Imam Hamiduddin Farahi authored several guiding works. However, there were numerous other works that remained incomplete when he passed away. These unfinished works were in the form of notes and were stored in a special trunk in his study. One night, the trunk was stolen from the school.
Dr. Sharfuddin Islahi writes that neither Maulana Islahi nor Maulana Akhtar Ahsan Islahi was present at the school on the night of the theft. The thieves must have assumed that the trunk contained something valuable. The locked trunk would naturally give such an impression. They carried it away.
The thieves, having moved some distance from the building, attempted to retrieve the “treasure” in a field. They broke the lock, but what emerged from the trunk was indeed a treasure for Imam Farahi and the school, though to the thieves, it was nothing more than wastepaper. It was winter, and the thieves took out some bundles of papers, set them on fire, and enjoyed the warmth without realizing the havoc they were wreaking. Astonishingly, they did not burn all the manuscripts and left the trunk at the scene before fleeing.
In the morning, someone spotted the “mysterious” trunk. Meanwhile, news of the theft of the teacher’s trunk must have caused panic at the school. Upon hearing that an abandoned trunk had been found in the fields, the students rushed to the site. The first sight must have been deeply distressing for them: torn and burnt manuscripts, scattered papers, and a broken trunk. This was the scene that left everyone shaken.
The process of gathering what was left of the “treasure” began. Everything was collected and taken back to the school to assess the extent of the loss and what remained. Maulana Akhtar Islahi had already arrived upon hearing the news of the incident. Upon examining the manuscripts, the students and teachers were surprised to discover that the unpublished manuscripts were virtually unharmed. Even those that were burned caused minimal damage. By the special grace of Allah, almost everything was preserved. However, Dr. Sharfuddin writes: “It is said that the manuscripts were not damaged, but only someone who knows every detail could claim this. The thieves were certainly not educated enough to distinguish valuable manuscripts from wastepaper.” (Zikr-e-Farahi, p. 514)
Dr. Sharfuddin’s assumption is questionable, as he himself writes that upon receiving news of the theft, Maulana Akhtar Ahsan immediately arrived at the school and took control of the situation because his home was nearby. It is evident that he must have reported the extent of the damage. Furthermore, none of the books published after this incident were said to have missing sections due to the burning of manuscripts. Nor is there any indication that Imam Farahi wrote on a particular subject that was lost to the fire. Therefore, it is reasonable to accept the account that minimal damage occurred due to Allah’s special blessing.
The Establishment of Da’ira Hamidiyah
It is evident that from the very beginning, efforts were made at Madrasa-tul-Islah to convey Imam Farahi’s scholarly discoveries to the academic community. Thus, in 1935, Da’ira Hamidiyah was established for this purpose. This subsidiary institution of Madrasa-tul-Islah was formed under the presidency of Dr. Hafizullah (whose detailed introduction has been previously provided). Abdul Ghani, a senior government official, was appointed vice president. The institution had three primary objectives:
1. Launch a monthly magazine titled Al-Islah to publish Imam Farahi’s works and other scholarly articles. 2. Translate Imam Farahi’s books into Urdu. 3. Arrange for the systematic publication of Imam Farahi’s works.
It was also decided that Maulana Amin Ahsan Islahi would oversee all these activities. He would serve as the editor of Al-Islah and select collaborators to achieve the institution’s goals.
In January 1936, under Maulana Islahi’s editorship, the first issue of Al-Islah was published. It consisted of 64 pages. On the title page, the magazine’s name Al-Islah was inscribed in Naskh script, while beneath it, in Nastaliq script, the phrase “A Monthly Scholarly and Religious Magazine of Da’ira Hamidiyah” was written by the calligrapher. Below this, instead of the term “Editor,” the word “Compiled by” appeared in bold letters, followed by the name “Amin Ahsan Islahi.” No other text was present on the entire page.
It is noteworthy that Amin Ahsan never used the title “Maulana” before his name. Throughout his life, he signed his books simply as “Amin Ahsan Islahi.” This does not mean that he disliked the term “Maulana.” Instead, he believed that one should not attribute titles or accolades to oneself. However, when his students addressed or referred to him as Maulana, he did not object. The monthly Al-Islah continued publication for four years. During this time, Imam Farahi’s works were translated and published. In addition, whatever writings of Imam Farahi existed in Urdu were also published, regardless of their condition. Alongside this, Maulana Islahi’s own research, critical, and missionary articles were published. These early writings of Maulana will be detailed later.
Additionally, the journal published articles by the faculty of Madrasa-tul-Islah and external scholars, provided they met the journal’s rigorous scholarly standards. The most intriguing and significant writings were the editorials written by the “young Islahi” himself. These provided brief yet incisive commentary on national and community issues.
