Ali Naqi Naqvi


Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Naqi Naqvi , also known as Naqqan Sahib, was a Twelver Shia Marja, thinker, poet, writer, jurist and Qur'anic interpreter. He is famous for his writings in Urdu, including the most famous Shaheed-e-Insaniyat and Tareekh-e-Islam. He has also written Tarjuma wa Tafseer of Quran e majeed and dozens of books in Arabic.
One of the most highly regarded scholars of Shia Islam at his time, he wrote more than 100 books and 1000 short books. His books were published by him in 12 languages in India. He is among the most learned Islamic scholars in Indian History.
Ayatullah ‘Ali Naqi Naqvi is arguably the single most important religious figure of the twentieth century Indian Shi’ite Islam. Emerging out of a very well-known family of traditional scholars and the seminaries of India and Iraq, his religious and intellectual career lasted several decades during which he remained prolific and continuously preached from the pulpit.
During his life he wrote and spoke about a host of subjects: the reason-revelation divide, a defense of Islam from attacks on its core beliefs and practices, Qur'anic exegesis, theology, defense of Shi’ite theology and religious practices from sectarian polemics, Islamic history, Islamic political and social thought, explanation of the various rulings of Islamic law, and the theme of Karbala and the martyrdom of Husayn.
Conscious of his role as the most learned juridical authority to whom the community would turn in times of crisis, for ‘Ali Naqvi, in his life the greatest crisis facing the community was that of irreligiosity, of people losing confidence and conviction in the worth of religion for human civilization.

Initial education and timelines

Between the age of 3 and 4 in 1327 Hijri, his father Sayyid Abu al-Hasan took him and his family to Iraq. His 'Bismillah' at the age of seven in Rauza-e-Imam Ali in Najaf, Iraq. In Iraq at the age of 7, Ali Naqvi's formal education began with Arabic and Persian grammar and basic learning of the Qur’an.
In 1914, the family returned to India and he continued his religious education under the supervision of his father and later at the Sultan al-Madaris seminary. He also studied Arabic literature with Mufti Muhammad ‘Ali.
In 1923 he passed the exam for certification of religious scholar from Allahabad University and soon also gained certification from Nazamiyyah College and Sultan al-Madaris.
In 1925 he was awarded a degree in literature.
In 1927, Ali Naqvi departed for the seminaries of Iraq. During his stay there, he studied Islamic jurisprudence and Islamic theology.
While studying in Iraq Ali Naqvi also wrote a few works in Arabic. He had already written and published four books before his journey to Iraq
  1. Rooh Aladab Sharah Alamiyatal Arab
  2. Albait Al Mamoor Fi Emaratal Qubur
  3. Faryaad e Musalmanane Aalam
  4. Altawae Haj Per Sharaee Nuqtae Nazar Se Bahas
His first book published in Arabic was in Najaf during his days as a student and was the first ever book to be written against Wahabis, it is called "Kashf annaqab ann aqaaed Abdul Wahab Najdi".
His second book in Arabic was in defence of the act of "Matam, by the name of "Aqalatalaashir fi eqamatalshaaer".
After completing his seminary education and receiving certification for ijtihad, He became a mujtahid at the age of 27. He was given ijazah by Ayatollah Naaini.
In 1932 Ali Naqvi returned to India. Immediately upon his return he began preaching regularly on Fridays.
In 1933 he was appointed as professor in the Oriental College Department of Lucknow University, where he then taught Arabic and Persian for over two decades.
In 1959, Aligarh Muslim University invited Ali Naqvi to take up the position of Reader in the theology department—which as yet did not have teaching faculty. The department also created two parallel streams of Sunni and Shi’i theology and Ali Naqvi began to oversee the affairs of the Shi’i branch.
Between 1967 and 1969, ‘Ali Naqvi became the dean of Shi’i theology eventually retiring from the university in 1972.
Post-retirement, from 1972 to 1975 Ali Naqvi was given a research professorship through the University Grants Commission and he decided to permanently stay in Aligarh.

