tHe legend of tHiS age HuzuR tajjuSH SHaRi'aH Mufti aKHtaR Raza KHan(Radi allaHu taala anHu)

- THE LEGEND OF THIS AGE TAAJUSH SHARIAH HADRAT SHAYKH 'ALLAMA SHAH MUFTI MUHAMMAD AKHTAR RIDA KHAN AL-AZHARI by a Humble Servant of Sayyidi Taajush Shari'ah Mawlana Muhammad Kalim al Qadri [U.K.] Shaykh al-Ulema, Zubdat al-Urafa, the great-grandson of Imam Ahmad Rida Khan al-Qadri, Qadi'l Qudat, Taajush Shariah Hadrat Shaykh 'Allama Shah Mufti Muhammad Akhtar Rida Khan al-Azhari is not in need of any praise or any words of introduction due to his outshining personality who is a true reflection of the innumerable noble characteristics of his blessed teacher and mentor Mufti-e-Azam Shaykh Mustafa Rida Khan al-Qadri (son of A'la Hadrat Imam Ahmad Rida Khan). His personality is famous worldwide in the Indo-Pak subcontinent, Africa, America, Holland, UK, US etc. Not only has the Shaykh been well known due to his high family lineage or because of being a descendant of the masters and legendaries of their time, he also possesses great unique characteristics such as moral and noble characters, his blessed sirat and his illuminating surat, his piety, Godfeariness, outward and inward purity and cleanliness, his ocean of knowledge and wisdom, his gravity and solemnity, his fearing of Allah, his sincerity, his asceticism and abstinence, his love and affection, his worship and spiritual mujahada, his worship and obedience, his sacrifice and sympathy, his 'ishq and faithfulness, his faith and certainty, his speaking the truth and righteousness, his insight and acumen, his truthfulness and uprightness, his trustworthiness and integrity, his sense of honour and bashfulness, and so forth all of which has made him the centre point of blessings and anwaar.

The Most Generous Almighty has bestowed him with immense knowledge, wisdom and the good of this world and the Hereafter. Imam Ahmad Rida Khan al-Qadri al-Barelwi Shaykh al-Islam wa'l Muslimin Imam Ahlus Sunnah A'la Hadrat Imam Ahmad Rida Khan al-Qadri [d. 1921 AH] was an ocean of knowledge and wisdom. He had skill and mastery over a hundred different sciences of knowledge and was well-versed in all of them. Seeing his extraordinary command over these subjects and his undeniable research and painstaking efforts in digging out gems from the ocean of knowledge of and wisdom, the age had saluted him and had extolled him as its Imam and Mujaddid. For the sake of rectifying and correcting beliefs and actions he had authored more than a thousand books. Till present day, his highly esteemed personality, his unique life and his matchless works are being studied in the colleges and universities worldwide and the intellectuals are carrying out MAs and PHDs on such diverse aspects of this illustrious figure in Islam. Without a shadow of doubt, Imam Ahmad Rida Khan was entrusted to this Ummah as a trust and he was a miracle of the Beloved Messenger [Sallal Laahu Alayhi Wasallam. As well as being a grandson of Imam Ahmad Rida Khan, Taajush Shari'ah is also the spiritual successor and the spiritual son of him. Mastery and insight in innumerable religious and secular sciences of knowledge was given to him in inheritance, and it is enough for estimating his grandeur in knowledge and wisdom for him to be the grandson of the Reviver of Religion of his time, Imam Ahmad Rida Khan. This age is fully aware of what Taajush Shari'ah was granted from the treasure of knowledge that had been passed down from Imam Ahmad Rida Khan. Indeed, Taajush Shari'ah is the true successor and true inheritor of Raza's knowledge, intellect and wisdom.

