Rabi’-ul-Awwal is the third month of the Islamic year. Brief biographies of 17 of those blessed Sahabah رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُم, great Awliya and Islamic Ulama رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی whose day of demise or Urs is marked in this month were included in Rabi’-ul-Awwal issue of the monthly magazine ‘Faizan-e-Madinah’, 1439 Hijri. Following are brief biographies of some more Islamic personalities:
Blessed Sahabah عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ
1The apple of Rasool’s eye, Sayyiduna Ibraheem رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ was born to Umm-ul-Mu’mineen, Sayyidatuna Mariah Qibtiyah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهَا in Madinah Munawwarah in Zul-Hijjah, 8 Hijri; he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ passed away on 10 Rabi’-ul-Awwal 10 Hijri. He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ was laid to rest in Jannat-ul-Baqee’. (Al-Muntazim Fi-Tareekh-ul-Malook wal-Umam, vol. 4, pp. 10; Al-Bidaya Wan-Nahayah, vol. 4, pp. 301)
2Sayyiduna Anees Bin Mursad Ghanavi رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ is a companion of the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ took part in the conquest of Makkah and Ghazwah Hunayn. He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ passed away in Rabi’-ul-Awwal, 20 Hijri. His grandfather was an ally of Sayyiduna Hamzah Bin Abdul Muttalib رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُما. His grandfather, father and brother also embraced Islam. (Asad-uul-Ghabah, vol. 1, pp.203 – 204; Al-Isti’aab, vol. 1, pp. 202)
Blessed Awliya رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی
1 Student of Imam-e-A’zam, Sayyiduna Abu Sulayman Dawood Taa’ee رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born in Kufa; he passed away on 8 Rabi-ul-Awwal 165 Hijri in Baghdad. He was an expert in all the fields of Islamic knowledge, leader of Quranic reciters, leader of Muhaddiseen and Islamic jurists, and Imam of Awliya. (Tareekh-ul-Islam li-Zahbi, vol. 4, pp. 357 – 362; Miraat-ul-Israar, pp. 276 - 278)
2 A famous Wali, Sayyiduna Bishr Haafi رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born in 150 Hijri in ‘Merv’, Khurasan [Iran]. He رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه passed away on 13 Rabi-ul-Awwal 227 Hijri in Baghdad. His blessed shrine is situated in Maqbarah-Quraysh (Kazimiyah North Baghdad), Iraq. He was a great worshipper and an ascetic person, admirer of Ulama and Awliya, possessor of a high rank and status, and one of the great Awliya. (Tareekh-ul-Islam Li-Zahbi, vol. 5, pp. 540 - 544)
3 Founder of the Sabriyah spiritual order, Shaykh ‘Alauddeen Ali Ahmad Sabir Kaleri رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born in Haraat (Afghanistan) in 592 Hijri. He رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه passed away on 13 Rabi ul Awwal 690 Hijri. His blessed shrine is situated in Kaliyar (Saharanpur district, UP), India. He رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was the nephew, disciple and Khalifah of Sayyiduna Baba Fareed Ganj Shakar رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه, and was amongst the great Awliya of Hind [Indian subcontinent]. (Faizan-e-Sabir, pp. 1 – 3 - 41)
4 Mahboob-ul-Ulama, Asad-e-Millat-o-Deen, Sayyiduna Shah Abul Ma’aali Sayyid Kher ud Deen Qaadiri Kirmani رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born in 960 Hijri in the town of Shayr Garh (Tehsil Renala Khurd, Okara district), Pakistan. He رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه passed away on 16 Rabi ul Awwal 1024 Hijri. His blessed shrine is visited by the people from all walks of life in Main Bazar Gawalmandi (near City Railway Station), Markaz ul Awliya, Lahore. He was a great Sheikh-e-Tareeqat of Qaadiriyyah spiritual order, a practising scholar, author of books, a Na’at poet, and the friend of Imam-ul-Muhaddiseen, Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhaddis-e-Dehilvi رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه. The authentic book, namely ‘Tuhfa-e-Qaadiriyyah’ has been authored by him. (Tazkirah Awliya-e-Pakistan, vol. 2, pp. 24 – 31, Fatawa-e-Razawiyyah, vol. 28, pp. 429)
5 Ghaus of his era, Sayyiduna Peer Ghulam Muhyuddin Siddiqi Ghaznavi Naqshbandi رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born in Ghazni, Afghanistan in 1320 Hijri; he passed away on 12 Rabi ul Awwal 1395 Hijri. His blessed shrine is situated in Neriyan (Pulandri district), Kashmir. He is amongst the famous blessed Awliya. (Tazkirah Akabir-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat, pp. 352 – 354; Tazkirah Hadrat Muhaddis-e-Dakan, pp. 457 - 460)
