Hazrat Maulana Yusuf Motala Great Pioneer in the UK

By: Ehsanullah Qasmi

Adab & Fiqh Lecturer
Jamia Qasmia Arabia, Kharod, Baruch, Gujarat, India
E-mail : ehsanullahqasmi@yahoo.com

Maulana Yusuf Motala returned to his Creator Allah Subhanahu

Wataala, on 8th Muharramul Haram 14041 Hijra corresponding to
28 September 2019 A.D in the age of around 72 years, after he
faced cardiac arrest when he travelled to Canada for the purpose
of Da'wah, on 25th August 2019 2090, where he was admitted to a
hospital and went through the heart surgery.
By the virtue of Allah Subhanahu Wata'la and His blessings, the
surgery was successful but he remained unconscious and departed
to Allah the Almighty. May Allah forgive him and shower upon him
His peace and blessings and may his soul rest in the heavenly
abode. Ameen.
His Birth:
Hazrat Maulana Yusuf Motala sb was born on 1st Muharramul
Haram 1356 Hijra corresponding to 25 November 19 46 A.D, in the
village of Nani Naroli district: Surat State: Gujarat Northern West
India.
His Educational Voyage:
Maulana Yusuf Motala sb completed the memorization of the
Glorious Qur'an and learnt Urdu at Madrasa Targhib al-Qur'an.
In 1961, he went to Jamia Hussainia and took admission, where he
completed five years of Alimiat course. Later, in 1966, Maulana
Yusuf Motala travelled to Mazahir Uloom, Saharanpur, where he
learnt Mishkat al-Masabih from Shaikh al-Hadith Muhammad
Yunus Jawnpuri, Tafsir al-Jalalayn from Shaikh Muhammad Aqil,

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the third volume of Al-Hidayah from Mufti Yahya, and Mishkat al-
Masabih for a second time from Shaikh al-Hadith Muhammad
Zakariyya al-Kandhalwi. In the upcoming year, Maulana Yusuf
Motala studied al-Bukhari under Shaikh al-Hadith Muhammad
Zakariyya al-Kandhalwi, Sahih SunanSunan al-Nasa'i, and Muwatta
Abu Da'ud, Imam Malik from Muhammad Yunus Jawnpuri, Sahih
Muslim and Sunan alTirmidhi from Shaikh Mudhaffar Husain, and
Sharh Ma'anil-Athar from Shaikh Asadullah.
His Working Life:
Having graduated Malana Yusuf Motala Sb travelled to the UK in
the month of June, in 1968 A.D for the purpose of getting married
and his father-in-law Haji Yaqub Suleman Limbada sent all the
required documents and visa and offered all kinds of assistance
which made it easy for him to make a journey to the UK. So he
travelled and resided in the city Bolton where he was selected as
an Imam to lead five time prayers in a mosque. He carried out all
the responsibilities and duties of an imam with full devotion and
utmost strive and painstaking. He led Salah and delivered sermons
before the people and invited them to the right path of Allah
Subhana Wat’ala and cultivated the sapling of Islam in the hearts
of the Muslims and got them sniff the fragrance of the beauties of
Islam.
Foundation Stone of First Islamic Seminary in the UK:
When Maulana Yusuf Motala Sb came to the UK, he observed the
people far from their Creator and Cherisher and Sustainer. He saw
the people indulged in sins and carnal desires. He saw the people
sunk in the deepest ignorance. He noticed people allegedly
violating the orders and commandments of Allah the Almighty. He
watched people wandering in various forms of innovations and
superstitions. He saw the Muslims proceeding towards the fire of