Mufassir-e-A'zam Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim Rida Khan The son of Hujjat al-Islam, the father of Taajush Shari'ah, Mufassir-e-A'zam Shaykh Mufti Ibrahim Rida Khan [d. 1965 AH] had mastery over many sciences of knowledge especially in the fields of Tafsir and Fiqh his status was lofty indeed. He was unique and excelled his contemporaries in the fields of oratory and speeches. The Almighty had bestowed such power and effect in his tongue that whatever he said, that was certainly what was going to happen. The Almighty had also granted him diverse qualities and many qualities and excellences. His blessed face was so bright and illuminated and so awe-inspiring that many non-Muslims had embraced Islam just by a glance at his blessed face. He was from those who did not fear anyone in speaking and declaring the truth and he was from the faithful and upright. Hudur Taajush Shari'ah is a true reflection of his father Hudur Mufassir-eA'zam Shaykh Ibrahim Rida Khan, as well as receiving the power of oratory as inheritance from his noble father, the glamour and beauty and attraction is also a part of it. It is due to this divine beauty that had attracted many national citizens and international who were in the pits of darkness and misguidance to accept Islam at his hands and be brought into the light of faith. Shaykh Muhammad 'Isa Razwi mentions an eyewitness account of how a nonMuslim embraced Islam at the hands of the Shaykh in a public gathering in Bombay, India. Hujjat al-Islam Shaykh Muhammad Hamid Rida Khan The son of A'la Hadrat Hujjat al-Islam Shaykh Mufti Muhammad Hamid Rida Khan [d. 1943 AH] was endowed with countless virtues and qualities by the Almighty. He was a master in the fields of Hadith and Fiqh, he had mastery and overwhelming proficiency in Arabic language and literacy, and thus we see to his credit exceptional translations of works such as ad Dawlat al Makkiyyah in the Urdu language. He was also gifted with the talents of

debating and discussing. In every debate he was triumphant over the opposition Christians and Wahhabis, he has to his credit many books and translations in diverse fields of knowledge. Due to his divinely-gifted talents he had rendered great services for Islam and the Muslims. If we look at Taajush Shari'ah, we also see him a true successor of his paternal grandfather Hujjatul Islam. In many characteristics and qualities do we see Taajush Shari'ah a true resemblance of his paternal grandfather in his literary works, in his translations, in his power of speech and oratory, in his proficiency and mastery over the Arabic language and literature. Till date, Taajush Shari'ah has authored more than half a dozen books, and has also completed many exceptional translations from Urdu to Arabic and vice versa of books authored by Imam Ahmad Rida Khan. Insha-Allah this effort of Arabicising the books shall be beneficial especially in introducing the life and works of Imam Ahmad Rida Khan in the Arab world which is extremely necessary in this day and age. If those residing in the Arab world would come close and look at the life and works of Imam Ahmad Rida Khan in detail, then there is certainty that the innovations that have seeped into the Arab world and the ideological divergence that we see today shall all be eradicated. Taajush Shari'ah has such great mastery and proficiency over the Arabic language that he can make and read Arabic Qas'aid and poetry spontaneously. One can just about estimate the mastery of Taajush Shari'ah in the Arabic language by studying his books. Many scholars who have met Taajush Shari'ah were taken aback and astonished due to the proficiency of his spoken and written Arabic and they had to declare that they had not seen or heard a scholar from the Indo-Pak subcontinent who had such proficiency in the Arabic language. Dr. Abdun Na'im 'Azizi writes in the account of Taajush Shari'ah's visit to Iraq and Egypt:

On the 8th of Muharram al Haram 1403 AH/1982 we went to visit Karbala Sharif. Throughout our journey, we were accompanied by a driver and a bodyguard appointed by the Iraqi government. Our accommodation was arranged in an estate house in the vicinity of the sacred city. In the same estate house, there was a group of 115 people who had come from Pakistan, and whose group leader was from the family of Abu'l A'la Mawdudi. We were sat in the main hall of the house that two Shuyukh of Iraq came to visit us. Hudur Taajush Shari'ah was feeling quite tired at the time due to extensive travelling, and therefore the Shaykh had laid to rest for a short while on a sofa. One of the Iraqi Shuyukh were discussing the topic of indwelling [hulul] and union [ittihad] and other intricate topics of Tasawwuf. Whilst discussing this topic, they posed a very intricate question on the subject which had created silence in the hall; everyone was silent as no one knew the answer. The group from Pakistan had all gradually left due to them not being able to understand the Arabic language properly plus the fact that they had Mawdudi ideologies. Our friends and colleagues were also in a mood of silence. I thought to myself that this is quite shameful; the Iraqi Shuyukh will be thinking that the group of visitors from India and Pakistan have little or no knowledge on this topic. Immediately, I stood up and went to Hudur Taajush Shari'ah, woke the Shaykh up and informed him of the situation. Hudur Taajush Shari'ah immediately got up, met the Shuyukh and started the discussion. Hudur Taajush Shari'ah answered all their queries in eloquent Arabic. They then discussed about ibn 'Abd al Wahhab an Najdi and his corrupt and deviant beliefs. The Shaykh had informed them about his corrupt beliefs comprehensively and they too were refuting ibn 'Abd al Wahhab's beliefs and farce ideologies. When the Shuyukh got to know that Taajush Shari'ah is the grandson of Shaykhul Islam Imam Ahlus Sunnah Imam Ahmad Rida Khan, they became even more happier of being blessed with the opportunity to meet the Shaykh. They became really affected by the eloquence and profound knowledge of

Shaykh Taajush Shari'ah. The Shuyukh then said, There was much widespread about the Arabic of Abu'l Hasan an Nadwi, but after hearing your eloquence in the Arabic language, we are certain that you do not fall short of him. In fact, after hearing your Arabic, we were under the impression that you are an Arab!' Thereafter, they discussed the life and works of Imam Ahmad Rida Khan and the Shuyukh praised much the work ad Dawlat al Makkiyyah and requested that a few copies of the book be sent to them, so that it can be kept in the libraries of the universities in Iraq. [15th November 1983] From the above excerpt it is evident that as well as the Shuyukh of Iraq paid their respect and extolled Hudur Taajush Shari'ah and also praised the profound knowledge and eloquency of the Shaykh, it is also evident that till date much commendation and praise remains with regards the exceptional book written in eloquent Arabic on the subject of the Knowledge of the Unseen by Imam Ahmad Rida Khan entitled, 'ad Dawlat al Makkiyyah.' Mufti-e-A'zam Shaykh Muhammad Mustafa Rida Khan The younger son of A'la Hadrat, Hudur Mufti-e-A'zam Shaykh Muhammad Mustafa Rida Khan 'Noori' [d. 1981] passed his entire life in obedience to Allah and His Beloved Messenger [Sallal Laahu Alayhi Wasallam]. Like his noble father, Mufti-e-A'zam was honoured of speaking and declaring the truth regardless of whosoever may oppose it. He was unique and matchless in his righteousness, God-feariness, piety, abstinence, purity of the inward and outward. One can see a true reflection of Imam Ahmad Rida's unique style and his outstanding comprehensiveness, by studying the books and fatawa of his son Mufti-e-A'zam. The contemporary 'Ulema and Mashaikh had said and written words of praise with regards to his taqwa and his immense knowledge. Many of the great 'Ulema used to get training for issuing fatawa under his tutorship. He had a great insight in all religious sciences, especially in Fiqh he was exceptional. He was a true reflection of his noble and eminent father Imam Ahmad Rida Khan.

