The Scholars of Makkah al-Mukarramah, Madinah al-Munawwarah, Al-Azhar, Syria, The Indian Subcontinent who testified and signed in favour of the Deobandi Scholars from the scornful acrimony and takfeer made against them by Ahmad Rida Khan al-Barelwi and his followers

 

The Scholars of Makkah al-Mukarramah, Madinah al-Munawwarah, Al-Azhar, Syria, The Indian Subcontinent who testified and signed in favour of the Deobandi Scholars from the scornful acrimony and takfeer made against them by Ahmad Rida Khan al-Barelwi and his followers. In this short article, we hope to clarify to the respected reader the names of the great Ulama from the early part of the 20th century who were living in the Holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, followed by the Ulama of the most famous Sunni institute in the world: Jami al-Azhar, in Cairo, Egypt, and lastly the Ulama from the honourable and lauded land of Shaam (Syria) – who all unanimously testified to the truthfulness, honesty, scholarship, and most importantly that the Ulama of Deoband were Sunni Muslims belonging within the true manifestation of the Ahl-ul-Sunnah Wa’l Jama’ah. In doing so these very Ulama repudiated all the claims made against the Ulama of Deoband by Ahmad Rida Khan al-Barelvi of India, in the early 1900’s.Ahmad Rida Khan made the great accusation in his Husam al-Haramayn and followed up in his Tamheed-e-Iman, that the four Deobandi scholars: Maulana Khalil Ahmad al-Sahranpuri, Maulana Rashid Ahmad al-Gangohi, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi and Maulana Qasim Nanautwi all became unbelievers and apostates from the deen of Islam. He did not stop at that heinous point, but went on to declare quite blatantly that: “ANY PERSON WHO DOUBTS THE KUFR OF THESE PEOPLE WILL THEMSELVES BECOME KAAFIRS!” (See the preface to his Tamheed-e-Iman, p. v, by the South African Barelvi who called himself the “Khadim-e-Raza: servant of Rida Khan”, Mohammed Bana, dated 19/10/87).

In the preface to Tamheed-e-Iman by the above named South African Barelvi, he listed a number of Ulama who initially signed in favour of Rida Khan’s Husam al-Haramayn. Below, is a list of the names of all the Ulama who either withdrew their signatures or categorically included their testificatory letters and signatures in repudiation of Ahmad Rida Khan and his followers, and more importantly to vindicate and exonerate the perfidious allegations made in his Husam al-Haramayn. All of the names listed immediately below can be found in the comprehensive list composed later from Shaykh Khalil Ahmad’s: al-Muhannad ala’l Mufannad (see later).

ULAMA OF MAKKAH:

1) Ustad-al-Haram – Mufti Muhammad Saeed Shafi’i
2) Mufti Abid ibn Husayn al-Maliki
3) Mufti Ali ibn Husayn al-Maliki

ULAMA OF MADINAH:

1) Mufti of the Hanafi’s – Tajuddin Ilyas
2) Shaykh of the Maliki’s – Mufti Sayyid Ahmad of Algeria
3) Mufti Khalil ibn Ibrahim Kharbuti
4) Shaykhud-Dalail – Mufti Sayyid Muhammad Saeed
5) Shaykh Umar ibn Hamdan al-Mahrasee
6) Mufti of the Shafi’is – Sayyid Ahmad Barzanji
7) Mufti Muhammad Aziz al-Maliki
8) Mufti Abdul Qadir Tawfiq – Teacher in Masjid al-Nabawi

The prefacer, Mohammed Bana, the self proclaimed Khadim-e-Raza said after giving his superseded list which he did not admit to or seem to know of (p. vi):

“Readers are requested that in view of the warning by the leading Imams and Islamic Jurists of Haramain Shareefain they should NOT DOUBT the kufr of those Ulama of Deoband and expose their own Imaan to danger.” Then he said under the heading: “Truly Surprising and Shocking”: “It is indeed surprising and shocking that after these Ulama of Deoband were declared kaafirs none of them even bothered to defend their kufr. Numerous books by the Ulama-e-Ahle Sunnat were written refuting their statements but these insolent Ulama remained silent throughout their lives with the kufr fatwas hanging over their heads right up to their deaths. They neither denied the statements were theirs nor made any attempts to clarify these statements of kufr, refute or explain that they did not mean to say what the entire leading Ulama of Makkah, Madinah and India had understood…”

I say: This is far from the truth and it is the most deceitful way of hood winking the general Muslim population. It is not just a slander against the Deobandi’s but is also a way of beguiling not just the truth, but even deceiving the Barelvi mass’s; for we have already shown that these Ulama of Deoband did reply to Rida Khan and his cohorts, and all the major titles have been given with the names of the publishers to demonstrate the deception of anyone who claims such things like Mohammed Bana. What will shock him and his ilk is what shall be mentioned below and the list of Ulama who later withdrew their signatures and found in favour of these very same Ulama of Deoband, to be pious scholars from amongst the Sunni Ulama.

There are 7 specific books, which clarify the status of the Ulama of Deoband to be pious Sunni Muslims, and ultimately demolish all Barelvi allegations and slanders. The first being the work: Al-Muhannad ala’l Mufannad (also known as al-Tasdeeqat li-Dafa al-Talbeesat), and is usually known commonly as: Aqeeda Ulama Ahl-e-Sunnat Deoband, by the great scholar and Muhaddith that Rida Khan called an unbeliever, and he is, Maulana Khalil Ahmad al-Sahranpuri (d. 1346 AH). This book contains some 26 questions asked by the Ulama of Hijaz to the Ulama of Deoband with regard to questions that could be used to detect if the Deobandi Ulama that Rida Khan declared unbelievers were in essence what he claimed! The answers proved conclusively that the Ulama of Deoband were Sunni’s, not Wahhabi’s, and far from the label of unbelief pronounced by Rida Khan, and his followers up until this day. This book contains a great number of testificatory letters and signatures by the Ulama of Hijaz, al-Azhar and Shaam.

