1) Mut’ala-e-Barelwiyyat (Study on the Barelvi's) - this is the most definitive work on the history and beliefs of the Barelvi's from the Indian subcontinent. It is in 5 volumes and contains some 2000 pages of information and rebuttal's of Barelvism, its leaders, allegations and beliefs. It is by Maulana Dr Khalid Mahmud (MA PhD), Director of the Islamic Academy, Manchester, England. Published in Urdu by Darul Ma'arif, Urdu Bazar, Lahore. 2) Al-Shihab al-Thaqib ala'l mustariq al-Kadhib in 3 volumes by the Shaykh al-Islam of the Deobandi's in his time, Maulana Sayyid Husayn Ahmad al-Madani (d. 1957 CE) against Ahmad Rida and his allegations etc. It has been published by Anjuman Irshad al-Muslimin, Shadab Colony, Hameed Nizami Road, Lahore, Pakistan (this publisher and distributor is a stockist of many works in reply to Barelvi's as will be seen below). He was a contemporary to Ahmed Rida Khan and was in the holy city of Medina al-Munawwara when Rida Khan came to convince the Ulama of Makkah and Madinah, that 4 of the Ulama of Deoband were unbelievers. The book written by Ahmed Rida was Husam al-Haramayn in the early 1900's. This book was the real initiator to the Deobandi-Barelvi conflict of the last 100 years. Had this book not been written and signed albeit via his deception of the Ulama of Hijaz, may be the conflict between both sides may never have gone to such a deep extent. Allahu a'lam. Sayyid Husayn Ahmad gave the definitive Deobandi reply to the allegations made by Rida Khan, and the Sayyid was then in contact with a number of the Hijazi Ulama who had initially signed the Barelvi fatwa. A number of these Ulama later retracted their signatures and found in favour of the Ulama of Deoband. The events behind this will be mentioned soon from the pen of Sayyid Husayn Ahmad himself if Allah wills, in another article with full names of those who signed against Rida Khan. 3) Al-Muhannad ala'l Mufannad, (also known as al-Tasdeeqat li-Dafa al-Talbeesat), and is usually known commonly as: Aqeeda Ulama Ahl-e-Sunnat Deoband, by the great Muhaddith and commentator of Sunan Abu Dawud, Maulana Khalil Ahmad al-Sahranpuri (d. 1346 AH) in 20 large volumes. This book contains some 26 questions asked by the Ulama of Hijaz to the Ulama of Deoband with regard to questions that could be used to detect if the Deobandi's were non-Sunni's or "Wahhabi's". All the answers prove that the Deobandi's are from Ahl-us-Sunnah, and it contains the testification of some 24 early Deobandi Ulama, followed by the attestation of some 36 later Ulama from the Indian subcontinent. The most important thing to bear in mind is the signatures from the Ulama of Makkah, Madina, al-Azhar and Syria - who also wrote short letters to declare in praiseworthy terms that the Deobandi's are true Sunni's, and the allegations made by the Barelvi's holds no weight in their scholarly eye's. There are some 46 names from this latter list alone!We have listed 34 Ulama previously in an article on Shaykh Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki from Makkah. He has this book al-Muhannad - for he himself quoted a whole Fatwa from it and mentioned the names of most of the Ulama who signed it from Hijaz etc. This same Fatwa was translated and reproduced in Shaykh Hisham al-Kabbani's Encyclopaedia of Islamic Doctrine (vol. 3). This book is available from us if anyone is interested in a photocopy for a small remuneration, or it may be bought directly from: i) Idara Islamiyyat, 190 Anarkali, Lahore 2, ii) Idaratul-Ma'arif, Darul Ulum, Karachi 14, iii) Darul-Ishaat, Urdu Bazar, Karachi 1 and iv) Maktaba Darul Ulum, Karachi 14 - Pakistan. NOTE: Shaykh Muhammad Alawi al-Makki did not list all the Ulama of Makkah, Madina, al-Azhar and Syria who wrote commendations to vindicate the Ulama of Deoband from the allegations made by Barelvi's. We shall reproduce the full list soon, insha'Allah, with full references.What can be concluded is that the Ulama from Makkah, Madina, al-Azhar and Syria all admired