Biography of Shaykh AbdulWahab Aarwi (1881-1983)

His family

Elders from his family were followers of Sayid Ahmad Barailwi and participated in the battle of Balakot in which Sayid Ahmad Barailwi and Shaykh Shah Ismaeel Dehlwi were martyred (insha Allah). The Shaykh’s father was a respected businessman.

Shaykh AbdulWahab was born in 1881 in Bhojpur in the village of Domria, in the province of Bihar. Some have written that he was born in Ilahabad, but his only son Shaykh AbduTawab clearly said that his father was born in Domria, and Shaykh AbdulWahab Aarwi’s ijaza from Shaykh Abu Sa’eed Sharfudin Dehlwi also mentions his Nisbah as “Domriawi”.

His studies

The Shaykh studied first in his village, and then he went to Meeruth and joined the “Dar Al-Hadith Khandaq”. Afterwards he joined the MAdrasah Sa’eediyah in Delhi where he studied from Shaykh Abu Sa’eed Sharfudin Dehlwi. Also we count among his famous teachers Shaykh AbduNur Bhangwi and his elder brother Shaykh Thanaullah Bihari. Shaykh AbdulWahab Aarwi was proficient in all sciences and with it he also excelled in Tibb. 

His teaching

Shaykh AbdulWahab Aarwi was an excellent teacher, he taught in Dar Al-Hadith Khandaq in Meeruth and was also the Sadr and Muntazim of this Madrasah. He also taught in Madrasah Ahmadiyah Salafiyah DarBanghah, Jamiyah Darussalam Umerabad, Madrasah Matla Al-Ulum Khandaq Meeruth and he also taught in Calcutta. The Shaykh was Sadr Al-Mudarisin in Dar Al-Ulum Ahmadiyah Salafiyah and gave great services for this Madrasah. In 1931, he established a Madrasah called “Anwar Ahmadiyah”.

In 1931, Shaykh AbdulWahab Aarwi moved with his family to Aarah, and hence he was called Aarwi.

His students

We count among his students:

Shaykh Ubaydullah Rehmani Mubarakpuri

Shaykh AbdurRauf Rehmani Jandangarhi

Shaykh Nazeer Ahmad Amlawi Rehmani

Shaykh AbdulJaleel Rehmani

Shaykh AbdulWaahid Umri

Shaykh Khaleel Ahmad Rehmani

His debates

Shaykh AbdulWahab Aarwi was a very proficient debater, 2 of his debates are very memorable, one against an Aariyah Samaaj Pundit and the second in Katak Arisiyah against a Brelwi scholar on the issue of Taqleed.

Markazi Jamiat Ahl e Hadith

On the 28 October 1944, Shaykh AbdulWabah Dehlwi was elected as the president of All India Ahl e Hadith Conference and he remained president up to 1972. In 1947 after the partition and turmoil, many Ahl e Hadith scholars left for Pakistan and the Jama’at was dispersed. The Shaykh reorganised the Jamaat and established again a Shura.

The first meeting of the new Majlis Aamilah (executive body) occurred on the 18^th July 1952 in the Madrasah Riyadh Al-Ulum Delhi. Shaykh AbdulWahab Aarwi was elected again as president and Shaykh AbdulJaleel Rehmani as secretary general (Nazim e Aala). He lead in November 1961 the 50ieth conference of All India Ahl e Hadith Conference in the result of which the great university Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris was created.

Jamiat Ullama e Hind

Jamiat Ullama e Hind was established on the invitation on Shaykh Al-Islam Thanaullah Amritsari and Shaykh Dawud Ghaznawi in 1919. Shaykh AbdulWahab Aarwi was present in the meeting of Jamiat Ullama e Hind in 1922 on the invitation of Jamiat Ullama e Hind’s president Mufti Kifayatullah. In this meeting, he was chosen as member of the Majlis Muntazimah and he was attached to it since. On the 16^th April 1972 Shaykh AbdulWahab Aarwi was elected as president of Jamiat Ullama e Hind by its executive body. He presided on 22-23 December 1972 the 30^th gathering of Jamiat Ullama e Hind in which many important issues were decided.

Muslim Waqf Act Bill

After the partition, the Muslim Waqf Act Bill was presented in the parliament neglecting Ahl e Hadith Jama’at, and Shaykh AbdulWahab Aarwi saw this as a challenge against the Ahl e Hadith Jama’’at so the Ahl e Hadith compiled some amendments to this bill. And the Shaykh presented with courage the position of the Ahl e Hadith Jama’aat to political parties, and in result the Muslim Waqf Act Bill passed by the parliament in 1954, the name of Ahl e Hadith was included among Sunni Muslims.

The visit of Shah Su’ud ibn AbdilAziz

After the partition Shaykh AbdulWahab Aarwi and Johar Lal Nehru invited King Su’ud ibn AbdilAziz, so the King came to visit India in 1955 for 17 days. King Su’ud visited many places and he participated in a gathering of All India Ahl e Hadith Conference.

His death

The Shaykh had 1 son, AbduTawab, and 3 daughters. After a century of services given the Islam, Shaykh AbdulWahab Aarwi passed away in 1983, and a huge gathering came to his funeral prayer.

Source: Adapted from “Tarajim Ullama Ahl e Hadith” v 1 p 293 and after, of Shaykh Khalid Hanef Siddiqi.