slave of allah
29-04-2005, 03:26 PM
Allama Muhammad Anwar Shāh Kashmīrī
(Allah's mercy upon him)
by Ali Altaf Mian
Born in Kashmir on 27 Shawwal 1292 AH (25 November 1875 CE)
Died in Deoband on 3 Safar 1352 AH (27 May 1933 CE)
The Past five hundred years of Islamic history can not produce the like of Mawlana Kashmiri.
-Dr. Muhammad Iqbal
كثرالله امثالهم و ما ذلك على الله بعزيز
May Allah increase the likes of them and that is not hard for Allah.
Introduction
Who could have explained the excellence of Mawlana Anwar Shah Kashmiri better than the Poet of the East, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal? Mawlana Kashmiri was the teacher of the teachers and the personification of Islamic knowledge. The universal message of Islam has always produced individuals that are solely devoted to the Islamic cause, and who spend their entire lives serving Allah’s mission on earth. Throughout history, renowned Muslim theologians have used different methods to combat evil, disbelief, hypocrisy, and oppression while spreading the sublime message of the Holy Qur'an and the Last Messenger. The theologians of Deoband can truly be credited with preserving the true teachings of Islam, as taught by the Qur'an and Sunna, and fighting evil and oppression by means of knowledge. Through knowledge of religion, it was believed that the Muslim heart and mind will be reactivated with the same zeal possessed by the very first generations of Muslims, who were truly the true defenders of Islam. Amidst this process of safeguarding Islam, Darul Ulum Deoband produced such lofty scholars and elite Muslim intellectuals that had been the glory and honor of the Muslim past. Mawlana Muhammad Anwar Shah Kashmiri not only belongs to this tradition but he is a great enhancer of it as well.
Beginnings of this Academic Legend
On a Saturday morning in Kashmir, when the sun was rising, a new sun was born to illuminate the sky of knowledge and wisdom. Muhammad Anwar Shah was born to Shaykh Muhammad Mu’azzim Shah on 27 Shawwal 1292 AH (25 November 1875 CE) in the Kashmiri village of Dudwan located in the beautiful valley of Lawlab. His father, an erudite theologian, was also a great spiritual, who had reformed the lives of many people in Kashmir. His mother, from whom he first learnt the Holy Qur’an, was always engaged in worshipping her Lord, remembering His blessed name, and remained detached from the pomp of the world. By age seven, he had studied the Farsi language, which he later mastered from his father by reading classical texts of Mawlana Jami, Nizami, Amir Khusru, and Jalaluddin Dawwani. After mastering Farsi, he studied Arabic grammar and etymology from Mawlana Ghulam Muhammad Rasunipura. Within two years, he completed his study of etymology (sarf), syntax (nahw), jurisprudence (fiqh), and principles of jurisprudence (usul al-fiqh). As a child, Anwar Shah Kashmiri displayed scholarship in his studies and his teachers could foresee a rare insight and academic excellence in him. His father once said, “When Anwar Shah was studying Mukhtasar al-Quduri from me, sometimes he would pose such questions which could only be answered after consulting important books of jurisprudence (fiqh)” (Hayat-i Kashmiri 27). In 1305 AH, Allama Kashmiri traveled to Hazara Valley (present-day Pakistan) which was famous for its distinguished scholars. After staying three years in Hazara, the Allama decided to travel to Deoband to complete his religious studies. He had heard of the prestigious Darul Ulum from many of his teachers. The Hadith teacher of Darul Ulum Deoband, Shaykh al-Hind Mawlana Mahmud al-Hasan, who had mastered traditional sciences (manqulat) and rational sciences (ma’qulat) from Mawlana Muhammad Qasim Nanotawi and Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, had become a magnet for students from all over the Indian subcontinent to quench their thirst for knowledge from this vast ocean.
Mastery of Hadith Sciences in Deoband
Allama Kashmiri left Hazara for Deoband, where he would find himself a complete stranger. After a long journey, he found refuge in Masjid Qadi, a mosque in the peripheries of Deoband. Qadi Hussain Ahmad, the caretaker of this mosque saw signs of religious knowledge as well as of hunger and traveling on the Allama's face. He asked the Allama, "What has brought you to Deoband?" The Allama replied, "I have come from Kashmir to study Hadith under Mawlana Mahmud al-Hasan." Qadi Hussain Ahmad first arranged food for the Allama and then took him to see Mawlana Mahmud al-Hasan.
At that time, the Darul Ulum at Deoband did not have sufficient boarding facilities for each student. Hence, Allama Kashmiri stayed in a room of Jami Masjid Pathanpur, where he served as its caretaker and Imam during his studies. It was in this Masjid that Allama Kashmiri developed his lifelong companionship with Mawlana Mashiatullah, another student of the Darul Ulum.
At Darul Ulum Deoband, Allama Kashmiri studied Sahih al-Bukhari, at-Tirmidhi, Tafsir al-Jalalayn, the first volume of al-Hidaya, and Qadi Mubarak in the years 1311 and 1313 AH. The next year was spent studying Sunan Abu Dawud, Sahih Muslim, Tafsir al-Baydawi, Tasrih, Sharh Chaghamni, Sadra, the Muwattas of Imam Malik and of Imam Muhammad, Sunan an-Nisai, Sunan Ibn Majah, Shams-i Bazigha, and Nafisi (a book in Greek medicine).
Among his notable teachers are Shaykh al-Hind Mawlana Mahmud al-Hasan, Mawlana Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, Mawlana Is'haq Amritsari, and Mawlana Ghulam Rasul Hazarwi. He mastered astronomy from Mawlana Abdul Jamil Afghani.
Allama Anwar Shah had the utmost respect for his teachers and elders and Darul Ulum Deoband. He says: “We came here to Hindustan from Kashmir and observed Islam in Mawlana Gangohi. After the demise of Mawlana Gangohi, we learnt religion from Shaykh al-Hind and Mawlana Abdur Rahim Raipuri. And now, the practice of religion can be seen in the company of Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi” (Akabir-e-Ulama-e-Deoband, p. 101).
