Abdul Hai Arifi

Personal profile

Born in 1898 in a conservative middle-class family of Indian province Utter Pradesh, genealogical relationship with the first Muslim Khalifa of Muhammad, Syedna Abu Bakr. Acquired preliminary education at home and completed books on Hadith (Traditions & Practices of Muhammad), Fiqah (the Islamic Jurisprudence) and other religious books during his English medium schooling under the mentorship of his grandfather, Moulvi Kazim Hussain.

Molana Dr. Muhammad Abudul Hai graduated from Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, Aligarh Muslim University in 1923. In the same year he got inspired from the teaching of Molana Ashraf Ali Thanwi and started correspondence to acquire solutions of his day to day problems. Later, he qualified for LLB degree from Lucknow University in 1926. He adopted law profession and started practice from Ilahabad High Court. Later on respecting the wish of his mentor and spiritual counselor (Hakim-ul-Ummat and Mujaddid-ul-Millat Molana Ashraf Ali Thanwi), he left the legal profession and started Homeopathic medical practice which lasted till his death in 1986, at Karachi.

Disciple of Hakim-ul-Ummat Molana Ashraf Ali Thanvi

The first formal acquaintance with Hakim-ul-Ummat Ashraf Ali Thanwi was made in 1917, then he became a formal disciple in 1927. He became a prominent disciple of Hakim-ul-Ummat who awarded him with Khilafat in 1936.

Molana Dr. Muhammad Abdul Hai remained associated with his mentor till his mentor’s death in 1943. He was very close to his mentor – both in private and public life and therefore, got chance to understand and perceive the values and virtues associated with his mentor’s life-style. Absorbed the mentor’s personality traits in his own and became submissive to be the true follower. Even after the death of the mentor, Molana Dr. Muhammad Abdul Hai kept himself firm to follow the approved path of sulook (spiritual development) in order to promote the way his mentor pleased with himself. He remained a true personality reflector of his mentor Hakim-ul-Ummat and Mujaddid-ul-Millat Molana Ashraf Ali Thanvi.

Style of preaching

Molana Dr. Muhammad Abdul Hai has devoted himself for the preaching and spreading the true faith with practical adaptation of Islam. His mild and gentle way of expression and education made him popular in the Islamic world. Hundreds and thousands of people benefited from his religious and ethical speeches.

His mild and hearty speeches caused a revolution in the inner soul of thousands of peoples. The two prominent classes of Muslim society benefited most from his services; the bureaucrats along with others qualified from universities and colleges, because he himself came from an educated family, qualified from the renowned institutions of the subcontinent and was better aware of what difficulties these people had been experiencing in practicing Islam and how to address them.

Another class of the society was of religiously learned personalities, including renowned Ulema of that time; which also had benefited from him because of the high degree of training gifted to him from his mentor Hakim-ul-Ummat and Mujaddid-ul-Millat Molana Ashraf Ali Thanwi, which had given him enough confidence to resolve sophisticated religious issues of contemporary time under the teachings of Islam. His style of teaching Islam was simple and precise filled with heart-felt wordings which made him popular among the people at large.

He used to address twice in a week at his residence; Mondays with ulema & other learned persons where sophisticated issues of ma’arfat and fiqah were explained and, Fridays remained open to general public where common religious difficulties were resolved. These congregations left a lasting impression in society and culture of Pakistan in particular and the Muslim world at large.

The ulema (clerics) and scholars of the time had acknowledged his services towards preaching of Islam and for the betterment of general public. He was made the President of the noble institution ‘Darul-Uloom Karachi as successor to the founder President of the institution Mufti Muhammad Shafi. Molana Dr. Muhammad Abdul Hai devoted his life for the propagation of Islam; however, he kept himself attached with his Homeopathic practice to earn livelihood. He had immense respect for a common man and always kept supersede his rights over to his own prerogatives.

Death

On 27 March 1986, he died after a short ailment and was buried in the graveyard of Dar-ul-Uloom Karachi beside the grave of his friend and companion Mufti Muhammad Shafi Usmani.

Literary work

Molana Dr. Muhammad Abdul Hai was a prolific writer and he produced a number of literary works in the form of religious books and books on medicine. The compilation of traditions and teachings of Muhammad in the name of ‘Uswa Rasool-e-Akram’ (translated in 10 languages) gained world wide popularity and has been accepted with great reverence. Since he had great regard for his mentor and spiritual leader Hakim-ul-Ummat and Mujaddid-ul-Millat Molana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, he wrote a number of books in order to forward the teachings of his mentor to the new generation. These books has been written by following modern diction and fine literary style and therefore, proved to be a substantial addition in Urdu literature also. Despite religious and medical writings, Molana Dr. Muhammad Abul Hai, with his poetic name Arifi; also has a poetic collection to his credit too. His work contains both Persian and Urdu poetry of a monotheistic philosophical nature expressing his emotional feelings and perceptions.

Publications

1. Uswa-e-Rasool e Akram – Salallaho Alaihey Wa Sallam. A collection of selected Hadith and had been translated into 10 prominent languages so far. It is a handbook providing guidance for day-to-day issues of a Muslim’s life in the light of Hadith & Sunnah. 2. Ihkam e Mayyit Detailed rulings of matters related to terminal illness, death, burrieal etc. as per Hanafi fiqah. Reviewed and authenticated by Mufti Rafi Usmani. 3. Maasir e Hakimul Ummat This is a biography of Hakim-ul-Ummat and Mujaddid-ul-Millat Molana Ashraf Ali Thanvi with special emphasis to his manners and lifestyle. 4. Basair e Hakimul Ummat This is a text book of tasawwaf. It is a compilation of extracts from the work of Hakim-ul-Ummat and Mujaddid-ul-Millat Molana Ashraf Ali Thanvi. 5. Ma’arif e Hakimul Ummat A compilation from the speeches of Hakim-ul-Ummat and Mujaddid-ul-Millat Molana Ashraf Ali Thanvi. 6. Jawahir e Hakimul Ummat A selection of the speeches of Hakim-ul-Ummat and Mujaddid-ul-Millat Molana Ashraf Ali Thanvi. 7. Irshadat e Hakimul Ummat (Islahul Muslimeen) A compilation from Hakim-ul-Ummat and Mujaddid-ul-Millat Molana Ashraf Ali Thanvi’s teachings especially related to implementing Islam in contemporary society. 8. Fihrist Talefat e Hakimul Ummat A detail list of all the 1072 publications (including 300 sermons also) of Hakim-ul-Ummat and Mujaddid-ul-Millat Molana Ashraf Ali Thanvi. 9. Ma’amoolat e Yomia Wa Mukhtasar Nisab e Islah A daily program and a concise syllabus for reformation. 10. Sehba e Sukhan (Poetry) A Poetic collection contains both Persian and Urdu poetry of a monotheistic philosophical nature.

References

1. http://www.khutbaat.com/biography/abdulhai.shtml.

2. Ma'sir Arifi. Taqi Usmani Mufti; Darul Isha'at; 2002.

3. Albalagh, special Arifi edition, monthly journal of Darul Uloom Karachi.

4. Hazrat Dr Abdul hayy : Sawanih aur talimat, by Raiz Hussain, Idaratul Ma'arif, Karachi

5. http://www.ashrafiya.com/2005/08/22/arifbillah-ra/