The
following book is what a leading Deobandi had to say about
Ala Hadrat Mujaddid o Millat Imam-e-Ahl-as
Sunnat Shah
Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Fadil-e-Barelvi
:
Imam
Ahmad Rida Khan Baraylawee
( B1856/D1921 )
A Versatile Personality
By Mawlana Kausar
Niazi
(Ex-Member, Senate of Pakistan, & formerly
Federal Minister,
Government of
Pakistan)
Published
by
Jama’at e Ahl e Sunnat UK Publications
Printed
By Tandaa Printers
Translated from Urdu into English
by Nigar Erfaney Sabiri
with the kind co-operation
of Idarah Tahqeqat e Imam Ahmad Rida
(Karachi, Pakistan)
Foreword By M.
Bana
The treatise you are
about to encounter was presented as a paper by the
Late
Mawlana Kausar Niazi,
ex-Member of the Senate of Pakistan, and
former Federal
Minister of the Government of Pakistan, at a recent
conference held in Karachi, Pakistan. The conference was
convened by
Idarah Tahqeqat e Imam Ahmad Rida of
Karachi to honour and render
tribute to the greatest
Islamic Scholar ever to emerge in the Indo-Pak
Subcontinent - the Mujaddid of Islam Aa’la Hadrat
Imam Ahmad Rida
Khan, Alayhi al Rahmah wa al
Ridwaan.
This august assembly
almost always attracts Scholars of profound
erudition
from all over Pakistan and abroad irrespective of their
religious
persuasion who consider it an honour to
participate in this open forum
projecting their views
objectively and in the spirit of fairness
and
impartiality.There were some very prominent
personalities whose papers
were of a very high standard
executing justice to the subject matter at
hand.
It must be borne in
mind that Mawlana Kausar Niazi is in no way
connected to
the school of thought of Hadrat Imam Ahmad Rida,
Alayhi al Rahmah, on the contrary some of his
tutors were Mawlawi
Mawdoodi of Jama’at e Islami,
Mawlawi Muhammad Idrees
Kandhaylawee Deobandi,Mawlawi
Ubaydul Haq Nadwi and others.
Therefore,the Mawlana’s
treatise replete with praises,glorification
and
appreciation for Aa’la Hadrat certainly cannot be discounted
as
bias or partisan.
He has presented his subject as
he saw it, independently, objectively
and devoid of any
prejudice or jealousy.
It is hoped that this
profile would go a long way in eliminating the
cobwebs
of doubts and false allegations against the Great
Imam,
implanted in the minds of the unwary Muslims by the
baseless and
fabricated charges emanating from the
Mulla’s and Mawlawis
burning in the fire of jealousy and
submerged in a whirlpool of prejudice.
In the Urdu language,
whenever the word Aan-Hadrat (literally
and
traditionally meaning: ‘that Excellent Man of the
Highest Dignity’,
Muhammad, Salla Allahu
Alayhi wa Sallam) is used, there comes to
mind
‘the generous existence’ of the Noble Prophet, (Salla Allahu
Alayhi wa
Sallam), with the Honour of Finality of Prophethood and
when the word Aa’la Hadrat (literally meaning: the man
of excellence)
is used, it brings forth the name of a
servant of the Great Master
Muhammad (Salla
Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam). One can see that Imam
Ahmad
Rida Khan,
(Rahimahu Allah), did not achieve this
position by virtue of the elegance
of Belief from his
admirers,but it is due to the munificence of his
immense
absorption in the love of his Great, Greatest
Master,Muhammad,
(Salla Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam),
and being an all-comprising personality.
We know that a
number of cyclopaedic personalities have passed in the
Indo-Pak sub-continent, but when an impartial critic
takes stock of all
profiles, he finds no other
omnigenous person but that of Shah Rida’s
(Rahimahu
Allah) versatile and compendious personality.
Which was the Faculty
of Knowledge where he had no access? He had
masterly
command over the Tafseer (Exegesis of the Noble
Qur’aan),
the Aha’deeth (the Prophetic
Traditions), the Fiqh (Juristic opinions
of Islamic
Sacred Law), Geometry, Mathematics, Science, Philosophy,
Astrology, Jafar (Numerology), Physics,
Chemistry, Economics, Geology,
Geography, History,
Politics, Ilm al Munaazarah, Algebra, Syntax,
Etymology,
Ilm al Ma’anee, al Badee, al Balaghah: meaning,
expression and oratory, Eloquence and Rhetoric
(figures of speech;
oratorial), Ilm al Tajweed
and the Orthoepy, Tasawwuf, Sulook,
Philology, Poetry
and Literature, Khat e Naskh and Khat e Nas’ta’leeq.