Allama Anwar Shah had such mastery on Hadith sciences that he says:
My study and research on Hadith commentary surpasses that of many Hadith commentators. Although, my knowledge on different narrations and different chains of narrations is less than Hafiz Ibn al-Hajar al-Asqalani, but my understanding of the meanings hidden in Hadiths is greater than him and I can comment on Hadith, in respect to its meaning, better than him. On whatever Hadith I comment, I know more than him. Even Hafiz has made mistakes in citing his sources. My commentary would have fewer mistakes than his. Hafiz also lacks the knowledge of some principles of Hadith sciences and I would employ these same principles (in commentary). (Malfuzat-i Muhaddith-i Kashmiri 259-60)
The above statement should not be misconstrued to mean that he was arrogant or that Hafiz was ignorant. Allama Kashmiri is only mentioning the truth. In interpreting the Hadith, he knew Allah had given him more knowledge and skill than Hafiz, and in the knowledge of the different chains of Hadith narration, he admits that Hafiz had more knowledge. As far as his humility is concerned, consider the following saying: “In whatever matter I do not possess surety and contentment or simply do not know, I say in front of thousands of people that I do not know. However, these days very few people are ready to admit their ignorance of something” (Malfuzat-i Muhaddith-i Kashmiri 261). Thus, his comparison of himself with Hafiz is only “narrating the bounty of Allah on him” (tahdith an-n’ema), which is permissible and a sure way of thanking Allah. The famous master of Islamic sciences, Jalaluddin al-Suyuti has written his autobiography titled At-Tahadduth bi-nimat Allah (Narration of the Bounty of Allah) (English translation by E. M. Sartain titled Jalal al-din al-Suyuti [Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 1975]). Allah orders His beloved Messenger to be cognizant of the bounties of Allah by announcing them:
And as for the favor of your Lord, do announce (it). (ad-Duha: 11)
The announcing and mentioning of Allah’s favors upon one is not arrogance, instead it is a form of the praise of Allah. When a God-fearing person narrates unto others the favors of Allah upon him, he attributes these favors to Allah and thus, Allah is to be praised for endowing him with such favors:
Such is the Bounty of Allah, which He bestows on whom He will: and Allah is of Infinite Bounty. (al-Jumu’a: 4)
Allama Kashmiri’s heart was full of love and reverence for the Prophet and his words. Some modern writers on Islam have mocked some sayings of the Prophet, the Allama used to defend them and disclose the frailty of the claims of such people. Consider the following example:
There is a hadith in al-Bukhari in which the Prophet states that when a fly falls into anything, dip the fly completely in it, so that its poison will be warded off, because poison is released from one of its wings and its antidote is released from the second wing. Rashid Rida al-Misri has mocked this hadith and has used very severe and inapt words. His habit is to bring hadith when challenging the conformists (muqalidun-those who conform to one of the four schools of Islamic jurisprudence), but when he is confronted with a hadith, then he uses empiricism and rationality. While refuting his opponents he often takes support from Ibn Taymiya, Ibn al-Qayyim, and Ibn Hazm. However, Ibn Taymiya, contrary to Rashid Rida al-Misri, has obeyed the noble Messenger in the matter of this hadith (Hence, al-Misri falls into many inconsistencies). (Malfuzat-i Muhaddith-i Kashmiri 246)
Allama Kashmiri says, “After Imam al-Bukhari, Imam an-Nisai is the most excellent of the narrators of the six authentic books. According to me, all of the Hadiths in an-Nisai are authentic (sahih)” (Malfuzat 231).
Mastery of Spiritual Sciences in Gangoh
After mastering Hadith sciences, Allama Kashmiri undertook a stay in Gangoh to study Hadith under Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi. Mawlana Gangohi had acquired the knowledge of Hadith from illustrious Hadith scholars such as Mufti Sadruddin Azarda, Mawlana Mamluk Ali Nanotawi, and Shah Abdul Ghani Mujaddadi. Along with studying Hadith in Gangoh, Allama Kashmiri also benefited from the spiritual presence of Mawlana Gangohi. The latter is mostly responsible for training the Allama in spiritual sciences. Allama Kashmir was entrusted with succession (khilafat) of his Shaykh as well. Throughout his life, Allama Kashmiri would praise Mawlana Gangohi for his unique erudition and expertise on Hadith and jurisprudence (fiqh). Allama Kashmiri would award the title Faqih an-Nafs to two Hanafi jurists, Mawlana Gangohi, his teacher, and Allama Ibn Nujaym.
Allama Kashmiri and Tasawwuf
Mawlana Abdul Qadir Raipuri says: “Once I went in the Sunehri Masjid of Madrasa Aminia (Delhi) and saw that Hadrat Shah Saheb was engaged in loud Zikr in a room with closed doors. For a long time, he kept on saying: Allah! Allah! Allah! Allah! When going to a market, Hadrat Shah Saheb would cover his eyes with a piece of cloth in order to avoid the sight of any woman” (Akabir-e-Ulama-e-Deoband, p. 101). Those who witnessed Allama Kashmiri on Fridays when he used to walk from his home to the Masjid for Juma Salah say that this scene was the practical implementation of Allah’s command: fas au ila zikrillah “Hasten towards the remembrance of Allah”). His students have reported that the words “Hasbuna-Allah” (meaning “Allah suffices for us”) would always be on his tongue.
Teaching Career in Delhi
Reform Efforts in Kashmir
The Pilgrimage to the Holy Lands
Lecturing on Prophetic Traditions in Darul Ulum Deoband
Mawlana Syed Ahmad Reda Saheb Bijnauri writes: “The Hadith lectures of Allama Kashmiri would be similar to those of classical Hadith scholars. His lecture would begin from analyzing the Hadith from the time of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), then the era of the Companions, then the Followers (tabi'een), and then the Imams of inference (ijtihad), then to the great Hadith scholars. Hence, it was all-inclusive of arguments made on the subject under discussion by earlier scholars to the present-day” (Anwarul Bari, v.1, p.9).
Once Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi sat in a lecture of Allama Kashmiri. After hearing this lecture, Mawlana Thanawi said: “Every sentence of Allama Kashmir can be turned into a book” (Anwarul Bari, v.2, p.235). Mawlana Thanawi also says: “I have benefited so much from Allama Kashmir that his respect in my heart occupies the same place as the respect of my other teachers, although I have not studied under him” (Anwarul Bari, v.2, p.235). This is the humility of Mawlana Thanawi, who was called in his very lifetime "the Great Reformer of the Muslim Nation (mujaddid al-millat). Allama Kashmiri certainly benefited from Mawlana Thanawi as well, it was after reading Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi’s commentary of the Qur'an, Bāyānul Qur'ān, that Shah Saheb became inspired to read the great oceans of Islamic literature in the Urdu language.
