Mufti Kifayatullah Dehlavi
Encyclopedia
Hazrat Allama Mufti ul A'dham Moulana Kifaayatullah ibn Inaayatullah ibn Faidhullah ibn Khairullah ibn 'Ibadullah Dehlvi rahmatullahi alaiyh (1875 – December 31, 1952) was a prominent Muslim
scholar of Islam
in India. He occupied a prominent position among Indian Muslims and provided them with guidance through various spiritual and political turmoils for nearly fifty years. He was a leading educationist. His fataawa were remarkable for their impartiality, fearlessness, and grasp of the problem. The final years of his life were devoted to educational and social work.
, but his great-grandfathers were traders from Bahrain
, who would travel to India to sell their goods. Once, his family was aboard a ship that ran into a storm and sank. There were no survivors except for a Shaikh Jamaaluddin Yamani, who used a piece of debris to float to the shore. At the shore, he was found by a man from Bhopal, who adopted him. Shaikh Jamaaluddin Yamani eventually married into a local family. The sinking of the ship is estimated to have occurred approximately three hundred years before Hazrat Mufti's birth. After Shaikh Jamaaluddin Yamani, there is no detailed record of Hazrat Mufti's ancestors. At an unknown time, Hazrat Mufti's family shifted from Bhopal to Shahjahanpur
. Hazrat Mufti's father, Shaikh Inaayatullah, was an extremely noble and pious man. He had four sons and two daughters, but was rather poor.
, a district in Uttar Pradesh
, India in 1875. At the age of five, he commenced his education at the maktab of Hafiz Barakatullah. There, he completed the Qur'an and obtained instruction in Urdu
and elementary Persian
from Hafiz Nasimullah. Thereafter, he enrolled at Madrasa 'Azeeziya. There, he completed his Persian studies, studying the most advanced kitab of Persian, Sikandar Naama, and commenced his Arabic studies under Hafiz Budhun Khan. Then, Hazrat Mufti was sent with a letter of recommendation from his teacher, Moulana 'Ubaidul Haq, to the administrator of the Madrasa 'Arabiya at Shahi Masjid in Muradabad. He was admitted and remained at the residence of Hafiz Muhammad Isma'il. Since his father was poor, Hazrat Mufti covered his educational expenses by weaving and selling topis. He studied there for two years. Hazrat Mufti then enrolled at Darul Uloom Deoband
in 1895. Because of his memory and intelligence, he did not exert as much effort, but quickly overtook his fellow classmates and earned the highest marks on his examinations. He completed his studies at Darul 'Uloom Deoband in 1898 at the age of twenty-two
for some time with his close friend, Moulana Aminuddin. Then, he returned to Shahjahanpur
, where his former teacher, 'Ubaidul Haq Khan, had founded Madrasa 'Ainul 'Ilm. Hazrat Mufti became a teacher there and handled the secretarial and administrative duties. Hazrat Mufti also taught Arabic and Persian
. His salary was fifteen rupees per month. Along with his duties as a teacher and administrator, Hazrat Mufti started to answer fataawa during this period. In his answer to each fatwa
, Hazrat Mufti was meticulous and cautious and would answer with well-written evidence. While at Madrasa 'Ainul 'Ilm, Hazrat Mufti also started a monthly periodical, Al Burhan, in response to the Ahmadis, known as Qadianis by mainstream Muslims. The first issue was published in Sha'baan of 1321 AH and made an attempt to refute Ahmadi beliefs.
