Ashraf Ali Thanwi

Ashraf Ali ibn Abdul-Haqq at-Thanwi (1863-1943 CE / 1280-1362 AH) was one of the most influential Muslim scholars of the 20th century and a leading figure of the Deobandi movement in the Indian subcontinent. Born in Thana Bhawan in Uttar Pradesh, he studied at the Darul Uloom Deoband under some of its greatest teachers and became a renowned scholar, Sufi shaykh, and prolific author.

Ashraf Ali Thanwi authored approximately one thousand works in Urdu, Arabic, and Persian. His most famous work is Bihishti Zewar (Heavenly Ornaments), a comprehensive guide to Islamic practice written primarily for women that became one of the most widely read Islamic books in the Urdu language. His Urdu tafsir Bayan al-Quran is considered one of the best Quran commentaries in Urdu. He also wrote extensively on Sufism, including at-Takashuf an Muhimmat at-Tasawwuf, articulating a Sufi spirituality grounded in the Shariah. His al-Hila an-Najiza lil-Halisa is an influential work on Islamic jurisprudence.

Thanwi was initiated into the Chishti, Qadiri, Naqshbandi, and Suhrawardi Sufi orders and served as a spiritual guide to thousands. He was known as Hakim al-Ummah (Sage of the Ummah) for the practical wisdom of his guidance. He advocated for a balanced approach combining strict adherence to the Shariah with inner spiritual purification. He passed away in Thana Bhawan and his legacy endures through the many institutions and scholars he influenced.