Bio Shaykh Abdul ‘Ali Al-Azhari

Shaykh Abdul ‘Ali recorded his date of birth as 8 June 1943

His family

Shaykh Abdul’Aliy Al-Azhari belonged to a reputed scholarly family of Maunath Bhanjan. His lineage is Abdul’Aliy ibn AbdilHameed ibn Muhammad Hamid ibn AbdirRahman ibn Jamaludin.

His great grandfather Haji AbdurRahman had 4 sons, he made Du’a during Hajj that they become scholars and Allah made all of them reputed scholars: Muhammad Hamid (d 1913) and Muhammad Nu’man (d 1951) were students of Mian Nazeer Husayn Dehlwi and the 2 younger sons Muhammad Ibrahim (d 1918) and Muhammad Ali Qudsi (1954) were also great scholars.

Shaykh Muhammad Nu’man taught all his life in Jamiyah Darussalam Umerabad and today his third and fourth generation progeny is benefiting this Jamiyah.

Shaykh Muhammad Azami Ansari married the maternal grand daughter of Shaykh Muhammad Nu’man, so Shaykh Muhammad Nu’man ‘s daughter’s daughter was the mother of Shaykh Asad ibn Muhammad Azami, current teacher of Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris and member of Rabitah Alam Islami Makkah.

Moreover Alimullah the great grand father of Shaykh Asad Azami, was the brother of Haji AbdurRahman, the great grandfather of Shaykh Abdul’Aliy Al-Azahri.

The famous scholar Shaykh Azizul Haq Umri (d 2020) was among the progeny of Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim. Among the progeny of Shaykh Abul Qasim Muhammad Ali Qudsi, his son Mufti AbdulAziz Azami Umri ( d 2005) and his grandson Dr Imran Azami Umri ibn Hafiz AbdulQayum (d 2018) were reputed scholars.

Hajji AbdurRahman’s father Hakeem Jamaludin was a respected figure in the western area of Mau and an area was named after him called Jamalpurah. He had 5 sons: Al-Haaj AbdurRahman, Al-Haaj AbdulHafeez, Al-Haaj Noor Muhammad, Molvi Alimullah and Al-Haaj Muhammad Arif.

The progeny of Hakeem Jamaludin includes many scholars, teachers in many Ahl e Hadith universities (Jamiyah Aaliyah Mau, Jamiyah Faidh e Aam Mau, Dar Al-Hadith Mau, Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris, Wali University Banaris, Jamiyah Muhammadiyah Maligaon, Jamiyah DarusSalam Umerabad, Jamiyah Muhammadiyah Raidrag, Dairah Ma’arif Hayderabad, Madrasah Himayatul Islam Haspit, Madrasah Faidh e Aam Wanambari and others), authors, researchers, orators, Quran reciters and many individuals who established Masajid and Islamic institutions.

The father of Shaykh Abdul’Aliy Al-Azhari, Shaykh AbdulHameed ibn Muhammad Hamid married his first cousin Safiyah Bint Muhammad Nu’man, so the paternal and maternal grand fathers of Shaykh Abdul Aliy Azhari were both student of Mian Nazeer Husayn Dehlwi.

Shaykh Abdul’Aly Azhari was thus a first cousin of Shaykh Muqtada Hasan Azhari as their mothers were both daughters of Shaykh Muhammad Nu’man. Shaykh Muqtada Hasan Azhari was also the brother in law of Shaykh Muhammad Ansari Azami.

Shaykh AbdulAliy Azhari had 2 brothers, his elder brother Muhammad Shaukhat whose son Dr Javed Manzar graduated from Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris, and his younger brother Hafiz Abdul Hay who graduated from Madinah University and taught for some time in Jamiyah Athariyah Dar Al-Hadith Mau passed away in 2021 due to Covid.

His education

His mother was a teacher in Madrasah Aliyah Niswan (women section of Madrasah Aliyah Mau) and most likely she gave him education before him joining school. In many of his books, Shaykh Abdul ‘Ali Azhari thanked his parents for their invocations and that he is the fruit of their efforts and the fulfilment of their dreams such as in the introduction of “Urwah ibn Azinah, Hayatuhu wa Shi’ruhu” and likewise in the introduction of “Kitab Al-Amthal” of Al-Asbahani.

