Moulana Qari Muhammad Tayyib(A.R).
Birth
Moulana Muhammad Ahmad Qasimi (R.A) (1346 AH), the son of Moulana Qasim Nanotwi (R.A) was a great scholar of Islaam. He was the principal of Darul Ulum Deoband for forty years. Initially he has two sons and a daughter who passed away in their Infancy. Thereafter, for a long period, he had no offspring. The elders of Darul Ulum were concerned because they wanted the progeny of Moulana Qasim Nanotwi (R.A) to continue. Moulana Abdus Sami (R.A) an ustadh at Darul Ulum, said that Sheikhul Hind (R.A) called him one day and told him to go to Fatehpur to a saint whose du’as were accepted to supplicate for Moulana Muhammad Ahmad (R.A). Moulana Abdus Sami (R.A) did as he was requested. The saint asked him to come the next day.

When Moulana Abdus Sami (R.A) went to see him the next day, the saint said that he had supplicated and that his du’ad had been accepted. He also remarked that he was given the glad tiding that Moulana Muhammad Ahmad (R.A) would have a son who would become a Hafiz, Qari, Alim and a Haji. The du’a manifested itself in the form of Qari Muhammad Tayyib (R.A) who was born in Jumadath Thaniyah 1315 AH (1897) in Deoband. His ancestral tree links up with Sayyidina Abu Bakr (R.A.). His grandfather, Hujjatul Islaam, Moulana Muhammad Qasim Nanotwi (R.A) was a famous saint and scholar of the Islaamic world who laid the foundation of Darul Uloom Deoband in 1867.
Education
Qari Tayyib (A.R) was admitted to Darul Uloom in 1322 AH. All the great elders attended his admission ceremony where Bismillaah was recited to commence his education. He was seven years old at the time. Qari Abdul Wahid Khan Illahabadi (A.R) was chosen for the task of teaching him the recitation of the Noble Quraan. He completed memorizing the Quraan at the tender age of eleven in 1326 AH. He had a loud and melodious voice from his youth and the teachers would listen with great enthusiasm to his recitation. Moulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (A.R) used to call him to recite the Quraan. Hadhrat Gangohi (A.R) was extremely pleased with his recitation and would make plenty of du’as for him.
From amongst his mentors were ‘Allamah Kashmiri, Mufti Azizur Rahmaan Uthmaani, Moulana Habibur Rahmaan, Allamah Shabbir Ahmad Uthmani and Moulana Asghar Husain (A.R). Qari Tayyib (A.R) said that he procured the enthusiasm for Hadith from his father who had an expert ability in explanations. He obtained the ability to explain the meanings of the Ahadeeth from Allamah Kashmiri (A.R) and the style of expressing the laws (Mas’aail) from Allamah Shabir Ahmad Uthmani (A.R) who was most eloquent. He qualified in 1337 AH (1918). Qari Tayyib (A.R) also had an interest in self defence and military tactics which he learnt from a pious saint Amir Shah Khan.
Spirituality
In 1339 AH he took ba’yah (pledge of allegiance) at the hands of Sheikhul Hind (A.R) when the latter was just released from Malta. Sheikhul Hind (A.R) passed away five months later. Qari Tayyib (A.R) then turned to Allamah Kashmiri (A.R) for spiritual guidance. The latter did not make Qari Tayyib (A.R) take bay’ah but continued guiding him. Moulana Habibur Rahmaan Uthmani (A.R) suggested to Qari Tayyib (A.R) to take bay’ah at the hands of Hadhrat Thanwi (A.R), which he did. In 1350 AH Hakimul Ummat, Hadhrat Thanwi (A.R) conferred the mantle of Khilafat on him.
Services to Deen
When Qari Tayyib (A.R) first went to Bombay, the Ahle Bid’ah (innovators) spread allegations against him and labeled him the worst kafir since he was related to all the elders of Deoband due to being their student or being related to them. Coincidentally, when he delivered a talk, more than 30 000 people attended it. He spoke for approximately three hours and in this while completely over whelmed the audience. After this speech, he was invited to all parts of Bombay to deliver talks especially in areas where the opponents were very vociferous against the Ulama e Deoband. This series of talks lasted for 29 days. Large crowds attend his talks and Moulana Ibrahim Balyawi (A.R) conferred the title of “Fatih Bombay” (the conqueror of Bombay) to Qari Tayyib.
The condition of the people of Bombay before this was such that if any Deobandi Alim visited any Masjid, they would wash the Masjid after his departure. After Qari Tayyib’s programmes, the people who pointed a pistol at Moulana Abdush Shakur (A.R) threateningly, now took Bay’ah at the hands of Qari Tayyib (A.R) and repented from all their evil acts.
He was appointed the vice chancellor of Darul Uloom in 1341 AH during his teaching days. Then in 1348 AH he was appointed the chancellor. During his tenure as the chancellor, Darul Ulum progressed tremendously.
Besides his service to Deen in the form of teaching, he was an outstanding orator. His talks became popular from his student days. He could easily speak on any Islaamic subject no matter how intricate for two to three hours without any hesitation. His specialty was in unveiling the secrets of Shariah. From among his contemporaries were Mufti Shafi (A.R), Allamah Idris Kandhelwi (A.R) and Moulana Badre Alam Mirthi (A.R).
He penned many works some of which are: “Science and Islaam,” “Talimate Islaam,” “The Philosophy of Salah” and “Tarikh Darul Ulum Deoband.” His “Mawaa’iz” and “Majaalis” have also been published.
Demise
During his last hours, Mufti Sa’id Ahmad and Moulana Salim were present. Qari Tayyib (R.A) was completely at ease. There was no sign of any tension on him nor was there any groaning. Moulana Muhammad Ishaq (A.R), the proprietor of Kutub Khanah Rahimiyah came during the final moments when Hakim Mahmud was asking Qari Tayyib (A.R) about his condition and the latter was replying. This indicated that he was at some ease. Hakim Mahmud placed his hand on Qari Tayyib’s stomach to make a diagnosis. The latter breathed for about one and a half minutes and then passed away. The people that were present did not even realize that he had left this world. This was in the month of Shawwaal 1403 AH (July 1983).