Muhammad Ismail Katki


Muhammad Ismail Katki 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 also held the position of 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. It is stated that he and Ataullah Shah Bukhari have the same maternal village.
Katki received his primary education from his paternal aunt, Seyyida Khatoon. He began studying the dars-e-nizami curricula at Madrasa Islamia, Sungra, where he received instructions on courses up to Hidayat an-Nahw under Muhammad Umar Katki. 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. He was admitted to Darul Uloom Deoband, where he completed his studies in 1934. At the Deoband seminary, his teachers included Asghar Hussain Deobandi, Hussain Ahmad Madani, Izaz Ali Amrohi, Muhammad Shafi, and Muhammad Tayyib Qasmi.
During his studies, he took an interest in religious debates and learned their principles from Murtaza Hasan Chandpuri.
At the age of fifteen, he debated Ahmadi Muslims for the first time in Pindi Bahauddin, Punjab, under the supervision of Sanaullah Amritsari.
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.

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. After that, he worked as a teacher at Govt.Boys High School, Jeypore, in the Koraput district of Odisha, until 1947.
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. In 1946, Anjuman Tabligh e Islam established Madrasa Arabia Islamia in Tabligh Nagar, Sungra, and he was appointed as its first principal, then rector.
He significantly contributed to the Khatm-e-Nubuwwat movement. From the time of his graduation until the 1990s, he participated in over ninety debates, among which the debates on the rejection of Ahmadiyya Islam include the Bhadrak debate of 1958, the Yadgir debate of 1963, and the Kothagudem debate of 1988. Also, the 1979 Barabati Stadium debate on the rejection of Barelvism is worth mentioning.
He influenced around 8,000 people to convert from Ahmadiyya to Sunni Islam and contributed to the movement through his lectures and sermons.

Honours and positions

Katki served as Odisha's first Ameer-e-Shari'at for 41 years, from 1964 until his death in 2005. Prior to his passing, he was the president of Jamiat Ulama Odisha and held that position for more than 40 years. In 1986, he was chosen to serve as the All India Majlis-e-Tahaffuz-e-Khatm-e-Nubuwwat's Vice President.
In 1992, he was chosen as a member of Darul Uloom Deoband's Majlis-e Shura and held this position for 14 years until his death in 2005. He also served as the President of the Odisha branch of the Rabta-e-Madaris-e-Islamia Arabia, Darul Uloom Deoband.
He was a supporter of the Indian National Congress and remained associated with it until his late life. He was also active in the Indian independence movement. He was also a member of the working committee of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind.

Literary works

Katki's works include:
  • Yadgar e Yadgir
  • Islam e Qadiani
  • Quran e Qadiani
  • Zara Ghaur Kerein
  • Munazara e Bhadrak
  • ''Qadiani Kahin Ki Musalman Nohanti?''

    Death

He died on 20 February 2005 at the age of 91 in Sungra, Cuttack district, Orissa.
His demise was expressed in the meeting of the working committee of Darul Uloom Deoband held on 18 Jumada l-Ula 1426 AH.