Biography of Hafiz Abdul Mannan Al-Wazeerabadi Translated by Ustadh `Ali Hassan Khan
Hafiz Abdul Mannan was born in 1267/1851 in Karoili Sayydan, Tahsil Pandadn, area of Jehlum. Karoili Sayydan is 12 miles from Bherah.
His father’s name is Malak Sharfudin ibn Nur Khan, from Awan tribe which came from Ghazni to Punjab, there were from middle class.
His parents named him Ashraf Khan but some elders recommended the name Abdul Mannan, so this name became famous and he also preferred this name when he grew up. He had 2 brothers Najeeb Khan and Habeeb Khan and 2 sisters. His family did not have scholars and did not encourage religious knowledge, but Allah created love of religious in the Shaykh’s heart when he grew up.
At the age of 9, Hafiz Abdul Mannan became blind and at the age of 12, his mother passed away, but despite these trials, the Shaykh remained patient and carried on his path towards seeking knowledge. He originally learned Quran and Persian language in his village from the local Imam. To seek further knowledge, he went to the village of Ahmadabad on the Jehlum river and he learned their Arabic books of beginners from Molvi Qadir Bakhsh. After he went to Bhalwal in the area of Sarghoda where he learned “Kanz Daqaiq” and “Quduri” from Sayid Fasil Shah. After he went to Buryanwala in the area of Jehlum were he studied “Mirah Al-Arwah”, “Sharh Miah Amil”, “Kafiyah”, “Shafiyah”, “Sharh Mulla Jami” and other books from Molvi Burhanudin Hatarwi.
Afterwards, he desired to study greater books so he travelled to the village of Chakki Shaikh Jee in the area of Bannu and he studied many books from Molvi Gul Ahmad Sahib such as “Mulla Hasan Khayali”, Ilm Al-Ma’ani, Ilm Al-Faraidh, Fiqh and Usul Al-Fiqh.
Afterwards he desired to learn Tafseer and Hadith and there was only Molana Muhammad Husayn Batalwi in the area of Punjab teaching Hadith so he travelled to him and heard “Mishkat Al-Masabeeh” from him in Lahore.
Afterwards, Hafiz Abdul Mannan made intention to do Hajj and as he was not very rich, he had to teach and save up some money, so the Shaykh travelled to Kala Bagh where he stayed two months and afterwards went to Sindh where he met Peer Mahfoozullah Sirhindi who was from lineage of Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi and Peer Mahfoozullah Sirhindi seeing Hafiz Abdul Mannan’s knowledge presented him to Nawab Murad Ali Khan, the Wali (governor) of the state of Khayrpur. Nawab Murad Ali Khan became impressed by the Shaykh’s knowledge and employed him as a teacher, so Hafiz Abdul Mannan stayed there for a year teaching and afterwards he told Nawab Murad Ali Khan that he wanted to leave and go for Hajj, and Nawab Murad Ali Khan who loved Hafiz Abdul Mannan accepted his resignation and gave him 500 rupees as gift, which was a great amount of money at that time.
But unfortunately, when Hafiz Abdul Mannan came Bombay to take the ship to Jeddah for Hajj, an individual called Ali Ahmad from Multan stole this amount from the Shaykh and plotted with the police to arrest the Shaykh on a false accusation so the Shaykh was not only robbed of his money but stayed few days in jail after which he was released by the corrupt police.
After this great trial, the Shaykh went to teach in city of Surat where he taught for some time but he had to face lots of hostility as he was accused of being Ghayr Muqalid, a term used for Ahle Hadith who refuse Taqleed and act upon Hadith. So afterwards the Shaykh went to teach in Bao Nagar in village of Nadeer but he had to leave this place as well due to hostility of Muqalideen, but the Shaykh saved enough money to go for Hajj at the age of 18.
