بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيم
While speaking about the important works written on the topic of hadith-proofs for the schools of fiqh, ‘Allamah Zahid al-Kawthari wrote on the contributions of the Indian scholars on this topic, saying it is “beyond all estimation,” and while mentioning these “Indians of the Ahl al-Sunnah,” he directly or indirectly refers to and praises at least six Deobandi scholars from the seven that he mentions:
Then came the turn of our brothers, the Indians of the Ahl al-Sunnah, for their achievements in the Sunnah in these latter centuries is beyond all estimation, and their commentaries of the six mother-books are brimming with richness in [commenting on] the hadiths of rulings, so you have Fath al-Mulhim fi Sharh Sahih Muslim [by Mawlana Shabbir Ahmad al-‘Uthmani]; Badhl al-Majhud fi Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud [by Mawlana Khalil Ahmad al-Saharanpuri]; al-‘Arf al-Shadhi fi Sharh Sunan al-Tirmidhi [by ‘Allamah Anwar Shah al-Kashmiri] and innumerable other [works] in which are found satisfactory explanations of controversial issues [of fiqh].
Some of their ‘ulama also have specific compilations on the hadiths of rulings in a marvellous new style, which is to exhaust the hadiths of rulings from their sources and gather them onto one platform [dividing them] into the chapters [of fiqh], and discuss every hadith from them with criticism and accreditation and strengthening and weakening.
Thus, the great scholar and hadith-expert Mawlana Zahir Ahsan al-Nimawi (Allah have mercy on him) wrote his book Athar al-Sunan in two short volumes*, in which he compiled the hadiths related to purification and prayer according to the different juristic schools, and he commented on every hadith from them with criticism and accreditation in the manner of the hadith-scholars, and he excelled in what he accomplished with complete excellence. He had intended to continue in this way to the last chapters of fiqh, but death came between him and his hopes (Allah have mercy on him). This book is printed in India with lithographic print although the people of knowledge snatched it after its publication, so it is difficult to get hold of a copy of it unless it is printed again.
Similarly, the inimitable great scholar, the unique ocean, the teacher of the scholars of the Indian lands, the great hadith-scholar, the knowledgeable critic, our master, the sage of the nation, Muhammad Ashraf ‘Ali al-Thanawi, the author of works, both small and large, numbering around five hundred, paid attention to this matter, and thus he (his stay be lengthened) wrote Ihya’ al-Sunan and Jami‘ al-Athar on this subject. A description of these books is dispensable by the mention of the great name of its author. Both of them were printed in India although getting hold of them has become somewhat difficult since their printed copies were depleted because of the great number of those interested in collecting the works of this lordly scholar (Allah extend his stay), who is a blessing of the Indian lands, and he has a high standing amongst the scholars of India such that they call him “the sage of the nation” (hakim al-ummah).
This magnificent scholar instructed his student and nephew, who completed his hadith studies with him, the critical hadith-scholar, the excellent jurist, Mawlana Zafar Ahmad al-Thanawi (may his achievements increase), to compile the proofs of the chapters of jurisprudence by gathering the hadiths of rulings, [arranging them] into chapters, from the sources which are difficult to obtain, while commenting on every hadith at the bottom of every page according to what is required in the science of hadith of strength and weakness and acceptance and rejection according to the different schools. This enthusiastic scholar occupied himself in this difficult task for around twenty years with the utmost devotion until he completed his work with the utmost brilliance with the accordance of Allah Glorified is He in twenty slim volumes with the paper size of Athar al-Sunan and this book of his was called I‘la al-Sunan; and a special volume was written for it as a brilliant introduction to the principles of hadith which is beneficial in [reaching] the goal in this subject.
Truth be told, I was astonished by this compilation and this exhaustion and by this extreme comprehensiveness in commenting on every hadith as is required in the science [of hadith], in relation to the text and chain, without there appearing the signs of affectation in support of his school, rather fairness was his principle when speaking about the opinions of the adherents of the [different] schools. Hence, I was pleased with it with the utmost happiness. This is how the aspirations of [real] men and the perseverance of [true] heroes are. May Allah extend his stay in goodness and safety and enable him to compile similar beneficial works. The author (Allah preserve him) has printed around twenty parts of this book with lithographic print, and the copies of the first parts have finished. As for the publication of the remaining [volumes], it is happening very slowly, so if only some of the owners of the big printing presses in Egypt would obtain the aforementioned book from its author, and print it with beautiful Egyptian letters, and if one of them were to do that he would have served knowledge a service that is appreciated, and he would fill a gap in this subject.
Also from the famous scholars of India, of those who have an interest in the hadiths of rulings, is the great scholar and hadith expert, Shaykh Mahdi Hasan al-Shahajanpuri [a graduate of Dar al-‘Ulum Deoband and student of Shaykh al-Hind], the Mufti (Allah preserve him), for he commented on the book al-Athar by Imam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani in two large volumes. Allah (Glorified is He) increase the likes of such men.
This is a small selection of the achievements of these brothers, and in this let the competitors compete.
(Maqalat al-Kawthari, p. 68-9)
*This was also, in part, the contribution of a scholar from Deoband: ‘Allamah Anwar Shah al-Kashmiri helped the author with the writing of this book. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Fattah in his biography of ‘Allamah Anwar Shah al-Kashmiri in Tarajim Sittah min Fuqaha al-‘Alam al-Islami quotes ‘Allamah Yusuf al-Binnori (the student of ‘Allamah Kashmiri), who after mentioning the ‘ilmi benefit acquired from ‘Allamah al-Kashmiri by his major contemporaries like Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali al-Thanawi, Mawlana Khalil Ahmad al-Saharanpuri, and his teacher, Shaykh al-Hind Mahmud al-Hasan al-Deobandi, he said:
Mawlana Muhammad Zahir Ahsan al-Nimawi (d. 1322/1904), Allah have mercy on him, the famous hadith-scholar, author of Athar al-Sunan, would seek assistance from Shaykh [Anwar Shah al-Kashmiri] with regards to the ambiguities of hadith, by correspondence through letter-writing. He would seek help from him while writing his book Athar al-Sunan and he would present to him what he had written piece by piece. This is what I heard from the revered Shaykh [himself], Allah have mercy on him. He said in his book Nayl al-Firqadayn: “The deceased Shaykh [al-Nimawi] while writing that book would send it to me piece by piece, until I became an aide therein; and I added many things to it after him.” The Shaykh, Allah have mercy on him, at that time was a youth whose reputation was not [yet] manifest to the people while the hadith-scholar al-Nimawi was an experienced scholar, and in spite of this, this was his [manner of] interacting [with 'Allamah Kashmiri], and this shows his intellectual humbleness and his estimation of men. Allah raise both their statuses. (Tarajim Sittah min Fuqaha al-‘Alam al-Islami, p. 29)
Related Article: Allamah Zahid al-Kawthari’s Praise of Fath al-Mulhim