A host of Indian subcontinent Ulama also endorsed this book. We shall list all the names shortly with the dates they actually signed their declarations in favour of all the Deobandi Ulama that Rida Khan made takfeer of. Al-Muhannad ala’l Mufannad was written originally in Arabic, unlike Rida Khan who based his false and exaggerated allegations based on his own Arabic translations of the misinterpreted quotes from the four Deobandi Ulama – who all wrote their works under examination in Urdu only. Since hardly any of the Ulama of Makkah and Madinah knew any Urdu they could not check the claims made by Rida Khan from the works of the Deobandi Ulama, but had to rely on Rida Khan’s own Arabic translations. This was the first way of misinterpreting and in reality deceiving the Ulama of Hijaz.

It would have been more scholarly and honest if Rida Khan actually went and approached the 4 Deobandi Ulama who were all alive in his own time, and asked them personally what they meant by their statements, that he, Rida Khan, seems to have clearly misunderstood. If one was to ask oneself why Rida Khan failed to take on this path, one can only entertain one conclusion. Namely, he was out to get his contemporaries who were very popular and especially so in eradicating innovations and superstitions currently prevailing in India during British colonialist rule. Ahmad Rida Khan and his followers had realized that the Ulama of Deoband had succeeded in founding a great Madrasah under the Dars-e-Nizami syllabus to produce scholars for all India since 1867. At that time Rida Khan was just 11 years of age but he and his ilk had realised that the Ulama of Deoband in the tradition of Shah Waliullah of Delhi, had managed to produce a large following, a great number of educated scholars, and a number of scholarly works.

All of this was not in the interest of the Barelvi’s who had failed to match the scholarship, and even establish a proper Madrasah to create Ulama in the same grandeur and rank as Darul Ulum Deoband. Even today hardly anyone talks about a famous Madrasa in the hometown of Rida Khan, known as Bareilly. Whatever they have today in the name of a Madrasah is far less known than Darul Ulum Deoband in all India or the rest of the world. So, it seemed natural for Rida Khan and his cohorts to knit-pick on any issue which could cause his young movement to blossom; especially since he supported a number of practices which were initially alien to the first three pious generations of Islam (Salaf us-Salihin). He knew very well that the Ulama of Deoband were mounting a campaign to return to following strict Sunni Islam, which was as close as possible to the practice of the Salaf, as interpreted by the great Imam, Abu Hanifah, rahmatullah alayhi.

With this begrudging and impudent attitude, Rida Khan mounted a campaign against all of his contemporaries from all the Sunni factions, which opposed his ideology. He mounted his campaign heavily on the Ulama of Nadwa in Lucknow, the Wahhabi’s who labelled themselves as Ahl-e-Hadith, and most heavily against the most successful group, the Ulama of Deoband, who were and continue to defend the true teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah, and fight the baseless innovations which were current in his time and unfortunately so still in our times. Prior to his writing his Husam al-Haramayn, Rida Khan was virtually unknown as a major scholar of Islam in comparison to his contemporaries.

The second of the books in refutation of Rida Khan, was a direct reply to his Husam al-Haramayn, and this was written by his contemporary Deobandi Ulama which included: Shaykh Khalil Ahmad al-Sahranpuri, al-Sayyid Husayn Ahmad al-Madani, and Shaykh Muhammad Manzur Nu’mani. The title of this work was: Aqaid Ulama-e-Deoband aur Husamul-Haramayn ka mukammil Jawab. This book also contained the signatures of some 14 Ulama from Makkah and Madinah, in reply and direct opposition to Rida Khan. The names will be presented below.

The third of the books in reply to Rida Khan was Ghayatul Ma’mul by the Mufti of the Shafi’is in Madinah, Sayyid Ahmad al-Barzanji. Note, he is scholar number 11 of the Madinan Ulama in the Barelvi list above. The scholars who condemned Rida Khan in this book will be listed below. One should ask oneself why this Mufti who was initially a signatory to Husam al-Haramayn later refuted Rida Khan?!

The fourth and fifth booklet were actually written by Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi himself, after he was asked some questions regarding the allegations made by Rida Khan against his Hifz al-Iman. The titles of these 2 works are: Bastul-Banan li-Kaffil-Lisan an Kitabi Hifz al-Iman, written in the year 1329 AH in reply to questions put to him by Maulana al-Sayyid Murtada Hasan from Chandpur; and the second work was entitled: Tagyeerul-Unwaan fi Ba’di Ibaaraati Hifz al-Iman, written in the year 1342 AH, in answer to another question put to him.

The sixth work was a book entitled: Al-Sahm al-Ghayb fi kabd Ahlul Rayb by al-Shaykh al-Sayyid Muhammad Anwar Shah al-Kashmiri (d. 1352 AH). This work was mentioned by the late Shaykh Abdal Fattah Abu Ghudda in his editing of Shaykh al-Kashmiri’s book: al-Tasreeh bima Tawatur fi nuzul al-Masih (p. 30). It was written in Persian and Shaykh Abdal Fattah mentioned that it was written specifically against the Barelvi’s (Shaykh Abdal Fattah did not show any respect to the Barelvi’s or their leader, Rida Khan on that page). Shaykh Abdal Fattah declared Shaykh al-Kashmiri to be the Imam of His Age (Imam al-Asr).

The seventh work was written by Shaykh al-Sayyid Husayn Ahmad al-Madani in 3 volumes and it is entitled: al-Shihab al-Thaqib ala’l Mustariq al-Kadhib. This is the most extensive reply in the time of Rida Khan. Note, all the scholars who replied to Rida Khan from amongst the Deobandi Ulama were living contemporaries of Rida Khan.

These are seven titles known to myself in refutation of Rida Khan in his life time, and with all these facts taken into consideration, one can only conclude that Barelvi’s who spread rumours and hyperbole against the Ulama of Deoband, are either plain ignorant of these works which are all in print even today, or they have been lying against all Muslims, be they Barelvi or not. And, success comes from Allah and delusion from the Shaytan. All the above titles with another 18 more titles have been fully listed with the names of their authors and their publishers in another article, Alhamdulillah.

THE ULAMA OF MAKKAH, MADINAH, AL-AZHAR AND SYRIA WHO TESTIFIED IN FAVOUR OF THE ULAMA OF DEOBAND AND DISTANCED THEMSELVES FROM AHMAD RIDA KHAN AND HIS ALLEGATIONS, AS LISTED IN: AL-MUHANNAD ALA’L MUFANNAD

The following is a full list of all the Ulama who testified in favour of the Ulama of Deoband in repudiation of Ahmad Rida Khan, his followers and their allegations. The honorific tiles and descriptions given to the Ulama below are based on what has been listed at the beginning of each testificatory letter from Hijaz, al-Azhar and Syria.