After Hajj, Hafiz Abdul Mannan stayed some time in Haydrabad, Malibar and Kathiya and Mumbai. In Mumbai he met great scholars Molvi AbduShakoor, student of Shah Abdul Aziz Muhadith Dehlawi, Qari AbduRahman Panipati and Allamah Abdul Haq Banarsi, student of Imam Shawkani. Allamah Banarsi encouraged Hafiz Abdul Mannan to further study books of Hadith and instructed him to go to Bhopal to Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan and he wrote a letter of recommendation as well, so he went to Bhopal and learnt there from many teachers such as Hakeem Muhammad Ahsan Bhoplai from which he learned the Sunnan of Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasai and Darimi.
After studying in Bhopal, the Shaykh went to Kanpur where he met Molvi Basheerudin who instructed him to go to Mian Nazeer Husayn Dehlawi, and he wrote a recommended letter addressed to Mian Nazeer Husayn Dehlawi, so Hafiz Abdul Mannan stayed a year and some months in Dehli were he completed the Sihhah Sittah from Mian Nazeer Husayn Dehlawi. Mian Nazeer Husayn Dehlawi had great love for Hafiz Abdul Mannan and once while he was on his way to the field used for toilets, there was a bull on the way and as Hafiz Abdul Mannan was blind, he was not aware of it so someone took him round by the hands to the field and afterwards, he was told that Mian Sahib himself took him to the field. Once the Shaykh couldn’t find his shoes outside the Masjid as they were pushed away, and Mian Sahib himself looked for his shoes and gave them to him, may Allah have mercy upon these great Awliya.
After Dehli, the Shaykh went to teach Hadith in Anbala in Punjab for 3 months and afterwards, he returned to his native village Karoili Sayydan near Jehlum were he taught for some time and fought against Shirk and Bid’aat. Afterwards, the Shaykh went to teach in Lahore in the famous Ahle Hadith Masjid of Chiniya Wali in which later on Hafiz Abdul Wahid Ghaznawi taught and it became of centre to propagate Tawheed and Sunnah.
Afterwards, Hafiz Abdul Mannan desired to learn from Hafiz Abdullah Ghaznawi so he travelled to Amritsar were he studied from him for almost 2 years. In Amritsar he met many other senior scholars such as Molana Ghulam Rasool Qal’awi, who was also a great orator.
Chaudry Muhkam Deen who went to visit Hafiz Abdullah Ghaznawi noticed Hafiz Abdul Mannan’s great knowledge and excellence so he requested him to teach in BunbaWala near Sialkot, so Hafiz Abdul Mannan went there to teach some time and he married Chaudry Muhkam Deen’as daughter, and afterwards Shaykh Ghulam Nabi Thekedar requested him to teach in Wazeerabad so he went there at the age of 24, in the area of Shaykhan to teach in a Masjid build there by Ghulam Nabi Thekedar and Peer Meer Haydar (student of Hafiz Abdullah Ghaznawi) and this Masjid and the Madrasah within later called Masjid Mannaniyah became the Darul Hadith from which many great scholars such as Shaykhul Islam Thanaullah Amritsari, Shaykh Ibraheem Meer Sialkoti, Hafiz Muhammad Gondalwi, Shaykh Ismaeel Salafi learned from.
At this time, Wazeerabad was a place filled with Shirk, Bid’ah and ignorance and hardcore Taqleed, and within days enemies started their propaganda that a Wahabi Shaykh is coming, do not learn from him, but the Darul Hadith of Hafiz Abdul Mannan Wazeerabadi quickly became famous and students outside India started to come there, first from Afghanistan and then Balkh, Bukhara, Najd, Yemen and Shaam. In this Darul Hadith, with teaching of Arabic language and Quran, the books of Hadith taught were: Bulugh Al-Maram then Mishkat Al-Masabih, and then Sihhah Sittah. Hafiz Abdul Mannan Wazeerabadi taught there for more than 40 years and this became one of the great centres of Hadith in India.
