. It is not allowed to perform Jummah prayer in the Jail at any cost. Prisoners (Muslim Prisoners) should recite Zuhr individually."Birth of a girl
Mufti Akhtar Raza stated that it is un-Islamic to be dissatisfied at the birth of a girl, as all children are to be considered a blessing.Islamic Attire
"It is required that a person dresses in a certain manner or has to wear a uniform to identify his profession. If these rules are not followed, then one is dismissed. Similarly, in Islam, different codes of dressing have been set aside for Muslims so that they can be recognized among the non-Muslims. If this dress code is not followed, then we deserve to be punished as well."Mufti Akhtar Raza disallowed wearing of the Tie and said Muslims must strictly abstain from it. He has written a full book regarding this called Tie Ka Masa'la.
"He who shaves his beard or gets his beard less than fistful is declared sinful. To such a person who commits this sin is not able to lead the prayers. It is Makruh-e-Tahrimi (Strongly Disliked) to perform Salaah behind him."
Weddings
Mufti Akhtar Raza stated that the qualities that one should look for in a marriage partner are piety and God-fearing. Neither the boy nor the girl should be forced into a marriage. The bride's mother's consent is just as important. Further he declared that the name of the bridegroom, his father's name and the amount of Mahr (dower money paid by groom to bride) be discussed and accepted by the bride. Further the man should be allowed to see the girl without her knowledge.Wahhabism
The Grand Mufti, and in general all Barelwis, oppose the very extremist Wahhabi movement of Islam, which is funded and encouraged by Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. Mufti Akhtar Raza has criticized the Wahhabis, and issued fatwas that permit Muslims making supplication, near the mausoleums of the Aulias (Muslim saints after Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
) and allowing intercession to be sought from them (i.e., praying to Allah though the medium of the Sufi saints). He says: In fact, Wahhabis have refused the commands of the Holy Quran and authentic Traditions of the Holy Messenger (Sallal-Laahu Ta'ala Alaihi Wasallam) and have adopted very irrespective manners towards the Saints and pious persons. They are misled and every baseless act of Wahhabis is against Islamic faith.
Further, he says, It is my advice to all Sunnis and especially to the Mureeds (disciples) of Silsila Razvia to keep away from all these wrong doings. Please also avoid sending your children to Wahhabi Madrassas and Darul Ulooms and bring them up in a Sunni environment and make them refrain from being Wahhabi.
The Deobandi school of Islam, which has stricter rules in regards to reverence of Sufi Saints, has been declared un-Islamic by Mufti Akhtar Raza: It is not permissible to read Namaaz behind a Deobandi Aalim (singular of Ulema) on any account. Namaaz performed behind a Deobandi Aalim, as well as behind unbelievers, is totally incorrect.
Miracles
Many miracles have been performed by Mufti Akhtar Raza. The biggest miracle being his steadfastness to the Shariah (Islamic laws).During Mufti Akhtar Raza's August 2008 trip to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, he was asked to pray for rain by the Damascus Ulema. He did so and caused rain at a time of year, when it had not rained in five years. During the same trip, Sheikh al-Sabah stated that he when he walked by the place where Mufti Akhtar Raza was staying, he saw Anwaar (plural of nur, lit., light) emanating from within.
Other attributed miracles include several cases of Indian Hindus accepting Islam after seeing Mufti Akhtar Raza in dreams.
Tributes
Many Scholars have paid tributes to the contributions of Mufti Akhtar Raza, which include;- Munazir-e-Islam Syed Irfan Shah Mashadi BradfordBradfordBradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
- Allama Zia ul Mustafa Azmi
- Qazi Abdul Raheem Bastawi
- Mufti Abdul Wajid Qadri
- Allama Asif Jalali
- Doctor Ghulam Zarqani, son of late Maulana Arshadul Qaudri
- Allama Yaseen Akhtar Misbahi
- Syed Ameen Mian Qaudrii
- Maulana Qamaruzzaman AzmiQamaruzzaman Azmi.Allama Maulana Qamaruzzaman Azmi is a prominent scholar in the Ahle sunnah wal jamah and Sufism. Millions of people across the Indian Sub-Continent, Middle East, Europe, America and Canada revere and respect him...
