The Grand Mufti of India is the most senior and influential religious authority of the Sunni Muslim Community of India. The incumbent is Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, general secretary of All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama, who was conferred the title in February 2019 at the Gareeb Nawaz Peace Conference held at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi, organised by the All India Tanzeem Ulama-e-Islam.
Role
The Grand Mufti is the most senior religious authority in the country. His main role is to give opinions (fatawa) on Islamic legal matters and social affairs. The Grand Mufti is traditionally chosen from the Barelvi school of Sunni Islam.
History
Mughal period
The first Grand Mufti of India, Shah Fazle Rasool Badayuni was appointed by the final Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. Badayuni was a Hanafi scholar who had deep knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence. His Urdu statements on Islamic subjects were published as Tariqi Fatwa, which later became famous. His grandson `Abd al-Qadir Bada’uni followed him as the Grand Mufti.
British period
In the British ruling period, Islamic scholars noted Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi who was the spiritual leader of Indian Muslims, scholar and revivalist. Thousands of students and scholars were attracted to his works and requested him to become Grand Mufti, but he declined. He wanted to be engaged with educational revival and writing. Instead, his student Amjad Ali Aazmi was elected. His book on Hanafi fiqh, Bahar-e-Shariat became a reference on this subject. Along with him, Mustafa Raza Khan Qadri s/o. Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi was the Grand Mufti during Indira Gandhi’s administration. He protested the Family Planning Program enacted by the government.
Grand Muftiship of Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad
Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar was sworn in as the Grand Mufti of India on 24 February 2019 at the Ramlila Maidan. He became the first Grand Mufti from south India.
List of Grand Muftis of India
| No. | Name (birth–death) | Madhhab | Place | Other works & activities | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16th century – 17th century | |||||
| 1 |
ملا عبد القادر بدایونی (Arabic & Urdu) |
Hanafi | Badaun | Author of Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh (Arabic) | The Mughal emperor, Akbar, appointed him to the muftiat in 1574 where he spent much of his career. |
| 17th century | |||||
| 18th century | |||||
| 19th century | |||||
| 5 |
شاہ فضلِ رسول قادری بدایونی (Urdu, his native language), |
Hanafi | Badaun | Author of Tarikhi-Fatwa (Urdu) | Badayuni was appointed by the final Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. |
| 20th century | |||||
| 6 |
مفتی اعظم محمد کفایت اللہ دہلوی (Urdu, his native language), |
Hanafi | Shahjahanpur | Author of Kifayatul Mufti[25] | |
| 7 |
صدر الشريعہ مفتى محمد امجد على اعظمى (Urdu, his native language), |
Hanafi | Bareilly | Author of Bahar-e-Shariat (Urdu) | |
| 8 |
مصطفٰی رضا خان قادری نوری (Urdu, his native language), |
Hanafi | Bareilly | Author of Fatawa Mustawafiyah (Arabic) | |
| 20th century – 21st century | |||||
| 9 |
تاج الشریعہ اختر رضا خان (Urdu, his native language), |
Hanafi | Bareilly | Founder of Jamiatur Raza and Author of Azhar Ul Fatawa (Arabic) | |
| 21st century | |||||
| 10 |
കാന്തപുരം എ.പി. അബൂബക്കർ മുസ്ലിയാർ (Malayalam, his native language), |
Shafi‘i believer. He issues the fatwas as per four Sunni Schools. | Ramlila Maidan[26] | President of Islamic Community of India[citation needed] and Chancellor of the Jamia Markaz | |
(1 July 1798 – 8 August 1872)