Dildar Ali Naseerabadi

Ayatollah Syed Dildar Ali Naseerabadi (مولانا سيد دلدار على نصيرابادى) - also known as (غفران ماب نصيرابادى)Ghufran-Ma'ab Naseerabadi (1820-1753)was a Shia scholar of India who originated from a family of scholars from the village of Nasirabad, Raibareli, 32 km from their District Raebareli, in Uttar Pradesh, India.

The title "Ghufran Ma'ab Nasirabadi" was bestowed on him by scholars in Najaf, Iraq and means "the one who lives in heaven" due to his scholarly attributes. Among them, his most known work is "Imad-ul-Islâm", in Arabic, which is a refutation of the anti-Shia arguments used by the famous Fakhr al-Din al-Razi. He is popularly known as Ghufran Ma'ab, was the son of Seyyid Muhammad Muin bin Seyyid Abdul Hadi. It would seem that his family, like many other Seyyid families, left Nishapur (Iran) because of the Mongol invasion and settled in India. He was born in 1166 AH. He completed his early studies in India, and in 1193 AH travelled to Iraq for further studies. Among his tutors in Iraq were great Fuqaha like Shaikh Ja'far Kashiful Ghita, and Wahid Behbehani. Later, he went to Mashhad (Iran) for further studies. Seyyid Dildar AliNasirabadi , while in India, was of Akhbari persuasion, but he changed to Usuli school after his intensive studies in Iraq. Upon his return to Lucknow, he became a Marja' in India, his fatwas being regarded as final by the Shia populace. His magnum opus in Theology (IlmulKalam) is known as "ImadulIslam" which he wrote in Arabic, in refutation of antishia arguments by FakhrudDin Razi. His detailed work in FIQH is 'MUNTAHAL AFKAR'. His sons were also pious, dedicated scholars and teachers. Seyyid Dildar Ali Nasirabadi died in the night of 19th Rajab 1235 (2 May 1820), and was buried in Lucknow.

There is an Imambargah (A holy building) in his name (Imambara Ghufran Ma'ab) in the city of Lucknow and village-Nasirabad,uttar pradesh, India.

Sources record that initially Syed Dildar Ali Naqvi was of Akhbari tendency but when he travelled to Najaf, he met scholars of high repute and became an "Usooli". He then travelled back after spending a very long time in Najaf and preached the same in India. He started writing books refuting Akhbarism which led to a extremely heated debate between Akhbaris and Usoolis. He dismounted Akhbarism from its roots and Usoolism took all of the Indian Sub-continent.

Janab Baqar Shams Saheb Qibla has written in his book "Hindustan maiN shiaat ki Tareekh" (page:3)

Ayatullah Gufraan Maab was a sensitive child,who most of the time used to remain silent but he was deep sighted and was mentally very strong. He had great eloquence and was worried about the deteriorating situation of shia community in India. It is written in the books of History of Lucknow that once He was under a tree and a light luminiated a sounds roared and said "Dildar Ali go and obtain religious education". the sound repeated several times. finally he decided to go to a religious seminary.

Ayatullah ul uzma allama Ali Naqi Naqvi (Naqqan Saheb) in his magazine on gufraan Maab has mentioned that:

Gufraan Maab (A,R) travelled several cities throughout hindustan and arrived Sandela and become pupil of shareh Muslim Mulla Hamad Ullah's son Mulla Haider Ali, In Allahbad Under syed Ghulam ali Dakni,and in Bareli from Moulvi Baab ullah learned Sarf-o-nahv, maani aur Bayan, logic, philosophy and mathematics. After several years travelled to Faizabad where he went to see Behrul uloom Moulvi Abdul Ali Sahalvi, where he had great arguments on different logical problems. From there he travelled to Lucknow. At this time the ruler of Awadh (Lucknow) was Nawab Asif-ud-Daula and Nawab Sarfraz Ud-Daula Mirza Ahsan Raza Khan. They realized that so far there is no shia prominent shcolor in Inidia who could be called Mujtehid. Due to their respect to Gufraan maab and with the help of almighty they sent him to Najaf for the further study.

