Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri - A Profile (ENGLISH)

8/14/2019 Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri - A Profile (ENGLISH)

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Brief on Shaykh-ul-Islmsachievements, works and chains of authority

A man of manifold and staggering achievements, Shaykh-ul-IslmProfessor Dr Muammad hir-ul-Q dr is the founding leader of Minh j-ul-Qurn International (MQI), an organization with branchesand centres in more than 90 countries around the globe, working forthe promotion of peace and harmony between communities and therevival of spiritual endeavour based on the true teachings of Isl m.

Shaykh-ul-Islm was born on February 19, 1951 in the historical

city of Jhang, Pakistan, and the son of the great spiritualist andintellectual of his time ash-Shaykh Dr Far dad-D n al-Q dr . Since hisbirth had been foretold through a spiritual dream to his father, hewas educated from the young age in both the Islmic and secularsciences simultaneously, imbued with the belief that his entire lifewould be devoted to the renaissance of Islm. Although he hadalready started his religious education under his father two yearsearlier, his formal classical education was initiated in Madina at theage of 12, in Madrasa al-Ulm ash-Shariyya which was situated in theblessed house of Sayyidun Ab Ayyb al-Anr , the first residence of the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) after hismigration. By the time he had received a First Class Honours Degreefrom the University of the Punjab in 1970, he had also completed his

Classical Islmic Studies, having spent over ten years under thetutelage of his father and other eminent Shuy kh of his time andachieving an unparalleled understanding of the classical shar asciences and Arabic language. He earned his MA in Islmic Studies in1972 with the University of the Punjab Gold Medal, achieved his LLBin 1974 and began to practise as a lawyer in the district courts of Jhang. He moved to Lahore in 1978 and joined the University of the

Punjab as a lecturer in law and completed his doctorate in IslmicLaw. He was also a member of the Syndicate, Senate and AcademicCouncil of the University of the Punjab, which are the highestexecutive, administrative and academic bodies of the University.

However within a short span of time he emerged as the countrysleading Islmic jurist and scholar and revivalist of the Islmicideology. He was appointed as a Jurist Consult (legal adviser) on


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Islmic law for the Supreme Court and the Federal Shar a Court of Pakistan and also worked as a specialist adviser on Islmic curriculafor the Federal Ministry of Education of Pakistan. At various timesbetween 1983-1987, he was offered the positions of Senator for the

Upper House of Parliament, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs,Federal Minister for Education and the Federal Minister for Law andParliamentary Affairs. He was also nominated as ambassador forPakistan as well as being offered the post of Justice of the AppellateShar a Bench, Supreme Court of Pakistan and the position of being amember of the Islmic Ideology Council of Pakistan (highestconstitutional body for Islmic legislation). All of these positions were

offered by the then president of Pakistan. However Shaykh-ul-Islmrefused to accept any of these due to his lifelong commitment toserving Islm, MuslimUmmaand humanity at large.

In the 1980s, a number of historical judgments in the legal andconstitutional history of Pakistan were passed by the Federal Shar aCourt and the Appellate Shar a Bench, Supreme Court of Pakistan as aresult of Shaykh-ul-Islms juristic arguments, documented in thePakistan Legal Decisions (PLD) and Pakistan Legal Judgments (PLJ). Inparticular the Federal Shar a Court passed a judgment denying thelegal position of rajm as a add of shar a, in which almost all wellknown ulama and senior renowned classical scholars of the countryhad appeared before the court giving their arguments. In a reviewpetition Shaykh-ul-Islm presented his arguments before the court

against the judgment for three consecutive days. As a result, alandmark decision was passed by the full bench of the Federal Shar aCourt of Pakistan overturning their prior judgment and the rajm was judicially re-accepted as aadd of shar a.

In another case the Blasphemy Law protecting the esteemedstation and reverence of the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace beupon him) was also passed for the first time in the history of Pakistanafter Shaykh-ul-Islm presented his arguments to the court, over aperiod of three days, culminating in an Act of Parliament. Anotherlandmark and famous enactment of Parliament concerning ad-diya(blood-money) of a murdered woman resulted after Shaykh-ul-Islmpresented arguments in the President House of Pakistan during aspecial legislative session chaired by President Zi al-aqq. Thissession was attended by all Federal Ministers, Secretaries, Governors

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of all provinces, all judges of the Federal Shar a Court and AppellateShar a Bench of the Supreme Court, members of the Islmic IdeologyCouncil, selected top ranking classical scholars and Shuykhbelonging to all schools of law. Shaykh-ul-Islm presented arguments

in favour of equality of rights of women concerning ad-diyafor eighthours followed by a question and answer session. This was a uniqueand unprecedented event in the judicial and legislative history of Pakistan. As a result of his arguments the discrimination clause wasremoved and women were given equality of redress. This shows theamount of concern that Shaykh-ul-Islm has for the respect andsafeguarding of womens rights in Islm. Moreover during the 1980s

hundreds of un-Islmic clauses from the old civil and criminal laws of Pakistan, which had existed since the period of colonial rule, wereamended according to Islmic principles upon the juristicrecommendations of Shaykh-ul-Islm.

He is also a former Professor of Islmic Law at the University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan, and the youngest person ever to havebeen awarded a professorship in the history of the University.Shaykh-ul-Islm has also previously held the position of the Head of the Department for LLM in Islmic Legislation.

The Works of Shaykh-ul-IslmShaykh-ul-Islm is a prolific author and researcher. He has authoredaround 1000 books out of which 360 books are already published, andthe rest of the 640 are yet to be published. An unrivalled orator andspeaker, he has delivered over 5000 lectures (in Urdu, English andArabic), on a wide range of subjects, which are available on cassette,CD, DVD formats as well as online.

The following represents a selection of his printed works:

Works on Qurnic Tafsr (in number totaling 80works) include:

Irf n al-Qur n (the Meanings of the Qurn Urdu and Englishversions)

Tafs r Minh j al-Qur n (al-Fut ht al-Madaniyya 14 volumesU.P.)

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Tafs r Sra al-F tia (partly published, totaling 7 volumes), thelargest available publication on this subject.

Kashf al-Ghi an Marifat al-Aqsm li-l-Mu af (Tafs r in theArabic language on the excellence of the Holy Prophet

blessings and peace be upon him). Tasmiyya al-Qur n (a voluminous book on the meanings of

Bismillh) Manhij al-Irf n f Laf al-Qur n (a voluminous book on the

meanings of the word Qurn) Meaning of yat al-Kurs (a voluminous book) Development of Human Personality in the Light of Sra al-F tia Islmic Philosophy of Human Life No Coercion in Religion al-Irfan f Fa il wa db al-Qur n (recitation of the Qurn;

virtues and manners) Islmic Concept of Human Nature Qur nic Philosophy of Dawa

And many others

Works on adth compilation and the science ofadth (in number totaling 75 works):

J mi as-Sunna f m Yat j Ilayhi khir al-Umma (acomprehensive compilation of 25,000 aad th, totaling 20volumes U.P.)

al-Minh j as-Sawiyy min al- ad th an-Nabawiyy (a ad thcollection of 2,200aad th compiled on the pattern and style of Imm Nawaw s Riy a -li n and al-Kha b at-Tabr z sMishkt al-Ma b relevant to the modern age). al-Minh j as-Sawiyywas published with compliments and tributes of Shaykh

al-A

har as-Sayyid Dr Mu

ammad

an

w , a renownedMuaddith of Egypt, ash-Shaykh Dr Amad Umar Hshim, Ex-

Vice Chancellor of Jmia al-Ahar, Cairo, and Grand Muft of Egypt ash-Shaykh Dr Al Jumua and others.

al-A f Marifat al-Mu af (4 volumes collection of 5,000aad th on the subjects of the excellence, habits, morals,specialties and miracles of the Holy Prophet blessings and

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peace be upon him on the pattern and style of ash-Shif of Q Iy U.P.)

