Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal – The Champion of Islamic Belief

So far in our four part series on the four great imams of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), we have seen each one of the imams have a special and enduring role in Islamic history. Imam Abu Hanifa was the trailblazer when it came to codifying fiqh and establishing the basics of how it is to be studied. Imam Malik upheld the importance of hadith in the field of fiqh through his landmark collection of hadith, al-Muwatta. And Imam al-Shafi’i revolutionized the study of fiqh by establishing the field of usul al-fiqh, the principles behind the study of fiqh.

For the last of the four great imams, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, his contribution went beyond just fiqh. Although he was one of the greatest jurists and scholars of hadith of his time, perhaps his greatest legacy was his courage to stand for the orthodox beliefs of Islam as they were imparted to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the face of persecution and imprisonment at the hands of the political authority. For this reason, Imam Ahmad’s legacy is far more than just the establishment of the Hanbali madhab, but also includes the preservation of core Islamic beliefs against political oppression.

Early Life

Ahmad ibn Hanbal al-Shaybani was born in 778 in Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate. The relatively new city was fast becoming a center of scholarship of all forms. So as a child, Ahmad had numerous opportunities to learn and expand his intellectual horizons. Thus, by the time he was 10 years old, he had memorized the entire Quran and began studying the traditions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the hadith.

Imam Ahmad traveled throughout the Arabian Peninsula in search of knowledge

Like Imam Shafi’i, Imam Ahmad lost his father at a very young age. So in addition to spending his time studying fiqh and hadith under some of Baghdad’s greatest scholars, he also worked in a post office to help support his family. He was thus able to afford studying under one of Imam Abu Hanifa’s foremost students, Abu Yusuf. From Abu Yusuf, the young Ahmad learned the basics of fiqh such asijtihad (intellectual decision making), andqiyas (analogical deduction). 

After becoming proficient in the Hanafi Madhab, Ahmad ibn Hanbal began to study Hadith under some of the greatest Hadith scholars of Baghdad, including Haitham ibn Bishr. He was so eager to expand his knowledge of the sayings and doings of the Prophet ﷺ that he would regularly be waiting after fajr outside of the homes of his teachers, ready to start that day’s lesson. After studying in Baghdad, he went on to study in Makkah, Madinah, Yemen, and Syria. During this time, he even met Imam al-Shafi’i in Makkah. Al-Shafi’i helped the young Ahmad move beyond just memorization of hadith and fiqh, and be able to instead also understand the principles behind them. This collaboration between two of the four great imams clearly shows that the schools of Islamic law are not opposed to each other, but rather work hand in hand. In fact, when Imam al-Shafi’i left Baghdad, he was recorded as having said, “I am leaving Baghdad when there is none more pious, nor a greater jurist than Ahmad ibn Hanbal.”

Ahmad ibn Hanbal the Scholar

After studying with Imam al-Shafi’i, Imam Ahmad was able to begin to formulate his own legal opinions in fiqh. When Imam Ahmad was 40 years of age in the year 820, his mentor Imam al-Shafi’i passed away. At this point, Imam Ahmad began to teach hadith and fiqh to the people of Baghdad. Students would flock to his lectures, and he especially took care of the poorer ones, keeping in mind his own humble origins.

Despite being in the capital of the Muslim world, Baghdad, Imam Ahmad refused to be attracted to a life of luxury and wealth. He continued to live on very humble means, and rejected the numerous gifts that people would offer him, instead choosing to live on whatever small amounts of money he had. He especially insisted on not accepting gifts from political figures, ensuring his independence from the political authority which could affect his teachings.

The Mihna

Imam Ahmad was in Baghdad during the time of the Abbasid Caliph al-Ma’mun, who reigned from 813-833. Although al-Ma’mun was vital to the establishment of Baghdad as an intellectual center, he was heavily influenced by a group known as the Mu’tazila. Mu’tazili philosophy championed the role of rationalism in all aspects of life, including theology. Thus, instead of relying on the Quran and Sunnah to understand God, they relied on philosophical techniques first developed by the Ancient Greeks. Chief among their beliefs was that the Quran was a created book, as opposed to the un-created literal word of Allah.

Al-Ma’mun believed in the Mu’tazili line of thought, and sought to impose this new and dangerous belief system on everyone in his empire – including the scholars. While many scholars pretended to subscribe to Mu’tazili ideas in order to avoid persecution, Imam Ahmad refused to compromise his beliefs.

Legal writings based on the Hanbali Madhab written by Abu Dawud in the late 800s.

Al-Ma’mun instituted an inquisition known as the Mihna. Any scholars who refused to accept Mu’tazili ideas was severely persecuted and punished. Imam Ahmad, as the most famous scholar of Baghdad, was brought before al-Ma’mun and ordered to abandon his traditional Islamic beliefs about theology. When he refused, he was tortured and imprisoned. His treatment at the hands of the political authority was extremely severe. People who witnessed the torture commented that even an elephant could not have handled the treatment that Imam Ahmad was subject to.

Despite all of this, Imam Ahmad held to traditional Islamic beliefs, and thus served as an inspiration for Muslims throughout the empire. His trials set the precedent that Muslims do not give up their beliefs regardless what the political authority imposes on them. In the end, Imam Ahmad outlived al-Ma’mun and his successors until the Caliph al-Mutawakkil ascended in 847 and ended the Mihna. Imam Ahmad was again free to teach the people of Baghdad and write. During this time, he wrote his famous Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, a collection of hadith that served as the basis of his school of legal thought, the Hanbali Madhab.

Imam Ahmad passed away in Baghdad in 855. His legacy was not restricted to the school of fiqh that he founded, nor the huge amount of hadith he compiled. Unlike the other three imams, he had a vital role in preserving the sanctity of Islamic beliefs in the face of intense political persecution. Although the Hanbali Madhab has historically been the smallest of the four, numerous great Muslim scholars throughout history were greatly influenced by Imam Ahmad and his thoughts, including Abdul Qadir al-Gilani, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, Ibn Kathir, and Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab.

