𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐥-𝐆𝐡𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐥𝐢 𝐭𝐨 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
(2 minute read)

Initially, Dars-i Nizāmī was not just a curriculum but a pedagogy—a method of teaching and learning that focused on developing intellectual depth. After preparing a specific portion of a text, students would study it not by mere memorisation, but by researching and uncovering the underlying principles that were embedded within it.

In other words, the text served as a tool, a means through which scholarly discussions, debates, and discourses would emerge. Mullā Nizamuddin included two of the most challenging texts in each subject. Why?

If a student could study these difficult works properly, they would develop expertise and essential skills, enabling them to engage with the vast library of Muslim scholarship, extracting rulings and knowledge from any text.

By mastering these books, students would gain expertise & cultivate crucial skills. If they wished, they could become students of Imām Rāzī by reading his works. Or, they could become disciples of Shaykh Muhyiddīn Ibn ‘Arabī through studying his Fuṣūṣ al-Hikam.
The goal of this curriculum was not to memorise lines but to refine the intellect. For this reason, texts and commentaries that provided excessive clarification were deliberately excluded from the syllabus.

For example, Mullā Mubīn wrote an extensive and clear commentary on Sullam al-‘Ulūm by Mullā Muhibbullāh Bihārī. Because of its clarity, teachers often advised against reading it early in one's studies.
"Mubīn is mubīn," they would say—meaning "at this stage, don’t read Mubīn’s commentary because it’s too clear and easily comprehensible, which won’t challenge your intellect."
Similarly, when studying Sharh al-Aqā'id al-Nasafiyyah, only the sections on the Necessary Being and His Divine Attributes were deeply analysed, while the sections on eschatology were often left untouched.

Once this intellectual acuity developed, students became truly erudite scholars.

Over the past century, unfortunately, the original objective of Dars-i Nizāmī has been lost.
As Muslims, we fell prey to modernity, making unnecessary changes. Subjects like principles of jurisprudence, logic, scholasticism, the science of eloquence, astronomy, medicine, and philosophy, once central to the curriculum, have now diminished.
As a result of this unfamiliarity, we have become orphans to genuine academic rigour.

There is an essential relationship between these sciences. They are interconnected, with a strong association that exists among the plethora of passages found among the various sciences. These fields, along with their languages, are the foundation of our culture.

Yes, we must continue to progress and move forward, but we must also remember: A structure is built only on solid foundations! Our foundation lies in the rich intellectual and spiritual inheritance of Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali and his spiritual successors, spanning from Khairabad to the Ottoman tradition and everything in between!

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐢 𝐏𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐠𝐲 & 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐭 𝟐𝟑.𝟑𝟎: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3ObKn1Y5gY&t=703s

By doing so, we can carry their research forward and continue that rich dialogue in a world that greatly needs answers to numerous issues.

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨 𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐮𝐟𝐭𝐢̄ 𝐅𝐚𝐳𝐥-𝐢 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐡𝐚̄𝐧 𝐚𝐥-𝐐𝐚̄𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐢̄: https://khairabadiinstitute.com/articlesblogs/short-biography-of-mufti-fazl-i-subhan-al-qadiri

𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟏𝟐.𝟎𝟎:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=h3ObKn1Y5gY&t=2396s

𝐌𝐮𝐟𝐭𝐢̄ 𝐅𝐚𝐳𝐥-𝐢 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐡𝐚̄𝐧 𝐚𝐥-𝐐𝐚̄𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐢̄ 𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐚̄𝐝𝐢̄ 𝐓𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫
(3 minute read)

It’s remarkable to think that the man he discusses in this clip was one of the prominent Ma’quli (intellectual) scholars of the last century, who promoted the Khairabādī tradition throughout Pakistan.

Before the British arrived in the Indian subcontinent, the region was renowned for its rich intellectual heritage and wealth. J.T. Sunderland writes in India in Bondage:

"India was a far greater industrial and manufacturing nation than any in Europe or Asia. Her textile goods—the fine products of her looms, in cotton, wool, linen, and silk—were famous throughout the civilized world; so were her exquisite jewelry and her costly works in gold and silver, brass and copper, and steel; her pottery, porcelain, and pottery-ware; her beautiful products of the loom; her great architecture; her ships and shipbuilding; and her fine products in leather, glass, and other fields of artistic and skilled industry."

William Dalrymple, in The Last Mughal Emperor, actually downplays the rich heritage of scholarly intellectual pursuit when he states:

"The students at the madrasa were trained in philosophy, logic, and the sciences, and by the time they graduated, they would know as much about Aristotle and Plato as any graduate of Oxford."