His
biographers have enumerated almost sixty faculties of
knowledge
in which he had full proficiency and command.
At a time he was a great
Writer and Speaker, Debater,
Dogmatist (Mutakallim),
Traditionalist
(Muhaddith) and Exegete (Mufassir), Jurist
(Faqeeh)
and Statesman. He is not wrong when
expressing gratitude, he says:
"Rida, the kingship of
the Realm of Expression is a worth of yours,
Wheresoever you have
come, you have established your authority."
(the word "expression"
implicates all the faculties of speech)
Due to the tyranny of
time, it is also a strange irony of fate that most
of
the great personalities of history have been treated
tyrannically
though they were popular and in their
context they have always
divided the people interested
in them. They did not leave anybody
impartial: some have
held much admiration for them, while others
have been
their opponents to the extent of enmity. In this opposition,
the dust of propaganda has also been thrown upon them.
Let us see
Ameer al Mu’mineen, Sayyidina Ali al Murtada,
(May Allaah, be
pleased with him). The Nusayries
incarnated him as God while the
Kharjites indicted him an
infidel. An example of recent times is of
Muhammad Ali
Jinnah. Admirers called him Qaid e A’zam (the
greatest leader), while the Fatwa-mongers (the
Mawlawis who issued
legal opinions against him)
charged him as the Kaafir e A’zam
(the greatest
infidel). The same situation has prevailed in the
chapter
of Imam Ahmad Rida’s personality.Those who are
in recognition of
his personality, maintain that he was
the Imam Abu Haneefa of the
sub-continent, while those
who opposed him to the extent of enmity
maintain that he
was a bid’atee (innovater), a aggresive jurist and
a polemic, and also a Mawlawi who favoured the English.
Contemporaneity has always been a cause of hatred
and malice,
but it is regrettable that even seventy one
years after his demise,
the horizon of criticism is
still filled with the dust storm. The people
who are apt
to see things through the colourful optics of prejudice
and bigotry, still do not try to see his bright face
with their clear eyes.
Had they demonstrated a
justifiable attitude, they would have no
difficulty in
adjudjing that the propaganda spread against Imam
Ahmad
Rida, (May Allah, be pleased with him) was consequent
of the dust clouds of malice afflicted over their
hearts; otherwise
each and every word from the Imam’s
tongue and pen, utterances
and actions have been calling
this out through the language of the
inner state,
that:
"I am neither a night
nor a night-worshipper, so I am not talking
about a
dream,
As I am the slave of a
sun (ie. Sayyidina Muhammad, Salla Allahu
Alayhi wa
Sallam)so I speak about the sun,(ie.Sayyidina Muhammad,
Salla Allahu
Alayhi wa Sallam)."
What an irony of fate?
The man who undertook the task of eradicating
the
bid’ah (innovations in
Islamic Beliefs and Practices) with a naked
sword,
was accused of supporting the bid’ah. When we go through
his thoughts and Fatawa’ (legal juristic
opinions), we see clearly
that perhaps no one has
opposed so bitterly the ways and practices
violating the
commandments of the Prophet of Allah,as he did.
(Salla
Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam). When one of his
contemporaries,
Khwaja Hasan Nizamee Dahlawee wrote a
booklet entitled,
Murshid Ko Sajdah e
Tazeemee, (Prostration
before the Murshid
in Reverence), Imam Ahmad Rida,
(Alayhi al Rahmah), in response
to it wrote a
booklet entitled Hurmat e Sajdah e Tazeemee
(The
Prohibition of Prostration in Reverence), proving it
Haram,
(Unlawfull), corroborating from more than
one hundred Verses
and Ahadeeth. People generally think
that the Peeree Mureedee,
(the Spiritual Guidance and
the Discipleship), is an essential of Islam,
but he
has written in his famous book the As-Sunniyah al Aneeqah,
(The Beautiful Sunnism):
"At last for the
deliverance, it is enough to know the Prophet of
Allah, (Salla Allahu
Alayhi wa Sallam), as the Murshid
(Spiritual
Guide)."
