A Research on the Urdu Translation and Original Source of "Diraasāt fī Tārīkh al-Ḥadīth al-Nabawī"
Fatwa by: Fadhilat al-‘Ālim Ḥaafiẓ Khidr Hayat (Hafizahullah)❖ Question:
Is the book "Diraasāt fī Tārīkh al-Ḥadīth al-Nabawī" by Dr. Muḥammad Muṣṭafā al-Aʿẓamī available in Urdu? What is its origin?
❖ Answer and Research Summary:
① Urdu Translation Status
◈ To the best of current knowledge, there is no Urdu translation of “Diraasāt fī Tārīkh al-Ḥadīth al-Nabawī” by Dr. Muṣṭafā al-Aʿẓamī.
◈ However, many other books in Urdu exist on the history of Hadith compilation, which cover similar themes.
② Claim Regarding Original Source
◈ Some scholars have suggested that al-Aʿẓamī's Arabic work is essentially based on the Urdu book "Tadwīn-e-Ḥadīth" by Mawlānā Manāẓir Aḥsan Gīlānī (رحمه الله).
◈ Mawlānā Gīlānī was a renowned Deobandi scholar from the Indian subcontinent.
③ Arabic Translation of "Tadwīn-e-Ḥadīth"
◈ This Urdu book was translated into Arabic by the late Dr. ʿAbd al-Razzāq Iskandar (رحمه الله), a respected scholar from Pakistan.
◈ The Arabic edition was later edited, verified, and annotated by the eminent Iraqi scholar, Dr. Bashshār ʿAwwād Maʿrūf.
④ Dr. Bashshār ʿAwwād’s Claim
In his research, Dr. Bashshār ʿAwwād made a notable claim:
"The very book upon which Dr. Muṣṭafā al-Aʿẓamī based his PhD at Cambridge, and for which he received the King Faisal Award, is essentially based on Mawlānā Gīlānī’s work."
This claim implies that “Diraasāt fī Tārīkh al-Ḥadīth” is possibly a developed form or adaptation of “Tadwīn-e-Ḥadīth.”
⑤ Scholarly Caution Regarding This Claim
◈ While Dr. Bashshār ʿAwwād is a highly respected authority, it is also true that Dr. Muṣṭafā al-Aʿẓamī was a renowned scholar and a pioneer in defending Hadith against orientalist criticisms.
◈ He was also among the first to experiment with the use of computers for Hadith preservation and research.
⑥ Response from Contemporary Scholars
◈ Syed ʿAbd al-Mājid Ghūrī wrote a detailed paper on this subject, presented at an academic conference, wherein he refuted Dr. Bashshār's claim as unsubstantiated and baseless.
◈ Respected Deobandi researcher Yāsir ʿAbdullāh noted that the Arabic version of “Tadwīn-e-Ḥadīth” was published during Dr. Muṣṭafā al-Aʿẓamī’s lifetime, and he never issued a public rebuttal, which may imply he did not find the claim worthy of denial.
❖ Conclusion
✔ The book “Diraasāt fī Tārīkh al-Ḥadīth al-Nabawī” does not appear to have an Urdu translation at present.
✔ There is ongoing scholarly debate regarding whether it is based on or inspired by “Tadwīn-e-Ḥadīth”.
✔ Claims regarding its originality should be treated with academic caution and proper referencing.
✔ Both Dr. Muṣṭafā al-Aʿẓamī and Mawlānā Gīlānī are respected scholars who have significantly contributed to Hadith sciences in their respective contexts.
