Dr. Mufti Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi Mujaddidi Qadri

Shaykh Ul Fiqh, Jamia Nizamia; Founder - Director


Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center

Mufti Maulana Syed Zia Uddin Naqshbandi Quadri

Shaik-ul-Fiqh - Jamia Nizamia


Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center

Scholarly Articles

Using Raziallahu Anhu for saints


<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&quot;Raziallahu Anhu&quot; is particularly used for the Sahabah and generally for the pious elite of the Ummah.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>As Allah Ta'ala says in Surah Bayyina:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">Their reward is the Gardens of eternal living in the Presence of their Lord, with streams flowing under them. They shall live in them forever. Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. This (status) is meant for the one who fears his Lord. <span style="">&nbsp;</span>Surah Bayyina (98:08)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">In the Holy Quran, &quot;Raziallahu Anhu&quot; has been used for those whose hearts are filled with the fear and awe of Allah Ta'ala.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>Apart from this, in Surah Tauba, the approval of Allah Ta'ala for the pious predecessors, Ansar, Muhajireen, Sahabah and for all those who follow in their footsteps until the Qiyamah has been mentioned in these words:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">The pioneer emigrants and their supporters (Ansar), the vanguard of the believers, and those who follow them in the grade of spiritual excellence &mdash; Allah is well pleased with them (all) and they (all) are well pleased with Him. And He has prepared for them Gardens with rivers flowing under them. They will live in them forever. This is indeed a colossal achievement. <span style="">&nbsp;</span>Surah Taubah (9:100)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">In the above mentioned verse of the Holy Quran, &quot;Raziallahu Anhu&quot; has been used for those who follow in their footsteps with &quot;Ihsan&quot; as described in Tafseer Ruh Al Bayan by Ismail Haqqi Hanafi (May Allah shower His mercy on him) in Vol. 3, Pg. No. 514.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">For this reason, the Muhadditheen and Fuqaha have used &quot;Raziallahu Anhu&quot; for the pious predecessors.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>Imam Jalaluddin Suyuti (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has written &quot;Raziallahu Anhu&quot; for his teacher Imam Jalaluddin Mahalli (May Allah shower His mercy on him), as given in Tafseer Jalalyn, Pg. No. 240.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">Also, Hadhrat Mulla Ali Qari (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has written &quot;Raziallahu Anhu&quot; for Imam A'adham Abu Hanifa (May Allah be well pleased with him) numerous times, as seen in Sharh Musnad Abu Hanifa:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">Translation of Hadith:<span style="">&nbsp; </span>There are many Masaneed (Plural of Musnad) of Imam Abu Hanifa (May Allah be well pleased with him) (Sharh Musnad Abu Hanifa, Pg. No. 7).</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">Again it is given on Pg. No. 47 of the same book:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">Translation of Hadith: Hadhrat Abu Hanifa (May Allah be well pleased with him) has said this.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">Again, &quot;Raziallahu Anhu&quot; has been used with the name of Hadhrat Abu Hanifa (May Allah be well pleased with him) on Pg. No. 141.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">Imam Badruddin Aini (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has used &quot;Raziallahu Anhu&quot; for Imam A'adham many times in his &quot;Umdatul Qari Fi Sharh Sahih Bukhari&quot;<span style="">&nbsp; </span>For e.g. in Vol. 1, on Pg. No. 226.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">The author of Hidayah, Imam Marghinani (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has used &quot;Raziallahu Anhu&quot; numerous times for Imam Quduri (May Allah shower His mercy on him) and his students have used &quot;Raziallahu Anhu&quot; for him.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">This shows that using &quot;Raziallahu Anhu&quot; for other scholars and saints apart from the Sahabah has been the practice of the elders of the Ummah.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">Using &quot;Raziallahu Anhu&quot; for those scholars/saints about whom it is famous that they are not from the Sahabah, is permissible without any reservations.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>However, those scholars/saints who are named after the Sahabah and it is not commonly known that they are not from among the Sahabah, then it is better to use &quot;Rahmatullah alaih&quot; or a similar honorific for them.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">And Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) knows best.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="AR-SA" dir="RTL">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">Mufti Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi Qadri,</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span lang="AR-SA" dir="RTL">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">[Professor of Islamic Law, Jamia Nizamia,</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">Founder/Director, Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center]</p>