Religious Poetry Of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan
Religious Poetry Of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan : A Poetic Masterpiece.
(A book of Naat)
Translated By DG Qurashi.
Book review By Shumaila Munib:
Introduction Of DG Qurashi:
DG Qurashi was a professor by profession. He had special devotion to Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi. He translated Ahmed Raza Khan's poetry into English; his translated work is called "Religious Poetry of Imam Ahmad Raza." Columns in this book have been written by MI Kashmiri, Chairman, Raza Academy; Mohammad Afzal Hameed, Journal Editor; and Dakar Mohd Haroon, Director, Raza Academy. This book contains 114 pages. This book was published by the Raza Academy in 1996. The book highlights the main themes of Ahmad Raza Khan's poetry, such as his undying love for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his deep reverence for Islamic law (Sharia), and his conviction against deviations. A determination to defend.Qureshi highlights that these themes are not only a reflection of Ahmad Raza Khan's personal piety but also a source of inspiration and guidance for his followers. Poetry is presented as a medium through which Ahmad Raza Khan expressed his religious ideals and mobilized his community towards spiritual and moral rectitude.This book is a comprehensive and insightful study of the spiritual and poetic services of the religious poetry of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan by DG Qureshi.
Introduction of Ahmad Raza Khan :
Mullana Ahmed Raza Khan was a poet and religious scholar. He belonged to the Pathan family that came to India during the Mughal period. He is also known as Ala Hazrat. He was born on Saturday afternoon, June 14, 1856, or 10th Shawwal, 1272 AH. On Friday, the 25th of Safar, 1340 AH (October 28, 1921), he died away in Bareilly,British India.
Education:
Besides to his father, Mufti Naqi Ali Khan, and grandfather, Mufti Raza Ali Khan, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan got his official education from the following teachers are: Mirza Qadir Baigh Baraylawi, Mawlana. Abdul Ali Rampuri, Mawlana. Mawlana Nuri Abu al-Hussain etc,All your teachers are commendable.
“With my first teacher, I would review the textbooks once or twice only. Then, in class, I would recall everything I had read, word for word, letter for letter. This amazed my teacher. He once rhetorically asked, “Are you a human or jinn? It takes me longer to teach the lesson than for you to memorize it!” The Imam replied, “Thanks to Allah, I am human. But yes, His grace and blessings are with me”1
“He wrote extensively on law, Religion,Philosophy and Sciences, mastering both rational and religious subjects. He was a reformer who defended Prophet Muhammad and popular Sufi practices” 2
“influencing millions of people. Today, the Barelvi movement has around 200 million followers in the region.”3
Some people would unknowingly write hafiz (memorizer of the Quran) before my name, although I was not qualified for this accolade…˹However, now,˺ I have worked hard and memorised the Quran. I have done this so the servants of Allah who add hafiz to my name are not ˹liable for˺ erring.4
Literary work of Imam Ahmad Raza:
Writing religious poetry or prose is not only emotional satisfaction but also requires great skill in the art of poetry.
“Religious Poetry has always been a subject of a great interest universally as any avid reader of the classics will track the relevance of poetry from the psalms of Holy David Religious Poetry has always been a subject of a great interest universally as an avid reader of the classics of sacred poetry will track the relevance the of sacred poetry.Islamic Poetry has a rich tradition, and it conveys the themes of love for God, morality, humanity, spiritual awakening and many more. Maulana Rumi, Hafiz, Ibn-E-Arbi are significant contributors in the strain of religious and mystic poetry. Imam Ahmad Raza, a renowned Indian Muslim scholar, added in the stream of religious poetry as noted by Abbas & Saleem (2019). Their article analyses the poetic contribution of Imam Ahmad Raza in terms of themes and concludes that “His poetry is very rich not only from cultural but also religious point of view” (p. 1).5
Ali Hazrat's main achievement is "Fatawa Rizwiyyah," which has been called the "Encyclopedia of Islam" and a great jurisprudential masterpiece by the scholars of Pakistan and other countries. Allama Abdul Rauf, the former Shaykh of Al-Hadith Jamia Ashrafia (UP), writes: "Fatawa Rizwiyyah (Qadim) is in twelve volumes, each volume of which contains about a thousand pages, in which research is described on thousands of issues of Islamic jurisprudence. Which is your example? Numerous Qur'anic verses, hadiths, and the testimonies of al-Usul and Faroo have enriched most of your fatwas. Currently, the current "Fatawa Rizwiyyah" consists of 33 volumes with Takhrej, which is a large scholarly collection.