His most famous students:
1) Shaykh Ahmad Dimashqi
2) Shaykh Ali ibn Ma’ani from Najd
3) Shaykh Ismaeel ibn AbdilMalik from Yemen
4) Molvi Abdullah from Yaghistan
5) Molvi Nurullah Kabuli
6) Sayid Abul Hasan Tabbati
7) Molvi AburRaheem Tabbati
8) Molvi Abdul Haleem Sindhi
9) Molvi Faydullah Sindhi
10) Molvi Abdul Kareem Sindhi
11) Molvi AbdusSamad Bengali
12) Molvi AbdulAziz Murshidabadi
13) Hafiz Muhammad Qadiri
14) Molvi Ahmad Shah Chehchah from Hazarah
15) Molvi Fathullah
16) Molvi Rukn e Alam
17) Molvi Abdul Kareem Sahib
18) Molvi Abdul Haq from Hadiala
19) Molvi Muhammad Khanpuri
20) Molvi Muhammad Waaris
21) Hafiz Dariya Sahib
22) Molvi Abdullah from ‘Alaqabar
23) Molvi Nizamdudin Lailpuri
24) Molvi Muhammad Ahsan Lailpuri
25) Molvi ‘Abdullah from Koro Tarar Lailpur
26) Molvi Muhammad Baqir Tandlia Nawala Lailpur
27) Molvi AbdurRahman Aynwana Lailpur
28) Molvi Nur Ahmad Shorkoti
29) Molvi Hakeem Fazludin Chinoti
30) Molvi Muhammad Dehlawi
31) Molvi Hakeem AbdurRahman Dehlawi
32) Hafiz AbdurRahman Punjabi Dehlawi
33) Molvi AbdulQayum Shahpuri
34) Molvi Mahmood Shahpuri
35) Molvi Faqeerullah Madarisi ibn Shaykh Fathudin Shahpuri
36) Molvi Ghulam Muhammad, brother of Molvi Faqeerullah
37) Molvi Nurudin Lakhwi
38) Molvi Muhammad Ali Lakhwi, grand son of Hafiz Muhammad ibn Barikillah Lakhwi, who was among famous students of Mian Sahib. Shaykh Muhammad Ali Lakhwi was also father of Molana Muhiudin Lakhwi and Molana Mueenudin Lakhwi who were scholars very active in politics and great worshipers.
39) Shaykhul Islam Thanaullah Amritsari, who was also student of Mian Nazeer Husayn Dehlawi and among founders of all India Ahle Hadith conference, which was Jamiyat Ahle Hadith in India before creation of Pakistan. Great author and debator against Hindus, Christians, Qadiyanis, Hadith rejectors, Shia, Brelwis, Deobandis and others...
40) Allamah Muhammad Ibraheem Meer Sialkoti, whocafter studying from Hafiz Abdul Mannan also benefited from Mian Nazeer Husayn Dehlawi. He was like left hand of Sh Thanaullah Amritsari in all India Ahle Hadith conference and later on among founding members of Markazi Jamiyat Ahle Hadith Pakistan. He authored more than 100 books.
