Badre Alam Merathi (Urdu: بدر عالم میرٹھی; 1898 – 29 October 1965) was a mid-twentieth-century hadith scholar and poet originally from Meerut, initially migrated to Pakistan and eventually settled in Medina. Best known as the interpreter of Anwar Shah Kashmiri's teachings, he was a disciple of both Kashmiri and Shabbir Ahmad Usmani.[1] Educated at Mazahir Uloom and Darul Uloom Deoband, he taught at both institutions and Jamia Islamia Talimuddin. During his tenure at Jamia Islamia Talimuddin, he compiled Fayd al-Bari, a four-volume Arabic commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, published in Cairo with financial support from Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal, considered a masterpiece in hadith commentary.[1] He was also associated with Nadwatul Musannifeen and authored Tarjuman al-Sunnah, a 4-volume hadith explanation designed for contemporary needs, widely acknowledged in academic circles.[2] In his final years, he focused on teaching hadith in Prophet's Mosque, where many South Africans pledged allegiance to him, expanding his spiritual influence in South Africa.[3]
Badre Alam Merathi | |
|---|---|
بدر عالم میرٹھی | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1898 Budaun, Uttar Pradesh |
| Died | 29 October 1965 (aged 66–67) Medina |
| Resting place | Al-Baqi Cemetery |
| Alma mater | |
| Main interest(s) | |
| Notable work(s) | |
| Religious life | |
| Denomination | Sunni |
| Jurisprudence | Hanafi |
| Movement | Deobandi |
| Senior posting | |
| Teacher | |
Students | |
Influenced by | |
Life sketch
editBadre Alam was born in 1898 in a Sayyid family in the Budaun district of Uttar Pradesh.[4] His father, Tahur Ali, served as a police officer.[2] He received his initial education at an English school in Aligarh, and influenced by a sermon of Ashraf Ali Thanwi at the age of eleven, he developed an inclination towards Islamic studies.[5] Despite initial resistance from his father, he pursued religious education at Mazahir Uloom.[2]
Under the mentorship of Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri for eight years, followed by further studies at Darul Uloom Deoband with Anwar Shah Kashmiri, he continued his educational journey.[2] His notable teachers at Mazahir Uloom included Zafar Ahmad Usmani, and at Deoband, Aziz-ul-Rahman Usmani and Asghar Hussain Deobandi.[6] After completing his studies at Darul Uloom Deoband, he began teaching there in 1925.[7][8]
In 1927, he, along with Anwar Shah Kashmiri and Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, migrated to Jamia Islamia Talimuddin.[4] For seventeen years, he engaged in teaching hadith at Jamia Islamia Talimuddin, covering texts such as Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Shama'il al-Muhammadiyya, and Mishkat al-Masabih.[9] He also continued participating in Anwar Shah Kashmiri's classes on Sahih al-Bukhari and Sunan al-Tirmidhi for five years.[10]
After Dabhel, he moved to Bahawalnagar, Punjab, established Jam'ul Uloom, and stayed for a year there. He then came to Delhi and became associated with Nadwatul Musannifeen in 1943.[11] After the partition of India in 1947, he migrated to Karachi, Pakistan, and, under the patronage of Shabbir Ahmad Usmani founded Jamia Islamia at Tando Allahyar.[12] Following Pakistan's formation, he actively participated in the formulation of an Islamic constitution.[13]
After residing for four years in Pakistan, he migrated to Medina.[14] Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda met him in Medina, benefited from him,[15] and later narrated hadiths from him.[16]
Known as Qutb al-Aarifeen,[17] he received Sufi teachings from Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, associated with Aziz-ul-Rahman Usmani, and ultimately received spiritual succession from Muhammad Ishaq Merathi.[18] He died on 29 October 1965, in Prophet's Mosque, and was laid to rest in Al-Baqi Cemetery.[19] His influence extended to Pakistan, India, South Africa, and the Middle East.[20]
Literary works
editHe scrutinized the intricacies of the Quran and hadith, expressing an understanding of Arabic literature and poetry.[21] His literary works touched various religious subjects. Apart from Fayd al-Bari and Tarjuman al-Sunnah, he authored the three-volume Jawahir al-Hikam, addressing contemporary social issues and the implementation of Islamic law in 1965, translated into French and Gujarati.[22][6] His annotations for Fayd al-Bari, published as Al-Badr Al-Sari.[23] He wrote an abstract of Rashid Ahmad Gangohi's book Zubdat-ul-Manāsik under the title Khulasa Zubdat-ul-Manāsik, a guide on Hajj issues.[24] One of his books on the descent of Jesus is called Nuzool-e-ʿĪsā, and he has written a booklet in the same series called Awaz-e-Haq.[24] During his time in Pakistan, he translated Ali al-Qari's Al-Hizb al-Azam and wrote some poetry.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Kaleem, Mohd (2017). Contribution of Old boys of Darul uloom Deoband in Hadith Literature (PhD) (in Urdu). India: Department of Sunni Theology, Aligarh Muslim University. p. 174. hdl:10603/364028. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d Riyasathullah, Mohamed (2012). Ahadees Kay Urdu Tarajim (PhD) (in Urdu). India: Department of Arabic, University of Madras. p. 95. hdl:10603/295877. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ Rizwi, Syed Mehboob (1981). History of the Dar al-Ulum Deoband. Vol. 2. UP, India: Idara-e Ihtemam, Darul Uloom Deoband. p. 103. OCLC 20222197.