Shaykh Abdul ‘Ali Azhari then joined Madrasah Aliyah in Mau while it was in its old small building in Jamalpurah with 4 rooms and 4 teachers. The Madrasah later on moved in a big building in Domanpurah in Mau. At the time, teaching there was only the first 4 years of Dars Nizami and students would go after to Madrasah Faidh e Aam Mau or Madrasah Dar Al-Hadith Mau to complete their studies of Dars Nizami.

There Shaykh Abdul ‘Ali Azhari studied from Shaykh Muhammad Azami Ansari and also Shaykh Abdul Ali, the father of Shaykh Muhammad Azami Ansari. Shaykh Muhammad Azami Ansari considered him as his most intelligent and sincere student. Shaykh Abdul ‘Ali Azhari always kept close contact with his teacher Shaykh Muhammad Azami Ansari and before phone and mobiles, he would write regularly to him and send him all his published works and edited books.

After studying for 3 years in Madrasah Aliyah Mau, Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari joined Jamiyah Faydh e Aam Mau but he only stayed there for 2 months up to Zul Hijjah as his mother wanted him to join Jamiyah Rehmaniyah Banaras where his mother’s brother Shaykh FazlurRahman ibn Muhammad Nu’man Azami and his mother’s and father’s cousin Mufti AbdulAziz Azami Umri ibn Muhammad Ali Qudsi were teachers. There was no place at the the beginning in Jamiyah Rehmaniyah Banaris but one student left in Zul Hijjah so after Eed Al-Adha Shaykh Abdul Ali could go there.

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari studied for 2 years in Jamiyah Rehmaniyah Banaris, we count among his teachers there:

a) Shaykh AbdulWaheed Rehmani (d 1997): He studied from him “Al-Mujtana li Ibn Durayd” and “Mukhtarat min Aadab Al-Arabi li Abil Hasan Ali Nadwi”

b) Shaykh FazlurRahman Umri (d 1998): His maternal uncle, he studied from him “Sharh Wiqayah” and “Talkhis”

c) Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim Rehmani (b 1932)

d) Mufti AbdulAziz Azami Umri (d 2005): His parents’ first cousin

Shaykh Asad Azami said that he did not found clear statements about Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari having studied from Shaykh Nazeer Ahmad Amlawi Rehmani who was the head teacher of Jamiyah Rehmaniyah Banaras.

After studying for 2 years in Jamiyah Rehmaniyah Banaras, Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari had to interrupt his studies due to financial difficulties and he stayed at home. 2 years later, when home finances got better, he joined again Jamiyah Faydh e Aam Mau where he completed his studies after 3 years spent there.

We count among his teachers in Jamiyah Faydh e Aam Mau:

a) Shaykh AbdulMueed Banarsi (d 1980): He studied from him during 3 years “Sharh Hidayah Al-Hikmah”, “Hidayah Al-‘Ayn” and other books

b) Shaykh Muhammad Akmal ibn Muslihidin: He learned from him the book of Mantiq “Qatbi”

c) Shaykh AbdurRahman Nahwi (d 1964): his full name is Shaykh Abul Irfan AbdurRahman ibn AbdiLateef. He studied from him Sahih Muslim

d) Shaykh Azimullah Maowi (d 1993)

e) Qari AbduSubhan (d 1983)

f) Shaykh Muslihudin Azami (d 1981)

Among great scholars who studied around the same time in Jamiyah Faydh e Aam Mau, we count: Shaykh Muqtada Hasan Azhari, Shaykh Mazhar Hasan Azhari, Shaykh SafiurRahman Mubarakpuri, Shaykh AbdulHameed Rehmani, Shaykh AbdurRahman ibn Ubaydillah Mubarakpuri, Shaykh Muhammad Ata Ar-Rahman Madni.

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari was not in the same class as Shaykh Muqtada Azhari and Shaykh Mazhar Hasan Azhari as they were senior to him, Shaykh Mazahr Hasan Azhari graduated in 1959 and Shaykh Muqtada Hasan Azhari in 1960 or 1961 and Shaykh Abul Ali Azhari graduated in 1962 or 1963, but all 3 were class fellow in Jamiyah Al-Azhar.