The Brilliant Sun of Knowledge Shines on Gujrāt
Return to Deoband and the Last Days
Mufti Muhammad Shafi has said: “One time, Hadrat Shah Saheb was extremely sick and his illness had been prolonging. During this time, a false rumor of the demise of Hadrat Shah Saheb spread at the time of Fajr Salah. It was as if lightning had struck us, and right after the Fajr prayer we all rushed to his house along with Allama Shabir Ahmad Usmaani. Upon arriving at his house, we found out that the news of his demise was false. However, his sickness had remained. When we all entered the room of Hadrat, we found him sitting at his prayer place and in front of him lay a book on a pillow, which he was studying while bending down because of the lack of light. His students were perturbed at this scene, because studying in this posture could increase his illness. Hence, Allama Shabir Ahmad Uthmani willingly said:
‘Hadrat! We can not understand this. How can there still be an academic discourse that has not been studied by you? If there is some discourse that you are unaware of and should study it, what is the urgent need to know it right now and why cannot this study be postponed until you feel better? If it is really urgent, then are not we here at your disposal? You could have told any of us and we would have read this material and informed you of its contents. This academic endeavor and labor of yours in this poor health can not be tolerated by us’.
Mawlana Anwar Shah Kashmiri looked at Allama Shabir Ahmad Uthmani for some time with virtuousness and innocence and then replied, ‘Brother, you are right, but books also hold a craving, what should I do about this addiction’? Hadrat Shah Saheb would be engaged in Islamic academic research during the day and night to such a degree as if the world had nothing to do with him. To be bothered by the affairs of the world was outside the capacity of Hadrat Shah Saheb” (Akabir Deoband Kia They?, p.43)
At the demise of Allama Kashmir, Mawlana Shabir Ahmad Uthmani, addressing a large group of religious students and teachers, said, "The demise of Allama Kashmir did not make you (students) orphans, but teachers like us have become orphans. Due to the bounty of Allah, we suffice for you, but our teacher, from whom religious teachers would learn, has departed from us" (Malfuzat 37).
Academic Excellence
Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi says: “When Hadrat Shah Sahib would come and sit next to me, my heart would feel the pressure of the greatness of his knowledge” (Millat-e-Islam ki Muhsin Shakhsiaat, p. 185). Hadrat Shah Sahib’s knowledge was of such a unique nature that it even impressed great Ulama like Hadrat Thanawi. Mawlana Habibur Rahman Azami would always refer to Allama Kashmiri as a mobile library. Mufti Taqi Uthmani writes: “My respected father often said that Allah had blessed Hadrat Shah Saheb with proficiency in all types of knowledge and skills” (Akabir Deoband Kia They?, p.44). Hadrat Shah Saheb was such that no Earthly power could distract him from his favorite endeavor and lifelong engagement: reading and researching. After reading accounts of his life from those who were around him, it seems that he spend majority of his life reading books and extracting knowledge from them as if he had nothing else to do. However, he was not only a teacher of Hadith sciences at Darul Ulum Deoband, but the Head of all Teachers (Sadr Mudarris as called in Urdu); he has authored numerous books, he actively participated in the Khatme Nubuwwat Movement, served the Islamic cause in politics by his official position at Jamiatul Ulama-e-Hind and raised a family of which his two sons, Mawlana Azhar Shah Kashmiri and Mawlana Anzar Shah Kashmiri, are well-know for following the footsteps of their distinguished father. Despite all these engagements, he was always found by his students in front of a book. He would never touch a book without ablution (wudu) and would always sit respectfully in front of religious books. Allama Kashmiri had high respect for knowledge and books. If a book has notes on its sides, he would move himself to read the side notes rather than moving the book. What great respect he had for divine knowledge! As a result of this tremendous reverence for religious books, Allah made him an ocean of knowledge.
Shaikh ul Islam Mawlana Shabir Ahmad Uthmani says: “If a native of Egypt or Syria was to ask me: ‘Have you seen Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalaani, Shaykh Taqiuddin Ibn Daqeeq Al-`Eid and Shaykh Izzuddin bin Abdus Salaam?’ I would say yes because I have seen Allama Kashmiri. The only difference is of the times, if he lived in the Sixth or Seventh Islamic centuries, accounts of his life and times, qualities and virtues would have reached us in the same manner (as the above mentioned personalities). The day Shah Saheb died, I felt as if today Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalaani, Shaykh Taqiuddin and Shaykh Izzuddin have demised” (Akabir-e-Ulama-e-Deoband, p. 98).
After the demise of this great scholar and saint of Islam, the Ulama of Darul Ulum Deoband considered themselves as orphans. They confessed that we will answer the questions of the public, but who will answer our questions? Who will fulfill our thirst for knowledge? Allama Rashid Reda Al-Misri called Darul Ulum Deoband the al-Azhar (University) of India and regarding Hadrat Kashmiri, he says: “I have never seen a more distinguished scholar than Hadrat Shah Saheb” (Anwarul Bari, v.2, p. 237).
Allama Kashmiri says:
Jurisprudence (fiqh) is the most difficult of all Islamic sciences. I have established my opinion in all of Islamic sciences except jurisprudence (fiqh), for I do not have the power and ability to judge in matters of inference (ijtihad). Shah Abdul Aziz and Allama Shami are contemporaries, but in jurisprudence Shah Abdul Aziz is superior to Allama Shami. However, Allama Shami’s knowledge of juristic details (juziyat) surpasses that of Shah Abdul Aziz, and Allama Shami had much more juristic sources to cite as well. (Malfuzat-i Muhaddith-i Kashmiri 248).
Allama Kashmiri admits that although he has his own independent understanding and opinions on all Islamic sciences, such as Qur’anic commentary (ilm at-tafsir), Hadith sciences (ilm al-hadith), Hadith narrators (ilm ar-rijal), history (at-tarikh), etc., but, in jurisprudence, he does not, due to his caution and fear of Allah, possess his own opinion. Allama Kashmiri not only surrendered to Imam Abu Hanifa’s school of thought, but also became the greatest advocate for it as well. Much of his writings manifest his matchless defense of the Hanafi School.
Syed Ahmad Rida Bijnawri has mentioned that out of Jamia al-Islamia Dhabeel’s teachers, the one that most benefited from Allama Kashmiri was Mawlana Shabir Ahmad Uthmani. Once Allama Kashmir said to Mufti Mahmud Ahmad Nanotawi, “Let me convey a glad-tiding to you: Mawlana Shabir Ahmad has reached appropriateness of the Hadith sciences” (Malfuzat 36).
