Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Salim Qasmi (RA)
The Former Rector
Al-Jamia Al-Islamia Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband
(14 Apr, 2018)
Introduction
Early Life and Education
As a Speaker
As a Writer
As a Lecturer
Interpreter of Hazrat Nanawtavi’s knowledge
Maulana Mohammad Salim Qasmi’s contribution towards AIMPLB
Academic Works
Rectorship of Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband
Death
Introduction
Maulana Muhammad Salim Qasmi was the great grandson of Hujjatul Islam Imam Muhammad Qasim Nanawtavi, the founder of the first Darul Uloom in Deoband. Maulana Salim Qasmi was the chief rector of Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband, the Vice President of “The All India Muslim Personal Law Board”, the president of advisory board of Mazahirul Uloom Saharanpur, the President of “The All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat” and was the permanent member of “the Fiqh Council of Al-Azhar”, Cairo (Egypt).
Maulana Muhammad Saalim Qasmi was the only surviving theologian and Islamic scholar who directly linked entire Deobandi scholarship to the early generations of the great Ulama of Deoband. Maulana Muhammad Salim Qasmi was only surviving disciple of Hakimul Ummat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi. Due to his being student of Al-Thanawi through only two mediators in between one can trace his intellectual roots to Al-Nanawtawi directly.
Early Life and Education
Maulana Mohammad Salim Qasmi was born on 8/01/1926 = 22/06/1344 H. Friday in Deoband. He took admission in Darul Uloom Deoband in 1351 and completed his studies from beginning till the end. He learnt Nazirah and Hifz under Peer Ji Shareef Hasan Gangohi, Farsi books under Maulana Aaqil sb, Maulana Zaheer sb and Maulana Hasan sb. Besides, he learnt Kanzul Daqaaiq from Maulana Akhtar Husain, Maybuzi from Qari Asghar sb, Mukhtasar and Sullamul Uloom from Maulana Abdul Samee sb, and Hidaya from Maulana Abdul Ahad Sb. He studied Hadith books in the final year of Fazeelah Course under Shaikhul Islam Maulana Husain Ahmad Madani, Allama Ibraheem Balyavi, Maualana Aizaz Ali Amrohvi, Maulana Fakhruddin Sb. He completed Fazilat course in the year 1948 = 1367H, and was appointed as a teacher in the same year in Darul Uloom Deoband.
He got chance to teach all important books of Darse Nizami like Nurul-Eizah, Tafseer e Quran, Hidaya, Sharh Aqaaid, Mishkat, Abu Dawud, Bukhari, and many other important books. His Sharh Aqaaid class was largely admired.
As a Speaker
إِنَّ مِنَ الْبَيَانِ لَسِحْرًا. (صحيح البخاري)
“Of the speeches some indeed have magic.”
Hazrat Maulana Salim Qasmi (ra) was a great speaker of the time. He used his oratory skills solely for the noble purpose of communicating the message of Islam and serving humanity at large. He was rightfully called Khteebul Islam (The orator of Islam). In fact, he was the true successor of his great father Hazrat Maulana Qari Tayyeb sb (ra) as far as public speaking is concerned. As said before, his father also was one of the greatest speakers of his time.
There are three basic purposes of public address; to win over the crowd by persuading the audience, to motivate people, and to provide them with knowledge. Hazrat Maulana Mohammad Salim Qasmi’s speeches met all the three purposes. He was a charismatic speaker; when he spoke, he used to bewitch the audience. The audience would become enamored with him after listening to him. Every speech of him was full of scholarly information, Sharia norms, Qur’anic references, Ahadith citations, and logical proofs.
As a Writer
As he was one of the top speakers of Ulama, his articles and writings are also much admired. Some of the books are worthy to be mentioned here like (1) Mabaadi al Tarbiyat al Islami (Arabic), (2) JaizaTarjama Quran Karim, (3) Taajdar e Arze Haram ka Paigham, (4) Mardaan e Ghaazi, (5) Ek Azeem Tarikhi Khidmat, (6) Safar Nama Burma.
(7) The book Khutbat e Khatibul Islam (The collection of his speeches) has been published in 5 volumes. Moreover, there are many articles and scripts waiting to be published.
As a Lecturer
Hazrat was one of the most successful teachers of Darul Uloom Deoban. He taught Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh and other subjects in Darul Uloom Deoband as well as Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband. His class lectures were very popular among the students; when he was a teacher of Darul Uloom Waqf, students outside it would take care of attending his classes.For the students’ keenness of gaining deep insight into Islamic sources of knowledge, the classes of Hazrat were of great benefit.