About his great strength of memorisation, Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari memorised the Quran in less than a month in Ramadhan and recited what he learnt the day in the night during Tarawih,

Teaching in Jamiyah Faydh e Aam Mau

Shaykh Muqtada Hasan Azhari was appointed as teacher in Jamiyah Faydh e Aam Mau straight after graduating from there and he taught there 2 years before going to Egypt Jamiyah Al-Azhar. Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari was also appointed as teacher in Jamiyah Faydh e Aam and taught there 6 months before going to Al-Azhar.

Studies in al-Azhar and in the American University of Cairo

Shaykh Mazhar Hasan Azhari and Shaykh Muqtada Hasan Azhari travelled to Egypt by ship in April 1963 and Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari travelled in October 1963 to Egypt. A little after, another scholar from India Shaykh Sa’eed Ahmad ‘Abidi joined them. They had to face a problem which was that their degree of Fazeelat after completing Dars Nizami was not known by Al-Azhar and they were offered to enter in Thanvia instead of Kulliyah, which was not acceptable for them. The director of Arabic and Persian in India wrote a letter explaining that the degree of Fazeelat given by a Jamiyah was equivalent of government degrees of Alim and Fazil, hence they were admitted in the Kulliyah straight. They had registered in the University of Cairo in Arabic language in case their admission to Al-Azhar was not to be accepted but it was cleared so they didn’t need to study in Cairo University. During his studies in Egypt Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari worked with his colleagues for Cairo Radio and they would translate News and other programs in Urdu.

They had registered in Kulliyah Lughah in Al-Azhar but after a little time their teacher Dr Fathullah Badran forced them to move to Kulliyah Usul Ad-Din. After completing their Magister in 1965-1966, they were accepted for Phd but due to some reasons, Shaykh Muqtada Hasan returned to India in 1967 and Shaykh Mazhar Hasan in 1968. Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari remained in Egypt up to 1972 as he had registered in the American University of Cairo for another MA.

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari passed his second Magister in Arabic literature the American University of Cairo and his paper for MA was on “Urwah ibn Azinah, Hayatuhu wa Shi’ruhu. This epistle was published in the form of a book on 1976 by Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaris. It appears from the last paragraph of the introduction of this epistle that Shaykh Mahmood Ahmad Shakir was his supervisor: “I must thank sincerely the great scholar, Al-Ustadh Mahmood Muhammad Shakir who gave me time and precious guidance in this action, and the virtue goes to him in the correction of most distorted words in the manuscript of “Muntaha At-Talab”, and likewise I thank my teachers in the American University of Cairo, and everyone who helped me in preparing this book”

Among his teachers in Jamiyah Al-Azhar we count:

Dr Fathullah Badran
Dr AbdulWahid Wafi
Shaykh Muhammad Ghazali
Shaykh AbdulFattah
Dr Ghunaymi Hilal
Dr Ahmadayn
Dr Ghallab
Dr Rizq

Among the teachers who conducted their exams we count: Dr AbdulHameed Yunus, Shaykh Shukri Ayad, Shaykh Sayid Sabiq and others.

Shaykh Asad Azami wrote: “Dr Abul Ali Azhari wrote an article entitled “Mulahazat Hawl Kitab As-Sunnah An-Nabawwiyah Bayna Ahlil Hadith wa Ahlil Fiqh lil Ghazali”, which was published in the magazine “Sawt Al-Ummah”, and in which he expressed dissatisfaction at the content and non-scholarly and non-Manhaji way in the book “ As-Sunnah An-Nabawwiyah Bayna Ahlil Hadith wa Ahlil Fiqh” of his teacher Muhammad Ghazali. At the beginning of this article, he mentioned the religious and Da’wati services of Shaykh Ghazali and showed appreciation of them. Dr Abdul Ali mentioned him being of student of Ghazali in the second paragraph:

“I have the honour to have learnt from the Shaykh in Jamiyah Al-Azhar when I was a student in Dirasat Uliya in the department of Da’wah wal Irshad in the Kulliyah of Da’wah and Usul Ad-Din in the year 1965-66. The Shaykh was delivering lectures on the topics of “innovations and customs” and “The methodology of scholarly research”. I benefited, like my colleagues studying with me, from the abundance of his knowledge and the great extant of his reading, and we were impressed by his excellent behaviour in dealing with people, his excellent manner in talking, the strength of his style in debating, his proficiency in delivering a lecture, his clarity in a dialogue and his strength of persuasion in a debate and argumentation…Some of my colleagues expressed lack of satisfaction due to the tendencies of the Shaykh to justify some customs and traditions prevalent in some societies and giving them a religious sanction under the chapter of facilitating matters and removing difficulties, and they would consider that the Shaykh, in trying to implement such, was transgressing the limits at which a jurist should stop or what the religion requires, and that the Shaykh undervalues the importance of Prophetic Ahadith…and it appears that Shaykh Muhammad Ghazali increased the doubts of these colleagues in his latest book entitled “ As-Sunnah An-Nabawwiyah Bayna Ahlil Hadith wa Ahlil Fiqh”” (Magazine Sawt Al-Ummah Banaris, December 1989 p 42-43)” End of quote of Shaykh Asad Azami.

His teaching and Phd in Nigeria

After having a double MA in Usul Al-Din and Arabic Literature in Egypt, Shaykh Abdul ‘Ali Azhari moved to Nigeria after some of his Nigerians friends in Egypt advised him to do so, hence Shaykh Abdul ‘Ali Azhari taught for 12 years in Nigeria. He moved to the city of Kano to teach in the Islamic department of Ahmad Bello University. The Islamic Department of this University was in Abdullah Bayero College. Afterwards Abdullah Bayero College became an University on its own and separated from Ahmad Bello University. Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari taught in the same place in Kano which was once part of Ahmad Bello University and afterwards became Abdullah Bayero University (known as BUK nowadays Bayero University Kano).

From 1972 to 1976, Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari was lecturer, from 1976 to 1981, he was assistant Professor and from 1981 to 1984, he was associate Professor. He also led Friday prayers in Arabic in the University for 10 years and Tarawih prayers for 3 years in the Masjid on the University Campus.

During his stay in Nigeria, Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari did his Phd on the topic of “Abdullah ibn Fodi Mufassiran” from Ahmad Bello University.

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari wrote: “The Mufassir on whom I wrote a Maqalah (for my Phd) was named Abdullah ibn Fodi. He was the brother of a great scholar and reformer of the 19^th century, Shaykh Uthman ibn Fodi. Shaykh Uthman led a movement against innovations and fairy tales and declared Jihad to promote the correct teachings of Islam and eradicate innovations, and he established in current Nigeria or its northern area a government similar to Islamic caliphate, which the British ended in 1903. The language of this caliphate was Arabic and Shaykh Uthman, his brother Abdullah and Shaykh Uthman’s son Muhammad Bello, to promote awareness among laymen about correct Islam, wrote many epistles and books.

Shaykh Ahmad was more focused on teaching and there was a lack of books on Islamic sciences in his area, so he wrote books on all Islamic sciences for students and also 2 books on Tafsir in Arabic. There was no Tafsir known before in Western Africa, his bigger Tafsir was entitled “Dhiya At-Ta’weel fi Ma’ani At-Tanzeel” in which he benefited from Baydhawi, Jalalayn, Ahkam Al-Quran, Tafsir ibn Atiyah and others. I presented the efforts of Shaykh Abdullah regarding the Quran in my Maqalah, and separately I verified “Dhiya At-Taweel” which I sent to “Dar Al-Arabiyah li Taba’ah wa Nashr” in Beirut , but unfortunately my copy was lost due to war (in Lebanon) and the book could not be published. This book of 1400 pages could have been a very beneficial source for students especially students of this area “ (Mohadis Banaras, March 1997, p 15)

Shaykh Hafeez Ar-Rahman A’zami wrote: “During his teaching, he obtained the Sanad of Imtiyaz by verifying and presenting a study of the 4 volumes Tafsir “Dhiya At-Taweel fi Ma’ani At-Tanzeel” of the Nigerian scholar Abdullah ibn Muhammad Fodi (1767-1828). By doing a Phd on a Nigerian scholar, he obtained great respect that an Indian scholar did this work.” (Monthly “Rah I’tidal Umerabad September 2021, p 42)

With his Phd, Shaykh Abdul ‘Ali Azhari also verified “Kitab Amthal Al-Hadith” of Ramahurmuzi and “Kitab Az-Zuhd” of ibn Abi Asim during his time in Nigeria. These 2 books were published with his verification in 1983 by Ad-Dar As-Salafiyah Mumbai.

