Shāh Walī-Allah Dehlawī is a widely celebrated figure from the Indian Subcontinent, whose scholarly importance is recognised globally. Those unfamiliar with the region recognise the exceptional scholarship of the late Mughal period through their familiarity with Shāh Walī-Allah Dehlawī. This recognition itself serves as a testament to his greatness.

Every Islamic tradition possesses a unique essence, a distinct quality or spirit that defines its identity. Within the Farangi Mahall intellectual tradition, this essence finds its embodiment in the figure of "The Greatest Shaykh, Muhyi al-Din Ibn 'Arabi, may Allah sanctify his secret. Central to the Farangi Mahall tradition stands 'Abd al-'Ali, renowned as Bahr al-'Ulum. 

The meaning behind our seal.

Access to the works from the earlier curricula is essential for aspiring scholars.

Khairabadi Institute aims to bridge the gap between classical Islamic scholarship from the Farangi Mahall and Khairabadi traditions and contemporary Muslim students.

Qādi Aḍud al-dīn al-Ījī’s renowned work, ‘al-Mawāqif fī ‘ilm al-kalām’, and its accompanying commentaries emerged as pivotal texts within the Sunnī madrasa curriculum from the fourteenth century CE onwards.

We were honoured to welcome Shaykh Fazl-i-Subhān al-Qādirī to the United Kingdom, a distinguished inheritor and proponent of the Ghazālian and Nizāmī tradition. He comes from a lineage steeped in Islamic scholarship, being the son of the renowned jurist and saintly figure, Qādī Shāhista Gul, who in turn himself studied directly under Imām Ahmad Ridā’ al-Qādirī.

Imām ʿAḍud al-Dīn al-Ījī (AH 680–756/1281–1356 CE) served as a renowned Muslim theologian and jurist during the Il-khanid era. Originating from a distinguished lineage of scholars and jurists in Īg, near the strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, he pursued a career in the court of the Mongol dynasty, particularly under the Il-khanids in Tabriz.

Traditional Sunni Kalam is a paradigm of thinking that aligns with truth and provides rational explanations for theological concepts. It arose in response to heretical beliefs and groups.

The scholars of the Farangi Mahall and the Khairabadis held a deep reverence for al-Shaykh al-Akbar ibn Arabi. Mullā Nizāmuddīn, the namesake for the Dars-i-Nizāmī curriculum and a follower of the Chishti Sufi order, was known to teach the Fusus al-Hikam of Shaykh Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi.

The scholars of the Farangi Mahall and their later offshoot, the Khairabadis, hail from a distinguished lineage of Islamic scholarship. Interestingly, despite being Maturidis (followers of Imam Maturidi), their chain of transmission ultimately leads back to al-Qadi al-Imam ‘Aḍud-Dīn Al-Ījī, a prominent Ashari scholar (follower of Imam al-Ash'ari). Imam Al-Ījī's intellectual lineage connects with the Imam of the Ahl-Sunnah, Imam Abu l-Hassan al-Ash'ari, through Imam Razi and Imam Ghazali.

Traditional works of Islamic Theology serve as a treasure trove for contemporary defenders of Islam's pure Creed. Early Sunni Mutakallimun (theologians) were masters at deconstructing philosophies of their time and earlier periods. They directly engaged with these ideas using sound & rational arguments against them while fiercely defending the purity of Islamic beliefs.

The Farangi Mahall tradition takes immense pride in its illustrious lineage of scholars. Recognising these influential figures helps us understand the foundation for the remarkable heights achieved by the Farangi Mahallis over the next three centuries.

The Ulama of Farangi Mahall were a remarkable family tracing their lineage back to the time of the Holy Prophet (Salutations & Peace be upon him), specifically to Hz. Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, who is acknowledged among the fuqaha & qurra of the Companions (Allah be pleased with them all).

Allama Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi was not only an Imam in the transmitted and rational sciences, but also a Chishti Sufi in his spiritual practice (suluk). A profound defender of the concept of wahdat al-wujud, he wasn't a mere follower (muqallid) in this matter.

The scholars of the Farangi Mahall were undoubtedly great Fuqaha and Jurists. Among the esteemed scholars who were spiritual successors of the Farangi Mahalli tradition was Allama Abd al-Hayy Lucknowi.

The Indian Subcontinent produced some of the greatest experts of the Islamic Sciences over the course of centuries. A significant contributor to this chain of prestige scholarship, especially in the last few centuries has been the Dars-e-Nizami curriculum, designed by one of the leading scholars of his age, Mulla Nizam al-Din Sihalwi (d. 1747 CE), after whom the curriculum is named.