THE EVER-FLOWING STREAM OF KNOWLEDGE

From the very beginning of Islam, education—teaching and learning—became an integral part of Muslim society and has remained so ever since. This ever-flowing stream of knowledge had two main currents: institutional learning and individual discipleship. These two currents have been a permanent feature of Islamic history since its earliest period.

The first educational institution established during this period was known as Suffah. The first teacher of this Suffah Madrasa was none other than the Prophet Muhammad himself, and its students were known as the Ashab al-Suffah (Companions of Suffah). Abu Hurairah, one of the most prominent narrators of Hadith, was a student of this Madrasa. This institution can be seen as the seed of Islamic education. Over time, it grew into a mighty tree, with its branches and leaves spreading across nearly the entire inhabited world.

The second, and arguably larger, current of this educational stream was in the form of individual discipleship. Every knowledgeable individual was a member of this great caravan of education. The earliest example of this can be found among the Companions of the Prophet. Almost all the leading Companions dedicated themselves to becoming centers of learning for people on a daily basis. This education was conducted on the principle of individual discipleship.

After this, the tradition of individual teaching continued generation after generation. The Tabi‘in (followers of the Companions) gained

knowledge from the Companions, and the Tabi‘ Tabi‘in (followers of the followers) were taught by the Tabi‘in. This pattern was followed by all groups of Islamic scholars. The majority of Hadith scholars, jurists, exegetes, commentators, theologians, historians of Islam, imams, and Islamic scholars, as well as many righteous individuals and mystics, acquired their religious knowledge through individual discipleship and personal mentorship.

Most of the great scholars in Islamic history were trained through these individual learning systems. Even later scholars such as Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, Maulana Shibli Nomani, and Maulana Hamiduddin Farahi were also products of this individual educational system.

Western culture, being a merchant culture, commercialized everything, including education. As a result, the focus shifted entirely to job-oriented education, linking education with employment. This led to the rise of schools and colleges that granted certificates, making them increasingly prevalent. Today, secular education has almost completely abandoned the system of individual discipleship, as the desired degrees are awarded by accredited institutions rather than through personal scholarly mentorship. This transformation naturally impacted the system of religious education as well.

The educational system, which I have referred to as the two streams of the ever-flowing fountain of knowledge, is not just a historical account for me—it is also part of my personal experience. By the grace of Allah, I had the opportunity to benefit from both streams of this system and to be fully enriched by them.

Here, I will share some of my experiences in this regard, which contain lessons of general value. I was likely admitted to my village madrasa around 1930, where I began my education with the basics of the alphabet. My teacher at the village madrasa was the late Maulana Faizur Rahman Islahi, the son of the late Maulana Muhammad Shafi, the founder of Madrasa Al-Islah.

Maulana Faizur Rahman Islahi, a scholar of great ability, was not only my madrasa teacher but also my personal mentor. As a result, I was perhaps the first student at this madrasa to receive instruction in elementary Persian and Arabic, while most other students limited themselves to Urdu and basic Quranic reading.

It was my good fortune to have a dedicated scholar like Maulana Faizur Rahman Islahi during my formative years. He instilled in me a passion for acquiring knowledge at a young age—a passion that has never left me since.

In addition to the formal education I received at the madrasa, my home also served as a permanent informal learning center for me. After the passing of my father, Fareeduddin Khan (1929), my elder cousin, Maulana Iqbal Ahmad Khan Suhail, Advocate, MA, LLB, became my mentor and guardian. He was highly intelligent and well-educated, possessing a deep understanding of knowledge. He had studied Persian and Arabic texts, lesson by lesson, with the eminent teachers of the time, such as Maulana Muhammad Shafi (founder of Madrasa Al-Islah), Maulana Shibli Nomani, and Maulana Hamiduddin Farahi.

Later, he enrolled at Aligarh University, where he earned his MA and LLB degrees and began practicing law in Azamgarh. Over time, he became known as “Mr. Suhail” and “Sahib.” However, as far as my educational relationship with him was concerned, it continued until the end of his life. My educational engagement with the late Maulana Iqbal Ahmad Suhail reminds me of the earlier times when every learned individual was, in themselves, a center of education. Many of the great scholars of the past attained their high level of knowledge through such personal learning environments.

My elder uncle, Sufi Abdul Majeed Khan, was deeply committed to ensuring that someone in the family pursued a formal madrasa education and became a religious scholar. In 1938, he sponsored my admission to Madrasa Al-Islah (Sarai Mir, Azamgarh) as a capable student and personally oversaw the completion of my education. My formal madrasa-style education took place at this institution. During my time at Madrasa Al-Islah, I had the opportunity to benefit from several distinguished teachers, some of whom are mentioned on other pages of this book.