41) Molvi Abdul Hay Klaswala
42) Molvi AbdulAzeem Pasruri
43) Molvi Abul Basheer Muhammad Nazeer BunbanWala
44) Molvi Abdul Haq from Badha Goraya
45) Hafiz Jalaludin from Dholan
46) Molvi Muhammad Ramadan from Gojrah
47) Molvi Mulla Bakhsh from Gojrah
48) Molvi Ibraheem Hameedpuri
49) Molvi Khan Muhammad Hameedpuri
50) Molvi Hasan Shah from DoloWali
51) Molvi Hasan Shah from Kotli Loharan
52) Molvi Haydar Shah from area of Sialkot
53) Molvi Abdullah from Gujrat
54) Molvi Nur Ahmad from Dunga in Gujrat
55) Molvi Muhammad Siddiq from Asadullah Pur in Gujrat
56) Molvi Muhammad from Phanbera in Gujrat
57) Molvi Nurudin Jaydpuri from Gujrat
58) Hafiz Muhammad from Dinah in Gujrat
59) Molvi Abdul Ghani from Chak Rajadi in Gujrat
60) Molvi Abdullah Fayrozpuri
61) Molvi Abdul Haq Shah Multani
62) Molvi Faydullah Multani
63) Molvi Abdul Haq from Khadiyan in Lahore
64) Molvi AbduSalam from Fath Muhammad in Lahore
65) Molvi Abdul Qadir Fath Muhammad in Lahore
66) Molvi Abdul Hay from Data Chand
67) Molvi Isma’eel from Dalawar Cheema
68) Allamah Abul Khayr Muhammad Isma’eel Salafi, who became Nazim e Ala first and after head of Markazi Jamiyat Ahle Hadith Pakistan, author of many famous books and active politician and teacher.
69) Molvi Nurudin from GurjranWala
70) Molvi Ahmadudin from Penpa Keh
71) Molvi Kareemudin Penpa Keh
72) Molvi AbdurRasheed from AhmadNagar
73) Molvi Sultan Ahmad from Nat in area of GujranWala
74) Molvi AbdurRahman Sahib Nizami
75) Molvi Abdul Ghani from Gul Wala
76) Molvi Ruknudin Khaleel
77) Molvi ‘Abdul Azeez, son of Molana Ghulam Rasool from Sangh
78) Molvi Abdul Qadir son Molana Ghulam Rasool
79) Hafiz Abdul Hakeem Sohadrawi son of Molana Ghulam Nabi Rabbani
80) Molvi Abdul Hameed Sohadrawi son of Molana Ghulam Nabi Rabbani
81) Molana Abdul Majeed Sohadrawi who was in the same class as Shaykh Ismaeel Salafi in Darul Hadith of Hafiz Abdul Mannan Wazeerabadi, and who is author of the biography of Hafiz Abdul Mannan “Ustad e Punjab” upon which this Enhlish Biography is based
82) Allamah Abul Qasim Sayf Banarsi, who was also student of Mian Nazeer Husayn Dehlawi and Hafiz Abdullah Ghazipuri, he wrote many books and was a famous debator and very active in politics and ambassador in All India Ahle Hadith conference
83) Hafiz Muhammad Gondalwi, one of the greatest scholar, Mujtahid and Hafiz of his time and teacher of all great Ahle Hadith scholars of second half of last century, founding members of Markazi Jamiyat Ahle Hadith Pakistan.
His links with fellow great scholars of his generation
During his study from Hafiz Abdullah Ghaznawi in Amritsar, Molana Muhiyudin AbdurRahman Lakhwi, son of Hafiz Muhammad ibn Barikillah Lakhwi, was also studying there at the same time.
He also established good relation with Shaykh Abdul Jabbar Ghaznawi who was teaching in Amritsar in the Madrasah of his father Hafiz Abdullah Ghaznawi.
During his studies in Dehli, he met other main students of Mian Sahib such as Hafiz Abdullah Ghaznawi.
Allamah Shamsul Haq Azimabadi, author of “Awn Al-Ma’bood” and Hafiz Abdul Mannan would regularly write to each other, and Hafiz Abdul Mannan Wazeerabadi introduced the fourth volume of “’Awn Al-Ma’bood”.
Hafiz Abdul Mannan Wazeerbadi was also very close to Molana Ghulam Nabi Rabbani, who was student of Hafiz Abdullah Ghaznawi and Mian Nazeer Husayn Dehlawi, and they would often visit each other.
