Aqil Ahmad
In the month of Mizan 1357 of the solar calendar (corresponding to October 1987 CE / 1408 AH), on a Friday morning, a child was born in the Pachir Aw Agam district of Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. This child would later rise to prominence among the ranks of the Ummah’s most revered scholars, mentors of the Jihadi generation, and steadfast defenders of Islamic Shariah.
The son of the esteemed scholar Saadullah and grandson of Sheikh Muhammad and Abdul Majeed Akhundzada, he came to be known in the Islamic world as Sheikh al-Islam, the Martyr Rahimullah Haqqani (may Allah have mercy on him), a man distinguished by his scholarship, piety, jihad, asceticism, and sincerity.
Migration and the Pursuit of Knowledge
Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, like millions of others, Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani was forced into migration. In exile, he embarked on his religious studies, benefiting from distinguished scholars at renowned seminaries such as Madrasa al-Hijrat wal-Jihad, Darul Uloom Islamia (DUI), Faiz al-Uloom, Darul Uloom Hashimiyah, and Darul Uloom Farooqiyah.
For intermediate religious studies, he enrolled in Jamia Numania in Charsadda in 1997, where he studied under the eminent hadith scholar Maulana Muhammad Idris (may Allah have mercy on him).
Graduation and Advanced Studies
Upon completing his intermediate studies, he joined the esteemed Jamia Haqqaniyah in Akora Khattak, Nowshera. With relentless dedication, nightly worship, and deep love for sacred knowledge, he studied the foundational hadith collections, including the Sihah Sittah (the Six Canonical Books of Hadith). He graduated with distinction in 1998, receiving both the traditional ijazah (authorization in Hadith) and the symbolic turban of graduation.
Teaching, Da’wah, and Mentorship
After completing his studies, Sheikh al-Shuhada Rahimullah Haqqani (may Allah accept him) began teaching in various academic institutions and nurtured thousands of students. One of the most significant of these was Al-Jama‘ah al-Siddiqiyyah, an institution established under the guidance of the late Amir al-Mu’minin Mullah Muhammad Omar Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him), the founding leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).
At this institution, Sheikh Haqqani served with utmost devotion, educating students, spreading Islamic teachings, and strengthening the Sunni and Jama’ati traditions.
Jihad and the Struggle Against Ideological Deviance
Sheikh Haqqani’s contribution was not confined to the academic realm. He was also a formidable presence in the field of jihad, standing resolutely against occupation, religious deviation, heresy, and extremism, both militarily and intellectually.
He waged an unwavering ideological struggle against deviant movements such as Rafidism (Shi’a extremism), Mawdudism, Mamootism, Barelvism, atheism, and particularly the Daeshi Khawarij. Through debates, writings, and the education of his students, he brought clarity and enlightenment to counter these threats.
Character and Personal Virtues
Beyond his scholarly and jihadi stature, Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani was revered for his noble character, gentle speech, compassionate heart, and humble demeanor. He embodied the values of patience, dignity, humility, and mercy in his interactions.
He was frequently targeted by the enemies of Islam and endured severe torture during his imprisonment in Pul-e-Charkhi prison. Yet he never abandoned his mission of da’wah and jihad, remaining steadfast on the path of truth.
Scholarly Contributions
Sheikh Haqqani (may Allah accept his efforts) authored numerous influential works that will continue to enlighten students of Islamic knowledge for generations. Among his notable writings are:
• Al-Qawl al-Mufid fi Ithbat al-Taqleed
• Faridat al-Ghawwas
• Dars-e-Baydawi
• Ahsan al-Fara’id
• Qawa’id al-Munazarah
• Aqd al-Liyali
• Ahkam al-Ghanimah
…as well as dozens of other treatises and books.
Martyrdom
After years of selfless service, Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani (may Allah accept him) attained martyrdom on Thursday, Asad 20, 1401 (August 11, 2022) at 2:00 PM, while teaching in the courtyard of Al-Jami‘ah al-Muhammadiyah in the Shash Darak area of Kabul. He was targeted by Daeshi Khawarij, attaining the honored status of shahadah while engaged in his noble work of Islamic instruction.
His sacred blood remains a lasting stain upon the foreheads of those ignorant, deviant Khawarij who are cut off from religion, deprived of knowledge, and fear scholars more than soldiers.
Daeshi Khawarij: Enemies of Knowledge and Enlightenment
Like other anti-Islamic forces, the Daeshi Khawarij seek to extinguish the light of sacred knowledge. They target sincere scholars when they see them reviving youth through education, guiding the flames of jihad in the right direction, and standing firm against both excess and deviation.
The assassination of scholars like Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani (may Allah have mercy on him) reveals the deep fear these enemies of Islam harbor toward the truth. They know that authentic scholars awaken the Ummah, protect its youth from ignorance, and lead the nation toward unity, insight, and the rule of Shariah.
But they have surely forgotten that the martyrdom of scholars does not dim the light of knowledge. It fuels it. It lights the path for thousands of courageous youth who walk in their footsteps, standing with unwavering resolve against the armies of falsehood, just as Martyr Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani (may Allah have mercy on him) did.