However, he maintained
it correct and useful to accept someone
as a Murshid and
to uphold his bay’ah ( oath, allegiance), but
only
for the reformation and refinement of the
self.
Similarly, our people
display illumination over the graves. Imam
Ahmad Rida,
(Rahimahu Allah) maintains that the burning of
lamps
over the graves is a bid’ah. He allows it only in the
event
of the grave lying in the wayside or within the
premises of a Mosque
and its light may benefit the
way-farers and the Namazis; daily prayer
worshippers.
Today it has become customary that shrouds of cloth be
placed over the graves, weighing in maunds or tons; and
these shrouds
are generally used for the Dastar bandee
(adorning the head with a
turban as a token of
honour), of the Ministers and the affluent.
Imam
Ahmad Rida, (Alayhi al Rahmah), holds the opinion to
the
extent of offering only one shroud over the grave
(of Righteous
Scholars and the Awliyaa Allah). He
does not think it right to offer
heaps of shrouds as a
custom. He writes:
"...........The money
which they spend in this (offering), (they)
should
give it to a needy person in order to offer this
Reward to the auspicious
soul of the Walee al Allah
(the Friend of Allah)".
People who are unaware
of the Right, also maintain the Qawwalee
(a group of singers with musical
instruments), as an identification of
Imam
Ahmad Rida’s school of thought, although he has
declared
such qawwaalis wrongful which are displayed with
the musical
instruments, as we see in his treatise the
Masail e Sima’, (Problems
related to the audience of
the Qawwalis).
It is said, that Imam
Ahmad Rida, (Alayhi al Rahmah), was very
severe
and aggravating. In his books, he has indicted the
Ulama; Scholars
and dignitaries of high calibre as
Kafirs; infidels, but I say that this
is the one thing
that distinguishes and identifies him from other
schools
of thought.Unfortunately, many people think that
he was the founder
of a sect, namely Baraylawee; though
he is only a Hanafi,
(follower
of the Shar’eey Principles and Methodology of
Imam al Azam Abu
Haneefah), and a Salafee,
(the follower of the Pious Predecessors of
the
Ummah), and he was nothing else. Contrary to him, those
who
are called the Deobandee also profess the same
viewpoint relating to
Fiqh and most other questions, as
Shah Ahmad Rida Khan, Baraylawee,
(Rahimahu
Allah), believed and practiced. The Peeree Mureedee is
also
found among them (ie. the Deobandis). They
also believe in Istimdad
Bi Ghayr al Allah, (The Manifestation of the help of Allah
through the
Prophet’s and Righteous Awliya Allah).
They also admit the munificence
of the graves. They also
oppose the concept of not keeping along the
line of the
pious ancestors. They also prefer the Fiqh of Imam
Abu
Haneefa to all other schools of Fiqh. The real
contention took rise
from here that Imam Ahmad Rida,
(Alayhi al Rahmah), considered
the careless writings of some of their
dignitaries as objectionable
and since the matter
pertained to the Greatness of the Noble
Prophet,
(Azmat e
Rasool, Salla Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam), they were aimed
at
with his Fatawa’s on the basis of contempt of
the Noble Prophet,
(Salla Allahu Alayhi wa
Sallam). On studying them, one realises that
these
Fatawa’ provide the foundation of a separate identification
of
Imam Ahmad Rida, (Rahimahu Allah) and his
school of thought.
The rigidity and aggravation which is
spoken much of is the
identification of his self
and the recognition of his whole life. He was
absorbed totally in the love of the Prophet, (Salla
Allahu Alayhi wa
Sallam), as a result, his love was
not willing to tolerate even the least
possible contempt
of the Noble Prophet,(Salla Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam),
even in the state of doubt. At his last breath, the last
"will" he gave
to his inheritors and admirers
was:
"If you feel/find even
the slightest contempt or blasphemy in the Praise
of
Allah and his Prophet,
(Salla Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam), depart from
him
immediately no matter how dear he might be to you. When you see
a person
arrogant and impudent in the court/presence of the Prophet
of Allah, (Salla Allahu
Alayhi wa Sallam), depart from him immediately
no
matter how elderly and
dignified he may be, throw him out, (of
your
circle), like a house-fly, fallen in the milk." (Wasaya
Shareef).