THE ULAMA OF MAKKAH AL-MUKARRAMA:

1) Hadrat Maulana al-Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Ba-baseel al-Shafi’i, Shaykh of the Ulama in Makkah and the Imam and Khateeb in Masjid al-Haram.

2) Maulana al-Shaykh Ahmad Rasheed al-Hanafi. His letter was dated as being written and signed on Friday 17th of Dhil Hajj 1328 AH.
3) Al-Shaykh Muhibud-Din al-Muhajir al-Makki al-Hanafi – who was called the Imam Junayd and Imam Shibli of his time for his extreme piety.
4) Al-Shaykh Muhammad Siddiq al-Afghani al-Makki – who was called the Imam of the Awliya and Arifin
5) Hadrat Maulana al-Shaykh Muhammad Abid (ibn Husayn) – Mufti of the Maliki’s.
6) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Ali ibn Husayn Maliki – Teacher in the Haram Sharif

THE ULAMA OF MADINAH AL-MUNAWWARA

7) Hadrat Maulana Sayyid Ahmad Barzanji al-Shafi’i – he wrote a lengthy testification which was written on the 2nd day of Rabiul-Awwal in the year 1329 AH. He was also the author of a specific refutation of Rida Khan, as has been mentioned above.
8) Shaykh Rasuhi Umar in the year 1322 AH. He was a teacher in Madrasa al-Shafa
9) Mullah Muhammad Khan in the year 1326 AH. He was a Hanafi scholar from Bukhara originally and he was a teacher in the Masjid al-Nabawi
10) Shaykh Fayd al-Karim Khalil ibn Ibrahim, Servant of Knowledge in the Haram al-Sharif al-Nabawi
11) Al-Sayyid Ahmad al-Jazairi (from Algeria originally) – Shaykh of the Maliki’s and a Servant of Knowledge in the Masjid al-Nabawi
12) Shaykh Umar ibn Hamdan al-Mahrasee – Servant of Knowledge in the Masjid al-Nabawi
13) Shaykh Muhammad Zaki al-Barzanji – Servant of Knowledge in the Masjid al-Nabawi
14) Shaykh Muhammad al-Aziz al-Wazeer al-Tunusi – Servant of Knowledge in the Haram al-Sharif al-Nabawi
15) Shaykh Muhammad al-Soosi al-Khiyari – Servant of Knowledge in the Haram al-Sharif al-Nabawi
16) Shaykh Ahmad ibn al-Ma’mun al-Balgeesh – in the year 1328 AH
17) Shaykh Muhammad Tawfiq – Servant of Knowledge in Damascus, Syria and Khateeb of Jami al-Saruji originally
18) Shaykh Musa Kaadim ibn Muhammad – Servant of Knowledge and teacher at Bab us-Salam
19) Shaykh Ahmad ibn Muhammad Khayr al-Haaj al-Abbasi – Servant of Knowledge in the Noble Mosque
20) Shaykh ibn Nu’man Muhammad Mansur – dated 1326 AH
21) Shaykh Ma’sum Ahmad Sayyid – Servant of Knowledge in the Haram al-Sharif al-Nabawi
22) Shaykh Abdullah al-Qadir ibn Muhammad
23) Shaykh Yasin al-Farra al-Dimashqi – dated 1326 AH
24) Mullah Abdar Rahman – Teacher in the Haram al-Sharif al-Nabawi
25) Shaykh Mahmud Abd al-Jawwad – Servant of Knowledge in the Haram al-Sharif al-Nabawi
26) Shaykh Ahmad Bisaati – Servant in the Haram al-Sharif al-Nabawi
27) Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Sindi – Servant of Knowledge in the Haram al-Sharif al-Nabawi
28) Shaykh Ahmad ibn Ahmad Asad – Servant of Knowledge in the Haram al-Sharif al-Nabawi
29) Shaykh Abdullah al-Nablusi al-Hanbali – dated 1328 AH – Servant of Knowledge in the Haram al-Sharif al-Nabawi
30) Shaykh Muhammad ibn Umar al-Fulaani – Servant of Knowledge in the Haram al-Sharif al-Nabawi
31) Shaykh Ahmad ibn Muhammad Khayr al-Shanqiti al-Maliki al-Madani – dated 1328 AH

THE ULAMA OF AL-JAMI AL-AZHAR, CAIRO, EGYPT

32) Hadrat al-Shaykh Saleem al-Bashari – Shaykh al-Ulama in al-Azhar
33) Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim al-Qayaani
34) Shaykh Sulayman al-Abd

THE ULAMA OF SYRIA

35) Hadrat Maulana al-Sayyid Muhammad Abul Khayr well known as Ibn Abidin ibn al-Allamah Ahmad ibn Abdal Ghani ibn Umar Abidin al-Husayni al-Naqshabandi al-Dimashqi al-Hanafi – who was a direct descendant of the great Hanafi Faqih and Muhaddith known as Ibn Abidin, author of al-Fatawa al-Shaamiyya
36) Al-Shaykh Mustafa ibn Ahmad al-Shatti al-Hanbali – who was described as the Muhaqqiq (research scholar) of his time
37) Al-Shaykh Mahmud Rasheed al-Attar – who was a well known student of the greatest Muhaddith in his age, and he was Shaykh Badrud-Din al-Hasani al-Hanafi (his biography is on the ASFA forum and in The Reliance of the Traveller, x98, edited by Nuh Keller)
38) Hadrat al-Shaykh Muhammad al-Bushi al-Hamawi
39) Hadrat al-Shaykh Muhammad Saeed al-Hamawi
40) Hadrat al-Shaykh Ali ibn Muhammad al-Dalail al-Hamawi
41) Al-Fadil al-Imam al-Rabbani Hadrat al-Shaykh Muhammad Adeeb al-Hauraani
42) Hadrat al-Shaykh Abdal Qadir
43) Hadrat al-Shaykh Muhammad Saeed – dated 17th of Rabiul-Awwal 1329 AH
44) Hadrat al-Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Lutfi al-Hanafi
45) Shaykh Faaris ibn Muhammad al-Hamawi
46) Hadrat al-Shaykh Mustafa al-Haddad

