Akhtar Raza Khan[a] (23 November 1943 – 20 July 2018),[1] also known as Tajush Shari'ah,[b] and Azhari Miyan,[3][4] was an Indian Islamic scholar. A mufti of the Barelvis, he was the great-grandson of Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi who was considered to be a Mujaddid by his followers and was the eponymous founder of the Barelvi movement.[5][6]
He had served as the Grand Mufti of India succeeding Mustafa Raza Khan Qadri from 1982 to 2018 and Islamic Chief Justice of India from 2006 to 2018.[7][8] He was ranked 24th[9] on the list of The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the world in 2018 edition, 26th in 2010, 28th in 2011, 26th in 2012, 22nd in 2013-2014, 22nd in 2014-15, 25th in 2016 editions,[10][11] compiled by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre.[12] He had tens of millions of followers in India.[13]
He went to school till graduation at the Madrasa Manzar-e-Islam of the Dargah Aala Hazrat,[13] and then at Islamia Inter College, Bareilly.[13] He post-graduated from the Al-Azhar University in Egypt in the Arabic literature and Islamic Studies with specialisation in Hadith and Tafseer from 1963 to 1966,[1] where he was conferred with the Fakhr-e-Azhar (Pride of Azhar) award by Gamal Abdel Nasser.[13][8]
Career
In 1967, at the age of 25, he became a teacher at the Madrasa Manzar-e-Islam at Bareilly Sharif Dargah.[1]
Spiritual life
Khan was a spiritual follower and successor of his maternal grandfather Mustafa Raza Khan Qadri, the former Grand Mufti of India in the Qadriyya-Barkatiyya-Razviyya-Nooriya order of Sufism.[8]
After retirement
He formally retired from teaching in 1980,[1] but continued to issue fatwa,[1] and holding seminars for students at Dar al-Ifta.[1]
After his death Mufti Mohammad Salim Noori, spokesperson of the Dargah Aala Hazrat, said Khan was "the lone cleric in India to get a title of Tajushariya and "one of the few prominent persons across the world to be allowed to visit the inside [of the] Kaaba in Mecca."[13]
Fatwa against ISIS
In 2015, Khan along with 70000 Muftis issued Fatwa against terrorism including ISIS, Taliban, Al-Qaida, which was supported by more than 15 Lacs Muslims in India on the eve of the Urs-e-Razvi at Bareilly Sharif Dargah.[23]
Funeral
The estimated attendance at his funeral was just under one million.[13][24][25] His funeral occurred on 22 July 2018 at Islamia Inter College, Bareilly. The prayer was led by his son and successor Asjad Raza Khan.[26] His funeral was watched by at least 12,500,000 people across the world.[27][28][29][30] A day of mourning was organised in Bareilly Sharif.[31][32]
The funeral was organised by the Members of Bareilly Sharif Dargah and other organisations related to Dargah. The Namaz-e-Janaza was led by the son of Akhtar Raza Khan and head Mufti of Bareilly, Asjad Raza Khan at 10:00 AM on 22 July 2018.[20]
Memorial events
The Urs of Akhtar Raza Khan Qadri or Urs-e-Tajush Shariah is organised annually at the Bareilly Sharif Dargah to commemorate the death. It is being organised since 2019.[33]
Publications
Rulings
His Urdu-language fatwa collection was known as Majmu'ah Fatawa. His English collection is named Azharul Fatawa.[34][full citation needed] One of his fatwas was his edict on the interest given to a Muslim by a non-Muslim:
When there is a dealing between a Muslim and a Muslim or a Muslim and a Zimmi Kaffir (a non-Muslim living in the safety
of an Islamic state), the taking more money than loaned is considered as interest and such a dealing will be unlawful. However, if this condition does not exist, this excess money will not be considered as interest and will be legitimate for a Muslim as it is unanimous that there is no interest applicable when there is dealing between a Muslim and a Harbi Kaafir (a non-Muslim who is not living in the safety of an Islamic State).[citation needed]
He had issued fatwa against the sterilization in 1975 on the order of Mustafa Raza Khan Qadri when Indira Gandhi had made the sterilization compulsory.[35]
In 2016, Khan wrote a book Tie Ka Mas'ala and he had issued Fatwa against wearing Ties, Khan had called Tie as the symbol of Christians, the non-Muslims.[36]
In October 2016, Khan under the letterhead of Shariat Council of India issued the Fatwa against the Uniform Civil Code in India and said it is made a law, it will be boycotted.[37]
Poetry
His composition of Na`at was entitled Safina-e-Bakhshish, written in three languages.[38]
Books
He was the author of "more than 50 books on Islamic theology and thought in Urdu and Arabic", including:[13]
Hijrat-e-Rasool
Al-Mawahib al-Rizwiyyah Fi al-Fatawa al-Azhariyyah
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