Born in 1833 in the village of Sharip in Verkheuralsk province, Orenburg Governorate to the family of mullah of the localIslamic community. Received instruction in a medrese in his home village, then in the medrese in Troitsk. Upon instruction, began a clerical career. Since 1858, served as Imam khatib in the village of Yuldash . While still in his student years, Zaynulla became interested in Sufism. In 1859, he joined the Sufi order of Naqshbandi. Received individual instruction from sheikhAhmed Ziyaüddin Gümüşhanevi in Istanbul in 1869—1870, from whom received the Ijazah, or the authorization to teach Sufi Naqshbandi’s doctrine. Made a hajj. After returning to Bashkortostan, introduced several innovations into the local Sufi practices: singing zikr aloud, the observance of Mawlid,, wearing prayer beadsetc. Endured persecution for preaching Sufizm: the local conservative mullahs and the officials of mainstream Islam accused him of disseminating heresy and undermining activity aiming at the authorities in power. Upon their written denunciation, Zaynulla Rasulev got arrested and sent to exile. Served his exile successively in Zlatoust, Nikolsk, Vologda Oblast and Kostroma. In 1881, he returned from exile and resumed his activity as a religious leader in the village of Aqquzha in Bashkortostan. He did a second hajj. Since 1884, Rasulev took the post of the Imam of the townmosque in Troitsk. He subsequently founded the madrasah of Rasuliya, one of the first jadidi educational institution in the Urals. He had numerous disciples and followers, and became a most influential Muslim leaders in Russia. Zaynulla Rasulev died on February 2, 1917. He is buried in the old Muslim cemetery in Troitsk. Numerous legends are preserved in the Bashkir public memory about the miracles and healings performed by Zaynulla Rasulev. His son, Gabdurakhman Rasulev, also became a Bashkir religious leader.
Commemoration
In 2009, a mosque was opened in the town of Uchaly, Bashkortostan, named after Zaynulla-Ishan.
A street in Ufa, Russia was named after Zanulla Rasulev in 2008.