Bibliography:

Haddad, Gibril. The Four Imams and their Schools. Muslim Academic Trust, Print.

Khan, Muhammad. The Muslim 100. Leicestershire, United Kingdom: Kube Publishing Ltd, 2008. Print.

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The Life of Imam Abu Hanifa

The understanding of the laws and code of conduct of Islam is something that has constantly been evolving throughout Islamic history. The first generations of Muslims after the Prophet ﷺ had a much easier time understanding what is expected out of them as Muslims because they had access to the Sahaba, the companions of the Prophet ﷺ. As history progressed, however, a need arose to codify Islamic laws into organized and easy to access law codes.

The first person who undertook this monumental task was the great scholar Imam Abu Hanifa. Through his efforts, the first school of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), the Hanafi school, developed. Today, the Hanafi school is the largest and most influential among the four schools (madhabs) of fiqh.

Early Life and Education

Abu Hanifa’s given name was Nu’man ibn Thabit. He was born in 699 in the Iraqi city of Kufa, to a family of Persian origin. His father, Thabit, was a successful businessman in Kufa and thus the young Abu Hanifa intended to follow in his father’s footsteps. Living under the oppressive reign of the governor of Iraq, al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, Abu Hanifa stayed focused on running the family silk-making business and generally steered clear of scholarship. With the death of al-Hajjaj in 713 came the removal of oppressive policies regarding scholars, and Islamic scholarship soared in Kufa, especially during the reign of Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (717-720).

Thus, by his teenage years, Abu Hanifa began to study under some of the resident scholars of Kufa. He even got the opportunity to meet between eight and ten companions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, among them Anas ibn Malik, Sahl ibn Sa’d, and Jabir ibn Abdullah. After learning from some of the greatest scholars of Kufa, he went on to study in Makkah and Madinah under numerous teachers, namely Ata ibn Abu Rabah, who was known as one of the greatest scholars of Makkah at the time.

He soon became an expert in the sciences of fiqh (jurisprudence), tafsir (exegesis of the Quran), and kalam (seeking theological knowledge through debate and reason). In fact, the concept of using debate and logic became a cornerstone of his methodology for seeking Islamic laws.

His School of Fiqh

The Imam Abu Hanifa Mosque in Baghdad

Imam Abu Hanifa was a firm believer that a code of laws cannot stay static for too long, at the risk of no longer meeting the needs of the people. Thus he advocated interpreting the sources of Islamic law (usul al-fiqh) in response to the needs of the people at the time. This dynamic form of legalism did not supersede the Quran and Sunnah (sayings and doings of the Prophet ﷺ), of course. Instead, he promoted the use of the Quran and Sunnah to derive laws that addressed the issues that people dealt with at that time.

A major aspect of his methodology was the use of debate to derive rulings. He would commonly pose a legal issue to a group of about 40 of his students, and challenge them to come up with a ruling based on the Quran and Sunnah. Students would at first attempt to find the solution in the Quran, if it was not clearly answered in the Quran, they would turn to the Sunnah, and if it was not there, they would use reason to find a logical solution.

Abu Hanifa based this methodology on the example when Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent Mu’adh ibn Jabal to Yemen and asked him how he will resolve issues using Islamic law. Mu’adh responded that he would look into the Quran, then the Sunnah, and if he does not find a direct solution there, he would use his best judgement, an answer that Muhammad ﷺ was pleased with.

Using such a process for codifying fiqh, the Hanafi madhab (school of law) was thus founded, based on the rulings of Imam Abu Hanifa, and his prominent students, Abu Yusuf, Muhammad al-Shaybani, and Zuffar.

His Legacy

A map of the distribution of madhab’s worldwide today. The Hanafi madhab is in light green.

Numerous times throughout his later life, Abu Hanifa was offered a position as a chief judge in the city of Kufa. He consistently refused such appointments and thus found himself regularly imprisoned by both the Umayyad and later, the Abbasid authorities. He died in the year 767 while in prison.

A masjid was built in his honor in Baghdad years later, and was renovated in the Ottoman period by the monumental architect Mimar Sinan.

His school of law became very popular in the Muslim world not long after his death. As the official madhab of the Abbasid, Mughal, and Ottoman Empires, his school became very influential throughout the Muslim world. Today, it is very popular in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, the Balkans, Egypt, and the Indian Subcontinent.

Bibliography:

Khan, Muhammad. The Muslim 100. Leicestershire, United Kingdom: Kube Publishing Ltd, 2008. Print.

Sabiq, A. Fiqh us-sunnah at tahara and as-salah. 1. Indiana: American Trust Publications, 1991. Print.

Al-Zahrawi – The Pioneer of Modern Surgery

It has often been stated on this website that the Muslim period of Spain’s history (also known as al-Andalus) was a Golden Age of Islamic civilization and society. Harmony between Islam, Christianity, and Judaism prevailed, great advancements were made in the sciences, and wealth and stability were the rule rather than the exception.

One of the great figures of Muslim Spain was Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi, Islam’s greatest medieval surgeon. He revolutionized how surgery was performed by inventing new methods and tools to help heal patients. His thirty-volume encyclopedia of medicine was used as a standard text for medicine throughout Europe for centuries. The impact he had on how medicine was practiced was truly revolutionary.

Background

Al-Zahrawi lived during most powerful period of the Umayyad Caliphate of Cordoba. He was born in 936 and died in 1013, and served the Umayyad Caliph al-Hakam II and the military ruler, al-Mansur. Throughout his life, al-Zahrawi was a court physician, having been patronized by the rulers of al-Andalus and recognized for his medical genius. He served in such a capacity as a doctor for over 50 years.

