Pir Sayyid Ihsanullah Shah Rashdi

Pir Sayyid Ihsanullah Shah Rashdi(also spelt Ehsanullah, (Arabic: السيد احسان الله شاه الراشدي صاحب العلم الخامس), (Urdu: سید احسان اللہ شاہ راشدی پیر جھنڈہ پنجم); (Sindhi: سيد احسان الله شاهه راشدي پير سائين پنجون جھنڊي وارو) born on (13 January 1896 – 28 September 1939, or 1313H Rajab 27 – 1358H Shaban 15 in the Islamic calendar) spiritual leader known as Pir of Jhando The Fifth, was an 20th century Islamic, Scholar, from Sindh, a notable jurist and muhaddith, known for his expertise in Islamic scholarship, particularly in the field of Asma Al-Rijal (the biographical evaluation of hadith narrators). Sanaullah Amritsari referred to him as the Imam of Asma Al-Rijal in acknowledgment of his contributions to Asma Al-Rijal. He was also involved in the Khilafat Movement in Sindh during the British colonial period, where he played an active role in addressing political and social issues related to British Raj

صاحب العلم الخامس Pir Sayyid Ihsanullah Shah Rashdi
پیرسید احسان اللہ شاہ راشدی
Title	پير سائين جهنڊي وارا
Personal
Born	سید فضل اللہ شاہ راشدی 13 January 1896 Pir Jhando, Pakistan
Died	September 28, 1939(1939-09-28) (aged 43) درگاہ شریف پیر جھنڈو
Religion	Islam
Children	Allamah Sayyid Muhibullah Shah Rashdi Allamah Sayyid Badiuddin Shah Rashdi Muhiyuddin aka Aijaz Shah Rashdi
Parents	Allamah Sayyid Rushdullah Shah Rashdi (father)
Denomination	Ahl-i Hadith
Lineage	Husseini
Sect	Sunni Islam
Alma mater	Dar-ul-Rashad
Known for	Khilafat Movement of Sindh, Islamic Jurist, Muhaddith, Imam of Asma Al-Rijal
Senior posting
Predecessor	Allamah Sayyid Rushdullah Shah Rashdi
Successor	Allamah Sayyid Muhibullah Shah Rashdi

Early life and education

Pir Sayyid Ihsanullah Shah Rashdi was born on January 13, 1896, in Gowth Fazalullah Shah also known as Pir Jhando near Saeedabad Tehsil, Sindh. He was the younger son of Pir Rushidullah Shah Rashdi. He studied at Madirsah Dar-ul-Rashad, established by his father

He learned from various influential teachers, including Muhammad Amin Matoor, Obaidullah Sindhi, Muhammad Laghari, Ilahi Bakhsh Riyasti of Bahawalpur, Ahmad Ali Lahori, and Muhammad Akram Ansari.

After his father's passing in 1923, he was chosen to lead the family and the community (known as 'jamaat') as their spiritual leader. He engaged in studying works on interpretation (tafsir), traditions (hadith), Al-Kamal fi Asma' al-Rijal, history, and various fields of knowledge. He managed the library from 1923 to 1937.

"The Sindhi qasida was composed by Maulana Muhammad Khalifa of Pir Ihsanullah Shah Rashdi [Pir of Jhando Fifth] and was presented during a conference held at Dar al-Rashad Pirjhanda, Sind in 1342 A.H (1923)."

He gained recognition as a proficient scholar in the field of Al Rijal, Sanaullah Amritsari said about him that:

Today, if anyone is the Imam of Asma al-Rijal, it is Pir Ehsanullah Shah Rashidi.

— Sanaullah Amritsari, )

Scholarly relations

Ihsanullah Shah Rashdi corresponded with a diverse constituency that extended beyond the Indian subcontinent, including letters to and from King Abdul Aziz, the Sultan of Saudi Arabia

In 1924, when the king took control of Mecca and in 1925, Medina, he made significant changes to practices he considered non-Islamic. This included demolishing graves and tombs, which caused controversy, especially in Sindh. People in Sindh criticized the king and scholars in Hijaz and Mecca for these actions. In response, Ihsanullah Shah Rashdi wrote a booklet titled "Imam Mubeen." The booklet aimed to show, using evidence from the Quran, hadiths, and teachings of the past, that the king's actions were in line with divine law. Many copies of the booklet were distributed among the followers or jammat in Sind to ensure that the information reached and was understood by the Sindh population. A handwritten copy of Imam Mubeen is preserved at Maktaba Rashidiyah.

Role in Khilafat Movement

Pir Sayyid Ihsanullah Shah Rashdi showed an interest in religious activities with political aspects. He actively took part in the Khilafat Movement when it started in Sindh, playing a big role in resisting the British Raj. Once, he and a group of Jamaat, approached a commissioner, expressing support for the movement. They emphasized that Khilafat was crucial to their religious beliefs, especially in protecting holy places. They said they'd stay quiet if the government respected these places but promised to speak out if the places were not safeguarded

In the Khilafat Movement, his father Pir Rushdullah Shah Rashidi symbolically donated his sacred turban to the Angora Fund, which supported the Ottoman Caliphate. The next day, after Friday prayer, Pir Rushdullah Shah's son, Pir Imam Shah, tried to find out who bought the turban. It turned out to be Ihsanullah Shah, making a significant contribution. This incident shows the strong commitment of Muslims and their followers to the Khilafat Movement in Sindh.

Family

His sons Allamah Muhibullah Shah Rashdi (1923-1995) and Allamah Badiuddin Shah Rashdi(1926-1996) (Arabic: بديع الدين السندي) continued the dissemination of their father's teachings.{{rp|275}

Family dispute

In 1922, after Pir Rushdullah Shah Rashdi, the Pir of Jhando, passed away, there was a family dispute between two of his sons. With support from the community ("jamaat") and relatives, Sayyid Ihsanullah Shah Rashdi was selected as the successor. Pir Siddique-ul-Rasoul Shah Rashdi and his descendants, Pir Mahbub Shah Rashdi, and Pir Ismail Shah, who were the deceased father's siblings, were among those who supported this decisionLegal proceedings involving the property reached the Privy Council and the council ruled in favor of another brother

Death

Pir Sayyid Ihsanullah Shah Rashdi died on 28 September 1939 at Dargah Sharif Pir Jhando.