Imam Ahmad Sirhindi Claim of Being Mujaddid for a 1000 Years

 بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبُّ المَلاَئِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ

One of the misconceptions among Muslims is that it is not right for an individual to claim for himself that he is a Mujaddid—a divinely appointed Reformer. It is said that throughout Muslim history none of those individuals who are recognized as Mujaddids claimed the title for themselves. However, this is manifestly incorrect. It is well known, for example, that Imam Ahmad Sirhindi and Shah Wali Ullah رحمة الله عليهما both claimed that they were the Mujaddid of their time. Therefore while it is true that some of those individuals whom the Ummah recognizes as having been Mujaddids did not necessarily claim the title for themselves, there are others who certainly did. With respect to Imam Ahmad Sirhindi رحمة الله عليه he did not claim to merely be a Mujaddid who appears at the beginning of the century as per the prophecy of the most holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم but rather the Mujaddid for a thousand years:

یہ علوم انوار نبوت کی مشکاۃ (قندیل) سے مقتبس ہیں جو الف ثانی (دوسرے ہزار سال) کے آغاز کے بعد تبعیت اور وراثت کے طور پر تازہ ہوئے ہیں اور پوری تازگی کے ساتھ ظہور پزیر ہوئے ہیں۔ ان علوم ومعارف کا جاننے والا اس الف (دوسرے ہزار سال) کا مجدد ہے۔

جاننا چاہئے کہ ہر سو سال پر ایک مجدد گزرا ہے لیکن سو سال کا مجدد اور ہےاور ہزار سال کا مجدد اور جسقدر سو اور ہزار کے درمیان فرق ہے اسی قدر، بلکہ اس سے بھی زیادہ ان دونوں مجددوں کے درمیان فرق ہے۔

(Maktubat Hadrat Mujaddid Alf Thani; Daftar 2, Maktub #4, p.35):

میں اپنی پیدائش کا جو مقصد سمجھتا تھا معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ وہ حاصل ہوگیا اور ہزار سالہ تجدید کی درخواست قبول ہوگئی۔

It becomes known that the purpose of my birth which I used to understand has been attained and the petition for a thousand year renewal has been accepted (ibid; Daftar 2, Maktub #6, p.38):

Burhan Ahmad Faruqi, MA, Ph.D of Aligarh Muslim University, confirms the fact that Imam Ahmad Sirhindi رحمة الله عليه "himself had the inspired belief that he was a Mujaddid” and “he expressly claims for himself the dignity of Mujaddid-i-Alf-i-Thani” (Mujaddid’s Conception of Tawhid; pp.2-3). Likewise, Muhammad Abdul Haq Ansari writes: “Shaykh Ahmad has made two kind of claims. One that he is not merely a Sufi shaykh directing the aspirants in spiritual pursuits, but a renovator (mujaddid) of Islam” (Sufism and Shari’ah: A Study of Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi’s Effort to Reform Sufism; pp.94-95).

Abul A’la Maududi not only acknowledged the fact that both Mujaddid Alf Thani and Shah Wali Ullah رحمة الله عليهما made claims to being the Mujaddid but had the audacity to criticize them for making such a claim: “Now let us consider the claims put forth by Shah Waliullah and the Mujaddid of Sirhind. I am too well known for my conviction that I do not regard our great men of the past as innocent and infallible. While I give them full credit for their good work, I do not spare them for their failings...asserting themselves to be the mujaddids and referring time and again to their ‘Divine inspirations’ was one of the few mistakes committed by these great men” (A Short History of the Revivalist Movement in Islam; p.109).