It is true that an Oxford graduate would have certainly struggled to keep pace with the giants of the Nizāmī intellectual tradition, and their extensive glosses, commentaries, and rigorous research & new findings in the rational sciences.

However, due to British colonialism, significant changes inevitably emerged in India, particularly in the educational landscape. In response to these challenges, a branch of the Farangī Mahallīs from Khairabād (in the Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh) came forward to uphold the tradition of Dars-i Nizāmī. Among them, Imam Fazl-i Haq Khairabādī – may Allah have mercy on him – is particularly renowned.

From the end of the eighteenth century, two major branches of Nizāmi pedagogy emerged. One was the Farangī Mahall family, through which Dars-i Nizāmī was preserved. The second branch emerged through the Khairabādīs. The enduring impact of these two lineages and their blessings can be seen in various institutions today.

From the Khairabādī tradition in India and Pakistan, two further main branches developed. One is the Khairabādī Amjadī chain, which came through Hāfiz-i Millat (the founder of Jāmia Ashrafiyyah in Mubarakpur), and the second is the Khairabādī Bandiyālwī branch, associated with ‘Allāmah Yār Muḥammad Bandiyālwī and his distinguished student, ‘Allāmah ‘Atā Muḥammad Bandiyālwī, the teacher of our dear teacher.

𝐔𝐬𝐭𝐚̄𝐝𝐡 𝐚𝐥-𝐊𝐮𝐥𝐥, 𝐀𝐭𝐚̄ 𝐌𝐮𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐭𝐢̄ 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐲𝐚̄𝐥𝐰𝐢̄, 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐦 𝐅𝐚𝐳𝐥-𝐢 𝐇𝐚𝐪 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐚̄𝐝𝐢̄ 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐇𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐍𝐢𝐳𝐚̄𝐦𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐢̄𝐧 𝐒𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐢̄, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐬-𝐢 𝐍𝐢𝐳𝐚̄𝐦𝐢̄, 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐢𝐱 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐚̄𝐦𝐚 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐚̄𝐡 𝐚𝐥-𝐒𝐡𝐢̄𝐫𝐚̄𝐳𝐢̄ 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐥-𝐌𝐮𝐡𝐚𝐪𝐪𝐢𝐪 𝐉𝐚𝐥𝐚̄𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐢̄𝐧 𝐌𝐮𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐥-𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐢̄𝐪𝐢̄ 𝐚𝐥-𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐰𝐚̄𝐧𝐢̄ 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐈𝐦𝐚̄𝐦 ʿ𝐀𝐝̣𝐮𝐝 𝐚𝐥-𝐃𝐢̄𝐧 𝐚𝐥-𝐈̄𝐣𝐢̄ 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐢𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐈𝐦𝐚̄𝐦 𝐅𝐚𝐤𝐡𝐫 𝐚𝐝-𝐃𝐢̄𝐧 𝐑𝐚̄𝐳𝐢̄ 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐈𝐦𝐚̄𝐦 𝐀𝐛𝐮 𝐇𝐚̄𝐦𝐢𝐝 𝐚𝐥-𝐆𝐡𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐥𝐢̄ 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐚̄𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐡𝐥-𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐡 𝐀𝐛𝐮𝐥 𝐇𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐡’𝐚𝐫𝐢̄ 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬.

It is incumbent upon us to revive this lost tradition by establishing strong connections again with the scholars and texts of that period.

Two Walī-Allahs, One Legacy: Rediscovering Mullā Walī-Allah Farangī Mahallī
Did you know the Indian Subcontinent houses two incredible scholars named Wali-Allah? This article introduces Mulla Wali-Allah Farangi Mahalli, a prolific writer and influential member of the Farangi Mahall family in Lucknow, whose contributions to the intellectual landscape of the Subcontinent are truly mesmerising. Delve into his writings and the impact he left on Islamic scholarship now.
Read Full Article Here: https://www.khairabadiinstitute.com/articlesblogs/two-wal-allahs-one-legacy

**?????’ ??-?????̄??̄’? ????? ?????????? ?? ????? ??-'???'?? ??-??????????

????? ??-???'?? ??-??????????: ? ???? ????:**Sharh al-'Aqa'id al-Nasafiyyah is a commentary by Allama Mas'ud b. 'Umar Sa'd al-Din al-Taftazani (d. 791/1388) on ‘al-'Aqa'id’ of Imam Abu Hafs al-Nasafi al-Maturidi.

