The Grand Muhaddith The Imam of Ahl al Sunnah Shaykh al Quran wal Hadith Allama Ghulam Rasul Saeedi Nayimi

The Grand Muhaddith
The Imam of Ahl al Sunnah
Shaykh al Quran wal Hadith

Allama Ghulam Rasul Saeedi Nayimi
(1356 – 1437 A.H / 1937 - 2016 C.E)

With Thanks

Basharath Ali Siddiqui Ashrafi,

Sanad al Muhaqqiqin, the Musnid and Mufassir of Karachi, the Muhaddith of Pakistan, the scion and Imam of Ahl al Sunnah wal Jamah in present times – Shaykh al Hadith wal Tafsir Mufti Abul Wafa Allama Ghulam Rasul Saeedi was born on 10th Ramazal al Mubarak 1356 A.H/14th November 1937 C.E in Delhi, India.
He completed Holy Quran under his mother at the age of 6 years and passed the primary examinations from Punjabi Islamiya High School, Delhi at the age of 10years. In 1947 C.E, his family migrated to Multan and then subsequently to Karachi after the partition of India. He belonged to a poor family and due to different economic and financial constraints; Allama Saeedi could not carry on his studies further. He therefore learnt composing, typing and started working in various newspapers from a young age to earn a source of living. His father and elder brother were both staunch Ahle Hadiths {Salafis} and he was brought up in an environment that was totally against the Ahl al Sunnah! But, it was Allah Almighty’s Will and the Merciful Glance of RasulAllah ~sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam~ that Allama was always attracted towards the Ahl al Sunnah wa Jamah! 

