Biography of Shaykh SafiuRahman Mubarakpuri

His lineage: SafiuRahman ibn Abdillah ibn Muhammad Akbar ibn Muhammad Ali ibn AbdulMumin ibn Faqeerullah Mubarakpuri A’zami.

The Shaykh mentioned that his official date of birth is 6 June 1943 but in reality he was born in the middle of 1942. He was born in the village of Husaynabad which is one mile from Mubarakpur. Mubarakpur was a well known scholarly and industrial city of A’zamgarh.

His education

He read the Quran young with his grand father and paternal uncle and learned for a little while from the Madrasah in his village. In 1948 he joined “Madrasah Arabiyah Dar At-Ta’leem” Mubarakpur and studied there preliminary books and books of Persian language. In 1954 he joined “Madrasah Ihya Al-Ulum” Mubarakpur and studied there books of Arabic grammar and morphology. Two years later in 1956, he joined the Madrasah “Faydh e Aam Mau” in Maunath Bhanjan. This Madrasah was a prestigious institution and it was 35 Km from Mubarakpur. He studied there for 5 years and studied Arabic language, Tafsir, Hadith, Usul Al-Hadith, Fiqh, Usul Al-Fiqh and others. Shaykh SafiuRahman Mubarakpuri graduated in 1961 and obtained in Sanad of Fazeelat in Shari’ah and Fazeelat in sciences, which also gives him the permission to issue a Fatwa (religious verdict).

Shaykh SafiurRahman also obtained during his studies in Maunath Bhajan the degrees of “Molvi” in 1959 and “Alim” in 1960 from Ilahabad Board and he obtained first division in these exams of state universities. In 1967, he also obtained the degree of “Fadhil Adab” and “Fadhil Deeniyat” being in the first division.

His teaching and work as a researcher:

After graduating in 1961 from “Madrasah Faidh e Aam”, Shaykh SafiuRahman taught in many Madaris:

a) From 1961 to 1963: He taught in the village Nagpur in the area of Ilahabad.

b) From 1963 to 1965: He became teacher in his motherly Madrasah Faydh e Aam”.

c) In 1965: He taught in “Jamiyah Ar-Rashad” in A’zamgarh.

d) From 1966 to 1969: He taught in “Madrasah Dar Al-Hadith Mau”, and he was Naib Sadr Mudaris (vice head teacher) there.

e) From 1969 to End 1972: He taught in the “Madrasah Faydh Al-Ulum Seyuni which was located 7 km from Maunath Bhajan in Madhiyah Pardesh. He taught there for 4 years and he was Sadr Mudaris (Head teacher).

f) End of 1972 to 1974: The head of “Madrasah Dar At-Ta’leem” in Mubarakpur, which was the Shaykh’s first Madrasah, insisted on him to be teacher there and he accepted.

g) 1974 to 1988: Shaykh SafiuRahman Mubarakpuri taught in Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris, the Markazi Ahl e Hadith University in India.

h) 1988 to 1997: Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri was a research scholar for “Markaz Khidmah As-Sunnah wa As-Seerah” which was part of Madeenah University, and he worked there up to December 1997.

i) 1998 to his death: The Shaykh moved to Riyadh and worked as a research scholar for Maktabah Darussalam established by Shaykh AbdulMalik Mujahid.

His famous teachers:

a) Shaykh Abdullah Sha’iq

b) Shaykh AbdulMu’eed Banarsi

c) Shaykh Shams Al-Haqq Salafi

d) Mufti Habib Ar-Rahman Faizi

e) He obtained Ijaza from Shaykh Ubaydullah Mubarakpuri

His writings:

His Arabic writings:

1) “Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum”: The famous book of Seerah which won the competition of the Muslim World League for the best biography.

2) “Rawdah Al-Anwar fi Seerah An-Nabi Al-Mukhtar”: A shorter book on the Seerah, published by Darussalam.

3) “Ittihaf Al-Kiram”: An explanation of “Bulugh Al-Maram” published by Darussalam.