Darul-Ulum Deoband and its scholars. Please read below what Rida Khan had to say about the Deobandi's and their admirers, which therefore included all these late Ulama, and in our times, this includes the late Shaykh Abdal Fattah Abu Ghuddah and the currently living Shaykh Muhammad Alawi al-Makki.Ahmad Rida Khan said: "If anyone admires Darul Ulum Deoband, or does not believe in the corruption of the Deobandi's and does not scorn them, THEN THIS IS SUFFICIENT TO MAKE A JUDGEMENT FOR HIM TO BE A NON-MUSLIM!" (Fatawa Ridwiyya, 6/43 of Rida Khan). A Barelvi by the name of Didar Ali declared in his Tafsir Mizan al-Adyan (2/270): "The Deobandi's are heretics and straying. They are the most wicked of all the creatures of Allah!!" (I say doesn't this mean that this Barelvi believed that Deobandi's are worse than all the wicked groups of unbelievers, even the animals and Shaytan himself? What kind of person could say such a thing - please decide for yourself?!) Rida Khan in his Malfuzat (pp. 325-6) said: "IF THERE IS A GATHERING OF HINDU'S, CHRISTIANS, QADIYANI'S AND DEOBANDI'S, THE DEOBANDI'S ALONE SHOULD BE REJECTED, FOR THEY HAVE COME OUT OF THE FOLD OF ISLAM AND DEFECTED FROM IT. AGREEMENT WITH THE UNBELIEVERS IS FAR BETTER THAN THE AGREEMENT WITH THE APOSTATES!!" Let us finish off with one more quote from Rida Khan: "THE WORKS OF THE DEOBANDI'S ARE MORE UNCLEAN THAN THE VARIOUS WORKS OF THE HINDU'S. THE DOUBT ABOUT THE HERESY OF ASHRAF ALI DEOBANDI AND SUSPICION ABOUT HIS PUNISHMENT IS ALSO UNBELIEF. TO CLEANSE THE IMPURITY WITH THE PAPERS OF THE WORKS PRODUCED BY THE DEOBANDI'S IS NOT LAWFUL, NOT BECAUSE OF THE RESPECT FOR THEIR BOOKS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE REVERENCE OF THE LETTERS WITH WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN WRITTEN." (Fatawa Ridwiyya, 2/136, Faisalabad, Pakistan). Needless to say, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi al-Deobandi was cleared by the Ulama of Hijaz, al-Azhar and Syria. We wonder what today's Barelvi's have to say about these shocking quotes from Rida Khan and his disciple Didar Ali - which ultimately also apply to all those we have mentioned above and below, be it from Hijaz, al-Azhar or Syria. PART TWO Important note: Questions 19, 20, 22, 23, 24 and 25 contain specific replies to Rida Khan's allegations made in his Husam al-Haramayn. The answers given were verified by all the Ulama who signed this book - and thus Rida Khan was found guilty of deception and the 4 Deobandi Ulama that Rida Khan declared to be Kaafirs, were all exonerated. Readers should never forget the Hadith about calling one's fellow Muslim a Kafir, and how it rebounds on its originator if it doesn't actually apply to the one that it was directed at by the director (Rida Khan in this case) of such accusations. May Allah save us from the Kharijite principle of Takfir.Please ask yourself who was right: Some 46 Ulama who signed al-Muhannad ala'l Mufannad from Makkah, Madina, Azhar and Syria, (plus some 60 Ulama of Hind and Pakistan) - or was it the one-man campaign of Rida Khan? 4) Ghayatul Ma'mul fi Ilm Ghayb al-Rasul by the Mufti of the Shafi'is in Madinah in his time, Shaykh Ahmad al-Barzanji. This book was written in refutation of Ahmad Rida Khan's views on Ilm al-Ghayb (Knowledge of the Unseen) possessed by the Holy Prophet - sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. Here are some quotes from this book.On page 28, Shaykh Barzanji said that Rida Khan was: "One who stuck to his deviant beliefs because of his stubbornness and animosity..."Also on the same page: "(He) acknowledges himself to be a scholar, whereas the thing he claims for himself (ilm) was never given to him....""His ta'weel and tahreef (interpretation and wilful changing of the truth) is an example of extreme treachery and obvious ignorance..""He (Rida Khan) is an ignoramus..."These statements were conferred also by the following Ulama:i) Shaykh Abdal Qadir Tawfiq al-Shalabi al-Tarablusi al-Hanafi, who later