Lucknow: Maulana Mohammad Rabey Hasani Nadwi,94, renowned Islamic scholar, writer and president of All India Muslim Personal Law Board and the chancellor of Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama Lucknow passed away here on April 13 after a prolonged illness.
He was also a patron of the Islamic Fiqh Academy, India and the Vice President of the Aalami Rabita Adab-e-Islami, Riyadh (K.S.A.), a founding member of the Muslim World League.
Rabey Hasani Nadwi was born on 1 October 1929 at Takia Kalan, Raebareli, UP, India in the family of Rasheed Ahmad Hasani. He was a nephew of author and reformer Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi a.ka. Maulana Ali Miyan
At Raebareli, Nadwi attended his family’s maktab for his primary education before continuing his study at Darul-Uloom Nadwatul Ulama. In 1957, he received his degree.
In 1952, Nadwi was appointed assistant professor at Nadwatul Ulama in Lucknow; in 1955, he was named the department’s head; and in 1970, he was named the faculty’s dean of Arabic.
He was honoured for his contribution to Arabic language and literature with a prize from the Indian Council of Uttar Pradesh and a Presidential Award.
In 1993, Nadwi was appointed vice chancellor, and in 2000, he was made chancellor. After Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi passed away, Nadwi was named rector.
In 2003 he succeeded Mujahidul Islam Qasmi as the President of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, a broad-based representative body of Indian Muslims.
Maulana Hasani Nadwai, who was renowned for his capacity for bringing people along, frequently counselled the community to eschew rage and violence in favour of patience and perseverance, particularly when it came to contentious issues like the Babri Masjid controversy and more recent cases of triple talaq and mob lynching of the innocent.
His ancestors include revered freedom fighter Sayyid Ahmed Shaheed.
Maulana Hasani ‘s death has shaken the Islamic world with scholars of repute terming his death “an irreparable loss for the Muslim community”. He was buried in Raibareli.
The President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Syed Sadatullah Husaini, offered condolences on the demise of Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadvi.
Stating that Maulana was a valuable asset to the entire Ummah, Husaini said “Maulana provided leadership to Muslims at a critical juncture as President of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. Maulana will always be remembered for his valuable services in various fields. Despite his age and various physical ailments, his active role in religious and social activities was enviable.”
The JIH leader said that “the death of Maulana is, undoubtedly, a great loss to the Muslim community of India, at a time when Muslims face various problems and challenges. I had the privilege of meeting him many times. However, I vividly remember the meeting at his residence in Nadwat Ulama four years ago immediately after becoming the Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. Maulana offered great compassion and spoke for a long time and blessed me with valuable advice”.
Dr Zafarul Islam Khan, a former student of Maulana Hasani and the former chairperson of the Delhi Minorities Commission said, “He was good at fostering consensus. He never advocated for radical views. Everyone in Muslim society revered him equally, and n described his death as “An irreparable loss”.
He was one among the fortunate few to receive Maulana Mian’s academic training. He was, as Dr Khan put it, “a true heir” to Maulana Ali Mian in many aspects.
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s vice-president Salim Engineer called him, “the guiding light of the Personal Law Board.”
“On the issue of triple talaq, he was of the opinion that this was a matter of reform and awareness within the community and not a matter of law,” Mr. Engineer remembered.
Maulana Arshad Madani, president, of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind(A), said,” He was an umbrella for the Muslim world” and added that “With him around one knew there was a solution available for everything.”
Expressing condolences, Firoz Ahmed, president of All India Muslim Majlis Mushawarat, said, “ Hasani’s selfless services for humanity shall be remembered for a long.”
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