Biographies of Scholars
Epitome of Humility: Shaykh Muhammad Ayyub A’zimi (Part Two)
This tragic news reached Jami’ah Islamiyyah Dabhel by telegram on Saturday 7th Shawwal 1404 AH (1984 CE). Many hearts were saddened and many became unsettled. This news spread throughout the surrounding areas of Dabhel. Recitation of the Noble Qur’an took place in many masjids for the isal al-thawab of the shaykh.
The Jami’ah was still closed… »
Epitome of Humility: Shaykh Muhammad Ayyub A’zimi (Part One)
Shaykh A’zimi was born in the month of Shawwal 1319 AH (1902 CE) at Mau Nat Bhanjan in the district of Azamgarh, U.P., India. His lineage is as follows: Muhammad Ayyub bin Muhammad Sabir bin Ahmad bin Jiwan bin Rawshan ‘Ali. This family previously resided in a place called Bakhtiyar Ganj, which was approximately one… »
Scholar of Deep Learning: Shaykh Mazhar Nanautwi
Mawlana Muhammad Mazhar ibn Lutf ‘Ali ibn Muhammad Hasan al-Siddiqi al-Hanafi Nanautwi (1238 1302 AH /1823-1885) - the righteous imam, ‘arif (knower of Allah) and mujahid-was amongst the leading scholars of fiqh, hadith, and tasawwuf in his time. A descendant of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), he was born in… »
Mawlana Gangohi and the Wali Allah Tradition
Shaykh al-Islam Abu Mas’ud Rashid Ahmad Gangohi is the son of Hidayat Allah Ansari. He was born in 1244 AH, and learnt from Mawlana Mamluk ‘Ali [Nanautwi], Mawlana ‘Abd al-Ghani [Dehlawi], Mawlana Ahmad Sa’id [Dehlawi], and Mawlana Imdad Allah [Muhajir Makki] etc. I personally studied a large portion of Sunan Abi Dawud from him. Allah… »
Brief notes on Shaykh al-Hind
Shaykh al-Hind Mawlana Mahmud Hasan was my teacher. During my stay at Dar al-’Ulum Deoband my sole reliance was upon him. His father’s name was Dhu ‘l-Fiqar ‘Ali. His genealogy stretches back to the Umayyad branch of the Quraysh. Mawlana Mahmud Hasan was born in 1268 AH/1851 CE. He gained primary education from his father… »
The Pride of Deoband: Shaykh Muhammad Sarfaraz Khan Safdar
On the 5th of May 2009, the great researcher (muhaqqiq) and hadith scholar of our age Shaykh Sarfaraz Khan Safdar (may Allah shower His infinite mercy upon him) passed away at the age of 98. Mawlana Sarfraz Khan ibn Nur Ahmad Khan ibn Gul Ahmad Khan was born in 1914 in the city of Mansehra,… »
The Epitome of Shari’a and Tariqa: Shaykh Rashid Ahmad al-Gangohi
The Shaykh, the Imam, the ‘Allama, the Hadith Scholar Rashid Ahmad ibn Hidaya Ahmad ibn Pir Baksh ibn Ghulam Hasan ibn Ghulam ‘Ali ibn ‘Ali Akbar ibn Qadi Muhammad Aslam al-Ansari al-Hanafi al-Rampuri then al-Gangohi. He was one of the research, learned and accurate ‘ulama. In his age, there was none like him in honesty,… »
The Great and Splendid Gnostic: Shaykh Imdad Allah al-Faruqi al-Thanawi
The Shaykh, the Great and Splendid Gnostic (’Arif), the Migrant to the blessed city of Makkah Imdad Allah ibn Muhammad Amin al-’Umari al-Thanawi was from amongst the saints, spiritual travellers (saliks) and gnostics. Tongues are united in praising and exalting… »