Muhammad Taqi Amini


Muhammad Taqi Amini was an Indian Sunni Islamic scholar, jurist, Urdu author and the dean of Theology faculty of Aligarh Muslim University. He was known for his works on Islamic jurisprudence, and his book Fiqh Islami ka Tarakhi Pas Manzar is a required reading for master's degree in Islamic studies at the Islamic University of Science & Technology.

Birth and education

Muhammad Taqi Amini was born on 5 May 1926 in Subeha, a village in Barabanki, United Provinces of British India. He acquired his primary education in local madrassas and then went to Jami’ul Ulum in Kanpur. He completed his dars-e-nizami studies under Kifayatullah Dihlawi at Madrasa Aminia in Delhi.

Career

Amini started teaching at Madrasa Subhania Delhi, Nadwatul Ulama and Jami'ul-Uloom in Kanpur. He moved to Nagpur in 1950, where he taught in Madrasa Sanwiya and High School for about 6 years and then moved to Ajmer in 1956 to teach Darul Uloom Muinia where he became Principal and Shaykh al-Hadith. His career in Darul Uloom Muiniya lasted for about seven years and he mainly taught Hadith sciences.
At the request of Saeed Ahmad Akbarabadi, Amini joined Aligarh Muslim University as a lecturer in the department of Sunni Theology in 1964. He became a professor and department head, then the Dean of the Faculty of Theology, and stayed at the AMU until 1986. However, the Vice Chancellor of the AMU, Sayyid Hashim Ali extended his post up to 1989.Amini was a member of Majlis Tahqeeqat-e-Shariah, a jurisprudence council established by Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi.

Understanding of punishment

In Punishment of Apostasy in Islam, S. A. Rahman says that, according to Amini,

Death and legacy

Amini died on 21 January 1991 in Aligarh.
At the AMU, Javed Ahsan Falahi wrote a doctoral thesis entitled Mawlana Muhammad Taqi Amini: Life and contributions.

Literary works

Amini’s books include:
  • Ahkam-e-Sharia Mai Halat-o-Zamana Ki Ri'ayat
  • Fiqh-e-Islami Ka Tareekhi Pas-e-Manzar
  • Hadees Ka Dirayati Meyar
  • Ijtehad Ka Tareekhi Pas-e-Manzar
  • Islam Ka Zar'i Nizam
  • La-mazhabi Daur Ka Tareekhi Pas-e-Manzar
  • Muraslat: Ilmi wa Deeni
  • Tahzib ki tashkil-e-Jadeed
  • Ka’inat mai Insan ka Maqam
  • Reconstruction of Culture and Islam
  • Hikmatul Quran