Hadhrat Abul Wafa Al Afghani (May Allah shower His Mercy on him)

 

Hadhrat Abul Wafa Al Afghani

(May Allah shower His Mercy on him)

 

He is our teacher, a saintly personality Shaykh Abul Wafa Al Afghani (May Allah shower His Mercy on him).

 

He was born in 1310 Hijri and passed away in 1395 Hijri.  He was a great scholar, a master of the principles of jurisprudence, an expert in criticism of Hadith.  His full name is Syed Mahmood Shah Qadri Hanafi bin Syed Mubarak Shah Qadri Hanafi (May Allah shower His Mercy on them).

 

He is famously known as Abul Wafa Afghani.

 

His birth

 

He was born on 10^th Dhul Hijjah, 1310 Hijri in Kandahar in Afghanistan.

 

His education

 

He completed his introductory education under his eminent father Shaykh Mubarak Qadri (May Allah shower His Mercy on him).

 

At a young age itself, he traveled to India for further studies.  He reached Rampur and studied under many eminent scholars in that city.  Then, he traveled to Gujarat and studied under the famous scholars of that land.

 

After that, the Shaykh traveled to Hyderabad, Deccan, and enrolled himself in Jamia Nizamia.  He graduated from here in 1330 Hijri.  After memorization of the Holy Quran, he received authorizations (Ijaazah) from in Hadith, exegesis of the Holy Quran, Islamic jurisprudence and in recitation of the Holy Quran (Qira’at) the Shaykhs of Jamia Nizamia.

 

His teachers

 

In Jamia Nizamia, he studied under Shaykh Anwaarullah Farooqui, the founder of Jamia Nizamia and Daairatul Ma’arif Al ‘Uthmaniya, Shaykh Abdul Samad, Shaykh ‘Abdul Kareem, Shaykh Muhammad Yaqoob, Shaykh Muqri Muhammad Ayud, Shaykh Ul Fiqh Ruknuddin and other scholars of the land who were veritable pillars of knowledge.

 

His teaching career

 

After graduating from Jamia Nizamia, he was appointed as a teacher in the same institution.  He stayed in the company of his teachers and for many years and generations, he taught students jurisprudence and Hadith.

 

Ihya Ul Ma’arif An Nomaniya

 

After this, he got the thought of establishing Ihya Ul Ma’arif An Nomaniya so that he could publish the works of the predecessor scholars, jurisprudents and Hadith experts under this institution.  In fulfillment of this consideration, he laid the foundations of this institution along with his friends.  He published many works of many rare and important great Imams.  He himself was the chief of this institution.  In fact, it was his personality that upheld this institution and ran it in the best possible manner.  Only for the sake of the pleasure and approval of Almighty Allah, the Shaykh devoted his money, time and knowledge to this institution.

 

Journey to Hijaz

 

Almighty Allah blessed him and guided him to visit His own House.  Thus, the Shaykh started for Hijaz with the intention of Hajj and ‘Umrah.  Here, the Shaykh met a great number of scholars and intellectuals and drew benefit from them.  They also drew benefit from him.  As a result of this journey, his fame as a master scholar spread far and wide.

 

Correspondence with scholars

 

Whatever manuscripts and rare books, he needed, the Shaykh would write letters to all the scholars and seek information from them, so much so that the Shaykh had an extensive collection of books on Hanafi jurisprudence, Hadith and its narrators, history and other Islamic sciences.

 

Books published by the Shaykh

 

Hadhrat Abul Wafa Al Afghani (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) published many rare books with his scrutiny and appendices and explanatory notes.  Some of them are Kitaab Ul Aathaar, Ar Raddu ‘Ala Siyaril Auzaa’i and Kitabu Ikhtilaafi Abi Hanifa Wa Abi Ya’ala, all the 3 by Imam Qadhi Abu Yousuf (Dec. 182 Hijri) and 3 works of Imam Muhammad bin Hasan Ash Shaibani (May Allah shower His Mercy on him):  Kitaab Ul Asl, a great multi-volume work, Al Jame’ Ul Kabeer and Sharh Kitaab Ul Aathaar.  The Shaykh could only scrutinize the last work until the end of Baabul Janaaiz.

 

Works of the Shaykh

 

Apart from the aforementioned works, the Shaykh also worked on the following books:

 

Mukhtasar At Tahawi – In a single huge volume

 

Research work on the 3^rd volume of Tarikh Al Kabeer of Imam Bukhari (May Allah shower His Mercy on him)

 

An Nafaqaat by Imam Jassas

 

Usool Ul Fiqh by Sarkhisi

 

Sharh Uz Ziyadaat – In 2 volumes

 

Manaqibi Abi Hanifa Wa Sahibaihi Yousuf Wa Muhammad by Imam Dhahabi

 

Al Hujjah ‘Ala Ahlil Madeenah of Imam Muhammad bin Hasan Ash Shaibani.  This book was researched by Mufti Mehdi Hasan.  This book was published in 4 volumes under the supervision of Hadhrat Abul Wafa (May Allah shower His Mercy on him).

 

Akhbaari Abi Haneefa Wa Ashaabihee by Imam Muhaddith Qadhi Abi ‘Abdullah (Dec. 436 Hijri)

 

‘Uqoodul Jimaan Fi Manaqibi Abi Hanifa An Nomaan by Hafidh Muhaddith Muhammad bin Yousuf Salhi Shafa’ee of Damascus

 

Apart from these, Hadhrat Abul Wafa Al Afghani (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) worked on a number of rare books and got them published under his supervision.

 

Even Commendable acts were not omitted

 

Hadhrat Abul Wafa Al Afghani (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) was very pious.  He would spend the night on the prayer mat and would be extremely mindful of the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  He did not like omitting even the Commendable (Mustahab) acts.

 

All the time of the Shaykh was given only to studying, research and teaching and training young scholars.  The Shaykh would frankly tell the truth and would not care for the calumny of anybody.

 

I (i.e. Shaykh Abul Fatah Abul Ghudda) met him in his house in Hyderabad, Deccan.  There was nothing in his house apart from manuscripts, writings and published books.

 

These books were spread all around him and the Shaykh would satiate himself and then convey his knowledge to others the way nectar is passed on.  Due to physical weakness and diseases, the Shaykh would not lie on the ground but would rest on a charpoy.

 

The Shaykh would have only a few morsels, which he would have in the night.  His nights would be spent supplicating before the Lord Almighty.

 

The Shaykh’s greatest concern would be for increase in knowledge and for propagation of knowledge.  He spent all his life in the same manner.  On the morning of 13^th Rajab, 1395 Hijri, the Shaykh departed from this world.

 

 

[Excerpted from Al ‘UlamaUul Uzzab Al Ladheena Aatharu Al ‘Ilma ‘Alaz Zawaaj by Shaykh Abul Fatah Abul Ghudda]