Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi

                       Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi

Ahmed Raza Khan Fazil-e-Barelvi (1856–1921 CE), popularly known as Aala Hazrat, was a Sunni Hanafi scholar who founded the Barelvimovement of South Asia. Raza Khan wrote on numerous topics, including law, religion, philosophy and the sciences. He was a prolific writer, producing nearly 1,000 works in his lifetime.

     His father was Naqi Ali Khan, and his great-grandfather Shah Kazim Ali Khan was a noted Sunni scholar.

Ahmed's mother named him Amman Miyān. Raza Khan used the appellation "Abdul Mustafa" (slave [or servant] of Mustafa) prior to signing his name in correspondence. He studiedIslamic sciences and completed a traditional Dars-i-Nizami course under the supervision of his father Naqī Áli Khān, who was a legal scholar. He went on the Hajj with his father in 1878.

     Ahmed Raza Khan translated the Quran into Urdu, which was first published in 1912 under the title of Kanz ul-Iman fi Tarjuma al-Qur’an. The original manuscript is preserved in the library of Idara Tahqiqat-i-Imam Ahmed Raza, Karachi, and an English translation of Kanzul Iman has also been published. Ahmed Raza Khan also wrote several books on the collection and compilation of hadiths.

          He was a Great Aalim, Mufti, Sufi, Author, Research Analyst, Translator of Quran, Mujjaddid, Spiritual guide, Poet, Expert in Quran, Hadees, Ilm e Jaffar, Mathematics and other sciences. He was a true slave and Aashiq of Huzoor Nabi Kareem(Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), known by the name 'Abdul Mustafa' Aala Hazrat Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Qadri al Hindi(rahmatullah alaih)

   Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian claimed to be the Mahdi (messiah) awaited by the Muslims as well as a new prophet. These claims proved to be extremely controversial among many in the Muslim community, and he was branded a heretic and apostate by many religious scholars of the time, including Ahmed Raza Khan. Ghulam Ahmad's claims are controversial to this day, but his Mahdi status and prophethood is believed in by the Ahmadiyya sect. Though, Pakistan in 1974, have officially declared the Ahmadiyya sect non-Muslims.

When Ahmed Raza visited Mecca and Medina for pilgrimage in 1905, he prepared a draft document entitled Al Motamad Al Mustanad ("The Reliable Proofs") for presentation to the scholars of Mecca and Medina. Ahmed Raza Khan collected opinions of the ulama of the Hejaz and compiled them in an Arabic language compendium with the title, Husam al Harmain("The Sword of Two Sanctuaries"), a work containing 34 verdicts from 33 ulama (20 Meccan and 13 Medinese). The work concluded that Founders of Darul Uloom Deoband Ashraf Ali Thanwi, Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, Qasim Nanotwi and founder of Qadiyani faith Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's beliefs were blasphemous and tantamount to apostasy.

Khan issued fatwas against other religious groups such as Deobandis and Ahl al-Hadith, accusing them of being disrespectful towards Muhammad. Khan went as far as to declare not only all Deobandis and Ahl al-Hadith as infidels and apostates, but also any non-Deobandis who doubted the apostasy of Deobandis

Raza opposed labeling then-British held India to be Dar al-Harb ("land of war"), thus opposing any justification of jihad (struggle) or hijrat (mass emigration to escape) against the proposed plans of the Deobandiyya Movement who wished to begin jihaad. Raza's stance was opposed by Deobandi scholars such as Muhammad Qasim Nanotvi