Controversy

He was opposed by some sections of the Shia community for writings in the book Shaheed-e-insaniyat which mentioned the presence of water in the tents of Imam Hussain during the Battle of Karbala in 61AH, and also threw doubt the martyrdom of Ali Asghar by the arrow of Hurmula.
Shaheed-e-insaniyat was internally published by Idaar-e-Yaadgar-e-Husaini which had 300 members. Their purpose was to review, compile, edit and finally present a book on Karbala which could be acceptable to an international inter-sect readers group.
The book was written in 1942 by a team formed by all the Ulemas of all religion to write on Imam-e-Husain and Karbala on the occasion of completion of 1300 years of Karbala. Contributions from many of these learned men were then compiled in a book form by Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Naqi Naqvi and initially 500 copies were printed for review by the members of the mentioned organization so that the final version could be published with any amendments if required.
There were over 40 objections on this draft version when it was prematurely released to the public, this then became the root for the controversy that got the biggest space with the common masses.
These statements were then attributed to Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Naqi and these allegations hounded him for the rest of his life.

Publications

Ayatollah Ali Naqi Naqqvi was founder of Imamia Mission, Lucknow. Through this organization, several books were published.
The following is only a partial list of works by Ayatollah Ali Naqi Naqvi:
  1. Alami Mushkilat ka hal in Shu‘a-i ‘Amal : 30–39
  2. Amar senani
  3. Aseeriye ahl e haram
  4. Ashk-i matam Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quaumi Press, 1957.
  5. Asiri-yi ahl-i haram Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quaumi Press, 1940.
  6. Aurat awr Islam in Shu‘a‘-i ‘Amal : 6–13
  7. Azaey Hussain azadari
  8. Aza-yi Husayn ki ahamiyat Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quaumi Press,1959.
  9. Aza-yi Husayn par tarikhi tabsarah. Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quaumi Press, np.
  10. Baitullah aur Ali ibne Abi Talib
  11. Bani umayyah ki adavat-i-Islam ki mukhtasir tarikh Lucknow: Imamiyah Mission, 1994.
  12. Booey-gul
  13. Frooe-deen
  14. Ghufranmab Maulana Syed Dildar Ali Sahab
  15. Hamaray rusum va quyud Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qaumi Press, 1939. 313
  16. Hamari rasmein aur bandishein
  17. Haqeeqat-e-sabr
  18. Hayat-i qaumi Lucknow: Imamia Mission, 1941
  19. Hazrat ‘Ali ki shakhsiyat: ‘Ilm aur a‘taqad ki manzil par Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qaumi Press, 1969.
  20. Husayn aur Islam Lucknow: Manshurah Imamiyah Mission, 1931.
  21. Husayn Husayn aik tarruf Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quaumi Press, 1964.
  22. Husayn ka atam balaydan Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1936.
  23. Husayn ka paygham ‘alam-i insaniyat kay nam Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1959
  24. Husayn ki yad ka azad Hindustan say mutalbah Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qaumi Press, 1950
  25. Husayni iqdam ka pahla qadam Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qaumi Press, 1953.
  26. Ibadat aur tariqi ibadat, 2nd ed. Lucknow: Nizami Press, np.
  27. Ilahiyaat ke 100 masael wa naghma-e-tauheed
  28. Imam Hussain ka shaheed hona aur Islami samvidhan ki raksha
  29. Insaniyat ka mujassema
  30. Iqalat al-athir fiiqamat al-sha'a'ir al-Husayniyah Najaf: Matba‘ah Haydariyyah, 1929.
  31. Isbat-i pardah Lahore: Imamia Mission, 1961.
  32. Islam aur Tijarat
  33. Islam deen-e-amal hai
  34. Islam ka paygham pas-uftadah aqwam kay nam Lucknow: Imamiah Mission, 1936.
  35. Islam ka tarz e zindagi
  36. Islam ki hakimana zindagi
  37. Islam ki hakimanah zindagi Lucknow: Imamiyah Mission, 1935.
  38. Islami culture kia hay? Lahore: Imamiyah Mission, 1960.
  39. Islami tahzeeb
  40. Jadid tuhfatul avam Lahore: Iftikhar Book Depot, np.
  41. Janab-e-zainab ki-shakhsiyat
  42. Jehad-e-mukhtar
  43. Karbal ke dukhit-Hussain
  44. Karbala ka tarikhi vaqi‘ah mukhtasar hay ya tulani? Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qaumi Press, 1960.
  45. Karbala ki yadgar payas Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qaumi Press, 1959.
  46. Khilafat-i Yazid kay muta‘alliq azad ara’in Lucknow: Imamiyah Mission, 1953.
  47. Khuda ki ma‘rafat Lucknow: Imamiyah Mission, 1938.
  48. Khutbaat-e-Karbala
  49. Khutbat-i Sayyidul ‘ulama’ muta‘lliq karnama-yi Husayn Lucknow: Idarah-yi Payam-i Islam, np.
  50. La tufsidu fi alard. 3rd ed. Lucknow: Imamiyah Mission, 1998.
  51. Ma‘rakah-yi Karbala Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qaumi Press, 1935.
