Muhammad Saad Kandhlawi (born 10 May 1965) is an Indian Muslim scholar and preacher. He is the great-grandson of the Tablighi Jamat founder Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi.[1][2] He heads the Nizamuddin faction of the Tablighi Jamat.[3][4]

Muhammad Saad Kandhlawi
Ameer of Tablighi Jamaat (Nizamuddin Markaz) in India
Assumed office
16 November 2015
Preceded byPosition established
Personal
Born10 May 1965 (1965-05-10) (age 59)
ReligionIslam
NationalityIndian
DenominationSunni
MovementDa'wah
Alma materMadarsa Kashiful Uloom, Hazrat Nizamuddin
OccupationPreacher Islamic scholar, Da'i of Tablighi Jamaat
RelativesMuhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi (great-grandfather) Muhammad Yusuf Kandhlawi (grandfather) Salman Mazahiri (father-in-law)
Muslim leader

Early life

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Saad Kandhlawi was born on 10 May 1965 (1385 AH) in Western Uttar Pradesh's Kandhla town in Shamli District. He is the great-grandson of the founder of Tablighi Jamat, Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi through former ameer of the Tablighi Jamat Muhammad Yusuf Kandhlawi.[2]

He completed his Dars-e-Nizami studies from Madrasa Kashiful Uloom at Nizamuddin Markaz, Nizamuddin West, South Delhi in 1987.[2][5]

Career

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Former chief of the Tabligh Jamaat Inamul Hasan Kandhalvi before his death in 1995 created a general shura of 10 members that could elect the next chief of the Tabligh Jamaat after his death. But it failed to elect a single chief and a Jamaat was formed with three (chief) persons including Muhammad Saad Kandhalvi. Later after the death of two (chief) persons Muhammad Saad Kandhalvi was elected as head of Tabligh Jamaat in All India jod and later in Tongi Ijtema in 2017.

Muhammad Saad Kandhlawi leads the world Markaz Nizamuddin of the Tabligh Jamaat.

Reception

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Some of Kandhlawi's statements lead the Deobandi scholars to issue fatawa against him. South African Mufti Ebrahim Desai published a fatwa on his website Askimam.[6] The Islamic seminary of India Darul Uloom Deoband issued a fatwa against Kandhlawi, questioning his leadership.[7][8][9]

Zaid Mazahiri of the Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama also wrote many treatises over this issue including Tablighi Jamat Ka Bahami Ikhtelaf awr Ittehad-o-Ittefaq awr Sulah-o-Safaii Ki ek Koshish (Internal Dispute of Tablighi Jamat: An attempt to mutually unite, and reconcile).[10] Following these reactions, British scholar Yusuf Motala wrote and spoke in the defence of Kandhlawi.[11]

Nizamuddin Markaz COVID-19 hotspot

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Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in India, a number of patients from Nizamuddin Markaz tested positive for coronavirus,[12] which resulted in the Delhi Government registering an FIR against Kandhlawi for organizing a Tablighi Jamat religious event at the Markaz, despite the restriction of such gatherings after 16 March.[13][14][15][16][17] They had also sought help from authorities for vacating the premises on 25 March.[18] On 23 August 2021, the Delhi High court ordered the Delhi police to open Kandhlawi's house within 2 days.[19]

Family life

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Saad is son-in-law of Salman Mazahiri.[20]

During a police raid in April 2020,[21] it was exposed in the media that Saad owns a large farmhouse in the Shamli District of Delhi. The farmhouse's mansion is equipped with plush interiors, CCTVs, electric fence, ferocious dogs.,[22] swimming pool,[23] luxury cars,[24] exotic animals and exotic birds.[25] The media also revealed that the electricity bills were being paid under his son's name, Yusuf bin Saad,[26] further proving his ownership of the house. The property has been a tightly kept secret and is widely unknown to his followers as Saad preaches a simple lifestyle.[24] Saad's relative, Badrul Hassan has defended Maulana Saad claiming that although he owns the mansion, he only goes there once every month.[27]

References

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  1. ^ "Saad Kandhalvi". themuslim500. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Saad Kandhalvi: The Indian preacher at the centre of Ijtema dispute". Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  3. ^ "Tableeghi Jamaat in Britain splits into two factions". TheNews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  4. ^ Ghazali, Abdus Satar (12 October 2018). "Global leadership split in Tablighi Jamaat echoes in San Francisco Bay Area". countercurrents.org. Archived from the original on 29 April 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Saad Kandhalvi: The Indian preacher at the centre of Ijtema dispute". 12 January 2018. Archived from the original on 10 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  6. ^ Mufti Ebrahim Desai. "The Noble work of Tabligh and Ml Saad". AskImam.org. Archived from the original on 27 October 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  7. ^ "Clarification Of Darul Uloom Deoband About Ruju Of Maulana Saad Kandhlawi". Deoband.net. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  8. ^ "Darul Uloom Deoband's Stand About Maulana Saad Kandhlawi Of Tabligh". Deoband.net. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  9. ^ Iqbal, Sajid (25 February 2018). "A HOUSE DIVIDED". dawn.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  10. ^ Zaid Mazahiri Nadwi. "Tablighi Jamat Ka Bahami Ikhtelaf awr Ittehad-o-Ittefaq awr Sulah-o-Safaii Ki ek Koshish" (PDF). archive.org. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  11. ^ "Letter to Maulana Yusuf Motala". Scribd. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  12. ^ "India: 6 Tablighi Jamaat members test COVID-19 positive". www.aa.com.tr. Archived from the original on 31 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Delhi government orders FIR against Nizamuddin Maulana".
  14. ^ Hashmi, Rasia (30 March 2020). "Nizamuddin:Delhi govt. orders FIR against Maulana Saad Kandhalvi". siasat.com. Archived from the original on 31 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  15. ^ "Nizamuddin congregation: Arvind Kejriwal orders FIR against maulana". Business Standard India. Business Standard. Press Trust of India. 30 March 2020. Archived from the original on 31 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  16. ^ "Nizamuddin congregation: Arvind Kejriwal orders FIR against maulana". India Today. Archived from the original on 30 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  17. ^ "Corona positive cases from Nizamuddin religious gathering spread across states, 6 dead in Telangana". Outlook (India).
  18. ^ Staff Reporter (31 March 2020). "Nizamuddin markaz had sought help from authorities for vacating premises". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 31 March 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2020 – via www.thehindu.com.
  19. ^ "दिल्ली पुलिस को हाई कोर्ट की फटकार, 'दो दिन के अंदर मौलाना साद के घर को खोलने का आदेश'". TheReports. 23 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  20. ^ "بڑی خبر : مولانا سعد کاندھلوی کی کورونا رپورٹ نیگیٹیو!". millattimes.com (in Urdu). Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  21. ^ "Delhi Police raids farmhouse of Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad".
  22. ^ "Maulana Saad Farm House".
  23. ^ "Maulana Saad Farmhouse Swimming Pool".
  24. ^ a b "Tablighi Chief Maulana Saad who preaches a simple lifestyle caught with a plush farmhouse, swimming pool, and high-end vehicles". 4 April 2020.
  25. ^ "Exotic Birds and Animal in Maulana Saad's Farmhouse".
  26. ^ "Luxurious life of Maulana Saad, owns plush farmhouse in Shamli".
  27. ^ "Kin call Jamaat chief 'cult figure' with 'low profile'". 2 April 2020.