Praise of scholars for Hafiz Abdul Mannan Wazeerabadi:
Molana Hakeem Sayid Abdul Hay, author of “Nuzhat Al-Khawatir” said:
“Hazrat Abdul Mannan Ash-Shaykh Al-‘Aalim Al-Kabeer Al-Muhadith Wazeerabadi complete in the field of Hadith and a great scholar and Muhadith”
Shaykh Al-Kull Mian Nazeer Husayn Ad-Dehlawi said:
“Hafiz Abdul Mannan Wazeerabadi, Molvi Abdul Jabbar Ghaznawi and Hafiz Muhammad Lakhwi, the great role they played in spreading the Deen of islam in the area of Punjab, promoting the Book and the Sunnah and refuting Shirk and Bid’ah, I am very happy with it, I have hope in Allah will give me Najat through the services of these 3 students of mine.”
Shaykh Al-Islam Thanaullah Amritsari said at the death of Hafiz Abdul Mannan Wazeerabadi:
“The Imam Bukhari of our times has passed away”
‘Allamah Shamsul Haq Azimabadi wrote:
“I have not seen among the students of As-Sayid Nazeer Husayn Muhadith Dehlawi anyone having more students than him (Hafiz Abdul Mannan Wazeerbadi). He filled the area of Punjab with his students, as if he was the Hafiz of the Sihhah (sittah) of his time, and he was a pious worshiper very humble”
Molana Muhammad Idrees Sahib Balgrami wrote in his epistle "Tatyib Al-Ikhwan bi Zikr Ulama az-Zaman" that Hafiz Abdul Mannan Wazeerabadi was an Ayah (sign) from the Ayat of Allah.
Anecdotes:
Once Hafiz Abdul Mannan Al-Wazeerabadi saw the Prophet (saw) in a dream, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq was sitting on one side and Umar Farooq on the other side. Shaykh Al-Kull As-Sayid Nazeer Husayn Ad-Dehlawi and Shaykh Abdullah Al-Ghaznawi were in front of them and Hafiz Abdul Mannan was sitting between his 2 teachers.
While Hafiz Abdul Mannan Al-Wazeerabadi memorised the book of Hadith “Mashariq Al-Anwar”, he saw the Prophet (saw) in a dream 3 times while memorising this book in 41 days. The first time the Prophet (saw) in the dream put his saliva in Hafiz Abdul Mannan’s mouth. In the second dream, the Prophet (saw) hugged him. In the third dream, the Prophet (saw) told him to be kind to a new Muslim after Hafiz Abdul Mannan was not happy with him.
Molvi Abul Basheer Muhammad Nazeer Sahib from Bunbanwala said that after he completed Sahih Bukhari with them, Hafiz Abdul Mannan told his students that it is 100 times he taught Sahih Bukhari. He had also taught others books of Sihah Sittah 72 times.
His children
Hafiz Abdul Mannan Wazeerabadi had 3 wives, from the first one, daughter of Chaudry Muhkam Deen, he had only one daughter, who was married to his student Abdul Hameed ibn Ghulam Nabi Rabbani.
From his second wife, he had 5 sons and 3 daughters, his five sons were named Sufi Hakeem Abdul Jabbar, Sufi Malak AbduSattar, Sufi Muhammad Husayn, Sufi AbdurRasheed, Sufi AbdulBasit. He did not have any children form his third wife.
His death
Hafiz Abdul Mannan Wazeerabadi passed away on 12 Ramadan 1334/18 July 1916. Hafiz Abdul Mannan was very sick since 3 days and unconscious, he wouldn’t be able to speak in his last 3 days, only say “Hun Hun”. Molana Ibraheem Meer Sialkoti and Shaykhul Islam Thanaullah Amritsari who were near were informed by wire message so they managed to come. Molana Ghulam Hasan Sialkoti prayed his funeral prayer.
Hafiz Abdul Mannan was named “Ustad Al-Punjab” as he was one of the greatest teacher of this area, and most of great Ahlul Hadith who establish Jami’yat in India and Pakistan were his students.
Source: “Ustad e Punjab” of Molana AbdulMajeed Sohadrawi
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