His Exalted Eminence Maulana Muhammad Abdul Aleem Siqqidi Al-Qadri R.A (1892-1954)
Every religion and great ideology has in every age a great exponent who personifies in a distinguished manner the cause they cherish and reflect certain ideals with such clarity and resonance that it forces humanity to reflect on its very existence. One such great personality of recent times was His Eminence Maulana Muhammad Abdul Aleem Siddiqui Al-Qadri (R.A). Even today one cannot help but marvel at the relevance of the teachings and writings of this scholar and spiritual master.
His father, Hazrat Maulana Abdul Hakim Siddiqui Qadri [RA]
was a great ‘alim, poet and Sufi master and a descendent of the first Caliph of
Islam Sayyidina Abu Bakr Siddiqui [RA], taught him Urdu, Persian, Arabic and
literature. At the age of nine years, the young student delivered his first
public speech of ninety minutes at the Jama Masjid of Meerat. His Eminence
Maulana Abdul Aleem Siddiqui graduated as an Islamic scholar at the age of
sixteen when he obtained a B.A. degree from the
He continued advanced Islamic studies under the guidance of the great Islamic scholar Imam-e-Ahle Sunnat Maulana Shah Ahmad Raza Khan Faazile Bareily [RA] whom His Eminence became one of his most valuable Khalifa. His Eminence acquired further knowledge in Quranic exegeses, Hadith, Tassawwuf and the four schools of Islamic Laws in Makka al-Mukarrama and Madina al-Munawwara under the care of eminent ‘ulema of his days such as Sheik Ahmad as-Shams of Morocco, Sheik as-Sannusiyya of Libya, Maulana Abdul Baqi of Ferrangi Mahal at Madina. His Eminence also studied Islamic Medicine which he used in serving ailing humanity in the many countries which he would later visit. He received Ijaaza of the Qadriyya, Chisti, Naqshbandi, Soharwardi, Idriisi and Sanusi orders.
In 1951, he toured the world preaching and propagating Islam.
He visited
His Eminence was responsible for
establishing various mosques and Islamic Centers throughout the world. Three of
the famous such institutions are the Hanafi Masjid in
During his tour of the world, he met with various western
dignitaries and had lengthy discussions with them on Islam. He met the world
renowned Irish dramatist and philosopher, George Bernard Shaw, on 17th of April
1935 during his visit to
His Eminence spent most of his remaining life traveling to the most obscure corners of the world to spread the message of Islam and imparting spiritual teachings to adherents of various sufi orders. It is said that he traversed the world seven times over and has no doubt earned the title - Mubaligh-e-Azam (The Greatest Propagator of Islam).
His Eminence passed away in Madina al-Munawwara on the 22nd August 1954/(22nd Zul-Hijjah) whilst on the hajj and is buried in Jannat-ul-Baqi at the feet of Umm-ul-Mumineen ‘Aisha Siddiqui Radi Allahu anha.