RAZVI DARUL IFTA

Allah عزوجل says "فَسْــٴَـلُـوْۤا اَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ" "So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know". Because of the order of Allah, this becomes necessary on ignorants to turn to the people of scholars regarding beliefs and actions, worships and affairs and their rules and principles. The foundation of Darul Ifta in reality takes place so that the seeker of knowledge can ask and get religious guidance. Asking questions about religious affairs and providing its research-based answer is not an ordinary task which can be fulfilled by everybody. In contrast, this is a very complex, difficult, hard and extremely dangerous work which requires broad study as well as extensive training and practice, although these are only apparent means. In reality, it is impossible to gain the wealth of Islamic jurisprudence and interpretation without the grace of Allah and divine help. Like other countries, the great noble scholars and Islamic Jurists of India and Pakistan also fulfilled prominent services in the field of Islamic Jurisprudence and verdicts and consistently established institutes for religious questions and their answers which is known as Darul Ifta in our language.

Khanqah Alia Qadriah Razviyah, situated in the renowned district of Bareilly Sharif in Uttar Pradesh, is a well-established hub for religious services that speaks for itself. The Khanqah ranks as a central institution for the reform of beliefs and practices of the Muslims of Ahlus Sunnah in every corner, circle and class. The Khanqah has fulfilled extraordinary and exceptional work in the field of writing verdicts, an example set that may hardly exist in India and Pakistan or even around Islamic provinces. Khanwada e Ala Hazrat is nearly about to complete 200 years in resolving, with literature and speech, general and specific, ancient and latest as well as emerging issues and Islamic rulings that arise in Muslim Ummah. The foundation of Masnad e Ifta was established in 1246 AH by Qutb-ul-Waqt Hazrat Maulana Mufti Raza Ali Khan قدس سره, the grandfather of Aala Hazrat Imam Ahmad Raza قدس سره. From that time until this day, the Mashaaikh of the Razaviyya Family have been fulfilling and fulfil this important and very tough Islamic duty with complete research and honesty.

The apparent witness and verbal evidence can be found in the remarkable collections of fataawaa, such as Fatawa Razaviyya, Fatawa Mufti Azam Hind, Fatawa Hujjatul Islam, Fatawa Tajush Shariah, etc., those which by carefully observing, a clear assessment can be made about the rank of proficiency and expertise in the standard of research, findings of facts, scrutiny of Islamic rulings, which is not too difficult to guess for anyone fond of Islamic jurisprudence and verdicts and those passionates for Books of Fataawa. Because everyone knows that if the superior findings and preferences of Fatawa Razaviyyah didn't exist then it would have been very tough perhaps would have been unreachable for many upcoming noble Muftis to extract better opinions and rulings among many different statements in Mazhab. Aala Hadrat قدس سره issued his first fatwa in 1286 AH at the remarkable age of 13 years and 10 months. This prolific journey of writing fataawas continued steadfastly until the final days of Ala Hazrat قدس سره, an impressive span of approximately 55 years.