Amazing Memory
Mawlana Muhammad Idris Kandhlavi would call Hadrat Allama Kashmiri the Imam al-Zuhri of our times. He used to say: “Allama Kashmiri possessed an eidetic memory, if he read or heard something one time, then that would not be wasted and would be safeguarded and protected in his memory” (Akabir-e-Ulama-e-Deoband, p. 99).
Matchless Erudition
The great Islamic scholar and reformer of the fourteenth century Hijri, Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi used to say, “According to me, a great proof of the truth of Islam is the presence of Mawlana Anwar Shah Kashmiri among the Muslims. If there was any sort of crookedness or deficiency in Islam, then Mawlana Anwar Shah would not have adhered to it” (Akabir-e-Ulama-e-Deoband, p. 98). Mawlana Kashmiri is considered as a great proof of Islam by none other than the prestigious Hadrat Thanawi, what more can one say in respect of his virtues? However, the eyes that witnessed his noble personality and countenance never forgot that embodiment of light and erudition.
Allama Kashmiri would try to read all Arabic books and manuscripts that he could find at least once. He had made a special effort to visit all the old libraries of India and the Holy Lands to read rare literature. He would receive new publications with enthusiasm and would not start another book until finishing the first one. Once in Dhabeel, he said, "Whenever a new publication comes from Egypt, I read it from the beginning to the end with much enthusiasm. Sometimes I find myself studying voluminous new works without ever reading anything new (that I had already not read)" (Malfuzat 38).
Mawlana Ahmad Rida Bijnawri says, "Allama Kashmiri would not study any book in haste. His approach in reading and studying was to deliberate and fully engage with the content of the book. For this reason, signs of erudition, scholarship, and breadth were visible in his sayings" (Malfuzat 38).
Staying away from scholarly books and manuscripts was a severe burden on Allama Kashmiri. If he would not read Islamic books, he would soon develop some sort of headache or cold.
Mawlana Ahmad Rida Bijnawri has pointed out that a specialty of Allama Kashmiri was that even his contemporaries, such as Mawlana Shabir Ahmad Uthmani, Mawlana Hussain Ahmad Madani, and Mufti Muhammad Kifayatullah, and sometimes his seniors, such as Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi, learnt from his deep knowledge. Mufti Muhammad Kifayatullah would usually consult Allama Kashmiri before deciding on an important juristic matter.
Contributions to Islamic Literature
His academic peers belonged in the early days of Islam as Syed Ata’ullah Shah Bukhari has said: “The caravan of the Companions was trekking and Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri was left behind” (Akabir-e-Ulama-e-Deoband 99). His knowledge and understanding of Islam matched those of our Islamic predecessors. Shaykh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghudda, the famous Hadith master of Aleppo, writes:
هو حافظُ العصرومسنِدُ الوقت المحدث المفسر الفقيهُ الحنفي
He was memorizer of the era, authority of the times, the Hadith master, the exegete of the Qur'an, the Hanafi jurist.
Allama Kashmiri's writings encompass many important subjects of Islamic sciences. The list of the literary accomplishments of Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri:
Mushkilat al-Qur'an
Allama Kashmiri spent hours each day studying the Book of Allah. Sometimes, days would be spent reflecting one verse. Mushkilat al-Qur'an (Difficulties of the Qur'an) constitutes his explanation of some challenging verses of the Holy Book. Mushkilat al-Qur'an includes a long introduction by Mawlana Sayyid Muhammad Yusuf Binori, a notable student of Allama Kashmir.
His Deep Reflection on the Book of Allah
Fear and Love of God
Devoted Students
Mufti Taqi Uthmani says, “A unique feeling of happiness would become visible on my father’s face upon hearing the name of Hadrat Shah Sahib. My father would remember him with utmost respect and love” (Akabir Deoband Kia They?, p. 41). Allama Kashmiri was a favorite of his teachers and students. His peers loved him and one and all came to him to solve those academic misunderstandings that can only be deciphered by one of the most knowledgeable scholar of the times. One remains astonished after reading the accounts of his heightened knowledge, acute memory, and profound understanding of not only Islamic religious sciences, but knowledge in general. Saints like Mawlana Abdul Qadir Raipuri witnessed his excellence and remarked, “Indeed Hadrat Shah Sahib is a sign from the signs of Allah” (Akabir-e-Ulama-e-Deoband, p. 98).
Those who saw him once would be full of Islamic glory and enthusiasm that they can not remain silent, some words, some sentences of their experience must be told to the world. They must inform others that we have seen a unique and divine sign of Allah, so unique that its like can not be found in the past five hundred years of Islamic history. Accordingly, we find praise of Shah Sahib on the lips of generation after generation of Muslims, who have recognized what he is and what he did. His profound personality claims that he should be remembered and his teachings, which are nothing more than the explanation of the Qur'an and the Hadith, should be exhibited in actions, fortified on paper and shared in public. He was a tree from the original garden of Islam, a flower from the initial bouquet of Deen.
How fortunate were people like Mufti Muhammad Shafi, Mawlana Muhammad Idris Kandhlawi, Mawlana Badr Alam Merathi, Mawlana Syed Manazir Ahsan Gilani, Mawlana Sayyid Yusuf Binori, Mawlana Hifzur Rahman Seuhari, Mufti Muhammad Hasan Amritsari, Mawlana Ather Ali Silhati, and Qari Muhammad Tayyib Qasmi to satisfy their natural thirst for divine wisdom from this marvelous fountain of knowledge and illumination. His students saw in his practice all those teachings that were in his speeches and lessons. The student that benefited most from the teachings of Hadrat Shah Saheb was Allama Shabir Ahmad Uthmani. Mawlana Syed Ahmad Reda Saheb Bijnauri says: “During my sixteen years in the Majlise Ilmi of Dhabeel (where Allama Kashmiri for many years), I arrived at the conclusion that it was Allama Shabir Ahmad Uthmani who had benefited from the knowledge and virtues of Hadrat Mawlana Kashmiri. Mawlana Shabir Ahmad Uthmani would turn towards Shah Saheb in all academic difficulties and questions and would study and research day and night. He has extensively drawn from Hadrat Shah Saheb in his commentary of the Noble Quran (Tafseer-e-Usmaani) and his celebrated work Fat’h al-Mulhim (commentary of Saheeh Muslim)” (Anwarul Bari, v.2, p.234).
http://alashrafia.com/english/anwar.html
(Allah's mercy upon him)
by Ali Altaf Mian
Born in Kashmir on 27 Shawwal 1292 AH (25 November 1875 CE)
Died in Deoband on 3 Safar 1352 AH (27 May 1933 CE)
The Past five hundred years of Islamic history can not produce the like of Mawlana Kashmiri.
