29th Dhu al-Qa'dah | Ra'ees al-Atqiyah Hadrat Allama Mawlana Naqi Ali Khan al-Qadiri Baraylawi (Alayhir Rahmah)

Allama Mawlana Naqi Ali Khan was born in Jumada al-Aakhir 1246 A.H. (1830). He was the son of the great mystic and scholar, Allama Khwaja Raza Ali Khan s/o Allama Muhammad Kazim Ali Khan s/o Allama Shah Muhammad Azam Khan s/o Allama Sa'adat Yaar Khan s/o Allama Sa'eedullah Khan (Alayhim ar-Rahmah).

Their ancestors had migrated from Qandahar (located in present-day Afghanistan). Born in 1831 C.E. in Bareilly, India. Allama Naqi studied under the auspicious gaze of his noble father (1809-1866), who was a student of Allama Mawlana Khalilrur Rahman Rampuri, may Allah have mercy on him. Mawlana Raza Ali earned certificates of distinction in various fields of sacred knowledge including the science of tasawwuf. He was held in high regard and esteem for his strict adherence to the Qur’an and Sunnah. He was a sagacious Sufi and a valiant freedom fighter.

Malik al-Ulama Allama Zafar ud-Din Bihari, may Allah have mercy on him, relates the following miracle [karamat] in volume one of his Hayat-e-AlaHazrat [The Life of AlaHadrat]:

“After the tumult of 1857, the British tightened the reins of power and committed atrocities toward the people, and everybody went about feeling scared. Important people left their homes and went back to their villages. But Mawlana Riza Ali Khan continued to live in his house as before, and would go to the mosque five times a day to say his prayers in congregation. One day some Englishmen passed by the mosque, and decided to see if anyone was inside so they could catch hold of them and beat them up. They went inside and looked around but didn’t see anyone. Yet the Mawlana was there at the time. Allah had made them blind, so they would be unable to see him… [When] he came out of the mosque, they were still watching out for people, but no one saw him”.

وجعلنا من بين أيديهم سدّا ومن خلفهم سدّا فأغشيناهم فهم لا يبصرون
“And We have set a wall before them and a wall behind them, and covered the top - so they are unable to see anything”. [Surah Yaseen, 36:9]

Allama Naqi Ali Khan (Alayhir Rahmah) was a great Mudarris (Teacher) and a prolific writer. Most of his time was spent in teaching and instilling the excellence of knowledge in the hearts of the people. His students posed intricate questions to him thinking that the Ustaaz will not be able to reply to them. But to their amazement, the Master replied instantaneously with a smile. His deep insight in complicated matters dazzled the contemporary Ulama of his time so much so that they conferred the title of Ra’eesul-Muhaqqiqeen (The Master of the Research Scholars) on him. Indeed, this title befitted him.

Allama Naqi was a disciple (Mureed) and successor (Khalifah) of Sayyid Aal-e-Rasool, the celebrated student and hadith expert [muhaddith] of Shah Abdul Aziz son of Shah Waliyullah, may Allah have mercy on them all. He also received authorization [Ijazah] to narrate hadith in Makkah from the illustrious Ustaz al-Ulama [Teacher of the Ulama], Shaykh al-Haram Sayyid Ahmad Zayni Dahlan Makki, may Allah have mercy on him. Allama Naqi produced a number of texts defending Islamic orthodoxy and laid the foundation of Darul-Ifta in Bareilly Sharif, which became a citadel of faith [iman], knowledge [‘Ilm], blessing [Barakah] and awareness of Allah [Taqwa]. It remains an imperturbable stronghold for the Ahl al-Sunnah to the present day.

His son, Imam Ahmad Raza, may Allah have mercy on him, relates the following anecdote about his respected father from his Al-Malfuzat [Utterances]:

“[In a dream] Mawlana Barakaat Ahmed (may Allah have mercy on him) accompanied my father to visit me in sickness. They both asked me how I was feeling. I replied, ‘I am now tired of the severity of sickness, so please make du’a for me to now leave this duniya [world] with Iman.’ On hearing this, my father’s face turned red and he said, ‘There is still 52 years in Madina Munawwarah.’ Allah, the Exalted, knows best what he was referring to. I could not understand what this meant.

Later in my life, the interpretation of this dream unfolded. My second trip to Haramain Shareefayn, I was in my 52nd year. Actually, my age was 51 years and 5 months. My father (may Allah have mercy on him) had foretold this trip 14 years ago [in my aforementioned dream]. Allah, the Exalted, entrusts Ilm-e-Ghayb [knowledge of the unseen] to the servants of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (may blessings and peace be upon him) and these Wahhabis reject the Ilm-e-Ghaib of the Beloved Nabi (may blessings and peace be upon him).

A few years ago in the month of Rajab, I dreamt of my father, who said, ‘You will fall very sick in this Ramadan, but you must not leave the fast.’ It happened so. The physician and doctors forced me not to keep fast but I ignored them. By the Grace of Allah (Almighty & Glorious is He) I kept my entire fast and I got better. The Hadith Shareef clearly states: Fast and you will get healthy.”

Allama Naqi Ali (Alayhir Rahmah) was a great lover of the Beloved Habeeb Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (SallAllahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and also remained engrossed in this love all his life. Once he fell very ill and was confined to bed. He laid there in a very depressed mood. The beloved Habeeb (SallAllahu Alayhi wa Sallam) saw the state of pain and depression of his true Aashiq and blessed him. One night, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (SallAllahu Alayhi wa Sallam) appeared in his dream and compassionately gave him a cup of water to drink. As soon as he drank it, he was instantly cured. He awoke the next morning totally cured and once again healthy. It seemed if he was never sick.

He wrote more than 50 books on various subjects, among them;

• Suroor al-Quloob fi Zikri Mawlood al-Mahboob
• Al-Kalaam al-Awdah fi Tafseer Sura Alam-Nash’rah
• Wasilatun Najaah
• Jawahar al-Bayaan
• Hidayatul Bariyah
• Ahsanul Wi'a li Aadabi Du'a and etc.

received very high distinctive stature amongst Islamic literature. His treatises are characteristic in its condemnation of the enemies of Islam, both internally and externally.

Allama Naqi Ali (Alayhir Rahmah) passed away on 29th Dhu al-Qa'dah 1297 A.H. (1880) at the time of Zuhar and was laid to rest besides his illustrious father, Taaj al-Aarifeen Imam Muhammad Raza Ali (Alayhir Rahmah). His Mazaar Shareef is in Bareilly Shareef, India. Allama Naqi Ali Khan devoted every moment of his life to Allah the Exalted and His Messenger, may blessings and peace be upon him. He preserved the scholarly tradition, and defended Islamic orthodoxy and mainstream Sufism.

Due to this sincerity, the last thing that he wrote on a piece of paper was "Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem". The last word that he uttered before he passed away was "Allah". May Almighty Allah sanctify his soul and grant him proximity to his Creator.

May Allah Most High sanctify his soul and grant him proximity to his Creator, Almighty and Glorious is He... Aameen!