Around this time, the financial condition of Madrasa 'Ainul 'Ilm started to deteriorate. Thus, in 1321 AH, the teachers' salaries were reduced. Hazrat Mufti's salary was reduced from eighteen to sixteen rupees per month. However, he remained at Madrasa 'Ainul 'Ilm for five more years until the death of his dear teacher, Maulana 'Ubaidul Haq Khan. Thereafter, Hazrat Mufti moved to Delhi
and became a teacher at Madrasa Aminia. Besides teaching hadith
and answering fataawa, Hadhrat Mufti managed the organizational affairs of the madrasa. His salary was twenty rupees per month. In Delhi
, Hazrat Mufti quickly became renowned. Dignitaries and people of the upper-class would consult him in their political and religious affairs and would benefit from his advice. The courts of law benefited from his presence as well. After his arrival at Madrasa Aminia, Hazrat Mufti commenced a step-by-step implementation of beneficial reforms to the educational structure of the madrasa. Then, in 1328 AH, he initiated an assembly called Anjuman Islahul Kalaam. The purpose of this gathering was to teach students how to deliver speeches and debate. Every eighth day, each student had to deliver a speech or engage in a dialogue and Hazrat Mufti would help. This assembly was successful in its aim, but was eventually ended due to a lack of participation. After fifty years, Hazrat Mufti had answered hundreds of thousands of fataawa and his rulings are a treasure to fiqh
. The fataawa of Hadhrat Mufti were extremely concise yet full of well-written evidence. His fataawa were always answered according to the intent of the questioner. It was for this reason that he was renowned among common folk as well as the officials of the courts of law, who would prefer his rulings in religious cases.
promised India self-rule and self-government, Hazrat Mufti realised that, if the 'Ulama did not join the political movements and direct the Muslims, then mistakes would result which could be harmful to the Muslims. Thus, with this motive, the Ulama
joined the Muslim League at its eleventh convention in Delhi
.
In 1919, a gathering of 'Ulama was held, in which twenty-five men participated. They were unanimous upon a plan to establish a united body of the 'Ulama of India, the name of which should be Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
. Hazrat Mufti was selected as the temporary head. Upon the invitation of Moulana Sayyid Mahmud Dawud Ghazwani, the first assembly of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
was scheduled for December in Amritsar
. Thus, at the end of the year of 1919, a conference of the Muslim League and Indian National Congress
was held in Amritsar
, along with the second meeting of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
, in which seventy to eighty of the most prominent 'Ulama of India were present. Though this was a private meeting, the matters of the constitution and future methodology of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
were settled. With regards to the charter, constitution, and future directions of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
, there were differences among the 'Ulama. However, Hazrat Mufti utilized his statesmanship and unmatched acumen to resolve all of the disputes within a few hours.
After the rise of the Shuddhi Movement in 1922, as a result of which thousands of Muslims were forced to convert to Hinduism
, Hazrat Mufti dispatched the first deputation for tabligh to the areas where the Arya Samaj Movement had been most active. However, still not satisfied, he decided to travel himself with a deputation to the area of Achchitra. Hazrat Mufti's manner in speech and mode of address was according to the level of intellect of the villagers. They were much affected by Hazrat Mufti's impressive yet simple speech and returned to Islam
.
In 1926, it was proposed that a representative gathering of Muslims from all over the world would be held. The conference was planned for June 7, 1926. It was to be attended by selected delegates from all of the Muslim countries. Hazrat Mufti demanded of Sultan Ibn Sa'ud that the conference also address the formation of the Government of Hijaz. Thus, this issue was added to the agenda. In May 1926, the delegation of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
departed from Bombay aboard a ship called Akbar with the delegates of the Khilaafah Committee. Hazrat Mufti enthusiastically participated in the proceedings of the conference, presenting various suggestions for the establishment of the administrative structure of Hijaz to its scholars and Sultan Ibn Sa'ud himself.
Though Hazrat Mufti had not engaged in any illegal activities during his political endeavours, he was imprisoned twice, first in 1930 and then in 1932, on account of his outspoken speeches and involvement in civil disobedience and rallies. The first time he was imprisoned, he remained in Delhi
for a few days, but was then moved to Gujrat
. The second time he was arrested, he remained in Multan
. While in prison, Hazrat Mufti engaged in teaching his fellow prisoners and even stitching the clothes of others. Moulana Ahmad Sa'id Dehlvi relates that various religious and political meetings were held among the prisoners.
In support of the oppressed Palestinians, Hazrat Mufti and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
established Majlis Tahaffuz-e-Filisteen, which collected funds to support their cause. On August 26, 1938, all of India held a "Palestine Day" of rallies and protests against the Partition of Palestine and it was decided that there would be a world gathering of Muslims to protest this action. Thus, on October 17, 1938, a Palestine Conference was held in Cairo
. However, Hazrat Mufti became ill on the journey to Egypt
and was unable to participate in the conference. Thus, he was represented and his speech was read by Moulana 'Abdul Haq Madani.