  52. Majmu‘ah-yi taqarir. 5 vols. Lahore: Imamiyah Kutubkhana, np.
  53. Maqalat-i Sayyidul ‘ulama’ Lucknow: Imamiyah Mission, 1996.
  54. Maqam-e-Shabbiri
  55. Maqsad-i Husayn Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qaumi Press, 1956.
  56. Mas’alah-yi hayat an-nabi aur vaqi‘ah-yi vafat-i rusul Lucknow: Imamiyah Mission, 1973.
  57. Masa’il va dala’il Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qaumi Press, 1944.
  58. Masalae-Hayat un-Nabi aur waqae wafate-Rasool
  59. Mawlud-e-Ka‘bah Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qaumi Press, np.
  60. Mazhab aur ‘aql Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1941. 314
  61. Mazhab shi‘ah aik nazar main Lucknow: Imamiyah Mission, 1970.
  62. Mazhab-e-shia aur tableegh
  63. Mazhab-o-aqil
  64. Mazlum-i Karbala Lucknow: Imamiyah Mission 1941.
  65. Meraj-e-insaniyat – Hussain
  66. Meyar-e-falah wa najat
  67. Mi‘raj-i insaniyat: sirat-i rasul aur al-i rasul ki roshni main Lucknow: Imamiyah Mission, 1969
  68. Mohabbate Ahle-bayt aur itaat
  69. Mujahidah-yi Karbala Lucknow: Imamiyah Mission, 1933.
  70. Muqaddamah-yi tafsir-i Qur’an Lucknow: Idarah ‘Ilmiyah and Nizami Press, 1940.
  71. Muqaddema Nahjul-balagha
  72. Musalmanon ki haqeeqi aksariyat
  73. Muslim personal law – Na qabil-i tabdil Lucknow: Imamia Mission, 1996.
  74. Mut‘ah aur Islam Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qawmi Press, 1933.
  75. Nafs-e-Mutmainnah
  76. Nigarshat-e-Sayyidul ‘ulama’. Lahore: Imamiah Mission, 1997.
  77. Nizam e tamaddun aurIislam
  78. Nizam-i zindagi, 4 vols. Lucknow: Al-Va‘iz Safdar Press, 1940.
  79. Qatil al-‘abrah Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1960.
  80. Qatilan-e-Husayn ka madhhab Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1932.
  81. Qur’an aur nizam-i hukumat Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1972.
  82. Qur’an kay bayan al-aqvami irshadat Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1976.
  83. Qur’an-i majid kay andaz-i guftagu main ma‘yar-i tahzib va ravadari Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1976.
  84. Quran aur ittehad
  85. Radd-i Wahhabiyya Lucknow: Imamiyah Mission, np.
  86. Rahbar-i kamil: Savanih-i ‘Ali Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1961.
  87. Rahnumayan-i Islam Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1962.
  88. Rusul-i Khuda Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1961.
  89. Safar namah-yi Hajj Lucknow: Nizami Press, 1977.
  90. Sahifaey Sajjadiya ki azmat
  91. Sahifah al-‘amal Lucknow: np., 1939.
  92. Saman e aza
  93. Shab e shahadat
  94. Shadi khana abadi
  95. Shah ast Hussain deen panah ast Hussain
  96. ShahadateHussain aur uske karan
  97. Shaheed e Karbala ki yadgar ka azad hindostan se mutaleba
  98. Shahid-i insaniyat Lahore: Imamiyah Mission Pakistan Trust, 2006.
  99. Shia ittehas ki sankshipt roop rekha
  100. Shiyat ka tarruf
  101. Shuja‘at kay misali karnamay Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1954.
  102. Suluh Aur Jang
  103. Ta‘ziahdari ki mukhalfat ka asal raz Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1963.
  104. Tadhkirah-i huffaz-i shi‘a Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1935.
  105. Tadveen e hadees
  106. Tafsir fasl al-khatab. 8 vols Lahore: Misbah al-Qur'an Trust, 1986.
  107. Tahqeeq e Azan Assalat o khairum wa Aliyun Waliullah ki bahes
  108. Tahreef e Quran ki haqeeqat
  109. Tahrif-i Qur’an ki haqiqat Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1932.
  110. Taqiyah Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1952.
  111. Taqleed kya hai
  112. Tareekhe mazalime Najd ka eik khoonchakan waraq
  113. Tarikh-i Islam 4 vols. Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1961. 315
  114. Tarjuma wa Tafseer e Quran
  115. Tazkerae Huffaze Shia
  116. The compilation of Nahjul-balagha
  117. Usul aur arkan-i din Lucknow: Imamiyah Mission, 1973
  118. Usul-i din aur Qur’an Lahore: Imamiyah Mission, 1964.
  119. Usvah-yi Husayni Lucknow: Imamiyah Mission, 1986.
  120. Va‘dah-yi jannat Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qawmi Press, 1979.
  121. Vujud-i hujjat Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qawmi Press, 1932.
  122. Waqaey Karbala se dars e ikhlaq
  123. Yad aur yadigar Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qawmi Press, 1968.
  124. Yazid aur jang-i Qustantaniyah Lucknow: Sarfaraz Quqmi Press, 1965.
  125. Zakir e Sham e Ghariban maulana Syed Kalb-e-Hussain Sahab Mujtahed
  126. Zikr-i Husayn Lucknow: Imamia Mission, np.
  127. Zindah savalat Aligarh University Press, 1971.
  128. Zindah-i javid ka matam Lucknow: Sarfaraz Qawmi Press, 1935.
  129. Zuljanah
Although only a small selection of the large number of published works by the prolific author, these works are representative of his thought.