THE ULAMA OF THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT WHO TESTIFIED TO THE 26 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS IN AL-MUHANNAD ALA’L MUFANNAD IN ORDER TO DECLARE RIDA KHAN’S CLAIMS TO BE BASELESS

The Ulama of the Indian subcontinent also testified alongside the Ulama from Hijaz, al-Azhar and Shaam that the Deobandi’s were pious Sunni Muslims free from the allegations of Kufr thrown at them by Rida Khan and his followers. The list includes the following names:

1) Shaykh al-Hind Maulana Mahmud Hasan
2) Hadrat Maulana Mir Ahmad Hasan
3) Hadrat Maulana Mufti Azizur Rahman, Mufti al-A’zam of Darul Ulum Deoband
4) Hakeem al-Ummah Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi
5) Hadrat Maulana Shah Abdur Rahim Raipuri
6) Hadrat Maulana Hakeem Muhammad Hasan
7) Hadrat Maulana Qudratullah Muradabadi
8) Hadrat Maulana Habibur Rahman
9) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Ahmad al-Qasimi
10) Hadrat Maulana Ghulam Rasul
11) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Sahul
12) Hadrat Maulana Abdus Samad
13) Hadrat Maulana Hakeem Muhammad Ishaq
14) Hadrat Maulana Riyadud-Din
15) Hadrat Maulana Mufti Kifayatullah
16) Hadrat Maulana Diyaul-Haqq
17) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Qasim
18) Hadrat Maulana Ashiq Ilahi Meeruthi
19) Hadrat Maulana Siraj Ahmad
20) Maulana Qari Muhammad Ishaq
21) Maulana Hakeem Muhammad Mustafa Bijnawari
22) Hadrat Maulana Hakeem Muhammad Mas’ud Ahmad Gangohi
23) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Yahya Sahranpuri
24) Hadrat Maulana Kifayatullah Sahranpuri

TESTIFICATION OF LATER ULAMA

1) Hadrat Maulana Qari Muhammad Tayyib – one time Rector of Darul Ulum Deoband
2) Hadrat Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi (teacher of Shaykh Abdal Fattah Abu Ghuddah)
3) Hadrat Maulana Zafar Ahmad Uthmani (also a teacher of Shaykh Abdal Fattah Abu Ghuddah)
4) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Yusuf al-Banuri (another teacher of Shaykh Abdal Fattah)
5) Hadrat Maulana Khayr Muhammad Jalandhari
6) Hadrat Maulana Mufti Jamil Ahmad Thanawi
7) Hadrat Maulana Mufti Mahmud of Multan, Pakistan
8) Hadrat Maulana Mufti Abdullah of Multan
9) Hadrat Maulana Mufti Abdus Sattar of Multan
10) Hadrat Maulana Abdal Haqq
11) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Ahmad Thanawi
12) Hadrat Maulana Abdal Haqq Naafi
13) Hadrat Maulana Abdullah Bahlawi
14) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Anwar of Faysalabad, Pakistan
15) Hadrat Maulana Shamsul Haqq Afghani
16) Hadrat Maulana Sayyid Hamid Siyal
17) Hadrat Maulana Mufti Rasheed Ahmad of Karachi, Pakistan
18) Hadrat Maulana Mufti Muhammad Fareed
19) Hadrat Maulana Mufti Ahmad Saeed
20) Hadrat Maulana Mufti Muhammad Wajeed
21) Hadrat Maulana Ali Muhammad
22) Hadrat Maulana Mufti Abdal Qadir
23) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Sharif Kashmiri
24) Hadrat Maulana Sayyid Sadiq Husayn
25) Hadrat Maulana Abdal Hayy
26) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Abdullah
27) Hadrat Maulana Abdas Sattar Tunusi
28) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Sharif Jalandhari
29) Hadrat Maulana Nazir Ahmad
30) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Idris
31) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Ali Jalandhari
32) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Ayyub Banuri
33) Hadrat Maulana Fadl Ghani
34) Hadrat Maulana Fayd Ahmad
35) Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Sarfraz Khan
36) Hadrat Maulana Qadi Abdal Lateef

THE ULAMA OF MAKKAH AND MADINAH WHO TESTIFIED AND SIGNED AGAINST RIDA KHAN’S: HUSAM AL-HARAMAYN SPECIFICALLY

Maulana Sayyid Husayn Ahmad al-Madani who was a contemporary of Rida Khan and a resident of the Holy City of Madinah al-Munawwara was one of the Deobandi Ulama who was present in the Hijaz when Rida Khan came to have his book Husam al-Haramayn signed by the Ulama of Makkah and Madinah. After the reality of Rida Khan’s deceitful tactics were exposed by the Ulama of Deoband in works like al-Muhannad ala’l Mufannad and many other works, the following Ulama of Hijaz signed against Rida Khan’s Husam as mentioned in Shaykh al-Madani’s biography: Cherag-e-Muhammad (p. 96):

The Ulama of Makkah al-Mukarrama:
1) Shaykh Abdullah Makki al-Shafi’i
2) Shaykh Shu’ayb al-Maliki
3) Shaykh Ahmad al-Makki
4) Shaykh Abdul Jalil Effendi al-Hanafi
5) Shaykh Ahmad Rashid al-Hanafi
6) Shaykh Muhibuddin al-Hanafi
7) Shaykh Muhammad Siddiq Afghani al-Makki

The Ulama of Madinah al-Munawwara:
1) Shaykh Yasin Misri al-Shafi’i
2) Shaykh Abdullah al-Nablusi
3) Shaykh Abdul Hakim Bukhari al-Hanafi
4) Shaykh Mullah Shankar Bukhari
5) Shaykh al-Sayyid Muhammad Amin Ridwan Shafi’i
6) Shaykh Effendi Ma’mun al-Bori
7) Shaykh Fatih Tahiri al-Maliki

Finally, the Chief Mufti of the Shafi’i’s in Madinah al-Munawwara also wrote a book against Ahmad Rida Khan once the reality of his treachery against the Ulama of Deoband, Makkah and Madinah came to light. The full details behind this are mentioned in the book: Cherag-e-Muhammad by Shaykh Zahid al-Husayni. Details are found in an another article. The Mufti in question was Sayyid Ahmad al-Barzanji, who was one of the Ulama who initially signed in favour of Rida Khan’s Husam al-Haramayn. Let us repeat the details behind Sayyid Barzanji’s book and the Ulama who testified against Rida Khan.