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari was also for 1977-78 the director of “Maktab At-Tahqiq Al-Ilmi” of Bayero University.

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari during his 12 years stay in Nigeria represented Ahmad Bello University and Bayero University in many local and internation conferences. In 1973, he participated in a conference of Orientalist in Paris and presented a Maqalah on “At-Tathir Al-Jahili fi Shi’r Sadr Al-Islam”. In 1977, he participated in a seminar organised by Jamiyah AbdulAziz in Jeddah. Also in 1977 he presented a Maqalah on “Khasais Al-Hadharh Al-Islamiyah” in a conference in Bayero University.

With his teaching and verification of books, Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari also authored in his time in Nigeria 6 articles in Arabic published in “Sawt Al-Ummah” in India:

1) Az-Zawaj wa Talaq fil Islam, December 1973

2) Al-Quran wal Mustashriqun, November 1976

3) Al-Hadharah Al-Islamiyah, Khasaisuha wa Muqawimatuha, August 1977

4) At-Tafsir Al-Fiqhi lil Quran Al-Karim part 1, July 1980

5) At-Tafsir Al-Fiqhi lil Quran Al-Karim part 2, August 1980
6) Ad-Da’wah As-Salafiyah fi Nigeria, August 1984

His work of Tahqiq at Ad-Dar As-Salafiyah in Mumbai for 4 years

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari had spend 12 peaceful and comfortable years in Nigeria, and afterwards as the economical situation forced many foreigners to leave, he decided to return to India in 1984. Shaykh Mukhtar Ahmad Nadvi had asked him to be the head of the department of research and verification in Ad-Dar As-Salafiyah in Mumbai. The second factor which encouraged his return to India was his family members who wanted to see him return.

The Egyptian Azhari scholar Dr Zaki Badawi, who was the head of the Islamic department in Nigeria at the time Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari was there and who supervised his Phd, had moved to London in 1976 or 1978. In 1984, Dr Zaki Badawi invited Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari to move to London and teach there, but Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari declined and preferred at this time to go back to India.

Shaykh Mukhtar Ahmad Nadvi had established many institutions and among them Ad-Dar As-Salafiyah in Mumbai. Ad-Dar As-Salafiyah had 3 sections:

1) Research and verification (Shu’bah Bahth wa Tahqiq) of which Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari was named as head

2) Translation and writing of books (Shu’bah Tarjamah wa Tasnif wa Ta’lif)

3) Journalism (Shu’bah Sahafat) which published the magazine “Al-Balagh”.

Ad-Dar As-Salafiyah published more than 200 Urdu books, 50 Arabic books, and dozens of Hindi and English books.

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari had a great affinity for research, during his MA in the American University of Cairo, he had compiled poetry works of a poet of the second century Hijri, and in Nigeria, he had travelled on behalf of the university to Istanbul, Damascus, Cairo to obtain microfilms of manuscripts.

During his travel to Damascus, he had the opportunity to visit Shaykh Albani in Maktabah Zahiriyah. Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari wrote:

“Allamah Albani at the time was proofreading “Sahih At-Targhib” and he would not rely on any other person rather would himself check each page, in the same manner as the Shaykh Al-Muhaqqiqin Allamah Mahmood Muhammad Shakir, from whom I had the honour to benefit from. I requested Shaykh Albani to help him and he gave me some pages which he had already checked. It happened that a mistake in I’rab remained hidden to him so I showed it to him, and then he looked at me attentively and asked me: “How did you notice it? Where did you study from?” and I replied: “From Jamiyah Al-Azhar but I learned Arabic grammar and syntax from my paternal village from the Madrasah from which Allamah Ubaydullah Rehmani also started his studies”. Shaykh Albani commented: “You have the ability to do work of Tahqiq” (Mohadis Banaris, Shaykhul Hadith, January-February 1997, p 143)

The books that Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari verified in Ad-Dar As-Salafiyah:

1. Tafsir Surah Al-Ikhlas of Shaykhul Islam ibn Taymiyah, 275 pages

2. Tafsir Surah An-Noor of Shaykhul Islam ibn Taymiyah, 244 pages

3. Tafsir Al-Mua’wazitayn of Allamah ibnul Qayim, 198 pages

4. Tafsir Ayat Al-Karimah (La ilaha ila Anta, Subhanaka Inni Kuntu minaz Zalimin) of Shaykhul Islam ibn Taymiyah, 136 pages