I learnt my lessons of
the Saheeh Bukharee from a famous Deobandee
Scholar
Shaykh al Hadeeth Mawlana Muhammad Idrees
Kandhaylawee.
When in discussions, the A’la’
Hadrat was mentioned, Mawlana
Kandhaylawee would
say:
"Mawlawee Sahib (and
this ‘Mawlawee Sahib’ was his expletory word),
Mawlana
Ahmad Rida Khan will get deliverance due to these
Fatawa’.
Allah, the Almighty will say, "You, Ahmad Rida
Khan, You loved our
Prophet, (Salla Allahu Alayhi wa
Sallam), so much that you did not
forgive even such
great scholars. You considered that they had
committed
contempt of the Prophet, (Salla Allahu Alayhi
wa Sallam), so you issued
the Fatawa’ of infidelity
against them.Lo! We grant you deliverance
only due to
this one deed."
I have heard another
story on the same pattern from Mufti e A’zam
Pakistan,
Mawlana Mufti Muhammad Shafee Deobandee. He said:
"When Hadrat Mawlana
Ahmad Rida Khan, (Rahimahu Allah),
passed away, somebody
came to Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawee,
and informed him.
Involuntarily Mawlana Thanawee raised his
hands in
prayer. When the prayer was over, someone from the
audience asked; "He (Imam Ahmad Ridaa, Alayhi al Rahmah)
had been calling you a Kafir (Infidel) throughout his
lifetime and
you have prayed for his deliverance." He
(Mawlana Thanawee)
replied, (and this is the point which
requires consideration):
"Mawlana Ahmad Rida Khan
indicted the Fatawa’s of Kufr
against me because he
believed that I was guilty of contempt in
the Honour of
the Prophet, (Salla Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam).
After
having this belief and surety,if he had not passed any
Fatwa
a’ of Kufr, he would
have himself become a Kafir."
What people call the
aggravation of Imam Ahmad Rida, (Rahimahu
Allah),
is the result of his homage and vigilance in the court of
Prophethood. When the poet composed the following
couplet,
he did not practice poetry, but has interpreted
the Sharee’ah
(Islamic Sacred
Law);
"The
Station of reverence is a place under the sky which is
more fragile than the Arsh,
This is the place when
persons like Junayd and Bayazeed arrive
lose their
breath (in homage and Vigilance)."
And one of my own
couplet is;
"Even breathe very
carefully for this is the Court of the Noble
Prophet,
(Salla Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam),
The risk of being even
slightly ill-mannered is severely
contemptuous
here."
This mode of respect
and vigilence is prevalent in each and every
word of
Imam Ahmad Rida’s,(Alayhi al Rahmah), writings and
speeches.
This is the hidden burning passion which is
more dearer to him than
his life. It is the insignia of
his Iman (belief). It is the smoke of his
sighs.
It is the reward of the whole creation and universe. It is
superior
to "this" and "that". It is the
peace of the lovers heart. It is the
collyrium of the
Saalik, (who follow the path of Spiritual
Stations).
It is the translation of the Noble
Qur’aan entitled Kanz - al Imaan,
(Treasury of
Faith).
Look at the
translation of the verse:
Al Qur’aan
93:7
The Noble Qur’aan
provides the evidence:
"Our Companion neither
went astray nor was misled."
Al Qur’aan
53:2
Dalla ( ) is a verb
denoting the past tense. It means that the Noble
Prophet, (Salla Allahu
Alayhi wa Sallam), did not go astray in the
past.
The Arabic language is an ocean. Every word has multifarious
meanings. The translators, in the flow of their beliefs
and thoughts,
extract any meaning of these words. The
translation of should have
been done with the , the
evidence from the Noble Qur’aan completely
in accordance
with the Greatness of the Noble Prophet, (Salla Allahu
Alayhi wa
Sallam).But one should ask the translators what justice
have they done with this verse of the Holy
Qur’an.
Shaykh ul Hind Mawlana
Mahmood Hasan, translates thus:
"And (We) found you
astray, (then We) taught you the way."
It may be said, that
Mawlana Mahmood Hasan was not a literator,
so he made a
mistake. Lets turn to the literator, poet, author and
journalist, Mawlana Abdul Majid Daryabadi. His
translation is:
"And He found thee
wandering, so He guided thee."