Ghayatul Ma’mul fi Ilm Ghayb al-Rasul of Sayyid Barzanji was written in refutation of Ahmad Rida Khan’s views on Ilm al-Ghayb (Knowledge of the Unseen) possessed by the Holy Prophet – sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. Here are some quotes from this book.

On page 28, Shaykh Barzanji said that Rida Khan was: “One who stuck to his deviant beliefs because of his stubbornness and animosity…”

Also on the same page: “(He) acknowledges himself to be a scholar, whereas the thing he claims for himself (ilm) was never given to him….”

“His ta’weel and tahreef (interpretation and wilful changing of the truth) is an example of extreme treachery and obvious ignorance..”

“He (Rida Khan) is an ignoramus…”

These statements were conferred also by the following Ulama:

i) Shaykh Abdal Qadir Tawfiq al-Shalabi al-Tarablusi al-Hanafi, who later resided in Madinah al-Munawwara. He added on page 33 that Rida Khan was a “quarrel monger” and his (Rida Khan): “Beliefs are a pile of lies, false allegations and completely against religious teachings…”
ii) Shaykh Fatih al-Tahiri, Muhaddith and Faqih of the Maliki’s declared Rida Khan to be: “One who strives to create dissension….” and : “Is one of those people who follow their low bestial desires and whatever Shaytan pours in their heart….”

The following Ulama also conferred and agreed upon the rebuttal of Shaykh Barzanji against Rida Khan:

i) Mufti Tajuddin Ilyas al-Hanafi
ii) Shaykh Muhammad Sa’eed al-Dalail
iii) Sayyid Abbas Ridwan
iv) Shaykh Umar al-Hamdan
v) Shaykh Khalil al-Kharbuti

A THOUGHT PROVOKING CONCLUSION FOR THE OPPONENTS OF DEOBAND

Let us now quote what Rida Khan said in the last page of his Tamheed-e-Iman about the Ulama of Deoband that he declared to be unbelievers unequivocally, and without a shadow of doubt in his mind. He said:

” (3) ANY PERSON WHO WOULD NOT CALL THEM DISBELIEVERS OR WOULD MAINTAIN FRIENDSHIP WITH THEM, OR WOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THEIR POSITIONS AS TEACHERS OR RELATIVES OR FRIENDS WILL ALSO DEFINITELY BECOME ONE OF THEM. HE IS A DISBELIEVER LIKE THEM. ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT, HE WILL ALSO BE TIED WITH THEM IN THE SAME ROPE. (4) WHATEVER LAME EXCUSES AND FRAUDULENT ARGUMENTS THEY GIVE HERE ARE INVALID AND FALSE.”

Some more distasteful quotes:

Ahmad Rida Khan said: “If anyone admires Darul Ulum Deoband, or does not believe in the corruption of the Deobandi’s and does not scorn them, THEN THIS IS SUFFICIENT TO MAKE A JUDGEMENT FOR HIM TO BE A NON-MUSLIM!” (Fatawa Ridwiyya, 6/43 of Rida Khan).
A Barelvi by the name of Didar Ali declared in his Tafsir Mizan al-Adyan (2/270): “The Deobandi’s are heretics and straying. They are the most wicked of all the creatures of Allah!!” (I say doesn’t this mean that this Barelvi believed that Deobandi’s are worse than all the wicked groups of unbelievers, even the animals and Shaytan himself? What kind of person could say such a thing – please decide for yourself?!)

Rida Khan in his Malfuzat (pp. 325-6) said: “IF THERE IS A GATHERING OF HINDU’S, CHRISTIANS, QADIYANI’S AND DEOBANDI’S, THE DEOBANDI’S ALONE SHOULD BE REJECTED, FOR THEY HAVE COME OUT OF THE FOLD OF ISLAM AND DEFECTED FROM IT. AGREEMENT WITH THE UNBELIEVERS IS FAR BETTER THAN THE AGREEMENT WITH THE APOSTATES!!”

Let us finish off with one more quote from Rida Khan: “THE WORKS OF THE DEOBANDI’S ARE MORE UNCLEAN THAN THE VARIOUS WORKS OF THE HINDU’S. THE DOUBT ABOUT THE HERESY OF ASHRAF ALI DEOBANDI AND SUSPICION ABOUT HIS PUNISHMENT IS ALSO UNBELIEF. TO CLEANSE THE IMPURITY WITH THE PAPERS OF THE WORKS PRODUCED BY THE DEOBANDI’S IS NOT LAWFUL, NOT BECAUSE OF THE RESPECT FOR THEIR BOOKS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE REVERENCE OF THE LETTERS WITH WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN WRITTEN.” (Fatawa Ridwiyya, 2/136, Faisalabad, Pakistan).

Needless to say, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi al-Deobandi was cleared by the Ulama of Hijaz, al-Azhar and Syria. We wonder what today’s Barelvi’s have to say about these shocking quotes from Rida Khan and his disciple Didar Ali (which ultimately also apply to all those we have mentioned above, be it from Hijaz, al-Azhar or Syria).
So I say by analysing all of these statements of his (Rida Khan) the only logical deduction that can be inferred is that – not only are the Ulama of Deoband unbelievers but also all those who sided and signed in favour of them in al-Muhannad ala’l Mufannad, in Ghayatul Ma’mul of al-Barzanji and those Ulama who signed against Rida Khan’s Husam al-Haramayn, Shaykh Muhammad Alawi al-Makki and Shaykh Abdal Fattah Abu Ghuddah (separate articles on their Deobandi affiliations have been posted previously) – are all under the sword of Rida’s wrath and Takfir (taking people out of Islam)! I ask the opponents to either now join Rida’s Takfir against all of these venerable signatories or distance themselves from his harsh attitude. Let us see who the brave one’s are. Will they make takfir as Rida demands or become alleged unbelievers like Rida’s opponents?
Rida Khan declared the Deobandi’s to be Wahhabi’s falsely. Just look finally O readers on his belief on the accursed Satan and the Wahhabi’s below! In his Ahkam-e-Shariat (p. 112):

“The Wahhabi’s are more contemptuous than Iblis, indeed more mischievous and more straying than he, for the Shaytan does not tell a lie, but they tell a lie!!”