Religious Education:
One day, Allama Saeedi heard the speech of the great debater of Ahl al Sunnah - Allama Mufti Muhammad Umar Siddiqui Ucharvi and it influenced him to an extent that he became interested in acquiring religious sciences. Incidently, during those same days, Allama Saeedi saw an advertisement for admissions in Jamiya Muhammadiya Razviya. He was determined to study Islamic sciences and left Karachi, got himself enrolled at this Jamiya which was located in Rahim Yaar Khan and thus his academic journey began.
At this Jamiya, he studied basic Islamic works and Quranic translations under Mawlana Muhammad Nawaz Owaysi and studied basic Persian works under Allama Abdul Majeed Owaysi. He then went to Jamiya Siraj al Ulum - Khanpur and then to Jamiya Nayimiya - Lahore for further studies. At Jamiya Nayimiya - Lahore, he studied under the following great scholars:
1) Mawlana Abdul Ghafur Qadri.
2) Ustaz al Ulama Allama Mufti Muhammad Husayn Nayimi Ashrafi, Founder of Jamiya Nayimia, Lahore and Khalifa of Shabiha Ghawth al Azam Sayyid Ali Husayn Ashrafi Jilani Kichochavi.
3) Mufti Aziz Ahmad Qadri Badayuni.
From Jamiya Nayimiya, he then travelled to Dar al Ulum Mazhariya Imdadiya,Bandiyal Sharif to study under Rayis al Manatiqa, Malik al Mudarrisin, Imam al Mutakallimin, the Fazl e Haqq Khayrabadi of his age - Mufti Ata Muhammad Chishti Bandyalvi (d. 1419 A.H / 1999 C.E). He also had the opportunity to study under Allama Wali al Nabi at Jamiya Qadriya, Faysalabad.
Teaching Career:
He started his teaching career in 1966 C.E from Jamiya Nayimiya - Lahore. In 1970 C.E, he was assigned the task of teaching Sahih al Bukhari by his peers in his alma mater. In 1978 C.E, upon the invitation of the great Sunni Jurist Mufti Sayyid Shuja’at Ali Qadri, he migrated to Karachi to teach at Jamiya Nayimiya - Karachi.
Allama Saeedi’s teacher at Nayimiya – Lahore, Allama Mufti Muhammad Husayn Ashrafi Nayimi missed his great student and his excellent lectureship. Therefore, upon the request of his teacher, Allama Saeedi returned back and again took up the post of Shaykh al Hadith of Jamiya Nayimiya - Lahore. In 1983 C.E, he started facing acute back pain and was diagnosed with diabetes and it became extremely difficult for him to teach in a traditional manner while sitting on the floor. Mufti Sayyid Shuja’at Ali Qadri once again felt his need at his Jamiya Nayimiya – Karachi and invited him to return back. Shaykh al Hadith Allama Ghulam Rasul Saeedi could not refuse the request of his dear friend and migrated back to Karachi. From 1985 CE to this day - 2016, he served as the Shaykh al Hadith of Jamiya Nayimiya - Karachi.
Allama Saeedi’s academic services spanned more than fifty years at Jamiya Nayimiya – Lahore and Jamiya Nayimiya - Karachi. His lectures drew thousands of students to these ‘Jamiyas’.
Scholars like Sharf e Millat Allama Abdul Hakeem Sharf Qadri, Shaykh al Hadith wal Fiqh Allama Mufti Sayyid Shuja’at Ali Qadri and numerous other great Scholars used to benefit from his scholarly views and discourses.
Spiritual Allegiance: 
Allama Saeedi was affiliated with the famous spiritual order Qadriya Chishtiya Sabriya and was the disciple of the Imam of Ahl al Sunnah, the Ghazali of his era, and the Bayhaqi of his times - Allama Shah Sayyid Ahmad Saeed Kazmi Chishti Sabri Amrohi Multani. Allama Saeedi’s status in Knowledge and Scholarship can be judged from this that even his ‘Murshid’ - used to hold him very dear and used to consult him in numerous matters.
Bibliography of his Books
Allama Ghulam Rasul Saeedi was actively involved in tackling the heresies of the subcontinent and most of his precious time was served raising scholarly students, debating the heretics and authoring in the language of the east – Urdu.
Allama Saeedi authored many books of various lengths, the introduction of some of these are as follows:
1) ‘Tafsir Tibyan al Quran’: A brilliant Tafsir of the Holy Quran in 12 Large Volumes. This is one of the finest Tafsir of Ahl al Sunnah in recent times, full of ‘Dalail’ (Textual Proofs) in support of Sunni Doctrine and practices and in refutation of astray sects.
2) ‘Sharh Sahih Muslim’: The Masterpiece of Allama Ghulam Rasul Saeedi which over shadowed all the previous ‘Shuruhat’ of Hadith Books in Urdu with its exceptional style and nature.
I have the blessed privilege of translating numerous parts of the above two works of the Allama Saeedi in English. Al-Hamdulillah!
3) ‘Tawzih al Bayan’: An excellent work of Allama Saeedi in defense of the Sunni Tafsir - ‘Khazayin al Irfan’ by Sadr al Afazil Allama Mufti Sayyid Nayimuddin Ashrafi Muhaddith Muradabadi.
4) ‘Tazkirat ul Muhaddithin’: A compendium of biographies of great Muhaddithin and introduction of their books in Hadith sciences.
5) ‘Maqam e Wilayat wa Nubuwwat’: One of the finest works of Allama Saeedi on the subject of Prophet-hood and Saint-hood in Islam.
6) ‘Maqalat e Saeedi’: This is the collection of his research articles that were published in numerous magazines.
7) ‘Zikr bil Jahr’: A brilliant work on the Sunni practice of “Loud Zikr” and its permissibility. It is a master refutation of the Deobandiya and Wahhabiya and a rebuttal of their misleading stance on this topic. This book can also be considered as a special refutation of the Deobandi stalwart - Mawlana Safdar Okarvi on the issue of “Loud Zikr”.
8) ‘Ziya Kanz al Iman’: Allama Ghulam Rasul Saeedi’s defense of the Sunni translation of the Holy Quran by Imam al Akbar Ahmad Raza Khan Qadri Bareilvi and expounding the beauty of this Urdu translation. It was written in refutation of Deobandis and Wahhabis.
9) ‘Fazil e Bareilvi ka Fiqhi Maqam’: This is one of Allama’s beautiful tributes to the great contribution of Imam Ahmad Raza Qadri in the field of “Fiqh” (Islamic Jurisprudence).
10) ‘Hayat Ustaz al Ulama’: Allama Saeedi authored this book on the life and works of his teacher – Allama Ataa Muhammad Bandiyalvi.
11) ‘Ni'mat al Bari fi Sharh Sahih al Bukhari. This Sharh of Sahih Bukhari is another masterpiece of Allama Saeedi and is in 16 large volumes.
I often feel that had he wrote in Arabic, the Arab world would have also accepted him as their Imam and authority in traditional and logical sciences. I hope that someone from his numerous students shall come forward and write his detail biography, and translate his books into Arabic.
Demise:
The Great Imam of Ahl al Sunnah passed away on Thursday, the 24th of Rabi al Akhir 1437 A.H corresponding to the 4th of February 2016 at a hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. He had been ill for some time and was recently admitted to the hospital due to his deteriorating health conditions. The great Allama left this mundane world at the ripe blessed age of 80 years and left behind the Ahl al Sunnah in the sub-continent mourning his loss.

