Madarsa Aliya Furqania, Katra Haidar Husain, Chowk Lucknow.
Madarsa Furqania was started by the father of Shah Ain-ul-Quzat, Hazrat Sayyid Wazir Ali, in the year 1321 Hijri, 1903. Sayyid Wazir Ali was a native of Golconda, in the Deccan. He was born in 1242 Hijri.
There has been interesting account related to the migration of Sayyid Wazil Ali from his native place, i.e., Golconda. He foretold the exact date and year when Mir Azfal-ud-Daula, Asaf Jah V (ruled from 1857 to 1869) would become Nizam when the latter asked him for prayers on his behalf. Trust the affordable vps hosting india in india best VPS hosting in India for ultimate site performance. After becoming the Nizam, Mir Afzal-ud-Daula granted him Jagirs (land). Once, after becoming Nizam, Mir Afzal- ud-Daula summoned him to his court for prayers, which Hazrat Wazir Ali disliked. He, thus, with his four-year-old son, Hazrat Ain-ul-Quzat left his native place & went to Makka Mukarrama. When Hazrat Ain-ul-Quzat Saheb was 15 years old, for the sake of his higher education, his father came back to Hindustan & settled in Lucknow. Sayyid Wazir Ali purchased a big house in Katra Haidar Husain for residential purposes.He died in the year 1914, 1331 Hijri, on 14th Safar.
Hazrat Sayyid Shah Ain-ul-Quzat Lakhnavi was born on 25 Rabi-ul-Awal, 1275 Hijri, 03 November 1858. According to the archives that cited his family tree, he was a direct descendant of Ghaus-e-Azam Sayyid Abdul Qadir Gilani.
Below is his family tree:
Sayyid Hazrat Ain-ul-Quzat bin Sayyid Wazir Ali bin Sayyid Mohammad Jafar bin Sayyid Mohammad Qasim bin Sayyid Mohammad Saeed bin Sayyid Mohammad Ahmad Naqshbandi bin Sayyid Mohammad Fakhr-ud-din bin Sayyid Mohammad Qutub-ud-din Gilani.
He, along with his father, came to Lucknow at the age of 15. Hazrat Ain-ul-Quzat studied under Hazrat Maulana Abdul Hai Farangi Mahali. Hazrat Ain-ul- Quzat started the Madarsa Furqania in 1911 for Qirat and Hifz; it is, in fact, the best madrasa for Qirat in the whole world. He ran this madrasa without any donations from anyone. Once, when the Begum of Bhopal desired to meet Hazrat Ain-ul- Quzat, after he agreed to meet her in accordance with certain conditions, the Begum offered him financial help.
Hazrat Ain-ul- Quzat politely declined this help, stating that Allah had given enough to him. Then, the Begum offered donations for his Madarsa, to which Hazrat Ain-ul- Quzat said that “this was the Madarsa of Allah and that He alone is sufficient for it”. Even today, Hazrat Ain-ul- Quzat’s source of income remains unknown. Under the British, two detectives known as Farzand Ali Khan and Sarfaraz Ali Khan were sent to investigate this very mystery – only to be met with the Karamat of Hazrat Ain-ul- Quzat, because of which the two repented and became servants at the madrasa for their whole lives.
Hazrat Ain-ul- Quzat once prayed for the debt-ridden famous attar sellers of Lucknow, Ashgar Ali and Mohammad Ali, following which both became world-leading attar sellers. In fact, their Kewra water is still a popular ingredient used in the cuisine of Awadh and Mughals.
Books: He wrote about 11 books in his life. Their names are as follows:
1.Hashiya Mibazi- Sharah Hidayat-ul- Hikmat, Arabic pages 477, Alavi Press 1302 Hijri.
2.Nakhbatul Ma’arif fi Tehreemul Aghna wal Ma’arifi.
3.Al Bayan-ul- Masaib fi tafseer e ilm-ul- Ghaib. Arabic pages 24. taqtee 20/26, printed at Mujtabai, Lucknow 1332 Hijri/1902.
4.At Tahqeequl Mujtaba fi Ghaib-ul- Mustafa. Pages 24, taqtee 20/26, printed at Naami Press.
