Saeed Ahmad Akbarabadi

Saeed Ahmad Akbarabadi (1908-1985) was an Indian Islamic scholar of the Deobandi school of Islamic thought. He was former dean of Sunni Theology department of the Aligarh Muslim University. He was a notable author and writer of Urdu.

Maulana Saeed Akbarabadi was born in Agra in 1908.He studied his primary classes at home, then he studied in Madrasa Shahi, Moradabad, and later he graduated from the Darul Uloom Deoband. In Darul Uloom Deoband, Akbarabadi studied under the scholars like Anwar Shah Kashmiri, Shabbir Ahmad Usmani and Maulana Ibrahim Balyawi.After graduation, Akbarabadi did Maulavi and Fazil courses fromOriental College, Lahore. During the period, Akbarabadi was appointed as a teacher of oriental languages in Madrasa-e-Aaliya, Fatehpuri; he did M.A in Arabic from St. Stephen's College, Delhi.

After completing studies from Oriental College, Lahore, Maulana Akbarabadi served Jamia Islamia Talimuddin, Dabhel as a teacher. Thereafter, he was appointed as a teacher of oriental languages in Madrassa-e-Aalia, Fatehpuri. After the completion of his M.A from St. Stephen's College, Delhi, he was appointed as lecturer in the same college. In the meantime Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq (Former President of Pakistan ) got the chance to study under Maulana Akbarabadi.In 1949, he was appointed as Principal in Madrassa-e-Aliya, Calcutta. In 1958, Maulana Akbarabadi was selected as the Dean of The Faculty of Theology in the Aligarh Muslim University. Before him, the department was not good; Akabarabadi through his intellectual skills shaped the Theology department of the AMU both academically and administratively, and brought it on par with the other departments of the university. Akabarabadi’s efforts introduced the department to postgraduate classes, PhD in The Faculty of Theology, is also the result of his efforts. Dr. Rizwanullah did his PhD on Anwar Shah Kashmiri under Maulana Akbarabadi, and it was first ever PhD thesis Akbarabadi had supervised in AMU, it was published by Aligarh Muslim University in 1974.During 1962-1963, Akbarabadi worked in McGill University of Canada as Visiting Professor in the Institute of Islamic Studies. After his retirement from AMU in 1972, Akbarabadi joinedan Islamic institute of Hamdard in Tughlaqabad for about 4 years. After that, he was appointed as Visiting Professor in University of Calicut and Aligarh Muslim University one after the other. In the meantime, Darul Uloom Deoband had started its research department Shaikhul Hind Academy and Maulana Akbarabadi was appointed as its director. From 25 December 1982, until his demise on 24 May 1985, Akbarabadi served the Academy as director.

Maulana Saeed Ahmad Akbarabadi held the following positions during his lifetime:

• Dean, Department of Theology, Aligarh Muslim University
• Principal, Madrasa-e-Aliyah, Calcutta
• Director, Shaikhul Hind Academy, Darul Uloom Deoband
• Visiting Professor, University of Calicut
• Visiting Professor, Aligarh Muslim University
• Visiting Professor, McGill University, Canada
• Lecturer of Oriental Languages, Madrassa-e-Aalia, Fatehpuri
• Lecturer, St. Stephen's College, Delhi
• Editor, Burhan (Nadwatul Musannifeen, Delhi).

• Fehm-e-Quran
• Ghulaman-e-Islam
• Siddiq-e-Akbar
• Wahi Ilahi
• Al-riq fi al-Islam (Islam Mai Ghulami Ki Haqeeqat)
• Uthman Zinnurayn
• Musalmano Ka Urooj-o-Zawal (English: The Rise and Fall of Muslims).
• Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi aur unke Naaqid

Following research works have been done on Maulana Akbarabadi:

• Maulana Saeed Ahmad Akbarabadi: Ahwaal-Aasaar by Dr Masood Alam Qasmi
• Maulana Saeed Ahmad Akbarabadi: Hayat-o-Khidmat by Dr Qaiser Habeeb Hashmi
• Maulana Saeed Ahmad Akbarabadi aur unki Adbi Khidmat by Miss Jahan Ara (Thesis submitted in Punjab University, Lahore).

Maulana Saeed Ahmad Akbarabadi died on 24 May 1985.