A'LA HADRAT, IMAM-E-AHLE SUNNAT, MUJADDID-E-DEEN-O-MILLAT, ASH SHAH IMAM AHMED RAZA KHAN MUHADDITH BAREILWI AL-QAADIRI (RADI ALLAHU ANHU)-9
Al Malibari
IMAM AHMED RAZA KHAN BARELWI AS THE MUJADDID OF THE 14TH CENTURY
Undoubtedly, besides being recognised as a great Wali, as the Ghausul al-Azam and as the Imam Abu Hanifa (Alaihir Rahmah) of his time, Sayyidi A'la Hadrat Imam Ahmed Raza was also the Mujaddid (Reviver) of Islam of the 14th Century. He possessed all the conditions of a Mujaddid and his entire life was spent trying to revive the Deen of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam).
Hadith of Mujaddid
A Hadith Shareef recorded in Mishkaat and quoted by Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (Radi Allahu Anhu) who says that the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Verily, at the end of every century, Almighty Allah will send such a person to the Ummah, who will revive the Deen for the them (the Ummah).”
'Allama Haqqi in his Hashiya Siraj al-Munir Sharh Jami' Saghir writes: “My Shaykh said that the Hadith masters agree that this Hadith is Sahih” and the Hafiz Imam Jalaluddin Suyuti writes the same in his Mirqat al-Sa'ud Hashiya Sunan Abu Dawud.
Qualities of a Mujaddid
When there comes a period in which there is a shortage of knowledge and deterioration in following of the Sunnah; when there is an increase in false innovations and ignorance; then Allah Ta'ala will send a person at the beginning or end of every century who will show the difference between Sunnah and Bid'ah. He will refute and destroy false innovations and will fear none but Allah Ta'ala. He will very bravely and sincerely hoist the flag of Deen-e-Muhammadi (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam). Such a person is known as a “Mujaddid” (Reviver) of Deen.
It is not necessary that a Mujaddid be a Mujtahid but it is critical that he be a Sunni with the correct 'Aqida, a scholar, a master of Islamic Sciences, a great supporter of the religion, a fearless voice against the Mubtadi'yin [innovators] and without fear in speaking the truth, will not serve the religion for worldly benefits, God-fearing, pious, an embodiment of Shari'ah and Tariqah [spirituality] and that he be famous both at the end of the century in which he is born and at the beginning of the century in which he demises.
The author of the book, Siraajum Muneer, has explained who a Mujaddid is in the following words: “In other words, to revive the Deen is to revive those teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah that are being destroyed and to give command according to the Qur'an and Sunnah.”
Allama Munaadi (Alaihir Rahmah) states: “A Mujaddid is one who separates Sunnah from Bid'ah and one who degrades the status of the Ahle Bid'ah.”
Why does a Mujaddid come after 100 years?
A Mujaddid is sent after every 100 years because after every century the surroundings, the environment, the manner of thinking and ways of the people tend to pass through a massive transformation. It has been stated in the Hadith of Bukhari Shareef that during the latter stages of the Prophet's (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) physical life, one night, after performing Esha Salaah, he stood up and said, “Should I inform you of the importance of this night? From this night onwards, right up to the end of a 100 years, that person who is alive on the earth (presently) will not be alive.” There can be more and there has already been more than one Mujaddid to a Century.
Imam Ahmed Raza chosen as a Mujaddid
Whether non-Islamic movements and practices arose from within the Muslims or from the Kuffar; Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Barelwi (Alaihir Rahmah) proved his status as a Faqih and Mujaddid when he strove against these and other societal ills with the might of his pen. Notions of apostasy were uncovered by him and Muslims were warned against them. With his continuous efforts, he protected the sanctity of Islam and was unwavering even in the face of opposition.
Hence, it was after seeing such endeavours that in 1318 A.H./1900 at a conference in Patna, in the presence of thousands of listeners and hundreds of local and national scholars including: Mawlana Abdul Qadir Badayuni (d.1319 A.H.), Mawlana Ma'wan Husain Rampuri [son of Mufti Irshad Husain Rampuri (d.1311 A.H.)], 'Allama Hidayatullah Rampuri [d.1326 A.H.], Sayyid Shah Abdus Samad Phaphondwi [d.1333 A.H.], Mawlana Muhib Ahmad Badayouni [d.1341 A.H.], Mawlana Abdul Kafi Ilahabadi [d.1350 A.H.] and Sayyid Muhammad Fakhir Ilahabadi. Mawlana Abdul Muqtadir Badayouni [d.1334 A.H.] addressed him as: “Mujaddid Ma'ta Hadara”.