Hid yat al-Umma al Minh j al-Qur n was-Sunna(2 volumes another collection of 2,200aad th)

an-Najba f Manqib a -aba wal-Qar ba (virtues of theCompanions and the Family of the Holy Prophet [blessings andpeace be upon him])

Rawat as-Slik n f Manqib al-Awliy wa -li n (Virtues of theFriends of Allh and the Pious)

A san -ana f Ithbt ash-Shaf a (Intercession) Rat al-Qulb f Madi n-Nabiyyi al-Mabb (Hymn of the Holy

Prophet [blessings and peace be upon him]) Kashf al-Asr r f Maabbat al-Mawjdt li-Sayyid al-Abr r as-Sayf al-Jal al Munkir Wil yat Al al-Qawl al-Mutabar fil-Imm al-Munta ar al-Kanz ath-Tham n f Fa lat adh-Dhikr wadh-Dhkir n (Pearls of

Remembrance) al-Badrat-Tamm al ibid-Dunuww wal-Maqm (virtues of

Greetings and Salutations on the Holy Prophet [blessings andpeace be upon him])

A sanas-Subul f Manqib al-Anbiy war-Rusul(virtues of theProphets and Messengers)

al-Qawl al-Qawiyy f Sam al- asan an Al (a book on the scienceof ad th in Arabic language. It establishes the fact that alasan met Al and heard him narrate traditions.)

al-Khu ba as-Sad da f U l al- ad th wa Fur al-Aq da (a brief textbook on the science of ad th in the Arabic language)

al-Abdiyya fil- arat -amadiyya (Rights of Allh on HisSlaves)

al-Lubb fil- uqq wal- db (Rights and Manners) Imm Ab an fa: Imm al-Aimma filad th (4 volumes)

And many others

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Works on Islmic Aqda (in number totaling 100works) include:

Majmt al-Aq d (25 volumes an unprecedentedcompendium on Islmic Faith and Theology)

Kit b at-Taw d (a detailed treatise on the concept of the unityof Allh running into 2 volumes)

Kit b ar-Risla (2 volumes a detailed treatise on theexcellence of Prophethood and highly esteemed station of theHoly Prophet blessings and peace be upon him)

Kit b as-Sunna(2 volumes a comprehensive treatise on the

authority, science and compilation of ad th and sunna) Kit b al-Bida (a comprehensive work on the concept of innovations in Islm)

Kit b al- man (Basic Tenets of Faith) Kit b al-Islm (Pillars of Islm) Kit b al-I sn (Book on Spiritual Excellence) Kit b az-Ziyra (Book on Visiting the Graves) Kit b al-Baraka(Book on Blessings) Kit b ash-Shaf a (Book on Intercession) Kit b at-Tawassul(Book on Intermediation) at-Ta m wal-Ibda (Reverence and Worship) al-Wasi ash-Shariyya(Lawful Means and Linkages) Reverence of Prophethood Finality of Prophethood al-Mawlid an-Nabawiyy([blessings and peace be upon him)]

Celebration of Mawlid] The largest ever written work on thissubject, consisting of approximately 850 pages)

Ilm al-Ghayb(Book on the Knowledge of the Unseen) Ascension of the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him)

Love and Reverence of the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace beupon him) The Central Point of mn Prisoners of the Beauty of Muammad (blessings and peace be

upon him)

And many others

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Works on the Biography (Sra) of the Holy Prophet(blessings and peace be upon him) and his virtuouscharacteristics:

S rat ar-Rasl (collection of 14 volumes, the largest collectionever written in the Urdu language)

Muqaddima as-S ra (2 volumes an unprecedented work inIslmic history on the pattern of Muqaddima Ibn Khaldn)

Kha i al-Mu af (Holy Prophets Exclusive Virtues) Shamil al-Mu af (Holy Prophets Personal Characteristics

and Habits)

Asm al-Mu af (Meanings and Interpretation of the HolyProphets Names) Dalil al-Barakt (2500 styles of greetings and salutations on

the Holy Prophet blessings and peace be upon him amasterpiece of Arabic literature, written in the style of thewell-read Dalil al-Khayr t of Imm Jazl )

Political Aspect of the Prophets S ra Economic Aspect of the Prophets S ra Administrative Aspect of the Prophets S ra Constitutional Aspect of the Prophets S ra Scientific Aspect of the Prophets S ra Cultural Aspect of the Prophets S ra Historical Aspect of the Prophets S ra Aspect of Human Rights in the Prophets S ra Aspect of Peace and Integration in the Prophets S ra Diplomatic Relations in the Prophets S ra Relations to Non-Muslims in the Prophets S ra Revolutionary Struggle in the Prophets S ra Qur n on the Characteristics of the Holy Prophet (blessings and

peace be upon him)And many others

Works on Islmic Law and Jurisprudence (Fiqh andU l al-Fiqh) totaling around 60 works:

Islmic Penal System and Philosophy(Shaykh-ul-Islms doctoral

thesis)7


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Islmic Concept of Law Salient Characteristics of Islmic Law Islmic Concept of Crime A Comparative Study of Islmic and Western Concepts of Law Islm and Criminality Legal Character of Islmic Punishments al- ukm ash-Shar (a book on U l al-Fiqh [Islmic

jurisprudence]) Sources of Islmic Law Philosophy of Ijtihd and the Modern World

Ijtihd Meaning, Kinds and Scope Jurisprudential Methodology of Islmic Research Islmic Concept of State Qur nic Basis of Constitutional Theory Concept of Jail and Imprisonment in Islm Difference between the Text and its Exegesis

And many others

Works on Islmic Political and Economic Systems: The Constitution of Madina(a detailed exposition of the first ever

written constitution in human history) Khil fa and Democracy(a voluminous work on the subject of

Islmic Political System U.P.) Islmic Economic System, its Origin and Development Qawid al-Iqti d fil-Islm ([Arabic] Principles of Islmic

Economics) Qur nic Philosophy of Change(2 volumes) Islmic Economy and Interest-free Banking Qur nic Philosophy of Rise and Fall of the Nations Islm a Religion of Balance and Moderation Ni m Mu af : a Message and Struggle for Change Objectives of the Raising of Prophets(blessings and peace be upon

them)

And many others

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Works on Taawwufand Spirituality; around 50 workson Islmic Science of Mysticism and Spiritualism

Kit b al-I sn Reality of Ta awwuf Practical Code of Spirituality Obedience to Allh Pearls of Remembrance of Allh Love of Allh Wariness of Allh The Beauty of Pious Deeds The Beauty of Spiritual States The Beauty of Good Morals Purification of Heart and Soul Corruption of the Heart and its Cure Our Real Homeland Sin and Repentance

Qur nic Categorization of People Deeds and Spiritual Intoxication Life a War between Good and Evil Morality of Prophets (blessings and peace be upon them) The Awliy: Companies and Narrations al-Fuyt al-Muammadiyya

And many others

Works on Human Rights and Modern Sciences: Human Rights in Islm Islm on the Rights of Women Islm on the Rights of Children

Islm on the Rights of Senior Citizens Islm on the Rights of Non-Muslims Islm on the Rights of the Disabled Islm and Science Qur n on Creation and Evolution of Man Qur n on Creation and Expansion of the Universe Islm on Prevention of Heart Diseases

