Mufti Muhammad Shafi and Tafsir Maariful Qur’An; an Introduction & Review
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MUFTI MUHAMMAD SHAFI AND TAFSIR MAARIFUL QUR’AN; AN INTRODUCTION & REVIEW Muhammad Shahab Ashraf Khatak Department of Islamic Studies & Arabic, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan ABSTRACT After the war of indepence1857 the Muslims of India were governed by the British Empire for the period of a century. During this period different movements for the independence for Indian Muslims were raised. Among them there was a movement of Deoband, which was actually an educational movement for survival of Muslim. The renounced scholars of Deoband school of thought presented the literature for the strong ideological training of muslims, so that they could have implemented the islamic instrcuctions in their lives. In this connection the contribution of Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi were remarkable who devoted his life for preaching the ideology of Islam. He compiled a huge number of books for the betterment in social and moral life of Muslims. He presented the urdu translation and commentary (Tafseer) of the Holy Qura'an which is a unique commentary. In this article the introduction of Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi and the characteristics of his Tafseer Maarif ul Quran are presented. Key words: Mufti Shafi, Urdu Quranic Commentary, Maarif ul Quran, Tafsir in Pakistan INTRODUCTION N.W.F.P) where Muslims of this At the time when Mufti Muhammad province vote of Pakistan through a Shafi a great religious research scholar referendum due to the efforts of these of Indo Pakistan, was teaching at Darul Ulama. After great struggle when Uloom Deoband, Muslims of the Pakistan came into being, Shabbir subcontinent were striving for Ahmad Usmani invited his friends, independence from the British Rule. The Molana Manzir Ahsan Gilani, Allama Muslims were deprived in all fields of Syed Suleman Nadvi and Mufti life by the Britains and the Hundus. Muhammad Shafi to Pakistan to draft Therefore, the Muslims of subcontinent Islamic constitution of Pakistan. This job gathered at a platform formed the All- was successfully completed within three India Muslim League to campaign for months by the efforts of these the independent separate Muslim state, personalities. Ashraf Ali Thanvi requested all ulama Later on in 1367 AH (1948), and Muslims in general to support this Muhammad Shafi left his hometown, campaign. Mufti Muhammad Shafi, with Deoband and immigrated to Pakistan on other scholars including Zafar Ahmad the request of his is friends. He Usmani joined Jamiat Ulam e Islam, a succeeded to Wali Hassan Tonki as the council of Islamic scholars formed by Grand Mufti of Pakistan from 1948 to 06 Shabbir Ahmad Usmani to campaign for October 1976. He founded Darul Uloom the creation of Pakistan. In 1363 AH Karachi in 1370 AH (1950/1951) .Mufti (1944) Muhammad Shafi resigned from Muhammad Shafi a great religious teaching and issuing fatwas at Darul scholar of his time having special Uloom Deoband in order to devote his interest in Shari’a, Hadith and Tafsir, time to the movement for the creation of who spent his whole life for the Pakistan. He toured different parts of renaissance of Islamic thoughts, created India, gave speeches, and issued Fatwas awareness for the separate Islamic for this purpose, especially the province identity among the Muslims of Indo of Kyber Pakhtunka Pakistan (the then Pakistan. Here I am presenting his brief 130 Khatak, Mufti Muhammad Shafi biography and introduction of his life Mohammad Ibrahim Balyavi time achievement, the compilation of the (died: 1383 AH) ( Rafi,2000) commentary on the Holy Quran titled as In 1336 AH (1917/1918) or 1337 AH Maariful Quran (1918/19) he was appointed as a teacher of the primary classes at Darul Uloom FINDINGS Deoband, though he quickly reached a The great Islamic scholar Muhammad position of teaching higher classes. He Shafi, was born in mid night of 20-21 had an attraction in Fiqh and Fatawa, so Shaaban 1314 i.e January 25, 1897 in a he frequently assisted Mufti Azizu'r- town Deoband of the district Rahman Usmani, the grand Mufti of Saharanpur, the British India. His Darul Ifta (the Fartwa department of Grandfather named him as Mohammad Darul Uloom Deoband). Therefore, Mubeen, while the name “Muhammad keeping in view his ability in this field, Shafi”, was proposed by Molana Rashid Muhammad Shafi was appointed to the Ahmad Gangohi, a great religious position of Grand Mufti of Darul Uloom scholar and saint of his times. Deoband in 1350 AH (1932). He held (Shafi,1384 A.H) this position until 1354 AH (1935/36), Mufti Mohammad learnt and memorized and again from 1359 AH (1940/1941) to some initial Chapters of the holy book (1362AH 1943). (Shafi,1384 A.H) from Hafiz Mohammad Azim. He learnt While holding this position, it is basic books of Persian from his father, estimated that number of fatwas that he Math from his uncle issued was ranged from 26,000 to over Munshi Manzoor and Arabic from his 40,000. Some of Muhammad Shafi's friend Qari Mohammad Yousuf Mirathi fatwas have been published in eight large in Darul Uloom Deoband where his volumes titled as Imdad al-Muftin, while father was working as teacher.