In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Very Merciful
27 June 2011
Honourable and Respected Hazrat Moulana Mufti Muhammad Taqi Uthmani Saheb (Damat Barakatuhum),
Assalamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh
I pray to Allah Ta’ala that Hazrat is blessed with complete ‘aafiyah (well-being), good health, and safety.
This humble servant has, for many years, cherished the writings of Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Shafi (Rahimahullah) and Hazrat’s own works. The reason for this enduring admiration is that they perfectly reflect the temperament and methodology of the Ulama-e-Rabbaniyyin (the righteous scholars). They embody a balanced understanding, sound scholarship, and the pure intellectual and spiritual legacy of our pious predecessors.
With utmost humility, I wish to present a request. It is not merely the desire of this insignificant servant; rather, it is the heartfelt longing of a vast number of Muslims. If this request is accepted, it will quench a deep thirst, countless seekers of knowledge will raise their hands in sincere du’a for Hazrat, and the Ummah will receive a radiant beacon of guidance. The people of knowledge, in particular, will find in it a guiding light through which they can navigate the many complexities and challenges of their lives.
The request is simply this: that Hazrat kindly write his autobiography.
Presenting examples of our illustrious elders who authored their own autobiographies before Hazrat would be akin to showing a lamp to the sun.
This humble appeal is not for the autobiography of an ordinary individual. It concerns a towering personality whose scholarly, religious, and literary contributions have left an indelible mark upon the Muslim world. Hazrat’s services to Islam have distinguished him on the global stage, and the Ummah remains deeply indebted to him. He is a personality who, by the grace of Allah Ta’ala, has accomplished single-handedly what would ordinarily require the combined efforts of an entire institution. Such an achievement is virtually unparalleled in our times.
It is possible that a few overly critical individuals—of the kind whom Hazrat has had to endure in recent years—may dismiss such an autobiography as self-promotion or unnecessary publicity. They may perceive within it traces of self-praise or exaggeration. However, there is no need to be deterred by the criticism of a small minority. Every great personality throughout history has faced detractors, and none have been spared their criticism.
On the other hand, there are countless people who would welcome such a work with gratitude and derive immeasurable benefit from it. Students of sacred knowledge, teachers, scholars, graduates of madrasas, judges, members of legislative assemblies, public servants, and ordinary Muslims—both within Pakistan and across the world—would all find in it an invaluable treasury of wisdom, life lessons, guidance, and heartfelt reminders.
May Allah Ta’ala grant Hazrat the tawfiq to fulfil this noble aspiration of the Ummah, preserve him in His special protection, and continue to make his knowledge and efforts a means of guidance for generations to come. Ameen.
Dictated by: Lowly Ahmad (may he be pardoned) Khanpuri
Servant of Darul Ifta, Jamiya Islamiya Ta’leem-ud Deen, Dabhel, Gujarat, India
[This letter forms parts of the correspondence exchanged between two eminent scholars regarding the writing of “Yaadein” (Memories), the celebrated autobiographical work of Mufti Muhammad Taqi Uthmani (Damat Barakatuhum)].
Muslims First 