Unlike many doctors and hospitals in the “modern” world today, al-Zahrawi insisted on seeing patients regardless of their financial status. By seeing a wide variety of patients every day and recording his treatment of them, he left behind a very valuable text of medical knowledge that he called al-Tasrif.

Al-Tasrif

A page from the original al-Tasrif written by al-Zahrawi in the 900s

His encyclopedia of medicine is divided into 30 volumes. Each one of which dealt with a different aspect of medicine. He discussed how to diagnose diseases in one of the early volumes. He noted that a good doctor should always rely on his own observation of the patient and his/her symptoms instead of simply accepting what the patient says – a practice still employed by doctors today.

Al-Zahrawi takes a holistic approach to medicine. Not only does he discuss how to treat diseases, he describes how to prevent them. He dedicates parts of his books to discussing what foods should be avoided, how to maintain a healthy diet, and how to use food as part of a treatment plan. He particularly notes the effects of alcohol on the body. He states:

“[Alcohol causes] general weakness of most of the nerves of the body, difficulties in articulation, weakness of voluntary movements, arthralgias, gout, etc.. disturbances of the liver which causes tumors and obstructions which is a definite cause of ascites and general ill health”1

Surgery

His most influential volume of al-Tasrif is the 30th, the one dedicated to surgery. In it, he explains in detail how to perform certain surgeries to cure certain ailments. He insists in it that all surgeons must first be very well versed in general medicine, anatomy, and even the writings of philosophers who studied medicine.

Al-Zahrawi pioneered many of the procedures and materials still used in operating rooms today. He was the first to use catgut as the thread for internal stitches. Catgut is a thread made from the lining of the intestines of animals. It is the only material that can be used for stitches and still be absorbed by the body, preventing the need for a second surgery to remove internal stitches. He invented many tools necessary for modern surgery. He was the first to use foreceps in childbirth, greatly decreasing the mortality rate of babies and mothers. He performed tonsillectomies with the same tongue depressors, hooks, and scissors used today. He used concealed knifes to cut into patients without making them apprehensive  He used both local and oral anesthesia in order to reduce the pain patients experienced during surgery. He performed mastectomies  removing a woman’s breast if she had breast cancer, a procedure still done today. He described how to set bone fractures, amputate limbs, and even how to crush bladder stones. To describe all his “firsts” in medicine would take a book of its own.

An early inhaler invented by al-Zahrawi. At the top is the original Arabic while the Latin translation is at the bottom.

Despite his immense knowledge and ability, he always refused to do risky or unknown surgeries that would be stressful physically and emotionally for the patient. He believed in the importance of human life and sought to extend it as long as possible. His precedent was a prime example for effective bedside manner that all doctors should exhibit.

Legacy

Al-Tasrif made its way from al-Andalus throughout the Muslim and Christian worlds. Over the course of centuries, it was translated into Latin and other European languages. Thus, many of the procedures he pioneered were given names that do not indicate that he originated them. For example, the “Walcher position” of childbirth and the “Kocher method” for fixing dislocated shoulders were invented by al-Zahrawi but credited to later European physicians.

Regardless of credit, al-Zahrawi’s contributions to medicine and particularly surgery were revolutionary for his time. Without the procedures and tools that he pioneered, surgery today may still be a barbaric guessing game. His abilities and his consistent recording of procedures helped advance medicine for centuries, and we are still in debt to his genius.

Footnotes:

1 – Awadain, M. Reda. “A Recent Look and Study of Some Papers of al-Zahrawi’s Book “al-Tasrif”.” IslamSet. N.p.. Web. 16 Dec 2012.

Bibliography:

al-Hassani, Salim. 1001 Inventions: The Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilization. Washington D.C. : National Geographic Society, 2012. Print.

Awadain, M. Reda. “A Recent Look and Study of Some Papers of al-Zahrawi’s Book “al-Tasrif”.” IslamSet. N.p.. Web. 16 Dec 2012.

Morgan, M. (2007). Lost History. Washington D.C. : National Geographic Society.

Columbus Was (Not) The First To Cross The Atlantic

Columbus Was (Not) The First To Cross The Atlantic

The old poem that most American school children recognize begins “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue…” Indeed, in the year 1492, Christopher Columbus (whose real name in Italian was Cristoforo Colombo) sailed across the Atlantic in the name of the Spanish crown and landed in the Caribbean part of North America. For hundreds of years, it has simply been accepted that Columbus was the first explorer to valiantly sail across the sea and “discover” the Americas. However, this theory no longer stands up to modern scholarship.

It goes without saying that the first people to truly discover America were the ancestors of the Native Americans, who probably crossed into North America through Russia and Alaska about 12,000 years ago. Discussion of the “discovery” of the Americas by Europeans, Africans, or Asians is an insult to the history of it’s indigenous peoples. That said, the first daring souls to cross the Atlantic ocean by boat are important to know, and the theory of Columbus does no justice to their story.

While the common knowledge about Columbus is that he lived in a time where everyone assumed the world was flat, this is clearly not the case. Ancient Greek scholars such as Aristotle and Pythagoras suggested that the earth was in fact, round. It was during the Muslim Golden Ages (c. 750-1100s) that advanced scholarship into the shape and size of the earth began. Contrary to what most people may believe, in those years, it was common understanding that the earth was not flat. The debate, instead, was about exactly how large the earth was. In the early 800s, the Abbasid Caliph al-Ma’mun assembled the brightest minds of the day (including al-Khawarizmi) in Baghdad who calculated the earth’s circumference and were off by only 4% of it’s actual size.

Knowing that the earth was round, and knowing its size to a very good degree of accuracy (without the modern technology we have today), some intrepid Muslims must have attempted to go around the world, hundreds of years before Columbus. The proof of these voyages is in front of us, in black and white.