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Spiritualism and Magnetism Issues of the Modern Age and their Solutions

And many others

Miscellaneous Works: Islm in Various Perspectives How to end Extremism and Sectarianism? Our Religious Downfall and its Trifold Defence Strategy Multidimensional Attack on mn The Real Concept of Jihd Jihd: A Charity Islmic Concept of Knowledge True Knowledge: a Creative or an Interpretative Phenomenon Reformable Aspects of Religious and Secular Sciences The Real Base of Piety

And many others

Shaykh-ul-Islms Chains of AuthorityHis Eminence Shaykh-ul-Islm, Dr Muammad hir-ul-Q dr hasreceived a large number of authorities (asn d) and permissions (ij zt)for the transmission of knowledge of ad th, tafs r, fiqh, ta awwuf andother classical Islmic sciences from numerous great pillars of theMuslim world, widely acknowledged as the fountains of Islmicknowledge in the last century back to the classical scholars and greatImms of ad th of the past up to the Holy Prophet (blessings andpeace be upon him). He has more than 150 Chains of Authoritycontained in two of his own thabts (reference books on his chains of authority): al-Jawhir al-Bhira f l Asn d a -hira As-Subul al-Wahabiyya fil-Asn d adh-Dhahabiyya

The following are some examples of his links to the renownedclassical scholars via only one teacher: He is linked to al-Imm Ysuf ibn Ism l an-Nabhn directly

via only one teacher, his student ash-Shaykh usayn ibn

Amad al-Usayrn (Lebanon).10


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He is linked to al-Imm Imddullh al-Muh jir al-Makk viaonly one teacher, his vicegerent ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Abd al-Mabd al-J ln al-Madan (who died at the age of 165 years).

Shaykh-ul-Islm is linked to Imm al-Hind ash-Shh Amad

Ri Khn via only one teacher through three different routes:ash-Shaykh al-Muammar Diyud-D n Amad al-Q dr al-Madan ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Abl-Barakt Amad al-Q dr Alwar ash-Shaykh al-Muammar as-Sayyid Abd al-Mabd al- J ln al-Madan

Shaykh-ul-Islm Dr Muammad hir-ul-Q dr has gatheredtogether the various fields of classical Islmic knowledge especiallythe knowledge, and authorities of ad th, from famous centres of Islmic learning across the globe:

1. Authorities of the great Shuy kh of Makka and Madina

al-Imm Umar ibn Hamadn al-Maras

al-Imm Muammad ibn Al ibn hir al-Watr al-Imm Amad ibn Ism l al-Barzanj al-Imm Amad Shar f ibn Muammad as-Sans al-Madan al-Imm Amad ibn Zayn Daln ash-Shaykha Amatullh bint al-Imm Abd al-Ghan al-

Muaddith ad-Dihlaw al-Madan

Shaykh-ul-Islm received the authorities of the above mentionedthrough: Muaddith al-aram ash-Shaykh Alaw ibn Abbs al-Mlik al-

Makk (father of ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Muammad ibn Alaw al-Mlik ). (He had samfrom him in 1963.)

ash-Shaykh al-Muammar Diyud-D n Amad al-Q dr al-Madan (died at the age of more than 100 years)

ash-Shaykh usayn ibn Amad al-Usayrn (Lebanon died atthe age of 100 years)

ash-Shaykh Dr Far dad-D n al-Q dr (father of Shaykh-ul-Islm)

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2. Authorities of the great Shuy kh of Baghdd al-Imm Abd ar-Ramn ibn Al an-Naq b al-Baghdd (Imm

al-Awliy andujjat al-Muaddith n of his era) al-Imm Abd as-Salm al-Muaddith al-fand al-Baghdd

al-Imm Abd ar-Razzq al-Bazzz al-Muaddith al-Baghdd back to al-Imm as-Sayyid Mamd ibn Abdillh al-ls (author of Tafs r R al-Man )

Shaykh-ul-Islm received the authorities of the above mentionedthrough: ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid hir Alud-D n al-J ln al-Baghddi

al-fand ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Alaw ibn Abbs al-Mlik al-Makk ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Abd al-Mabd al-Jiln al-Madan ash-Shaykh Dr Far dad-D n al-Q dr

3. Authorities of the great Shuy kh of ash-Shm (Syria) Muaddith ash-Shm al-Imm Muammad ibn Jafar al-Kittn Muaddith ash-Shm al-Imm Muammad Badrad-D n ibn

Ysuf al-asan al-Imm Abd al-ayy ibn Abd al-Kab r al-Muaddith al-Kittn al-Imm Abul-Makrim Muammad Am n as-Suwayd ad-

Dimashq

Shaykh-ul-Islm received the authorities of the above mentioned

through: ash-Shaykh usayn ibn Amad al-Usayrn (Lebanon) ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Muammad al-Fti ibn Muammad al-

Makk al-Kittn (Damascus) ash-Shaykh Dr Far dad-D n al-Q dr

4. Authorities of the great Shuy kh of Lebanon andarbulus al-Imm Ysuf ibn Ism l an-Nabhn (Imm al-Muaddith n

of the last century) al-Imm Abd al-Q dir ash-Shalab at-arbulus al-Imm asan Uwaydn al-Faytr al-Tarbulus

Shaykh-ul-Islm received the authorities of the above mentionedthrough:

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ash-Shaykh usayn ibn Amad al-Usayrn (Lebanon) ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Muammad al-Fti ibn Muammad al-

Makk al-Kittn (Damascus) ash-Shaykh Dr Far dad-D n al-Q dr

5. Authorities of the great Shuy kh of al-Maghrib and ash-Shanq (Mauritania): al-Imm Ab Abdillh Muammad ibn Muaf Mul Aynayn

ash-Shanq al-Imm Muammad ab bullh ash-Shanq al-Imm Muammad al-Arab ibn Muammad al-Az z al-Fs

al-Imm Abdullh ibn idd q al-Ghimr al-Maghrib Shaykh-ul-Islm received the authorities of the above mentionedthrough: ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Alaw ibn Abbs al-Mlik al-Makk ash-Shaykh usayn ibn Amad al-Usayrn (Lebanon) ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Muammad al-Fti ibn Muammad al-

Makk al-Kittn ash-Shaykh Dr Far dad-D n al-Q dr

6. Authorities of the great Shuy kh of Yemen: ash-Shaykh al-ab b amza ibn Umar al-Aydrs al-abash ash-Shaykh al-ab b Al ibn Abd ar-Ramn al-abash ash-Shaykh Abd al-Q dir ibn Amad as-Saqf ash-Shaykh Abdullh ibn Amad al-addd ash-Shaykh asan ibn Amad al-Ahdal al-Yamn ash-Shaykh Muammad ibn Ya y al-Ahdal al-Yamn ash-Shaykh Ism l al-Yamn (author of Nafas ar-Ramn)

Shaykh-ul-Islm received the authorities of the above mentionedthrough: ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Alaw ibn Abbs al-Mlik al-Makk ash-Shaykh Muammad ibn Alaw al-Mlik al-Makk ash-Shaykh Dr Far dad-D n al-Q dr

7. Authorities of the great Shuy kh of al-Hind (India and Pakistan): Imm al-Hind ash-Shh Amad Ri Khn

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Abul-asant al-Imm Abd al-ayy ibn Abd al-al m al-Muaddith al-Laknaw (Faq h al-Hind and Shaykh of Arab andnon-Arab)

al-Imm Abd al-Bq ibn Al al-Anr al-Muaddith al-

Laknaw al-Madan (up to al-Imm Shh Waliyyullh al-Muaddith ad-Dihlaw ) ash-Shaykh Abd al-Hd ibn Al al-Anr al-Muaddith al-

