Syed Ata ullah shah bukhari

Syed Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari (September 23, 1892 - August 21, 1961),  was a Muslim Pakistani scholar, religious and senior political leader from the Indian subcontinent. He was one of the Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam's founding members. His biographer, Agha Shorish Kashmiri, states that Bukhari's greatest contribution had been his germination of strong anti-British feelings among the Indian Muslims.

Birth and education

Born in Patna, British India, in 1892, he received his early religious education in Gujrat (گجرات ناگڑیاں شریف) and learned the Qur'an by heart from his father Hafiz Syed Ziauddin at the age of 10 years. He migrated to Amritsar in 1914 when he was 22 years old. He completed his early education here by subscribing to a purist view of Islam, and remained associated with the Deoband School in Saharanpur district. He believed in traditional Islamic, madrasa-based learning, and considered ‘teaching of English’ as irreligious; a commonly held view amongst his contemporary Muslims. Bukhari began his career as a religious preacher in a small mosque in Amritsar, and taught the Quran for the next 40 years. He became one of the best reciters of the Qur'an of his time. He shared friendship with a section of socialists and communists but did not accept their ideology completely, as to him the ultimate and only guide was the Quran and not materialism. He was ‘imbued with a brilliant exposition of romantic socialism, and led Muslims to a restlessness activism’. He studied the Sahih Bukhari in jail when he was imprisoned for an anti-government religious speech.

Religious and political career

He started his religious and political career in 1916. His speeches were entertaining, eloquent, lucid and full of witty anecdotes and stories from Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Punjabi, and Multani. He graphically portrayed the sorrows and sufferings of the poor, and would promise his audience that the end of their sufferings would come about with the end of British rule. He was an exceptional leader who traveled across the length and breadth of the country yet never made any statements to the press. He had been greatly influenced by the Jallianwalla Bagh tragedy of 1919, which had intensified rebellious feelings within him, like many other of his generation. He delivered a stirring speech at the Khilafat Conference held at Amritsar in December 1919. As the first step of his political career, he began to participate in the movements of the Indian National Congress in 1921 from Kolkata and here again he delivered a very impressive and impassioned speech. Soon his popularity soared high, and turned him into a known leader, though he was arrested on 27 March 1921 because of that speech. Bukhari believed in attaining independence through non-violent and constitutional means, and as an active Indian National Congress member, toured the country, often purporting to be an emissary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He combined his politics with missionary zeal, and followed the injunctions of Quran as a devotee throughout his life. He became an eyesore to the administration, and an official view about him said:

''Ata Ullah Shah is a man, who it is better to lock up in jail, away from Congress leaders than to parley with. He has spent a considerable part of his life preaching sedition. He is an amusing speaker, who can influence a crowd.'' His influence on a future generation of speakers and writers was immense, as was borne out by Agha Shorish Kashmiri, his colleague and biographer, who himself turned out to be an activist of versatile dimensions and emulated Bukhari's style of oratory and writings. After Nehru report Bukhari created All India Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam with Maulana Mazhar Ali Azhar, Chaudhry Afzal Haq, Maulana Habib-ur-Rehman Ludhianvi, Sheikh Hissam-ud-Din, Master Taj-uj-Din Ansari, Maulana Dawood Ghaznavi and Maulana Zafar Ali Khan in December 29, 1929. Due to his significant role in this movement the important religious figures choose him as the Ameer-e-Shariat in 1930. He was also the founding father of Majlis-e-Ahrar, Indian nationalist Muslim political movement in India. He led a movement against Qadianis and held a ''Ahrar Tableegh Conference'' at Qadian in 21–23 of October 1934. Bukhari was a central figure in the Khatme Nabuwwat Movement of 1953, which demanded that government of Pakistan declare the Qadianis as non-Muslims.

Oratory and poetry

He became known for his Oratory. He was also a poet and most of his poetry was in Persian. His poetic verses was compiled by his eldest son Syed Abuzar Bukhari in 1956 under the name of ''Sawati-ul-ilham''.

Death

Bukhari died on August 21, 1961. A crowd of above 200,000 (two lac people) attended his ''Namaz-e-Janazah'' (funeral prayer) in Multan.

The Historic Sermon of Prophet Muhammad(SAW)

The Historic Sermon of Prophet Muhammad(SAW)
This sermon was delivered on the Ninth Day of Dhul-Hijjah 10 A.H. in the 'Uranah valley of Mount Arafat' in Mecca.
After praising and thanking Allah the Prophet (saws) said:

"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore, listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds. Allah has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has Judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas Ibn 'Abd'al Muttalib (the deceased prophet's uncle) shall henceforth be waived.

Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right, then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.

O People, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white - except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

Remember, one day you will appear before Allah and answer your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

People, no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Quran and my example, the Sunnah (Hadith), and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O Allah, that I have conveyed your message to your people."