resided in Madina al-Munawwara. He added on page 33 that Rida Khan was a "quarrel monger" and his (Rida Khan): "Beliefs are a pile of lies, false allegations and completely against religious teachings..."ii) Shaykh Fatih al-Tahiri, Muhaddith and Faqih of the Maliki's declared Rida Khan to be: "One who strives to create dissension...." and: "Is one of those people who follow their low bestial desires and whatever Shaytan pours in their heart...." The following Ulama conferred and agreed upon the rebuttal of Shaykh Barzanji against Rida Khan: i) Mufti Tajuddin Ilyas al-Hanafiii) Shaykh Muhammad Sa'eed al-Dalailiii) Sayyid Abbas Ridwaniv) Shaykh Umar al-Hamdanv) Shaykh Khalil al-KharbutiThe background to the compilation of Ghayatul Ma'mul has been mentioned in the biography of Shaykh Husayn Ahmad al-Madani, known as Cherag-e-Muhammad by his disciple: Maulana Muhammad Zahidul Husayni. Details to follow insha'Allah. OTHER BOOKS IN REPLY TO ERRONEOUS CLAIMS ONILM AL-GHAYB MADE BY BARELVI'S 5) Al-Sahm al-Ghayb fi kabd Ahlul Rayb by al-Shaykh al-Sayyid Muhammad Anwar Shah al-Kashmiri (d. 1352 AH). This work was mentioned by the late Shaykh Abdal Fattah Abu Ghudda in his editing of Shaykh al-Kashmiri's book: al-Tasreeh bima Tawatur fi nuzul al-Masih (p. 30). It was written in Persian and Shaykh Abdal Fattah mentioned that it was written against the Barelvi's. Shaykh Abdal Fattah declared Shaykh al-Kashmiri to be the Imam of His Age (Imam al-Asr). 6) Izalatul Rayb an Aqeeda Ilm al-Ghayb by Maulana Abu Zahid Muhammad Sarfraz Khan, Shaykhul-Hadith in Madrasa Nusratul-Ulum, Gujranwala, Pakistan. This book was written originally in 1959, and published by Maktaba Safdaria again in 1994. It is in 536 pages and it is a mine of quotes and explanations from classical books of Hadith and aqeedah; and it contains extensive replies to the Barelvi's on this delicate issue. Amongst the extensive replies to Barelvi's in this book, mention may be made of his rebuttals to Rida Khan, Ahmad Yar Khan (especially a refutation from passages in his Ja'al Haqq) and especially Muhammad Umar. This book although in Urdu contains all the documentary proofs in Arabic also - it is very thorough and advisable for all who wish to know this issue in full depth. A REPLY TO AHMAD RIDA KHAN'S HUSAM AL-HARAMAYN AND A LIST OF HIJAZI ULAMA WHO LATER CONDEMNED IT AND VINDICATED FOUR DEOBANDI ULAMA 7) Aqaid Ulama-e-Deoband aur Husamul-Haramayn ka mukammil Jawab by 3 of the greatest Deobandi Ulama: Shaykh Khalil Ahmad al-Sahranpuri, al-Sayyid Husayn Ahmad al-Madani and Shaykh Muhammad Manzur Nu'mani who died a few years ago. This book is a refutation of the book that initiated the Barelvi onslaught against the Ulama of Deoband, known as Husamul-Haramayn. Rida Khan claimed in this book that 4 Ulama of Deoband had become unbelievers for alleged beliefs in their various works and in doing so he took his campaign all the way to Makkah and Madinah to attach signatures to this book from its Ulama.When the book: Husam al-Haramayn was later refuted, and the reality of the true beliefs of these 4 Deobandi Ulama was explained and cleared in various works (like al-Muhannad ala'l Mufannad listed above), a number of these Ulama of Hijaz later retracted their signatures and sided with the Ulama of Deoband. The Barelvi's never usually mentions this point, and this act in itself is a clear distancing and rebuttal from Ahmad Rida Khan's allegations. This book has been published in 328 pages by Darul-Ishaat, Urdu Bazar, Karachi, Pakistan. PART THREE In the book Cherag-e-Muhammad (p. 96) by Shaykh Zahidul Husayni, Maulana Sayyid Husayn Ahmad al-Madani listed the following 14 Ulama from Hijaz who later repudiated the claims made by Ahmad Rida Khan in his Husam al-Haramayn as follows:The Ulama of Makkah al-Mukarrama:1) Shaykh Abdullah Makki al-Shafi'i2) Shaykh Shu'ayb al-Maliki3) Shaykh Ahmad al-Makki4) Shaykh Abdul Jalil Effendi al-Hanafi5) Shaykh Ahmad Rashid al-Hanafi6) Shaykh Muhibuddin al-Hanafi7) Shaykh Muhammad