By Hazrat Allama Arshad Misbahi,
Chief Imam of Manchester Central Mosque
Great men are not born every day. Almost all human beings are influenced by their times, however, very few have the ability and calibre to influence their times. Hazrat Mufakkir-e-Islam Allama Qamaruzzaman Azmi is a personality of the second kind. I have known Hazrat since February 1978. This was the first time I had the privilege of seeing this outstanding scholar and savant of Islam. Since then, I have no hesitation to say, I am a great fan of his. He is undoubtedly a man in a league of his own and a precious gem in the arena of Islamic thinkers and scholars.
After the completion of Tahfeez-ul-Quran in Bradford, I had the honour of studying various Islamic sciences including the Arabic Language with Hazrat for a year in 1987. He is not only one of the greatest orators of the present times but also a great teacher. As for his literary qualities, he is second to none. In all these three important factors and aspects of Tableegh and Dawah, Hazrat has been blessed to a great extent by Allah Ta'ala. Without doubt, Hazrat has a great talent in speechmaking which is incredibly rare and is in fact an 'Imam' in this field. He is a speaker who electrifies his listeners. He is most sincere and to the point in his sermons.
DIL KI GEHRAAIYON SE JAB NIKLE
PHEYLTI JAAYE BAAT KI KHUSHBOO
Robert Southey correctly said: 'It is with words as with sunbeams, the more they are condensed, the deeper they burn'. Having listened to his lectures over 3 decades, I firmly believe, as Napoleon Bonaparte said, 'a leader is a dealer in hope'. Allama Azmi is a true image of this saying. He travels around the world teaching Muslims in the light of the Quran and Sunnah that: Do not despair of the mercy of Allah (Surah Az-Zumar-Verse 53) Despair not of Allah's mercy, verily none despair of the mercy of Allah but the people who disbelieve (Surah Yusuf-Verse 87) In the present difficult situation of the Ummah we desperately need more leaders of this mentality. The beloved of Allah, Sayyiduna Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said something along these lines: 'If you truly want to know someone, travel with them'. I have travelled countless times with Hazrat not only in the UK but also internationally. Hazrat is in his 'jalwat' (gatherings) as he is in his 'khalwat' (seclusion). Tens of thousands are witness to the fact that you can sit with Hazrat for hours and not get the thought or feeling of boredom. Hazrat is always a 'sham-e-mahfil' in all gatherings whether it is a gathering of the 'awaam or khwaas' (ordinary or elite people). It is no wonder, therefore, that many of the world's leading personalities not only admire him but hold him in such high esteem. These include:
- Allama Shah Ahmad Noorani Siddiqi
- Allama Abdul Sattar Khan Niyazi
- Allama Sayyid Madani Miyan
- Allama Mufti Akhtar Raza Azhari
- Sarkaar-e-Kalaan Allama Sayyid Mukhtar Ashraf
- Allama Rayhaan Raza Khan
- Allama Zia-Ul-Mustafa A'zami
- Allama Pir Karam Shah Azhari
- Shaykh Yusuf Abu Sneina (Imam Masjid-ul-Aqsa)
- Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rahmaan
- Allama Sayyid Irfan Mashhadi
- Allama Shah Fareed-ul-Haq
- Hafiz-e-Millat Allama Abdul Aziz Muradabadi (Founder of Al Jamiatul Ashrafia)
- Ustadhul Ulama Allama Hafiz Abdul Raoof Balyawi
- Bahrul Uloom Allama Mufti Abdul Mannan Azmi
- Ashraful Ulama Allama Sayyid Hamid Ashraf
May Allah Ta'ala prolong Hazrat's age and give the Ummah the ability to benefit from his great wisdom and pearls of guidance. Ameen.