. He was of a respectable and solemn nature, yet he was kind and polite to people. He conformed to the Sunnah
and would do his work by himself. He was always ready to help the poor. From an early age, Hazrat Mufti displayed such self-respect and self-restraint that, even in dire financial conditions, he did not accept financial aid from anyone but worked himself to earn a livelihood. As a teacher, he passed his life with a low salary. He was of simple nature and would not only buy his own groceries from the market by himself, but would also buy his neighbours' groceries. He would cook his own food and stitch his own clothes and, in prison, he did the same for his fellow prisoners.
His wonderful qualities have been best enumerated by those who accompanied him on his travels for Hajj
and to Egypt
or who were with him in the prisons of Gujrat
and Multan
. They report that, en route for Hajj
, Hazrat Mufti helped and served his fellow travellers as much as he could. He would even wash their clothes and hang them to dry. During Hajj
, Hadhrat Mufti would secretly perform Tahajjud Salaah and always remain in silent worship. At night, he would stroll through the streets of Makkah and Medina
, distributing alms.
translation with footnotes, providing more details than and explaining difficult words from the original. Hazrat Mufti's most renowned publication is Ta'limul Islam, four volumes of questions and answers for children in simple language. This contained details of the fundamental beliefs and practices of Islam
. Hadhrat Mufti wrote various other religious treatises which were published as books, but are no longer available. Though Hadhrat Mufti was a prominent scholar and able writer, his literary works are few. The reason is that his teaching, political activities, domestic activities, and answering fataawa busied him to such an extent that he had no time to write.
. Hadhrat Mufti was buried near Hadhrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki
, in Mehrauli
, Delhi
.
Muslim
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...
scholar of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in India. He occupied a prominent position among Indian Muslims and provided them with guidance through various spiritual and political turmoils for nearly fifty years. He was a leading educationist. His fataawa were remarkable for their impartiality, fearlessness, and grasp of the problem. The final years of his life were devoted to educational and social work.
Lineage
Hazrat Mufti's ancestors hailed from YemenYemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, but his great-grandfathers were traders from Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, who would travel to India to sell their goods. Once, his family was aboard a ship that ran into a storm and sank. There were no survivors except for a Shaikh Jamaaluddin Yamani, who used a piece of debris to float to the shore. At the shore, he was found by a man from Bhopal, who adopted him. Shaikh Jamaaluddin Yamani eventually married into a local family. The sinking of the ship is estimated to have occurred approximately three hundred years before Hazrat Mufti's birth. After Shaikh Jamaaluddin Yamani, there is no detailed record of Hazrat Mufti's ancestors. At an unknown time, Hazrat Mufti's family shifted from Bhopal to Shahjahanpur
Shahjahanpur
Shahjahanpur is a municipal board, town and district headquarters of Shahjahanpur District in Uttar Pradesh, India.-History:During the reign of Shahjahan, Mughal forces demolished the city of Kant...
. Hazrat Mufti's father, Shaikh Inaayatullah, was an extremely noble and pious man. He had four sons and two daughters, but was rather poor.
Early life
Hazrat Allama Mufti ul A'dham Moulana Kifaayatullah ibn Inaayatullah ibn Faidhullah ibn Khairullah ibn 'Ibadullah Dehlvi was born in ShahjahanpurShahjahanpur
Shahjahanpur is a municipal board, town and district headquarters of Shahjahanpur District in Uttar Pradesh, India.-History:During the reign of Shahjahan, Mughal forces demolished the city of Kant...