-Dr. Muhammad Iqbal
كثرالله امثالهم و ما ذلك على الله بعزيز
May Allah increase the likes of them and that is not hard for Allah.
Introduction
Who could have explained the excellence of Mawlana Anwar Shah Kashmiri better than the Poet of the East, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal? Mawlana Kashmiri was the teacher of the teachers and the personification of Islamic knowledge. The universal message of Islam has always produced individuals that are solely devoted to the Islamic cause, and who spend their entire lives serving Allah’s mission on earth. Throughout history, renowned Muslim theologians have used different methods to combat evil, disbelief, hypocrisy, and oppression while spreading the sublime message of the Holy Qur'an and the Last Messenger. The theologians of Deoband can truly be credited with preserving the true teachings of Islam, as taught by the Qur'an and Sunna, and fighting evil and oppression by means of knowledge. Through knowledge of religion, it was believed that the Muslim heart and mind will be reactivated with the same zeal possessed by the very first generations of Muslims, who were truly the true defenders of Islam. Amidst this process of safeguarding Islam, Darul Ulum Deoband produced such lofty scholars and elite Muslim intellectuals that had been the glory and honor of the Muslim past. Mawlana Muhammad Anwar Shah Kashmiri not only belongs to this tradition but he is a great enhancer of it as well.
Beginnings of this Academic Legend
On a Saturday morning in Kashmir, when the sun was rising, a new sun was born to illuminate the sky of knowledge and wisdom. Muhammad Anwar Shah was born to Shaykh Muhammad Mu’azzim Shah on 27 Shawwal 1292 AH (25 November 1875 CE) in the Kashmiri village of Dudwan located in the beautiful valley of Lawlab. His father, an erudite theologian, was also a great spiritual, who had reformed the lives of many people in Kashmir. His mother, from whom he first learnt the Holy Qur’an, was always engaged in worshipping her Lord, remembering His blessed name, and remained detached from the pomp of the world. By age seven, he had studied the Farsi language, which he later mastered from his father by reading classical texts of Mawlana Jami, Nizami, Amir Khusru, and Jalaluddin Dawwani. After mastering Farsi, he studied Arabic grammar and etymology from Mawlana Ghulam Muhammad Rasunipura. Within two years, he completed his study of etymology (sarf), syntax (nahw), jurisprudence (fiqh), and principles of jurisprudence (usul al-fiqh). As a child, Anwar Shah Kashmiri displayed scholarship in his studies and his teachers could foresee a rare insight and academic excellence in him. His father once said, “When Anwar Shah was studying Mukhtasar al-Quduri from me, sometimes he would pose such questions which could only be answered after consulting important books of jurisprudence (fiqh)” (Hayat-i Kashmiri 27). In 1305 AH, Allama Kashmiri traveled to Hazara Valley (present-day Pakistan) which was famous for its distinguished scholars. After staying three years in Hazara, the Allama decided to travel to Deoband to complete his religious studies. He had heard of the prestigious Darul Ulum from many of his teachers. The Hadith teacher of Darul Ulum Deoband, Shaykh al-Hind Mawlana Mahmud al-Hasan, who had mastered traditional sciences (manqulat) and rational sciences (ma’qulat) from Mawlana Muhammad Qasim Nanotawi and Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, had become a magnet for students from all over the Indian subcontinent to quench their thirst for knowledge from this vast ocean.
Mastery of Hadith Sciences in Deoband
Allama Kashmiri left Hazara for Deoband, where he would find himself a complete stranger. After a long journey, he found refuge in Masjid Qadi, a mosque in the peripheries of Deoband. Qadi Hussain Ahmad, the caretaker of this mosque saw signs of religious knowledge as well as of hunger and traveling on the Allama's face. He asked the Allama, "What has brought you to Deoband?" The Allama replied, "I have come from Kashmir to study Hadith under Mawlana Mahmud al-Hasan." Qadi Hussain Ahmad first arranged food for the Allama and then took him to see Mawlana Mahmud al-Hasan.
At that time, the Darul Ulum at Deoband did not have sufficient boarding facilities for each student. Hence, Allama Kashmiri stayed in a room of Jami Masjid Pathanpur, where he served as its caretaker and Imam during his studies. It was in this Masjid that Allama Kashmiri developed his lifelong companionship with Mawlana Mashiatullah, another student of the Darul Ulum.
At Darul Ulum Deoband, Allama Kashmiri studied Sahih al-Bukhari, at-Tirmidhi, Tafsir al-Jalalayn, the first volume of al-Hidaya, and Qadi Mubarak in the years 1311 and 1313 AH. The next year was spent studying Sunan Abu Dawud, Sahih Muslim, Tafsir al-Baydawi, Tasrih, Sharh Chaghamni, Sadra, the Muwattas of Imam Malik and of Imam Muhammad, Sunan an-Nisai, Sunan Ibn Majah, Shams-i Bazigha, and Nafisi (a book in Greek medicine).
Among his notable teachers are Shaykh al-Hind Mawlana Mahmud al-Hasan, Mawlana Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, Mawlana Is'haq Amritsari, and Mawlana Ghulam Rasul Hazarwi. He mastered astronomy from Mawlana Abdul Jamil Afghani.
Allama Anwar Shah had the utmost respect for his teachers and elders and Darul Ulum Deoband. He says: “We came here to Hindustan from Kashmir and observed Islam in Mawlana Gangohi. After the demise of Mawlana Gangohi, we learnt religion from Shaykh al-Hind and Mawlana Abdur Rahim Raipuri. And now, the practice of religion can be seen in the company of Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi” (Akabir-e-Ulama-e-Deoband, p. 101).