Sayyid Abdullah Fad’aq Hashimi (Da’iyah of Makkah and student of the late Sayyid Muhammad Alawi Maliki), who referred to the Shaykh as “Fadilat al-Imam al-Shaykh Muhammad Akhtar Ridha Khan al-Azhari al-Mufti al-Azam fi al-Hind”
Shaykh Isa Mani al-Himyari (Muhadith of Dubai) who referred to the Shaykh as “al-Shaykh al-Aarif billah al-Muhadith Muhammad Akhtar Ridha al-Hanafi al-Qadiri al-Azhari”
Shaykh Waathiq Fu’ad Ubaydi (Baghdad) who called him “Shaykhuna al-Jalil, Sahib al-Radd al-Qati, Murshid al-Saalikeen, al-Mahfouz bi-Rabb al-alameen, al-Aalim al-Fadhil” and “Taaj al-Shari’ah”
Mufti Jamal Abdul Kareem al-Dabban (Baghdad) who referred to him as “al-Imam al-Allamah al-Qudwah Sahib al-Fadhilat al-Shaykh”
Answer to Criticisms
As for the claim that the Shaykh makes takfir of everyone other than himself and those affiliated with him is another exaggeration, rather, a lie that stems from animosity. The Shaykh has replied to this accusation in Arabic in his “Mira’at al-Najdiyyah” published by the name “Haqiqat al-Barelwiyyah”, which is the reply to Qadhi Atiyyah’s endorsement to Ihasan Ali Zahir’s “al-Barelwiyyah” (Published in Egypt by Dar al-Muqattam, 2009) asking him to produce a single nas of our ulama in which they have made takfir of Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn Abdul Wahhab and their followers. Rather, it is these people who make takfir and tadlil of the entire ummah. This accusation is the popular one found in “Nuzhat al-Khawatir” and “al-Barelwiyyah” about Barelwis and is false.See also
- Ala Hazrat
- BarelwiBarelwiBarelvi is a term used for the movement of Sufi , Sunni Islam originating in the Indian subcontinent.The Movement is known as Ahle Sunnat movement to its followers....
- Barkatiya SilsilaBarkatiya SilsilaBarkati Silsila, a silsila of Sufism, has its roots in the Bilgram, a small town of United Provinces, India. The barkati Silsila is a sub-branch of the Qadri Sufi Silsila of Baghdad....
- Qadri
- BareillyBareillyBareilly is a prominent city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of the Bareilly division and the geographical region Rohilkhand...
- Ahmad Raza Khan
- Maulana Hamid Raza Khan
- Allama Syed Shah Turab-Ul-Haq Qadri
- Maulana Hamid Raza Khan
- Allama Al-Hafiz Al-Qari Muhammad Muslehuddin Siddiqui Qadri Razvi
Sources
- Tajalliyat-e-tajush-shariya, Compiled by Maulana Shahidul Qaadiri
- Beeswee'n Sadi Me Ulama-e-Ahlesunnat ki Adabi Aur Deeni Khidmaat by Doctor Shafique Ajmal Qaadiri
- At Tasdeeque By Gulrez Ahmad
External links
- http://www.hazrat.org/site/khalifa.html, Remarks of Mufti-e-Azam about Akhtar Raza Khan
- http://www.taajushshariah.com/, Biography of Akhtar Raza Khan
- http://www.jamiaturraza.com/taj.html
- http://www.ahlesunnat.biz/speeches/mufti.htm, Urdu, English Speeches & Naat By Hazrat Allama Mufti Akhtar Raza Khan Qaadiri Al Azhari
- Correct Islamic Faith International Association (CIFIA)