A prominent feature of the Madrasah Al-Islah, particularly influenced by Maulana Amin Ahsan Islahi, was the cultivation of a culture of freedom of thought. As mentioned in the discussion on the curriculum, the Quran was an integral part of the entire syllabus, and students were encouraged to understand it directly, without relying on any specific interpretation, including that of Imam Fakhruddin Razi. This was to ensure that students could rise above any form of bias and become true scholars of religion. In this regard, Maulana Islahi himself wrote in the editorial of the August 1936 issue of the monthly magazine “Islah” in the following words:
“We have a similar opinion about seminal works of Maulana Hamiduddin. We acknowledge his knowledge, critical thinking, scholarly rank, and piety, yet we do not believe in his infallibility. In his writings, there may be weak points like in any other author’s books because he was an author and a researcher, not infallible. We have great respect for him because he was the best example of the integration of knowledge and practice in that era. He had accumulated so many branches of knowledge and arts within his personality that none among his contemporary scholars matched his stature. Then, along with knowledge, Allah had endowed him with the capability to practice it. This was so evident in every word and action that anyone could recognize these qualities in the first interaction. He had all these attributes, but we did not try to make every word and action of his a ‘model’ by considering him ‘special entities besides God (arbab min dunillah).
When he was alive, we openly criticized his research in his gatherings (when possible) and discuss his research in the same way after his death as all researchers do. He never advised us to keep our lips and ears closed. He always taught us to think and ponder, and employed the same practice in his lectures. Any lacking on our part in this regard significantly disappointed him. However, he never wanted to us to transform into blind followers. Even if he desired so, his wish would never have come true in Madrasah Al-Islah. So, if anyone says that we consider every opinion of Maulana Hamiduddin and every matter as correct and every writing as inspirational, we believe he is not aware of our situation.” (islah, 3-4)
Maulana often narrated in his own words that many times a student of knowledge came to inquire and understand the opinion of another scholar on a certain academic topic. Maulana Farahi elaborated on the opinion of that scholar in detail. Maulana Farahi presented this opinion in such a convincing manner that the student of knowledge believed that Maulana also held the same opinion. The student presented this opinion elsewhere as his own perspective. When Maulana became aware of this, he questioned it and said that he had presented the arguments in favor of the view of the originator of the opinion. Upon this, the students asked, “Then what is your opinion on this matter?” Maulana replied, “What objection do you have to this opinion? Until you do not find the flaw in this opinion yourself, I will not present another opinion.”
Maulana Islahi states that students were trained to reach correct opinions through their own contemplation and analysis, rather than blindly following their teachers. He further mentions that it was the constant practice of his teacher to inform the questioner of his opinion only when he learned that the questioner had considered all viewpoints, identified the flaws, and decided to look for a sounder opinion.
Literary Atmosphere of Madrasah al-Islah
Another unique attribute of Madrasah al-Islah was that alongside sciences and arts, it took pride in admitting students who excelled in literature and poetry. The reason for this was quite clear. Classical poetry was a part of the curriculum, and the founders of the school were themselves eminent literary figures and poets. Therefore, it was natural for students to be inclined towards every genre of literature, emulating their teachers. Obviously, only the students who had an innate ability and inclination towards poetry and literature progressed further. Amin Ahsan Islahi states that the atmosphere for a strong inclination in poetry in Madrasah al-Islah encouraged him to write and recite poetry.
In this field too, Imam Farahi and Shibli Nomani were his ideals. Imam Farahi used to recite poetry in Persian and Arabic, but he did not make it his field or compile his poetic work. However, after his demise, his Arabic and Persian poetry was also compiled. In comparison, the situation of Allama Shibli was different. His poetry was more colloquial. Amin Ahsan Islahi states that he started poetry in Urdu, but soon realized that this was not his field.
Narrating in his own style, he reflected, “I questioned myself: why should people bother reading my poetry? Is it truly superior to the works of Ghalib and Shibli? If it doesn’t surpass theirs, then there’s no value in squandering people’s time.” Consequently, he resolved to abandon poetry indefinitely. However, prior to reaching this conclusion, he had already created an embarrassing situation.
Imposition of Fine for Criticizing Teachers
Amin Ahsan never hesitated to express his emotions. It so happened that he developed a complaint against one of his teachers, which resonated with other students as well. Without further ado, he encapsulated their sentiments in a poem. This poem was essentially a reprimand. It was very well- crafted and well-received by all. It became the talk of the entire school, to the extent that it reached the principal, Imam Farahi. He summoned Amin Ahsan and advised him against such expressions of disrespect towards teachers. Amin Ahsan was punished and advised that such actions were not appropriate. However, commenting on the poem, his teacher stated that it was of exceptional quality.