Those elements which had a revolutionary effect in the life of Hudur Tajush Shari'ah, were brought about through Hudur Mufti-e-A'zam's high spiritual power. Hudur Taajush Shari'ah's expertise and mastery in issuing fatawa and generally in fiqh is a special gift bestowed to him from Hudur Mufti-e-A'zam; in his piety we saw a true reflection of the taqwa of Hudur Mufti-e-A'zam; in his declaration of the truth wherever and whatever it is, we see a true likeness of this characteristic that was at its apex in the personality of Hudur Mufti-eA'zam; in his wide acceptance amongst the common folk and the 'Ulema and Mashaikh, we see the effects of Hudur Mufti-e-A'zam's supplication for this unique grandson of his. Conclusively, both in his manners and his physical attributes, both in his characters and his habits, Hudur Taajush Shari'ah is a true likeness of Hudur Mufti-e-A'zam. From this aspect (as mentioned above) Hudur Taajush Shari'ah has the blessing of being a descendant from a family of great 'Ulema and Mashaikh, and also has the blessings of these powerful and strong connections Taajush Shari'ah is the son of Hudur Mufassir-e-A'zam Hadrat Shaykh Ibrahim Rida Khan, he is the grandson of Hujjat al-Islam Shaykh Muhammad Hamid Rida Khan, and the grandson of Hudur Mufti-e-A'zam Shaykh Muhammad Mustafa Rida Khan, and the great grandson of Imam Ahmad Rida Khan. Thus, in his personality do we evidently see a true manifestation of all these supreme personalities of Islam. All four afore-mentioned personalities were minarets of guidance, and shining stars in respect to knowledge, wisdom and acument. Without a shadow of doubt, Hudur Taajush Shari'ah received many qualities from these great personalities: * He received insight and acumen, intelligence and astuteness, powerful and sharp memory, love and affection, swiftness in decision making and planning, from Imam Ahmad Rida Khan. * Ingenuity, proficiency over the Arabic language, a true dedication for writing and translating from Hujjat al-Islam Shaykh Muhammad Hamid Rida Khan. * Power of speech and oratory, having sound intellect from his eminent father Mufassir-e-A'zam Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim Rida Khan. * Mastery in the fields of Hadith and Fiqh, having sound opinions and verdicts,

taqwa and God-fearness from Hudur Mufti-e-A'zam Shaykh Muhammad Mustafa Rida Khan. Let me ask! Such an individual who has received immense blessings and qualities from these great giants, how can one estimate the loftiness of his eminence?! Taajush Shari'ah's Sanad in Hadith Transmission Those great individuals from whom Hudur Taajush Shari'ah received ijazah for Hadith-transmission were great luminaries and shining stars of their era. The loftiness of the sanad shows the high status of the one who has been granted it. We shall present Hudur Taajush Shariah's sanad from two ways. Though both are very high indeed, one has less number of narrators to the Messenger of Allah [Sallal Laahu Alayhi Wasallam]. This is also the same sanad of Imam Ahmad Rida Khan and Mufti-e-A'zam as this sanad was granted to Hudur Taajush Shari'ah from both these great individuals. Sanad al-Hadith al-Musalsal bil-Awwaliiyah (1) 1.The Messenger of Allah [Sallal Laahu Alayhi Wasallam] 2.Hadrat 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As 3.Hadrat Abu Qabus slave of Hadrat 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As 4.Hadrat 'Amr ibn Dinar 5.Hadrat Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna 6.Hadrat 'Abd al-Rehman ibn Bishr ibn al-Hakam 7.Hadrat Abu Hamid Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Bilal al-Bazzar 8.Hadrat Abu Tahir Muhammad ibn Muhammad Mahmash al-Ziyadi 9.Hadrat Abu Salih Ahmad ibn 'Abd al-Malik al-Mu'azzin 10. Hadrat Abu Sa'id Isma'il ibn Abu Salih Ahmad ibn 'Abd al-Malik alNaysaburi 11. Hadrat al-Hafiz Abu'l Faraj 'Abd al-Rehman ibn 'Ali al-Jawzi 12. Hadrat Abu'l Faraj 'Abd al-Latif ibn 'Abd al-Mun'im al-Harrani 13. Hadrat Abu'l Fath Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Kubra al-Maydumi 14. Hadrat Shaykh Shams ad-Din Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad alTadummuri