Laknaw al-Imm al-Muaddith al-Musnid Irshd usayn Rampuri al-Imm ash-Shh Imddullh al-Muh jir al-Makk (a great

saint and shaykh of Mawln Ashraf Al Thnw , Mawln Rash d Amad Gangh , Mawln Muammad Q sim Nntw and others)

Muaqqiq al-Hind al-Imm Fal al-aqq al-Khayrbd ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid D dr Al ash-Shh al-Muaddith Alwar Muaddith al-Hind ash-Shaykh Muammad Anwar ash-Shh

al-Kshm r (author of Fay al-Br )

Muaddith al-Hind ash-Shaykh Amad Al Saharanpuri ash-Shaykh Abd ash-Shukr al-Muaddith al-Muh jir al-

Madan ash-Shaykh Badr al-lam M rath

Shaykh-ul-Islm received the authorities of the above mentionedthrough:

ash-Shaykh al-Muammar iyad-D n Amad al-Madan (hedied at the age of over 100 years) ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Abd al-Mabd al-J ln al-Madan (he

died at the age of 165 years) al-Muaddith al-Aam ash-Shaykh Sardr Amad al-Q dr

(Faisalabad) ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Abul-Barakt al-Muaddith Alwar

(Lahore) ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Amad Sa d al-Kaim Amrh (Multan) ash-Shaykh Dr Far dad-D n al-Q dr ash-Shaykh Abd ar-Rash d ibn Qutbad-D n al-Q dr ar-Riaw ash-Shaykh Dr Burhn Amad al-Frq

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8. An unprecedented chain of authority:Finally, the most unprecedented, unique, highly blessed andhonoured chain of authority that his Eminence Shaykh-ul-Isl mpossesses is through only four Shuykh between Shaykh-ul-Islm and

the great Im ms listed below: Sayyidun Abd ar-Razzq ibn Sayyidun al-Ghawth al-Aam

ash-Shaykh Abd al-Q dir al-J ln al-asan al-usayn (Baghdad)

al-Imm ash-Shaykh al-Akbar Mu yad-D n ibn al-Arab (author of al-Fut t al-Makkiyya) (Damascus)

al-Imm Ibn al-ajar al-Asqaln , the greatest authority onad th (Egypt)

His Eminence Shaykh-ul-Islms continuous chain of authority (isnd)up to the above mentioned great Im ms is as under:

i. Shaykh-ul-Islm narrates (with direct permission andauthority) from ash-Shaykh usayn ibn Amad al-Usayrn(Lebanon).

ii. He narrates from ash-Shaykh Abd al-ayy ibn ash-ShaykhAbd al-Kab r al-Kittn .

iii. He narrates from ash-Shaykh al-Muammar Abd al-Hd ibnal-Arab al-Awwd.

iv. He narrates from al-Imm as-Sayyid Abd al-Az z al-af dal-abash . He was born in 581 (hegira) and died in 1276

(hegira) and lived up to 695 years. He directly studied underand narrated from al-Im m Abd ar-Razzq al-J ln ibnSayyidun Ghawth al-Aam al-J ln at Baghdad, from al-Imm ash-Shaykh al-Akbar Mu yad-D n ibn al-Arab atDamascus and from al-Imm ibn al-ajar al-Asqaln atEgypt. (Imm Abd al-ayy al-Kittn , Fahras al-Fahris wal- Athbt , vol. 2, p. 928).

His Eminence Shaykh-ul-Islm has received the same authority andij zt of transmission from another chain:

i. His Eminence narrates from ash-Shaykh usayn ibn Amadal-Usayrn.

ii. He narrates from ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Amad ibnMuammad as-Sans al-Madan .

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iii. He narrates from ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Muammad ibnMuammad as-Sans .

iv. He narrates from ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Muammad ibn Al as-Sans .

v. He narrates from al-Imm Abd al-Az z al-af d al-abash who received from all of the above mentioned three greatImms.

Leading Islmic Scholars who have receivedijzt(License to Transmit) from Shaykh-ul-Islm

The following is a selective list of some leading Islmic scholars whohave received authority to transmit from Shaykh-ul-Isl m DrMuammad hir-ul-Q dr :

Damascus, Syria: ash-Shaykh Asad Muammad as-Sa d agharj (a great scholar of ad th sciences and fiqh and theauthor of the famous work al-Fiqh al- anaf wa Adillatuh. He is

the grand Imm of the renowned Jmi al-Masjid al-Umawiyy the Umayyad Mosque of Damascus). Kuwait: ash-Shaykh al-Sayyid Ysuf as-Sayyid Hshim ar-Rif

(worlds renowned scholar and ash-Shaykh of ar qa) Halab, Syria: ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Dr Abul-Hud al-usayn

al-alab

Damascus, Syria:ash-Shaykh Abul-Khayr ash-Shukr (kha b of Umayyad Mosque of Damascus and head of the famousinstitute of advanced ad th studies opened by al-Muaddithal-Akbar Imm Badrad-D n al-asan , called Jmi al-Muaddith al-Akbar)

Damascus, Syria:ash-Shaykh Muammad Nad m an-Nadmn Damascus, Syria:ash-Shaykh Abdullh Abd al-Az z Azw Damascus, Syria:ash-Shaykh usayn Muammad Ibrh m Damascus, Syria:ash-Shaykh Amad Qarw Damascus, Syria:ash-Shaykh Mamd Abd ar-Ramn Daqqq Syria: ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Ghiyth ibn Muammad Uthmn

ad-Dusq al-usayn al-Qadr ar-Rif ash-Shm

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Baghdad, Iraq: ash-Shaykh Dr Abd ar-Razzq as-Sad (GrandMuft of Iraq prior to March 2003)

Baghdad, Iraq: ash-Shaykh Abd al-Wahhb al-Mashhadn (afamous scholar of Islamic jurisprudence and a renowned

author) Cairo, Egypt:ash-Shaykh amadn Amad ibn Abd ar-Ra m

al-Azhar Cairo, Egypt:ash-Shaykh Abd al-Muqtadir ibn Muammad al

Alawn al-Azhar Cairo, Egypt:ash-Shaykh Ysuf Ynus Amad Abd ar-Ra m

al-Azhar Cairo, Egypt: as-Sayyid amid Mamd Amad Mamd al-

Azhar Cairo, Egypt: ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Amad Abdullh

Muammad Abd al-Jayyid al-Azhar Cairo, Egypt: ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Abd al-Wid Ysuf

Muammad al-Azhar Beirut, Lebanon:ash-Shaykh Dr as-Sayyid Was m al-abbl Tarim, Yemen: ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid al-ab b Umar Slim ibn

al-af (Hadhramaut). He is one of the most popular Arabscholars, preachers and spiritual teachers. He is the foundingprincipal of Dr al-Muaf al-Kar m (Yemen). Shaykh-ul-Islmexchanged the asn d and ij zt with him.

Tarim, Yemen: ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid al-ab b Al al-Jifr . He isone of the most popular Ahl as-Sunna scholars of the Arabworld. He has studied from great scholars in the Arab worldand was one of the closest students of the late as-SayyidMuammad ibn Alaw al-Mlik al-Makk . He is a famous f teacher of the B Alaw ar qa of sufism, which is widelyfollowed in Hadhramaut, Yemen andijz (Saudi Arabia).

