Mawlānā Naqi Álī Khān Barelwī (Radi Allah Anhu)

Mawlānā Naqi Álī Khān Barelwī (Radi Allah Anhu) was born in Jumādā al-Ākhirah or Rajab of the year 1246 AH [1830 AD] in Dhakhīrah area in Bareilly. His father, Mawlānā Riđā Álī Khān (Radi Allah Anhu) was a famous and prominent scholar and a well-known gnostic [áārif bi’llāh] of his time. Mawlānā Riđā Álī (Radi Allah Anhu) was born in 1224 AH. He completed his studies in the town named ‘Tonk’ under Mawlānā Khalīl ar-Raĥmān ibn Mullāh Írfān Rāmpūri (Radi Allah Anhu). He (Radi Allah Anhu) received his degree at the age of 23, in the year 1247 AH. He was a master of fiqh and taSawwuf. He was also a very able orator. He (Radi Allah Anhu) passed away on the 6th of Jumādā al-Ūlā, 1286 AH. He was also was a patron of literature – thus, in prosody, he was a student of Sadruddīn Āzurdah. He (Radi Allah Anhu) has a dīwān or a collection of verse. A couplet penned by him goes:

Aah Hum Par Huwa Musallat Wabal E Farngiyan Humein Hain Malik Aur Humien Aankhen Dikhayi Jati Hain/

Alas, we are subject to the misery of [being under] the British!

We, ourselves are the masters, yet they threaten us!

Mawlānā Naqī Álī (Radi Allah Anhu) learnt all the islamic sciences from his illustrious father. He was pious and virtuous from a very young age. He soon became a mufti under his father’s tutelage. He was very intelligent and had a deep knowledge of Islamic sciences. He kept aloof from rulers and wealthy folk. He was generous, kind, honorable, content, well-respected and was awe-inspiring. His mastery of sciences included Hanafī fiqh and fiqh of other madh’habs; Qur’ānic sciences, Qur’ānic exegesis, hadīth, principles of hadīth, theology, grammar, morphology, logic, philosophy, rhetoric, polemics, arithmetic, geometry, taSawwuf, biographies, history, literature and inheritance.

Imām Ahmad Riđā Khan (Radi Allah Anhu) adds:

Yin Na Bahr Yist Ke Dar Kuzah E Tahrir Amad/

This an ocean that cannot be contained in a cup [writing of a few pages].

He (Radi Allah Anhu) passed away in Dhu’l Qaádah of the year 1297 AH [1880 AH]. He () was 51. Among his disciples and students is – one that outweighs a thousand – his eldest son, Imām Aĥmed Riđā Khān Barelwi (Radi Allah Anhu).

His works:

1. Al-Kalām al-Awđah fī Tafsīri Alam Nashraĥ
2. Wasīlatu’n Najāt
3. Surūr al-Qulūb fī Dhikri’l Maĥbūb
4. Jawāhiru’l Bayān fī Asrāri’l Arkān
5. Usūl ar-Rashād li Qumýi Mabānī al-Fasād
6. Hidāyatu’l Bariyyah ilā ash-Sharīáti’l Aĥmadiyyah
7. Idhāqatu’l Āthām li Māniýi Ámal al-Mawlidi wa’l Qiyām
8. Fađl al-Ílm wa’l Úlamā
9. Izālatu’l Awhām
10. Tazkiyatul Īqān [Radd Taqwiyatu’l Īmān]
11. Al-Kawkab az-Zahrā fī FaĎāyil al-Ílmi wa Ādāb al-Úlamā
12. Ar-Riwāyatu’r Rawiyyah fi’l Akhlāqi’n Nabawiyyah
13. An-Naqādatu’n Naqawiyyah fi’l Khašāyiši’n Nabawiyyah
14. Lamátu’n Nibrās fī Ādāb al-Akli wa’l Libās
15. At-Tamakkun fī Taĥqīqi Masāyil at-Tazayyun
16. Aĥsanu’l Wiáā li Ādāb ad-Duáā
17. Khayru’l MukhāŤabah fi’l Muĥāsabati wa’l Murāqabah
18. Hidāyatu’l Mushtāq ilā Sayri’l Anfusi wa’l Āfāq
19. Irshād al-Aĥbāb ilā Ādāb al-Iĥtisāb
20. Ajmal al-Fikr fī Mabāĥith adh-Dhikr
21. Áyn al-Mushāhadah li Husni’l Mujahadah
22. Nihāyatus Sa`ādah fī Taĥqīqi’l Himmati wa’l Irādah
23. Aqwā adh-Dhariyyah ilā Taĥqīqi at-Ťarīqati wa’sh Sharīáh 24. Tarwīj al-Arwāĥ fī Tafsīri Sūrat al-Inshirāh