Mujaddid IOS Centre organizes discussion on the relevance of Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi in contemporary world

Mujaddid IOS Centre organizes discussion on the relevance of Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi in contemporary world

New Delhi: A discussion on Mujaddid Alf Sani Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi Ki Asri Ma’anwiyyat (Relevance of Mujaddid Alf-Sani Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi in the contemporary world), was organised by the Mujaddid IOS Centre for Arts and Culture online on October 28, 2023.

The webinar commenced with the recitation of a Qur’anic Verse by Maulana Asif Jamal Misbahi. The convenor of the Mujaddid IOS Centre for Arts and Literature, Anjum Naim, welcomed the attendees and briefly highlighted its activities.

Assistant professor of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard, Dr. Waris Mazhari, in his talk said that Mujaddid Alf-Sani’s contribution to Islamic philosophy should be examined in the context of his times and the conditions prevailing then. He set an example by working on both the fronts — spread of Islamic teachings and adherence to Qur’an and Hadith with grit and exemplary courage. Besides, he was confronted with the ruling class in order to preserve religious practices conforming to the Shariah. Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi was an authority on Fiqh and Hadith. His knowledge was encyclopedic and he was endowed with critical insight into the matters of religion, Prof. Mazhari pointed out. Dr. Wahid Nazir observed that the shine and manifestation in the personality of Imam Rabbani Mujaddid Alf-Sani abounded and their significance should be further explored because it was needed more today than ever before. They should be brought into the scholastic domain. He said that today, there was no dearth of scholarship and scholars, nor the lack of resources. But there were stores of knowledge and the affinity was missing. He held that Sheikh Mohaddis trained scholars and dispatched them to far off areas for the revival of true religious practices. He held that if today, someone wanted to work in that direction, whom he should rely on because while Khaneqahs (hospices) were producing slaves and the madarsas were manufacturing sycophants. Jamias were reduced to a factory where students held the brief for their teachers, he added.

Sheikh Hasan Saeed Safavi Azhari, held that Mujaddid Alf-Sani had to contend with his own men and others similar to the hardships and opposition faced by the prophets and social reformers of the Ummah. But, he overcame all the hurdles and came out unscathed, Safavi Azhari said. Senior Urdu journalist and writer, Ahmad Javed observed that there were two ways to deal with the rulers who went astray. While one way was to resist the misdemeanors of the ruler, the other was to hold dialogues. The Sheikh preferred the latter and used all the available resources and engaged with the ulema, Sufis, rulers; etc. He saw eye to eye with the rulers and impressed upon the righteous path even at the peril of facing death. But he never shunned the path of righteousness and faced the rulers with courage. He said that the extra-ordinary situation that existed today could be compared to the situation that prevailed during the rule of Akbar and Jahangir. Thus the thoughts, philosophy and the ideas of Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi were more relevant today than ever before. In today’s context when the democracy was in place in India, Muslims needed to learn from Sheikh Sirhindi’s Islamic practices, Ahmad Javed concluded.

The occasion was marked by the release of Ahmad Javed’s book, ‘Imam Rabbani Mujaddid Al-Sani Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi’, published by the Mujaddid IOS Centre for Arts and Culture. Dr. Mohammad Ali briefly spoke on the contents of the book.

In his presidential remarks, Prof. Talha Rizvi ‘Barq’ said that the every century had a Mujaddid and Sheikh Ahmad Faruqi Sirhindi was the Mujaddid of his century. His message was that if the roots of a tree were strong, its branches would experience both autumn and spring. If the foundation of a building was strong, it could withstand the storm and stood firm. He held that the Holy Book and Sunnah were the foundations of Deen (Islamic religion). Lauding the activities of the Centre, he underlined the need for regularly holding such discussions for the benefit of researchers and scholars.

While Syed Ali Rizvi conducted the proceedings, Anjum Naim extended a vote of thanks to the audience.

A view of audience