Mawlana Daryabadi was
an old fashioned literator, let us ignore
the slip of
his pen. Now we knock at the door of Mawlana Sayyad
Abul
A’laa Mawdoodi, the contemporary writer of the
standards
in and around Delhi, his translation runs
as:
"And (We) found
you unaware of the way, and then (We) bestowed
(Our) guidance (upon you)."
Refuge is in Allah!
Bear in mind the hidden temptations and
causeless
wranglings in the words,the Prophet’s
unawareness of the way and the
bestowment of
guidance, and then look in Kanz-al Iman, (Treasury of
Faith), the Translation of Imam Ahmad Rida,
(May the Mercy of
Allah
be upon him),
"Bring forth here, if
you ‘know’ how to speak,
The poor dweller of
the city has many things to express."
What a Love-inspiring
and Ethical translation the Imam has done.
He
says,
"And He found you
drowned in His Love, therefore gave way unto
Him."
What a tyranny! The
sectarianists are hesitant to raise their voice and
take
a coherant action along side the world Muslims against the
non-
sensical writings of (salman) rushdi, lest
their masters benefactor
become dissapointed. Yet,
contrary to this a ban was imposed on the
Faith
preserving translation of Imam Ahmad Rida, (May the
Mercy
of Allah be upon him), which is a treasure of
Saturated Love for the
Messenger of Allaah, (Salla
Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam), and a Wealth
of
encyclopaedic knowledge of Islam.
"Madness is named
wisdom, and wisdom madness,
Your beauty may
conspire whatever wonder it desires."
Poetry is a different
field where elements of mannerism and homage,
care and
vigilence are often abandoned impudently by the poets.
In the realm of poetry, the category of Eulogy
(Naat;Eulogium and
Epithet; in Praise of the Messenger of Allah, Salla
Allahu Alayhi wa
Sallam), is a difficult class of
poetry wherein each step is on the
Narrow Bridge (Pul
Siraat). Here, on the one side is love and on
the
other the Sharee’ah (Islamic Sacred Law). A
poet describes the scene
of his attendance at the
(Sacred) Tomb of the Messenger, (Salla
Allahu
Alayhi wa Sallam), in these words;
"In what state of fear
and hope is the visit of the Sacred Tomb made,
On the one hand is
Love (and) on the other (upholding) Sacred
Law."
In fact such a
overcoming state is not only relevant during one’s
attendance at the Sacred Tomb of the Messenger,
(Salla Allahu
Alayhi wa Sallam). When composing a
eulogy in Praise of the
Noble Prophet of Allah,
(Salla Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam), every poet
is
confronted with such a test and trial. Here also, Love is on
the one
side, whilst the Sharee’ah is on the other. If
only the Sharee’ah is taken
into account, then the
couplet loses its poetic charm and it becomes a
sermon
and a speech. Likewise, when only the requisites of Love are
fulfilled then each and every word will be convicted a
criminal of
wounding Sharee’ah. Urfi Sheerazi describes
this critical situation in
one of his couplets in these
words;
"Urfi, do not walk
fast for this is the ground of Eulogy, it is not a
desert,
Walk slowly for you
are treading on the sharp edge of a sword."
Imam Ahmad Rida was
also fully mindful of this difficulty. He says in
his
Malfuzat (Assertions and
Advices);
"Composing a Eulogy
(Naat) is to walk over the edge of a sharp
sword.
If one overstates he
arrives in Divinity, and if
he understates it is
disparaging."
For this reason, he
says in one place;
"I have learnt Eulogy
from the Qur’an."
Keeping in view this
criterion, we look at the piles of Naati’a Poetry,
and
only one Poet meets this standard, and he is non other than
Ahmad
Rida Khan Baraylawee, (May the Mercy of Allah be upon
him), himself.
As you are well aware, I am a student
of Literature. I too write couplets.
I have studied
Naati’a Poetry in Urdu, Arabic, Persian all three
languages, and have thoroughly studied them. Without
fear of rebuttal,
I concede all the Naati’a Poetry of all
languages and all ages on the one
side and the
(Famous) Salam"(Blessed be Mustafa, Mercy
for Mankind),
of Shaah Ahmad Ridaa on the other. If
both Naati’a Poetry were to be
put on a scale, then the
Salam of Ahmad Rida would still remain weighty.
