Muhammad Ismail Katki ( Urdu: محمد اسماعیل کٹکی; 1914–2005) was an Indian Islamic scholar and writer. He was associated with the Khatm-e-Nubuwwat movement in India, particularly in the state of Odisha. He served as the first Ameer-e-Shari'at of Imarat-e-Shar'ia Odisha and the third president of Jamiat Ulama Odisha.

Early life and education

Muhammad Ismail Katki was born on 6 January 1914, in Rasoolpur, Sungra, Bihar and Orissa Province (now Odisha). ^{[3] [4]} It is stated that he and Ataullah Shah Bukhari have the same maternal village. ^[5]

Katki received his primary education from his paternal aunt, Seyyida Khatoon. ^{[4] [6]} He began studying the dars-e-nizami curricula at Madrasa Islamia, Sungra, where he received instructions on courses up to Hidayat an-Nahw ( Arabic: هداية النحو) under Muhammad Umar Katki. ^[7] He pursued his further studies at Madrasa Shahi in Moradabad, where his teachers included Muhammad Miyan Deobandi, Ismail Sambhali, Abdul Haq Madani, and Qudratullah Qudrat. ^{[6] [7]} He was admitted to Darul Uloom Deoband, where he completed his studies in 1934. ^{[6] [8] [9] [10]} At the Deoband seminary, his teachers included Asghar Hussain Deobandi, Hussain Ahmad Madani, Izaz Ali Amrohi, Muhammad Shafi Deobandi, and Muhammad Tayyib Qasmi. ^{[6] [8]}

During his studies, he took an interest in religious debates and learned their principles from Murtaza Hasan Chandpuri. ^{[6] [8] [11]}

At the age of fifteen, he debated Qadianis for the first time in Pindi Bahauddin, Punjab, under the supervision of Sanaullah Amritsari. ^[12]

He learned Tajwid and  Qira'at in the Hafs 'an Asim tradition from Abdul Wahid Deobandi at Darul Uloom Deoband and Muhammad Abdullah at Madrasa Shahi in Moradabad. ^[13]

Career

After graduating from Deoband Seminary, Katki was first appointed as a second maulvi and a Persian and Urdu teacher at Ravenshaw Collegiate School in Cuttack. ^{[14] [15]} After that, he worked as a teacher at Govt.Boys High School, Jeypore, in the Koraput district of Odisha, ^{[14] [3]} until 1947. ^{[11] [4] [3]}

On the order of Hussain Ahmad Madani, he became a preacher in 1946 by joining the Anjuman Tabligh e Islam, which was founded in 1945 in Sungra, Odisha. ^{[14] [11]} In 1946, Anjuman Tabligh e Islam established Madrasa Arabia Islamia (now Jamia Islamia Markazul Uloom) in Tabligh Nagar, Sungra, and he was appointed as its first principal, then rector. ^{[11] [16] [14]}

He significantly contributed to the Khatm-e-Nubuwwat movement. ^[17] From the time of his graduation until the 1990s, he participated in over ninety debates, ^[8] among which the debates on the rejection of Qadianism include the Bhadrak debate of 1958, the Yadgir debate of 1963, ^[18] and the Kothagudem debate of 1988. Also, the 1979 Barabati Stadium debate on the rejection of Barelvism is worth mentioning. ^[11]

He helped around 8,000 people revert from Qadianism to Sunni Islam ^{[8] [12] [10]} and contributed to the movement through his lectures and sermons. ^{[19] [20] [21]}

Honours and positions

Katki served as Odisha's first Ameer-e-Shari'at for 41 years, from 1964 until his death in 2005. ^{[11] [6]} Prior to his passing, he was the third president of Jamiat Ulama Odisha ^{[22] [1]} and held that position for more than 40 years. ^[11] In 1986, he was chosen to serve as the All India Majlis-e-Tahaffuz-e-Khatm-e-Nubuwwat's Vice President. ^{[19] [23]}

In 1992, he was chosen as a member of Darul Uloom Deoband's Majlis-e Shura (advisory committee) and held this position for 14 years until his death in 2005. ^{[24] [17]} He also served as the President of the Odisha branch of the Rabta-e-Madaris-e-Islamia Arabia, Darul Uloom Deoband. ^[25]

He was a supporter of the Indian National Congress and remained associated with it until his late life. ^[4] He was also active in the Indian independence movement. ^{[4] [26]} He was also a member of the working committee of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. ^[7]

Literary works

Katki's works include: ^{[18] [2] [27]}

• Yadgar e Yadgir (1965)
• Islam e Qadiani
• Quran e Qadiani (First Edition: 24 February 1946; Second Edition: February 2020; which was again published by Shah Alam Gorakhpuri as a magazine with the book "Muhasaba e Qadianiyyat," published under the supervision of Allah Wasaya from the Aalmi Majlis Tahaffuz Khatm-e-Nubuwwat, Pakistan. ^[28])
• Zara Ghaur Kerein (Katki's writings are collected in this book by Shah Alam Gorakhpuri.)
• Munazara e Bhadrak ^[12]
• Qadiani Kahin Ki Musalman Nohanti? (In Odia language; transl. Why aren't Qadianis Muslims?) ^[11]

Death

He died on 20 February 2005 (11 Muharram 1426 AH) at the age of 91 in Sungra, Cuttack district, Orissa (now Odisha). ^{[11] [6] [29]}

His demise was expressed in the meeting of the working committee of Darul Uloom Deoband held on 18 Jumada l-Ula 1426 AH (25 July 2005). ^[30]

See also

• Sirajussajidin Katki
• List of Deobandis
• List of Darul Uloom Deoband alumni

References