Muslim Spain

Al-Masudi’s world map of 956, showing the “unknown land” across the Atlantic across from Africa

The great Muslim historian and geographer, Abu al-Hasan al-Masudi wrote in 956 of a voyage in 889 from al-Andalus (Muslim Spain). The voyage sailed for months westward. They eventually found a large landmass across the ocean where they traded with the natives, and then returned to Europe. Al-Masudi records this land across the ocean in his famous map and refers to it as “the unknown land”.

Two more voyages from Muslim Spain to the Americas are recorded in history. One was in 999 and was led by Ibn Farrukh, from Granada. The other is recorded by the genius mind of the geographer al-Idrisi, who worked in the multi-cultural and religiously tolerant Sicily of King Roger II in the 1100s. He wrote of a group of Muslims who sailed west from Lisbon for 31 days and landed on an island in the Caribbean. They were taken prisoner by the Native Americans on that island for a few days. Eventually, they were freed when a translator who lived among the natives that spoke Arabic arranged for their release. They eventually sailed back to al-Andalus and told their tale. The important part of this account is the existence of an Arabic speaker among the natives, indicating that there must have been more unrecorded contact between the Arab world and the Americas.

West Africa

There is another part of the Muslim world that had contact with the Americas before Columbus. In West Africa in the 1300s, a powerful and incredibly wealthy empire called Mali existed. The most famous leader of this empire was Mansa (king) Musa. The most memorable event of his reign was his epic hajj journey in 1324. The caravan of over 60,000 people made an impression everywhere they went, including Egypt, where Mansa Musa told the story of how he came to power. His brother, Abu Bakr was the Mansa before he was. During his reign, Abu Bakr sent a fleet of 400 ships to explore the Atlantic Ocean. Only 1 ship returned, but reported that they found a land across the ocean. Mansa Abu Bakr then outfitted a fleet of 2000 ships, which he sailed with personally, that sailed west into the ocean. They were never heard from again.

While there is no record in Mali of the result of that voyage, there is evidence of their arrival in the Americas. There are numerous archaeological sites in North and South America that attest to that Malian presence. Early Spanish explorers and pirates recorded abandoned cities in Brazil that had inscriptions identical to the language of the Mandinka (the people of Mali). More inscriptions in the Mandinka language were found in the United States as well. Near the Mississippi River, many inscriptions exist that recorded their exploration of the Americas. In Arizona, an inscription was found that reads “The elephants are sick and angry. At present there are many sick elephants”. This inscription also includes a rough sketch of an elephant. Elephants are not native to the Americas. They were brought by the Mandinka to the Americas, and the inscriptions are proof of Mansa Abu Bakr’s successful journey over 100 years before Columbus.

The Ottoman Empire

In 1929, an amazing discovery was made in Istanbul, Turkey. A map drawn in the year 1513 by the Ottoman cartographer, Piri Reis was found. Reis wrote that his map was based on earlier sources, including ancient Greek and Arabic maps, including maps by Christopher Columbus, who had sailed only 21 years earlier. What is remarkable about this map is the level of detail of the map, which forced historians to re-evaluate the Columbus theory of exploration.

The Piri Reis map of 1513

The map clearly shows the eastern coast of South America, which is in the correct position with regards to Africa. The coast of Brazil is shown in incredible detail, with many rivers accurately placed on the map. Although Reis used Columbus’s maps as a source, Columbus never went to South America, so Reis must have gotten that from earlier Muslim maps that he used as sources. Furthermore, Reis’s map includes the Andes Mountains, which were not even explored by Europeans until the 1520s, a full decade after the drawing of Reis’s map!

Piri Reis based his map on earlier sources, which clearly had a very good understanding of the Americas and had explored the area well before the first Europeans. The map is perhaps the strongest physical evidence of Muslim exploration of the Americas before Columbus

What Did Columbus Say?

With all of this evidence of Muslim exploration before Columbus’s voyage in 1492, is it possible that Columbus himself knew he was not the first? It’s more than likely to be the case. Columbus sailed from Spain in the same year the last Muslim dynasty of Iberia was destroyed in the Reconquista. Many of the people of Iberia were still Muslims, and carried with them the knowledge of the Muslim Golden Ages. Numerous people on Columbus’s voyage were Moriscos, Muslims who were forced to convert to Catholicism or die. Columbus could have heard from Spain’s Muslims of the New World and was thus inspired to go exploring.

Once he got to the Americas, Columbus records numerous examples of Muslims already present. He commented on the gold that the natives had, which was made the same way, in the same alloy, as the Muslims of West Africa did. Furthermore, Columbus records that the native word in that area for gold isguanin, which is very similar to the Mandinka word for gold, ghanin, which probably comes from the Arabic word for wealth, ghina’. 

In 1498, Columbus recorded seeing a ship loaded with goods, heading towards America, filled with Africans who were probably on their way to trade with Native Americans. Columbus also records in his journal that Native Americans told him of black Africans who came regularly to trade with them.

Even Columbus knew that he was not the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Conclusions

Clearly, the theory that Columbus discovered America is nothing but an old tale that has not stood the test of time. There is no doubt that the Columbian Era was a pivotal time in world history that changed the way of life in the Americas and Europe forever. However, he was not the first to make the crossing to the Americas. Evidence exists from the Arabs, West Africans, and Ottomans of Muslim voyages to the Americas well before Columbus and Christian Europe. For whatever reason, the textbooks continue to extoll the voyage of Columbus and the courage of his crew, the “first” to make it across the Atlantic. This idea clearly needs to be re-examined in light of evidence from earlier Muslim explorations, to bring their contributions to the general public.

Sources:

Dirks , J. (2006). Muslims in American History . Beltsville, MD: Amana Publications.

Morgan, M. (2007). Lost History. Washington D.C. : National Geographic Society.

Quick, A. H. (2007). Deeper Roots. (3rd ed.). Cape Town: DPB Printers and Booksellers.

