History

Abul Hasanat Syed Abdullah Shah sahab Naqshbandi Quadiri popularly known as Hazrat Abdullah Shah Sahab, was one of the celeberated scholars of Islam and spiritual reformer. He is more particularly known as a Muhaddis (one who specializes in Hadith literature), honorifically as Muhaddis-e Daccan (the Muhaddis of Daccan) in the Islamic Circles of knowledge all over the world. A prolific writer of Islamic Sciences, he wrote extensively on Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) and compiled his best-known work Zujajat al-Masabih in five-volumes. A unique and comprehensive collection of Hadiths(Ahadees) pertaining to the Hanafi School of Law, the book is considered a magnum opus in Hadith and Fiqh literature. An erudite Mufassir (Qur’anic exegite) and expounder of other Islamic religious texts, he was more importantly one of the most celebrated Sufis produced by India in the 20th century. He is popularly considered to be one of the Saint scholars among the masses of South India, particularly, Hyderabad.The Hazrat syed Abdullah shah sahib R.A was born in Husaini ‘Alam, Hyderabad, on 10th of Zi’l Hijjah, 1292(A.H) or 6th of February 1872 (A.D). His father was Mawlana Syed Muzaffar Husain Ibn Syed Yaqub of Naldrug. Since the migration of his ancestor, Hazrat Syed Ali, this family has been the recipient of land grant from Adil Shah I, the ruler of Bijapur. The daughter of Hazrat Gul Badshah was his mother.

In keeping with the traditions of the then society, this young hazrat syed Abdullah shah sahib didn’t attend any formal school for his education and training. He received his elementary education and lessons in Persian from his father; Logic and philosophy from Mawlana Mansur Ali Khan; the Qur’anic sciences and other subjects from Shaykh al-Islam Hafiz Anwarulla Khan Faruqi R.A., the founder of Jamia Nizamia, jurisprudence from Maolana Habibur Rahman Saharanpuri, and the science of Hadith and literature from Maolana Hakim Abdur Rahman Saharanpuri.

At first Hazrat syed Abdullah Shah R.A became the disciple of Hazrat Miskin Shah R.A a famous Sufi of Hyderabad,A.P, India.

Later, on the death of the latter, he approached Hazrath Syed Muhammad Badshah Bukhari R.A, popularly known as Bukhari Shah Sahib, who was a renowned spiritual personality of that time. The latter practiced both the Quadiria and the Naqshbandia Sufi Tariqahs or paths.

So long as his spiritual mentor was alive, whatever the climate would be, he would see him on daily basis walking about 4 miles to serve him in his mid-night special ritual prayers, the Tahajjud, assisting his spiritual master in performing the ablution and other prayer rituals. This practice went on for about 20 years until the death of Syed Badshah Bukhari R.A. During the life-time of his spiritual master, Hazrat Abdullah Shah did not like to have his own spiritual disciples Murids. The number of disciples Murids in his own life time, however, reached in hundreds and thousands. He consistently followed the Hanafi school of jurisprudence and the practices of his spiritual master by initiating his disciples both in the Quadria and Naqshbandia Orders.

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