A Brief Introduction of

IMAM AHMED RIZA KHAN FAZIL-E-BARELVI

(RAHMATULLAH ALAIH)

By: Sharjeel Ahmed Khan (B.A., M.Th)

Imam Ahmed Riza Khan was born on 10th Shawwal, 1272 AH/12th June, 1856 CE at Bareilly. His father was Maulana Naqi Ali Khan who was a sound Islamic scholar, Sufi and also well-known for his expertise in Islamic Dialectics, Islamic Jurisprudence and other religious sciences. Imam Ahmed Riza khan was brought up educationally, religiously and morally at home. He read the Holy Quran completely when he was four and gave his first sermon when he was six. The topic was 'Milad-unNabi'. He was just about fourteen when he received 'Dastaar-e-Fazeelat' (the turban of honour rewarded on completing specific duration of Islamic theological studies) and wrote his first Fatwah (Islamic verdict). His father proved as a great source of learning and education for him. He learnt from him in twenty one disciplines of religious and prevalent sciences of his time. Despite this, he also learnt from the following renowned scholars of his time:
1) Shah Aal-e-Rasool Marharvi 2) Sheikh Ahmed bin Zain Dahlan Shafi'i

3) 4) 5) 6)

Sheikh Abd-ur-Rehman Siraj Makki Sheikh Hussain bin Salih Shah Ab-ul-Hussain Noori Mirza Ghulam Qadir Baig 7) Maulana Abd-ul-Ali Raam Poori Imam Ahmed Riza Khan was also a spiritual master and followed the saintly line of 'Qadriyyah' discipline. He was the expert of ancient as well as modern sciences along with religious sciences and, hence, his works are multi in fields. A part from Islamic sciences, he wrote on Philosophy, Logic, Astronomy, Mathematics, Physics etc. His authorship contributed up to 1000 works in the form of books and treatises. 'Fatawa-eRizaviyyah' (in 30 volumes) stands as his masterpiece. He was entitled as 'Mujaddid'. His noble soul returned to Allah's mercy on 25th of Safar, 1340 AH/1921 CE and was buried in Bareilly where his blessed shrine is present today. May his soul rest in peace! Ameen