Tarim, Yemen: ash-Shaykh al-ab b Al Mashhr ibn Slim ibnal-af . He is the Imm of the Tarim Mosque, a Grand Muftiand head of the Fatwa Council in Tarim, Yemen.

Tarim, Yemen: ash-Shaykh Sayf Al al-Ar Sanaa, Yemen:Shaykh Jabrayn ibn Ibrh m as-Sann

17


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Mauritania: ash-Shaykh Muammad al-Am n ash-Shanq Hyderabad, India: ash-Shaykh Muammad Am n ash-Shar f

(Shaykh al-ad th of Jmia an-Nimiyya, Hyderabad Deccan,India)

Dhaka, Bangladesh:ash-Shaykh al-ad th Mawln ab b ar-Ramn Silhati

Bangladesh: Mawln R al-Am n, executive editor of thesecond largest newspaper of Bangladesh The Inqilb and he isthe president of Minhaj-ul-Quran International, Bangladesh.

East Africa/UK:Dr Irf n Amad al-Alaw . He is a university

lecturer, Bar at Law, CPhil PhD, Lecturer in Islmic Theologyand ta awwuf (Islmic spirituality). He is a student of ash-Shaykh as-Sayyid Muammad ibn Alaw al-Mlik (Makka). Heis the executive director of Islmic Heritage and also a writerfor many Islmic journals across the world. He has translatedmany works into Arabic, English and Swahili.

UK: ash-Shaykh Bbikr Amad Bbikr. He has been activelyinvolved in ad-dawain the UK since the 1970s. He studied theIslmic sciences in Sudan under ash-Shaykh Fti Qar bullh.

Canada: ash-Shaykh Fayal Abd ar-Razzq (al-Imm andpresident of the Islmic Forum of Canada). From 1977-1986 hestudied in Saudi Arabia, first at Umm al-Qur University inMakka, then at King Abd al-Az z University in Jeddah. He also

studied at York University, Toronto, Canada. He has spoken ona wide range of Islmic topics in many countries includingCanada, USA, UK, Germany, Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, Syria, Guyana, Barbados and Trinidad. He hasto his credit more than one hundred titles recorded on audioand video. ash-Shaykh Fayal is also a prolific writer of Islmicbooks.

And thousands from many countries, including Pakistan, Lebanon,Syria, Egypt, Yemen, Baghdad, Sudan, Jordan, UAE, East Africa, India,Bangladesh and other countries.

18


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$

Significance ofIsnd (chain of authority andtransmission of knowledge)

1. al-kim reports through Th bit ibn Qays, that the Holy

Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) said to his Companions:

#.

$

You (the aba) are listening and receiving from me andpeople (at-t bin i.e. the Successors) will listen and receivefrom you. Then people (the atba at-t bin) will listen andreceive from those (the Successors) who listened andreceived from you. Then people (the fourth generation) willlisten and receive from those (the atba at-t bin) who werethe audience and recipient of the Successors, who hadlistened and received from you.1

2. According to Abdullh ibn Masd (may Allh be well pleasedwith him), the Messenger of Allh (Allh bless him and give himpeace) said:

May Allh brighten a man who listened from us something.# and then passed it on to others exactly as he heard it becausemany a person to whom something is transmitted retainsbetter than the person who first heard it. 2

3. According to Abdullh ibn Masd (may Allh be well pleasedwith him), the Messenger of Allh (Allh bless him and give himpeace) said:

1 Related by al-kim in Marifa Ulm al- ad th, p. 60.2 Related by at-Tirmidh in as-Sunan, vol. 5, p. 34 # 2657; and Ibn M ja in

as-Sunan, vol. 1, p. 85 # 232.19


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$ #.May Allh keep him enjoying and rejoicing who heardsomething from me, remembered it and kept it well in hismind and then narrated it to others. 1

4. According to Zayd ibn Thbit (may Allh be well pleased withhim), he heard the Messenger of Allh (Allh bless him and give himpeace) say:

$

#.

May Allh grant him happiness who heard a tradition fromme, learnt it by heart and conveyed it to others. There will bemany jurists who will narrate the tradition to better juriststhan themselves and there will be several others who will notbe in truth jurists at all. 2

5. According to Abdullh ibn Amr (may Allh be well pleasedwith him), the Messenger of Allh (Allh bless him and give himpeace) said:

$

#.Transmit from me may it be only a verse. And there is noharm in narrating events from the Children of Israel. And he

1 Reported by al-Imm ash-Shfi in al-Musnad(p. 240) and ar-Risla (p.401 # 1102); and a-abarn in al-Mujam al-Kab r , vol. 2, p. 126 # 1541.

2 Related by Ab Dwd in as-Sunan, vol. 3, p. 322 # 3660; and Ibn M ja in

as-Sunan, vol. 1, p. 86 # 236.20


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who deliberately fabricates a lie on me builds his abode inHell.1

6. According to Ab Qarfa (may Allh be well pleased withhim), the Messenger of Allh (Allh bless him and give him peace)said:

$ #.

Whatever you hear from me, narrate it to others and neversay anything but truth. And whoever will fabricate a lie onme for him a house will be built in Hell.2

7. According to Abdullh ibn Abbs (may Allh be well pleasedwith him), the Messenger of Allh (Allh bless him and give himpeace) said:

$

#.Obtain knowledge and facilitate and do not complicate. Andif anyone of you feels infuriated he should keep silent.3

8. According to Ab Hurayra (may Allh be well pleased withhim), the Messenger of Allh (Allh bless him and give him peace)said:

.# Learn the Qurn and (the knowledge of) the shares of inheritance and teach them to the people because I am goingto depart (physically).1

1 Related by al-Bukhr in a -a, vol. 3, p. 1275 # 3274; Ibnibbn a a, vol. 14, p. 149 # 6256; and Amad ibn anbal in al-Musnad, vol. 2,pp. 159, 202.

2 Reported by a-abarn in uruq ad th man Kadhaba Alayy, p. 146 # 155;and in al-Mujam al-Kab r , vol. 3, p. 18 # 2516.

3 Related by Amad ibn anbal in al-Musnad, vol. 1, p. 239; and al-Bukhr

in al-Adab al-Mufrad, p. 95 # 245.

$

21


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9.

Amr ibn Awf al-Muzan (may Allh be well pleased with him)narrated:

:

$: .# $: $:

.# :

. #

The Holy Prophet (Allh bless him and give him peace) saidto Bill ibn al-rith (may Allh be well pleased with him):Know. He submitted: O Messenger of Allh! What should Iknow? He said: Know, O Bill. He submitted: O Messengerof Allh! What should I know? He said: He who revives of my Sunna that which ceased after me will get his rightful dueas much of recompense as will be due for its practitionerwithout any decrease in his recompense. And he who initiatesa misleading innovation disgusted by Allh and HisMessenger (Allh bless him and give him peace) will incur thesame sin which will be on its perpetrator without anymitigation.2


$ #.

1 Related by at-Tirmidh in as-Sunan, vol. 4, p. 413 # 2091; and an-Nas inas-Sunan, vol. 4, p. 63 # 6306.

2 Related by at-Tirmidh in as-Sunan, vol. 5, p. 45 # 2677.22


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He who sticks to my Sunna at the time of mischief and strifewill get reward of a martyr.1

11. According to Abdullh ibn Abbs (may Allh be well pleasedwith him), the Messenger of Allh (Allh bless him and give himpeace) said:

He who upholds my Sunna at the time of strife will begranted reward of one hundred martyrs. 2


$ #.

