Faqih of Balochistan Late Mawlana Shahdad

The prominent faqih (Muslim Jurist) and Islamic scholar, Allama Shahdad Sarawani (Meskanzai) was one of the famous contemporary scholars of Balochistan, Iran. He was born in 1924 in a religious family of “Kohan Malek Souran” (کهن ملک سوران) village of Sarawan city, central Balochistan of Iran.

Educational Life:
Mawlana Shahdad started getting education from a small seminary, where He studied some basic Islamic books with “Shaikh Othman.
Due to some unknown reasons he left education for some years; then after happening a sad event God blessed him again to have the light of education, so he restarted his educational life, as Mawlana Shahdad him self described this event in his memories:
“But after some time Almighty Allah turned on the light of his divine guidance for this confused slave; certainly Allah guides those who seeks it sincerely, when my younger brother died, really it was a bad news for me as well as for the entire family, but Allah Almighty says: عسی أن تکرهوا شیئا و هو خیرلکم (It could be that you dislike something, when it is good for you ;), this incident impressed me a lot, I came back towards Allah, and I decided to get the heavenly wealth which I had lost.”
Then Mullah Abd-ur-Raheem came from “Nahoug” to Kohan Malek in order to have religious services there as an imam of their mosque. Mawlana Shahdad esteemed the opportunity and studied some primary Arabic and Persian books with him.
After that to seek more knowledge he traveled to Sarbaz region of Balochistan without any guider where he stayed two years in Dapkour (دپکور) village. His teacher was Qadhi Abdullah, (who is father of the founder of Darululoom Zahedan, Mawlana Abdul Aziz, May Allah mercy on all of them). Till 1941 he studied basic jurisprudence books such as Qudouri, Kanz-ud-Daqaeq and Munyat-ul-Muasalli, and then he went back to Sarawan to make a long trip for knowledge.

Traveling to Subcontinent India:
For further education in Nov. 1941, Shaikh Shahdad proceeded on feet towards “occupied Subcontinent”. His traveling fellow in the journey from “Souran” to “Dhadar” was just having enthusiasm of seeking knowledge.
Qadhi Abd-us-Samad, the appointed Shar’i judge by Khan of Kalat (Qalat was a state in past, now it is a part of Balochistan, Pakistan) enjoined (late) Mawlaan Shahdad to get admission in “Jamia Naseeria” Dhadar, district Bolan of Balochistan. The Jamia Naseeria was founded by (late) Ahmad Yar Khan the chief (Khan) of Kalat state, in order to provide opportunities to create religious awareness among the students of Balochistan, (late) Khan of Kalat was undertaking all the expenses of the seminary. May Allah mercy on him and place him in jannah.
Within one year, Shaikh studied the elementary books of Arabic literature like Nahw Mir, Sarfe Mir, Shar-u-Meata A’mil and Hidayat-un-Nahw in Jamia Naseeria. It was the year when the founder of Darululoom Zahedan, Mawlana Abdul Aziz returned from India to Iran after doing graduation.

Allama Shahdad writes about this event:
“In these days, 1360 H.Q, the son of Shaikh Qadhi Abdullah, Mawlana Abdul Aziz returned from Delhi, there were some other new graduate scholars of Darululoom Deoband. They came to Dhadar’s seminary where I was studying. After few days they left Dhadar to their homelands. So my first year of education in the subcontinent encountered with the last year of Shaikh Abdul Aziz’s educational life”.
In 1942, Khan of Kalat ordered the rector of Jamia Naseeria, Mawlana Muhammad Sharif Kashmiri, to select 30 talented students in order to send them for high education to Darululoom Deoband, India. Mir Ahmadyar Khan paid the expenses of their trip. Mawlana Shahdad Sarawani was one of the selected 30 students who were sent to Deoband by train from Sibi Railway Station.

