Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani (رحمہ اللہ): A Great Scholar and Builder of Pakistan
Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani (RA) was a brilliant Islamic scholar, a Quran and Hadith expert, a powerful speaker, and a key figure in the creation of Pakistan. His name shines brightly in the history of the Indian subcontinent. He served Islam and the Muslim community through his deep knowledge, teaching, writing, speeches, and political efforts.
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🏡 Family and Background
He belonged to the noble family of Hazrat Uthman Ghani (RA), the third Caliph of Islam, and was his descendant in the 43rd generation. His family had a strong tradition of religious service. His stepbrothers included great scholars like Mufti Azizur Rahman (RA) and Maulana Habibur Rahman (RA) of Darul Uloom Deoband.
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📚 Early Education
He started his education in 1312 AH by studying basic Urdu books with Hafiz Muhammad Azeem (RA). In 1314 AH, he learned Persian from Mufti Muhammad Shafi (RA). In 1319 AH, he joined Darul Uloom Deoband, where he studied Arabic and Islamic sciences under top scholars like Sheikh-ul-Hind Maulana Mahmood Hasan (RA). He completed his studies of Hadith in 1325 AH.
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🧑‍🏫 Teaching Career
His love for knowledge led him to teaching soon after completing his studies. He started teaching at Deoband in 1325 AH. The next year, he became the head teacher at Madrasa Fathpuri in Delhi, but returned to Deoband due to the request of the senior scholars. In 1348 AH, he moved to Jamia Islamia Dabhel, where he taught Tafsir (Quran explanation) and Hadith. By 1356 AH, he became the Shaikh-ul-Hadith, and also served as the chief administrator of Darul Uloom Deoband in 1354 AH.
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🇵🇰 Political and National Services
Maulana Usmani (RA) was not only a great scholar but also a wise and brave leader in politics.
He supported movements like Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind and the Khilafat Movement. His famous scholarly article “Tark-e-Muwalat” is considered a masterpiece.
During the Pakistan Movement, he supported Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (RA) and gave powerful speeches that energized the Muslim League. After the creation of Pakistan, he was the first person to raise the national flag in West Pakistan.
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🕊️ Passing Away
In 1369 AH, during a trip to Bahawalpur, he became unwell and passed away on the morning of 21st Safar, at the age of 64 years and 12 days. He lived a very simple life, without personal property or bank balance—dedicated completely to the service of Islam till his last breath.
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💬 Wise Sayings
Maulana Usmani’s speeches were full of heart-touching wisdom. Some of his famous quotes are:
1. “Truth, when said with a pure heart and proper way, never goes to waste.”
2. “Heaven in this world is when husband and wife are united and righteous.”
3. “There’s only A, B, C, D between you and me—remove them and see who truly has knowledge!”
4. “The scholar does not want power—he just wants the rulers to act with some piety!”
5. “Every person has three homelands: physical (where you’re born), spiritual (Medina), and eternal (Jannah where you came from and will return).”
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✅ Conclusion
Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani (RA) was truly a rare combination of deep knowledge and visionary leadership. His simplicity, honesty, powerful speeches, and love for Islam and Pakistan are a guiding light for today’s generation. He was among the few who laid the ideological foundation of Pakistan and gave his full strength for its success.