“And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” Al- Quran.” Mufti Abdul GaniAzhari RA- an eminent scholar, reformer,prolific orator,and former Head of the Department of the Arabic University of Kashmirleft for heavenly abode on 19th January 2023 at Badshahibagh- UP India after a brief illness. The Muslim Umma lost one more legendary scholar of this era. The scholar of global repute who spent his entire life imparting the message of the Quran and Hadees in a very cordial and peaceful way. He had good access to religious studies, and expertise in the Quranic interpretation, prophet hadith, and Islamic jurisprudence, especially in comparative jurisprudence. His journey of knowledge started when he was accompanied by Grandfather Wali Kamil Abdul Halim, who has the honor of being the first Gujjar commentator, studied knowledge from the best scholars of Pakistan, passed the excellence exams in Persian from Lahore University, studied the holy book of Quran from Maulana Ghulam Allah Khan. He had also benefited from Shaykh al-Tafseer Ahmad Ali Lahori, Maulana, and Muhammad Ismail Salafi Gujranwala. He deemed an honor to receive his education from the prominent Islamic Institutions- Islamic knowledge from prestigious Islamic Institutions –Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur, Darul Uloom Deoband, and Al Azhar University Egypt. Beside completed his Ph.D.from Azhar University he completed a diploma in human psychology from the same University. The title of his Ph.D. thesis is “ Al Imam-Ul- Muslim WaManajha Fil Al-Hadees Rewaha Wa Deraha”. The matter of justice and truth is that he was a great researcher, an expert in science and art, a person who is blessed with the company of a large group of saints and a person who gives permission and caliph. Among his mentors and spiritual leaders -Maulana Shah Abdul Qadir Rai Puri, Rasul Shah Sahib alias Naga Baba Milan Gam, Syed Rasul Shah Naqshbandi Mujadadi, and Hazrat Kausar Ali Shah Afghani Safavi Naqshbandi Mujadadi, etc. You have made good use of all of them and have received spiritual blessings in abundance. Therefore, considering it as a blessing from God, you mention in your famous and well-known book -Noor-E-Irfan “Expressing his satisfaction, he mentioned in his book “There are countless blessings that Almighty Allah blessed me. He gave me allegiance to a powerful elder and mentor like Hazrat Shah Abdul Qadir RaiPuri, there also gave me the council of Hazrat Syed Qutb-i-Waqt Rasool Shah Sahib- Naga Baba JiMulan Gam.”The star of Shah Abdul Qadir Rai Puri’s eyes and the last living caliph and authority, accompanied by the founders of Da’wa and Tabligh. Hazrat Sheikh Hadith Maulana Zakaria’s RA.
On the invitation of then Chief Minister Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, he joined Madinah Uloom Hazratbala teacher of the Arabic language. Along with serving as a professor in Madinat Uloom, he rendered his services to the University of Kashmir as the Professor department of Arabic and retired as HOD-Arabic.He had also been the Shaykh al-Hadith of Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur and hold the same great position in Madrasah Nizamiya Badshahi Bagh Saharanpur, which he founded and is running under his patronage. Also, hehadthe position and honor of being a Musnad of Hadith at the international level, he witnessed the century-old rise and fall of the Muslim Ummah. He had been the founder and guardian of hundreds of Madrasas. Being Kashmir his birthplace, he founded the movement of Madrasas in Kashmir along the Hafiz Mohammad Chirag Naseer-Al-Qasimi under the title “’Center of Ahl-Sunnat Wal-Jamaat’ The prime purpose behind the foundation of these Madrasas is not only to enlighten the people with the word of Almighty Allah and teaching of our beloved prophet but also unite the Muslim Umma. He always performed his services keeping in mind the wider interest of the Ummah, never letting the spirit of goodwill of Kashmir fade. Though out this noble mission, he never forgot the path of Salaf-Saleheen. Giving due respect to his mentors, he established many Khanqahs and Islamic institutions after their names. He established one such institution at New Theed Harwan – Darul-Uloom Kousria after the blessed name of Hazrat Kausar Ali Shah Afghani, the grand Masjid –Shahi Hamdhan Masjid at New Theed, Darul Uloom Al-Azhariya (Wahhab Khar Shali), Darul Uloom Shah Wali Allah – Barakpura. Apart from this, he had also the Madrasah Nizamiya Madina Uloom Badshahi Bagh Saharanpur. He spent the last days of his life in the same. He taught the lessons of the Quran and Hadees was there till his last breath. His famous achievements and works include his doctoral thesis, Ancient History of Gujjar, Noor-i-Irfan: Maktobat Naqshbandiyya, and Urdu translation of Amir Kabir Mir Syed Ali Hamdani’s RA. I had the special privilege to work under him in Darul-Uloom Kousria as a part-time teacher of English and Mathematics. My eyes hardly believe it when I entered Darul Uloom Kousria today 20th of January 2023 to attend his funeral prayer in absentia headed by Qari Khursheed Ahamd Rahemiya. May Almighty Allah bless the departed soulin the highest place in Jannah!
(The author is a teacher by profession. The views, opinions, facts, assumptions, presumptions and conclusions expressed in this article are author’s own and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.)
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