Maulana never named the teacher about whom he wrote the poem, nor did he ever recite any verse from the poem. Due to Maulana’s conduct in this matter, there was no need to seek further information about it.
From this incident, we also learn another virtue of Madrasah Al-Islah. That is, no leniency was shown in matters of ethical misconduct within the school. In this regard, another incident can be cited as an example.
In “Dikr-e-Farahi,” Dr. Sharfuddin Islahi writes about an incident from Amin Ahsan’s student days, stating that a group of students played a prank with Hakeem Abdul Qayyum Nadvi. They threw a dead cat at another student, Qasim Ali. Qasim Ali, taken aback, believed this act was perpetrated by Abdul Qayyum. Qasim Ali, the pampered son of a wealthy father, didn’t hesitate to retaliate and beat Abdul Qayyum severely. He kept lamenting his innocence, but Qasim Ali was both physically strong and proud of his father’s status.
These were the days when Imam Farahi was the principal of the school, but he had not yet taken up residence there. He would come to the school for three days, and on that day, fortunately, he had to come to Azamgarh. Abdul Qayyum stood at the railway station, waiting for Imam Farahi. As soon as he arrived at the station, he began to narrate the story of the injustice he had suffered, tears streaming down his face.
Imam Farahi promised to investigate the incident and serve justice. Upon investigation, it became clear that this act was not committed by Abdul Qayyum, but rather, Qasim Ali had beaten him due to his arrogance. Imam Farahi immediately summoned the supervisor and asked him why this case had come to him. He told him it was his responsibility to investigate, and inquired why instead of questioning Qasim, he chose to remain silent.
Qasim Ali was clearly told that boasting about his father’s status and wealth was highly inappropriate and that the school operated not through the support of wealthy individuals, but through the cooperation of Muslims and by the grace of Allah. He was immediately expelled from the hostel. He could only continue his education as a non-resident student. Additionally, the supervisor was punished by being ordered to provide milk to Abdul Qayyum for the entire month using his salary. (Dikr e Farahi 414)
Islahi’s Favorite Teacher
During his education, Maulvi Abdul Rahman Nagrami had the most profound impact on him. He benefited from the academic and intellectual companionship of Allama Shibli Nomani, Imam Farahi, and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. It has been reported that Imam Farahi specifically selected him for Madrasah Al-Islah. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the teacher who recognized the potential of Amin Ahsan for the future was Maulvi Nagrami. He eliminated the academic weaknesses that had arisen due to the inadequacy of his initial teachers’ teaching methods. It is not without reason to say that Maulvi Nagrami enabled Amin Ahsan to fully embody Imam Farahi’s rigorous standards, thereby becoming a custodian of his scholarly legacy. Amin Ahsan himself was deeply influenced by this teacher. This is why deep bonds were established between them. Therefore, we will pay special tribute to these teachers as we introduce them.
The Best Class Fellow
As mentioned earlier, Amin Ahsan was the youngest among his classmates. Maulvi Akhtar Ihsan was slightly older than him and was his best friend. They had a competitive atmosphere during their education, but the deepest and most trusting friendship was between them. Amin Ahsan considered Maulvi Akhtar Ihsan his superior peer during their education and also benefited from his scholarly pursuits. This friendship became particularly strong and brotherly when Amin Ahsan became associated with the school as a teacher. (Further details about this will be provided later.)
Islahi’s Favorite Games
According to Maulana, three sports were played in the school with regularity: cricket, volleyball, and football. Amin Ahsan participated in all of them, but he never excelled as a player. Maulana mentions that his classmates never enthusiastically included him in their teams because his performance never allowed their team to win any matches. His skill in sports was even below average. He was kept in the team because of his impressive academic abilities, according to Maulana. In Maulana’s words, his classmates “took him along showing sympathy.” According to Maulana, Amin Ahsan was more inclined towards cricket compared to other sports, but even this interest was minimal.
Graduation from Madrasah al-Islah
Amin Ahsan completed his entire eight-year education at the school. This was the maximum length of the durational program offered at the Madrasah. During this time, he gained proficiency in Arabic and Persian languages. He acquired skills in the Quran, Hadith, and Islamic jurisprudence. He also excelled in the teachings of theological sciences. He attained such proficiency in the English language that he could understand and read academic books thoroughly. Not only could he understand, but he could also teach them.