Jerusalem and Umar ibn al-Khattab

Jerusalem and Umar ibn al-Khattab

Jerusalem is a city holy to the three largest monotheistic faiths – Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Because of its history that spans thousands of years, it goes by many names: Jerusalem, al-Quds, Yerushaláyim, Aelia, and more, all reflecting its diverse heritage. It is a city that numerous Muslim prophets called home, from Sulayman and Dawood to Isa (Jesus), may Allah be pleased with them.

During the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ’s life, he made a miraculous journey in one night from Makkah to Jerusalem and then from Jerusalem to Heaven – the Isra’ and Mi’raj. During his life, however, Jerusalem never came under Muslim political control. That would change during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second caliph of Islam.

Into Syria

During Muhammad ﷺ’s life, the Byzantine Empire made clear its desire to eliminate the new Muslim religion growing on its southern borders. The Expedition of Tabuk thus commenced in October 630, with Muhammad ﷺ leading an army of 30,000 people to the border with the Byzantine Empire. While no Byzantine army met the Muslims for a battle, the expedition marked the beginning of the Muslim-Byzantine Wars that would continue for decades.

During the rule of the caliph Abu Bakr from 632 to 634, no major offensives were taken into Byzantine land. It was during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab, that Muslims would begin to seriously expand northwards into the Byzantine realm. He sent some of the ablest Muslim generals, including Khalid ibn al-Walid and Amr ibn al-‘As to fight the Byzantines. The decisive Battle of Yarmuk in 636 was a huge blow to Byzantine power in the region, leading to the fall of numerous cities throughout Syria such as Damascus.

In many cases, Muslim armies were welcomed by the local population – both Jews and Christians. The majority of the Christians of the region were Monophysites, who had a more monotheistic view of God that was similar to what the new Muslims were preaching. They welcomed Muslim rule over the area instead of the Byzantines, with whom they had many theological differences.

Capture of Jerusalem

By 637, Muslim armies began to appear in the vicinity of Jerusalem. In charge of Jerusalem was Patriarch Sophronius, a representative of the Byzantine government, as well as a leader in the Christian Church. Although numerous Muslim armies under the command of Khalid ibn al-Walid and Amr ibn al-‘As began to surround the city, Sophronius refused to surrender the city unless Umar came to accept the surrender himself.

Having heard of such a condition, Umar ibn al-Khattab left Madinah, travelling alone with one donkey and one servant. When he arrived in Jerusalem, he was greeted by Sophronius, who undoubtedly must have been amazed that the caliph of the Muslims, one of the most powerful people in the world at that point, was dressed in no more than simple robes and was indistinguishable from his servant.

The Mosque of Umar still stands across the street from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre today

Umar was given a tour of the city, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. When the time for prayer came, Sophronius invited Umar to pray inside the Church, but Umar refused. He insisted that if he prayed there, later Muslims would use it as an excuse to convert it into a mosque – thereby depriving Christendom of one of its holiest sites. Instead, Umar prayed outside the Church, where a mosque (called Masjid Umar – the Mosque of Umar) was later built.

The Treaty of Umar

As they did with all other cities they conquered, the Muslims had to write up a treaty detailing the rights and privileges regarding the conquered people and the Muslims in Jerusalem. This treaty was signed by Umar and Patriarch Sophronius, along with some of the generals of the Muslim armies. The text of the treaty read:

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. This is the assurance of safety which the servant of God, Umar, the Commander of the Faithful, has given to the people of Jerusalem. He has given them an assurance of safety for themselves  for their property, their churches, their crosses, the sick and healthy of the city and for all the rituals which belong to their religion. Their churches will not be inhabited by Muslims and will not be destroyed. Neither they, nor the land on which they stand, nor their cross, nor their property will be damaged. They will not be forcibly converted. No Jew will live with them in Jerusalem.

The people of Jerusalem must pay the taxes like the people of other cities and must expel the Byzantines and the robbers. Those of the people of Jerusalem who want to leave with the Byzantines, take their property and abandon their churches and crosses will be safe until they reach their place of refuge. The villagers may remain in the city if they wish but must pay taxes like the citizens. Those who wish may go with the Byzantines and those who wish may return to their families. Nothing is to be taken from them before their harvest is reaped.

If they pay their taxes according to their obligations, then the conditions laid out in this letter are under the covenant of God, are the responsibility of His Prophet, of the caliphs and of the faithful.

– Quoted in The Great Arab Conquests, from Tarikh Tabari

At the time, this was by far one of the most progressive treaties in history. For comparison, just 23 years earlier when Jerusalem was conquered by the Persians from the Byzantines, a general massacre was ordered. Another massacre ensued when Jerusalem was conquered by the Crusaders from the Muslims in 1099.

The Treaty of Umar allowed the Christians of Jerusalem religious freedom, as is dictated in the Quran and the sayings of Muhammad ﷺ. This was one of the first and most significant guarantees of religious freedom in history. While there is a clause in the treaty regarding the banning of Jews from Jerusalem, its authenticity is debated. One of Umar’s guides in Jerusalem was a Jew named Kaab al-Ahbar. Umar further allowed Jews to worship on the Temple Mount and the Wailing Wall, while the Byzantines banned them from such activities. Thus, the authenticity of the clause regarding Jews is in question.

What is not in question, however, was the significance of such a progressive and equitable surrender treaty, which protected minority rights. The treaty became the standard for Muslim-Christian relations throughout the former Byzantine Empire, with rights of conquered people being protected in all situations, and forced conversions never being a sanctioned act.

Revitalization of the City

Umar immediately set about making the city an important Muslim landmark. He cleared the area of the Temple Mount, where Muhammad ﷺ ascended to heaven from. The Christians had used the area as a garbage dump to offend the Jews, and Umar and his army (along with some Jews) personally cleaned it and built a mosque – Masjid al-Aqsa – there.