Allama Anwar Shah had such mastery on Hadith sciences that he says:
My study and research on Hadith commentary surpasses that of many Hadith commentators. Although, my knowledge on different narrations and different chains of narrations is less than Hafiz Ibn al-Hajar al-Asqalani, but my understanding of the meanings hidden in Hadiths is greater than him and I can comment on Hadith, in respect to its meaning, better than him. On whatever Hadith I comment, I know more than him. Even Hafiz has made mistakes in citing his sources. My commentary would have fewer mistakes than his. Hafiz also lacks the knowledge of some principles of Hadith sciences and I would employ these same principles (in commentary). (Malfuzat-i Muhaddith-i Kashmiri 259-60)
The above statement should not be misconstrued to mean that he was arrogant or that Hafiz was ignorant. Allama Kashmiri is only mentioning the truth. In interpreting the Hadith, he knew Allah had given him more knowledge and skill than Hafiz, and in the knowledge of the different chains of Hadith narration, he admits that Hafiz had more knowledge. As far as his humility is concerned, consider the following saying: “In whatever matter I do not possess surety and contentment or simply do not know, I say in front of thousands of people that I do not know. However, these days very few people are ready to admit their ignorance of something” (Malfuzat-i Muhaddith-i Kashmiri 261). Thus, his comparison of himself with Hafiz is only “narrating the bounty of Allah on him” (tahdith an-n’ema), which is permissible and a sure way of thanking Allah. The famous master of Islamic sciences, Jalaluddin al-Suyuti has written his autobiography titled At-Tahadduth bi-nimat Allah (Narration of the Bounty of Allah) (English translation by E. M. Sartain titled Jalal al-din al-Suyuti [Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 1975]). Allah orders His beloved Messenger to be cognizant of the bounties of Allah by announcing them:
And as for the favor of your Lord, do announce (it). (ad-Duha: 11)
The announcing and mentioning of Allah’s favors upon one is not arrogance, instead it is a form of the praise of Allah. When a God-fearing person narrates unto others the favors of Allah upon him, he attributes these favors to Allah and thus, Allah is to be praised for endowing him with such favors:
Such is the Bounty of Allah, which He bestows on whom He will: and Allah is of Infinite Bounty. (al-Jumu’a: 4)
Allama Kashmiri’s heart was full of love and reverence for the Prophet and his words. Some modern writers on Islam have mocked some sayings of the Prophet, the Allama used to defend them and disclose the frailty of the claims of such people. Consider the following example:
There is a hadith in al-Bukhari in which the Prophet states that when a fly falls into anything, dip the fly completely in it, so that its poison will be warded off, because poison is released from one of its wings and its antidote is released from the second wing. Rashid Rida al-Misri has mocked this hadith and has used very severe and inapt words. His habit is to bring hadith when challenging the conformists (muqalidun-those who conform to one of the four schools of Islamic jurisprudence), but when he is confronted with a hadith, then he uses empiricism and rationality. While refuting his opponents he often takes support from Ibn Taymiya, Ibn al-Qayyim, and Ibn Hazm. However, Ibn Taymiya, contrary to Rashid Rida al-Misri, has obeyed the noble Messenger in the matter of this hadith (Hence, al-Misri falls into many inconsistencies). (Malfuzat-i Muhaddith-i Kashmiri 246)
Allama Kashmiri says, “After Imam al-Bukhari, Imam an-Nisai is the most excellent of the narrators of the six authentic books. According to me, all of the Hadiths in an-Nisai are authentic (sahih)” (Malfuzat 231).
Mastery of Spiritual Sciences in Gangoh
After mastering Hadith sciences, Allama Kashmiri undertook a stay in Gangoh to study Hadith under Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi. Mawlana Gangohi had acquired the knowledge of Hadith from illustrious Hadith scholars such as Mufti Sadruddin Azarda, Mawlana Mamluk Ali Nanotawi, and Shah Abdul Ghani Mujaddadi. Along with studying Hadith in Gangoh, Allama Kashmiri also benefited from the spiritual presence of Mawlana Gangohi. The latter is mostly responsible for training the Allama in spiritual sciences. Allama Kashmir was entrusted with succession (khilafat) of his Shaykh as well. Throughout his life, Allama Kashmiri would praise Mawlana Gangohi for his unique erudition and expertise on Hadith and jurisprudence (fiqh). Allama Kashmiri would award the title Faqih an-Nafs to two Hanafi jurists, Mawlana Gangohi, his teacher, and Allama Ibn Nujaym.
Allama Kashmiri and Tasawwuf
Mawlana Abdul Qadir Raipuri says: “Once I went in the Sunehri Masjid of Madrasa Aminia (Delhi) and saw that Hadrat Shah Saheb was engaged in loud Zikr in a room with closed doors. For a long time, he kept on saying: Allah! Allah! Allah! Allah! When going to a market, Hadrat Shah Saheb would cover his eyes with a piece of cloth in order to avoid the sight of any woman” (Akabir-e-Ulama-e-Deoband, p. 101). Those who witnessed Allama Kashmiri on Fridays when he used to walk from his home to the Masjid for Juma Salah say that this scene was the practical implementation of Allah’s command: fas au ila zikrillah “Hasten towards the remembrance of Allah”). His students have reported that the words “Hasbuna-Allah” (meaning “Allah suffices for us”) would always be on his tongue.
Teaching Career in Delhi
Reform Efforts in Kashmir
The Pilgrimage to the Holy Lands
Lecturing on Prophetic Traditions in Darul Ulum Deoband
Mawlana Syed Ahmad Reda Saheb Bijnauri writes: “The Hadith lectures of Allama Kashmiri would be similar to those of classical Hadith scholars. His lecture would begin from analyzing the Hadith from the time of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), then the era of the Companions, then the Followers (tabi'een), and then the Imams of inference (ijtihad), then to the great Hadith scholars. Hence, it was all-inclusive of arguments made on the subject under discussion by earlier scholars to the present-day” (Anwarul Bari, v.1, p.9).
Once Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi sat in a lecture of Allama Kashmiri. After hearing this lecture, Mawlana Thanawi said: “Every sentence of Allama Kashmir can be turned into a book” (Anwarul Bari, v.2, p.235). Mawlana Thanawi also says: “I have benefited so much from Allama Kashmir that his respect in my heart occupies the same place as the respect of my other teachers, although I have not studied under him” (Anwarul Bari, v.2, p.235). This is the humility of Mawlana Thanawi, who was called in his very lifetime "the Great Reformer of the Muslim Nation (mujaddid al-millat). Allama Kashmiri certainly benefited from Mawlana Thanawi as well, it was after reading Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi’s commentary of the Qur'an, Bāyānul Qur'ān, that Shah Saheb became inspired to read the great oceans of Islamic literature in the Urdu language.
