Dear Islamic brothers! In today’s speech, it is not possible to mention all of the attributes with which Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has blessed A’la Hadrat, Imam of Ahl-us-Sunnah, Maulana Shah Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه. Therefore, today we will only listen to one of his very good habits, i.e. his services to Islamic knowledge. We will be privileged to listen as to how Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه spent his entire life rendering services to Islamic knowledge. Let’s, first of all, listen to his short biography for receiving blessings.

Introduction to A’la Hadrat

A’la Hadrat, Imam of Ahl-us-Sunnah, Maulana Shah Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born in Bareilly on Saturday, 10^th of Shawwal-ul-Mukarram, 1272 AH (i.e. 14^th June 1856), at the time of Zuhr Salah.

(Hayat-e-A’la Hadrat, vol. 1, pp. 58)

A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه belonged to a Pathan family. He followed the Hanafi school of thought and Qaadiri spiritual order. His father’s name is Maulana Naqi ‘Ali Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه and grandfather’s name is Maulana Raza ‘Ali Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه. (Faazil Baraylvi ‘Ulama-e-Hejaz ki Nazar mayn, pp. 67)

His birth name is ‘Muhammad’. His respectable mother used to call him ‘Amman Miyan’. His respectable father and other relatives named him ‘Ahmad Miyan’ and his grandfather named him ‘Ahmad Raza’. His historical name is ‘Al-Mukhtar’. A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه used to write ‘Abdul Mustafa’ before his name. (Tajalliyat Imam Ahmad Raza, pp. 21) Mentioning this name [i.e. ‘Abdul Mustafa] in his world famous Na’at collection ‘Hadaiq-e-Bakhshish’, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated:

خَوف نہ رکھ  رضاؔ ذرا تُو تو ہے عَبدِ مُصطَفٰے

تیرے لئے اَمان ہے تیرے لئے اَمان ہے

Translation: Do not fear O Raza! You are ‘Abd-e-Mustafa

You will remain safe, you will remain safe!

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب              صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد