Imam Ahmad Raza Khan: A Man of Infinite Science

Early 20th century witnessed robust achievement in the field of science and technology. Everything changed ranging from education, exploration, transportation to life-style, policy, politics and even religious enthusiasm. Personalities like Albert Einstein, Marrie Curie and not to name more undoubtedly contributed a lot to the new pace of world order. Not to forget that many Muslim intellectuals also made milestone breakthrough in this period of transformation. Though their contributions were indispensable to this growth of human intelligence over nature, their names are scantily mentioned in today’s texts and scholarly discussions. One of these towering figures of science-constellation was Ahmed Raza Khan, popularly known as Imam Ala Hazrat.

Unfortunately, his undeniable discoveries of science were taken to oblivion due to partial and misrepresentation by his later-to-come disciples. However, it’s high time to earth out the hidden treasure of this reformer of the 20th century.

Born in 1857 in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh, Ahmed Raza Khan is predominantly projected as a religious reformer and resistant against the new corrupted insurgencies in contemporary Muslim community. However, his other expertise in different disciplines of knowledge and science were rarely discussed and studied. In consequence, his versatility was restrained only in the field of Theology, Fiqh and Ishq – the art of spiritual love. Only the in-group followers knew in attestation about his dynamic expertise, but couldn’t assert it to the people out-of-circle.

However, in current times his works, folios, service and contributions are studied broadly with all possibilities in academic levels. Scholars came up with a conclusion that not only a religious mujaddid, but he was a man of reformation. He was an unputdownable man of esoteric and exoteric knowledge including philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, medicines, etc. throughout his whole tenure of 65 years when he passed away in 1921, 28 October. The Poet of East Allama Iqbal proclaimed, “… Such a genius and intelligent jurist didn’t emerge.”

Experts say that Ala Hazrat had amazingly profound and deep proficiency on multiple branches of knowledge which accounts for more than 200 in numbers. However, researchers have failed to discover them thoroughly. Many of his works remained unexplored till now.

His extensive points in five natural sciences viz Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Earth Sciences and Astronomy were later elaborated by different studies that put him in a distinguished stage of scientists. For example, the Physicist Ala Hazrat has explained definitively about sound and its different dimensions in his special discussion of phonography which is necessarily required for precise recitation of Holy Qur’an.

This scholar of Islam has exhaustibly played with different complex theories of physics in his work ‘Fouz-e-Mubeen’ (The Clear Victory). Similarly, his refutation of meteorologist Albert F. Porta’s prediction on ‘the most terrific cataclysm’ that drew worldwide attention was based on clear scientific principles of physics and astronomy. This account of history was later collectively published by Raza Academy titled as Western Science Defeated by Islam. Likewise, instances of creative contributions by Ala Hazrat can be counted in branches of science not only in a theoretical way that puzzles minds but also day-to-day life practicality. His exploration of the solar system derived from the Holy Qur’an still remains a big subject of study among scholars.

Dr. Muhammad Malik, in his famous book Scientific Works of Imam Ahmad Raza (Published by Idara-Tahqeeqat-e-Imam Ahmad Raza), lucidly numerates different works of this ‘scientific theologian’ corresponding with classic and modern researches. The author mentions contributions of Ala Hazrat in Psychology, Fluid Dynamics, Light Theory, Auditory Theory, Atomic Theory, Medical Physiology, Homeostasis, Leprosy, Embryology and Earth Theory with consecutive chapters. Dr. Malik has outlined several ‘new findings and their applied significance’ in his notable work.

Still the mysteries of this sufi-scientist are to be studied and explored with a pluralistic academic outlook as well as this fountain-stream of profound knowledge should not be restrained in a rigid and narrow sense. Recently such a giant task was carried out by journalists Anil Maheshwari and Richa Sing in their Syncretic Islam: Life and Times of Ahmad Raza Khan published by Bloomsburry India in 2021.

The most amazing fact is that Ala Hazrat with a comparatively short span of time carried out such unique activities in both stream of knowledge i.e. Islam and Science without any iota of error. Furthermore, his all explorations are basically derived from the Islamic spirit of Qur’an and Prophetic Teachings having no contradiction. Thus, he can be labeled as a head of the scientific process to Islamization of Knowledge when current teaching methods are Euro-centric. Imam Ahmed Raza Khan, as a lighthouse figure of early 20th century world history, inexhaustibly served humanity and his community as well with the spark of infinity of sciences not its volatility.