Sheikh al-Hadith wal-Qur’an Mawlawi Muhammad Alam Haqqani (may Allah accept him) was a radiant lamp of knowledge, a gifted scholar, and a courageous Mujahid who dedicated his life to the service of Islam and the defense of the Ummah. A native of Marki Khel village in the Sherzad district of Nangarhar province, he was born in the solar year 1350 (1971/72 CE). From an early age, he displayed an eagerness for religious learning.
He began his Islamic education under the guidance of various scholars in Sherzad. Seeking deeper knowledge, he traveled to Peshawar and enrolled in different madrasas across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where he studied foundational subjects under renowned teachers such as Sheikh Sultan Muhammad Saqib, Sheikh Saleh Muhammad, and Sheikh Muhammad Idris.
When the time came for the advanced Dawra Hadith, he journeyed to Darul Uloom Haqqania on the advice of his companions. Despite facing significant hardship in the land of migration, he completed his studies in an impressively short period. In the solar year 1378 (1999–2000 CE), he graduated alongside the great martyr Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani (may Allah accept him) under the guidance of Sheikh Sher Ali Shah Madani and was honored with the turban of knowledge and dignity.
Upon completing his studies, he returned to his homeland. Endowed with a pure conscience and firm faith, he approached every matter with a deep sense of responsibility toward the Ummah. Observing his region afflicted by ignorance, harmful innovations, misguided customs, and intellectual deviations, he immediately established a madrasa in his home village of Marki Khel.
During the first era of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), this madrasa was officially recognized by the order of Amir al-Mu’minin Mullah Muhammad Omar Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him). Sheikh Haqqani dedicated himself to teaching, and large numbers of students flocked to him, causing the madrasa to flourish rapidly. Yet the collapse of the IEA under foreign occupation abruptly halted its progress, shattering the renewed hopes of the Ummah.
Alongside teaching, Sheikh Haqqani became a caller to jihad against the invaders. He trained and guided many Mujahideen for armed resistance. Teachers and students of his madrasa joined the battlefronts, and under his leadership, more than ten teachers and over one hundred students attained the lofty rank of martyrdom.
In 2014, when ISIS fighters emerged in Nangarhar and captured vast territories, including the Shinwari district, Pachir Aw Agam, Khogyani, Chaparhar, and areas close to Sherzad, two groups rose up against them. One was led by Sheikh Muhammad Alam Haqqani (may Allah accept him) and the other by Malik Jifor. Sheikh Haqqani launched jihad against ISIS, and the first martyrs in Sherzad district’s direct clashes were from among his close companions.
Through the courage, sacrifices, and unshakable faith of the Mujahideen, ISIS was driven out of Khogyani, Pachir Aw Agam, Chaparhar, Haska Mina, Batikot, Achin, Spin Ghar, Rodat, and as far as Momand Tangi. Whenever the ISIS regrouped and took control of mountainous strongholds such as Tora Bora and Wazir Tangi, his companions once again confronted them with remarkable courage, many attaining martyrdom in the process.
In one of these battles at Wazir Tangi, his notable companion, Mawlawi Shams al-Rahman (may Allah accept him), was martyred in direct combat with ISIS. His blessed body was left on the battlefield until, after twenty days, local tribal elders managed to recover it and give him a proper burial.
Finally, in 2018, Sheikh Muhammad Alam Haqqani (may Allah accept him), together with ten companions, including his brother, attained the noble rank of martyrdom in a drone strike. We consider him among the martyrs, and Allah is his ultimate Reckoner.
After his martyrdom, ISIS advanced and temporarily captured Marki Khel Tangi. However, units of the IEA soon arrived from other provinces, ultimately eradicating the ISIS fighters from the area.
It is worth noting that Sheikh Muhammad Alam Haqqani (may Allah accept him) was a close companion of Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani (may Allah accept him). Both studied together and graduated in the same year from Darul Uloom Haqqania.