In Darululoom Deoband:
Mawlana Shahdad Sarawani got admission in Darululoom Deoband in 1942 where he got different subjects on high level. He studied advance classes with many prominent scholars such as Allama Hussain Ahmad Madani, Shikh-ul-Adab Mawlana E’zaz Ali, Mawlana Ibrahim Bilyawi and Mawlana Abd-us-Samee (may Allah mercy on all of them.) the Faqih (Muslim Jurist) of Balochistan besides the Islamic education he learned the lesson of freedom and independence from the top scholars and leaders of the liberty movement in India.
Following the partition of Subcontinent India and Pakistan’s existence, (late) Allama Shahdad graduated in Darululoom Deoband and returned to his motherland, Iran. He began his academic and cultural activities from “Souran” area of Sarawan city. (Late) Mawlana Shahdad struggled a lot to spread knowledge and spirituality in the region as he worked hard to root out superstitions. People were coming in groups to seek knowledge from such a great eminent scholar.

First journey to perform Hajj (pilgrimage):
Mawlana Shahdad Sarawani went towards Haramain (two holy places) in 1950 through “Abadan” and Kuwait. It was his first trip to offer Hajj. Safely he returned from the spiritual journey to his mother land.

His services in “Majma’ul Uloom” Sarjou:
In 1956, some top scholars of Balochistan gathered to discuss over the foundation of a seminary in “Sarjou” village of Sarawan. The high ranking scholars, Mawlana Abdul Aziz Mullazade, Mawlana Syed Abdul Wahed Syedzada and Mawlana Qamar-ud-Deen Mullazai decided to establish a seminary in “Sarjou” and Mawlana Shahdad was appointed its rector; he denied first this post. But after one year he accepted this responsibility and shifted from “Souran” to Sarjou where he offered his sincere services as rector for 25 years, (till 1981).
After that some friends recommended him to shift to Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan-Balochistan. He was appointed as a judge also in the Islamic Revolutionary Court. Meanwhile he continued his teaching life and taught in “Hammadiya” seminary of Zahedan.

Moral features:
Though Mawlana Shahdad was a great A’lim (scholar); he was very submissive. He was utilizing logical proofs in his speeches to convince the audience. His meetings were full of love and amity. Late Mawlana never compromised values and always defended the right (Haq).

His books:
(Late)Mawlana Shahdad authored more than 10 valuable books and essays, some of them as following:
1-   Zubdat-ul-Aqa’ed (زبدة العقائد)
2-   Sarwar-e-Shaheedan [The chief of martyrs]
3-   Qawl-e-Ma’qoul (قول معقول)
4-   Namaz-e-Musawwar [Salat in pictures]
5-   Fadha’el Jum’ah (فضائل جمعه)
6-   Bait-ul-Maqdis Wal Futouhat al-Islamia (بیت المقدس والفتوحات الإسلامية)
7-   Jami’-ul-Masa’il [2 volumes], (جامع المسائل)
8-   Daastan-e-Wafatee Khatamul Anbiya [The story of demise of the Last prophet]
9-   Ethbat u Wojoud ar-Rabb (اثبات وجود الرب)
10- Raf’ul Eltebak (رفع الإلتباک)
11- Fadha’el u Masa’ile Ramadan (فضائل و مسائل رمضان)

Most of the above mentioned books have been written in Persian language.
Late Allama Sarawani translated some Arabic and Urdu books into Persian, like:
1-   Tafheemat-e-Sayyidana Ali (تفهیمات سیدنا علي)
2-   Ezdiwaj-e-Omm Kulthoum [Marriage of Omm Kulthoum]
3-   Taiseer-ul-Mantiq (تيسير المنطق)
4-   Namaz-e-Kaamil (نماز کامل)
Uloom-ul-Qura’n (علوم القرآن)  

The events of demise:
In Sha’ban 1407 H.Q (1987), late Allama Shahdad made a trip to Panjgour, Pakistan for participating in the gathering of Tablighi Jama’t. But before the end of gathering the days of his valuable life finished when he was among of the best slaves of Almighty Allah.
It was the will of Allah that late Allama Shahdad remained out of his homeland as his body was buried in a graveyard in Panjgour, Balochistan.
رحمه الله رحمة واسعة و أسکنه فسيح جناته

Sunnionline.us