5.  Al-Jami li Shu’ab Al-Iman of Hafiz Abu Bakr ibn Al-Husayn Al-Bayhaqi, 20 volumes. Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari verified the 7 first volumes

6. Kitab Al-Amthal fil Hadith An-Nabawwi of Hafiz Abu Shaykh Asbahani, 532 pages

7. In’am Al-Bari fi Sharh Hadith Abi Zarr Al-Ghifari of Shaykhul Islam ibn Taymiyah, 172 pages

As mentioned previously, 2 books that Shaykh Abul Ali Azhari verified in Nigeria were also published in 1983 by Ad-Dar As-Salafiyah: “Kitab Amthal Al-Hadith” of Ramahurmuzi and “Kitab Az-Zuhd” of ibn Abi Asim.

In 1988, Dr Zaki Badawi asked Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari again to teach in his Muslim College in London and this time Shaykh Abdul ‘Ali Azhari accepted and moved to the United Kingdom in 1988, where he would spend the rest of his life.

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari 34 years spent in UK

The founder of the Muslim College of London was Dr Zaki Badawi, he was born in 1922 in Egypt and studied in Al-Azhar. He did his Phd in the UK in 1951 on the topic: “Al-Fikr Al-Islami Al-Mu’asir”. Afterwards he taught in Al-Azhar, Malaysia, Singapore, Nigeria and the UK. In 1976, Badawi went to London as a research professor for the Hajj Research Centre of the King Abdul Aziz University in Saudi Arabia. In 1978, Dr Zaki Badawi was appointed director of the Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) and Chief Imam of the London Central Mosque in Regent’s Park. In 1986, he established the Muslim College of London which delivered the degree of MA after a 2 years course.

The son in law of Shaykh Muqtada Hasan Azhari, Dr Hammad Ahmad had studied in the Muslim College of London in 2002-2003, he learned Ulum Al-Quran from Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari, Fiqh from Dr Zaki Badawi and there were 2 other Palestinian teachers at the time.

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari wrote in one of his letter to Shaykh Muhammad Ansari Azami in 1990 that he was offered to be director of a centre by Shaykh Abdullah Turki and the son of Shaykh Abdullah Ghudayan, Dr Su’ud Ghudayan, but he wished not to leave London, he would accept some reasonable duties if they were in London.

With teaching Ulum Al-Quran in the London Muslim College, Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari also had some administrative work to do for this college. He would travel from Slough where he had established to West London in Ealing 4 or 5 times a week to teach in the London Muslim College.

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari also became attached to Markazi Jamiat Ahl e Hadith UK, Shaykh Abdul Hadi Umri wrote:

“Dr Sahib who left Mumbai for London became professor in the Muslim College. With his main occupation there, he would spend a lot of his time with his companions of the Jama’at. He would participate in many programs of the Markazi Jamiat with his companions of Slough, he remained for a year and half the director of “The Straight Path”, the English version of “Sirat e Mustaqeem”, the magazine of the Jamiat, he was an important member of Majlis Al-Qadha (Islamic Judicial Board of the Jamiat) and would participate continuously in many preliminary gatherings of this Majlis and would offer beneficial advises. He lived near Heathrow airport in Slough and started there in their Central Masjid weekly lessons of Tafsir, and he would also lead Eed prayers there.”

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari participated in Many annual conferences of Markazi Jamiat Ahl e Hadith UK and he wrote an Arabic report in 1989 about the Jamiat’s annual conference which was published in “Sawt Al-Ummah” in January 1990. This article was entitled “Taqrir anil Mu’tamar At-Tahlith ‘Ashar li Jamiyah Ahlil Hadith Al-Markaziyh bi Britania”

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari wrote about the Jamiat: “The credit of making Markazi Jamiat Ahl e Hadith (Britania) active and establishing branches in many cities goes to Molana Mahmood Ahmad Mirpuri (rah), his sudden death proved to be a great loss for the Jama’at and Jamiat. After him the Jamiat became victim of intishar and be nazmi, and the new leadership is trying to make the situation better, may Allah Ta’ala give success to these efforts” (Mohadis March 1997, p 10)

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari with participating in the annual conferences and being active with the Jamiat members in Slough would also participate in Tarbiyati workshops organised by the Jamiat. He would also lead Tarawih prayers and do a Khulasa of the Quran afterwards in the Central Masjid of Slough.

