Prominent Scholar and Mufti-e-Azam Pakistan Mufti Muhammad Rafi Usmani Departs
By Dr A. Khan
Chicago, IL
Mufti-e-Azam Pakistan and Head of Darul Uloom, Karachi, Mufti Muhammad Rafi Usmani sahib, passed away after a prolonged ailment, on November 18, 2022, in Karachi. His funeral prayers were led by his younger brother — Mufti Taqi Usmani sahib — at Darul Uloom, Karachi, on November 20, 2022.
Mufti Muhammad Rafi Usmani sahib was born on July 21, 1936, in Deoband, British India. Renowned scholar Ashraf Thanwi named him Muhammad Rafi. His father Muhammad Shafi Deobandi was the Mufti Azam of Darul Uloom, Deoband, and was one of the key pioneers of the Pakistan movement.
He started memorization (Hifz) of the Qur’an at Darul Uloom, Deoband. He migrated to Pakistan on May 1, 1948, and completed his Hifz-e-Qur’an at Babul Islam, Aram Bagh, Karachi. He was an alumnus of Darul Uloom Deoband, (Hifz-e-Qur’an) University of Punjab, Lahore (Munshi Fazil and Molvi Fazil,1958-59) and Darul Uloom, Karachi (Dars-e-Nizami, Ifta, 1960).
Mufti Rafi Usmani sahib had the unique distinction of learning hadith by famous scholars: Sahih Bukhari (Rashid Ahmed Ludhianvi), Sahih Muslim (Akbar Ali Saharanpuri and Muwatta Imam Muhammed), Sunan Nasai (Sahban Mehmood), Sunan Abu Dawood (Ri’a’yattullah) and Jami al-Tirmidhi (Saleemullah Khan). He was accredited to propagate Hadith by a group of scholars which included Hasan bin Muhammed al-Musyath, Muhammed Idris Kandhlawi, Muhammed Shafi Deobandi, Muhammed Yayyib Qasmi, Muhammed Zakariyya Kandlawi, and Zafar Ahmad Usmani.
During the 1960s Mufti Rafi Usmani sahib taught courses in Hadith, Ifta and Dars-e-Nizami programs, and trained young scholars in Islamic jurisprudence. He was the 3 rd President (1986-2022) and 2 nd Mufti (1976-2022) of Darul Uloom, Karachi — which was founded by his father Mufti Muhammad Shafi Deobandi sahib. He also served as the syndicate member of the University of Karachi, and NED University, Karachi, vice president and member of the executive council for Wifaq-ul-Madaris (2017-2021), member of All Pakistan Ulema Council, Council of Islamic Ideology, Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, Zakat council of the Government of Sindh, and advisor to the Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Mufti Rafi Usmani sahib was a prolific writer. He penned articles for Darul Uloom’s monthly magazine Al-Balagh, and Urdu newspaper daily Jang. He has authored more than 27 books in Arabic and Urdu which are being used for Dars-e-Nizami curricula by many Madaris in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, South Africa, UK, and USA. Some of his prominent works include: Ahkam-e-Zakat (Rulings Pertaining to Zakat), Alamat-e-qiyamat aur nuzul-e-Masiḥ (Signs of the End Times and the Descent of the Masih), Europe kay Teen mua'ashe nizam, jaghirdari, sarmayadari, ishtirakiyat aur unka Tareekhee pas-e-manzar (Also published in English under the title The three systems of economics in Europe: feudalism, capitalism, socialism and their historical background), Islam may aurat key hukumrani (Female leadership in Islam), Ḥayat-e Mufti-e-Azam (Life of the Grand Mufti — A Biography of Muhammad Shafi Deobandi), Kitabat-e-Hadees ahd-e-risalat o ahd-e-sahabah may (The writing of Hadith in the era of the Prophet [SAW] and his companions), and Maray murshid Ḥaẓrat-e-Arifi (My Mentor: Hazrat Arifi, life and works of Abdul Hai Arifi).
Mufti Muhammad Rafi Usmani sahib was a great scholar, his demise is a huge loss to the Muslims all over the globe. May Allah SWT bless his soul and assign him one of the highest stations in Janet-ul-Firdous. Ameen.