Masjid al-Aqsa was originally built by Umar ibn al-Khattab in 637

Throughout the remainder of Umar’s caliphate and into the Umayyad Empire’s reign over the city, Jerusalem became a major center of religious pilgrimage and trade. The Dome of the Rock was added to complement Masjid al-Aqsa in 691. Numerous other mosques and public institutions were soon established throughout the city.

The Muslim conquest of Jerusalem under the caliph Umar in 637 was clearly an important moment in the city’s history. For the next 462 years, it would be ruled by Muslims, with religious freedom for minorities protected according to the Treaty of Umar. Even in 2012, as fighting continues over the future status of the city, many Muslims, Christians, and Jews insist that the Treaty maintains legal standing and look to it to help solve Jerusalem’s current problems.

Non-Muslim Rights in the Ottoman Empire

Non-Muslim Rights in the Ottoman Empire

Much like previous Muslim Empires, the Ottomans showed great toleration and acceptance of non-Muslim communities in their empire. This is based on existing Muslim laws regarding the status of non-Muslims. They are protected, given religious freedoms, and free from persecution according to the Shariah. One of the first precedents of this was the Treaty of Umar ibn al-Khattab, in which he guaranteed the Christians of Jerusalem total religious freedom and safety.

The Millet System

The first instance of the Ottomans having to rule a large number of Christians was after the conquest of Constantinople by Sultan Mehmed II in 1453. Constantinople had historically been the center of the Orthodox Christian world, and still had a large Christian population. As the empire grew into Europe, more and more non-Muslims came under Ottoman authority. For example, in the 1530s, over 80% of the population in Ottoman Europe was not Muslim. In order to deal with these new Ottoman subjects, Mehmed instituted a new system, later called the millet system.

This portrait of Mehmed II was painted by an Italian Christian, Gentile Bellini

Under this system, each religious group was organized into a millet. Millet comes from the Arabic word for “nation”, indicating that the Ottomans considered themselves the protectors of multiple nations. Each religious group was considered its own millet, with multiple millets existing in the empire. For example, all Orthodox Christians in the Ottoman Empire were considered as constituting a millet, while all Jews constituted another millet. 

Each millet was allowed to elect its own religious figure to lead them. In the case of the Orthodox Church (the biggest Church in the Ottoman Empire), the Orthodox Patriarch (the Archbishop of Constantinople) was the elected leader of the millet. The leaders of the millets were allowed to enforce their own religion’s rules on their people. Islamic law (Shariah) had no jurisdiction over non-Muslims in the Ottoman Empire.

In cases of crime, people would be punished according to the rules of their own religion, not Islamic rules or rules of other religions. For example, if a Christian were to steal, he would be punished according to the Christian laws regarding theft. If a Jew were to steal, he were to be punished according to Jewish laws, etc. The only time Islamic law would come into account was if the criminal was a Muslim, or when there was a case involving two people from different millets. In that case, a Muslim judge was to preside over the case and judge according to his best judgement and common law.

In addition to religious law, millets were given freedom to use their own language, develop their own institutions (churches, schools, etc), and collect taxes. The Ottoman sultan only exercised control over the millets through their leaders. The millet leaders ultimately reported to the sultan, and if there was a problem with a millet, the sultan would consult that millet leader. Theoretically, the Muslim population of the Ottoman Empire also constituted a millet, with the Ottoman sultan as the millet leader.

Legacy

The Ottoman Empire lasted from 1300 to 1922. Throughout most of this history, the millet system provided a system of religious harmony and belonging throughout the empire. As the empire expanded, more millets were organized. Separate millets existed for Armenian, Catholic, and Orthodox Christians, for example, with each sect being divided further into more specific regional churches.

These imperial decrees by the Ottoman sultans Mehmed II and Bayezid II granted the Greek community ownership of the church. The decrees and church remain in Istanbul today.

The millet system did not last until the end of the Ottoman Empire. As the empire weakened in the 1700s and 1800s, European intervention in the empire expanded. When the liberal Tanzimat were passed in the 1800s, the millet system was abolished, in favor of a more European-style secularist government. The Ottomans were forced to guarantee vague “rights” to religious minorities, which in fact limited their freedoms. Instead of being allowed to rule themselves according to their own rules, all religious groups were forced to follow the same set of secular laws. This actually ended up causing more religious tension in the empire, which was one of the causes of the genocide of the Armenians during World War One in the Ottoman Empire’s dying days.

The millet system was a unique and creative solution to running a multi-ethnic and multi-religious empire. The rights and freedoms it gave to religious minorities were far ahead of their time. While Europe struggled with religious persecution into the 1900s, the Ottomans created a harmonious and stable religious pluralistic system that guaranteed religious freedom for hundreds of years.

Bibliography:

Itzkowitz, Norman. Ottoman Empire And Islamic Tradition. Chicago: University Of Chicago Press, 1981. Print.

Ochsenwald, William, and Sydney Fisher. The Middle East: A History. 6th. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003. Print.

AlaHazrat Imam Ahmed Raza Khan (RadiAllahuAnh)

AlaHazrat Imam Ahmed Raza Khan (RadiAllahuAnh)

Aala Hazrat Imam Ahle Sunnat Ash Shah, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was that ‘Rising Sun’ that shone upon the horizon of Islam, brightening and enlightening wherever darkness had set in. Every second of his life was entirely devoted and dedicated to the cause of Islam. He taught us a lesson of love, UNDIVIDED LOVE for the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) stressing that love for the Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is the cornerstone of Imaan. Thus Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) stood out conspicuously as a very great personality who became the leader of the Muslims not only in his lifetime but moreso today, as millions of true Sunni Muslims see in Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) their teacher, their guide to the straight path, the path of the Prophets, the path of the Sahaabah and the path of the subsequent learned scholars of Islam. It is for this reason that Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) received the title of ‘Aala Hazrat’ on his first visit to Arabia, where his extraordinary personality moved even the greatest learned scholars in Arabia and they unanimously declared Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) to be not just an ordinary ‘Hazrat’ but an ‘Aala Hazrat’ – a great Hazrat! Subhaanallah!