15. Hadrat Shaykh Abu'l-Fadl 'Abd al-Rahim ibn Husain al-'Iraqi 16. Hadrat Shaykh al-Shihab Abu'l Fadl Ahmad ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani 17. Hadrat Shaykh Shams ad-Din al-Sakhawi al-Misri 18. Hadrat Shaykh Wajih ad-Din 'Abd al-Rehman ibn Ibrahim al-'Alawi 19. Hadrat Shaykh Muhammad Aflah al-Yemeni 20. Hadrat Shaykh 'Abd al-Wahhab ibn Fathullah al-Baruji 21. Hadrat Shaykh 'Abd al-Haq Muhaddith ad-Dehlwi 22. Hadrat Shaykh Abu'r Rida ibn Shaykh Isma'il ad-Dehlwi(grandson of Shaykh 'Abd al-Haq) 23. Hadrat Shaykh Fakhr ad-Din Mubarak al-Bilgarami 24. Hadrat Shaykh Tufail-e-Muhammad al-Utrolwi 25. Hadrat Shaykh Shah Hamza ibn Sayyid Al-e-Muhammad al-Bilgarami alHusaini al-Wasiti 26. Hadrat Shaykh Sayyid Shah Al-e-Ahmad Acche Miya Marehrawi 27. Hadrat Shaykh Sayyid Shah Al-e-Rasul Ahmadi Marehrawi 28. Hadrat Shaykh Imam Ahmad Rida Khan al-Barelwi 29. Hadrat Shaykh Mustafa Rida Khan al-Barelwi (may Allah Most Exalted be pleased with them allAmeen) 30. Hadrat Shaykh Muhammad Akhtar Rida Khan al-Qadri al-Azhari Sanad al-Hadith al-Musalsal bil-Awwaliyyah (2) 1.The Messenger of Allah [Sallal Laahu Alayhi Wasallam] 2.Hadrat 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As 3.Hadrat Abu Qabus slave of Hadrat 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As 4.Hadrat 'Amr ibn Dinar 5.Hadrat Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna 6.Hadrat 'Abd al-Rehman ibn Bishr ibn al-Hakam 7.Hadrat Abu Hamid Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Bilal al-Bazzar 8.Hadrat Abu Tahir Muhammad ibn Muhammad Mahmash al-Ziyadi 9.Hadrat Abu Salih Ahmad ibn 'Abd al-Malik al-Mu'azzin 10. Hadrat Abu Sa'id Isma'il ibn Abu Salih Ahmad ibn 'Abd al-Malik alNayshaburi 11. Hadrat al-Hafiz Abu'l Faraj 'Abd al-Rehman ibn 'Ali al-Jawzi 12. Hadrat Abu'l Faraj 'Abd al-Latif ibn 'Abd al-Mun'im al-Harrani 13. Hadrat Abu'l Fath Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Bakri al-

Maydumi 14. Hadrat Shaykh Shams ad-Din Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad alTadmiri 15. Hadrat Shaykh al-Fadl 'Abd al-Rahim ibn Husain al-'Iraqi 16. Hadrat Shaykh Abu'l Fath Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr ibn al-Husain alMaraghi 17. Hadrat Shaykh Sayyid Ibrahim at-Tazi 18. Hadrat Shaykh Ahmad Hajji al-Wahrani 19. Hadrat Shaykh Sa'id ibn Muhammad al-Muqri 20. Hadrat Shaykh Sa'id ibn Ibrahim al-Jaza'iri 21. Hadrat Shaykh Yahya ibn Muhammad al-Shawi 22. Hadrat Shaykh 'Abdullah ibn Salim al-Basri 23. Hadrat Shaykh Sayyid 'Umar 24. Hadrat Shah Waliyullah Muhaddith ad-Dehlwi 25. Hadrat Shah 'Abd al-'Aziz Muhaddith ad-Dehlwi 26. Hadrat Sayyid Shah Al-e-Rasul Ahmadi Marehrawi 27. Hadrat Shaykh Imam Ahmad Rida Khan al-Barelwi 28. Hadrat Shaykh Mustafa Rida Khan al-Barelwi (May Allah Most Exalted be pleased with them allAmeen) 29. Hadrat Shaykh Muhammad Akhtar Rida Khan al-Qadri al-Azhari His Literary works 1.al-Haqq al-Mubin - Arabic 2.Difa'-e-Kanzul Iman - Urdu 3.T.V. aur Video ka Operation - Urdu 4.Mir'at an-Najdiyyah ba-Jawab al-Barelwiyyah - Arabic 2 vols. 5.Tasweero ka Shari'i Hukm - Urdu 6.Sharh Hadeeth-e-Niyyat - Urdu 7.Sharh Hadith-e-Ikhlas - Urdu 8.Hadrat Ibrahim ke Walid Ibrahim ya Tarikh? - Arabic/Urdu 9. Aik Aham Fatwa 10. Teen Talaqo ka Shari'i Hukm 11. Athar-e-Qiyamat 12. Hijrat-e-Rasul SallAllahu 'alayhi wa Sallam 13. al-Qawl al-Fa'iq li-Hukm al-Iqtida' bil-Fasiq

