Mawlānā Muḥammad Qāsim Nānotwī raḥimahullāh [1832 – 1880]

Mawlānā Muḥammad Qāsim Nānotwī raḥimahullāh was an extremely simple person in his ways and habits, but exceptionally brilliant, and a genius in Islāmic knowledge. There were very few who could match him in piety, knowledge, wit, profound understanding, and farsightedness. He passed away at the young age of forty-nine, but the legacy he left behind took the world by surprise. Up to this day, his legacy flows throughout the Ummah.

During his time, the Christian missionaries would stand on the stairs of the Jāmi’ Masjid of Delhi and hurl abuse at Sayyidunā Muḥammad Rasūlullāh ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Priests would distribute literature and challenge the poor Muslims to debates, saying that they would prove that the only road to success is Christianity. Mawlānā Muḥammad Qāsim Nānotwī raḥimahullāh bravely challenged them in public and answered all of their objections against Islām. In this way, he saved the īmān of thousands of people.

He was responsible for the establishment of Dār-ul-‘Ulūm Deoband, which became the institute most popularly recognised by the entire world. He passed away after suffering a severe asthma attack and is buried in the Qāsimī Graveyard in Deoband.

May Allāh Ta’ālā shower His mercy upon him and grant us the divine ability to follow in the footsteps of the giants of Islām, especially when Islām is the target of the arrows of the Christians, Hindus, Jews, and Modernists. Āmīn 

Source: 

Shaikhul Hind, His Life and Works, pp.41-42 

Jamiatul Ulama (KZN), Jumad ath-Thani 1443/January 2022