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Hell. All these made him very saddened and left him shocked. His
heart melted. Finally, he decided to lay the foundation stone of a
sheer Islamic institute in the city Bury, in 1973A.D on the order and
recommendation of his Shaikh Muhammad Zakaria(RH)
So he purchased a piece of the land and established an institution
namely"Darul Uloom Bury".
In a very short span of time, students from Barbados, Canada,
France, India, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama,
Portugal, Reunion, Saudi Arabia, Trinidad, the United Kingdom, the
United States of America, Zambia and Zimbabwe started travelling
to this seminary to quench their learning thirst and to embellish
themselves with the glowing ornaments made of Islamic studies
and Prophetic virtuous teachings. And to enlighten their hearts
with the most blessed and sacred of divine light.
It is worth mentioning here that this Islamic institution has
imparted education to hundreds of thousands of learners and
Muslim generations. This evergreen tree has yielded many ripe
fruits in the shape of intellectual Huffaz, intelligent Ulama and wise
muftis. It has produced a large number of Islamic preachers,
editors, writers, teachers, lecturers, principles and heads of the
organizations, who are carrying out extraordinary jobs and
tremendous tasks and fantastic works and rendering the
unparalleled services of Islam, in the form of constructing
Madrasas, erecting dormitory for the orphans and impoverished
and indigent children. Building the hospitals for the seek people,
and establishing the academies and so on.
And the credit of all these wonderful works, selfless services and
considerable achievements and remarkable accomplishments,
goes to the late Maulana Yusuf Motala (RH) because his noble
personality is only the great pioneer who paved the way through

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his sincere commitment, hard work, true dedication, for this
outstanding success.
May Allah the Almighty accept it and reward him profusely.
Other Institutions Established By Him:
1) Darul Uloom al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah, Bury
2) Madinatul Uloom al Islamiya, Kidderminster
3) Jamiatul Imam Muhammad Zakariya, Bradford
4) Markaz ul-Uloom, Blackburn
5) Madrasa al-Imam Muhammad Zakariya, Bolton
6) Imam Muhammad Zakariya School, Preston
7) Madrasa Imam Muhammad Zakariya, Preston
8) Azhar Academy, London
9) Al Markazul Ilmi, Dewsbury
10) Mahad al-Shuhada Mosque and Madrasa, Preston
11) Imam Muhammad Zakariya Masjid and Maktab, Dundee
His Teaching Career:
Hazrat Maulana Yusuf Motala(RH) taught in Darul Uloom Bury
since its infancy almost all books of the syllabus: Arabic grammar,
Arabic conjugations, Adab books, Islamic Fiqh books. He taught
Tirmidhi Shareef along with other Hadith books. Following the
demise of Shaikhul Hadith Hazrat Maulana Islamul Haque Sb in
1996 AD, he got the privilege to teach Bukhari Shareef Also. And he
continued to teach it till his last breath.
Additionally, he taught the translation of the Glorious Qur’an for
many years. This translation has got published too, with the title
of"Adwa Al-bayan Fi- tarjamatul-Qur'an" and the writer of these
humble words has been gifted a copy of this book by the principal
of Jamia Qasmia Arabia Kharod Hazrat Maulana Ayub Patel.
May Allah grant him a long life.

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Islamic Mysticism and Hazrat's Key Role:
Hazrat Maulana Yusuf Motala Sb did Bay'at on the blessed hands
of his most beloved teacher and Shaikh Muhammad Zakaria Sb
Kandhlawi(RH). First of all, he purified his heart and reformed his
own life. He instilled good characters in himself. He infused the
best behaviors in himself. He formulated patience and constancy
inside himself. He introspected completely. He strengthened his
relation to his Creator.
Then he began to organize spiritual assemblies and meeting inside
the premises of Darul Uloom Bury. People from all classes used to
assemble every Thursday night. And Hazrat used to illuminate their
hearts with the most powerful torch of the Book of Allah and his
beloved Prophet's injunctions. And he used to enjoin them what is
right and forbid from what is wrong. He would dig from their
hearts the greed, covetousness selfishness, enmity and jealousy.
And he advised them to build-up sincerity, sympathy, compassion,
tolerance and love and respect towards all human beings. He
penetrated the love and affection of Allah and his Prophet
Muhammad (saws) into their hearts. He tightened their relation to
Allah Almighty. He illustrated implicitly before them that this world
is mortal. Only the hereafter is eternal and immortal. He asked
them to turn only to Allah Almighty for each and every help and
assistance. He urged them to do repentance and seek His
forgiveness. He instructed them to snatch away the love of the
worldly materials and things: luxurious hotels and cars; elegant
clothes and gorgeous suits; the expensive and tallest buildings.
He admonished them strongly to fear Allah in both loneliness and
assembly. And to abandon every kind of sin and to hold on Allah's
Book and His Prophet's Sunnah.