4) “Minnah Al-Mun’im Sharh Sahih Muslim”: An Arabic explanation of Sahih Muslim in 4 volumes published by Darussalam.

5) “Bahjah An-Nazar”: A small booklet on Usul Al-Hadith

6) “Ibraz Al-Haqq wa Sawab fi Masalah As-Sufur wal Hijab”: on the veil.

7) “Al-Ahzab As-Siyasiyah fil Islam”: A book on political parties in Islam.

8) “At-Tatawur Ash-Shu’ub wa Diyanat fil Hind wa Majal Ad-Da’wah fiha”: On the different religions in India and the opportunities of

Da’wah in India.

9) “Al-Firqah An-Najiyah wal Furuq Al-Islamiyah Al-Ukhra”

10) “Sharh Azhaar Al-Arab”: An explanation of the book of “Azhaar Al-Arab” of Shaykh Muhammad Surti.

11) “Al-Basharat bi Muhammad (saw) fi Kutub Al-Hunud wal Budiyin”: On the predictions of the Prophet (saw) in the books of the Hindus and Buddhists.

His Urdu books:

1) “Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum”: The Shaykh translated his Arabic book to Urdu himself and it was published by Maktabah Salafiyah Lahore by Shaykh Ata’ullah Haneef Bhujiyani.

2) “Tajaliyat Nubuwwat”: The Urdu translation of “Rawdah Al-Anwar”, published by Darussalam.

3) “Qadiyaniyat Apne Aine Mein”: A book authored by the Shaykh refuting Qadianism.

4) “Fitnah Qadiyaniyat or Molana Thanaullah Amritsari”: A book authored by the Shaykh on the efforts of Shaykul Islam Thanaullah Amritsari against Qadianism.

6) “Inkar Hadith Kiyun”: On the authority of Hadith.

7) “Inkar Hadith Haqq ya Batil”: Against Hadith rejecters

8) “Ramz Haqq wa Batil”: A book containing the texts of his debate with a Brelwi scholar.

9) “Islam or ‘Adm Tashaddud”: On Islam being a peaceful religion.

11) His Arabic Sharh on “Bulugh Al-Maram” called “Ittihad Al-Kiram” has been translated in Urdu by Shaykh AbdulWakeel Alawi and published by Darussalam after the verification of Shaykh Irshad Al-Haqq Athari.

12) “Suhuf Yahud wa Nasara mein Nabi (saw) se Muta’aliq Bashartein”: A book authored by the Shaykh on the predictions of the Prophet (saw) in the Books of the Jews and Christians.

His translations from Arabic to Urdu of books of other scholars:

1) “Ahl e Tasawuuf ki Karstaniyan”: Translation in Urdu by Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri of “Fadaih Sufiyah” of Shaykh AbdurRahman AbduKhaliq.

2) “Tazkirah Shaykh Al-Islam Muhammad ibn AbdilWahhab”: The Shaykh translated of a book of Shaykh Ahmad ibn Hajar Aal Botami, and added a detailed introduction on the history of Aal Saud.

3) “Shaykh Muhammad ibn AbdilWahab ka Salafi Aqidah or Duniya Islam par Us ka Athar”: Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri translated in Urdu a book of Shaykh Salih Al-‘Ubood on Shaykh Muhammad ibn AbdilWahab in 2 volumes in 854 pages total and it was published by Madeenah University.

4) Translation in Urdu by the Shaykh of “Al-Masabih fi Masalah At-Tarawih” of Hafiz Suyuti.

5) Translation in Urdu by the Shaykh of “Mukhtasar Izhar Al-Haqq”

6) “Aimah Arba’ah ka Aqidah”: Translation in Urdu by the Shaykh of a book on the creed of the 4 Imams.