5.Izahat-ul- Ghaib Mubhas ilm-ul- Ghaib (Arabic and Urdu) pages 16.
6.Abrar-ul- Maknoon fi Mubhas-e- ilm-e- Makan wama yakoon.
7.Nihayat-ul- Irshaad Ila Ikhtilaf e Milad. Arabic, pages 150. Taqtee 20/26 Matbua Nazeer Press.
8.Khair-un-Nawahi an irtakabul Malahi. Urdu, pages 14 Taqtee 20/26 Matbua Tasveer Alam Press 1918.
9.Al Aghna fi Tehree-ul- Ghinai. Urdu, Pages 16, Matbua Tasveer Alam Press.
10.At Tehqeequl Wasiqa fi bazi ma Yata’allaq bil Aqeeqa.
11.Fatawa Namaz Tahajjud Ba Jamaat Mah e Ramazaan.
Murshid: His Pir or spiritual guide was Hazrat Mohammad Musa ji. He lived in Tarkeshwar, Surat, Gujarat. He was a Naqshbandi Sufi.
Urs of Hazrat Mujaddid Alf-e-Saani: During the month of Safar 1331 Hijri, February 1913, he sent Maulana Istafa Khan to Sirhind, Punjab to know about the preparation of the Urs. Maulana Istafa Khan, upon his return, reported the bad conditions there. Hazrat Ain-ul- Quzat sent 50 Qurans, alongside his students, and provisions to Sirhind. Those students, along with some teachers, used to organize the Urs.
Gradually, participation during the Urs increased over the years. There was a need to expand the Dargah complex, which was financed by Hazrat Ain-ul- Quzat. The new Dargah Complex and Tomb was completed in the year 1344 Hijri.
His notable students: Some of his famous students are as follows:
1)Hafiz Mohammad Abdul Majeed (Prof. Canning College, Lucknow)
2)Hafiz Abdul Hameed (founder of Madarsa Qadeemiya)
3)Abdul Bari Farangi Mahali ( Mohmmad Qayam-ud-Din) Madarsa Nizamia.
4)Mufti Mohammad Yusuf.
5)Mohammad Abdul Baaqi (Migrated to Madina Munawwara)
6)Mohammad Abdul Haadi
7)Sayyid Hafiz Ahmad Bihari, Principal of Furqania Madarasa, buried in the Madarsa.
8)Shah Mohammad Jaan of Azamgarh.
9)Hakeem Khwaja Kamaal-ud-din Kashmiri Lakhnavi.
10)Hakeem Sayyid Ahmad Hasan Lakhnavi.
11)Hakeem Mirza Mohammad Mahdi Lakhnavi.
12)Hakeem Sayyid Ameer Hasan Lakhnavi.
13)Mohammad Abdush Shakoor Kakorvi.
14)Mirza Mohammad Haadi ‘Aziz’ Lakhnavi.
Death: He died on 2 Rajab in 1343, 28 January 1925. After the demise of Hazrat Ain-ul- Quzat, the Madarsa Furqania comes under the custody of Maulana Mohammad Istafa Khan. After the Partition, Maulana Istafa Khan and his son Qari Hafiz Ahmad Ali migrated to Karachi. The madrasa then comes under his sons: Akbar Ali Khan, Azam Ali Khan, and Abul Qasim Khan.
Azam Ali Khan died in 1964 during his Hajj and was buried in Baqi. Every year, there are events organized during the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal, Rabi-us-Saani, Safar, and Rajab. This year the annual Qul of Hazrat Ain-ul- Quzat will be on January 29, 2023.
The famous historian of Lucknow Maulana Abdul Haleem Sharar said that from everything he learned about the lifestyles of the companions of Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.W), he found Maulana Ain-ul-Quzat to be like them.
Reference: Book written by Maulana Istafa Khan and his grandson Mazhar Lakhnavi.
Syed Abdul Mannan is a Lucknow based Financial Analyst. He has an avid love for history and culture of Awadh. He also runs a social media handle “Guzashta Lakhnau” to share heritage, cuisine and culture of Awadh.