I finish by quoting the famous Hadith for you all to contemplate on:
Allah’s Messenger, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “If a man says to his brother, ‘O Kafir (disbeliever)!’ Then surely one of them is such (i.e. a Kafir).” (Bukhari, 8.125A)

Questions 19, 20, 22, 23, 24 and 25 contain specific replies to Rida Khan’s allegations made in his Husam al-Haramayn. The answers given were verified by all the Ulama who signed this book – and thus Rida Khan was found guilty of deception and the 4 Deobandi Ulama that Rida Khan declared to be Kaafirs, were all exonerated. Readers should never forget the Hadith about calling one’s fellow Muslim a Kafir, and how it rebounds on its originator if it doesn’t actually apply to the one that it was directed at by the director (Rida Khan in this case) of such accusations. May Allah save us from the Kharijite principle of Takfir.
Please ask yourself who was right: Some 46 Ulama who signed al-Muhannad ala’l Mufannad from Makkah, Madina, Azhar and Syria, (plus some 60 Ulama of Hind and Pakistan) – or was it the one-man campaign of Rida Khan?

4) Ghayatul Ma’mul fi Ilm Ghayb al-Rasul by the Mufti of the Shafi’is in Madinah in his time, Shaykh Ahmad al-Barzanji. This book was written in refutation of Ahmad Rida Khan’s views on Ilm al-Ghayb (Knowledge of the Unseen) possessed by the Holy Prophet – sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. Here are some quotes from this book.
On page 28, Shaykh Barzanji said that Rida Khan was: “One who stuck to his deviant beliefs because of his stubbornness and animosity…”
Also on the same page: “(He) acknowledges himself to be a scholar, whereas the thing he claims for himself (ilm) was never given to him….”
“His ta’weel and tahreef (interpretation and wilful changing of the truth) is an example of extreme treachery and obvious ignorance..”
“He (Rida Khan) is an ignoramus…”
These statements were conferred also by the following Ulama:
i) Shaykh Abdal Qadir Tawfiq al-Shalabi al-Tarablusi al-Hanafi, who later resided in Madina al-Munawwara. He added on page 33 that Rida Khan was a “quarrel monger” and his (Rida Khan): “Beliefs are a pile of lies, false allegations and completely against religious teachings…”
ii) Shaykh Fatih al-Tahiri, Muhaddith and Faqih of the Maliki’s declared Rida Khan to be: “One who strives to create dissension….” and: “Is one of those people who follow their low bestial desires and whatever Shaytan pours in their heart….”
The following Ulama conferred and agreed upon the rebuttal of Shaykh Barzanji against Rida Khan:
i) Mufti Tajuddin Ilyas al-Hanafi
ii) Shaykh Muhammad Sa’eed al-Dalail
iii) Sayyid Abbas Ridwan
iv) Shaykh Umar al-Hamdan
v) Shaykh Khalil al-Kharbuti
The background to the compilation of Ghayatul Ma’mul has been mentioned in the biography of Shaykh Husayn Ahmad al-Madani, known as Cherag-e-Muhammad by his disciple: Maulana Muhammad Zahidul Husayni. Details to follow insha’Allah.

OTHER BOOKS IN REPLY TO ERRONEOUS CLAIMS ON ILM AL-GHAYB MADE BY BARELVI’S

5) Al-Sahm al-Ghayb fi kabd Ahlul Rayb by al-Shaykh al-Sayyid Muhammad Anwar Shah al-Kashmiri (d. 1352 AH). This work was mentioned by the late Shaykh Abdal Fattah Abu Ghudda in his editing of Shaykh al-Kashmiri’s book: al-Tasreeh bima Tawatur fi nuzul al-Masih (p. 30). It was written in Persian and Shaykh Abdal Fattah mentioned that it was written against the Barelvi’s. Shaykh Abdal Fattah declared Shaykh al-Kashmiri to be the Imam of His Age (Imam al-Asr).

6) Izalatul Rayb an Aqeeda Ilm al-Ghayb by Maulana Abu Zahid Muhammad Sarfraz Khan, Shaykhul-Hadith in Madrasa Nusratul-Ulum, Gujranwala, Pakistan. This book was written originally in 1959, and published by Maktaba Safdaria again in 1994. It is in 536 pages and it is a mine of quotes and explanations from classical books of Hadith and aqeedah; and it contains extensive replies to the Barelvi’s on this delicate issue. Amongst the extensive replies to Barelvi’s in this book, mention may be made of his rebuttals to Rida Khan, Ahmad Yar Khan (especially a refutation from passages in his Ja’al Haqq) and especially Muhammad Umar. This book although in Urdu contains all the documentary proofs in Arabic also – it is very thorough and advisable for all who wish to know this issue in full depth.

A REPLY TO AHMAD RIDA KHAN’S HUSAM AL-HARAMAYN AND A LIST OF HIJAZI ULAMA WHO LATER CONDEMNED IT AND VINDICATED FOUR DEOBANDI ULAMA

7) Aqaid Ulama-e-Deoband aur Husamul-Haramayn ka mukammil Jawab by 3 of the greatest Deobandi Ulama: Shaykh Khalil Ahmad al-Sahranpuri, al-Sayyid Husayn Ahmad al-Madani and Shaykh Muhammad Manzur Nu’mani who died a few years ago. This book is a refutation of the book that initiated the Barelvi onslaught against the Ulama of Deoband, known as Husamul-Haramayn. Rida Khan claimed in this book that 4 Ulama of Deoband had become unbelievers for alleged beliefs in their various works and in doing so he took his campaign all the way to Makkah and Madinah to attach signatures to this book from its Ulama.