7) Translation of the Shaykh of “Mukhtasar Seerah Ar-Rasool (saw)” of Shaykh Muhammad ibn AbdilWahab

8) Translation of the Shaykh of “Al-Kalim At-Tayib” of Shaykhul Islam ibn Taymiayh

9) The translation of the Shaykh of “Kitab Al-Arba’in An-Nawawi”

Books of Darussalam verified by the Shaykh

The Shaykh verified many books of Darusslam among whom we count:

1) “Al-Misbah Al-Muneer fi Tahdhib Tafsir ibn Kathir”: Tafsir ibn Kathir was summarised by a team of researchers of Darussalam under the supervision of Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri and Shaykh Abul Ashbal Sagheer Ahmad Saghif. This summarised Arabic Tafsir was then translated in Urdu, English, French and many other languages.

2) “Tafsir Ahsan Al-Kalam” (Urdu) of Hafiz Salahdin Yusuf

3) “Tafsir Al-Quran bi Kalam Ar-Rahman” of Shaykh Al-Islam Thanaullah Amritsari, a one vol. Arabic Tafsir of the Quran by the Quran of Shaykh Amritsari, with the Takhrij of Shaykh AbduQadir Arnaut and verification of Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri.

4) “History of Islam” of Akbar Shah Najeebabadi. The book was translated from Urdu to English by Darussalam and Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri added notes to it.

5) “Tarikh Makkah Mukarramah”: This book was prepared by a group of scholars under the supervision of Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri and it was published in Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, French and many other languages. The English translation is entitled: “The History of Makkah”

6) “Tarikh Madinah Munawwarah”: This book was prepared by a group of scholars under the supervision of Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri and it was published in many languages, Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, French and others. The English translation is entitled “History of Madinah Munawwarah”

7) “Collection from Riyadus Saliheen”: Shaykh SafiurRahman collected some Ahadith from “Riyadh As-Salihin” of Imam Nawawi, and it was translated in English.

8) The Shaykh verified and introduced the Arabic book of Shaykh AbulMukarim ibn AbdilJaleel “Da’wah Al-Imam Muhammad ibn AbdilWahab bayna Muayiduha wa Mu’aridhuha fi Shibah Al-Qarah Al-Hindiyah”

And many other works published by Darussalam.

His books compiled from his articles

Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri was the editor of the Monthly magazine “Mohadis” Banaris for 6 years and he authored many articles in this magazine and others. In current times many books have been published collecting his articles, such as:

1) “Khomeini ka ‘Islami’ Inqilab, Nafsiyati Mahol or Haqaiq”: This book of 82 pages compiles a series of article of the Shaykh exposing the reality of Khomeini and his revolution in Iran, it was published by “Nadwah As-Sunnah” Sidarrath Nagar UP. This book has been translated in English by “Umm-ul-Qura Publications” and will be published soon insha Allah.

2) “Azab e Qabr ka Bayan”: this book compiles two articles, one of Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri and one of Shaykh Abu Abdillah Jabir Dimanwi refuting those who deny the punishment of the grave. It was published by Maktabah Muhammadiyah Sahiwal in Pakistan.

Some of his works at “Markaz Khidmah As-Seerah wa As-Sunnah”:

a) The Shaykh established the format of a “Seerah Encyclopaedia”

b) Preparation to establish an Encyclopaedia on the two Holly lands (Haramyn Sharifayn) Makkah and Madinah.

c) Compilation of all the narrations of Aishah (Rad) in 9 books of Hadith and other books

d) Compilation of cards on Makkah for the publication of an “Encyclopaedia” on Makkah

d) Compilation of an index of all Ahadith in the six books and others on Seerah

e) Research on the genealogy of the Prophet (saw) up to Adam.

f) Compilation on the Prophesies of the Prophet (saw) in all religions. The Shaykh gathered in it as well the predictions in books of Hindus, Budhists and Zoroastrians.

g) The Markaz Khidmah As-Sunna Wa As-Seerah (Centre for the Service of the Sunnah and Sirah) published in English in 2 large volumes “Sirat Al-Nabi (Saw) And The Orientalists with the special reference to the writings of William Muir, D.S. Margoliouth and W. Montgomery Watt” by Muhammad Mohar Ali. Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri reviewed this work.

