His father Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Banarsi

He is the eldest son of the great scholar Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Banarsi. Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Banarsi was born in 1858/1274 and was a Sikh who loved to debate other religions, and after debating with Molana Ubaydullah Sindhi (author of Tuhfatul Hind), he converted to Islam in 1874. In 1875, he started his studies in Dar Uloom Deoband. After studying the books of Fiqh and when he started to study Sihhah Sittah, he developed a taste for acting upon Hadith, hence he went after to study under Mian Nazeer Husayn Dehlwi, Hafiz Abdullah Ghazipuri and other scholars in Dehli.

He taught after a year in the Madrasah Ahmadiyah of Shaykh Ibrahim Aarwi and went for Hajj after where he took Isnad from Shaykh Abbas ibn AbudrRahman student of Imam Shawkani.

On his return from Hajj, he settled in Banaris where he established his Madrasah called "Madrasah Islamiyah" which was called "Madrasah Sa'eediyah" after his death. He authored many books in defense of Tawheed and Sunnah, and Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan allotted him 50 rupees monthly payments. He authored many other books, and passed away in 1322.

Shaykh Muhammad Abul Qasim Sayf Banarsi

Shaykh Abul Qasim Sayf Banarsi was the eldest son of Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Banarsi. He was born in Banaris in 1307/1890. His father named him "Muhammad Fazl Qadir" but he used to call him "Muhammad", so when Shaykh Al-Kull Mian Nazeer Husayn Dehlwi gave him Ijazah, he suggested him to add the Kuniyah "Abul Qasim".

After completing his studies in his father's madrasah Islamiyah, he indeed went to Delhi to study Hadith from Mian Nazeer Husayn Dehlwi. After he went to Dianwan to study from Shaykh Shamsul Haq Azeemabadi (Sahib Awn Al-Ma'bood) who was one of his main mentor after his father. Shaykh Azeemabadi encouraged him to refute the book "Al-Jarh alal Bukhari" of the extreme bigot Molvi Umar Kareem Al-Hanafi in Patnah, so Shaykh Abul Qasim wrote all his books "Hal Mushkilat Bukhari" and others replies compiled nowadays under the name "Difa Sahih Bukhari", by Umm-ul-Qura publications, with the Tahqiq of Hafiz Shahid Mahmood.

Shaykh Abul Qasim Sayf Banarsi also benefited and obtained Ijaza from Shaykh Husayn ibn Muhsin Al-Ansari Al-Yemeni and Hafiz Abdul Mannan Wazeerabadi

After completing his studies, he started to teach in the Madrasah of his father "Madrasah Sa'eediyah" where he taught all his life and completed Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim more than 39 times, and he passed away after starting the 40 Dars of the 2 Sahih.

Shaykh Abul Qasim Sayf Banarsi performed Hajj twice, once in 1330 and once in 1344. The second time, he was in the company of Shaykhul Islam Thanaullah Amritsari and Shaykh Muhammad Junaghari, and they met many scholars such as Shaykh Abdullah ibn Bukayhid Qadhi of Makkah, Shaykh Ibrahim Aal Sahman, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ali Turki, Qadhi Mahmood Ali Misri and others.

And Shaykh AbdulLateef ibn Muhammad ibn AbdulLateef ibn AbdirRahman ibn Hasan ibn Shaykh Muhammad ibn AbndilWahab, took Ijazah from Shaykh Abul Qasim in Makkah in 1344.

His political contribution: Shaykh Abul Qasim was a supporter of Congress but did not do any great contribution in it. He was against British occupation and was imprisoned many times because of his speeches.

He played a great role in "All India Ahl e Hadith Conference", he was one of its main leader and member since its first executive body in 1907. He also remained director of the branch of Taleef, Nashr wa Isha'at of "All India Ahl e Hadith conference"

Shaykh Abul Qasim was also in the founding sitting of Jamiat Ullama e Hind with Shaykhul Islam Thanaullah Amritsari, and he helped this Jamiyah as well. Shaykh Dawood Ghaznawi, Shaykh Ibraheem Mir Sialkoti, and others were in exective body along Ahnaf Shaykh Kifayatullah Dehlwi, Shaykh Sayid Sulayman Nadwi, Shaykh Abdul Bari FarangMahalli, Shaykh Abdul Majid Badayuni and others.

