Zulfiqar ahmad naqshbandi biography of abraham lincoln
Home / Related Biographies / Zulfiqar ahmad naqshbandi biography of abraham lincoln
Formally granted authorization (Ijazah-o-Khilafat) in the Naqshbandi spiritual path (Silsila), he retired from his position as General Manager (Planning and Development) at the age of forty to devote himself entirely to the service of Islam. A fatwa attributed to Darul Uloom Karachi, issued around January 2018 under the oversight of scholars including MuftiTaqi Usmani and signed by several muftis, reportedly addresses these issues and advises against following Naqshbandi, though the institution has not publicly retracted it despite queries.
Affiliated organizations report that he has visited more than 60 countries, spanning North America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Russia, and Australia, where he delivers lectures and conducts initiation ceremonies (bay'ah) for disciples (murids).[1] These efforts have cultivated hundreds of thousands of followers worldwide, including religious scholars and students, through emphasis on rigorous self-discipline and devotion.[1]His outreach typically involves multilingual discourses in Urdu and English, alongside group remembrance sessions (dhikr) and personal counsel, scheduled year-round across over 40 destinations to address spiritual ailments like egoism and worldly attachments.[2][15] Documented tours include Uzbekistan in 2021, featuring multi-day programs of teachings and visitations to Naqshbandi historical sites, and repeated engagements in Malaysia during 2023 and 2024, drawing large assemblies for public addresses on faith and moral reform.[22][23][24]This global itinerary underscores a commitment to reviving traditional Sufi practices amid modern challenges, with travels enabling the establishment of localized study circles and online extensions of his guidance via recorded lectures.[1][15]
Establishment of Educational Platforms
Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi founded Madhul-Faqir Al-Islami in Jhang, Pakistan, in 1985 as a residential institute dedicated to traditional Islamic scholarship, including Quranic exegesis, hadith studies, and spiritual purification (tazkiyah).[4][25] The madrasa operates under the Naqshbandi framework, emphasizing Sunnah-based education and tasawwuf practices, and has served as a foundational hub for training scholars and murids (spiritual disciples).While his primary focus remains spiritual purification (tazkiyah) within Sharia bounds rather than political systems, his teachings implicitly favor governance aligned with divine law over secular models, echoing Deobandi critiques of democracy as incompatible with unadulterated Islamic sovereignty.[1]
Peer Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi Biography | Life, Teachings & Death
Read the verified biography of Peer Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi, a renowned Pakistani Islamic scholar and Naqshbandi Sufi leader.
Over decades, he traveled across multiple countries, delivering sermons in Urdu and English that focused on:
✔ The importance of inner purification
✔ Obedience to Allah and the Prophet ﷺ
✔ Moral conduct and character development
✔ Avoidance of sins and spiritual negligence
He founded and served as patron of Jamia Mahad‑ul‑Faqeer Al‑Islami in Jhang, an institution dedicated to Islamic teaching, spiritual training, and moral development.
His bayans and lectures were widely circulated on digital platforms, reaching millions of followers worldwide, especially across South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
Teachings and Influence
Peer Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi emphasized a balanced spiritual life rooted in the Quran and Sunnah, while also teaching the classical principles of tasawwuf.
No unified Deobandi consensus emerged, as both institutions maintain independent fatwa-issuing authorities rooted in the same tradition.[28]
Allegations of Deviance and PersonalMisconduct
Critics from Deobandi scholarly circles have accused Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi of engaging in personal misconduct involving inappropriate interactions with female followers, practices they deem violations of Shari'ah prohibitions on seclusion, physical contact, and intermingling between non-mahram individuals.These works draw from Quranic verses, prophetic traditions, and examples from the lives of companions and early scholars to guide believers toward inner purification and adherence to Sunnah.[16]Key publications include Ishq-e-Ilahi (Love for Allah), which outlines divine love as the core driver of spiritual progress, illustrated through scriptural proofs and historical anecdotes of devotion.[16] Similarly, Ishq-e-Rasool (Love for the Prophet) stresses emulating the Prophet Muhammad's conduct as indispensable for faith, linking it to ethical refinement and communal harmony.[16]Mamulaat Silsalah Aliyah Naqshbandiyyah details prescribed daily routines of the Naqshbandi order, such as silent dhikr (remembrance of God) and self-accounting, aimed at fostering discipline and proximity to the divine.[17]Overarching themes center on tazkiyah (purification of the soul), particularly rectifying the heart (Qalb-e-Saleem) by eradicating vices like ostentation and envy, as explored in works like Dawa e Dil (Medication for the Heart).[18] The efficacy of du'a (supplication) recurs prominently, with Du'a - the Essence of Worship positioning it as a direct channel for spiritual elevation and problem resolution, grounded in prophetic supplications.[18] Naqshbandi-specific practices, including awareness during worship (Nimaz key Asraar-o-Ramooz) and the role of a guide in sulook (spiritual journey, as in Zubdatus Sulook), underscore causal links between disciplined action and experiential gnosis.[17]Discourse compilations like Khutbaat-e-Faqeer and Glistening Lights address applied ethics, covering marital principles (Misali Azdawaji Zindagi key Sunehri Usool), guarding speech to prevent spiritual decay, and readiness for death (Maut ki Tayyari), often contrasting timeless Sunnah with contemporary distractions (Sunnat aur Jadeed Science).[17][19]Wisdom for the Seeker, a series of letters, provides tailored counsel on overcoming ego and worldly attachments, reinforcing themes of modesty (Haya aur Pakdamni) and faith's primacy (Iman ki Ehmiyat).[16] These texts collectively prioritize empirical self-observation and causal fidelity to prophetic precedent over speculative mysticism, aiming to yield verifiable inner transformation.[16]
Discourses and Oral Teachings
Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi's oral teachings, primarily delivered through bayans (public discourses) and lectures in Urdu and English, focus on integrating Shariah-compliant practices with Sufi principles of inner purification (tazkiyah) and character development (tarbiyah).Many followers highlighted his commitment to spiritual reform, ethical guidance, and deep understanding of Islamic teachings.