A Great Loss Indeed!
Allama Saeedi was a great master of Islamic sciences, losing him was like losing Knowledge and losing the last of the remnants of Hadith Masters. He was one the finest and most proficient Pillars of traditional Islamic scholarship in Pakistan. We lost with him - the sciences in which he alone was an acclaimed master. He was an erudite Mufti combined with unparallel acumen and insight in Aqaid and Fiqh matters. He had in him a rare blend of Tasawwuf and traditional Islamic sciences. His mastery of Logic and Arabic language was considered second to none in present day Pakistan. His passing away at this time when we are surrounded by numerous new heresies, a time when we required his guidance and scholarly insight in innumerable issues is an even greater loss. Indeed, he left the Ahl al Sunnah in the east – Orphaned.
Allama Saeedi was from the rarest types of scholarly men, a staunch Sufi and a Master scholar of Logic and traditional sciences; he in present times combined in himself numerous rare qualities. Allama Saeedi’s legacy shall remain forever, for he was no ordinary scholar and was one of the last remnants of the Giant scholars of this century.
An open advocate of Truth, his speeches and words were often mild and convincing, and were held upon as the final verdict among the Ahl al Sunnah. His discussions were always frankly expressed and supported with logical and textual proofs. No matter who stood before him, he slayed falsehood at every level in an intellectual and commanding way. As a result, even his opponents respected him in his methodology.
His accomplishments in literary scholarship and academic tutorship remains unparallel to this day, and shall remain so, for the era in which we find ourselves is empty of such an outstanding personality combined with so many uncommon qualities. A scholar truly worthy of the title of the Imam of Ahl al Sunnah wal Jamah, Allama Saeedi left a huge vacuum in the intellectual circles of Islam.
Among the other great characteristics of Allama Saeedi was that he was unaffected and unfazed by the internal schism and factionalism among the Ahl al Sunnah. He advocated unity among the Ahl al Sunnah, both at scholarly and public levels. As a result, he was instrumental in solving many intricate matters and internal differences among the scholarly circles of Ahl al Sunnah.
When I received the news of his demise, I was left saddened and sorrowful. Long ago I had started compiling biographies of Great Muslim Scholars of the Indian Sub-continent in English, and had divided it into five categories. Having so far completed the first two categories, I was in the midst of third strata, when I received the news of Allama Saeedi’s demise. I had placed Allama’s name in the Fourth strata of this list that deals with the present reigning giants of Islamic scholarship. But..., unfortunately we lost him.
I admired Allama Saeedi along with Allama Abdul Hakeem Sharf Qadri for they had scholarly and personal qualities that are rare to find in one single personality. I had longed to meet them both, but one after another they passed away. Fortunate are those who have studied under them and had the opportunity to meet and greet them.
May Allah Almighty grant Allama Saeedi the highest place in Jannah, raise him with the Master of Al Kawthar ~sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam~ and may we drink the water of Al Kawthar along with him in the Here-after! Ameen!
May Allah Almighty protect our other Great elderly scholars from apparent as well as unseen harms, elongate their lives and make the younger of our scholars worthy successors of the elderly ones. Ameen!
Was Salam,
Basharath Ali Siddiqui Ashrafi,
Ashrafiya Islamic Foundation,
Dar al Islam Foundation
Hyderabad, India.

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