His students: the list include his younger brothers who were all scholars: Shaykh AbdurRahman, Shaykh Abu Masood Mahmood Qamar, Qari Ahmad Sa'eed and Shaykh Abdul Aakhir.

Also among his students we count: Shaykh Muhammad Basheer Azami, Shaykh Zainul Abidin Sa'eedi, Shaykh Hakeem AbdulHakeem Rehmani, Shaykh Muhammad Sahrab Khan Faizi, Shaykh Shukrullah Sa'eedi, Shaykh Abdul Mubeen Munazar, Shaykh AbdulWaheed Salafi, Shaykh Muhammad Al-A'zami, Shaykh Abu Shameem AbdulHaleem, Shaykh Muhammad Muneer Banarsi, Shaykh Mukhtar Ahmed Nadwi (head of Markazi Jamiat Ahl e Hadith Hind).

His books: Shaykh Abul Qasim Sayf Banarsi authored 67 books and with his famous "Hall Mushkilat Bukhari", "Al-Amr al-Mubram li Ibtal Al-Kalam Al-Muhkam", "Maa Hameem Lil Molvi Umar Kareem", "Sirat e Mustaqeem li Hidayati Umar Kareem", "Ar-Reeh Al-Aqeem li Hasm Bina Umar Kareem", "Al-Urjun Al-Qadeem fi Ifsha Hafawat Umar Kareem", which have been compiled under the name of "Difa Sahih Bukhari" and in refutation of Molvi Umar Kareem.

We count among his famous books:

"Jam' Al-Quran wal Hadith": this book shows that the order of the Quran was from Prophetic and likewise writing Hadith occurred in prophetic time.

"Husn Adh-Dha'ah fi Salah At-Taraweeh bil Jama'ah": It shows the evidences from Sunnah to pray Taraweeh in congregation.

"Hukm Al-Hakim fi Kuniyah Abil Qasim": This epistle shows the permissibilty of the Kuniyah Abul Qasim

"As-Sawl Ash-Shadeed ala Musanif Qawl As-Sadeed": In refutation of the epistle "Al-Qawl As-Sadeed" of the Brelwi Abul Manzoor Qadiri, concerning urs, Milad, Fatihah upon food and others.

"Zikr Ahl e Zikr": This epistle shows that the verse about asking Ahl e Zikr is not an evidence for Taqleed Shakhsi, and who Ahl e Zikr are.

Tanqeed Al-Mi'yar": This epistle removes objections of innovators upon Shaykh Shah Ismaeel Dehlwi and his father Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Banarsi.

"Ijtilab Al-Manfa'ah liman yutaliu Ahwal Al-Aimah Al-Arab'ah": This epistle mentions the biographies of the 4 Imams.

"Izhar e Haqiqat", "Rad e Mirzaiyat" and "Miyar e Nubuwat": all 3 epistles written against Mirza Qadiyani and his claims of prophethood.

Death: Shaykh Abul Qasim Sayf Banarsi passed away in 1368 on the 25 November 1949 on the day of Jumuah while he was doing ablution for Salah Al-Jumuah

Source of Biography: Shaykh Tanzeel Siddiqi's introduction to "Difa Sahih Bukhari" and also "40 Ullama Ahl e Hadith" of Shaykh AbdurRasheed Iraqee.

Photos below of Madrasah Saeediyah, the room in which Shaykh Abul Qasim taught Sahihayn, and below the Maktabah of this Madrasah, and one right the book "Difa Sahih Bukhari" compiling all the writings of Shaykh Abul Qasim Sayf Banarsi in defence of Sahih Bukhari and against Molvi Umar Kareem.