If I say
this Salam is the ‘Qaseedah Burdah’ (‘Poem of the
Mantle’) of
the Urdu Language, then there is no
exaggeration in this, even the
slightest.The language
and expression, the depth of feelings and warmth,
the
knowledge and realities of the Qur’an and Aha’deeth, the
Secrets
and Wisdoms of the Nobility of Character and
Seerah of the Messenger
of Allah, (Salla Allahu
Alayhi wa Sallam), the Authority and Uniqueness
in
the arrangement and mannerism found in this Salam, cannot be
discovered in the Poetry Masterpieces of any other
language. I regret
to say that writers did not pay heed
to this task, for several books can
be written in
explaining one and every couplet.
I recite a couplet,
and challenge you, that you will have never heard
the
Praise of the Blessed Beard of the Final Prophet, (Salla
Allahu
Alayhi wa Sallam), in any form of Poetry, in
any language, as this.
Imagine there is a river,
surrounded by a green landscape. The beauty
of the river
is enhanced by the presence of the green vegetation.
What
is the river compared with? The Blessed Mouth of the Noble
Prophet, (Salla Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam). Nahr in
Arabic literally
means a river. The Blessed Mouth of the
Messenger of Allah, (Salla
Allahu Alayhi wa
Sallam), is illustrated as a River of Mercy, that is,
there is a River of Mercy which is outpouring from the
Blessed Mouth.
A Persian poet has
said;
"The Blessed Tongue,
never uttered the word ‘No’
Except in the
Witnessing that there is ‘No’ Deity save Allah."
(Imam)
Shah (Ahmad) Rida
says;
"What Munificence and
Generosity you have O Leader of Makkah,
Your begger never
hears ‘No’ ever."
This Blessed Mouth,
this River of Mercy, that stones were showered
upon Him
in the journey of Taa’if, the Blessed Head bled reaching
the Blessed Shoes. Yet, the Blessed Hands were raised
for their
guidance;
"O Allah, Give
guidance to my people for they do not know."
They have no
knowledge. They are unaware of my Station and
Message.
So the Blessed Mouth was declared the River of Mercy
and
what is the Blessed Hair? The flourishing greenery
around
the River of Mercy, which has enhanced the Beauty
and Dignity
of the River of Mercy. Now let us reflect
upon this beautiful couplet;
"Near the Beard, the
Mouth, what sweet harmony,
Blessed be the
Verdant, River of Mercy."
Hadrat (Imam Ahmad)
Rida goes on further in Praise of the
Messenger,
(Salla Allahu Alayhi wa
Sallam), the Pure Wives and
Mothers of the Believers,
the Noble Companions,the Beloved Ahl
al Bayt, the Grand
Senior Awliya, in particular, Hadrat Ghawth
al Azam, who
is the Imam of the Awliya’, (May the Mercy and
Peace
of Allaah be upon them all), finally, submitting words
of
concern to his tongue. In this expression there is
distinction and
particularity. The request is not
personal but collective, it is not
individual but common,
it is not only for himself but for the whole
Ummah. He
says;
"For my sole Mercy I
do not petition,
Blessed be the
Master’s entire Ummah."
What does he desire
for himself? What is his purpose for writing
this Salam
and the Eulogy in Praise of the Noble Prophet, (Salla
Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam)? He says;
"The only reward I
desire, is that when everyone will be conveying
Salam to
you, (the Messenger of Allah, Salla Allahu Alayhi wa
Sallam),the Angels appointed in your service call upon
me saying,
‘Ahmad Rida! You too offer Salam, that very
Salam, ………………
"Blessed be Mustafa, Mercy for Mankind"
……………………………
Only then will I have earned my reward of
servitude."
"On ressurection I
wish, when, he arrives,
Abundant Blessings are
conveyed in his Grandeur.
Angels of duty entreat
me and say, ‘Yes! Rida,
Blessed be Mustafa,
Mercy for Mankind."
That which the
opponents speak of the aggression of Shah Ahmad
Rida, is
in fact not his aggression but his deep Love of the
Messenger, (Salla Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam). It is
his vigilence
and care, which extends from the writings
of Fatawa’ to the
translation of the Noble Qur’an, and
from the translation of the
Noble Qur’an to his Naatiyyah
Poetry, which is radiating
everywhere like the sun and
the moon.