It is an authoritative compendium on the central tenets of the Islamic faith. Allama Taftazani thoroughly analyses the original text (matn) of Imam Nasafi with a thorough attention to details, facilitating a student to grow in his ability and skill in understanding the classical literature of the Muslim world.
??????? ?????̄??̄:For centuries Sharh al-'Aqa'id has held its place in scholarly circles as an authoritative textbook on Kalam such that it became a foundational work within the Farangi Mahalli curriculum. This work was traditionally taught alongside Mulla’ al-Khayālī’s super commentary, known as Hashiya Khayālī.
??? ?????????? ?????? ??? ?????? ??????????:The inclusion of these kinds of books and the method in which they were taught can be fully understood once a person grasps the philosophy of the Nizami curriculum. Mulla Nizam al-Din's method was to teach the two most difficult books in each subject on the grounds that, once they had been mastered, the rest would by extension be comprehensible to the students. Now, not only could students benefit from all these newly accessible works but they could even teach them, if required to.
??????? ???????Mulla’ al-Khayālī is no doubt a benefactor to the recipients of the traditional Nizami curriculum, read about his biography now:
https://www.openmadrasa.org/read/al-shaqaiq-al-numaniya-molla-al-khayali
???? ???? ????? ??????????? ???????? ??????? ???: https://khairabadiinstitute.com/articlesblogs/what-problem-is-khairabadi-institute-trying-to-solve

ILM AL-SEEGAH (ARABIC ETYMOLOGY)
Arabic Etymology has been taught as a separate discipline since its codification by Imam Abu Uthman al-Mazini (d. 863 CE).

Allama Inayat Ahmad Kakorwi’s (d. 1863 CE) magnum opus, ilm al-Seegah on Sarf, is a synthesis of 5 classical texts in Etymology along with further benefits.

Allama Inayat Ahmad Kakorwi was a leading Scholar of the Subcontinent who participated in the War of Independence (1857 CE).

Eventually he was exiled to the Andaman Islands along with Allama Fazl-i-Haq Khairabadi & other masters of the sacred sciences.

His book gained wide acceptance & was introduced into the Nizami Curriculum.

Founder of Khairabadi Institute, Ustad Mubashir Iqbal delivering a class on Ilm-al-Seegah at Greengate Islamic College. Alhamdulilah.

More on Ilm al-Seegah & Arabic within the Khairabadi Tradition to come soon. Insha'Allah.

Shaykh Shams Tameez inviting you all for the al-‘Aqā’id al-‘Aḍudīyyah Course

The 9-week long course on Qādi al-Ijī’s masterpiece in Kalām starts in around 2 weeks time. If you haven’t already signed up, do so now while the last few places are still available.

Link to Register for the Entire Course: https://forms.gle/dDW7Z2ZoXyBkiCkQ8

Link to Register for Tomorrow’s Free Introductory Seminar: https://forms.gle/FtLViwjTq8AKHgnF7

Note: For those who've already registered, you should have received a confirmation email. Please check your spam folder and reply to confirm your place in the course as soon as possible. Those who have already responded don't need to take any further action.

Legacy of the Farangi Mahall and Khairabad: A Weekend of Kalamic Learning
We successfully concluded a weekend-long ‘dawrah kalāmiyya’ with Shaykh Fazl-i-Subhān al-Qādirī, a living inheritor and proponent of the Farangi Mahalli and Khairabadi learning traditions. Over two days, the Shaykh delved into the topic of şifāt-Allah (Divine Attributes) through the lens of Kalamic discussions.

On day one's opening session, Shaykh Fazl-i-Subhān interwove discussions from Aqīdah (Islamic Creed), Kalām (Islamic Theology), Falsafah (Islamic Philosophy), ilm al-Hayʼah (Astronomy), Tibb (Medicine), Balāghah (Arabic Rhetoric), and others, all in relation to the topic at hand. The session concluded with a Q&A session lasting an hour.

Day two saw the Shaykh engage in an in-depth discussion on whether Divine Attributes are ‘lā ʻayn wa lā ghayr’ (neither identical nor separate from the Divine Essence) or ‘ayn al-dhāt’ (identical to the Divine Essence).

Both days also featured sessions on Arabic Philosophy by Mawlāna Fazl-i-Mannān, son of Shaykh Fazl-i-Subhān al-Qādirī. The Mawlāna provided a comprehensive history of philosophy, starting from around 4-600 BC and extending to the Farangi Mahall era. He covered key topics such as ‘juz alladhi laa yatajazzaʼ (the indivisible atom) and ‘huyūla’ (hylomorphism).

Over a hundred participants, including scholars, university/college lecturers, and students of sacred knowledge, benefited from these sessions.

We express our gratitude to Darul Qurra & Islamic Research Centre team for hosting this historic two-day Kalām programme.

Prior to the weekend, Shaykh Fazl-i-Subhān al-Qādirī delivered a masterclass on approaching the study and teaching of Mīr Zāhid Umūr Āmah, as well as a separate session on the science of Hadith, its principles, and the importance of having knowledge of ‘Qawa'id’ in general.