विलादत हुज़ूर मुफ्ती आज़म

Huzoor Mufti-e-Azam Hind, Hazrat Maulana Mustafa Raza Khan R.H (1310–1402 AH / 1892–1981 CE), was born on the 22nd of Dhu al-Hijjah 1310 AH in Bareilly Shareef into the most illustrious scholarly family in modern Sunni Islam — as the eldest son of Hujjat-ul-Islam Hazrat Maulana Hamid Raza Khan R.H and the grandson of Aala Hazrat Imam Ahmed Raza Khan R.H. From his earliest childhood, he displayed extraordinary signs of spiritual election — it is narrated that as an infant, he would refuse to nurse during the times of the five daily prayers, as if already observing the sanctity of Salah timings. He was trained in Islamic sciences directly by his father and grandfather Aala Hazrat R.H — receiving knowledge from the greatest scholar of the era in the intimate setting of the family home, a privilege shared by very few in Islamic history.

By his teenage years, he had already mastered the major texts of Hanafi Fiqh, Hadith, and Aqeedah, and began issuing fatwas under the supervision of his elders — demonstrating a legal acumen that would eventually earn him the title "Mufti-e-Azam Hind" (Grand Mufti of India). His birth was itself considered a blessing for the Ummah — Aala Hazrat R.H is reported to have expressed great joy at his birth, recognizing in him the one who would carry forward the family's scholarly and spiritual legacy to new heights. He grew to become one of the greatest Muftis of the 20th century, issuing over 100,000 fatwas during his lifetime with unmatched precision and depth.

His adherence to the Sunnah was so strict that every action of his daily life was a living demonstration of Prophetic practice. His spiritual station was extraordinary — people from across India and beyond would travel to Bareilly seeking his guidance, blessings, and prayers, and countless miracles are attributed to his blessed dua. His birth anniversary on the 22nd of Dhu al-Hijjah is celebrated with great reverence by the Ahl-e-Sunnat community worldwide, with Milad gatherings, Naat recitals, and scholarly lectures on his life and contributions to Islam.