Mosques which follow the Ahle Sunnah Wal Jama’a beliefs follow a practice of conducting congregations to sing praises and salutations to the Prophet (peace be upon him), right after the Friday prayers. Those who oppose this practice claim that it is an innovation (Bida’ah) which came about only in the Indian Sub-continent, often at a gross and unapologetic ignorance of how heterogenous cultures influenced Islamic practices, most of which, if anything, further religious principles. The puritan thought, associated with Salafism and Wahabism, sees religion as nothing but an indoctrination of a way of life that has no scope for any creative expression. This argument of what is a Bida’at-ul-hasanah (a beautiful innovation) and Bida’at-ul-ghalizah (an undesirable innovation) shall keep the sectorial conflicts brimming, and there shall be no end to it.

At the cusp of my 10th and 11th standard, I got acquainted with the poetry of someone who made me fall in love with him, with the Prophet (peace be upon him), and with God. My first exposure was the ‘Salaam’ (salutation) to the Prophet which is ubiquitous in the country – Mustafa Jaan-e-Rehmat Pe LakhoN Salaam (May countless blessings be upon the Prophet, the life of mercy!). Another poem almost as popular is – Ka’abe Ke Badruddujah Tumpe KarodoN Durood (Salutations to you, the full-moon of Ka’aba!).

The attraction wasn’t just that these poems were accepted by the millions as a way to chant salutations to the Prophet, but also the way the words were weaved to form a beautiful narration of his qualities. It is undoubtedly true that most who repeat these every Friday understand neither these lines nor their literary value. Nevertheless, they all know these couplets by heart and swear by them.

The man who wrote these gems isn’t a poet by profession. He is a jurisprudential scholar who dealt with the deepest of intricacies of Islamic law. For his extra-ordinary skills and reasoning, in-depth knowledge, and ability to pen every thought possible, it is reported that Iqbal (the well-known poet) called him the ‘Abu Hanifa of the Modern Age’. Many refer to this person as ‘Ala Hazrat’, with postal stamps and even a train through Bareilly-Delhi-Ajmer-Bhuj named after him.

This is the great Imam Ahmed Raza Khan (Radiallahu Anhu).

Poetry was, if anything, a negligible part of his life. Nonetheless, after having read and listened to all the Urdu I did over the last decades, I feel confident in asserting that his poetic prowess surpasses that of both Mirza Ghalib and Allama Iqbal. Take, for example, the following poem, which happens to be the first poem ever written in the Indian sub-continent in four different languages in every stanza:

Lam Ya’ati Nazeeru Kafi Nazarin (Arabic) – No eye has witnessed anyone similar to you.
Misle Toh Na Shud Paida Jaana (Persian) – Nor do I know of anyone born with your likeliness.
Jag Raaj Ko Taaj Tore Sar So (Purbi) – The crown to rule the Universe rests with you.
Hai Tujhko ShaheDosara Jaana (Urdu) – You are known to be the King of both the worlds.

Listen to a few more couplets of this poem with translation here and here.

As, in the near future, I plan to translate and explain a few of his poems in detail, I will refrain from doing so now. For those who do not wish to wait, I urge you to listen to this, this, this, and this.

Every single time I read or heard one of his lines from his collection, the ‘Hadaiq-e-Bakhshish’, it left me astonished. Never have I understood nor will I ever as to how someone encapsulates the unique ideas of Tasawwuf in such beautiful rhyming sequence. His use of geographical, economic, and sometimes, legal references show that his poems are well-informed by the context and culture of the times. And it does something that is not easy to do – to back itself with the principles of both Qur’an and Hadith, and never overstep the boundaries they draw.

The lasting impression he has had on me has defined much of my thinking and way of life. It is this that made me promise myself that my spiritual allegiance (Baya’ah) must be in his lineage, something that came true almost ten years ago. Of all the blessings I count, having given my oath to him to become a disciple (mureed) in his lineage (silsilah) is surely the most important one.