$

#.

$ ! .

The colour holders of justice from among the successors willlearn the knowledge of ad th. They will put an end to theextravagance of the extravagant, the fabrication of theheretic and false interpretations of the ignorant. 3

13. al-Kha b al-Baghdd reports in al-Kif ya (p. 121) throughAbdullh ibn Umar that the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace beupon him) said:

. #.

1 Related by Ab Nuaym in ilya al-Awliy, vol. 8, p. 200; and Haytham inMajma az-Zawid, vol. 1, p. 172.

2 Set forth by al-Imm al-Bayhaq in Kit b az-Zuhd al-Kab r , vol. 2, p. 118 # 207.

3 Set forth by a-abarn in Musnad ash-Shmiyy n, vol. 1, p. 344 # 599; al-Bayhaq in as-Sunan al-Kubr , vol. 10, p. 209 # 20700; and ad-Daylam in

al-Firdaws, vol. 5, p. 537 # 9012.23


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$

Oh Ibn Umar! Yourd n is your faith. Indeed it is but yourflesh and blood (it is your life). Therefore, you should be verycareful about whom you are receiving it from. Receive it fromthe pious and the steadfast and do not take it from those who

are leaning astray.14. Our master Umar ibn al-Khab (may Allh be well pleasedwith him) used to say:

.#

Soon there will come people who will discuss and debatewith you on the Qurnic verses which are figurative (ie theycontain abstract and allusive meaning). So deal with them bymeans of sunanbecause the people of sunanknow the Book of Allh more (than others). 1

15. Al-Kha b al-Baghdd reports from our Master Al ibn Ab lib (may Allh be well pleased with him) in al-Kif ya (p. 121) whosaid in the mosque of Kfa:

.

Inquire about the people from whom you are receiving thisknowledge (of Qurn and Sunna). Indeed this is your d n.

16. al-Imm Muslim in the preface (al-Muqaddimma) of his a -a (vol. 1, p. 8) has entitled a chapter:

.

Narration from a reliable authority is mandatory in ash shar a and science of ad th in order to eliminate any doubt

Related by ad-Drim in as-Sunan, vol. 1, p. 62 # 119.24

1


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of perjury in narrating knowledge from the Holy Prophet(blessings and peace be upon him).

Following this, al-Imm Muslim entitled another chapter in thepreface (al-Muqaddimma) of his a -a (vol. 1, p. 14):

Declaration of the fact that the chain of authority is part of

the d n and there should be no narration except from areliable chain of authority.

17. al-Imm Muslim also reports from al-Imm Muammad ibnS r n (through his own chain), who states:

.

. The science of chain of authority and narration of ad th isd n itself. You should check whom you are receiving your d nfrom.1

This saying of al-Imm Muammad ibn S r n was narrated by IbnAb Shayba with some different words:

.The science of chain of authority and narration of ad th isd n itself. You should check whom you are receiving it from.2

al-Kha b al-Baghdd reports these words from the Successor aak ibn Mazim in al-Kif ya f Ilm ar-Riw ya (p. 121).

18. al-Imm Ibn S r n again states as reported by al-Imm Muslim:

1 Related by Muslim inal-Muqaddima(preface) to his a -a, vol. 1, p. 14.

2 Related by Ibn Ab Shayba in al-Mu annaf , vol. 5, p. 334 # 2663625


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: .

Before the fitna (civil war and political segmentation whichemerged as the reason of fabrication of ad th), they neverfelt any necessity to ask about the chain (because allauthorities before the period of fitna were undoubtedly

honest, truthful, trustworthy and reliable). After this fitnahad occurred they started asking the narrator to mentiontheir chain of authority before them; and if the knowledge of d n was narrated from an authority belonging to Ahl as-Sunnathey used to accept his transmission; and if he belonged to Ahl al-Bidathey rejected it. 1

19. al-Imm Ibn S r n again states as reported by al-Kha b al-Baghdd :

. In the early days, people never felt any necessity to askabout the chain (because all authorities before the period of fitna were undoubtedly honest, truthful, trustworthy andreliable). But when this fitnahad occurred they started askingthe narrator to mention their chain of authority before themso that they could accept the ad th transmitted by anauthority belonging to Ahl as-Sunnaand could reject thead th transmitted by Ahl al-Bida.2

1 Related by Muslim inal-Muqaddima(preface) to his a -a, vol. 1, p. 15.

2 Related by al-Kha b al-Baghdd in al-Kif ya f Ilm ar-Riw ya, p. 122.26


28/41

20. al-Imm Ibn S r n states:

.

.

(In the early days,) people never felt any necessity to askabout the chain (because all authorities before the period of fitna were undoubtedly honest, truthful, trustworthy and

reliable). But in later times people started asking the narratorto mention their chain of authority before them so that theymight check. If the narrator belonged to the people of Sunna,they wrote down the ad th, and if he did not belong topeople of Sunna, they did not write down the ad th fromhim.1

21. Sad ibn Ibrh m narrates through Abd ar-Rahmn (may Allhbe well pleased with him):

.

Nobody should narrate the knowledge of Allhs Messenger(blessings and peace be upon him) except the reliable

authorities.2

22. Furthermore, al-Im m Muslim quotes from am r al-mumin n filad th Abdullh ibn al-Mubrak, who states:

al-Isnd (the chain of authority) is a necessary part of d n. If there was no chain of authority then everyone would havesaid whatever he wanted to say. 3

1 Related by al-Kha b al-Baghdd in al-Kif ya f Ilm ar-Riw ya, p. 122.2 Related by Muslim inal-Muqaddima(preface) to his a -a, vol. 1, p. 15.

3 Related by Muslim inal-Muqaddima(preface) to his a -a, vol. 1, p. 15.27


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23. al-Imm Muslim elaborated further from al-Imm Abdullhibn al-Mubrak, who says:

.Between us and between the people who receive from usthere are pillars of reliance and these are the chains of authority. 1

24. al-Imm Sufyn ath-Thawr is reported by Ibn ayyn al-Bust and al-Kha b al-Baghdd as saying:

.

The isnd is the weapon of a Muslim (who is the receiver of the knowledge). If he is not equipped with the arms, how ishe going to fight (and defend himself)?2

25. al-Imm Ab an fa says as related by Ya y ibn Ma n andreported by al-Kha b al-Baghdd in al-Kif ya (p. 231):

. Knowledge should be received only from a transmitter who

learns the text by heart and has a deep and perfectunderstanding of the meanings of what he is transmitting.

26. al-Imm Ab an fa further says, as related by Abdullh ibnal-Mubrak and reported by al-Khaib al-Baghdd :

.

1 Related by Muslim inal-Muqaddima(preface) to his a -a, vol. 1, p. 15.2 Ibn ayyn, al-Majr n, vol. 1, p. 27; al-Kha b al-Baghdd , Sharaf A b

al- ad th, p. 42.28


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! .

When someone reads the text in front of a muaddith or anauthority (to get it verified), then he is allowed to transmitfrom him to others. 1

27. al-Imm Mlik is reported by al-Kha b in al-Kif ya as saying:

Be God-fearing and scrutinize the credibility of the personwhom you are receiving this knowledge from.2

28. al-Imm ash-Shfi is reported by al-Bayhaq as saying:

.

The one who accepts the knowledge from somebody withoutthe sanad (chain of authority) is like a person carrying a

bundle of wood with a snake in it and he does not know. Itmay bite him (anytime).3

The wordings of al-Imm ash-Shfi quoted by as-Sakhw is asfollows:

.