He was not given education in jurisprudence and interpretation of any specific school of thought. According to the school’s fundamental principle, he was equipped with the ability to evaluate and make decisions based on his own reasoning and to accept or reject any opinion based on his own evidence. During his education, Amin Ahsan was counted among the most capable, active, and prominent students of the school. Various incidents testify this fact. Here, we will mention some of those interesting incidents.
Amin Ahsan participated in an examination on Sab Mullaqat (7 poems). Syed Sulaiman Nadwi was the examiner. Amin Ahsan wrote exceptional answers to the questions in the exams to stun the examiner. The examiner commented on his answer book:
This is a student’s paper. I can’t even find teachers like him for ‘Nadwa.’
His proficiency in the English language was so remarkable that he could not only read scholarly books in English effortlessly but could also explain intricate concepts to others without any difficulty. Generally, students of religious schools are not proficient in speaking Arabic, but when they resided with Imam Farahi for learning, they conversed in Arabic casually. When the renowned scholar Musa Jarullah visited India and went to meet Imam Farahi, he also visited Madrasah Al- Islah. Amin Ahsan was his host. Witnessing his fluency and eloquence in Arabic conversation and speech, one day he asked him, ‘How many years have you spent in Arab lands?’ Amin Ahsan replied, I have never set foot on Arab land with these two feet. Musa Jarullah kept expressing his amazement for a long time. (Ishraq December/January 1998)
Regarding his academic abilities in the school, Javed Ahmad Ghamidi states:
Amin Ahsan himself mentions that he completed his teaching at Madrasah Al-Islah in 1922. (Muqalat e Islahi, 2/396)
Islahi’s Marriage
Amin Ahsan was still a student in the final year at Madrasah Al-Islah when he got married. His first marriage was with Rabia Khatoon from his own Rajput family. They had five children together, two daughters and three sons. Their daughters were named Qamar-un-Nisa and Shams- un-Nisa. The eldest daughter, Shams-un-Nisa, passed away before the partition. Their sons were named Abu Saleh, Abu Saeed, and Abu Saad. Only Abu Saeed is alive as I write. After the partition, Abu Saad chose to reside in Azamgarh, India, where he breathed his last. Among Maulana’s sons, Abu Saleh was well-known among the journalists of Pakistan. He lost his life in the famous 1965 plane crash. (A detailed account of this will be provided separately, InshaAllah.) Maulana’s second marriage took place in 1945 after the demise of his first wife. Details regarding this will also be provided later.
Professional Life
The year Amin Ahsan completed his education at Madrasah Al-Islah, an advertisement appeared in the renowned three-day newspaper “Madina” for the position of Deputy Director. Maulana Amin Ahsan’s most trusted disciple, Mr. Khalid Masood, narrates that someone cunningly applied for the job on behalf of Amin Ahsan. When a positive response came, Amin Ahsan was surprised. At that time, he was only eighteen or nineteen years old. it is very much possible that he was already married at that time. Amin Ahsan sought advice from his favorite teacher and mentor, Maulana Abdul Rahman Nagrami, regarding the job.
On his teacher’s suggestion, Amin Ahsan joined the newspaper network. Here, we would like to mention some details about the newspaper.
“Sahifa-e-Madina” was launched by Maulvi Majid Hasan in Bijnor in 1912. It was a ten-page newspaper, sized 26×20. In the first part of the book “Duroos al-Tareekh,” there is an advertisement on the last page, which reads:
“Since 1912, the newspaper is offering services to keep the memory of Shah-e-Kawnayn (the king of all the worlds) through capable and literate editors. With the grace of God, it is published twice a week with its numerous assistants. Serving the nation and the country, defending religion and the nation is its motto. It carries the knowledge of the demands of freedom and national aspirations, interprets present-day politics, is a city of truth and honesty, summarizes Arabic and English newspapers, embodies the spirit of Egyptian, Levantine, and Turkish newspapers, and reaches every corner of the world. Your observations and study will confirm our statement. Order a copy and have look.
Annual subscription: 6 Rupees Six month subscription: 4 Rupees Three month subscription: 2 Rupees From foreign countries: 8 Rupees Muhammad Majid Hasan Owner of Madina Newspaper, Bijnor (UP).”