“He written roughly a thousand books on various subjects. From 1286 AH until 1340 AH, he authored millions of "Fatawa," but sadly, not all of them could be preserved. Under the heading "اَلعَطَايَا النَّبَوِيَّه فٌِ الفَتَاوٌَ الرَّضَوِيَّه," the recorded information has been gathered. "Fatawa Razawiyyah" has 30 volumes, 21656 pages, 6847 question-answers, and 206 booklets in its most recent edition.”6
Imam Ahmad Raza's highest position in scholarly research is only Muslim, according to scholars; along with this, he is a Qadir-ul-Kalam teacher in poetry. Dr. Muhyiddin Alwai of Al-Azhar University, Egypt, has expressed his surprise that a researcher who makes scientific discoveries and a delicate thinker can also be a poet. He was selected and presented literature poems such as the qasida of Mirajiyya and the salam that gained public popularity, "Mustafa sallallahu alaihi wasallam, peace be upon him.
Imam Ahmad Raza Khan's Religious Poetry:
In poetry, he admired the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Sayyidna Hasan bin Thabit, may God bless him and grant him peace. He was inspired by the poetry of Kifayat Ali Kafi among the poets of his time.Regarding the popularity of Naatiya Kalams, the acceptance of Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi's Naats is unprecedented.
Every notable Naat Khawaan embellished their voices with your words from his book Haqaiq Bakhsh.One of the notable translations of his poetry is done by Professor G.D. Qureishi.In the poetry of Imam Ahmad Raza, intense love and devotion to Prophet Muhammad is often(peace be upon him) expressed. In these poems, the attributes of the Prophet, his importance in the lives of Muslims and the desire to emulate his character can be highlighted. A prominent theme in "The Religious Poetry of Imam Ahmad Raza" is the intense love and devotion to the Prophet (peace be upon him) of Islam. Imam Ahmad Raza's poetry often expresses deep reverence for the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his importance in the lives of Muslims.
Qureshi carefully examines the themes, style and cultural significance of Ahmad Raza Khan's poetry, focusing on how it reflects his deep spiritual devotion and religious insight. The book covers a wide range of poetic forms, including naat (praise of the Prophet Muhammad), hamad (praise of God), and manqbat (praise of saints), which are central to Islamic worship and cultural expression. are Each motif is analyzed in the context of its religious significance, demonstrating Ahmad Raza Khan's mastery of combining poetic beauty with religious depth.
Ahmad raza syas about himself that,
O Raza! I’m that tear, which dropped from the solar eye
When the sun, desperately longing to go to taybah
Elements of praise of Allah in the poetry of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan:
The religious poetry of Imam Ahmad Raza includes the praise and glorification of Allah. Poems can emphasize the attributes of God, the beauty of creation, and the importance of spirituality. The text explores a prevalent theme of praising Allah. The poetry of this collection beautifully conveys a deep reverence for Allah. In all the verses, there is a constant focus on highlighting the attributes and kindness of Allah, emphasizing His majesty, omnipotence and benevolence.
1-We are weak; the rover is so stormy and wide;
O God! How shell we cross it and reach the other side.
The effect of the strong wine on us is so serious;
The Sun is about to set but we are still unconscious (p-32)
Moverover he says,
2- O Allah! we need your help in every place,
May the prophet solve our problems with his grace!
O Allah! I wish to forget my death’s agony and pain!
Seeing the prophet after death will be my gain!(p-37)
Imam Ahmad Raza Khan’s Naat:
There are many examples throughout this collection where Imam Ahmad Raza's poetry expresses love, admiration, and respect for the Prophet (peace be upon him). These verses serve to impress and deepen the reader's relationship with the Prophet, reinforcing the importance of his teachings and setting an example of love for one's Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
1-Muhammad is the symbol of God’s dignity
His visible diversity has an invisible unity
He is the essence and cause of his creation
Wide variety has in him a unique summation (p. 18)
The poet's love and praise for Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) is evident. He says that you are the cause of the universe and you are the best creation of Allah. The poet emphasizes the exaltation of the name of the Prophet by recognizing it as a salve for the hearts. This verse also highlights the noble role of the Prophet as a guide for humanity, which is a sign of the poet's deep devotion and reverence. In another place, in this verse, he says,
2- None like you was ever seen or created
Authority stand in your person consummated (p.22)
The following lines beautifully encapsulate the poet’s profound admiration and reverence for Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Overall, every stanza of his Naat exemplifies the poet’s profound understanding of the Prophet's attributes and the poet’s deep devotion and submission to his presence. It showcases the poet’s recognition of the Prophet's magnificence, guidance, wisdom, and knowledge, inspiring readers to reflect on and embrace the awe-inspiring majesty of Allah and his messenger prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in their own spiritual journey. The poet subtly conveys deep reverence and devotion. The text eloquently describes the Prophet's reverence and fosters gratitude and reflection. Through these verses, readers are invited to develop a profound connection with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). recognizing His magnificence and embracing the path of spiritual fulfillment.
