Imām Aḥmad Riḍā Khān al‑Baraylawī
رضی اللہ عنه10 Shawwāl 1272 — 25 Ṣafar 1340 AH · 1856 – 1921 CE
Ábd al‑Muṣṭafā · Slave of the Chosen One
His love for the Prophet ﷺ was immense — a fact acknowledged even by those who opposed him. Following the example of great men like Sayyidunā ʿUmar, who described himself as the slave of the Prophet ﷺ, Alahazrat would sign his name thus, and had it engraved upon his own seal.
Engraved on his personal seal
The Life
From a first complete reading of the Qurʾān at the age of four, to becoming Muftī before the age of fourteen, to a lifetime of scholarship, verdicts and devotional poetry — the milestones of Alahazrat's life, in order.
Knowledge
Ṣalām
Perhaps the most widely recited ode in praise of the Prophet ﷺ after the Burdah of Imām Būṣīrī — Muṣṭafā Jān‑e‑Raḥmat pe Lākhoṅ Salām is one of his lengthiest poems, and in verse form serves almost as a Shamāʾil — a portrait of the Prophet's ﷺ noble character.
1330 AH / 1912 CE
Simple, yet stylistic and beautiful — Kanz is among the most accurate translations of the Qurʾān into Urdu, conforming to classical tafāsīr and faithfully portraying the creed of Ahl al‑Sunnah, especially on abstruse verses. Almost a word‑for‑word translation, it still renders figurative expressions and Arabic idioms with skill and grace.
Fatāwā Riḍawiyyah
Number of Known Works
From jurisprudence and Qurʾānic sciences to astronomy, algebra and the calculation of prayer times — his output spans the religious and the rational sciences alike.
Major Works
Teachers