The Brilliant Sun of Knowledge Shines on Gujrāt
Return to Deoband and the Last Days
Mufti Muhammad Shafi has said: “One time, Hadrat Shah Saheb was extremely sick and his illness had been prolonging. During this time, a false rumor of the demise of Hadrat Shah Saheb spread at the time of Fajr Salah. It was as if lightning had struck us, and right after the Fajr prayer we all rushed to his house along with Allama Shabir Ahmad Usmaani. Upon arriving at his house, we found out that the news of his demise was false. However, his sickness had remained. When we all entered the room of Hadrat, we found him sitting at his prayer place and in front of him lay a book on a pillow, which he was studying while bending down because of the lack of light. His students were perturbed at this scene, because studying in this posture could increase his illness. Hence, Allama Shabir Ahmad Uthmani willingly said:
‘Hadrat! We can not understand this. How can there still be an academic discourse that has not been studied by you? If there is some discourse that you are unaware of and should study it, what is the urgent need to know it right now and why cannot this study be postponed until you feel better? If it is really urgent, then are not we here at your disposal? You could have told any of us and we would have read this material and informed you of its contents. This academic endeavor and labor of yours in this poor health can not be tolerated by us’.
Mawlana Anwar Shah Kashmiri looked at Allama Shabir Ahmad Uthmani for some time with virtuousness and innocence and then replied, ‘Brother, you are right, but books also hold a craving, what should I do about this addiction’? Hadrat Shah Saheb would be engaged in Islamic academic research during the day and night to such a degree as if the world had nothing to do with him. To be bothered by the affairs of the world was outside the capacity of Hadrat Shah Saheb” (Akabir Deoband Kia They?, p.43)
At the demise of Allama Kashmir, Mawlana Shabir Ahmad Uthmani, addressing a large group of religious students and teachers, said, "The demise of Allama Kashmir did not make you (students) orphans, but teachers like us have become orphans. Due to the bounty of Allah, we suffice for you, but our teacher, from whom religious teachers would learn, has departed from us" (Malfuzat 37).
Academic Excellence
Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi says: “When Hadrat Shah Sahib would come and sit next to me, my heart would feel the pressure of the greatness of his knowledge” (Millat-e-Islam ki Muhsin Shakhsiaat, p. 185). Hadrat Shah Sahib’s knowledge was of such a unique nature that it even impressed great Ulama like Hadrat Thanawi. Mawlana Habibur Rahman Azami would always refer to Allama Kashmiri as a mobile library. Mufti Taqi Uthmani writes: “My respected father often said that Allah had blessed Hadrat Shah Saheb with proficiency in all types of knowledge and skills” (Akabir Deoband Kia They?, p.44). Hadrat Shah Saheb was such that no Earthly power could distract him from his favorite endeavor and lifelong engagement: reading and researching. After reading accounts of his life from those who were around him, it seems that he spend majority of his life reading books and extracting knowledge from them as if he had nothing else to do. However, he was not only a teacher of Hadith sciences at Darul Ulum Deoband, but the Head of all Teachers (Sadr Mudarris as called in Urdu); he has authored numerous books, he actively participated in the Khatme Nubuwwat Movement, served the Islamic cause in politics by his official position at Jamiatul Ulama-e-Hind and raised a family of which his two sons, Mawlana Azhar Shah Kashmiri and Mawlana Anzar Shah Kashmiri, are well-know for following the footsteps of their distinguished father. Despite all these engagements, he was always found by his students in front of a book. He would never touch a book without ablution (wudu) and would always sit respectfully in front of religious books. Allama Kashmiri had high respect for knowledge and books. If a book has notes on its sides, he would move himself to read the side notes rather than moving the book. What great respect he had for divine knowledge! As a result of this tremendous reverence for religious books, Allah made him an ocean of knowledge.
Shaikh ul Islam Mawlana Shabir Ahmad Uthmani says: “If a native of Egypt or Syria was to ask me: ‘Have you seen Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalaani, Shaykh Taqiuddin Ibn Daqeeq Al-`Eid and Shaykh Izzuddin bin Abdus Salaam?’ I would say yes because I have seen Allama Kashmiri. The only difference is of the times, if he lived in the Sixth or Seventh Islamic centuries, accounts of his life and times, qualities and virtues would have reached us in the same manner (as the above mentioned personalities). The day Shah Saheb died, I felt as if today Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalaani, Shaykh Taqiuddin and Shaykh Izzuddin have demised” (Akabir-e-Ulama-e-Deoband, p. 98).
After the demise of this great scholar and saint of Islam, the Ulama of Darul Ulum Deoband considered themselves as orphans. They confessed that we will answer the questions of the public, but who will answer our questions? Who will fulfill our thirst for knowledge? Allama Rashid Reda Al-Misri called Darul Ulum Deoband the al-Azhar (University) of India and regarding Hadrat Kashmiri, he says: “I have never seen a more distinguished scholar than Hadrat Shah Saheb” (Anwarul Bari, v.2, p. 237).
Allama Kashmiri says:
Jurisprudence (fiqh) is the most difficult of all Islamic sciences. I have established my opinion in all of Islamic sciences except jurisprudence (fiqh), for I do not have the power and ability to judge in matters of inference (ijtihad). Shah Abdul Aziz and Allama Shami are contemporaries, but in jurisprudence Shah Abdul Aziz is superior to Allama Shami. However, Allama Shami’s knowledge of juristic details (juziyat) surpasses that of Shah Abdul Aziz, and Allama Shami had much more juristic sources to cite as well. (Malfuzat-i Muhaddith-i Kashmiri 248).
Allama Kashmiri admits that although he has his own independent understanding and opinions on all Islamic sciences, such as Qur’anic commentary (ilm at-tafsir), Hadith sciences (ilm al-hadith), Hadith narrators (ilm ar-rijal), history (at-tarikh), etc., but, in jurisprudence, he does not, due to his caution and fear of Allah, possess his own opinion. Allama Kashmiri not only surrendered to Imam Abu Hanifa’s school of thought, but also became the greatest advocate for it as well. Much of his writings manifest his matchless defense of the Hanafi School.
Syed Ahmad Rida Bijnawri has mentioned that out of Jamia al-Islamia Dhabeel’s teachers, the one that most benefited from Allama Kashmiri was Mawlana Shabir Ahmad Uthmani. Once Allama Kashmir said to Mufti Mahmud Ahmad Nanotawi, “Let me convey a glad-tiding to you: Mawlana Shabir Ahmad has reached appropriateness of the Hadith sciences” (Malfuzat 36).
