Tehreek Nadwatul Ulama is a movement that established in the British era in the subcontinent, the main purpose of which was to reform the system and curriculum of madrasas and to change and renew it according to the times.
The founder of this movement was Hadhrat Maulana Mohammad Ali Mungeri (The successor of Maulana Shah Fazlur Rehman Ganj Muradabadi). In his leadership, after a long discussion with the eminent Islamic scholars and divines of the country, this institution was established Shekhul Mashaikh Hazrat Imdadullah Muhajir Makki prayed Allah for the success of its objective. A large number of Islamic scholars and divines of the country were of one opinion for the movement and tried their best and out of their maximum to stregnthen it. The main Islamic Scholars of the country who participated in the propagation and dissimission of the objective of the Nadwatul Ulama were as follows:
The founder of this movement was Hadhrat Maulana Mohammad Ali Mungeri (The successor of Maulana Shah Fazlur Rehman Ganj Muradabadi). In his leadership, after a long discussion with the eminent Islamic scholars and divines of the country, this institution was established Shekhul Mashaikh Hazrat Imdadullah Muhajir Makki prayed Allah for the success of its objective. A large number of Islamic scholars and divines of the country were of one opinion for the movement and tried their best and out of their maximum to stregnthen it. The main Islamic Scholars of the country who participated in the propagation and dissimission of the objective of the Nadwatul Ulama were as follows:
Ustazul-Ulama Maulana Lutfullah Aligarhi, Allama Shibli Nomani, Maulana Altaf Hussein Hali, Maulana Abdullah Ansari, Maulana Syed Muhammad Shah Muhaddis Rampuri, Maulana Mohammad Farooqui Chirraya Koti, Maulana Khalilur Rahman Saharanpuri, Maulana Muhammad Ibraheem Aravi, Molvi Raheem Bakhsh, Maulana Ahmad Hassan kanpuri, Maulana Shah Suleman Phulwari, Maulana Zuhrul Islam Fatehpuri, Shah Muhammad Hassan Allahabadi, Maulana Habibur Rahman Khan Sherwani (The former president of religious affairs Hyderabad Deccan), Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Munshi Akhtar Ali Kakorwi, Maulana Hakeem Syed Abdul Hai Hasani and Maulana Fateh Mohammad Taib Lucknowi etc.
It was a firm belief of these pious personalities that Islam is a universal and eternal religion. It has the assurance for the guidance of all the human beings and their success in this world as well as in the hereafter as long as this world remains in its existence.
There is a guidance for every aspect of life and a solution for every problem in Islam. It is therefore quite natural for it to face various stages of progress and downfall of the human mind and its changes, to pay the duty of guiding man in the swift changing circumstances and thoughts and to remove all doubts and confusion yielding in every age. To create the scholars for such universal and eternal religion and its comprehension, such a system and syllabus of education should be prepared which always continues to extend its boundaries and always has the capacity to cope with the requirements of the changing world and proves to be living and dynamic. Any education system can produce its utility only when it is comprehensive of the values of both the classical and modern education, it is both hard and void of flexibility in its principles and objectives, liberal and flexible in subsidiary affairs and progressive and along with its being full of spirit, aims and preservation for all the basic sciences. It should be able to keep abreast and developing as per the need and requirements of the age. This is the important need of the time and the solution of the educational problems of the Muslims is eminent and essential.
It was a firm belief of these pious personalities that Islam is a universal and eternal religion. It has the assurance for the guidance of all the human beings and their success in this world as well as in the hereafter as long as this world remains in its existence.
There is a guidance for every aspect of life and a solution for every problem in Islam. It is therefore quite natural for it to face various stages of progress and downfall of the human mind and its changes, to pay the duty of guiding man in the swift changing circumstances and thoughts and to remove all doubts and confusion yielding in every age. To create the scholars for such universal and eternal religion and its comprehension, such a system and syllabus of education should be prepared which always continues to extend its boundaries and always has the capacity to cope with the requirements of the changing world and proves to be living and dynamic. Any education system can produce its utility only when it is comprehensive of the values of both the classical and modern education, it is both hard and void of flexibility in its principles and objectives, liberal and flexible in subsidiary affairs and progressive and along with its being full of spirit, aims and preservation for all the basic sciences. It should be able to keep abreast and developing as per the need and requirements of the age. This is the important need of the time and the solution of the educational problems of the Muslims is eminent and essential.