When the book: Husam al-Haramayn was later refuted, and the reality of the true beliefs of these 4 Deobandi Ulama was explained and cleared in various works (like al-Muhannad ala’l Mufannad listed above), a number of these Ulama of Hijaz later retracted their signatures and sided with the Ulama of Deoband. The Barelvi’s never usually mentions this point, and this act in itself is a clear distancing and rebuttal from Ahmad Rida Khan’s allegations. This book has been published in 328 pages by Darul-Ishaat, Urdu Bazar, Karachi, Pakistan

 

In the book Cherag-e-Muhammad (p. 96) by Shaykh Zahidul Husayni, Maulana Sayyid Husayn Ahmad al-Madani listed the following 14 Ulama from Hijaz who later repudiated the claims made by Ahmad Rida Khan in his Husam al-Haramayn as follows:

The Ulama of Makkah al-Mukarrama:
1) Shaykh Abdullah Makki al-Shafi’i
2) Shaykh Shu’ayb al-Maliki
3) Shaykh Ahmad al-Makki
4) Shaykh Abdul Jalil Effendi al-Hanafi
5) Shaykh Ahmad Rashid al-Hanafi
6) Shaykh Muhibuddin al-Hanafi
7) Shaykh Muhammad Siddiq Afghani al-Makki

The Ulama of Madinah al-Munawwara
1) Shaykh Yasin Misri al-Shafi’i
2) Shaykh Abdullah al-Nablusi
3) Shaykh Abdul Hakim Bukhari al-Hanafi
4) Shaykh Mullah Shankar Bukhari
5) Shaykh al-Sayyid Muhammad Amin Ridwan Shafi’i
6) Shaykh Effendi Ma’mun al-Bori
7) Shaykh Fatih Tahiri al-Maliki
NOTE: Sayyid Husayn Ahmad al-Madani lived in Madina for a number of years and had taught Sahih al-Bukhari in the Holy Prophet’s (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) Mosque in Madina al-Munawwara, thus, he had first hand contact with most of the Ulama in Makkah and Madinah in those days. One of the Barelvi’s claimed that Shaykh Husayn only took on the title al-Madani because he died there! In fact his biographer and disciple lists the following years that Shaykh al-Madani actually spent in Madina al-Munawwara in his Cherag-e-Muhammad (p. 73):
i) From the beginning of the year 1317 AH to the end of 1318 AH (2 years)
ii) From the beginning of the year 1320 AH to the end of the year 1326 AH (7 years in all)
iii) From the beginning of the year 1330 AH to the end of the year 1331 AH (2 years)
iv) From the beginning of the year 1332 AH to the end of the year 1335 AH (4 years)

THE BOOKS OF THE CHIEF DEBATER OF THE DEOBANDI’S:

AL-SHAYKH AL-SAYYID MURTADA HASAN
AL-CHANDPURI AL-DEOBANDI (d. 1951 CE)
8) Al-Teen al-Lazib ala’l Aswad al-Kadhib (Sticking clay on the Dark Liar); a direct refutation of Ahmad Rida Khan.

9) Al-Sahabul Midrar. An example of a quote from this book was given by al-Sayyid al-Mufti Abdar Rahim in his Fatawa (1/6) where an allegation was made against Shaykh Khalil Ahmad al-Sahranpuri. The quote being (p. 49) from Shaykh Khalil in reply to Ahmad Rida Khan and his followers:
“I and my teachers consider such a man an unbeliever, an apostate and an accursed person who says that any creature, let alone Satan (cursed be he!), possesses more knowledge than the Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).”

10) Majmua Rasail Chandpuri, published by Anjuman Irshad al-Muslimin, Lahore, Pakistan, 1398 AH.

11) Iskaat al-Mu’tadi, published by Anjuman Irshad al-Muslimin, Lahore, Pakistan, 1398 AH.

12) Tawdih al-Bayan fi Hifz al-Iman – a reply to Barelvi allegations against Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi’s Hifz al-Iman, published by Anjuman Irshad al-Muslimin, Lahore, Pakistan, 1398 AH.

13) Radd al-Takfeer ala’l Fahash at-Tanzeer. This is a recent title that has been discovered, and it examines the Fitna of Takfeer (taking Muslims out of the fold of Islam) made by Rida Khan.

MAULANA ASHRAF ALI THANAWI’S DEFENCE FROM BARELVI ALLEGATIONS MADE AGAINST HIS HIFZ AL-IMAN
A common Barelvi allegation is that Maulana Ashraf Ali did not reply to claims made by Ahmad Rida Khan in his Husam al-Haramayn, and Tamheed-e-Iman against his Hifz al-Iman! This is far from the truth. In fact the new reprints of Hifz al-Iman contain Maulana Thanawi’s full rebuttals, and the book: Al-Muhannad ala’l Mufannad also clarifies and answers the Barelvi charges further, and as we have mentioned many times before it contains the testificatory letters and signatures of the Ulama of Makkah, Madinah, al-Azhar and Syria, to refute Barelvi allegations. Maulana Thanawi wrote the following works in repudiation of Barelvi allegations, which are available along with his Hifz al-Iman, published by Anjuman Irshad al-Muslimin, Lahore, 1980 CE:
14) Bastul-Banan li-Kaffil-Lisan an Kitabi Hifz al-Iman, written in the year 1329 AH in reply to questions put to him by the above named Sayyid, Murtada Hasan from Chandpur.
15) Tagyeerul-Unwaan fi Ba’di Ibaaraati Hifz al-Iman, written in the year 1342 AH, in answer to another question put to him.
NOTE: The new edition of Hifz al-Iman contains a 73 page preface and history to the Barelvi allegations made by Ahmad Rida Khan, and a rebuttal to charges made against Maulana Thanawi and others by Anwar Ahmad.

THIRTY-FOUR ULAMA WHO SUPPORTED THE ULAMA OF DEOBAND AND DECLARED THEM TO BE FROM AHL-US-SUNNAH WAL JAMA’AH.