Majalis in Pakistan

Ayatollah Ali Naqi Naqvi visited Pakistan for the first time in 1954 to address majalis in Lahore. After that, he came in 1979 after a gap of 25 years with the efforts of Syed Kalbe Sadiq of India. In 1979, he addressed all the majalis in Karachi.
From 1980 to 1984, he expanded his visit of Pakistan by also addressing majalis in various other cities of Pakistan i.e. Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Sialkot and Hyderabad.
During these years, Majalis which he addressed in Lahore were on following topics:
  1. Jihad
  2. Shariat Nahi Badalti
  3. Khasoosiaat e Islam
  4. Falsafa e Imtihaan
  5. Hayat e Shuhada
Other topics include:
  1. Sajda e Shuker
  2. Surah Jumah
  3. Halaakat o Shahaadat
  4. Ayat e Tatheer
  5. Jihad, Sabar aur Ismat
  6. Tawassul e Abul Aaimah

    Majalis addressed on state television

Ayatollah Ali Naqi Naqvi also addressed majalis for Pakistan Television Corporation consecutively in 1983 and 1984 both on 8th of Muharram. It may be in place to mention here that both of the majalis were telecasted live by PTV across Pakistan. His topics were Miyaar e Wafa and Aman e Aalam respectively.
Pertinent to mention here that first majlis in 1983 was organized with help of Raja Zafar-ul-Haq. However, second majlis in 1984 was organized with the help of information minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Syed Kazim Ali Shah of Gujranwala.
Pakistan Television telecasts his recorded majalis every year in first ten days of muharram.

After 1984

Ayatollah Ali Naqi did not visited Pakistan after 1984 due to his old age and illness. He also suffered from paralyses for somedays. He died at the age of 83 in Lucknow on Eid-ul-Fitr.

Family

His son, Professor Syed Ali Mohammad Naqavi is currently the Dean of the Faculty of Theology at Aligarh Muslim University, a position previously held by Maulana Naqqan Sahib himself.