The responsible authorities of Nadwatul Ulama felt that this need can be fulfilled only when a unique institution comes into existence. In this institution such Islamic scholars are educated who, along with the expertness in the basic religious sciences, are also fully aware of the demands and challenges of their age. They, along with being influential in the classical sciences, should have a quality to remove the doubts and confusions raised by modern thoughts They are on one side firm and staunch in their beliefs in the doctrines of Islam and possess wisdom and vision that is broad and enlightened and on the other side they are a flowing and sweet spring in their knowledge, research and insight. They are on one hand custodian for the lofty aims and the injunctions of the religion Islam and protectors of its integrity, on the other hand they are effortful and passionate scholars about the comprehension of the faith and are always ready with the latest and modern resources. They are neither compromising for the facts and objectives of religious affaires nor do they become prey to any inactivity and prejudice in accomplishing the needs of the contemporary world and modern age.
More than a century in the service of religious sciences and Islam
For the same noble aim only, after 4 years of the establishment of Nadwatul Ulama, the Darul Uloom was founded in 1898 A.D corresponding 1315 H. The distinguished Muslim divines, scholars, thinkers and devoted personalities participated in its constructive efforts and development. The most eminent of these personalities is Hadhrat Maulana Mohammad Ali Mungeri. He is the successor of Maulana Shah Fazlur Rehman Ganj Moradabadi. In addition, many other skilled and very learned authorities and Islamic scholars tried very hard to set a balancing and comprehensive syllabus which was enforced up to a great extent in which if there is a firmness in the religious sciences on one hand, on the other hand the skill in the Arabic literature and language is supposed to be the key point of attention and in addition an special attention and basic importance has been given to the awareness and acquaintance with the modern sciences.
With the efforts of Allama Shibli Nomani the interest of the people increased towards academic knowledge and research and Maulana Syed Abdul Hai Hasani, Maulana Habibur Rehman Khan Sherwani and many other contemporary Islamic scholars prominently took part in the academic progress of Nadwatul Ulama. After Allama Shibli, Allama Syed Suleman Nadwi who was his disciple took up his place. Allama Shibli Nomani and the successor of Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi as well, patronized this institution educationally.
The academic and religious services of the famous experts of India have been extended to the Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama and due to these dedicated Islamic scholars ever increasing improvement and progress in the academic syllabus and educational and cultural system, kept on moving in a smooth way. Nadwatul Ulama gave emphasis and importance on establishing its own course books according to its own need and thought and succeeded up to a great extent. After the death of Maulana Abdul Hai. During the Nizamat of Dr. Abdul Ali Hasani, both of them perfect in the system of education. Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama made more progress. During their regime Darul Uloom was fortunate enough to get the services of great scholars like Allama Taqiuddin Helali and Khaleel Arab Saheb.
After the death of Dr. Abdul Ali Hasani, Hadhrat Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi became Rector. Nadwatul Ulama kept on passing through all the destinations of progress in the religious, educational and teaching fields under the administration, guidance and patronage of Hadhrat Moulana Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi, even, besides the central Darul uloom in Lucknow, its affiliated madrasas all over the country are accomplishing the task of educational, academic and religious service.
Thanks Allah! Nadwatul Ulama spent more than hundred years of its age very peacefully. It accomplished very important precious, religious and academic services during the above period of One hundred and twenty eight years and made a successful effort to keep the tense away between the old and new and the post graduate students caused and produced mutual cooperation and introduction between Muslims. So there were literary authors, research scholars and writers in their own mother tongue and there was a great number of social guides among them who remained busy on the activities of life on natural terms. There were some among them too who prepared and formed a complete library for the new generation and render such a service alone which is equal to a complete academy. Not only inside the country but also in the various Islamic countries, the scholars of Nadwatul Ulama have rendered all kind of educational and religious services and with the grace of Allah this practice is on progress day by day. The post graduate students of the Nadwatul Ulama are recognized in the academic and religious distinctive faculties and they are rendering their religious and educational services in the universities and Islamic institutions of various countries.
Presently the number of students of the Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama is more than two thousand students. No educational fee is charged from the students and most of them are provided free lodging and fooding by Nadwatul Ulama.