Miracles of Prophet(pbuh) in Ahmad Raza Khan’s poerty:
Muslims believe that the ministry of the Prophet Muhammad was supported by physical miracles witnessed and reported by a generation of outstanding moral integrity. This paper will present the most authentically transmitted miracles after assessing their efficacy, plausibility, and provenance.
While the Qur'an is the greatest miracle of the Prophet and is certainly sufficient as a miracle on its own, this does not negate the fact that Allah has blessed you with many other miracles along with it. In other words, belief in Muhammad's prophethood does not depend on his miracles, but historically reliable reports of these miracles make their occurrence undeniable and a powerful cultivator of belief. Of course, the believer is always encouraged to attain higher states of belief through contemplation, the acquisition of knowledge, and the purification of his heart until he himself can bear witness to the truth through the message of Islam. However, we should not underestimate the fact that some people's psychological makeup better prepares them to walk the "path of miracles" to the gates of faith. Its pioneers include Khadija bint Khuwayld (RA).
A third class of humanity was brought to faith by God's miracles, while a fourth class was inspired by the achievements of the Prophet's life, and a fifth class simply followed their leaders who came within the realm of Islam.
In addition to bringing some people to faith, miracles enhance existing faith by instilling immense love, respect, and admiration for the Prophet (peace be upon him) in those who read these stories. Contemplation of God's mercy and help to believers gives believers firm belief in divine provision and help in times of hardship and difficulty. Reading and believing in the reality of divine power manifested through these miracles enables one to dream big, push one's limits, and shake off self-limiting beliefs. One recognizes that the natural order, apparently determined, is in fact entirely dependent on divine will. Here we describe the miriacles of Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) imam Ahmad Raza Khan’s poetry.In his own poetry, he has described the miracles of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with love and devotion
He says in his Naat ,
How could and sun move before God’s Beloved messenger,
When his shadow was not created by the creator (p.28)
The uses of analogies and metaphors in the poetry of Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi:
Imam Ahmed Raza Khan (R.A.)'s poetic details are evident in all of his works. He may be the only poet to have written a Naat in all four languages—Hindi, Arabic, Persian, and Urdu. As one reads through each couplet word by word, the meaning is not lost but rather strengthened and finished.His poetry is a marvel on two levels: vertically, the words reach the pinnacles of meaning, while being multilingual, and horizontally, the metre and all other poetic requirements flow into one other with ease.In his poems, he frequently employs metaphors and analogies.
In his poetry Imam Ahmed Raza Khan. is extremely circumspect. He resists being readily enthralled by other poets' use of similes. He uses a very specific technique to build similes, and if he compares anything to the beauty of the Prophet (saw), it must first be purified to the level of the smokeless candle or thrown-less flower mentioned in the previous couplet. When discussing the appearance of the Prophet (Pbuh)in one of his Naat, he initially attempts to draw a comparison with the bright day. Unsatisfied, he compares the rising sun instead, claiming that neither the day nor the sun are worth anything because the prophet's (saw's) look is so much more impressive.
Examples are,
1-Of your dust of particles these stars are a reflection,
The sky’s light is just a feeble example of your action
In it’s keen search for you the sky has always persisted,
On it’s feet millions of blisters by the stars have been inflicted (p.31)
2-These heels are brighter then the cheeks of the sun
They are more luminous then the stars and the moon in heaven (p.34)
3-From head to foot the Prophet’s person is like a rose,
The resemblance of his mouth,chin or body to a rose is close.(p.40)
4-The beauty is so perfect, No shortcoming in it can be found,
The flower is far from the throne’s defect, this candle has absolutely no smoke around :( p.46)
The comparison of the moon at night adds to the imagery of direction and light. The moon is often associated with peace, tranquility, and guidance, and here it represents the Prophet's presence as a source of comfort and direction. The moonlight contrasts with the darkness, highlighting the transformative power of the Prophet's teachings and his ability to navigate believers through life's challenges. Altogether, these lines beautifully express the deep love, longing, and reverence that the poet has for the Prophet. They portray the Prophet as a spiritual guide, whose noble character and light act as a beacon of hope, illuminating the poet's path and providing solace in times of darkness. It reveals the profound influence of the Prophet on the poet's spiritual journey and emphasizes the transformative power of his teachings in guiding believers to righteousness.