Siddiq Afghani al-MakkiThe Ulama of Madinah al-Munawwara1) Shaykh Yasin Misri al-Shafi'i2) Shaykh Abdullah al-Nablusi3) Shaykh Abdul Hakim Bukhari al-Hanafi4) Shaykh Mullah Shankar Bukhari5) Shaykh al-Sayyid Muhammad Amin Ridwan Shafi'i6) Shaykh Effendi Ma'mun al-Bori7) Shaykh Fatih Tahiri al-Maliki NOTE: Sayyid Husayn Ahmad al-Madani lived in Madina for a number of years and had taught Sahih al-Bukhari in the Holy Prophet's (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) Mosque in Madina al-Munawwara, thus, he had first hand contact with most of the Ulama in Makkah and Madinah in those days. One of the Barelvi's claimed that Shaykh Husayn only took on the title al-Madani because he died there! In fact his biographer and disciple lists the following years that Shaykh al-Madani actually spent in Madina al-Munawwara in his Cherag-e-Muhammad (p. 73): i) From the beginning of the year 1317 AH to the end of 1318 AH (2 years)ii) From the beginning of the year 1320 AH to the end of the year 1326 AH (7 years in all)iii) From the beginning of the year 1330 AH to the end of the year 1331 AH (2 years)iv) From the beginning of the year 1332 AH to the end of the year 1335 AH (4 years) Thus, in total he spent 15 years in the holy city of Madina. Yet again a vicious lie has been vanquished. What can cause a person to lie in such a bold vain is beyond us! This lie emanated from an individual called Faqeer Khan; and even today his lie remains on their own website. So consider how insincere this person of appalling manners really is. He also claimed that his own Shaykh received the Sufi Khirqa from Shaykh Abdal Ghani al-Nablusi! I say: How can this be possible when Shaykh Abdal Ghani died over 200 years ago! THE BOOKS OF THE CHIEF DEBATER OF THE DEOBANDI'S:AL-SHAYKH AL-SAYYID MURTADA HASANAL-CHANDPURI AL-DEOBANDI (d. 1951 CE) 8) Al-Teen al-Lazib ala'l Aswad al-Kadhib (Sticking clay on the Dark Liar); a direct refutation of Ahmad Rida Khan.9) Al-Sahabul Midrar. An example of a quote from this book was given by al-Sayyid al-Mufti Abdar Rahim in his Fatawa (1/6) where an allegation was made against Shaykh Khalil Ahmad al-Sahranpuri. The quote being (p. 49) from Shaykh Khalil in reply to Ahmad Rida Khan and his followers:"I and my teachers consider such a man an unbeliever, an apostate and an accursed person who says that any creature, let alone Satan (cursed be he!), possesses more knowledge than the Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)." 10) Majmua Rasail Chandpuri, published by Anjuman Irshad al-Muslimin, Lahore, Pakistan, 1398 AH.11) Iskaat al-Mu'tadi, published by Anjuman Irshad al-Muslimin, Lahore, Pakistan, 1398 AH. 12) Tawdih al-Bayan fi Hifz al-Iman - a reply to Barelvi allegations against Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi's Hifz al-Iman, published by Anjuman Irshad al-Muslimin, Lahore, Pakistan, 1398 AH. 13) Radd al-Takfeer ala’l Fahash at-Tanzeer. This is a recent title that has been discovered, and it examines the Fitna of Takfeer (taking Muslims out of the fold of Islam) made by Rida Khan. MAULANA ASHRAF ALI THANAWI'S DEFENCE FROM BARELVI ALLEGATIONS MADE AGAINST HIS HIFZ AL-IMAN A common Barelvi allegation is that Maulana Ashraf Ali did not reply to claims made by Ahmad Rida Khan in his Husam al-Haramayn, and Tamheed-e-Iman against his Hifz al-Iman! This is far from the truth. In fact the new reprints of Hifz al-Iman contain Maulana Thanawi's full rebuttals, and the book: Al-Muhannad ala'l Mufannad also clarifies and answers the Barelvi charges further, and as we have mentioned many times before it contains the testificatory letters and signatures of the Ulama of Makkah, Madinah, al-Azhar and Syria, to refute Barelvi allegations. Maulana Thanawi wrote the following works in repudiation of Barelvi allegations, which are available along with his Hifz al-Iman, published by Anjuman Irshad al-Muslimin, Lahore, 1980 CE: 14) Bastul-Banan li-Kaffil-Lisan an Kitabi Hifz al-Iman, written in the year 1329 AH in reply to questions put to him by the above named Sayyid, Murtada Hasan from Chandpur. 