There is a Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Aleihi Wa Sallam) which says, "Live in the world like a stranger or a passerby, and count yourself among the inhabitants of the grave.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 2333). This Hadith seems to have been a constant reminder for our respected teacher, Allamah Qamaruddin Rahimahullah, who passed away few days back. His life was a reflection of this profound wisdom. He was never concerned with the affairs of others and always avoided interfering in matters of others. He always eluded from unnecessary conversations. Allah (swt) had blessed him with piety and righteousness, and he embodied these qualities throughout his life. With patience and gratitude, he adhered to moral values and principles. He used to interact with others with kindness and compassion. His actions were driven solely by the desire to please Allah, not by any attachment to worldly fame or wealth. Living a simple and humble life, his way of being was firmly rooted in the teachings of the Glorious Qur'an and Sunnah. He was indeed a role model for both the common people and the elite.
Allama Qamaruddin Rahimahullah dedicated nearly 58 years of his life to teaching at the esteemed seminary: Darul Uloom, Deoband with his overall teaching career spanning approximately 66 years. His entire life was devoted to imparting knowledge, education, and the propagation of Islamic teachings. Throughout this long period, he taught the Tafsir of the Qur'an and the second core source of Islamic knowledge that is Hadith. His focus was purely on imparting knowledge, offering guidance and delivering sermons. In his lectures, he took great care in conveying the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (saws) accurately to his students. His voice was clear and his style of speaking was distinct. He made any topic easy for his students to understand. He explained any subject in an eloquent manner. His communication in the class was to the needs of his students.
Beyond academic teaching, Allama Qamaruddin Rahimahullah was committed to guiding his students towards living a life based on truth, ethical values, and Islamic principles. Whenever a student asked a question, he would listen attentively and respond with patience and care. He often shared the research and insightful stories of past scholars, enriching his students’ knowledge with examples of wisdom from the elders. Known for his kindness and compassion, he never engaged in harsh behaviour with his students. Instead, he preferred forgiveness and forbearance. If he saw his students going out of the Masjid leaving Duaa after Salaah or leaving without performing the Sunnah, he would address them gently yet firmly, stressing the importance of following the Sunnah. Though he did not have biological children, his legacy lives on through the thousands of students he educated and mentored. His students’ dedication to teaching and religious services will be as the continuous charity for him. He earned the honour and respect through his teachings of Tafsir and Hadith. His students continued to hold him in deep affection and esteem.
Allama Qamaruddin Rahimahullah was born on 2nd February 1938, in the town of Barahal Ganj, Dist.: Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. His father was known as Haji Bashiruddin. His early education began under the guidance of Maulana Safiullah Sahib Qasmi – Rahimahullah –. He first got admission at Madrasa Ihyaul Uloom in Mubarakpur, where he spent a year acquiring foundational knowledge of Arabic. Following that, he continued his studies at Darul Uloom, Mau, where he advanced his understanding by studying books such as Mulla Hasan, Al-Mutanabbi, Mukhtasar al-Maani and Hidayah Awwaleen, among others. Allamah enrolled at the renowned Islamic seminary Darul Uloom, Deoband in 1954, where his educational journey took a significant turn. He graduated in 1957 and, after completing his formal education, stayed an additional year at Darul Uloom to deepen his knowledge in various Islamic sciences. He had the privilege of studying Hadith under the guidance of several esteemed scholars, including Sheikhul Islam Maulana Syed Hussain Ahmad Madani, Allama Muhammad Ibrahim Balyavi, Maulana Fakhruddin Muradabadi, Maulana Bashir Khan Bulandshahri, Maulana Fakhrul Hassan Muradabadi, Maulana Abdul Ahad Deobandi, Maulana Syed Hassan Deobandi, Maulana Zahoor Ahmad Deobandi and Maulana Jaleel Ahmad Kiranvi (Rahimahullah). During his learning years at Darul Uloom, he served as a devoted attendant to Allama Balyavi, which further enriched his learning experience.
Allama Qamaruddin Rahimahullah was deeply influenced by his teacher, Allama Muhammad Ibrahim Balyavi Rahimahullah, and often mentioned him with great reverence during his lectures. Following the advice of Allama Balyavi, he began his teaching career at Madrasa Abdul Rabb in Delhi after completing his formal education. At this Madrasa, he taught a wide range of subjects. It is worth mentioning that he taught at this Madrasah Sahih al-Bukhari too. Alongside his teaching responsibilities, he also delivered Tafsir lectures in a Masjid. He continued his service at Madrasa Abdul Rabb for nearly eight years.
In 1966, Allama Qamaruddin Rahimahullah was appointed at Darul Uloom Deoband, where he quickly rose to become a teacher of higher classes. His dedication led him to serve as the chief warden of the Hostel for several years. In 1994, he was appointed as the Nazim-e-Taleemat (Director of Education), further cementing his role as a key figure in the institution. During our time at Darul Uloom in 2003, we had the honour of studying two important Hadith books —Sahih Muslim and Sunan al-Nasa'i—under his expert guidance. He had studied Sahih Muslim under Allama Balyavi and Sunan al-Nasa'i under Maulana Bashir Ahmad Khan Bulandshahri. At that time, he was teaching the books such as Sahih Muslim, Sunan al-Nasa'i and Tafsir al-Baydawi. Before his passing away, he was teaching Tafsir Ibn Kathir and the second volume of Sahih al-Bukhari. After the death of Maulana Abdul Haq Azmi Rahimahullah, the responsibility of teaching the second volume of Sahih al-Bukhari was entrusted to him, further highlighting the trust placed in his scholarship.
Allama Qamaruddin Rahimahullah initially established a reformative connection with Hazrat Maulana Shah Wasiullah Sahib Rahimahullah. Following his demise, he formed a similar bond with Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Abrarul Haq Hardoi Rahimahullah, who held him in great regard and bestowed upon him the honour of Khilafat. Allama Qamaruddin’s scholarly and reformative gatherings were typically held after the Asr Salaah at Masjid Tayyib, where students would regularly attend to benefit from his guidance. His deep passion for Da’wah and reform led him to travel extensively, both within the country and abroad, to offer advice and guidance to the Ummah. For many years, during the last ten days of Ramadan, he would deliver sermons and engage in I'tikaf at Masjid Hashim in Ambur. His speeches mainly used to focus on topics such as adhering to the Sunnah, purifying the soul (Tazkiyah) and cultivating good moral conduct. The collection of his sermons and lectures has been published in several volumes under the title “Jawaharat Qamar”, preserving his valuable teachings for future generations.
There is a Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (saws) that a Bedouin once asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Who is the best of people?” The Prophet (saws) replied, "The one whose life is long and whose actions are righteous." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 2329) This Hadith signifies that a person who has been granted long life by Allah and he spends that life in righteous deeds is among the best of people. Allah (swt) blessed our respected teacher with a long life. At the time of his passing away, he was nearly 86 years old. His entire life was dedicated to the study and teaching of the Glorious Qur'an and Hadith, as well as delivering sermons and offering guidance, Al-Hamdulillah. Despite his declining health in recent years, he remained devoted to teaching. He had been under treatment and admitted at a hospital in Muzaffarnagar. When his condition worsened, the doctors advised him to return home. On the morning of 22nd December 2024, at the time of Fajr, he left for heavenly abode. His funeral prayer was performed in the campus of Darul Uloom. He was laid to rest in the Qasmi Graveyard in Deoband. May Allah grant him complete forgiveness and elevate his rank in Jannah! Aameen! ∎∎∎∎