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His Academic Achievements:
Hazrat Maulana Yusuf Motala Sb wrote many books. Some got
published and some books did not get published yet. Below is a list
of some published books:
(1) Iṭāʿat Rasūl (Urdu)
(2) Mashāyikh Ahmedabad (Urdu)
(3) Translation of the Quran (Urdu) (Aḍwāʾ al-Bayān fī Tarjumat al-
Quran)
(4) Tafsīr of the Quran (Arabic)
(5) Mahabbat Nāmey (Urdu)
(6) Ināyat Nāmey (Urdu)
(7) Meyrey Bhai Jān Shaykh al-Ḥadīth Ḥaḍrat Mawlānā ʿAbd al-
Raḥīm Ṣāḥib
(8) Jāmiʿ al-Siyar (Urdu)
(9) Jamāl Muḥammadī Dars Bukhārī key Āiney mey (Urdu)
(10) Jamāl Muḥammadī kī Jalwah Gāhey (Urdu)
(11) Jamāl Muḥammadī Jabal Nūr par (Urdu)
(12) Buzurgow key Wiṣāl key Aḥwāl (Urdu)
(13) Shām wa Hind key Awliyā ʿIẓām (Urdu)
(14) Aimmah Arbaʿah awr Ṣūfiyā Kirām (Urdu)
(15) Karāmāt wa Kamālāt Awliyā (Urdu)
(16) Ḥaḍrat Shaykh al-Ḥadīth Mawlānā Muḥammad Zakariyyā
Muhājir Madnī awr unkey Khulafāʾ Kirām (Urdu)
(17) Makātīb Shaykh al-Ḥadīth Quṭb al-Aqṭāb Ḥaḍrat Mawlānā
Muḥammad Zakariyyā Muhājir Madnī (Urdu)
(18) Isnād Bukhārī Sharīf (Urdu)
(19) Nūr Nubuwwat (Urdu)
(20) Ṣalāt wa Salām ʿalā Sayyid al-Anām bi al-Asmāʾ al-Ilāhiyyah wa
al-Alqāb al-Nabawiyyah (Arabic)
(21) Maṣābīḥ al-Dujā (Arabic)

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(22) Maṣābīḥ al-Sabīl (Arabic)
(23) Miṣbāḥ al-Ẓalām (Arabic)
(24) Makātīb Yūsufī (Urdu)
(25) Al-Adʿiyah al-Qurāniyyah (Arabic)
(26) Sarkār Dow ʿĀlam Ṣallallāhū ʿalayhi wa Sallam awr Māhey
Ramaḍān (Urdu)
His Academic Trips:
Hazrat Maulana Yusuf Motala Sb (RH) made academic journeys to
many countries to participate in the conferences, seminars, and
religious programs and spiritual meetings. Among the countries he
visited are: Barbados, Canada, Egypt, India, Lebanon, Malawi,
Morocco, Pakistan, Portugal, Reunion, Saudi Arabia, South Africa,
Turkey and Zambia.
His Relation to Jamia Qasmia Kharod:
Hazrat Maulana Yusuf Motala Sb(RH) had a deep relation to Jamia
Qasmia Arabia Kharod, Gujarat, India. The principal of Jamia
Qasmia Hazrat Maulana Ayyub Falahi Sb narrated that in 2016 AD
when Hazrat Maulana Yusuf Motala's son Muhammad had to
complete his final year of Alimiat course, there were many
renewed and famous seminaries in India, but Hazrat(RH) chose
Jamia Qasmia for his lovely son to complete his course. This was a
token of his sincere and profound relation to Jamia Qasmia. He
added that Hazrat(RH) used to gift his books to Jamia. He also
articulated that whenever Hazrat invited the students of Darul
Uloom Bury for a meal, he also sent money to invite our students.
He further said that whenever Hazrat visited India in the last years,
he visited Jamia Qasmia too.
Conclusion:
Hazrat Maulana Yusuf Motala Sb(RH) was a torchbearer for Muslim
nations in the UK. Allah the Almighty gifted him unprecedented

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qualities and skills. He possessed good characters and lofty
thoughts. He served the nation and lit up the UK with the divine
light. Although he departed physically from this world but on the
account of his great works and remarkable contributions towards
the Muslim nations, he would remain in the hearts of people for a
long long time.
May Allah accept his works and his benevolence and reward him
abundantly in the hereafter. And may He grant him a beautiful
abode in Jannatul-Firdaus.
Ameen.