( the majority remained unpublished. Rafi,2000) ( Rafi,2000) In 1325 AH (1907/1908) he was After Partition when he immigrated to formally admitted into Darul Uloom Pakistan he founded Darul Uloom Deoband from where he graduated in Karachi in June 1951 and become the 1336 AH (1918) at the age of 21. He was first president of this institute. Being taught from the following renowned head of this Institute, he also established teachers in Darul Uloom Deoband, the the department of Ifta over here. He was British India. (Shafi,1384 A.H) succeeded by his grandson Mohammad Allam Mohammad Anwar Shah Rafi Usmani being president of this Kashmiri(died: 1352 AH) institute after his sad demise in Azizur Rahman Usmani 1976.(Akbar,1999) (died: 1347 AH) Mohammad Shafi not only worked for Mohammad Qasim Nanotvi Islamic theology but also actively (died: 1347 AH) participated in the national politics for Shabbir Ahmad Usmani the purpose to frame the constitution in (died: 1369 AH) light of the teachings of the Holy Syed Mian Asghar Hussain Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the (died: 1364 AH) Holy Qur’an for the newly established Aizaz Ali Islamic state Pakistan. Therefore he (died: 1374 AH) actively participated to pass the first Rasool Khan Objective Resolution in light of Islamic (died: 1391AH) principles from the National Assembly of Pakistan. (Shafi,1384 A.H) Gomal University Journal of Research, 29(1). June 2013 131 Khatak, Mufti Muhammad Shafi Keeping in view his services, he was meanings of the Holy Book in their own selected as member of the first Islamic language and therefore other intellectuals Studies Board (ISB) in 1949. This Board were encouraged to not only simply worked for four years. The main translate the Holy Book but they wrote objective of the board was to draft detailed commentary of the Holy Book Islamic Constitution of Pakistan. He was in Arabic , Persian and Urdu languages also selected as Member of the Law as well. In these intellectual efforts Commission of Pakistan in 1950.He was Tafsir Ma’ariful Qur’an by Mufti appointed as President (Ameer) of the Mohammad Shafi is a very important Central Executive Committee of the Tafsir (commentary) of the Qur’an in Jamiat Ulama Islam Pakistan for three Urdu language discussing present day’s years after the sad demise of Shabbir problems and issues faced in the modern Ahmad Usmani. (Akbar, 1987) era of Science & Technology. He wrote around one hundred books Ma‘ārifu’l-Qur’ān is tafsir explaining the Quran and interpreting (commentary) of the Qura’an comprising Islamic Sharia and Laws. His best- on eight-volumes by eminent religious known and most widely translated work scholar, Mufti Mohammad Shafi (1897– is the Ma’ariful Qur’an ("The Wisdom 1976) which is the most prominent work of the Qur’an"), which he finished in of its author. Urdu language in four years before his death. This is a remarkable and unique a DISCUSSION commentary on the entire Quran in its Ma’ariful Qur’an; Compilation own style and presentation discussing background latest issues prevailing in the society. It Regarding compilation’s background of was initially started as a series of weekly Ma'ariful Qur'an, Mufti Muhammad lectures of selected portions from the shafi wrote in his forwarding note that Holy Qur’an on Radio Pakistan that ran he never thought himself able to write for twelve years. (Shafi,1982) tafsir of the Qur’an being very difficult Muhammad Shafi died on 10 Shawwal and technical job. However the origin of 1396 AH (6 October 1976) at the age of Ma'ariful Qur'an refers back to the third eighty three years in Karachi. (Taqqi, of Shawwal 1373 A.H. (the 2nd of July N.D) 1954) when I was invited to deliver Tafsir Ma’ariful Quran; weekly lectures on the Radio Pakistan to The first ever effort in the subcontinent explain selected verses of the Holy for understanding the Qur’an was made Qur'an to the general audience. This by Shah Wali Ullah Dehlvi by invitation was accepted with the translating the Holy Qur’an into Persian condition that no any remuneration for language. Although he faced great this service will be accepted and that my difficulties in this regard and resisted by lectures would be broadcast without any the Orthodocs. However, later on it was sensor /interference by the editing proved that this translation played an authorities. The permanent title of this important role in attracting the masses weekly programme was "Ma'ariful- towards understanding of the Qur’an.