As a result, he was able to prepare the disciples like Qazi Mujahidul Islam (ra), Maulana Arshad Madani, and Maulana Badruddin Ajmal—to name a few—who have great contributions for Islam and the society to their names.
His class lectures were not only a source of in-depth Islamic knowledge, but also a motivation and guidance for the students to go deeper and deeper in the endless sea of knowledge. In one of his class lectures, he admonished the students who had just completed their studies.
Interpreter of Hazrat Nanawtavi’s knowledge
As he was expert in many sciences and arts, he had also achieved expertise in Nanawtavi’s knowledge and ideology. The Nanawtavi was a philosophical scholar. His write-ups and speeches are not so easy for everyone to completely understand rather they need interpretation and explanation. Hazrat Khateebul Islam was the only theologian in latter scholars who studied his write-ups and speeches so much that Nanawtavi’s knowledge and ideology became easy for him to interpret and disseminate. Once he said as far as I found Nanawtavi’s taste and natural instinct, I realized that he was averse to the issues leading to difference and dissent in Ummah.
Hazrat Khateebul Islam had reflection of Hazrat Nanawtavi. He also talked and delivered speech in philosophical way as his great grandfather did. He quoted Hazrat Nanawtavi’s ideologies and speeches in his public meeting and told the audience about the comprehensive sense of Nanawtavi’s words.
Maulana Mohammad Salim Qasmi’s contribution towards AIMPLB
He had been working with AIMPLB since the Board’s inception till his last breath on 14 April, 2018. It had been 46 long years and exactly half of his entire life span; he was 92 at the time of his demise. He worked as founding member, as head of various sub-committees from time to time, and as vice president. Maulana Mohammad Salim Qasmi was selected as the vice president of AIMPLB during its 14th General Session that was held in Mumbai during 28-30 October, 1999.
His services and contributions towards the Board were unparalleled and highly remarkable. As per the records with AIMPLB headquarter in New Delhi, he attended almost all important meetings of the Board during that 46 year long time period even with poor health conditions. He was extremely dedicated and exceedingly sincere towards his responsibilities with the Board.
Academic Works
Among his religious and institutional services, the foundation and consolidation of Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband is extremely significant and fruitful. The time witnessed how profitable and timely this move was, and how successful this great institute is to root out illiteracy and ignorance! During his rectorship of Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband, besides introducing specialization courses such as Ifta, Tafseer, specialization in Hadith and Arabic literature departments, he established Hujjatul Islam Academy that is a very active and productive unit of the Jamia under which three departments are working: Department of Research and Study, Department of Computer and Department of English Language and literature.
Establishment of Jamia Deeniyat Urdu Deoband, its survival, and development is also among his important services; for he established this institution at a time when there was no system of distance and correspondence courses and nor did anybody have any idea or pattern of it in their minds, especially there was no arrangements of teaching and training for illiterate elderly people so that they too could be able to learn and carry forward other activities of life along with education. This was purely the outcome of Hazrat Khatibul Islam’s far-sighted vision and thought that he founded the institute which produced a lot of useful results. Khatibul Islam Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Salim Qasmi Sb. established this historical and unprecedented institute on 1st January, 1966 AD, with the granted blessings and full endorsement of leaders of religion and scholars of Ummah under the blessed guardianship of unarguably accepted, great religious and scholarly personality of Islamic world, Hakeemul Islam Hazrat Maulana Qari Muhammad Tayyib Sb (Ra), the former vice chancellor of Darul Uloom Deoband. Thinkers of all schools of thought welcomed the Jamia Deeniyat and paid tribute of appreciation.
Rectorship of Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband
After the renowned dispute in 1982, Maulana Mohammad Salim Qasmi became the administrator of Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband. At that time, Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband was passing through very crucial condition; it had nothing to survive, it was surrounded by difficulties all around. Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband was in dire need to make its name and fame around the world which it did in a very short span of time in the supervision of Maulana Mohammad Salim Qasmi.
On 3rd Sep 2014, in the meeting of Advisory Board of the institution, Maulana Muhammad Salim Qasmi was given the name of the 'Chief Rector' of Darul Uloom waqf Deoband while the responsibility of rectorship of Jamia was handed over to Maulana Muhammad Sufyan Qasmi.
Death
He was suffering from breathing disorder since 8 April. Doctors denied prescribing any medicine for him. And on 14 April Saturday at 2:14 pm this great soul left all of us and departed to the final abode. Thousands of people attended his funeral prayer. His noble son Maulana Mohammad Sufyan Qasmi the rector of the Jamia led his funeral prayer. May Allah bless him and may his soul rest in gardens of Eden. Ameen!