, a district in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, India in 1875. At the age of five, he commenced his education at the maktab of Hafiz Barakatullah. There, he completed the Qur'an and obtained instruction in 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...
and elementary 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...
from Hafiz Nasimullah. Thereafter, he enrolled at Madrasa 'Azeeziya. There, he completed his Persian studies, studying the most advanced kitab of Persian, Sikandar Naama, and commenced his Arabic studies under Hafiz Budhun Khan. Then, Hazrat Mufti was sent with a letter of recommendation from his teacher, Moulana 'Ubaidul Haq, to the administrator of the Madrasa 'Arabiya at Shahi Masjid in Muradabad. He was admitted and remained at the residence of Hafiz Muhammad Isma'il. Since his father was poor, Hazrat Mufti covered his educational expenses by weaving and selling topis. He studied there for two years. Hazrat Mufti then enrolled at Darul Uloom Deoband
Darul Uloom Deoband
The Darul Uloom Deoband is an Islamic school in India where the Deobandi Islamic movement was started. It is located at Deoband, a town in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It was founded in 1866 by several prominent Islamic scholars , headed by Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanotvi...
in 1895. Because of his memory and intelligence, he did not exert as much effort, but quickly overtook his fellow classmates and earned the highest marks on his examinations. He completed his studies at Darul 'Uloom Deoband in 1898 at the age of twenty-two
Career as a Teacher
After his graduation, Hazrat Mufti remained in DelhiDelhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
for some time with his close friend, Moulana Aminuddin. Then, he returned to Shahjahanpur
Shahjahanpur
Shahjahanpur is a municipal board, town and district headquarters of Shahjahanpur District in Uttar Pradesh, India.-History:During the reign of Shahjahan, Mughal forces demolished the city of Kant...
, where his former teacher, 'Ubaidul Haq Khan, had founded Madrasa 'Ainul 'Ilm. Hazrat Mufti became a teacher there and handled the secretarial and administrative duties. Hazrat Mufti also taught Arabic and 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...
. His salary was fifteen rupees per month. Along with his duties as a teacher and administrator, Hazrat Mufti started to answer fataawa during this period. In his answer to each fatwa
Fatwa
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...
, Hazrat Mufti was meticulous and cautious and would answer with well-written evidence. While at Madrasa 'Ainul 'Ilm, Hazrat Mufti also started a monthly periodical, Al Burhan, in response to the Ahmadis, known as Qadianis by mainstream Muslims. The first issue was published in Sha'baan of 1321 AH and made an attempt to refute Ahmadi beliefs.
Around this time, the financial condition of Madrasa 'Ainul 'Ilm started to deteriorate. Thus, in 1321 AH, the teachers' salaries were reduced. Hazrat Mufti's salary was reduced from eighteen to sixteen rupees per month. However, he remained at Madrasa 'Ainul 'Ilm for five more years until the death of his dear teacher, Maulana 'Ubaidul Haq Khan. Thereafter, Hazrat Mufti moved to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and became a teacher at Madrasa Aminia. Besides teaching 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....
and answering fataawa, Hadhrat Mufti managed the organizational affairs of the madrasa. His salary was twenty rupees per month. In Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, Hazrat Mufti quickly became renowned. Dignitaries and people of the upper-class would consult him in their political and religious affairs and would benefit from his advice. The courts of law benefited from his presence as well. After his arrival at Madrasa Aminia, Hazrat Mufti commenced a step-by-step implementation of beneficial reforms to the educational structure of the madrasa. Then, in 1328 AH, he initiated an assembly called Anjuman Islahul Kalaam. The purpose of this gathering was to teach students how to deliver speeches and debate. Every eighth day, each student had to deliver a speech or engage in a dialogue and Hazrat Mufti would help. This assembly was successful in its aim, but was eventually ended due to a lack of participation. After fifty years, Hazrat Mufti had answered hundreds of thousands of fataawa and his rulings are a treasure to 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....
. The fataawa of Hadhrat Mufti were extremely concise yet full of well-written evidence. His fataawa were always answered according to the intent of the questioner. It was for this reason that he was renowned among common folk as well as the officials of the courts of law, who would prefer his rulings in religious cases.
Political career
On August 18, 1917, when BritainUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
promised India self-rule and self-government, Hazrat Mufti realised that, if the 'Ulama did not join the political movements and direct the Muslims, then mistakes would result which could be harmful to the Muslims. Thus, with this motive, the 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:...
joined the Muslim League at its eleventh convention in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
.
In 1919, a gathering of 'Ulama was held, in which twenty-five men participated. They were unanimous upon a plan to establish a united body of the 'Ulama of India, the name of which should be Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind or is one of the leading Islamic organizations in India. It was founded in 1919 by Abdul Mohasim Sajjad, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Ahmed Saeed Dehlvi, and Abdul Bari Firangi Mehli...