Dr. Muhammad Haroon Usmani writes in his article ‘Maulana Amin Ahsan Islahi ki Sahafati Khidmat (Islahi’s Journalistic Contributions)’:
According to Dr. Abdul Salam Khurshid, this was a three-day national newspaper of average repute, and many people disagreed with its views; but its credibility, seriousness, and high standards were not denied by anyone.” (Journalism in Pakistan and India, Lahore, Maktabah Karwan, 1982, pg. 187)
Raisuddin Faridi has listed the names of the directors associated with Madina Bijnor, including Hameed Al-Ansari Ghazi, Nasrullah Khan Aziz, Abu Saeed Bazmi Bhopali, Qazi Adeel Ahmed Abbasi, Badrul Hasan Halali, Muhammad Ahsan, and Qadus Sahibzada. Amin Ahsan’s name is not found here or in any other journalistic history. The reason for this is that he was the deputy director and relatively new. Furthermore, he mainly worked on translations, writing articles, and proofreading. In this regard, he himself says:
My association with ‘Madina’ probably began around 1922. It was considered a good newspaper among the three-day newspapers of UP at that time. It was the era of the Khilafat Movement and the Congress, both of which were active, and both were somewhat intertwined, and ‘Madina’ newspaper was common to both. Therefore, I also had to write articles according to the demands of both.
The institution also published a weekly magazine called ‘Ghuncha’ for children. Amin Ahsan was also assigned responsibilities for this magazine. He translated an Arabic novel into Urdu specifically for the ‘Ghuncha’ magazine. The name of this novel was ‘Al-Jasus Al-Hindi’, written by Mustafa Al-Sagheer. This novel was set against the backdrop of the First World War and depicted the exploits of a spy who played a significant role in favor of the Ottoman Caliphate against the British. We had seen a copy of its record at our father-in-law, Mr. Khalid Masood’s residence. Its greatest quality was that its translation did not feel like a translation. Amin Ahsan named it ‘Hindustani Jasus’. Due to the readers’ appreciation, it was later published in book form by Madina Bijnor’s publishing house. This work is also referred to as Maulana’s first literary work.
From the same publishing house, Amin Ahsan translated a significant historical book written in Arabic into Urdu. This renowned work was authored by the famous historian Mohyuddin Al- Khatib. During his first employment, Amin Ahsan’s writings deeply influenced many people, including Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Upon observing the editorials of Madina newspaper, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad remarked, ‘Madina newspaper now has a budding editor.'”
This comment can be taken positively or humorously, but one thing is clear from it that the young Amin Ahsan had definitely drawn the attention of the most famous writer of his time towards himself.
Amin Ahsan remained associated with Madina newspaper for at least two and a half years. During this time, he worked day and night. The excessive workload severely affected his health. Consequently, he resigned from the newspaper.
Islahi’s Association with “Al-Naazir”
The next phase of his journalistic life was the renowned newspaper “Al-Naazir”. Amin Ahsan became part of its editorial board. At that time, two well-known writers were already present in the newspaper: Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi and Maulana Zafarul-Mulk Alawi. Collaborating with these eminent figures further enriched Islahi’s writings. Approximately a year later, he parted ways with “Al-Naazir”. (Reference: Mahnama Chiragh-e-Rah, July 1950, Page 17, Written by Ibn Anwar)
The possible reason behind this departure was that he had joined another weekly newspaper.
Islahi’s Association with Weekly “Sach”
Amin Ahsan’s third employment in the realm of journalism includes his involvement in the editorial board of the weekly “Sach.” This weekly was initiated by Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi in 1925, and Maulana Abdul Rahman Nagrami was also part of it. It is likely that Amin Ahsan joined “Sach” on the advice of the latter. Dr. Abdul Salam Khursheed writes about the significance of the weekly “Sach”:
Amin Ahsan could work for Such for a few months only. Then came an incident that gave a new direction to his life. Before discussing the most significant event in Maulana’s life, it is essential to know another fact, that is, Amin Ahsan, despite completing his education at Madrasah Al-Islah and working in Bijnor to fulfill the demands of practical life, had his heart stuck elsewhere. Where was his heart stuck? The answer lies in the following letter:
Dear Sir,
I hope this letter finds you well. I have sent the reply via urgent mail as well. It should have been received by now.