He who seeks to collect ad th without chains of transmission is like the one who collects wood at night.4

29. al-Imm Amad ibn anbal is reported by as-Sakhw inFat al-Mugh th (vol. 2, p. 69) as saying:

( ) .

1 al-Kha b al-Baghdd , al-Kif ya f Ilm ar-Riw ya, p. 303.2 al-Kha b al-Baghdd , al-Kif ya f Ilm ar-Riw ya, p. 124.3 al-Bayhaq , al-Madkhal il as-Sunan al-Kubr , p. 211.

4 Related by as-Sakhw in Fat al-Mugh th, vol. 3, p. 4.29


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If the ij zt (license of transmission through a chain of authority) was neglected and denied, then the reliableknowledge would be destroyed.

30. al-Imm Amad ibn anbal also said:

.

.Asking for the higher chain of authority (al-isnd al-l ) isthe sunnaof the righteous predecessors. 1

31. Ibn Uyayna said:

A ad th without any chain of transmission is nothing.Certainly the chains of transmission are a ladder of the texts

by which one reaches the texts. 2

32. Ibn Awn is reported by al-Kha b in al-Kif ya as saying:

: : : .

: : . :

I said to ash-Shab : Shall I not narrate a tradition to you?ash-Shab replied: Do you narrate the tradition from thealive or the dead? I said: From the alive. (To this) he said:Do not narrate to me the traditions from the alive.3

1 Ibn a-al, Ulm al- ad th, p. 150; al-Kha b al-Baghdd , al-J m li- Akhlq ar-Rw wa db as-Sm, vol. 1, p. 123.

2 Related by al-Kha b al-Baghdd in al-Kif ya f Ilm ar-Riw ya, p. 393.

3 al-Kha b al-Baghdd , al-Kif ya f Ilm ar-Riw ya, p. 139.30


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33. Ibn Abd al-akam is reported by al-Kha b in al-Kif ya assaying:

: : . : .

One day I mentioned a ad th in the presence of al-Immash-Shfi in my childhood. So he said: Who has narrated it

to you? I replied: You. He asked: Whatever tradition Inarrated to you it is as I narrated to you, but beware of narrating traditions from the alive. 1

34. Ibn a-al has reported in Ulm al- ad th (p. 150) from al-Imm Ya y ibn Ma n. When he was asked about his wish, he replied:

.

: !

.

(My wish contains two things:) seclusion in my house (foruninterrupted remembrance of All h) and isnd of highranking authorities (to receive the righteous knowledgethrough the shortest chain).

35. ammd ibn Zayd is reported by al-Kha b al-Baghdd in al-Kif ya as saying:

We visited Anas ibn S r n in his disease. So he said, Be God-fearing, O group of the youths, and scrutinize the credibility

al-Kha b al-Baghdd , al-Kif ya f Ilm ar-Riw ya, p. 140.31

1


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of the person whom you are receiving these ad th from,because this is your d n.1

36. al-Imm Muammad ibn Aslam a-s said:

A close connection of isnd is in fact being close to Allh.2

37. al-Imm Ibn ayyn al-Bust says in Kit b al-Majr n (vol. 1, p.89):

.

I hope that out of this Umma they (the travellers and theseekers of the knowledge of as-Sunna, al-ad th, al-thr andal-akhbr who put their efforts to differentiate between the

a and the maw through the verification of the isnd)will enjoy extreme of the Holy Prophetthe proximity(blessings and peace be upon him) in Paradise. (This is so,because they spent their lives in a very highly esteemedservice to the Holy Prophet [blessings and peace be uponhim]).

38. Allma ibn Taymiyya states in Minh j as-Sunna an-Nabawiyya(vol. 7, p. 37):

.

.

1 Related by al-Kha b al-Baghdd in al-Kif ya f Ilm ar-Riw ya, p. 122.2 Related by Ibn a-al in Ulm al- ad th, p. 151; and al-Kha b al-J mi

li-Akhlq ar-Rw wa db as-Sm, vol. 1, p. 123.32


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The isnd is one of the exclusive virtuous characteristics andAllhs great blessings on this Umma. It is also a greatpeculiarity of the d n of Islm and it is a salient identity of Ahlas-Sunna. ar-Rfia did not pay great attention to isnd,

because they confirmed only such as accorded to theirdesires and the sign of a false isnd (in their eyes) wasopposing their desires.

So, Allh created for us trusty reporters for chains of transmissionand promulgation of d n because both chains of transmission andpromulgation are of the characteristics of Umma. None of thepreceding communities of the former Prophets has passed who wasgranted such a high status of learning that the Prophet and hisscholars would preach d n by means of unbroken and uninterruptedchains of transmission between them. Allh Most High bestowed thissuperiority on the Ummaof the Final Prophet (blessings and peace beupon him) which is the best of the communities and honoured thescholars of this Umma from the Companions down to the ad th

narrators with the proprieties of

ad th. And in this Revelation: Orsome remnant of knowledge (of the bygone people in transit down

the line),1 there is a pointer to the chains of transmission of ad thand its narration. This pronouncement in the glory of chains of transmission is due to the narration of d n and the eminentauthorities from the Successors have described it as we havementioned before in detail.

39. The significance of the chain of transmitters and authoritiescan be further illustrated through the statement of al-Im m Ibn M ja(one of the six great Imms of a - i as-sitta). He has reported aad th on the reality of mn in the preface of his as-Sunan(the samehas been reported by al-Im m a-abarn and al-Imm al-Bayhaq ),whereby he narrates from Abd as-Salm ibn Ab as-li Ab a-altal-Haraw from Sayyidun Al ibn Ms ar-Ri, from Sayyidun Ms ibn Jafar al-Kim, from Sayyidun Jafar ibn Muammad a-diq,from Sayyidun Muammad ibn Al al-Bqir, from Sayyidun Al ibnusayn from Sayyidun usayn ibn Al , from Sayyidun Al ibn Ab

Al-Qurn, al-Aq f , 46:4.33

1


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lib, from Allhs Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him). Atthe end of the text of ad th he quotes:

. If this isnd (chain of transmitters and authorities) is readupon a person who is insane (majnn) he will certainly becured.

Here lies the blessings (al-barakat ) of the names of the blessed personswho belong to Ahl al-Bayt and all of them are the Imms of al-wil ya(sainthood).

The words of the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him)are always contained in the text of ad th and not in the chain of authorities; the chain of authorities only consists of the names of reliable persons who are the blessed transmitters. al-Im m Ibn M jahas not directed towards reading the text of the ad th upon an insaneperson, but has rather emphasized reading the names of the

transmitters, which is the chain of authorities; just invoking thenames on a patient has become a spiritual treatment. This is the aq daof al-Imm Ibn M ja, al-Imm a-abarn and al-Imm al-Bayhaq ;the same has been mentioned by al-Im m as-Suy , as well as by al-Imm Ibn al-Qayyim, the great and famous student of Allma IbnTaymiyya. According to all of these authoritative statements of theImms, who are the real transmitters of the d n and the knowledge of

ad th to us, it is clear and evident that before the substance andcontent one is inevitably supposed to rely on the chain and authority.These are the people who narrated the knowledge of the d n. If theyare proven to be reliable it is only then one would have access to theacceptance of substance and contents of the ad th. Before placingemphasis on the text, they have given all the importance to the chain.In any ad th the text is known as the matan and the chain of authority is known as the sanador isnd.

