ALLAMAH EHSAN ELAHI ZAHEER (Rahimaullah)
Updated: Feb 25, 2023
His Birth; He was born on Thursday the 31st May 1945 corresponding to 18 Jumada al-Oolaa 1364H of the Islamic calendar in the City of Sialkot in Pakistan.
His Education and Studies He studied at Jamia Islamiyyah Gujranwala and at Jamia Salafiyyah in Faisalabad before leaving to study abroad at the prestigious University of Madina in Saudi Arabia. After graduating from the department of Shariah he returned to his country and pursued further education and received his Masters in Arabic, Islamic Studies, Urdu and Farsi.
His Teachers; He was taught by some of the major scholars of this century, amongst them were:
Shaikh Muhammad Amin Shanqiti, Shaikh al-Muhadith al-Allama Nasir-ud-Din al-Albani Shaikh Abdul Aziz Ibn Baaz Shaikh Abdul-Muhsin al-Abbad Shaikh Abdul-Qadir Haybatul-Hamd Shaikh-ul-Hadith Abul-Barkat Ahmad Shaikh-ul-Hadith Hafidh Muhammad Ghondalwi, Shaikh Atiyyah Muhammad Salim
His Works; He authored many famous works, amongst which are:
-al-Qadiyaniyyah [refutation] -ash-Shia Was-Sunnah [refutation] -ash-Shia Wa-Ahlul-Bayt [refutation] -ash-Shia Wal-Qur’aan [which includes over 12,000 narrations of the Shia] -ash-Shia wat-TaShia [refutation] -Baynash-Shia Wa Ahlus-Sunnah [refutation] -Babiyyahs [refutation] -al-Baha’iyyah [refutation] -at-Tassawuf al-Mansha Wal-Masadir [refutation of the Sufis] -al-Ismaa’eeliyyah [refutation] -al-Barailwiyyah [refutation] -A explanation of Kitaab al-Wasilah by Shaikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah -Kitab us-Salah -Saffar Hijaaz & many many more.
During his final year of study at Madina University, Shaikh bin Baaz asked him to deliver lectures, which is a very rare achievement amongst the students of knowledge studying at the university. During this time his book ‘al-Qadiyaniyyah’ was also to be printed in Madina. Ehsan Elahi, However, wanted to include the book ‘Graduate of Madina University’ but at that time he had not actually graduated. He went to see Shaikh bin Baaz (rahimahullah) who was at that time the chancellor of the Islamic University of Madinah, Shaikh bin Baaz agreed and granted him permission to do so. Ehsan Elahi then asked the Shaikh ‘What if I fail my degree?’ to which Shaikh bin Baaz replied, ‘I will close the University.’
His Death; He died on 30th March 1987 after spending 22 hours in the Riyadh hospital. Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin Baaz (rahimullah) whilst crying abundantly, led his funeral prayer in Riyadh.
It was one of the most historical funerals ever prayed in Riyadh that included countless scholars and students of knowledge. The second janazah was prayed inside the Prophets Mosque in Madina, led by the Imam of the Holy Mosque. People in there thousands attended the funeral, after which his body was taken to the Baqi graveyard where he was laid to rest.
al-Allamah Ehsan Elahi Zaheer died as a result of a bomb blast inside a mosque in Lahore on the 23rd of March 1987, whilst delivering a speech on the Seerah of the Prophet (sal-allaahu’alayhi wa sallam). His contemporary Shaikh, Habib ur Rahman Yazdani (raheemullah) also died as a result of the blast.
Undoubtedly Shaikh Allamah Ehsan Elahi Zaheer was a great mountain of knowledge who did a great service to this ummah by refuting many of the deviant sects and groups that have risen in this ummah. His powerful fiery historic speeches were responsible for thousands of people leaving shirk and bidah and following the way of the Ahlul-Hadith…
ShAykh Muqbil ibn Haadi al-Waadi’i { May Allaah have mercy on him, } Praised Allamah Ehsan Elahi Zaheer
Shaykh Muqbil ibn Haadi al-Waadi’i said :
Allaah unleashed him on the Raafidah and on the Shee’ah and so he exposed them—and he is regarded as a champion of the Sunnah of Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم … and … it is proper that these people should be asked about me and not me of them—because they are the Imaams of this time, may Allaah reward them with good.
And when we say so and so and so and so from these people [mentioned above], I do not mean that you blindly follow [taqleed] them—so do not blindly follow Badee’ud-Deen nor al-Albaani and nor Ibn Baaz and nor so and so and nor so and so, these people are our Imaams, but if we were going to blindly follow them, then we would have blindly followed Abu Bakr and ’Umar and ’Uthmaan and whoever traversed upon their way …”
{ Ijaabatus-Saa‘il ’alaa Ahammil-Masaa‘il, p. 494.} May Allaah have mercy upon the Shaykh and forgive him of his shortcomings and enter him in Jannah al-Firdaus al-'ala, May Allaah place him amongst the Prophets, Righteous, and martyrs ameen.