I was ready to comply with your instructions immediately. However, circumstances arose that required me to wait for your response. These days, I am occupied with Quranic studies more than “Madinah” and translations. And leaving here without any local support is quite challenging. If I could delegate my responsibilities to a resident here, I could easily take leave. Unfortunately, it’s impossible for me at the moment, as perhaps none of my colleagues from the institution would be willing. Nevertheless, it’s possible that I may permanently separate and entrust my duties to someone else instead. Personally, I am willing and happy for it, provided you approve. The prospect of unemployment is regrettable for me. I can confidently say that I can offer all my worldly interests for your command and the service of the institution. The current manager considers my absence unprofitable for their interests. They consider my return impossible within a month from Rangoon and Calcutta. Therefore, there seems to be no alternative for me other than to entrust myself to your discretion.
It is my wish to have the honor of your assistance and service on this journey. It is a source of great blessing for me. I await your response eagerly. Please inform me of your final decision. I am ready to serve regardless.
Warm regards Amin
This letter was written by Amin Ahsan in response to a correspondence. In detail, it explains that there were financial difficulties at Madrasah Al-Islah. It was the post-World War I era, which was a time of global crisis. In light of this situation, the institution’s administration decided to send a delegation to Burma (present-day Myanmar) to acquire resources. For this purpose, a delegation was formed, and according to their discretion, Amin Ahsan’s name was included in it along with Imam Farahi. Therefore, Imam Farahi wrote a letter inviting Amin Ahsan to be part of this delegation. Amin Ahsan’s selection signifies that he was highly regarded in the eyes of his superiors, and there were high expectations from him for the advancement of the institution. His selection as a companion in foreign travel also demonstrates the intimacy between the teacher and the student.
As evident from the response, Amin Ahsan replied to this letter on the same day through telegram, expressing his readiness in a passionate manner and informing that he will soon request a month- long leave from the newspaper administration. If the request is not accepted, he will ask for permission to terminate his job and come to Azamgarh. When he did not receive any response to his telegram, he wrote this letter.
From this letter, he conveyed the news that despite not receiving approval for leave, he was granted permission to resign from his job. This indicates how much reliance was placed on the young Amin Ahsan in the newspaper and that there was no one comparable to him. It can also be inferred from Imam Farahi’s reference that he did not implicate Amin Ahsan in any difficulty and likely conveyed a message of goodwill regarding his resignation. Therefore, Dr. Sharafuddin states that he left for Burma with a local landowner, Haji Hasan Ali, and another student.
The contents of the letter also indicate that Amin Ahsan had a profound connection with the Quran. Undoubtedly, this connection would have persisted during his employment elsewhere. The expression of Amin Ahsan’s connection with the Quran in this letter, along with his apparent disenchantment with employment and a strong desire for affiliation with the institution, reflects a backdrop that brought him to a significant turning point in life.
Imam Farahi’s Offer
When Amin Ahsan was working at the “Sach” newspaper, he visited the Azamgarh Madrasa for a personal task. There, Imam Farahi asked him:
“Will you continue working as a journalist or will you study the Quran with us?”
The response to this historical question was narrated by respected teacher Mr. Javed Ahmad Ghamdi as follows:
“In 1925, Imam Farahi stood with him in a corner of his house and asked: ‘Amin Ahsan, will you continue working as a journalist, or will you study the Quran with us? He reports: I was an editor for a newspaper and was working on a prestigious project that time. However, without any hesitation, I said: ‘I will study the Quran with you.’ Imam Farahi gestured towards a room in his residence and said: ‘You will stay here.’ After resigning from the editorship, I moved to his room to stay and lead a student’s life again.’ Later, Maulana Syed Sulaiman Nadwi recommended his name for a professorship at a college, and promised to the authorities that he would persuade Islahi to join the college. When Amin Ahsan was informed, he arrived at Darul Musannifeen in the scorching sun and said to Maulana Syed: ‘Thank you for recommending me, but I regret that I cannot accept this proposal. I cannot leave Imam Farahi at this age. He reports that Maulana Syed was completely astonished. He could not imagine that a poor student would reject such a significant proposal in this manner. Later, while delivering a speech at Nadwah, he mentioned the incident enthusiastically saying, ‘Look, students can also be like this.’ Anyway, I left after saying this, but I was concerned that if Imam came to Darul Musannifeenin those days, Maulana Syed might talk to him and he might promise to send me there. His face expressed a strange sense of pride when he mentioned that later, he learned that Imam Farahi had gone there, and Maulana Syed spoke to him too, but he clearly said, ‘Why are you running after Amin Ahsan? For whom am I making all this effort?'”
To be continued…