Affection for Ahl-e Biyat in Imam Ahmad Raza’s Poetry:
A prominent aspect of Imam Ahmad Raza's poetry is allegiance to Islam and the Ahl al-Bayt (prophet of Islam's family), which is an important theme of his poetry. The importance of following the teachings of Islam, defending its principles, and honoring the Prophet's family can be described in poetry. This love serves as a sublime poetic theme of unwavering devotion to Islam and the emergence of the Ahl al-Bayt, which illuminates the path of faith for its readers. Like a steady compass that points to the true north, poetry passionately extols the virtues of Islam. The verses resonate with a deep love of religion. It emphasizes its teachings and principles and its profound impact on the lives of believers. The poet's words become a motivation to embrace the beauty and guidance found in the teachings of Islam.He says about Gouse- Azam (r.a),
Prophetic beauty, Alvi mountain,Batooli query
Hussain’s dazzle in Hussan’s ruby:(p.15)
Imam Ahmed Raza's poetry often contains moral and ethical teachings. Poems can address issues of justice, compassion, unity, and righteousness, with the goal of guiding people toward virtuous behavior. These poetic creations have deep social and moral values hidden in their poems. Poems serve as guiding lights, offering inspiration and guidance to readers in their daily lives. They emphasize the importance of justice and equality, urge people to treat others fairly, and uphold the rights of the oppressed. His religious poetry also encourages compassion and kindness, reminding readers to show compassion and help those in need. It promotes moral integrity and goodness, emphasizing the importance of honesty, sincerity, and righteousness.
Imam Ahmed Raza's poetry highlights the value of respect and tolerance, encouraging readers to embrace diversity and live peacefully with others. Furthermore, poetry celebrates the virtues of humility, reminding people to let go of pride and arrogance. By exploring these social and moral values, "Imam Ahmed Raza's Religious Poetry" encourages the readers to imbibe these virtues in their lives, thereby promoting a more just, compassionate, and harmonious society.
Literary Analysis:
Qureshi's literary analysis is scholarly and accessible, making this book suitable for readers with varying levels of familiarity with Islamic literature. The book "Religious Poetry of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan" by D.G. Qurashi, one of the key features is the analysis of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan's poetry, He carefully studies the linguistic nuances, rhetorical devices, and poetic structures used by Ahmad Raza Khan, giving readers a deeper appreciation of the complexity and beauty of his work. The book also includes translations of selected verses, allowing non-Urdu speakers to engage with the original texts and their meanings.
Conclusion:
The Religious Poetry of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan" by D.G. Anyone interested in Islamic devotional literature, South Asian religious history, or the poetic tradition of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan should read this book.
Qureshi's in-depth analysis and thoughtful presentation make this book a valuable resource for scholars, students, and general readers. It not only celebrates the literary genius of Ahmad Raza Khan but also highlights the enduring relevance of his poetry in the contemporary Islamic world.
References:
1- Hayat-e-Ala Hazrat, vol. 1, p. 68, Tazkirah Imam Ahmad Raza, p. 5
2-Sanyal, Usha (30 April 2018). "Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi". In Kassam, Zayn R.; Greenberg, Yudit Kornberg; Bagli, Jehan (eds.). Islam, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Encyclopedia of Indian Religions. Springer Netherlands. pp. 22–24. doi:10.1007/978-94-024-1267-3_1951. ISBN 9789402412673. Archived from the original on 15 July 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2021 – via Springer Link.
3-Sanyal, Usha (2018). "Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi". Islam, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Encyclopedia of Indian Religions. pp. 22–24. doi:10.1007/978-94-024-1267-3_1951. ISBN 978-94-024-1266-6. Archived from the original on 22 February 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
"Barelvi". The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions.
4- https://www.dawateislami.net/magazine/en/last-page/a'la-hadrat
5-Ahmad,Masud.(1991). TheNeglectedGeniusofEast.http://ishaateislam.org/.
http://ishaateislam.org/wm/monthsdata/02/alahazrat/English_Books/Books_on_Alaha zrat/405.pdf
6- https://www.dawateislami.net/magazine/en/last-page/a'la-hadrat
7-Raza, Imam Ahmad.(1996). Imam Ahmad Raza’s Religious Poetry (Querishi, G.D. Tans.). Raza Academy Publication.
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