. Hazrat Mufti was selected as the temporary head. Upon the invitation of Moulana Sayyid Mahmud Dawud Ghazwani, the first assembly of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind or is one of the leading Islamic organizations in India. It was founded in 1919 by Abdul Mohasim Sajjad, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Ahmed Saeed Dehlvi, and Abdul Bari Firangi Mehli...
was scheduled for December in Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
. Thus, at the end of the year of 1919, a conference of the Muslim League and Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
was held in Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
, along with the second meeting of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind or is one of the leading Islamic organizations in India. It was founded in 1919 by Abdul Mohasim Sajjad, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Ahmed Saeed Dehlvi, and Abdul Bari Firangi Mehli...
, in which seventy to eighty of the most prominent 'Ulama of India were present. Though this was a private meeting, the matters of the constitution and future methodology of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind or is one of the leading Islamic organizations in India. It was founded in 1919 by Abdul Mohasim Sajjad, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Ahmed Saeed Dehlvi, and Abdul Bari Firangi Mehli...
were settled. With regards to the charter, constitution, and future directions of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind or is one of the leading Islamic organizations in India. It was founded in 1919 by Abdul Mohasim Sajjad, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Ahmed Saeed Dehlvi, and Abdul Bari Firangi Mehli...
, there were differences among the 'Ulama. However, Hazrat Mufti utilized his statesmanship and unmatched acumen to resolve all of the disputes within a few hours.
After the rise of the Shuddhi Movement in 1922, as a result of which thousands of Muslims were forced to convert to Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, Hazrat Mufti dispatched the first deputation for tabligh to the areas where the Arya Samaj Movement had been most active. However, still not satisfied, he decided to travel himself with a deputation to the area of Achchitra. Hazrat Mufti's manner in speech and mode of address was according to the level of intellect of the villagers. They were much affected by Hazrat Mufti's impressive yet simple speech and returned to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
In 1926, it was proposed that a representative gathering of Muslims from all over the world would be held. The conference was planned for June 7, 1926. It was to be attended by selected delegates from all of the Muslim countries. Hazrat Mufti demanded of Sultan Ibn Sa'ud that the conference also address the formation of the Government of Hijaz. Thus, this issue was added to the agenda. In May 1926, the delegation of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind or is one of the leading Islamic organizations in India. It was founded in 1919 by Abdul Mohasim Sajjad, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Ahmed Saeed Dehlvi, and Abdul Bari Firangi Mehli...
departed from Bombay aboard a ship called Akbar with the delegates of the Khilaafah Committee. Hazrat Mufti enthusiastically participated in the proceedings of the conference, presenting various suggestions for the establishment of the administrative structure of Hijaz to its scholars and Sultan Ibn Sa'ud himself.
Though Hazrat Mufti had not engaged in any illegal activities during his political endeavours, he was imprisoned twice, first in 1930 and then in 1932, on account of his outspoken speeches and involvement in civil disobedience and rallies. The first time he was imprisoned, he remained in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
for a few days, but was then moved to Gujrat
Gujrat
Gujrat 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...
. The second time he was arrested, he remained in Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
. While in prison, Hazrat Mufti engaged in teaching his fellow prisoners and even stitching the clothes of others. Moulana Ahmad Sa'id Dehlvi relates that various religious and political meetings were held among the prisoners.
In support of the oppressed Palestinians, Hazrat Mufti and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind or is one of the leading Islamic organizations in India. It was founded in 1919 by Abdul Mohasim Sajjad, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Ahmed Saeed Dehlvi, and Abdul Bari Firangi Mehli...
established Majlis Tahaffuz-e-Filisteen, which collected funds to support their cause. On August 26, 1938, all of India held a "Palestine Day" of rallies and protests against the Partition of Palestine and it was decided that there would be a world gathering of Muslims to protest this action. Thus, on October 17, 1938, a Palestine Conference was held in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. However, Hazrat Mufti became ill on the journey to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and was unable to participate in the conference. Thus, he was represented and his speech was read by Moulana 'Abdul Haq Madani.