(A) THE ULAMA OF MAKKAH AL-MUKARRAMA WHO CORROBORATED THE FATWA OF THE ULAMA OF HIND:

1) al-Allama al-Shaykh Muhammad Saeed ibn Muhammad Babaseel – Mufti of the Shafi’is and the Head (ra’ees) of the scholars in Makkah al-Mukarramah and the Imam and Khateeb in the Masjid al-Haram
2) Al-Shaykh Ahmad Rasheed Khan Nawab (Hanafi scholar)
3) Al-Shaykh al-Allama al-Faqih al-Mufti Muhammad Aabid ibn Husayn al-Maliki, Mufti of the Maliki’s in Makkah
4) Al-Shaykh al-Allama al-Muhaqqiq Muhammad Ali ibn Husayn al-Maliki, the Imam and Mudarris in the Masjid al-Haram

(B) THE ULAMA OF MADINA AL-MUNAWWARAH:

1) Al-Allama al-Faqih al-Sayyid Ahmad ibn Ismail al-Barzanji
2) Shaykh of the Maliki’s in the Masjid al-Nabawi, al-Shaykh Ahmad al-Jaza’iri
3) Al-Sayyid Muhammad Zaki al-Barzanji
4) Al-Shaykh Umar Hamdan al-Mahrasi
5) Al-Sharif Ahmad ibn Ma’mun al-Bilgeeth
6) Al-Shaykh Musa Kaazim
7) Al-Shaykh Mulla Muhammad Khan
8) Al-Shaykh Khalil ibn Ibrahim
9) Al-Shaykh Muhammad al-Aziz al-Wazeer al-Tunusi
10) Al-Shaykh Muhammad al-Susi al-Khayaari
11) Al-Haaj Ahmad ibn Muhammad Khayr al-Shanqiti
12) Al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Umar al-Fulaani
13) Al-Shaykh Ahmad ibn Ahmad Asad
14) Al-Shaykh Muhammad Mansur ibn Numan
15) Al-Shaykh Ahmad Bisaati
16) Al-Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Sindhi
17) Al-Shaykh Mahmud Abdal Jawwad

(C) CORROBORATION OF THE ULAMA OF AL-AZHAR:

1) Shaykh al-Azhar al-Shaykh Saleem al-Bashari
2) Al-Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim al-Qaayaati

(D) CORROBORATION OF THE ULAMA OF SYRIA:

1) Al-Shaykh al-Faqih al-Muhaddith, Muhammad Abul Khayr, well known as Ibn Abidin al-Husayni – the grandson of Imam Ibn Abidin – the author of Hashiya Radd al-Muhtar.
2) Al-Shaykh Mustafa ibn Ahmad al-Shatti al-Hanbali
3) Al-Shaykh Mahmud Rasheed al-Attar al-Dimashqi, the student of al-Shaykh Badrud-Din the Muhaddith of Syria (d. 1935 CE)
4) Al-Shaykh Muhammad al-Booshi al-Hamawi
5) Al-Shaykh Muhammad Saeed al-Hamawi
6) Al-Shaykh Ali ibn Muhammad al-Hamawi
7) Al-Shaykh Muhammad Adeeb al-Hawraani
8) Al-Shaykh Abdal Qadir al-Lubaabeedi
9) Al-Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Lutfi al-Hanafi
10) Al-Shaykh Faaris ibn Ahmad al-Shaqfah
11) Al-Shaykh Mustafa al-Haddad al-Hamawi.

The respected reader should know from what we have listed from the pen of Shaykh Muhammad Alawi al-Makki – the names of 34 great scholars who have countersigned the views of 11 Deobandi scholars, and note that amongst the Deobandi’s listed above where: Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi, Maulana Khalil Ahmad al-Sahranpuri and Maulana Rashid Ahmad al-Gangohi. These 3 Ulama where declared to be UNBELIEVERS by Ahmad Rida Khan al-Barelvi in no uncertain terms in his Husam al-Haramayn. Ahmad Rida Khan deceived the Ulama of Makkah and Madina to corroborate his book and he listed 32 Ulama who apparently countersigned his book of lies. In fact when some of these very Ulama came to know of the reality of Rida Khan’s deception and fraud – a number of them distanced them self from him and corroborated the piety, truthfulness and scholarship of these very Ulama of Deoband.

It should be noted that amongst the above Ulama of Makka and Madina – it can be seen that the following Ulama of Makka: Shaykh Muhammad Saeed and al-Shaykh Muhammad Aabid ibn Husayn al-Maliki, Mufti of the Maliki’s in Makkah; and from the Ulama of Madina: al-Sayyid Ahmad ibn Ismail al-Barzanji, al-Shaykh Ahmad al-Jaza’iri, Al-Shaykh Umar Hamdan al-Mahrasi, Al-Shaykh Khalil ibn Ibrahim, and Al-Shaykh Muhammad al-Aziz al-Wazeer al-Tunusi – a total of 7 Ulama, where previously signatories to Ahmad Rida Khan’s baseless book, Husam al-Haramayn. The fact that these 7 Ulama countersigned the Deobandi Fatwa which included three Ulama who were declared unbelievers by Rida Khan means that they no longer believed in Rida Khan’s book of deception, and these Ulama realised that they had been deceived by the Barelvi! These Ulama and many others listed in the book Ghayatul Ma’mul by Allama Shaykh Ahmad al-Barzanji were informed of the treachery and lies of Ahmad Rida Khan by Shaykh Husayn Ahmad al-Madani and Shaykh Khalil Ahmad al-Sahranpuri – and hence they distanced themselves from him (Rida Khan) and went along in praising the Ulama of Deoband. Basically, all this verifies the fact that the Ulama of Hijaz, al-Azhar and Syria disagreed later with the claims made in Rida Khan al-Mubtadi’s book: Husam al-Haramain.

 

 

CONCLUSION: Dear reader, there is no doubt and without any fanatical bias, that the  late respected Shaykh, Muhammad ibn Alawi al-Makki al-Maliki has very close affinity and love for the Ulama of Deoband. I also know that a close friend of his from Kuwait, known as al-Sayyid Yusuf al-Rifa’i is also quite respectful to the Deobandi’s and has co-operated with them many times. He has even tried to bring the Deobandi’s and Barelvi’s to unity but did not quite succeed. If any of the Barelvi’s were now to follow the true teachings of Ahmad Rida Khan then there is no doubt that Shaykh Muhammad Alawi should be declared an unbeliever by all Barelvi’s, as well as the 34 Ulama of Makkah, Madina, al-Azhar and Syria who countersigned the views of the 11 Deobandi Ulama. This is because of just one reason! Ahmad Rida Khan declared many times: WHO EVER DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THE DEOBANDI’S ARE UNBELIEVERS (AS WELL AS THE WAHHABI’S) IS HIMSELF AN UNBELIEVER!! All this goes a long way to prove that the Deobandi’s are not considered to be heretics by Shaykh Muhammad Alawi and at least 34 great scholars from the early part of the 20th century. I leave the reader to deduce his own conclusions and if need be please check all the references I have provided.  Tawfiq is from Allah alone.