'Completion of higher study and Marjaat''''Bold text:: At first he reached Karabal-e-Maulla Irqa where he studied under Aqaay Syed Ali Tabatabai and Aaqa Syed Mehdi Moosvi Sherastani and highest scholor and teacher of these two buzurgs Ayaatullah akbar Aqa Baqir Behbani. From there he went to Najaf-e-Ashraf where he studied Asool-e-fiqh and ilm-e-hadees from Behrul-aloom ayatullah Syed Mehdi Tabatabai thus completed his highest education and left Iraq in the year 1194 (AH). He arrived in Mashad , Iran grasped lot of uloom from Ayatullah syed Muhammad Mehdi s/o Ayatullah Syed Hidayatullah Isphahani. He was granted the status of Ayatullah., from there he finally back to India and arrived in lucknow. the ruler of Lucknow Mirza Hassan Raza requested him to stay in Lucknow and he started to deliver the lectures in Lucknow and initated several projects

Imambara Ghufranmaab Nasirabad

His work Ayatullah Gufraan Maab had had hundred of books, speeches, articles and several social and other projects on his credit.

He first of all fought several battles within the shia community and hepled them to remove false trends in Shia Islam. He spoke and wrote several books against Akhbariat . He wrote Fawaid-e-madina against Akhbaris. In the response of this books Akhbari wrote Maad-ul-Aqool. Ayatullah Dildar Ali again respond to this book in the name of Matariq. This was the final nail in the coffin of akhbariat and after that it is completely vanished from India.

He responded against the famous book of Shah Abdul Aziz Delhvi's tohfa-e-asna-e-Asharia. In response to Sufi Fitna he wrote a remarkable book Shahab-e-Saqib. He was the first shia Mujtehad who conducted Juma Prayer in India. he led the first Juma prayer on 13th Rajab 1200 AH.

He had several other books and main works is:

• Mraat-ul-Aqool (Immad ul Islam) on ilm-e-kalam.
• Shahab-e-Saqib. Against Sufiism.
• Zulfiqar
• Sawarim-ul-illahiat.
• Hassam-ul-Islam.
• Khatma-e-kitab-e-Sawarim.
• Aahya-e- sunna.
• Risala-e-Ghaibat.
• Assas-ul-Asool.
• Mawaiz-e-Hussainia.
• Shrah-e-Hadeeqat-ul-Mutaqeen
• Rasala Dar Bab-e-Namaz-e-Juma
• Hashia-e-Sadra (on Mulla Sadra)
• Risala Masanat Bil Takreer.
• Muntahi-ul-Afkar
• Asrat-ul-Ahzan alal qateel-ul-Atshan.
• Maskan-ul-qaloob ind faqd-ul-mehboob.
• Ijaaza-e-Janab-e-Sultan-ul-ulema.
• Risala Dar Jawab Muhammad Safi Sufi.
• Risala-e-Arzaeen Arabi
• Risala-e-Zehbia.
• Risala-e-dar Radde Nasara.
• Marariq.
• Risala-e-Darr Addia-e-Kafan.

(all the above reference has been taken from The book Khanwada-e-ijtehad kay Marsia Go., by Muhtaram-ul Maqam Janab Sahir Lukhnavi Qibla)

Descendants of Ghufran Ma'ab Nasirabadi

• Ayatullah ul uzma Sultan-ul-ulema Syed Muhammad Saheb Rizwaan Maab
• Ayatullah ul Uzma Syed Ul-ulema Syed Hussain saheb illeen makan.
• Alam-ul-Ulama Ayatullah Al Uzma (Allama Syed Sibt-e-Hussain Naqvi
• Ayatullah Syed Ahmed Allama Hindi.
• Ayatullah ul Uzma Syed Ibrahim Saab Qibla
• Ayatullah ul Uzma Syed Taqi Saheb Jannat maab
• Syed-ul-Ulama Ayatullah Syed Ali Naqi Naqvi
• Allama Syed Naseer Ijtehadi
• Mujtahid Maulana Syed Aqa Hasan,
• Maulana Syed Kalbe Hussain,
• Maulana Syed [[Kalbe Abid]
• Maulana Dr. Syed Kalb-e-Sadiq Saheb.
• Maulana Syed Aga Mehdi Saheb Qibla
• Mulana Hassan Zafar Naqvi Saheb.
• Maulana Dr. Mohsin Naqvi Saheb.
• Maulana Sayyed Kalb-e-Jawwad Saheb.