Mufti-e-Azam Kanpur: Mufti Syed Muhammad Rafaqat Husain Ashrafi (1908–1983)
By Sahil Razvi, New Age Islam
25 October 2025
Mufti Syed Muhammad Rafaqat Husain Ashrafi, known as Mufti-e-Azam, Kanpur, was a renowned Indian scholar, jurist, and Sufi. A khalifa of Ala Hazrat’s lineage, he taught across India, wrote several religious books, and defended Sunni beliefs through education, debate, and leadership in key Islamic movements.
Main Points:
1. Mufti Syed Muhammad Rafaqat Husain Ashrafi (1908–1983) was known as Mufti-e-Azam, Kanpur and Amin al-Shariah.
2. A disciple of Ala Hazrat Syed Ali Husain Ashrafi and Hujjat ul-Islam Hamid Raza Khan.
3. Taught at leading madrasas in Kanpur, Ajmer, and Bareilly.
4. Served as president of several major Sunni organizations in India.
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Mufti Syed Muhammad Rafaqat Husain Quadri Chishti Ashrafi Hanafi, widely known as Amin al-Shariah and Mufti-e-Azam, Kanpur, was a distinguished Islamic scholar and spiritual luminary born in 1326 AH (1908 CE) in Islamabad (Bhawanipur), Muzaffarpur, India. His life was dedicated to upholding the teachings of Ahl us-Sunnah, earning him immense respect for his erudition and piety. His lineage traces back to the revered saint Syed Makhdum Shah Jalaluddin Chishti, a disciple and khalifa of Khwaja Muhammad Usman Haruni, whose legacy is chronicled in the historical text Asarat Phulwari.
Mufti Rafaqat Husain was adorned with numerous honorific titles reflecting his scholarly and spiritual eminence, including Amin al-Shariah, Shaikh al-MaShaikh, Mufti Azam Kanpur, Sultan ul-Munazirin, Rais ul-Mutakallimin, Fateh-e-Arba Ajam, Khair ul-Ummat, Khatem ul-Akabir, Qutb ul-Aalam, and Mehboob-e-Khuda.
His pursuit of Islamic knowledge began under his father, Shaikh Abdur Razzakh Quadri. Initially enrolled at Madrasa Ahmadiya in Muzaffarpur, he was later transferred to Madrasa Aziziya upon learning of the former’s affiliation with the Wahhabiya La Madhabiya sect. At Madrasa Aziziya, he studied under esteemed scholars such as Shaikh Shah Habib ur Rahman Bihari, Mufti Abdul Mateen, and Shaikh Abdul Ghani. In 1345 AH, he joined Madrasa Hanafiya in Kanpur and, on the advice of Shaikh Syed Muhammad Tahir Ashraf Kichochavi, continued his education at Madrasa Moiniya Usmania in Ajmer under luminaries like Sadr ush-Shariah Mufti Muhammad Amjad Ali Quadri Razvi A’zami, Shaikh Abdul Hai Afghani, and Mufti Imtiaz Ahmad Ambethvi.
Spiritually, Mufti Rafaqat Husain pledged allegiance (baiyah) to Ham Shabiha Ghawth Azam Shaikh ul-Mashaikh Syed Shah Ali Husain Chishti Ashrafi Kichochavi in the Quadriya Chishtiya Ashrafiya tariqa, receiving khilafah in the same order. He was also granted khilafah in the Quadriya Barkatiya tariqa by Hujjat ul-Islam Hamid Raza Khan Quadri Barkati Barelvi, Sadr ush-Shariah Mufti Muhammad Amjad Ali Quadri Razvi Azami, and Qutb ul-Madinah Muhammad Ziyauddin Ahmad Quadri Razvi Madani.
His academic contributions were profound. In 1352 AH, he accompanied Sadr ush-Shariah to Bareilly, teaching at Madrasa Mazhar al-Islam for a year. He later taught at Madrasa Muhammadiya in Jayis, Rae Bareilly, where he gained renown for defeating Shia scholars in debates. Appointed as the khatib of Jama Masjid Sultanpur, he was later invited back to Jayis by its residents. In 1369 AH, he became principal of Madrasa Ahsan ul-Madaris in Kanpur, and in 1372 AH, Kanpur’s scholars declared him Mufti Azam. During his pilgrimage to Makkah and Madinah, he upheld Ahl us-Sunnah practices by offering salah separately from Wahhabi-led congregations, defending the Aqaid of Ahl us-Sunnah in debates against Wahhabi scholars in the Haramayn. In Madinah, he met Qutb ul-Madinah Mufti Ziyauddin Ahmad Quadri Madani, receiving khilafah in the Quadriya Barkatiya tariqa. In 1975 CE, he visited Iraq, and in 1379 AH, he served as Shaikh ul-Hadith and principal of Dar ul-Salam Shah Alam in Ahmedabad. Returning to Kanpur, he taught at Madrasa Miskiniya and later resumed his role as custodian and principal of Madrasa Ahsan ul-Madaris.
Mufti Rafaqat Husain authored several significant works, such as a tafsir of Surah al-Baqarah published in parts in Mahnama Taiba, Qadiyani Kazzab refuting Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani’s false claim to prophethood, Tariqa al-Hanafiya on Hanafi jurisprudence, Ilyasi Jamaat critiquing the Tablighi Jamaat, Awraton ki Namaz on women’s prayer, and the unpublished two-volume Fatawa Rifaqatiya, among others.
He played a pivotal role in numerous religious and welfare organisations, serving as Deputy President of Jamat Raza-e-Mustafa Hind in Bareilly, Chief Rector, Deputy President, and Area President of Kul Hind Tabligh-e-Sirat, Patron-in-Chief of All India Sunni Jamiat ul-Ulama, President of All India Sunni Tablighi Jamaat, and Chairman of Idarah-e-Shariya in Patna, Bihar.
His notable students included Shaikh Syed Nayim Ashraf Ashrafi Jilani, Sajjadah Nashin of Jayis, Rae Bareilly; Shaikh Hakeem Basharath Husain of Madrasa Siraj ul-Ulum, Sultanpur; Shaikh Prof Hakeem Ahmad, Lecturer at Tibbiya College, Aligarh Muslim University; Shaikh Saeed Ahmad, former Rector of Madrasa Ahsan ul-Madaris, Kanpur; Shaikh Syed Shah Muhammad Akbar, Sajjadah Nashin of Astana-e-Aliya Muhammadiya, Phuphand Sharif, Utawa; and Shaikh Sahibzadah Syed Zul Hasan Chishti Ashrafi Kichochavi.
Mufti Azam Kanpur, Amin al-Shariah, passed away in 1403 AH (1983 CE) and was laid to rest in Islamabad Shareef (Bhawanipur), Bihar, India. His funeral prayer was led by his eldest son, Noor al-Awliya Syed Mahmood Ahmad Rafaqati, author of Paakane Ummat and Tazkirah Ulama-e-Ahl us-Sunnah Hind. Mufti Syed Rafaqat Husain Ashrafi’s enduring legacy as a scholar, spiritual guide, and defender of Ahl us-Sunnah continues to inspire generations.
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A regular contributor to New Age Islam, Sahil Razvi is a research scholar specialising in Sufism and Islamic History. He is an alumnus of Jamia Millia Islamia.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/mufti-azam-rafaqat-ashrafi-1908-1983/d/137373
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