About the Author :
He is Shaykh Abul Muhamid Sayyad Shah Muhammad Khicchochawi al-Ashrafi,
alayhi ar-Rahman w'al-Ridwan, referred to as
Muhaddith al-A'zam e Hind. He was born into a deeply religious family in Utter Pradesh, Northern India in 1311H (1894 C.E.). Muhaddith al-A'zam’s father was
Ra'is al-Hukma Hadrat Allama Sayyad Nadhar Ashraf
Fadil-e-Khicchochwi and his mother was Sayyidah Muhammadi, the daughter of Shaykh al-Masha'ikh; Mahboob-e-Rabbani A’la Hadrat Sayyad Shah Ali Hussain ‘Ashrafi Miya’
'alayhi ar-Rahman w'al-Ridwan.
Following in the family tradition, Muhaddith e A'zam began reading the Noble Qur'an at the age of 4, and like many in his family before him showed early signs of excellence. He went onto study the sacred sciences and was under the tutelage of some of the highest authorities in Sunni Islam. His education took him across India to places like Aligarh, Badayun, Bareilly, Lucknow and Philibit.
Amongst his teachers were ;
*** Imam-e-Ahl’ Sunnat A’la Hadrat Imam Ahmad Rida Khan,
*** Bahr al-Ulum’ Allama Abd 'al-Bari Firanghi-mahali,
*** Ustad al-Zama’n Allama Lutfullah Aligarhi,
*** Allama Wasi Ahmad Muhaddith al-Surti,
Muhaddith A'zam e Hind received his title from Allama Sayyad Shah Mati'uras al-Badayuni in 1328 A.H (1911 C.E.). After completing his studies, Muhaddith A'zam e Hind became the
murid (disciple) and attained
khilafat (spiritual successorship) from his maternal grandfather, A’la Hadrat Ashrafi Miya. At the age of 19, Muhaddith e A'zam established a school of
Hadith Studies under the leadership of Hadrat Allama Sayyad Muhammad Mir ad-Dehlawi. The publication of ‘Ashrafi Monthly’ commenced in 1339 AH (Janurary 1922 C.E.) in which he refuted the growing threat of
Wahhabi's,
Qaddiani's and other deviant sects.
Muhaddith A'zam e Hind was also a prolific author, penning in excess of 80 books and booklets. The most widely renowned of these is “
Ma’arif al-Quran”, an
Urdu translation of the Holy Qur'an. Muhaddith A'zam e Hind also began writing a
Tafsir (commentary) of the Holy Qur'an. Unfortunately he only completed the first 3 parts, of which parts two and three were lost. The
tafsir was completed by his son and successor Shaykh al-Islam w'al-Muslimeen Allama Sayyad Muhammad Madani al-Ashrafi, known as “
Tafsir-e-Ashrafi”, the ten part volume still includes the original first part written by the great
Muhaddith.
Muhaddith e Az'am e Hind was extremely active and spread the message of Islam via direct propagation. He would spend almost 11 months of the year travelling around India and throughout Asia and was attributed to bringing over 5000 non-believers into the folds of Islam, not to mention spiritually inspiring countless more Muslims.
At the age of 66, Muhaddith al-A'zam Hind passed away on 16th Rajab 1381
Hijri (25th December 1961). His
Janazah Salah (Funeral Prayer) was performed by Sarkar al-Kalan Allama Sayyad Shah Mukhtar Ashraf, '
alayhi ar-Rahman, his brother-in-law and the Shaykh (Spiritual Guide) of his son Shaykh al-Islam, Sayyad Muhammad Madani miya. He is laid to rest in Khicchocha Shareef with the rest of the
shuyookh of the
Ashrafiyya dynasty. Before his passing away, Muhaddith e Az'am e Hind declared his son, Shaykh al Islam as his
Janasheen (spiritual successor) who was aged 25.
