Mujadid of the 20^th Century

Hazrat Allama Pir Muhammad Abdul Wahab Siddiqi (ra)

- 1942-1994

The Vision of the Mujadid of the 20th Century

Contents

Introduction

Spirituality

Karaamat

Hijaz College

Internation Muslim Organisation

The Demise

The Vision of the Mujadid of the 20th Century

Allah Almighty created mankind and for its guidance He sent over a hundred twenty four thousand or there about Messengers and Prophets. Some of these Prophets were either given guidance through "Hikma"(wisdom), which is otherwise known as divine inspiration or they were given a book for example the Turat, Ingeel, Zabur and the Holy Qur'an. The finality of this process of guidance and message bearing from Allah Almighty was finalized with the advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad Peace be Upon Him. To Him was given the Qur'an in which was revealed every thing as it is stated in the Qur'an " Tibyanulli Kulli Shain"

"That we have explained everything in this Qur'an. The Holy Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him exclaimed the final verses of the holy Qur'an when He said that Allah Almighty had said "Al Yauma Akmal tu Lakum Deenukkum." 'This day we have perfected your deen'. After this there would be no changing of Allah's will in terms of the development process and the code of conduct that needs to be inacted by every human being in order to please Allah Almighty.

In light of the fact that there would be no more Prophets after the Holy Prophet Muhammad Peace be Upon Him, Allah Almighty choose the offices of the Ulema of the Prophets Ummah, who are the Ulema e Rabbanieen to carry out the process of 'Iblaaghai Deen" which is (propagation of Deen) and the Holy Prophet peace be Upon Him said 'Ulemao Umatee Ka Anbiae Bani Israeel'. 'The Ulema of my Ummah are like the Prophets of the children of Israel'. To such Ulema Allah Almighty has vested the task of not only the propagation of deen but also the fulfillment of the day to day embodiment of the Sunnah and the Seerah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad Peace be Upon Him.

In another ayat of the Holy Qur'an, Allah Almighty says;

'Innama Yaghsha' Min Ibaaditul Ullema

'Indeed those that fear Allah the most from his servants are the Ulema'.

This means that when the Ulema deliberated on the issues of Islamic Theology, they had in mind fear of Allah Almighty and were not guided by their ego or by self-interest. These Ulema when giving out edicts were persistent on ensuring that the highest levels of ethics and moral values as according to Allah Almighty are kept intact rather than any compromise with the politics all the social negotiations that take place from certain quarters of the community. These Ulema were given great status even when they disagreed amongst themselves as the Prophet (saw):
'Ikhtilafull'

'That the debate amongst my Ummah is a mercy', as it would ensure dynamism and continuity of implementation in all societies for the way of Islamic life.

Even if an Alim made a mistake of understanding a certain 'farokh masalah' (fine print of Islamic Theology) then they would not be reprimanded for making such mistakes, but they would not allow to go beyond certain ambits of interpretation when dealing with basic principles of Islam and Aqeedah (beliefs) which was made final by the words of the Holy Prophet (saw) and the last testament.

The status of such Ulema was explained by the Holy Prophet (saw) as evidence in last hadith quoted above that the Ulema of my Ummah are like the Prophets of the Children of Israel. However, in a number other Hadith, the Prophet (saw) also seeks to exonerate the status of the Ulema by saying on one occasion that:

'Fadlul A'lime Alaz Zahida Kafadlee Alla Adnakum'

'The status of the Alim over a 'zahid' is the same as my status over an ordinary person from my Ummah'.

In another Hadith of the Holy Prophet (saw), He (saw) said that the ink of the Scholars is more holier than the blood of a martyr.

There is one special Hadith about a specific kind of Alim to whom the Prophet (saw) referred and in which he said: 'Inallah ha wazaljalah yaba athul lihaazi li Ummati A'la ra'si qulmiatain.

'Indeed Allah Almighty will bring forth for this Ummah, at the head of each hundred years a person a who shall cause a refreshment of Deen'.

This Hadith is narrated in Abu Dawud Sharif and copied in Mustadiq Mirkhaatand and Kanzul Amaal. There is a need to explain some aspects of this hadith, which will help people to understand the status of a Mujadid. Many people take the view that the calling of someone as a Mujadid is something akin to near Prophethood. This is not only a narrow view but it is also an incorrect one. There needs to be a wider interpretation of this Hadith as the essence of this Hadith cannot be bound by a very narrow construction.

