Shaykh Ul Islam Imam Muhammad Anwaarullah Farooqui - the leader of the Ummah

Shaykh Ul Islam Imam Muhammad Anwaarullah Farooqui - the leader of the Ummah

 

It is a fact that Almighty Allah sends a great person in every century to eradicate the evils that seep into Islam.  These great personalities fulfill the intent of Allah, safeguard Islam and fulfill the responsibility of reforming the Ummah as mentioned in this Hadith of Sunan Abu Dawood:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him), he says:  As far as I know, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Verily, Almighty Allah sends (a great personality) at the beginning of every century for this Ummah who revive their religion for them.  (Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith No. 4293)

 

The whole life of Hadhrat Shaykh Ul Islam was a living and breathing explanation of this Hadith.  He spent his whole life in removing the reprehensible innovations which had crept into Islam.  All his days and nights were spent in guidance of the Ummah.  The people of Deccan are especially indebted to his multi-faceted personality.  Hadhrat Shaykh Ul Islam accomplished great tasks on all fronts, be it religious, scholarly, social, political or any other front.  The good seen in the life of the people of Deccan is all the blessings of our master Hadhrat Shaykh Ul Islam, the founder of Jamia Nizamia.

 

Hadhrat Maulana Mufti Muhammad Abdul Hameed Siddiqui (May Allah shower His Mercy on him), former Shaykh Ul Jamia, Jamia Nizamia, and one of the founding members of the Muslim Personal Law Board, writes about Hadhrat Shaykh Ul Islam in the foreword of Maqasid Ul Islam, Vol. 1:

 

….Among these men of Allah who enjoy closeness to Allah Most High is A’arif Billah Shaykh Ul Islam Imam Muhammad Anwaarullah Farooqui, the founder of Jamia Nizamia, whom the Lord of all worlds made peerless in knowledge and piety, whom He granted leadership in both Shariah and Tariqa and selected him for the service of His religion.  Hadhrat Shaykh Ul Islam (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) stepped forward in such an era when the Britishers in an effort to consolidate their occupation of India were making efforts to lead astray Muslims, specially of India, and too keep their unaware of Islamic teachings had made some writers to side with them.  Apart from this, some libertines were using their writing skills to oppose the rules of Islam and were misinterpreting and even alterating Islamic teachings in the name of logical thinking.  This was a dire situation for Muslims.  In such dangerous times, it was necessary to delineate what the truth is and to save Muslims from going astray.  Religious fervor, sense of social responsibility and the blood of ‘Umar al Farooq that was in him, moved Hadhrat Shaykh ul Islam (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) and he refuted all such misguded sects with irrefutable proofs in the light of the Holy Quran and Hadith and thus defended the Ahle Sunnah and aided the true faith.

 

[Excerpted from Muqaddima, Maqasid Ul Islam, Vol. 1 by Mufti Abdul Hameed (May Allah shower His Mercy on him), former Shaykh ul Jamia, Jamia Nizamia]