'A'la Hadrat' as-Shah as-Shaykh Imam Ahmad
Raza (Rida) Khan, al-Qadiri, Fadil al-Barelwi, '
alayhi
ar-Rahman w'al-Ridwan, was a great Muslim scholar and
Saint, who lived in India between 1856 & 1921. He was
popularly known as "
A'la Hadrat" in the Islamic world.
Shaykh Imam Ahmad Rida achieved the status of a
versatile scholar and obtained a high distinction in over
50 branches of learning. On his visit to
Makkah tul
Mukarramah and
Madinah tul Munawwarah, the
shaykh was treated with utmost dignity and was
conferred the title of "
Imam-e-Ahl al-Sunnat" by
eminent
Ulema (scholars). He was also hailed as the
Mujaddid or Reviver of the Century. He acted as a shield
against those who wanted to assault the principles of
the
Ahl as-Sunnah wa'l Jama'ah (the majority group of muslims who follow the
Sunnah).
As a devout Sufi, A'la Hadrat; Shaykh Ahmad Raza Khan,
may Allah be pleased with him,
was awarded the
Ijaazah & Khilafat (Certificate of Spiritual Successorship) in the
Qadiriya
Silsila (Order), as well as in 13 other branches of Sufism. As an author, A'la Hadrat left to
his credit more than a 1,000 books on 50 different subjects ranging from
Tafseer, Logic,
Grammar, Literature, Islamic Jurisprudence, Education, Sociology, Astronomy,
Mathematics, Physics, History, Science of History, Engineering, Biographies, Philosophy,
Tasawwuf to Persian, Arabic,
Urdu and
Hindi Literature.
Cover Image (above)
:The Sound Certificates -
Al-Ijazat al-Mateenah li Ulama’i makkata wa al-Madinah