And many other projects written and reviewed by the Shaykh at Markaz Khidmah As-Sunnah wa As-Seerah.

Some of his books translated to English:

1) “The Sealed Nectar”: English translation of “Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum”, published by Darussalam. The 2nd edition has been revised by Shaykh Abu Khaliyl (US) who obtained Ijaza in Hadith from Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri

2) “When the Moon Split”: English translation of “Rawdah Al-Anwar”, published by Darussalam.

3) “In Reply to the Mischief of Denial of Hadith”: Translation of “Inkar e Hadith, Haqq ya Batil”, published by Maktabah Quddusia Lahore.

4) All the works of Darussalam mentioned before published under the Shaykh’s supervision “Tafsir ibn Kathir”, “History of Islam”, “History of Makkah Mukarramah”, “History of Madinah Munawwarah”, Collection from Riyadus Saliheen” and others.

5) The Markaz Khidmah As-Sunna Wa As-Seerah (Centre for the Service of the Sunnah and Sirah) published in English in 2 large volumes “Sirat Al-Nabi (Saw) And The Orientalists with the special reference to the writings of William Muir, D.S. Margoliouth and W. Montgomery Watt” by Muhammad Mohar Ali. Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri reviewed this work.

6) A chapter of his book ““Fitnah Qadiyaniyat or Molana Thanaullah Amritsari” has been translated in English and quoted in the book of Shaykh Suhaib Hasan “Two Essays on Qadianism”, published by Al-Quran Society

7) “The “Islamic” revolution of Khomeini, the psychological environment and realities”: Translation of “Khomeini ka ‘Islami’ Inqilab, Nafsiyati Mahol or Haqaiq” and it will be published soon by Umm-Ul-Qura Publications.

His award for best Prophetic Biography

Shaikh Mohammad Ozair Shams mentions how his teacher Shaikh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri obtained the prize of the Muslim World league (Rabitah Alam Islami) for the best Seerah book for his book “Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum”:

“In 1976 when I was a student in the last year of Fazeelat in Jami’ah Salafiyah (Banaris), the Muslim world league in Makkah Mukarramah (Rabitah Alam Islami Makkah Mukarramah) announced a competition on the Seerah, so I with other friends insisted many times on Shaykh (SafiurRahman) that he should participate in this competition. Whenever I would meet him, this would be the topic of our discussion, until Shaikh became ready for this, and in only 4-5 months he worked day and night to prepare this book in Arabic, he wrote some parts himself and dictated other parts to students, and the copy was sent to the Muslim World League.

A year and half later in July 1978 the result were announced in the first Asian Islamic Conference in Karachi, and I, during summer holidays, was going from Madeenah University via Karachi. On my way to Delhi, I was informed in the plane that our teacher (Rah) obtained the first price, and I and my friends were naturally extremely delighted. From Delhi we went the next morning via train to Banaris, and we gave the news to the Shaikh in Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris. All the teachers and students were delighted at the success and congratulated him, and the award was an honour for the Jami’ah, Jama’at (Ahl e Hadith) rather for the whole of Indian subcontinent”

As quoted in “Allamah SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri Yadon ke Safar Mein” of Shaykh Rizwanullah Rayazi.

His famous students

Shaykh SafiuRahman Mubarakpuri had hundreds of students in India in the different Madaris in which he taught and also many current scholars from the world took Ijazah from him in the books of Hadith during his stay in Madeenah and Riyadh. We count among some of his famous students:

1) Shaykh Mohammad Ozair Shams (Teacher Umm Al-Qura University Makkah): Shaykh SafiuRahman Mubarakpuri was a student of Shaykh Ozar Sham’s father Shaykh Shamsm Al-Haqq Salafi and he taught Shaykh Ozair Shams in Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris.