15) Tagyeerul-Unwaan fi Ba'di Ibaaraati Hifz al-Iman, written in the year 1342 AH, in answer to another question put to him.NOTE: The new edition of Hifz al-Iman contains a 73 page preface and history to the Barelvi allegations made by Ahmad Rida Khan, and a rebuttal to charges made against Maulana Thanawi and others by Anwar Ahmad. PART FOUR THE BOOKS OF MAULANA MUHAMMAD MANZUR NU'MANI Maulana Muhammad Manzur Nu'mani (b. 1905 CE - 1997 CE?) was a student of Maulana Thanawi who actually met Ahmad Rida Khan in his last years. He had more than a 100 works to his credit and was the editor of the well-known Urdu journal: Al-Furqan, for over 50 years. English readers may be familiar with his refutation of Shi'ites, under the title: "Khomeini, Iranian Revolution and the Shi'ite Faith", and there is also a 4 volume work by him under the title: "Meaning and Message of the Traditions" (Hadith commentary). 16) Deoband aur Barelwi ke Ikhtilaf-i-Niza par Faisalakun Munazarah (Sanbhal, 1966). This work provides a written debate giving answers in defence of Deobandi Ulama after the Barelvi's failed to appear for a debate that was due to be held in Lahore, Pakistan. 17) Fath Bareilly Ka-dil Kash Nazarah, which contains a debate between Maulana Nu'mani and Sardar Ahmad al-Barelvi 18) Sa'eeqa Asmaani, which contains another debate between Maulana Nu'mani and Rahm Ilahi al-Barelvi.Needless to say, Maulana Nu'mani was the victor in all of the debates he published to expose Barelvi allegations made against the Deobandi's. BOOKS BY OTHER AUTHORS 19) Targheem Hizb al-Shaytan Tabsweeb Hifz al-Iman by Shaykh Abul Rida Muhammad Ataullah Qasimi Bihari, printed by Anjuman Irshad al-Muslimin, Lahore, 1399 AH. This contains further replies to Barelvi allegations made against Maulana Thanawi's Hifz al-Iman. 20) Nusrat Asmaani bir-Firqa Rida Khani - This book contains a debate between Maulana Abdal Shakr and Fakhr Ala-Abaadi al-Barelvi and others.21) 'Ibarat-e-Akaabir, by Shaykh al-Hadith Muhammad Sarfraz Khan, printed by Madrasa Nusratul-Ulum, Gujranwala, Pakistan 22) Muballigh Wahhabiyya Ka-karez - This book contains a debate between Maulana Nur Muhammad Nanautwi and Ubayd al-Rida Muhammad Hashmat Ali Khan al-Barelvi. 23) Barelwi Fitna Ka-Nayaroop, by Maulana Muhammad Arif Sanbahli Nadwi, published by Kutub Khana al-Furqan, Lucknow, India. 24) Al-Barelwiyya: Aqaid wa Ta'reekh (The Barelvi's: Beliefs and History), by the late Shaykh Ihsan Ilahi Zaheer, 1984, 253 pages, published by Idara Tarjuman al-Sunnah, 475 Shadman Colony, Lahore, Pakistan. This book contains a lengthy preface by the late Maliki Qadi and personal friend of Shaykh Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki, and he is Shaykh Atiyya Muhammad Salim al-Madani (died July 1999, he used to give lecture's in Masjid al-Nabawi). Shaykh Ihsan was killed by a bomb explosion while delivering a speech in Pakistan. He is well known for his bold refutations against the Shi'ites, Qadiyani's and Bahai's also.25) Fatawa Rahimiyah by al-Mufti al-Sayyid Abdur Rahim al-Qadri al-Lajpuri. In various parts of his Fatawa collection the learned Mufti has replied to a number of Barelvi allegations and practices (see Vol. 1/pp. 2-13, pp. 47-52, pp. 55-65, pp. 334-7, Vol. 2/pp. 204-208, pp. 240-246, pp. 247-250, pp. 270-271, pp. 272-274, pp. 278-281, Vol. 3/pp. 1-3 and other places). 26) Ikhtilaf-e-Ummat aur Sirat-e-Mustaqim, by Maulana Muhammad Yusuf al-Ludhianvi from Pakistan. This book is in 472 pages and it contains a large section on Deobandi-Barelvi differences. A partial English translation has been printed with the title: "Differences in the Ummah and the Straight Path", (translated by Maulana Zahier Ahmed from South Africa). It has been published by Zam Zam Publishers, Karachi, Pakistan in English, and by Maktaba Madania, Urdu Bazar, Lahore, Pakistan in Urdu. If any further titles are forthcoming the list will be updated if Allah wills.