MARRIAGE AND BLESSED CHILDREN: In the year 1291 A.H. (1874), Aala Hazrat (RadiallahuTa’ala Anh) married Sayyidah Irshaad Begum (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) who was the beloved daughter of Shaikh Fadhl Hussain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). He was 18 years old at the time of his Nikah.
Almighty Allah blessed Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) with 7 beautiful children - 2 sons and 5 daughters. Both his sons became distinguished Islamic Scholars and great Awliyah Allah. His sons were Hujjatul Islam Maulana Haamid Raza Khan and Ghausul Waqt Huzoor Mufti-e-Azam Hind (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anhum).

BAI'AT AND KHILAFAT: In the year 1294 A.H., at the age of 22 years, Sayyiduna Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) became the Mureed of Imam-ul-Asfiya, Sayyiduna Shah Aale Rasool Mahrerawi (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). The incident surrounding the Bai'at (Spiritual Allegiance) and Khilafat (Spiritual Successorship) of Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was a remarkable one. Once Hazrat Maulana Abdul Qadir Badayouni (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) came to Bareilly Shareef. He invited Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) to go to Mahrerah Shareef with him. Sayyiduna Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) accepted his invitation and they both set off to Mahrerah Shareef. When they arrived at the station in Marehrah Shareef, Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) said, “I am receiving the scent of my Murshid.” When they reached the Khanqah-e-Barakaati and entered, Sayyiduna Shah Aale Rasool (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) saw Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and said, “Come in. I have been awaiting your presence for a long time.” Sayyiduna Shah Aale Rasool (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) immediately made Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) a mureed and blessed him with Khilafat and I'jazat in all the sufi silsilas. Hazrat Sayyiduna Abul Hussain Noori Barakaati (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), who was also the Peer-o-Murshid of Huzoor Mufti-e-Azam Hind Maulana Mustafa Raza Khan (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), was also present in this spiritual gathering. He was also a great Wali and needed no introduction to Sayyiduna Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). For the benefit of the others who were present and to make them aware of the exalted calibre and status of Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), he asked Hazrat Sayyiduna Shah Aale Rasool (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) a question. He asked, “Huzoor, the ritual here at Mahrerah Shareef is that if any person comes here, and after becoming a mureed desires to gain Khilafat and I'jazat, then we ask him to perform mujahida (struggle in the path of Allah). We also give him dry bread to eat as part of his spiritual training. After this, if we find him worthy enough, then we grant him Khilafat and I'jazat in one or two silsilas, but you have blessed this young man with Khilafat and I'jazat of all the silsilas, and even commanded him to look at and verify all the kitaabs which you have written. Why is this so?” Sayyiduna Shah Aale Rasool (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) answered with the following words, “O People! you do not know Ahmad Raza. Others who come here need to be prepared before gaining I'jazat and Khilafat, but Ahmad Raza Khan has come prepared from Almighty Allah. All he needed was a link and this is why I made him mureed. I always teared through the fear of Almighty Allah that if on the day of Qiyaamah, he questioned me concerning what I had brought for him from the world, then I would have no answer. But today, that fear no longer exists. If on the day of Qiyaamah Almighty Allah asks, “O Aale Rasool! What have you brought for me?”, then I will immediately present Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) to my Creator.” This highly spiritual incident alone gives us a glimpse into the status of Aala Hazrat, Azeemul Barkat, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) possessed immense love for his Peer-o-Murshid and for the family members. He also displayed his love for all those who had contact with them and respected them.
Whenever Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) went to Mahrerah Shareef to gain blessings from his Peer-o-Murshid, he would remove his shoes at the station and walk bare feet in Mahrerah Shareef. Whenever any person or representative from Mahrerah Shareef arrived in Bareilly Shareef to deliver a letter or parcel to Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), he would treat that person with great respect and dignity. He addressed the person with words of respect, such as, ‘Most Respected Representative’ and would not allow that person to leave without giving him something to eat. Aala Hazrat (RadiallahuTa’ala Anh) would personally go into the house to bring out food for that person. He showed so much respect that he even used to carry the dish or plate of food on his blessed head. Subhaanallah!

ADHERENCE TO THE SUNNAH : Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) laid great emphasis on following the Sunnah of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). The following account clearly describes Aala Hazrat's (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) great trust and faith upon the Sunnah. Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) narrates, “There was once a rumour in Bareilly, that the plague had appeared. Coincidently, at that moment, my gums became extremely inflamed. It continued to such proportions that it became difficult for me to open my mouth. I also had a high fever, coupled with inflamed glands. The doctor who was called, looked at me closely for a few minutes. He exclaimed that I had the plague. I could not speak at that moment, or else I would have told him that his diagnosis was incorrect and false. I was certain that I did not have the plague or any other major disease, simply because I had already recited a Dua as explained by Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), who said that if one sees a serious and deadly illness, he should recite that Dua, which would protect the person from such an illness. Whenever I saw a serious illness, I recited this Dua, therefore I was protected against it, including the plague. Thereafter, with extreme respect I proclaimed aloud, “O Allah! Prove that the words of your Beloved Habeeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is true, and that the words of the doctor is false.” At that moment a voice on my right advised me to use the Miswaak and black pepper. With a little difficulty, I performed brushing with the Miswaak and kept the black pepper on my tongue as a tablet. Infinite indeed, is the Mercy of Almighty Allah! Within a few minutes, I had gained my strength and sent the doctor away by proving that his diagnosis was false and baseless.”