2) Shaykh Salahdin Maqbool Ahmed (Jamiyah Ihya Turath Kuwait)

3) Shaykh Asghar Ali Imam Mahdi Salafi (Head of Markazi Jamiat Ahl e Hadith Hind)

4) Shaykh AbdusSalam Salafi (Ameer Subai Jamiat Ahl e Hadith Mumbai)

5) Shaykh Kifayatullah Salafi (rah)

6) Shaykh AbdulMubeen ibn Salih Salafi

7) Shaykh Abul Mukarim AbdulJaleel Salafi

8) Shaykh Muhammad Yunus ibn AbdilMateen Madni

9) Shaykh Junayd Makki Banarsi

10) Shaykh Shakeel Ahmad Salafi (Maktabah Darussalam Riyadh)

11) Shaykh Niyaz Ahmad ibn Riyadh Ahmad Faizi

12) Shaykh Abul Qasim AbdulAzeem Madni

13) Shaykh Razaullah AbdulKareem Madni (Director of the magazine “Tarjuman” Delhi)

14) Shaykh Sa’eed Maysoor ibn Muhammad Ilyas Madni

15) Shaykh Shabeer Ahmad ibn Abil Hasan Madni

16) Shaykh AbdulAwwal ibn AbdirRahman (Principal Jamiyah Rehmaniyah Banaris)

17) Hafiz AbdulBar ibn AbdirRab Faizi

18) Shaykh Abdullah ibn AbdiTawwab Madni Jandagarhi (Secretary General Madrasah Khadijah Kubra Nepal)

19) Shaykh Abu Rizwan Muhammadi (Director of Thanwiyah and teacher in Jamiyah Muhammadiyah Mansurah Maligaon)

20) Dr Iqbal Ahmad Baskorvi (Head of the department of the Sunnah Jamiyah Maligaon)

21) Dr Badr Az-Zaman Nepali (Head of Jamiyah Tawheed, Nepal)

22) Shaykh Husayn ibn Ali Salafi (rah)

23) Shaykh AbdulQayum Muhammad Shafee Bastawi (Sharjah)

24) Shaykh Shameem Ahmad Khalil (Qatar)

25) Shaykh Muhammad Arshad Madni (vice president Jamiah ibn Taymiyah Bihar)

26) Shaykh AbdulMannan ibn AbilHannan (Wakeel of Jamiyah Siraj Al-Ulum Jandanagar Nepal)

27) Shaykh Hameedullah ibn In’amillah Salafi

28) Shaykh Rahmatullah Salafi

29) Shaykh Abdullah Su’ud (Secretary General Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris)

30) Shaykh Shihabullah Madni

31) Shaykh AbdulWahid ibn AbdilQuddus Madni

32) Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim ibn HifzurRahman Madni

33) Shaykh Muhammad Haneef ibn AbdirRasheed Madni

34) Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Salafi

35) Shaykh Muhammad ibn AbdilQayum Madni

36) Dr Hafiz Nasrullah Faizi

37) Shaykh Akram Mukhtar Madni ibn Mukhtar Ahmad Nadwi

38) Shaykh Aziz Ar-Rahman ibn Abdillah Salafi

Among scholars who read to him books of Hadith and obtained Ijazah:

1)  Shaykh Abdullah Ubaid (KSA)

2) Shaykh Hamid Akram Bukhari (Uzbekistan, teacher in Masjid Nabawwi)

3) Shaykh Abdullah Zahrani (KSA)

4) Shaykh AbdulAziz Tarefe (KSA)

5) Shaykh Abu Khaliyl Jadd Sylvester (US)

The prestigious positions held by the Shaykh:

1) Teacher of Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris

2) Editor of the Urdu magazine “Mohadis”

3) Secretary General of Markazi Jamiat Ahl e Hadith Hind

4) Member of “Markaz Khidmah As-Sunnah wa As-Seerah” in Madeenah

5) Head of the Hadith section of the Research Department of Darussalam Riyadh.

His death

Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubrakpuri passed away on the first December 2006 (Zul Qi’dah 1427) on a Friday after a long disease in his house in Husaynabad.

Sources: “Gulistan Hadith” of Shaykh Ishaq Bhatti, “Allamah SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri Yadon ke Safar Mein” of Shaykh Rizwanullah Ryadhi and others.