Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi and Mr Jinnah

[leo]

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi and Mr Jinnah


Had to chance to go through an article in urdu couple of day ago in which the author mentions about the relations of Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi and Mr Jinnah during pre - partition era:-




During independence movement, a stage came when Maulana ashraf ali thanwi realized that after the departure of British, Muslims would be governed by the leaders who had acquired western education. So therefore he decided to impart religious training to those leaders and oranised a delegation, which was headed by maulana murtaza hassan. The other members were maulana shabbir ali thanwi, maulana abdul jabbar, maulana abdul ghani, maulana husnain moazzam and maulana zafar ahmad usmani. Maulana shabbir ahmad usmani and maulana zafar ahmad usmani were real brothers and nephews of maulana ashraf ali thanwi. In December 1938, the annual meeting of muslim league was planned. The delegation reached patna except maulana shabbir ahmad usmani, who couldn’t join due to the illness of his mother. The delegation of scholars wanted to meet mr jinnah prior to the meeting of muslim league, which was granted to them.

The meeting of scholars with mr jinnah lasted for an hour. The scholars inquired from mr jinnah about his religious obligations. Mr jinnah admitted about his weaknesses and promised to rectify himself. This was due to the influence of maulana ashraf ali thanwi, otherwise mr jinnah was not a person to be influenced by others so easily. Mr jinnah also confessed that he was a sinful person and promised to offer his prayers. The scholars also attended the annual meeting of muslim league in which they advised the members of muslim league to adopt Islamic ways and means in the light of instructions given by maulana ashraf ali thanwi.

Next year, another meeting of scholars with mr jinnah was held in which he stated that he understood the importance of religion, which can not be separated from politics. Infact politics was subservient to religion. This meeting was also attended by Mufti muhammd shafi ( father of mufti taqi usmani). The representatives of maulana ashraf ali thanwi kept meting with mr jinnah till May 1947, while ensuring his religious grooming, which resulted into a firm relationship of mr jinnah with maulana ashraf ali thanwi and his family.

According to maulana zafar ahmad usmani, at one occasion, it was mentioned before mr jinnah that number of scholars were more in Indian congress as compared to muslim league. Mr jinnah asked, who were those scholars? In reply the names of maulana hussain madni, mufti kifyat ullah and maulana abul kalam azad were mentioned. Mr jinnah replied that muslim league had a big scholar ( maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi) on its side, whose piety, status and knowledge was much more than other scholars.

[Die for Allah]

I have read some quotes from Jinnah in which he stated that the Quran would be the text by which Pakistan would be governed, but it seems to me such statements were an attempt on his part to reassure the Muslimeen and to gain support for his vision, it also seems clear that in actual fact he was a secularist through and through but he understood that he could not air his true feelings due to the backlash that would inevitably occur if his true beliefs were to become known.

[Abu'l 'Eyse]

Wasn't he a qadiyani or something like that?

[ad-Duha]

Wasn't he a qadiyani or something like that?

I don't think so somehow, I've never heard of that rumour. Qadiyani's are universally despised by any sect in Pakistan, they all happily say they are not Muslim. If he was, then its a well kept secret.

[The.Joshua.Redux]

His wife was a Zoroastrian, for sure.

[repentingslave]

Wasn't he a qadiyani or something like that?

Yes even I heard that he was Qaadiyani and also Ismaeli

[The.Joshua.Redux]

I noticed this in wikipedia about Jinnah, and was wondering if anybody can shed more light regarding this:

"Jinnah's family belonged to the Ismaili Khoja branch of Shi'a Islam."
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali_Jinnah

Was he himself a Shiia? I have heard unverified stories like, once he was asked to lead a jama'a for salaah and he declined because he said he doesn't know how to perform salaah!

If anybody can tell me more about this man, I would be interested to know.

He was from an Isma'ili (Aghakhani) family. But he officially became Ithna Ashari because the Isma'ilis are seen as such a small fringe group.

He was not very practicing.

[Abu'l 'Eyse]

I think there is ijmaa he was bruck up in aqeedah and manhaj

[The.Joshua.Redux]

rest of the thread here:
Question about Jinnah (founder of Pakistan)

[ad-Duha]

Yes even I heard that he was Qaadiyani and also Ismaeli

Its more likely the latter, he can't have been both.