This received support from the scholars and public alike. Various other scholars also referred to him as a Mujaddid. Hence, Shaykh Sayyid Isma'il bin Khalil [d. 1324 AH], librarian of Haram, writes about him: “Moreover, I say that if he is called the Mujaddid of this century, then this would be correct and the truth”.
Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Barelwi (Alaihir Rahmah) was not just a personality revered and accepted by the scholars of the Indian Subcontinent even the scholars of Haramayn accepted his leadership and his status as the Mujaddid of his era.
Sayyidi A'la Hadrat Imam Ahmed Raza (Alaihir Rahmah) once said: “It is the Grace of Allah Ta'ala that He has allowed me to do as much work in one lifetime that would be enough for ten lifetimes”.
Professor Manzoorud'deen Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, University of Karachi said: “The reality is that on reading several books of Imam Ahmed Raza, I have come to the conclusion that through his writings and speeches, the Fatawa (Inquisitions) and hundreds of small and bulky treatises, he had struggled for the revival of Islam, and as a reward he was declared as a Mujaddid of his Century by the 'Ulema (Scholars of Islam), in particular, the scholars of Makka and Madina (Haramain Sharifain). . .”
A List of known Mujaddids from the First Century:
1st CENTURY :
* Sayyiduna Imam Umar bin Abdul Aziz
2nd CENTURY :
* Imam Hassan Basri,
* Imam Muhammad bin Hassan Shaibani,
* Imam Maalik bin Anas,
* Imam Abdullah bin Idrees Shafi'i
3rd CENTURY :
* Imam Abul Hassan bin Umar,
* Imam Ahmad bin Hambal
4th CENTURY :
* Imam Tahtaawi,
* Imam Isma'eel bin Hammaad Ja'fari,
* Imam Abu Jaafar bin Jareer Tibri,
* Imam Abu Haatim Raazi
5th CENTURY :
* Imam Abu Naeem Isfahani,
* Imam Abul Hussain Ahmad bin Muhammad Abi Bakr-il-Qaadir,
* Imam Hussain bin Raaghib,
* Imam Muhammad bin Muhammad Ghazzali
6th CENTURY :
* Imam Abul Fadhl Umar Raazi,
* Allama Imam Umar Nasfi,
* Imam Qaazi Fakhrud'deen Hassan Mansoor,
* Imam Abu Muhammad Hussain bin Mas'ood Fara'a
7th CENTURY :
* Allama Imam Abul Fadhl Jamaaluddeen Muhammad bin Afriqi Misri,
* Imam Sheikh Shahbuddeen Suharwardi,
* Khwaja Muhi'yuddeen Chishti Ajmeri,
* Imam Abul Hassan Uz'zuddeen Ali bin Muhammad
* Ibn Atheer,
* Imam Sheikh al-Akbar Muhi'yuddeen Muhammad ibn Arabi
8th CENTURY :
* Imam Taaj'uddeen bin Ata'ullah Sikandari,
* Khwaja Nizaamuddeen Awliyah Mahboob-e-Ilahi,
* Imam Umar bin Mas'ood Taftazaani
9th CENTURY :
* Imam Hafiz Jallaluddeen Abu Bakr Abdur Rahmaan Suyuti,
* Imam Nooruddeen bin Ahmad Misri,
* Imam Muhammad bin Yusuf Karmani,
* Imam Shamsuddeen Abul Kheyr Muhammad bin Abdur Rahmaan Sakhawi,
* Allama Imam Sayed Shareef Ali bin Muhammad Jarmaani
10th CENTURY :
* Imam Shahabuddeen Abu Bakr Ahmad bin Muhammad Khatib Qistalaani,
* Imam Muhammad Sharbini,
* Allama Sheikh Muhammad Taahir Muhaddith
11th CENTURY :
* Imam Ali bin Sultaan Qaari,
* Imam Sheikh Ahmad Sarhindi Mujaddid-e-Alf Thaani,
* Sultaanul Arifeen Imam Muhammad Baahu
12th CENTURY :
* Allama Mawlana Imam Abul Hassan Muhammad bin Abdul Haadi Sindhi,
* Imam Abdul Ghani Taablsi,
* Sheikh Ahmad Mulla Jeewan
13th CENTURY :
* Imam Abdul Ali Luckhnowi,
* Imam Sheikh Ahmad Saadi Maaliki,
* Allama Imam Ahmad bin Ismaeel Tahtaawi,
* Allama Shah Abdul Azeez Muhaddith-e-Delhwi
14TH CENTURY:
*Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Barelwi (Alaihir Rahmah)