Blessed Ulama رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی
6 Haafiz-ul-Hadees, Taqi’uddin, Sayyiduna Abdul Ghani Muqaddasi Hambali رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born in 541 Hijri in Jamm’eel (near Nabulus, Bayt-ul-Muqaddas), Palestine. He رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه passed away in Rabi ul Awwal, 600 Hijri, in Cairo, Egypt. He رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was laid to rest in Qarafah (Jabl-e-Muqtam, South Cairo). He was the student of Ghaus e A’zam, a practising Aalim, Ustaz-ul-Ulama, the author of many books, and a person with awe-inspiring and dignifying personality. عمدة الاحكام من كلام خير الانام is his famous book. (Rasa’il-e-Ramadan Dar Faza’il-e-Ramadan, pp. 100 - 104)
7 Imam of Qurra [Quranic reciters] and Muhaddiseen, Sayyiduna Imam Shams ud Deen Abu Al-Khayr Muhammad Jazri Shafi’ee Qaadiri رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born in 751 Hijri in Mahallah Qasa’een, Damascus, Syria. He رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه passed away on 5 Rabi ul Awwal 833 Hijri in Sheeraz (Muhallah Askafeen, province of Faris), Iran. He was an Islamic researcher, leader of Ulama, the greatest Qazi of his era, and the author of many books including حصن حصین and مقدمہ جزریہ. (Bustan-ul-Muhaddiseen, pp. 207)
8 Abu Hanifah Saani (2nd), Sayyiduna Imam Siraajuddin Umar Bin Ibraheem Ibn-e-Najeem Misri Hanafi رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born in 926 Hijri, in Cairo, Egypt. He رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه passed away at the same place on 6 Rabi ul Awwal 1005 Hijri. He رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was a great Mufti, great Islamic jurist, possessor of great attributes and virtues, and extremely honourable and dignified in the sight of rulers. النهر الفائق شرح كنز الدقائق is his famous book. (Hidayat-ul-‘Arifeen, vol. 5, pp. 796, Khulasa-tul-Asar, vol. 3, pp. 206)
9 Sayyiduna ‘Allamah Abdul Hakeem Siddiqi رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born in Ziyakot (Sialkot, Punjab), Pakistan in 989 Hijri; he passed away at the same place on 16 Rabi ul Awwal 1067 Hijri. He was Ustaaz-ul-‘Ulama, expert in all the fields of Islamic knowledge, author of books, majaaz in Tareeqah, famous in ‘Arab and ‘Ajam, leader of ‘Ulama, and a great Aalim of his era. His annotations of various books of Dars e Nizami have also been published. (Tazkirah ‘Ulama-e-Hind, pp. 280; Urdu Da’irah Ma’arif-e-Islmaiyyah, vol. 12, pp. 834 - 837)
10 Shaykh-e-Muhaqqiq, ‘Allamah Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhaddis Dehilvi Qaadiri رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born in 958 Hijri in Delhi (India); he passed away in the same city on 21 Rabi’-ul-Awwal 1052 Hijri. His blessed shrine is situated in Khanqah-e-Qaadiriyyah (near Bagh Mahdiyan, opposite Fort Kahna), Delhi, Hind. He was Hafiz of the Holy Quran, Imam of the Muhaddiseen of Hind, a great Aalim of his era, Qutub of his time, author of many books and commentator of Ahadees. Two commentaries on Mishkaat Shareef, namely اشعۃ اللمعات (in Persian) and لمعات التنیقح (in Arabic) are also included in his more than a dozen books. (Ashi’at-ul-Lam’aat Sharah Mishkaat, pp. 67 - 93)
11 Muhaddis of Hijaz, ‘Allamah Muhammad Abid Sindhi Madani Naqshbandi Hanafi رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born in 1190 Hijri in Sehwan, Dadu district (Bab-ul-Islam, Sindh), Pakistan. He رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه passed away on 18 Rabi’-ul-Awwal 1257 Hijri in Madinah Munawwarah and was laid to rest in Jannat ul Baqi. He was an expert in all the fields of Islamic knowledge, a great Islamic jurist and Muhaddis, Raees-ul-‘Ulama, expert in all the four schools of Islamic Jurisprudence (Hanafi, Shafa’ee, Maliki and Hambali) and an author of various books. Amongst his books, the memorable one is the commentary on Durr e Mukhtar, namely طوالع الانوار (eight volumes). (Ar-Risa’il-ul-Khams, pp. 33 – 42; Anwar-e-‘Ulama-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat, pp. 767 – 772; Hada’iq-e-Hanafiyah, pp. 490)
12Muhaddis of Syria, Sayyiduna ‘Allamah Muhammad Badruddeen Hasani Maghrabi Shafa’ee رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born in 1267 Hijri near Dar-ul-Hadees Ashrafiyyah, Asroniyah market, Damascus, Syria; he passed away in the same city on 27 Rabi ul Awwal 1354 Hijri. He was laid to rest in Bab-us-Sagheer, the famous graveyard of Damascus. He was the Hafiz of Quran, a great Aalim of his era, Mujaddid of his time, Sheikh-us-Shuyukh, Mufti of Syria, author of more than 35 books, a perfect Sufi and a prominent personality of Syria. (Sayyidi