Who can stop the
tongue of those who speak. They (his opponents),
even claim that Hadrat Ahmad Rida in every matter
favoured
the British. During all the revolutionary
movements; the Khilafat,
the Boycott and the Hijrat
Movements, his attitude was based on
the enmity of the
revolution.Regarding the question on whether
Hindustan
(all India), was the Abode of Islam or the Abode of
War, he maintained a reactionist’s attitude. Hence, his
role was
merely negative in the Freedom Movement of the
sub-continent
and nothing more.
Firstly, one must
understand that Imam Ahmad Rida was not a
Politician, he
was a Statesman. He was not a political leader,
his
wisdom, insight and integrity was more sublime.
Politicians
and political leaders follow the aspirations
of the people, whilst
the Statesman and his virtue of
insight and sagacity, determine
the direction of the
circumstances. There is no doubt that the
aforesaid
movements were the overflowing floods of
sentimentalism
at their respective times, but what was the
result of
these movements?
Commenting on the
Hijrat Movement, Mawlana Ra’ees Ahmad
Jaferee Nadwee,
writes;
"Then the Hijrat
movement emerged.Eighteen thousand Muslims
sold their
houses, belongings,
immovable property and household
goods, without concern of
profit or
loss,………………………..
……………………… most of the
buyers were Hindu,emigrating
to Afghanistan.When they
could not be accommodated there they
returned. Some died
due to the hardships. The rest who returned
safely were
ruined, exhausted, helpless, destitute, wretched,
miserable, afflicted and distressed. If this is not
death and
destruction,then what is it."(Hayat Muhammad
Ali Jinah Page108)
The Hijrat Movement
was a logical outcome of the discussion on
whether India
was the Dar al Islam or the Dar al Harb. Imam
Ahmad Rida
never declared Hindustan Dar al Harb. He knew
this would
lead Muslims to partake in interest deals but
compell
them to Hijrah and raising the sword.He declared
it Dar al Islam
because the Muslims had ruled there for
hundreds of years.
Even then peace prevailed and the
Muslims faced no obstacles
in observing their religious
obligations and commandments.
It is surprising that the
people who insisted on declaring Hindustan
Dar al Harb
during the days of the British, today do not utter
even
a single word to declare her Dar al Harb under the Hindu
rule. The meaning is clear. The Hindu’s had been
puppeteering the
threads of the Fatawa’s behind the
cover on which Hindustan was
being declared a Dar al
Harb,instigating the Muslims to raise the
sword against
the English rulers, ultimately leading them to
destruction and death, and those who survive leave this
land
forever through Hijrat (migration).If today
India was to be
declared a Dar al Harb, the talisman of
Hindu Secularism would
be shattering to pieces. In the
name of Jihad the Muslims would
be on the battlefields or
emigrating.The air from the ballons of
secularism would
escape. Hence, today we see the lips sealed of the
supporters of those (reactionist) Mufti’s who
declared Hindustan
Dar al Harb. Moreover, through this
silent act endorsing the Noble
Fatwa’of Imam Ahmad Rida,
(May the Mercy of Allah be
upon him).
The matter of the
Khilafat Movement and the Boycott Movement
is not much
different to this either.
In 1914 the First
World War broke out. With a view to carry out
recruitment in India, the British announced to liberate
Hindustan
after achieving victory in the war. It is
apparent that the Muslims
had no conception of Pakistan
then. Had Hindustan been free,
the government would have
been of the Hindu majority. That is
why Ghandhiji
strongly supported the military recruitment, and
almost
two hundred thousand Hindu and Muslim soldiers
fought
along with the British armies.Turkey was defeated
in this war.
After victory, the English did not fulfil
their promise. Now
Ghandhiji was determined to punish
the English. For this purpose,
the issue of Khilafat was
found. However, it was clear to all that
the Uthmaniyya
Sultanate (Ottoman Empire), of Turkey due to
her
misconduct,was no more than a stain on the name of
Khilafat.
Then, suddenly, it was widely rumoured,
(by the contriving
Hindu’s),
that the Sultan of Turkey is the Khaleefa
of Islam and to end his Rule
and Khilafat is equal to
assaulting Islam. The Muslims revolted and
a Movement
initiated. However, it was wonderfully ironic that the
leadership of the Movement was in the hands of
Ghandhiji.