From 1998 to 2005, Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari also became attached to Burbek College of London University and would teach in its department of Islamic Studies. Shaykh Shairkhan Jameel Ahmad Umri wrote:

“Dr Sahib (rah) would teach part time or as a visiting Professor in many universities. This was not on a daily basis, but on a weekly, or twice a month, or once in a month or once in a semester. Sometimes he would travel very far such as Leeds university (in the North of England) and others”

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari would also take part in the Munaqashah of Phd in many universities such as Birmingham University and others.

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari wrote many articles in Arabic for “Sawt Al-Ummah” and in Urdu for “Mohadis” and other magazines, and we count among these articles those related to the situation in UK:

1) Ta’amulat wa Khawatir, July 1989

2) Al-Waqi’ Al-Islami amam An-Nashat At-Tansiri fi Euroba, December 1989

3) Taqrir anil Mu’tamar…January 1990

4) Al-Islam wal Gharb, September 1990

5) Usbu’ fi Bandref Almaniya October 1990

6) Europe mein Masihi Sargarmiyan, December 1989

7) Britania mein Ramadan, January 1998

8) Britania mein Musalman September 1998

9) Gharnatah bhi Dekha meri ankhon ne, Lekin July 2016

10) London Namah

Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari had authored many other Arabic and Urdu articles on other topics and it would be a great work to compile them in the form of a book.

We count among Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari’s English translations:

1) “Excellence of Patience and Gratefulness” by ibn Al-Qayiyim, translation of “Uddat As-Sabirin wa Dhakhirat Ash-Shakirin”, 393 pages published by Darussalam London

2) “Purification of the Heart and Soul (Illness and Cure)” of ibn Al-Qayyim, translation of “Ad-Da’ wad Dawa’” 329 pages, published by Darussalam London

3) “Driving the Souls to the Abode of Happiness” of ibnul Qayyim, translation of “Haadi Al-Arwaah ilaa Bilad Al-Afraah”, 384 pages, published by Darussalam London.

4) “Moral Teachings of Islam”: Summary of “Al-Adab Al-Mufrad” of Imam Al-Bukhari, 132 pages published by Yale University Press

With his writings, Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari also participated in International conferences, he was invited to deliver a talk on “Hygiene in Islam” for the Department of Islamic Development in Malaysia in 2015

Death

Shaykh Abdul’Aliy Al-Azhari passed away on the 10^th October 2021

The praise of scholars of him

As we have mentioned before the Major scholars of India such as Shaykh Ubaydullah Mubarakpuri and Shaykh Muhammad Ansari Umri praised him and he was in close contact with them, but Saudi scholars also respected him such as Shaykh Abdullah Turki, Shaykh Su’ud Ghudayan, son of Shaykh Abdullah Ghudayan.

Allamah Bakr Abu Zayd, one of the greatest scholar of our time, included Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari Azhari in his book “Al-Madakhil ila Athar Shaykh Al-Islam ibn Taymiyah”, he wrote: “Maybe the first book of Shaykhul Islam (rah) published in India was Al-Fatwa Al-Hamawiyah with its Urdu translation by Matba’ Muhammadi in 1291 under the supervision of Allamah Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan Qanujji (d 1307) (rah), then the other regions of the Islamic world came after the Indian subcontinent: Egypt, Iraq, Shaam, Arab Peninsula”

Afterwards Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd named some pre-eminent scholars of these regions who published books of Shaykhul Islam ibn Taymiyah and he mentioned among the India Subcontinent Shaykh Abdul Ali Azhari in n 5:

“ 1) Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan Qanujji

2. Muhammad ibn Abdilah Ghaznawi

3. Talattuf Husayn Azeemabadi

4. Abu Muhammad Ibrahim Aarwi

5. Abdul Ali AbdulHameed Azami

6. AbduSamad Sharfudin Katbi

7. Muhammad Ata’ullah Haneef Bhujiyani from Lahore Pakistan”