Amazing Memory
Mawlana Muhammad Idris Kandhlavi would call Hadrat Allama Kashmiri the Imam al-Zuhri of our times. He used to say: “Allama Kashmiri possessed an eidetic memory, if he read or heard something one time, then that would not be wasted and would be safeguarded and protected in his memory” (Akabir-e-Ulama-e-Deoband, p. 99).
Matchless Erudition
The great Islamic scholar and reformer of the fourteenth century Hijri, Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi used to say, “According to me, a great proof of the truth of Islam is the presence of Mawlana Anwar Shah Kashmiri among the Muslims. If there was any sort of crookedness or deficiency in Islam, then Mawlana Anwar Shah would not have adhered to it” (Akabir-e-Ulama-e-Deoband, p. 98). Mawlana Kashmiri is considered as a great proof of Islam by none other than the prestigious Hadrat Thanawi, what more can one say in respect of his virtues? However, the eyes that witnessed his noble personality and countenance never forgot that embodiment of light and erudition.
Allama Kashmiri would try to read all Arabic books and manuscripts that he could find at least once. He had made a special effort to visit all the old libraries of India and the Holy Lands to read rare literature. He would receive new publications with enthusiasm and would not start another book until finishing the first one. Once in Dhabeel, he said, "Whenever a new publication comes from Egypt, I read it from the beginning to the end with much enthusiasm. Sometimes I find myself studying voluminous new works without ever reading anything new (that I had already not read)" (Malfuzat 38).
Mawlana Ahmad Rida Bijnawri says, "Allama Kashmiri would not study any book in haste. His approach in reading and studying was to deliberate and fully engage with the content of the book. For this reason, signs of erudition, scholarship, and breadth were visible in his sayings" (Malfuzat 38).
Staying away from scholarly books and manuscripts was a severe burden on Allama Kashmiri. If he would not read Islamic books, he would soon develop some sort of headache or cold.
Mawlana Ahmad Rida Bijnawri has pointed out that a specialty of Allama Kashmiri was that even his contemporaries, such as Mawlana Shabir Ahmad Uthmani, Mawlana Hussain Ahmad Madani, and Mufti Muhammad Kifayatullah, and sometimes his seniors, such as Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi, learnt from his deep knowledge. Mufti Muhammad Kifayatullah would usually consult Allama Kashmiri before deciding on an important juristic matter.
Contributions to Islamic Literature
His academic peers belonged in the early days of Islam as Syed Ata’ullah Shah Bukhari has said: “The caravan of the Companions was trekking and Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri was left behind” (Akabir-e-Ulama-e-Deoband 99). His knowledge and understanding of Islam matched those of our Islamic predecessors. Shaykh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghudda, the famous Hadith master of Aleppo, writes:
هو حافظُ العصرومسنِدُ الوقت المحدث المفسر الفقيهُ الحنفي
He was memorizer of the era, authority of the times, the Hadith master, the exegete of the Qur'an, the Hanafi jurist.
Allama Kashmiri's writings encompass many important subjects of Islamic sciences. The list of the literary accomplishments of Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri:
Mushkilat al-Qur'an
Allama Kashmiri spent hours each day studying the Book of Allah. Sometimes, days would be spent reflecting one verse. Mushkilat al-Qur'an (Difficulties of the Qur'an) constitutes his explanation of some challenging verses of the Holy Book. Mushkilat al-Qur'an includes a long introduction by Mawlana Sayyid Muhammad Yusuf Binori, a notable student of Allama Kashmir.
His Deep Reflection on the Book of Allah
Fear and Love of God
Devoted Students
Mufti Taqi Uthmani says, “A unique feeling of happiness would become visible on my father’s face upon hearing the name of Hadrat Shah Sahib. My father would remember him with utmost respect and love” (Akabir Deoband Kia They?, p. 41). Allama Kashmiri was a favorite of his teachers and students. His peers loved him and one and all came to him to solve those academic misunderstandings that can only be deciphered by one of the most knowledgeable scholar of the times. One remains astonished after reading the accounts of his heightened knowledge, acute memory, and profound understanding of not only Islamic religious sciences, but knowledge in general. Saints like Mawlana Abdul Qadir Raipuri witnessed his excellence and remarked, “Indeed Hadrat Shah Sahib is a sign from the signs of Allah” (Akabir-e-Ulama-e-Deoband, p. 98).
Those who saw him once would be full of Islamic glory and enthusiasm that they can not remain silent, some words, some sentences of their experience must be told to the world. They must inform others that we have seen a unique and divine sign of Allah, so unique that its like can not be found in the past five hundred years of Islamic history. Accordingly, we find praise of Shah Sahib on the lips of generation after generation of Muslims, who have recognized what he is and what he did. His profound personality claims that he should be remembered and his teachings, which are nothing more than the explanation of the Qur'an and the Hadith, should be exhibited in actions, fortified on paper and shared in public. He was a tree from the original garden of Islam, a flower from the initial bouquet of Deen.
How fortunate were people like Mufti Muhammad Shafi, Mawlana Muhammad Idris Kandhlawi, Mawlana Badr Alam Merathi, Mawlana Syed Manazir Ahsan Gilani, Mawlana Sayyid Yusuf Binori, Mawlana Hifzur Rahman Seuhari, Mufti Muhammad Hasan Amritsari, Mawlana Ather Ali Silhati, and Qari Muhammad Tayyib Qasmi to satisfy their natural thirst for divine wisdom from this marvelous fountain of knowledge and illumination. His students saw in his practice all those teachings that were in his speeches and lessons. The student that benefited most from the teachings of Hadrat Shah Saheb was Allama Shabir Ahmad Uthmani. Mawlana Syed Ahmad Reda Saheb Bijnauri says: “During my sixteen years in the Majlise Ilmi of Dhabeel (where Allama Kashmiri for many years), I arrived at the conclusion that it was Allama Shabir Ahmad Uthmani who had benefited from the knowledge and virtues of Hadrat Mawlana Kashmiri. Mawlana Shabir Ahmad Uthmani would turn towards Shah Saheb in all academic difficulties and questions and would study and research day and night. He has extensively drawn from Hadrat Shah Saheb in his commentary of the Noble Quran (Tafseer-e-Usmaani) and his celebrated work Fat’h al-Mulhim (commentary of Saheeh Muslim)” (Anwarul Bari, v.2, p.234).
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