Mufti Abdul Razzaq

Abdul Razzāq was born on 13 August 1925.[2] He was schooled in Masjid Malang Shah, Jamia Darul Uloom Ilāhiya and Jamia Aḥmadiya in Bhopal.[3] In July 1952, he joined the Darul Uloom Deoband to complete his studies.[4] He studied Sahih Bukhari with Hussain Ahmad Madani; Sahih Muslim with Fakhrul Hasan Moradabadi; Jami' al-Tirmidhi with Muḥammad Ibrāhim Balyawi; Sunan Abu Dawud with Bashīr Aḥmad; Sunan Nasai and Sunan ibn Majah with Mubārak Hussain; Muwatta Imām Muḥammad with Meraj-ul-Haq Deobandi; Muwatta Imam Malik with Sayyid Hasan; Shama'il Muhammadiyah with Muhammad Tayyib Qasmi; and Sharah Wiqāyah with Muhammad Salim Qasmi.[4] He completed studying the "dars-e-nizami" course in 1377 AH and then specialized in "ifta" with Mahdi Hasan Shahjahanpuri.[4]

Razzāq participated in the Indian independence movement.[5] In 1947, he was part of a fight that took place in Bhopal's Qazi camp against the British colonialism.[5] In 1958, he established Madrasa Jamia Islamia Arabia, one of the oldest and largest Islamic seminary in Bhopal.[6][7] He was patron of various Islamic seminaries in Madhya Pradesh.[6] He was also the state-president of the Darul Uloom Deoband's "Rābta Madāris-e-Islamiya" for Madhya Pradesh.[6] He is credited with the growth and development of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind in Madhya Pradesh.[8] He was the general secretary Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind from 1991 to 1994.[9] He served as its national vice-president and the state-president for Madhya Pradesh (for Arshad faction).[10] In 1958, he was appointed the vice-mufti of Bhopal's "Dārul Qadha" (Islamic court); and chief-judge in 1968.[11] He served as the Mufti of Bhopal city from 1974 to 1983.[11] He was seen as the Grand Mufti (Mufti-e-Azam) of Madhya Pradesh.[12] He promoted inter-religious harmony by organizing meetings with leaders of various faiths.[13] He was a vivid speaker and instructed Muslims to cope with communal riots with ways befitting the situation.[14][15]

In 2016, denouncing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal activities in Madhya Pradesh; he told Muslims to "maintain peace and not to engage in rioting or other things that could damage the peaceful atmosphere in the State."[14] He expressed, "if someone attacks you and you don't have any other solution but to kill him or to die for saving others from rioters, do not hesitate and go ahead."[14] He also asked the political leaders of Madhya Pradesh to control these right-wing organisations and stop them from attacking and abusing Muslims.[15] He expressed, "if they do not stop, Muslims are not wearing bangles either."[15] The Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Anandiben Patel, honored Razzāq in January 2021 for his participation in the Indian independence movement.[16]

Razzāq died on 26 May 2021.[6] Digvijaya Singh, Kamal Nath and Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed grief on his death.[17][13] He was given the guard of honour before being buried.[18]

Abdul Razzāq authored more than 50 books including:[19]

• Sarzamīn-e-Hind: Ambiyā Kirām aur Islām
• Qur'ān Main Kya Hai?
• Āzādi, Aslāf aur Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind
• Islāmi Zindagi: Paidā'ish Se Jannat Tak
• Ahle Qur'ān aur Ahle Kitāb

• Abdul Mabood Qasmi (June 2010). Mufti Abdur Razzāq Khān, Halāt-o-Khidmāt m'a Tārīkh Tarjuma wāli Masjid [Mufti Abdur Razzāq Khān, Life and services; and the history of Tarjuma wāli Masjid] (in Urdu). Bhopal: Jamia Islamia Arabia.