The text contains the message of Islm, the teachings of the HolyProphet (blessings and peace be upon him) and the substance of theShar a and the Sunna, whereas the chain consists of personalities.Reliance has been placed on the personalities, prior to the actualcontent. The Imms have declared the chain of these reliable

personalities as a part of d n. Here lies the significance of personalities34


36/41

in Islm the real transmitters of the d n from the Holy Prophet(blessings and peace be upon him).

40. al-Imm a-abarn reports through Abdullh ibn Abbs:

.# ! : $: $:

.#

The Messenger of Allh (blessings and peace be upon him)said: Oh Allh! Bestow mercy on our khulaf . TheCompanions asked: Who are yourkhulaf ? He (blessings andpeace be upon him) replied: Those who will come after meand narrate my ad th and my sunna and transmit them tothe Umma.1

That is why the Holy Qurn in sra al-F tia has commandedus to follow in the footsteps of the blessed personalities in order toachieve al-hid ya (guidance) and al-istiqma (steadfastness):

.

Show us the straight path, the path of those (personalities)

upon whom You have bestowed Your favours.2

Reliable and blessed personalities have been declared to be symbols of al-hid ya and it has been made compulsory to identify and followthem. On the other hand some people have been made symbols of aalla (misguidance) and the wrath of Allh. The Qurn hascommanded us neither to follow them nor to be in their company. As

stated in sra al-F tia:

1 Related by al-Imm a-abarn in al-Mujam al-Awsa , vol. 6, p. 395 # 5842.

2al-Qurn, al-F tia, 1: 6, 7.

35


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Not of those who have been afflicted with wrath and nor of those who have gone astray. 1

The Holy Qurn has defined the blessed people in sra an-Nis :

And whoever obeys Allh and His Messenger (blessings andpeace be upon him), they are the people who shall be in thecompany of those (spiritual dignitaries on the Last Day)whom Allh has blessed with His (special) favour: Prophets(an-nabiyyn), the Truthful (al-awliy and a - iddiqn), theWitnesses (of Truth [ash-shuhad ]), and the Pious ones(possessing Allhs nearness a - alin). And how excellentthese companions are!2

Shaykh-ul-Islm is one of the chosen and blessed people of Allhand one of the community of the Prophets khulaf (vicegerents). Heis the man of reliable authority and one of the great authentictransmitters of the Prophets (blessings and peace be upon him)knowledge to the Ummafrom whom scholars of East and West, bothArab and non-Arab, have derived benefit, who come to him to receiveij zt (permission) and isnd (authority) as an Imm of ilm in this

century. He is the one who received his permission and authorityfrom the greatest scholars of their time, and he delivers hispermission and authority to hundreds of great scholars of his time.Being the author of one thousand books and a transmitter of the HolyProphets (blessings and peace be upon him) knowledge through fivethousand orations and narrations, he has revived numerous Isl micsciences, including ulm al-Qur n, ulm al-ad th, ilm al-fiqh, al-aq da,at-ta awwuf , and ideology through his reconstructive efforts of Islmicthought and philosophy in the modern age. He is the revivalist of thepresent century. As the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon

1 al-Qurn, al-F tia, 1: 7.2

al-Qurn, an-Nis , 4: 69.

36


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him) stated, reported by Ab Hurayra (may Allh be well pleased withhim):

$ #.

Indeed Allh raises in the Ummaat the beginning of everyIslmic century one that revives the d n for this Umma.1

The scholars and authorities serving the d n of the Prophet(blessings and peace be upon him) are in hundreds and thousands

who render their services according to their position and status, butthe mujaddidis only one in a century; if there is to be another he willbe in another part of the world. Shaykh-ul-Islm was born in 1951(1370 hegira) and started his revivalist work in 1981 (1401 hegira),exactly at the beginning of the 15 th Islmic century, by foundingMinh j-ul-Qurn. The door of Prophethood has been completelyclosed in all respects and no Prophet will ever come after the raisingof the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) himself. TheHoly Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) stated that beforehim every Prophet used to succeed another; with his raising, thechain of Prophethood became closed. From now he will be succeededby the khulaf (Bukhri and Muslim). Thekhulaf are the mujaddidn,al-awliy , and the al-ulam ar-r sikhn. The mujadidn are the

revivalists and the others are the scholars while the rest are justpreachers. As for the mujadd d, he receives blessings directly from theHoly Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) in addition to hisother chains of receiving knowledge. A ad th of the Holy Prophet(blessings and peace be upon him) reported through Sa d ibn al-Muayyab, which is quoted by al-Imm Ibn Abd al-Barr, indicates thatthe transmitter of knowledge who revives the d n is the direct

recipient of blessings of the Prophets and spiritually linked with

Related by Ab Dwd in as-Sunan, vol. 4, p. 109 # 4291; al-kim in al-Mustadrak, vol. 4, pp. 567, 568 # 8592, 8593; and a-abarn in al-Mujam

al-Awsa , vol. 7, p. 272 # 6523.37

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them. 1 That is why the practice of isnd and ij zt has beencontinuously and emphatically observed and transmitted since thefirst century of hegira (period of followers) up to the present time bythe great Im ms, authorities and the high ranking scholars of the

Umma.Every textbook requires some competent teacher who caninterpret its true meanings and the correct implications of the text. Itis pertinent to note that if one suffers from a physical ailment,treatment will not be sought from someone who has just collectedknowledge from books of medical science. Rather a professionaldoctor who has studied the medical sciences under competent

professors and doctors will be asked for assistance and treatment. Theseverity of the disease will dictate the required competency level of the medical practitioner. Similarly one needs to question how it ispossible to rely upon a man, for information and spiritual guidance,who has just collected his knowledge through reading several booksand websites and has never received the knowledge through a properchain of authority. Thus, following the same sunna, some of the asn d(chains of authorities) of Shaykh-ul-Islm have been mentionedabove.

Related by Ibn Abd al-Barr in J mi Bayn al-Ilm wa Falih , vol. 1, pp.

102, 191, 192 # 169, 379.38

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Minh j-ul-Qurn International

Central Secretariat:

365, M Block Model Town, Lahore, PakistanOffice No: (+92-42) 5171 404, 5168 365UAN: (+92-42) 111 140 140Fax: (+92-42) 5169 114, 5168 184

URLs:

Minh j-ul-Qurn International (MQI)www.Minhaj.org

Minh j Welfare Foundation (MWF)www.Welfare.org.pk

Minh j Welfare Foundation UKwww.mwfuk.org

Minh j-ul-Qurn Women League (MWL)www.MinhajSisters.com

Muslim Christian Dialogue Forum (MCDF)www.MCDF.info

Minh j Youth League (MYL)www.Youth.com.pk

Pakistan Awm Lawyers Movement (PALM)www.PALM.org.pk

Minh j Overseas / Directorate of Foreign Affairs (DFA)www.MinhajOverseas.com

Irf n al-Qurn (English & Urdu Translations of the Holy Qurn)

www.Irfan-ul-Quran.comIslmic Multimedia

www.DeenIslam.com

www.IslamTune.com

Books by Shaykh-ul-Islm Dr Muammad hir-ul-Q dr www.MinhajBooks.com

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Periodicals of MQIwww.Minhaj.info

Minhaj-ul-Quran Publicationswww.Minhaj.biz

Far d-e-Millat Research Institute (FMRi)www.Research.com.pk

Gosha-e-Durdwww.Gosha-e-Durood.com

Itikf City

www.Itikaf.comMinhaj University Lahore

www.MUL.edu.pk

al-Farghna Institute, Manchester UKwww.Farghana.org

al-Hid ya, UKwww.Al-Hidayah.co.uk

Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri - A Profile (ENGLISH)

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