Maulana S M Rabey Hasani Nadwi, Rector Nadwatul Ulama and President All India Muslim Personal Law Board, was a distinguished scholar of Islam. He was a man of literature and composition.
He passed away on April 13 in Lucknow.
Scion of an illustrious Syed family that produced a host of scholars, thinkers and spiritual preceptors like Shah Alamullah Hasani (d.1685), Syed Ahmad Shaheed (d.1831), Hakeem Syed Abdul Hai Hasani (1923), Dr Syed Abdul Ali Hasani (d.1961 ), Syed Muhammad Al- Hasani (1979), Syed Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (d.1999), Maulana S M Wazeh Rasheed Nadwi (d.2019) and so on.
Almighty Allah bestowed upon Maulana Rabey extraordinary knowledge and wisdom. His multifaceted genius can be discussed in various ways. Maulana Rabey was a great Islamic scholar, a thinker, an educationist, a historian, a litterateur, a theologian, a teacher, a reformer, an orator, a journalist, a jurist, a writer, a philanthropist, a biographer of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), a spokesman of the poor and the like.
He was a true replica of his predecessor Maulana S Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi. He was Maulana Ali Miyan’s nephew and a confidante for several decades.
Maulana Dr Abdullah Abbas Nadwi writes, “Sheikh Rabey was with Sheikh Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi at all times, whether at home or during a journey. He represented Sheikh Nadwi on many occasions and spoke on his behalf. If Sheikh Nadwi accepted any responsibility, it was Sheikh Rabey who was to implement it.
He further says, “Maulana Rabey’s looks had become like that of Sheikh Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi.”
Education qualifications
Maulana Rabey was born in 1929 at Takiya Kalan, Raebareli, U.P. He had his elementary education at home and got higher education at Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow. Eminent personalities like Maulana S Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, Maulana Mohammad Shah Haleem Ata, Maulana Mufti Mohammad Saeed, Maulana Syed Hameeduddin, Maulana Oais Nagrami were his teachers. After completing education at Nadwatul Ulama, he went to Deoband and became a student of Maulana Syed Husain Ahmad Madani and other distinguished Ulama there.
He also spent about one year in Hijaz (Western Saudi Arabia) where he gained considerable benefits from prominent scholars.
Career heights
Maulana Nadwi writes, “My grandfather, Syed Khaliluddin Ahmad Hasani (nephew of Syed Shah Ziaun Nabi Hasani) who was a prominent landlord had made special arrangement for my father to acquire necessary skills to take care of his personal and household needs. Thus, my father’s responsibilities were limited to taking care of matters pertaining to land and agriculture. He made our maternal uncles (Sheikh Nadwi and his older brother Dr Syed Abdul Ali Hasani) responsible for our education and upbringing.”
He derived considerable benefit and inspiration from them. In a true sense, Dr Abdul Ali planted the seed of worthiness in him and Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi nurtured it.
Undoubtedly, he was a man of noble qualities. He was a paragon of morality. He never showed egotism, pride, and haughtiness. He had a throbbing heart for the entire nation. He met everyone cheerfully.
He was kindhearted and righteous person. He possessed sturdy intellect and common sense.
The most striking aspects of his life were his istighna (expecting nothing from anyone except Allah) sincerity, simplicity, and piety. He meticulously followed Sunnah (traditions of the Prophet). Like his predecessor Maulana S Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, he led a pious and exemplary life. He was a true descendant of salaf saliheen (pious lineage).
Teacher par excellence
Maulana S M Rabey Hasani Nadwi was appointed as teacher in 1949. He was a dedicated to his profession. He was an embodiment of all sublime qualities and virtues necessary for a good teacher. His method of teaching was unprecedented.
Teaching was his sword that he wielded so effectively that very few people could match. Scores of students quenched their thirst for knowledge from him.
He left a galaxy of students behind who impart education in their respective areas. No doubt, it is an everlasting tribute to him. His myriad contributions in the field of education will always be remembered.
Rector of Nadwatul Ulama
After the demise of Maulana S Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, Maulana Rabey was elected Rector of Nadwatul Ulama in 2000. Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama made great strides in various fields of education under his rectorship. Besides various hostels, separate building for higher classes, grand halls, extension of central Mosque and Matbakh (Mess) have also been constructed under his rectorship. He dedicated his entire life to the cause of Nadwatul Ulama’s growth. He played a constructive role in Nadwa’s progress and development. His remarkable contributions and achievements in the cause of Nadwatul Ulama will always be remembered.
President of Muslim Personal Law Board
After passing away of Maulana Qazi Mujahidul Islam Qasmi, Maulana Rabey was elected the fourth President of the board on June 22, 2002. For two decades, Maulana Rabey held the post. He played a pivotal role in tackling key issues faced by the Board. Accordingly, scores of important issues have been solved during his tenure.
Truly speaking, he was an erudite scholar. The comprehensive knowledge and intellectual brilliance of Maulana Rabey had been acknowledged by his contemporaries. Because of his vast knowledge in all the religious and secular sciences, he had been entrusted with many important positions and offices, and was also conferred several prestigious awards, including President Award for his outstanding service in the arena of Arabic language and literature.
Positions held the Maulana
- Rector, Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow
- President, All India Muslim Personal Law Board
- President, World Forum of Islamic Literature
- Member of Makkah-based Muslim World League
- Executive Member of Darul Uloom Deoband
- Patron, Islamic Fiqh Academy, New Delhi
- President ,Academy of Islamic Research and Publication, Lucknow
- Patron, Maulana Azad Memorial Academy, Lucknow
- Member Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (UK)
The awards
President Award in 1982 and; Shah Waliullah Award by Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi in 2015.
His writings
He was a prolific writer. He authored more than four dozen books in Arabic and Urdu. His literary work is multidimensional. His creative work is complete in itself. He wrote almost in every style in prose. His various books are included in the syllabus of different institutions including Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow. Some of his major publications are as under:
He was also an accomplished journalist. Because of his vast knowledge in all religious sciences, including jurisprudence, and a profound knowledge of different languages like Urdu, Arabic, English, Persian and the likes, he forthrightly shed light on every subject at length. Hundreds of articles are to his credit. He was a patron of five magazines published from Nadwatul Ulama.
The passing away of Maulana Rabey Nadwi is also a personal loss to me. Like his younger brother Maulana S.M.Wazeh Rasheed Nadwi(1933-2019), he had also been a great inspiration to me. My first book, “The Plain Truth” had been released by him in 2008. He also gave Rs.5,000 to me as reward. I have been lucky enough that my latest book, “Islam and Education” was also released by him on March 21, 2023 at Guest House of Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama.
The most surprising event was his last journey. His funeral prayer was led twice. The first funeral prayer was led by Dr Saeedur Rahman Azami Nadwi at Nadwa and the second was led by Maulana S Bilal Abdul Hai Hasani Nadwi at Takia Kalan. He was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard at Takia Kalan, Rai Bareli.
Dr Obaidur Rahman Nadwi is a faculty member of Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama
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