Legacy and Enduring Influence
At the time of his passing, Peer Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi was widely recognized as a leading Islamic Leader.
Critics maintain that Naqshbandi has not refuted the core claims when confronted privately.[28][29]
Defenses and Counterarguments
Supporters of Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi argue that fatwas from Deobandi institutions, such as those declaring certain of his practices as deviant, arise from longstanding sectarian divergences within Hanafi Sunni Islam, particularly between reformist Deobandi emphases on rigid fiqh adherence and the Naqshbandi tariqa's emphasis on spiritual purification (tazkiyah) through established meditative practices like muraqabah.[30] These defenders assert that Naqshbandi's methods align with authentic Naqshbandi silsila tracing to classical authorities, including Shaykh Ahmad Faruqi Sirhindi, and do not constitute bid'ah but rather permissible ijtihad in spiritual training, as evidenced by his khilafah from recognized Naqshbandi mujaddids.[1]On allegations of doctrinal deviance, Naqshbandi has publicly delineated his positions in discourses addressing intra-Sunni differences, maintaining alignment with Deobandi aqidah on core issues like tawhid and finality of prophethood while critiquing extremes in rival groups like Barelvis, thereby positioning himself within orthodox parameters rather than innovation.[12] Followers further contend that Deobandi critiques overlook empirical outcomes, such as the transformation of thousands through his programs, with no verified instances of followers abandoning core Islamic obligations post-engagement.Regarding claims of personal misconduct, including lax enforcement of purdah and undue familiarity with female attendees during i'tikaf and travels, Naqshbandi's circle counters that such interactions facilitate necessary dawah in modern contexts, adhering to Shariah boundaries of necessity (darurah) and denying any illicit conduct, with accusations portrayed as unsubstantiated envy from competitors lacking equivalent global reach.[31] No independent corroboration of abuse or immorality has emerged from legal proceedings or peer-reviewed inquiries, and his operational continuity—evidenced by over 100 khalifas and institutions like eMahad serving global students—suggests practical vindication among adherents.His discourses reinforce strict gender segregation, prohibiting non-mahram men from gazing upon unrelated women and upholding hijab and purdah as obligatory safeguards for modesty and piety, consistent with Quranic injunctions in Surah an-Nur (24:30-31).[37][28]On doctrinal integrity, he has highlighted threats to core aqidah such as the finality of prophethood (khatm an-nubuwwah), viewing conspiracies undermining this belief—particularly those associated with Ahmadiyya—as a grave concern for the Muslim ummah, urging vigilance to protect orthodox Sunni creed from dilution.
He has shared and endorsed fatwas from Darul Uloom Deoband explicitly warning believers to beware of bid'ah, stating that every such innovation is misguidance, reflecting his commitment to preserving unaltered prophetic tradition over novel practices like mass organized i'tikaf events criticized by some as deviations.[27]Naqshbandi maintains traditional rulings on fiqh matters, deeming music and singing impermissible (haram) in Islam due to their potential to incite base desires and distract from remembrance of Allah.
Over time, it expanded to accommodate structured curricula in fiqh, Arabic grammar, and ethical refinement, drawing students primarily from Pakistan and South Asia.[4]Building on this base, Naqshbandi extended his educational outreach through digital platforms to address global demand for accessible Islamic instruction.
His death was confirmed by close associates and disciples, citing his longtime dedication to Islamic scholarship and Sufi guidance.
The news of his demise sparked an outpouring of tributes, condolences, and respect from scholars, students, and spiritual communities across the world. He devoted his life to religious teaching, tasawwuf (Sufi spiritual guidance), and Islamic scholarship, influencing thousands of followers in Pakistan and around the world.
Furthermore, he has written dozens of books and over 200 books have been produced from his lectures, many of which have been translated into several languages.
Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad is one of the most famous Naqshbandi Shaykhs of Tasawwuf with a worldwide following. 1980) before reaching Ghulam Habib (d.
The news was confirmed by Hazrat Maulana Syed Mohammad Talha Qasmi Naqshbandi Mujaddidi, who received the information from Sheikh Bilal, a close khalifah of the late scholar.
Funeral Arrangements
The funeral prayer will be held on Monday, December 15, at 2 pm at Jamia Mahad-ul-Faqeer Al-Islami, Jhang.
In response to inquiries about his spiritual practices, including muraqabah (meditation), and his overall standing among ulama, the fatwa described him as a "muttabe' sunnat (Sunnah-following), reliable and authentic" scholar, emphasizing his adherence to orthodox Sunni principles within the Naqshbandi tradition.[27]In contrast, Darul Uloom Karachi, a prominent Deobandi seminary in Pakistan led by figures including Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, issued a fatwa in early 2018 declaring Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi's practices incompatible with Shari'ah due to alleged grievous misconduct.
Hundreds of thousands of seekers across the world, from America and Africa to Southeast Asia and from Russia to Australia count themselves among his students.
The spiritual chain of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad (DB) traces back through a series of authentic teachers to the Holy Prophet (PBUH). We request readers to kindly verify facts independently, and we seek forgiveness for any inadvertent mistakes.
Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi (born 1 April 1953) is one of the leading mashaekh of Tasawwuf in the present era.