The first issue received an enthusiastic response from scholars. In his editorial for the February 1936 issue, Maulana Islahi wrote:
“We published the first issue of Al-Islah with some trepidation. The standard and vision of debate we had in mind were such that we doubted whether contemporary trends and preferences would accept them. Whenever we presented the outline of its sections and topics to our friends, they disagreed, arguing that there was no market for such a magazine. However, thanks be to Allah, the doubts did not deter us. We only hoped that if the path was challenging and the goal distant, our companions would not neglect preparation. By Allah’s grace, sufficient provision has been made. If His guidance and support remain with us, the difficulties ahead will not be insurmountable…”
“Nonetheless, the opinions about the journal received so far have been highly encouraging. Its external presentation and intellectual quality have earned a place in the eyes of scholars, and we have not been deprived of due recognition. Among the admirers of the journal are not only common scholars but also such luminaries of knowledge and literature and prominent figures of authorship whose opinions are rightfully a source of pride. This demonstrates that, despite the widespread epidemic of poor taste, the natural entitlement of truth and reality has not yet been entirely lost. There is still a void for it in hearts. The only requirement is to make efforts to reform circumstances with courage and resolve, instead of succumbing to the general epidemic. Human nature is inherently inclined towards goodness, not evil. Falsehood exists only because truth is absent. If truth manifests itself in its full splendor and beauty, it will undoubtedly secure its rightful place in hearts because the human heart is created to be its dwelling. Undoubtedly, serving the truth is no easy task, but why should we consider engaging in it impossible?”
Regarding the content of the journal, Maulana mentions a complaint:
“Some well-wishers and subscribers have expressed dissatisfaction regarding the journal’s complexity. This complaint was already addressed in the first issue, and there is no need for repetition. Indeed, some sections of the journal are intended solely for scholars, which naturally makes them less accessible to the general public. However, there is also content prepared with general aptitude in mind. If there is any difficulty, it stems not from the writing style or academic terminology but from the loftiness of the topics and objectives, which appear elevated due to our general intellectual decline and lack of reasoning capacity. The remedy for this is to focus on training our intellectual and reasoning abilities and making our minds capable of engaging with serious discussions.
We do not accept the distinction between scholars and the general public when it comes to Islam’s teachings. The general aptitude of every Muslim should be sufficient to understand Islamic education. However, our general aptitude should be significantly higher, and the way to achieve this is by cultivating the habit of studying serious topics.
It is unfortunate that the general awareness of Islam among Muslims is limited to trivial tales and a few secondary issues. Yet, our true strength lies in understanding Islam. However, we are not neglectful of making Al-Islah simpler. The suggestions shared in the previous issue are being considered, and we are exploring possibilities to implement them soon. There was an intention to immediately add some necessary and useful sections, but due to space constraints, this plan could not materialize. It is now imperative to increase the pages, but we shall see when circumstances become favorable for this. These additional pages will be dedicated to general education and reform.”
Regarding the publication of Imam Farahi’s works, an announcement was made under the title: “The First Work of Da’ira Hamidiyah”
“There was an intention to publish Jamhara-tul-Balagha among the writings of Imam Hamiduddin Farahi. The editing and compilation of its manuscript had reached a certain stage. Scholars’ enthusiasm and demand for it are significant, but the current circumstances demand otherwise, necessitating a change in the plan.”
Following this, methods to address the doubts and suspicions prevalent among the educated class of that time were discussed. In this context, criticism was directed—without naming Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and like-minded scholars—and the stance was explained as follows:
“The spread of Western sciences and ideologies has caused severe intellectual chaos among the educated Muslim class of this time. A significant group has separated itself from the general fold and established an independent front, launching a barrage of objections against religion. This group harbors the misconception that the commonly accepted version of religion is contrary to reason, and any religion that contradicts reason is unacceptable. As a result, they present religion in a new framework and claim that this is the true and original form of religion.
There can be many reasons for this misconception. It is possible that fascination with Western sciences and ideologies, combined with the false arrogance of reason and knowledge, as well as undue self-assertion, plays a role. However, in our view, the fundamental reason is simply that Islam is not presented to people in its complete and integrated form. They see only its fragments, separated from its system and structure, and naturally, there is a difference between a flourishing tree and a severed branch. If someone looks at a severed limb of a human body, what beauty will they find in it?
For philosophical reflection and contemplation on any subject, it is essential to view the parts in conjunction with the whole. Unfortunately, Islam has rarely been considered in this comprehensive manner. In this modern era, Allah has blessed only Imam Hamiduddin Farahi with the special favor and fortune of this holistic understanding among Islamic scholars. Although this spirit of truth is evident in all his writings, his two monumental works— Mulkutullah and Kitab-ul-Hikmah—are particularly dedicated to elucidating divine laws and the system of Islam. We believe that if these two books are published, the broken link between reason and religion can be restored.
For this reason, we have decided to prioritize the publication of Mulkutullah as soon as possible. Our respected colleague, Maulvi Akhtar Ahsan Islahi, has begun editing and compiling this work. A related article by him will also be presented to the readers. Alongside this, the Urdu translations of the exegeses of Surah Al-Lahab and Surah Al-Kawthar will also be published soon.”
[To Be Continued…]