Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadwi. Photo: Twitter/@AIMPLB_Official
Renowned Islamic scholar and president, All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadwi, passed away in Lucknow after a prolonged illness. He was 94.
Known for his ability to take everybody along, Mr. Hasani was also the Vice-President of Riyadh’s Aalami Rabita Adab-e-Islami, a founding member of the Muslim World League. Considered among 500 most influential Muslims in the world, Mr. Hasani constantly advised the community to refrain from anger and violence, and follow the path of patience and perseverance, particularly when it came to controversial issues such as the Babri Masjid controversy and the more recent cases of triple talaq and mob lynching of the innocent.
Belonging to an old Sufi scholars’ family in Rae Bareilly, his ancestors included Sayyid Ahmed Shaheed, a well-respected freedom fighter. Mr. Hasani also taught Arabic at Nadwatul Ulama in Lucknow from 1952.
Mr. Hasani, a nephew of Maulana Ali Hasan Nadwi, was a prolific author of books on Islam, among them being a dictionary of Arabic published in 1970. After his uncle’s death in 1999, he had to take up community responsibilities as well as the rector of Nadwatul Ulama where he had earlier been the head of the department of Arabic since 1955. He was first elected President, All India Muslim Personal Law Board in 2002.
“An irreparable loss”
Mr. Hasani’s death has shaken the Islamic world with scholars of repute terming his death “an irreparable loss for the Muslim community”. “He was a consensus builder. He never took extreme positions. He was equally respected by all sections of Muslim society. He leaves behind a vacuum,” said Zafarul Islam Khan, former chairman, Delhi Minorities Commission, and a former student of Mr. Hasani.
He was among the fortunate ones to be groomed under Maulana Mian, a renowned scholar. In many ways, he was a picture of Maulana Ali Mian, “a true heir”, as Mr. Khan put it.
“He was an umbrella for the Muslim world,” said Arshad Madani, president, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, adding, “With him around one knew there was a solution available for everything.” Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s vice-president Salim Engineer called him, “the guiding light of the Personal Law Board.”
“On the issue of triple talaq, he was of the opinion that this was matter of reform and awareness within the community and not a matter of law,” Mr. Engineer remembered.
Expressing condolences, Firoz Ahmed, president, All India Muslim Majlis Mushawarat, said, “Mr. Hasani’s selfless services for humanity shall be remembered for long.”