14. Hashiyah 'Ala Sahih al-Bukhari Arabic 15. Jashn-e-Eid-e-Miladun Nabi SallAllahu 'alayhi wa Sallam 16. Kya Deen ki Muhim Poori ho Chuki? 17. Asma-e-Surah-e-Fatiha ki Wajah-e-Tasmiyyah 18. Fatawa in 5 vols. 19. Fadilat-e-Siddiq-e-Akbar - Urdu translation of A'la Hadrat's al Zulal al Anqa min Bahr Sabqat al Atqa 20. al-Mu'taqad al-Muntaqad bina Najat al-Abad - Urdu translation of the original work in Arabic 21. Anwar al-Mannan fi Tawhid al-Qur'an - Urdu translation of the work in Arabic 22. Ataya al-Qadir fi Hukm at-Tasawir - Arabic 23. Safeena-e-Bakhshish consists of poetry in Arabic, Urdu and Persian 24. Azharul Fatawa - collection of Hadrat's Fatawa in English[/indent] [There are still many books that Hadrat is currently translating, and some books are awaiting publication] Appointed as the Islamic Supreme Justice Shaykh Taajush Shari'ah has been appointed as the Qadiul Qudat or "Muslim Chief Justice" for the entire country of India. This announcement was made by Muhaddith-e-Kabeer, Hadrat Allama Mufti Zia-ul-Mustafa Qadri Amjadi. This glorious event took place during the Urs-e-Razvi in October 2006 in the presence of many 'Ulema, prominent Islamic Scholars and thousands of people. Miraculous Happenings Though karamat are not the only sign that a person has been chosen by Alllah Most High to be His Wali, they do inspire many to believe in the great power and Qudrah of Allah the Most Powerful that He Most High bestows upon His chosen servants. Hudur Taajush Shari'ah has also been bestowed with many karaamat

(charismatic talents), some which are my personal encounters. It so happened that in the blessed month of Ramadan 1429 AH/2008, a friend had taken painstaking efforts in proofreading approximately 200 pages of a text. The friend had passed the documents to another person who was going to pass it to me. After a few days I had asked the person if he could return the proofread documents that were passed on to him by my friend. However, he said that he could not find these documents anywhere in his house, even after many thorough searches. After a few weeks had passed, before ringing my friend I said through my inner self, 'O Shaykh Tajush Shari'ah, make my amanah return to me.' I then rang the same person who was passed the documents, and he stated the same thing (that he could not find the documents). However, a person from his family was saying (whilst he was on the phone), 'I've found this bag, I don't know who it belongs to.' To his and my surprise, that bag contained the documents which had gone missing for quite some time! There have been many more incidents that have taken place that have created in me much love and affection for my Shaykh Sayyidi Taajush Shari'ah. We supplicate to Allah Almighty that He grants Shaykh Taajush Shari'ah a long prosperous life, and grants him good health so that the Muslim Ummah can take benefit from this irreplaceable personality of this 21st centuryAmeen.