The first thing about the usage of the word, 'man' is that this could be used for singular or plural. This means that at any particular time there can be a number of people to whom Allah Almighty entrusts the task of being a Mujadid. Secondly, the usage of the 'kulu mi a'tee sanah', that such a person will be amongst you after every hundred years, does not refer to the Hijri Calendar, because at the time the Prophet (saw) said the Hijri calendar was not introduced. In fact Hazrat Umar (RA) introduced it. This could mean as explained by Muhadiseen that such an arrival of a Mujadid could be a Mujadid for every generation. There is also a debate as to whether the Mujadid would come at the beginning or at the end of any particular century. Such a construction on the arrival of the Mujadid is also not correct, and needs to be looked at in its wider context as the Mujadid can be at the beginning, middle or the end of any particular century.

If one is to look at the citation of the Mujadid within its narrow meaning, then this can cause fitna. Thus, whereby people are out there looking for the Mujadid of their generation, they would then be seeking to follow him and obey him. Thus, the debate will ensue as to whether such a person is or is not a Mujadid and therefore the inherit consequences of such a debate, that those who obey him are correct and those do not obey are in the wrong. This Hadith cannot be intended to create such division, but the essence of the Hadith is to give that assurance and satisfaction to the followers of Islam that the practice of Islam would not become still but will remain dynamic by the continuous presence of those who will ensure its freshness.

It must also be borne in mind that from some Mujadids, Allah Almighty takes a greater roll and work, and from others, they may be more restricted work being taken, but equally creating refreshment amongst the people of the Ummah and the Deen itself. As it is the case amongst the Prophets as Allah Almighty says:

'tilkal rusulu faddalana Badahum alaabaad'

'We have created amongst messengers, some have superiority over others.

Similarly, it would not be too distant to relate from this logic that amongst the Mujadids there can be many, and from them some Allah (swt) can take a greater task and other a lesser role. Some Mujadid will take a wider portfolio of revitalization of Deen and some may take a narrower task of revitalization of Deen. Just because one person is deemed to have a narrow and another person has been deemed to take a wider context of tajdeel, does not mean that one cancels out the other. This principle should be borne in mind when either accepting or rejecting the status of someone who is described as a Mujadid. It is quite clear that anybody who refused to accept someone who is known to be a Mujadid and although that person maybe known to be an excellent Alim and a Muslim and great Scholar of Islam and devoted to the Sunnah and Seerah of the Prophet (saw), this does not mean that anybody who failed to follow him will be outside the realms of Islam.

The Mujadid by his very nature of his actions and undertaking of his duties, is seemed to be the guardian, custodian of the Islamic way of life and his whole life is devoted to the servitude of Allah Almighty. There have been thousands of such persons in the Islamic history, who have fought against pollution and addition to the Islamic way of life. There are others who have been responsible for extensive dawah and propagation. There are some personalities in the history of Islam who have been responsible for both the protection of the Deen by ensuring that it is not polluted or added by the enemies of Islam and at the same time have been responsible for the extensive increment of the following of the masses to Islam.

There are certain qualities, which have been found to distinguish a Mujadid or at least are certain pre-requisites, which should be compared to a person's action before he can be called a Mujadid. Firstly the said person must be able to distinguish between Islamic and non-Islamic activities. Therefore a person who condones non-Islamic activities or anything, which is against the principles of Islam, cannot be called a Mujadid. Any person who introduces a certain additions or bid'at, either in interpreting the life of Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) or alternatively, adds things which contradict basic text of the Qur'an and Seerah, cannot also deemed to be a Mujadid. For such a person to be validly recognized, he must strictly adhere to the tenants of Islamic Shariah and Tareeqah. This distinction must not only be in terms of his teachings but also in terms of his own personal life as well as. Therefore a 'faasiq' (someone who intentionally rejects the accomplishment of the stipulation of sunnah and seerah of the Holy Prophet (saw), cannot be deemed to be a Mujadid. Another attribute of the Mujadid, is that he should be ready to fight fitna (descent) whenever such descent exists to divide the Muslim Ummah. Therefore someone who has been responsible for either creating fitna or appeasing or accommodating fitna cannot also be deemed to be a Mujadid. If such a person does exists then through his conduct one must be able to judge and analyse whether he was able to inject new spirit into the Ummah. This means that he could either inject new spirit into the practices of the Islamic Theology and Shariah and Tareeqah or that he has been able to inject a new sense of inspiration in the Muslim Ummah so that they can become closer to Islam and the Islamic way of life.

In this collection you will find various aspects of Hazrat Sahibs' (ra) life being discussed, which fits the criteria in being recognized as a Mujadid. Some of the qualities, which have been talked about, before are summarized below which the author thinks are clear qualities, which would justify Hazrat Sahib (ra) receiving the title of being the Mujadid of the 20th Century.