- ^ a b Khatoon, Aaisha (2017). Aazadi ke Baad Hindustan ki Khidmaat e Hadith (PhD) (in Urdu). India: Department of Sunni Theology, Aligarh Muslim University. p. 103. hdl:10603/364027. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ Ghani, Khwaja Abdul (1979). Allama Muhammad Anwar Shah Kashmiri: Un ke Mutasilin aur Talamzah ki Khidmat (PDF) (PhD) (in Urdu). Jamshoro, Pakistan: University of Sindh. p. 142. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
- ^ a b c Shabbir, Yusuf (2018). "Profile of Mawlana Muhammad Badr Alam Mirti". Islamic Portal. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ Muhammad Tayyib, Qari (June 1965). Darul Uloom Deoband Ki Sad Saala Zindagi [Centenary Life of Darul Uloom Deoband] (in Urdu) (1st ed.). Deoband: Daftar-e-Ihtemam, Darul Uloom Deoband. p. 112. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ Qasmi, Muhammadullah Khalili (October 2020). Darul Uloom Deoband Ki Jame O Mukhtasar Tareekh [A comprehensive and brief history of Darul Uloom Deoband] (in Urdu) (3rd ed.). India: Shaikh-Ul-Hind Academy. p. 577–578, 763. OCLC 1345466013.
- ^ Azami, Fazlur Rahman (1999). Tareekh e Jamia Islamia Dabhel [History of Jamia Islamia Dabhel] (in Urdu). Multan, Pakistan: Idara Tālīfāt e Ashrafia. p. 189, 192.
- ^ Miftahi, Zafeeruddin (1980). Mashaheer-e-Ulama-e-Darul Uloom Deoband (in Urdu) (first ed.). Deoband: Daftar Ijalas-e-Sad Sala. pp. 93–94. Archived from the original on 29 December 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ Merathi, Badre Alam (1968). "Musannif Ki Hayāt-e-Mubāraka Ki Ek Halki Si Jhalak: Aaftab Ahmad" [A brief glimpse of the author's life, by Aaftab Ahmad]. Tarjuman al-Sunnah (in Urdu). Vol. 4. Lahore: Idara-e-Islāmiyyāt. p. 19.
- ^ Ghani 1979, p. 144.
- ^ Bukhari, Akbar Shah (1985). Seerat-e Badre Alam (in Urdu). Karachi, Pakistan: HM Sayed Company. p. 64.
- ^ Kaleem 2017, p. 175.
- ^ Amini, Noor Alam Khalil (May 2010). Pas-e-Marg Zinda [People who are still alive after death] (in Urdu) (3rd ed.). Deoband: Idara Ilm o Adab. p. 365. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ Al Rājihi, Abd al-Azīz (2001). Hady al-Sāri Ilā Asānīd al-Shaikh Ismail al-Ansari (in Arabic) (1st ed.). Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Maktaba al-Rushd. p. 190. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ Ghani 1979, p. 148.
- ^ Kamal, Mohd Arif (2020). Ulema e Hind ki Bisween Sadi Nisf Awwal mein Khidmat e Hadith Tanquidi Mutala (PhD) (in Urdu). India: Department of Sunni Theology, Aligarh Muslim University. p. 221. hdl:10603/364940. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ Akbarabadi, Saeed Ahmad, ed. (November 1965). "Nazarāt". Monthly Burhan (in Urdu). Vol. 55, no. 5. Delhi: Nadwatul Musannifeen. p. 3. Archived from the original on 7 January 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ Banuri, Muhammad Yusuf (2020). Yad-e-Raftagāñ (in Urdu). Banuri town, Karachi: Maktaba Bayyinat, Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia. p. 27.
- ^ Muhammad Tayyib, Qari (1999). Bukhari, Akbar Shah (ed.). Darul Uloom Deoband Ki Pachaas Misali Shakhsiyaat (in Urdu). Deoband: Maktaba Faiz-ul-Qur'an. p. 158. OCLC 45499890. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ Ghani 1979, pp. 150–51.
- ^ Mubarakpuri, Arif Jameel (2021). Mausoo'a Ulama-u- Deoband [The Encyclopedia of Deobandi Scholars] (in Arabic) (1st ed.). Deoband: Shaikhul Hind Academy. p. 347.
- ^ a b Bukhari 1985, p. 52.