The new Amir (Chief) Ahmad Wali Faisal Rahmani of Imarat-e-Shariah has the challenging task of carrying forward and better the legacy of Imarat-e-Shariah which is revered not only in Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha but also the rest of South Asia.
Sami Ahmad | TwoCircles
BIHAR – Imarat-e-Shariah, Patna, one of the most renowned Islamic organizations in India, got its eighth Amir (Chief) in Ahmad Wali Faisal Rahmani on October 9, 2021, who is known more for his information technology skills than his title of Maulana. He is the eldest son of the preceding Amir, Imarat-e-Shariah, late Maulana Wali Rahmani and grandson of the fourth Amir late Maulana Minatullah Rahmani.
The trio originally belongs to the prestigious Khanqah Rahmani, Munger, Bihar. His father and grandfather’s tenure at the Imarat has been of around 40 years.
He got his elementary education of Arabic, Quran, Deeniyat and Mathematics in Khaqah Rahmani under the watchful eyes of his grandfather. He was sent to study further at Jamia Al-Azhar, Egypt in Tafseer, Hadees, Fiqh and history.
In a widely circulated introduction of Faisal Rahmani, it is said that he got his education in information technology from the University of California and worked there as a teacher too. He is said to have been associated with many top companies like Adobe and British Petroleum.
Maulana Faisal Rahmani believes in ‘Massive Action’.
In one of his speeches, he mentioned that what we need today was Kam, Kam, aur Kam (work, work and more work) repeating it eight times. One of the most diligent works he is associated with is his late father’s brainchild Rahmani-30 along with his brother Fahad Rahmani. Rahmani-30 is involved in grooming Muslim students for the most prestigious competitive exams of India like JEE for the IITs and NEET for medical colleges for free. He believes ‘direction’ as one of the most important things for progress saying “if the direction is correct your work will get Barakah (blessings).”
He is said to be a fluent Arabic speaker and in one of his videos available on Youtube he can be heard pleading for the rights of the Palestinians.
Popularly known as Engineer Faisal Rahmani, he is probably the second such Amir in the country who has an engineering background after the elevation of Engineer Syed Sadatullah Hussaini to the post of Amir of Jamat-e-Islami Hind.
But to his discredit, Faisal Rahmani is the first Amir of Imarat-e-Shariah who could not be chosen unanimously and there was a controversy surrounding his selection. The post of Amir was vacant since April 3, 2021, the day the then Amir Maulana Wali Rahmani died. Naib Amir Shariat Maulana Shamshad Rahmani was working as its acting chief. After much deliberations, it was decided to choose the Amir on October 9.
‘Arbab-e-Hal-O-Aqd’ (Members of the community qualified to act on behalf of the Muslim community in electing a chief) chooses the Amir of Imarat. It has 851 members but only 558 used their voting rights as 293 were absent. Maulana Faisal Rahmani got 347 votes and the ex-Nazim of Imarat Maulana Anisur Rahman Qasmi got 196. Initially, there were five names proposed; the rest three were noted Islamic scholar Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, Maulana Shamshad Rahmani and Qazi Nazar Tauheed. As these three withdrew their names, the voting was conducted between Maulana Faisal Rahmani and Maulana Anis Qasmi.
This entire election process was marred by political bickering and the presence of heavy police deployment. A procession of sloganeering also received the flak.
But as the dust settled down, Faisal Rahmani now has the challenging task of carrying forward and better the legacy of Imarat-e-Shariah which is revered not only in Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha but also in the rest of South Asia. First, he will have to restore an orderly environment in Imarat as there has been mudslinging. He has a legacy of the former Amirs of Imarat-e-Shariah which includes Maulana Syed Shah Badruddin Qadri, Maulana Syed Muhiuddin Qadri, Maulana Syed Qamaruddin, Maualna Abdur Rahman and Maulana Syed Nizamuddin.
His second important task is to win back the confidence of the community as its image has been dented due to recent events. It is the contribution of the people which is considered the backbone of Imarat. One of the members of its Arbab-e-Hal-O-Aqd who decided to keep away from voting complains that Imarat is being used by the politicians. He wished the new Amir keeps Imarat away from such elements.
The other important task before the new chief is to continue the late Amir and his father’s effort in the field of education. Just after being declared as Amir, Maulana Faisal Rahmani said that Imarat Shariah was establishing schools. He also insisted on using technology in Imarat-e-Sharia’s institutions.
Imarat-e-Shariah runs a Darul Qaza (Arbitration and Mediation centre based on Islamic family laws), a hospital, an ITI and some other institutions too.
Apart from ensuring education, he is also faced with the task of confidence-building in the Muslim community which is evident from an incident of his childhood. In the circulated introduction of him, it is mentioned that one day his class teacher had said that Muslim children are dirty. “He went to the office of district magistrate with his brother and complained about this. He asked the D.M. if he was looking dirty. The D.M. replied in negative but asked the reason for this question. He narrated the incident and the issue was resolved with the teacher’s apology tendered in all the classes of the school.”
A senior social activist Arshad Ajmal told TwoCircles.net that he was satisfied with the completion of the election process as there were apprehensions of violence. ‘The presence of police was odd and unfortunate. Though it is considered best to elect the Amir unanimously but voting is the second-best thing if there is no consensus.”
Ajmal said that he will wait and see how the new Amir handles the Qaza and Ifta section which is the core of Imarat-e-Shariah. “Maulana Rahmani understands technology well. I hope he understands India and the community affairs in the same way or better,” he said.
Ajmal hopes that Maulana would do enough work on education. “I am hopeful that the Imarat’s affairs would settle down for a longer period as age is on Maulana’s side,” he added.