A similar incident showing the great trust that Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) had in Almighty Allah and His Beloved Habeeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is recorded by Maulana Muhammad Shareef. He says, “Once, when Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was returning from Hajj by ship with his father, there was a great storm. The storm reached such intensity that the captain advised the passengers to wear their kafans (shrouds), for he could see no escape from such a storm. Aala Hazrat (RadiallahuTa’ala Anh), noticing the concern on the face of his father, inquired as to what had transpired. His father replied, “My beloved son, I have no concern for myself, rather it is for you that I am sad.” The young Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) replied, “O father, if the captain has lost hope then let him do so. We should have complete faith in Allah and His Beloved Habeeb Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (SallallahuAlaihi Wasallam). In accordance with the commands of the Beloved Rasool (SallallahuAlaihi  Wasallam), when entering this ship, I recited the Dua 'Subhaanal lazi sakh khara lana haaza wa  maa kunna lahu muq rineen wa inna ila Rabbina la mun qaliboon'. Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (SallallahuAlaihiWasallam) has stated that, “Whosoever recites this Dua when entering a ship (any mode of transport), that ship would not be destroyed. Therefore I have absolute certainty that generations may change, yet this ship would never sink.” Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) had merely spoken these words, when the captain arrived and began informing the passengers that the storm is subsiding and that there was no need for
concern!” Subhaanallah!

HAFIZ-UL-QUR’AN: Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was intially not a Hafiz-ul-Qur’an. Once, someone wrote a letter to Sayyiduna Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and addressed him as ‘Hafiz’. When Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) saw this, he became depressed for he felt that he was not worthy of such a title. He immediately decided to become a Hafiz of the Holy Qur’an. How did he become a Hafiz-ul-Quran? During the month of Ramadaan, Sadrush Shariah Hazrat Allama Mufti Amjad Ali (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) would recite one para (chapter) to Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) between the Azaan and Jamaat of Esha. Sayyiduna Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) would listen to it and, thereafter, recite the same para in the Taraweeh Salaah. He continued this routine for 30 days, and by the end of Ramadaan, Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) had memorised the entire Qura’n Shareef. for he felt that he was not worthy of such a title. He immediately decided to become a Hafiz of the Holy Qur’an. How did he become a Hafiz-ul-Quran? During the month of Ramadaan, Sadrush Shariah Hazrat Allama Mufti Amjad Ali (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) would recite one para (chapter) to Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) between the Azaan and Jamaat of Esha. Sayyiduna Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) would listen to it and, thereafter, recite the same para in the Taraweeh Salaah. He continued this routine for 30 days, and by the end of Ramadaan, Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) had memorised the entire Qura’n Shareef. Subhaanallah!
WRITINGS OF AALA HAZRAT (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh): To date, it has not been fully ascertained as to exactly how many books Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) wrote. In 1887, At the age of 30 years, he had completed 75 Books and treatises. In 1909, at the age of 43 years, this number increased up to 500. However, it has been estimated that the number of books written by Sayyiduna Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) exceed 1 000 encompassing more than fifty branches of knowledge. Apart from these contributions, he had written annotations and commentaries on more than 150 books pertaining to various branches of learning.
AALA HAZRAT'S (Radiallahu Ta'ala Anh) ADVICE BEFORE HIS DEMISE
1. Nothing with photos of living objects should be near me when my Rooh (Soul) leaves.
2. Recite Surah Yaseen and Sura Ra'ad beside me.
3. Recite Durood Shareef in abundance.
4. Keep those who are weeping away from me.
5. Give my Ghusl according to the Sunnah.
6. Either Maulana Haamid Raza or Allamah Amjad Ali (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anhum) should perform my
Janazah Salaah.
7. Do not delay my Janazah.
8. When taking my Janazah, recite “Kaabe ke Badru Duja Thum pe Karoro Durood.”
9. Do not read anything in my praise.
10. Place me softly in the grave.
12. My grave should be dug according to my height.
13. My kafan should be according to the Sunnah.
14. The food of my Fathiha must be given to the poor.
15. Haamid Raza must give a fair share of everything to Chote Mia (Huzoor Mufti-e-Azam Hind). If not, my Rooh will be displeased. (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anhum)
16. All of you must remain steadfast on Deen. Do not leave the path of Shariah. Stay on the Deen on which I was.

WISAAL: The date of the Wisaal of Sayyiduna Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was actually deduced by himself from the Holy Quran four months and twenty days prior to his passing away. Sayyiduna Aala Hazrat, Mujaddide Deen-o-Millat, Imam Ahle Sunnat Ash Shah Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) left this mundane world on Friday, the 25th of Safar 1340 A.H. (28 October 1921) at 2.38 p.m. while the Jummah Azaan was being given. His rooh undertook the eternal journey exactly at the moment when the words ‘HAYYA ALAL FALAH’ (COME TO SUCCESS) were being recited. This was a fitting tribute to the rooh of Aala Hazrat (RadiallahuTa’ala Anh), as it were to enter the abode of the successful!At the time of the demise of Sayyiduna  ala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), a certain saint of Syria, while in Baitul Mukaddas, dreamt of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). In his dream, the saint saw many Sahaba-Ikraam (Ridwaanullahi Ta’ala Alaihim Ajma’een) seated around the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). All of them seemed to be waiting for someone. The saint was curious at the silence in the gathering and says that, in his dream, he asked, “Ya Rasoolallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), whose presence is being awaited?” The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) replied, “We are waiting for Ahmad Raza.” The blessed saint then asked, “Who is Ahmad Raza?” The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) answered, “An Aalim from Bareilly in India.” When this saint awoke, he immediately journeyed from Syria to Bareilly Shareef to meet Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), but to his dismay, he learnt that Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) had already departed from this world.

MAZAAR SHAREEF: The Mazaar Shareef of Sayyiduna Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) is situated in Mohallah Saudagaran, Bareilly Shareef in India. Each year, in the month of Safar, during the Urs Shareef of Sayyiduna Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), hundreds of thousands of Muslims from all over the world present themselves in Bareilly Shareef to partake in the Urs Shareef of the Mujaddid of Islam, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). May Allah Ta’ala grant us all Insha Allah the opportunity to present ourselves in the Darbaar of Aala Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) to make Ziyaarat of his blessed Mazaar Shareef, Ameen.