Allama Abd al-Hayy Lucknowi

Allama Abd al-Hayy Lucknowi: A True Successor of the Farangi Mahalli Tradition

The scholars of the Farangi Mahall were undoubtedly great Fuqaha and Jurists.

Among the esteemed scholars who were spiritual successors of the Farangi Mahalli tradition was Allama Abd al-Hayy Lucknowi.

He was a direct inheritor of the Farangi Mahalli tradition. This is evident from his lineage, his chain of teachers, and the 109 books he wrote. Among all his books, there are four specific ones, each focusing on a separate discipline. 

It is often remarked that If he had only written these four and nothing else, it would have sufficed to demonstrate his literary and scholarly merit. Interestingly, these included Misbah al-Duja (a super-commentary on Ghulam Yahya on Mir Zahid's ‘Risala Qutbiya)’ which itself falls within the Maqulat/Kalam tradition.

Two other remarkable works of his in Islamic Theology are: a super-commentary on the ‘Hawashi al-Khiyaliyya ala Sharh al-Aqa'id’, as well as his own super-commentary on ‘Sharh al-Aqa'id al-Nasafiyyah’.

The following quote by Dr. Wali al-Din Nadwi is noteworthy:

"Despite being occupied with religious sciences, the Imam did not neglect rational sciences. He was prominent in them, able to teach and simplify complex subjects for students due to his broad and diverse knowledge." 

[Nadwi, Al-Imam Abd al-Hayy: Allamat al-Hind wa Imam al-muhadithin wa-l Fuqaha, (Beirut: Dar al-Qalam, 1995), page 157]

Dr. Wali al-Din Nadwi further notes,

"His works in this field amounted to twenty-five books." [ibid.]

Khairabadi Institute hopes to delve deeper into the literary excellence of Allama Abd al-Hayy Lucknowi & other Farangi Mahallis in the near future for the benefit of seekers.

For more, watch from 1:00:00 for more details on both the Juristic and Kalamic tendencies of the Farangi Mahalli Ulama in the following podcast: https://youtube.com/watch?v=X4S68x8SfBQ&t=3625s…