Marital Life
During his period at Madrasa 'Ainul 'Ilm, Hazrat Mufti married his first wife. She bore two children, a son and a daughter. However, both of the children died during their childhood and their mother died as well. Thereafter, his second marriage was conducted with the daughter of Sharfuddin. She bore him seven children.Noble Characteristics
Hazrat Mufti was the example of a true and sincere AlimAlim
-Given name:* Amat Al Alim Alsoswa, Yemeni politician* Alim Ashirov, Soviet footballer* AFM Alim Chowdhury, Bangladeshi physician*Aleem Dar , Pakistani cricketer* Alim Karkayev, Russian footballer* Mohammed Alim Khan, last emir of the Manghit dynasty...
. He was of a respectable and solemn nature, yet he was kind and polite to people. He conformed to the Sunnah
Sunnah
The word literally means a clear, well trodden, busy and plain surfaced road. In the discussion of the sources of religion, Sunnah denotes the practice of Prophet Muhammad that he taught and practically instituted as a teacher of the sharī‘ah and the best exemplar...
and would do his work by himself. He was always ready to help the poor. From an early age, Hazrat Mufti displayed such self-respect and self-restraint that, even in dire financial conditions, he did not accept financial aid from anyone but worked himself to earn a livelihood. As a teacher, he passed his life with a low salary. He was of simple nature and would not only buy his own groceries from the market by himself, but would also buy his neighbours' groceries. He would cook his own food and stitch his own clothes and, in prison, he did the same for his fellow prisoners.
His wonderful qualities have been best enumerated by those who accompanied him on his travels for Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
and to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
or who were with him in the prisons of Gujrat
Gujrat
Gujrat 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...
and Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
. They report that, en route for Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
, Hazrat Mufti helped and served his fellow travellers as much as he could. He would even wash their clothes and hang them to dry. During Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
, Hadhrat Mufti would secretly perform Tahajjud Salaah and always remain in silent worship. At night, he would stroll through the streets of Makkah and Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
, distributing alms.
Literary career
From an early age, Hazrat Mufti enjoyed reading and writing. His first major endeavour was the magazine, Al Burhan, which he wrote in refutation of the Ahmadi beliefs, also known as Qadiani by mainstream Muslims. His second major work was an Arabic poem, Raudur Rayyaahin, which was published in 1909. It was first presented at the annual convention of Madrasa Aminia in 1908. The eloquence and grandeur of the poem was such that Hazrat Mufti was requested to and produced an UrduUrdu
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...
translation with footnotes, providing more details than and explaining difficult words from the original. Hazrat Mufti's most renowned publication is Ta'limul Islam, four volumes of questions and answers for children in simple language. This contained details of the fundamental beliefs and practices of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Hadhrat Mufti wrote various other religious treatises which were published as books, but are no longer available. Though Hadhrat Mufti was a prominent scholar and able writer, his literary works are few. The reason is that his teaching, political activities, domestic activities, and answering fataawa busied him to such an extent that he had no time to write.
Final Years & Death
During the final years of his life, due to the deterioration of the immoralities of the society, clashes between Hindus and Muslims, and various other reasons, Hazrat Mufti completely withdrew himself from politics. For the final ten years of his life, Hazrat Mufti was completely reclusive. He was much disturbed by the events occurring in the India and refrained from even commenting. The final months of his life were marked by severe illness due to the swelling of his liver. It showed no improvement despite the best medical treatment. Finally, on December 31, 1952, Hazrat Mufti died at 10:30 PM, at the age of seventy-seven. The following day, his Salaatul Janaaza was attended by 100 000 Muslims from DelhiDelhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. Hadhrat Mufti was buried near Hadhrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki
Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki
Qutub ul Aqtab Hazrat Khwaja Syed Muhammad Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki was a renowned Muslim Sufi mystic, saint and scholar of the Chishti Order from Delhi, India. He was the disciple and the spiritual successor of Moinuddin Chishti as head of the Chishti order. Before him the Chishti order in India...
, in Mehrauli
Mehrauli
Mehrauli is a neighbourhood in the South West district of Delhi in India. It represents a constituency in the legislative assembly of Delhi. The area is located close to Gurgaon.-History:...
, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
.