After completing my education at Madrasa Al-Islah, I spent a long period immersed in libraries, such as the library of Darul Musannifeen in Azamgarh and many others. During this time, I delved deeper into the study of the Quran, Hadith, Seerah, and other Islamic sciences in greater detail. While living in Azamgarh, I also continued to learn from various scholars on an individual basis, such as Shah Muinuddin Ahmad Nadvi, Maulana Iqbal Ahmad Suhail, and others (see “Maulana Suhail” in Mazaameen-e-Rasheed by Professor Rasheed Ahmad Siddiqui).

In 1956, I joined the central writing department of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. At that time, the central office and the writing department were located in Rampur (U.P.). During my time there, Maulana Jaleel Ahsan Nadvi (d. 1981) became my Arabic teacher. Maulana Nadvi had exceptional expertise in Arabic literature, and I continuously benefited from his knowledge.

During this period in Rampur, I also had the opportunity to learn repeatedly from a renowned scholar, Maulana Abdul Wahab. Additionally, I benefited greatly from Maulana Sadruddin Islahi (d. 1998) during my stay in Rampur, gaining continuous academic and scholarly insights from him.

In 1963, I joined the Majlis Tahqiqat wa Nashriyat-e-Islam (Lucknow) and took up residence at Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama. For several years, I stayed on the campus of Nadwatul Ulama, where I consistently benefited from the senior teachers there. Among them were Maulana Muhammad Ishaq Sandilwi, Maulana Muhammad Owais Nagrami, Maulana Abdul Hafeez Balyawi, and Maulana Muhammad Taqi Amini. Undoubtedly, this list also includes the name of Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi.

Additionally, during my stay in Lucknow, I had the continuous opportunity to benefit from Maulana Abdul Bari Nadwi (d. 1976), who lived close to Nadwa in Lucknow. Towards the end of 1966, I formally pledged allegiance (bai’ah) to him. He was an appointed khalifa (successor) of Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi.

In 1967, I moved to Delhi and have since settled there permanently. Here, I have maintained a continuous association with Delhi’s madrasas and scholars, such as Maulana Mufti Atiqur Rahman Usmani, Maulana Muhammad Mian (former scholar of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind), Maulana Qazi Sajjad Husain (Principal of Madrasa Alia Fatehpuri), Maulana Abdul Haleem Siddiqui, Maulana Abdul Khaliq Naqvi, and others.

The key elements are translated in a structured manner below:

Academic and Educational Journey

Locations	Scholars and Teachers	Year of Death
At Ancestral Village:	Maulana Faizur Rahman Islahi	1972
At Sarai Mir	Maulana Amin Ahsan Islahi	1998
	Maulana Akhtar Ahsan Islahi	1985
	Maulana Shibli Nadawi	1973
	Maulana Dawud Akbar Islahi	1983
	Maulana Sayeed Ahmed Nadawi	1949
In Azamgarh	Maulana Iqbal Ahmad Khan Suhail	1955
	Maulana Moinuddin Ahmad Shah Nadawi	1974
In Rampur	Maulana Jalil Ahsan Nadawi	1999
	Maulana Muhammad Ishaq Sandelwi	1995
	Maulana Muhammad Owaise Nagrami	1971
	Maulana Abdul Bari Nadawi	1976
In Aligarh	Maulana Sayeed Ahmad Akbarabadi	1985
	Maulana Muhammad Taqi Amini	1991
In Delhi	Mulana Qazi Sajjad Hussain	1990
	Maulana Muhammad Miyan	1975
	Maulana Abdul Khaliq Naqvi	1975
	Maulana Abdul Haleem Siddiqui	1969
	Maulana Mufti Atiqur Rahman	1984

After my arrival in Delhi in 1967, I frequently traveled to Aligarh. There, I continued to benefit from scholars such as Maulana Muhammad Taqi Amini (Director of Theology, Aligarh Muslim University) and Maulana Saeed Ahmad Akbarabadi. During this period, I once stayed for several months at the Jama Masjid of Aligarh Muslim University.

The examples mentioned above are directly the result of the Madrasa Movement. It is, in fact, the success of the Madrasa Movement that educational institutions were established in every town and city, enabling me and many others to formally acquire religious education.

As a result, scholars emerged in almost every place who could serve as a source of knowledge for anyone seeking to quench their intellectual thirst. From my ancestral village to my time in Delhi, spanning nearly 80 years of life, I found educational institutions and knowledgeable individuals at every stage who helped me advance my understanding of religious knowledge. Undoubtedly, all of this was made possible due to the Madrasa Movement.