· Hazrat Sahib (ra) vision for the creation of Ulema for the 21st Century as those being educated simultaneously in Ilm-e-Deen and Professional fields. This is clearly a discipline that had disappeared since the heights of excellence achieved by Muslims as long ago as the great Islamic intellectual civilization of Delhi, but throughout Islamic history in places like Baghdad, Cairo, and Andalusia. Hazrat Sahib (ra) recreated that vision through not only bare theory but also in the accomplishment of the practice of that theory by developing his children, his spiritual children and then the children of the Muslim Ummah through the institution of Hijaz College Islamic University, England.

· The development of Hazrat Sahib's (RA) mureeds in the total acceptance of the practice in this stage and age of the Sunnah and Seerah of the Holy Prophet (saw). This was very clear from his role in the development of the Surinamese community and the ex-patriot Guyanese community throughout the world.

· Hazrat Sahib (ra) gave a new vision for the role of Ulema as not being simply clergyman who are part of an institutional structure but on a personal level to be supporting themselves through professions. This in their own time and efforts were dedicating themselves to the vocation of service of Allah Almighty.

· Hazrat Sahibs' (ra) unconditional acceptance as the leader of the Muslim community in the United Kingdom by people of all sects and denominations of the Islamic faith, was an example of the Mujadid who was accepted and respected by not only the people who were close to his line of thinking but also to those Muslims who were divided in their theology but united in the person of Hazrat Sahib (RA).

· The Gulf War speech in which Hazrat Sahib (ra) (RA) warned the Ulema of the Muslim Ummah and especially those Ulema who had gathered at the Convention of the International Muslim Organization 1992, as to the forthcoming disasters that may touch and concern the Muslims of Europe, especially for-warning them of the possibilities of mass-genocide in Bosnia, Kosovo, Albania and Macedonia.

· Hazrat Sahibs' (ra) rejection of Western identity is not only his personal conduct but also in the way he expressed the practice of Deen. Many of those who had come to the shores of Europe had come to better their economic lot. But Hazrat Sahib (ra) had described to them the possibilities of them expending their sweat and blood and saving pennies but loosing their diamond offspring. He expressed that the only way they would be able to retain their Islamic values would be to re-interpret what is would meant by an Islamic identity, not only in theory but also in practice and homogenize that within the context of a multi-cultural society. This is different to what is commonly thought to be the solution for the Muslims in Europe that is to find that identity which is homogenous to the general multi-ethic background of Europe. Hazrat Sahib's (RA) view was to find a pure Muslim identity and then to see how that person with that identity can work and sit in within the context of the European life of materialism and capitalism.

· Hazrat Sahib (ra) converted many Mirzai's to Islam, as his approach was always that of explaining the pitfalls of accepting Mirza Ghulam Ahmed of Qadian as a false prophet, through what is taught in the Qur'an rather than by slurring and slandering those who were his followers, who would then dig in to becoming a proper Ahmadies. Hazrat Sahibs' (ra) tolerant approach meant that many such Ahmadies throughout Africa, South America and Europe turned to Islam in its proper way. Hazrat Sahib (ra) was also responsible for the conversions of many Hindus, Christians and Sikh to the Islamic way of life through spiritual healing and through the traditional Sufi way of indoctrination, which not only appealed to the mind but also to the heart as well.

· Hazrat Sahib (ra) contextualised materialism in his own life as an example to many people who were in the material rat race, running after only the material world and forgetting about the Deen. Hazrat Sahib (ra) was able to and did in fact achieve an excellent standard of living by having a decent home, decent form of transportation, and living a comfortable life without looking to ostentatious tastes. Hazrat Sahib (ra) always use to quote of the Holy Prophet (saw), when the Prophet was asked:

· 'Ya rasoolallah, who is a lucky person'. And the Prophet (saw) replied that a lucky person is he who has a pious wife, a comfortable home, and a good means of transportation.

· This Hazrat Sahib (ra) used to say is the fixation of the level of materialism that a person today should aspire to. After this, is a numbers' game and having a ten bedroom house rather than a four bedroom house and having a Rolls Royce instead of a Simple four-door Saloon is not a matter of necessity but if it comes in ones stride, it should be taken, but it should not be taken in such a lifestyle which causes expense not only by forgetting Allah Almighty but also injuring the family of a person living in Europe.

· The establishment of the first Mizaar in the History of Islam on European shores, in fourteen hundreds years after the advent of the Holy Prophet (saw) and such a Mizaar being a sign of Allah Almighty, is clearly a forceful example that such a status can only be attributed and awarded to a person who has brought refreshment to Allah's Deen, the establishment of such a Mizaare would mean that not only would people and the communities of the Muslim Ummah living in Europe be refreshed whilst Hazrat Sahib (ra) was living but also from his Mirzaar Sharif as well.