The man who was not in favour of giving the
Muslims a separate
piece of land in Hindustan, was
now working to restore the Muslim
Khilafat on an
International level. Imam Ahmad Rida, Alayhi al
Rahmah wal Ridwan),
was carefully watching this cleverly
camouflaged
net of unified colours laid by Ghandhiji. He raised his
voice against the One-Nation advocates at a time when
even Iqbal
and Qa’id e Azam were captives of her
conspiracy. One can adjudje
that Imam Ahmad Rida was the
Principal Leader and these two
Nobles were followers of
the Two-Nation Theory. The Pakistan
Movement, (Tahreek
e Pakistan), would have never prospered,
if Imam
Ahmad Rida had not informed the Muslims of Hindu
deceit
and conspiracies, many years before.
The circumstances of
the Boycott Movement, (Tahreek Tark e
Mawalat),
was the same. Ghandhiji was inciting the Muslims
to
unite with the Hindu’s, in every sort of Boycott,(against
the
British).Imam Ahmad Rida, (Rahimahu
Allah), was of the opinion
that the Mawalat, meaning
co-operation and friendship, is the
general command
under which Muslims abstain from befriending
and
co-operating with Polytheists and Infidels. However, this
ruling
does not include the abandonment of business and
trade. As far
as abstention from friendship is
concerned, it is not solely
applicable to the English,
it also includes Hindu’s.
It does not suit
Muslims to further loving ties with one polytheist
and,
simultaneously severe with another polytheist.
Qa’id e Azam Muhammad
Ali Jinnah, opposed the Boycott
Movement, yet Mawlana
Muhammad Ali and Mawlana Shawkat
Ali, along with many
Muslim Leaders supported Ghandhiji in this
very issue.
Inspired by the word of Truth spoken by Imam Ahmad
Rida,
these political leaders gradually became aware of
Hindu diplomacy
and policies. At one stage, even Allamah
Iqbal was the President of
the Provincial Committee of
the Khilafat Movement, but on realising
the real
objective of the Movement, he resigned from the office.
These couplets of Iqbal remind us of those
days;
"Are you not aware of
History,
For Khilafat, you have
started to beg,,
That which we do not
buy with our blood,
A Sovereignty as such
for Muslims is shameful to accept.
The days when these
Movements were occuring, they were occupied
with highly
emotional people.Unfortunately however, our Nation
does
tend to be extremist. As one poet suggests;
"Pity we walk not a
moderate pace,
We either walk
insensibly or a frenzy pace."
In such circumstances,
disregarding the oppositions and slanders,
remaining
uncompromisingly firm on the course of moderation,
and
adhering to the prudent Politics of Statemanship and
Sagacity
with a view to promote the Two-Nation Theory,
(Dow Qawmee
Nazriyya), was the task of a man
having ironlike nerves, as Imam
Ahmad Rida Khan,
(May the Mercy &
Blessings of Allah, shower
upon him), had
demonstrated. As to those who allege that his
measures
were based on his favouring the British,do so out of
sheer
ignorance or otherwise know, but are unwilling to
accept. Such a
brave believer,who detested the British
Imperialist to such an extent,
that he considered
attending the British Law Courts in India to be
Haram,
(Unlawful), even when a suit was petitioned against
him
he did not attend. He, who whenever writing letters
would write the
address upside down on the envelope or
card,so as to lower the head
of the British King and
Queen.He, who made the following will two
hours
before his demise, instructing, throw away all the
letters
bearing the Heads of the British Monarchy
received in the Post from
this veranda and all the
rupees and coins bearing the same, so as to
ease the
coming of the Angels of Peace. He, who made
another
person (ie. Imam Ahmad Rida, Rahimahu Allah)
a paragon in
composing eulogy and declared him to be
the Sultan of eulogy
composers, was Mawlana Kifayat Ali
Kafi, who in 1857 in the War
of Independence issued a
Fatwa’ in favour of Jihad against the
British. He
exerted his utmost effort in this regard and in 1858
was
openly hanged at an open square in Murad Aabad.To say
about this
person, that he was a supporter of the British
is equal to saying, the
sun darkens, the flowers stink,
the moon heats, the ocean is dry, the
spring symbolises
autumn, the morning breeze is violent, the water
is
sharp, the air suffocates and wisdom is the appellation of
ignorance.
"He has sewn shoes
with the rays of the sun,
Whatever he did, by
Allah, it has no parallel."
Edition!!
