Moulana Mumtaz ul Haq (R) was born in April 1953. He grew up in a small town 'Takhtee' and later moved to 'Gujar Khan' Punjab. Moulana had three brothers and one sister. He was the younger brother of the prominent Moulana Mansoorul Haq. His father, Muhammad Nazir, a wise man and policeman by profession, was encouraged by Moulana Muhammad Aslam to prioritise Islamic education. Following his advice, Moulana Mumtaz ul Haq began memorising the Qur'an under the guidance of various teachers at an early age. As a young boy, he had the good fortune of meeting Moulana Ahmad Ali Lahori r, and received much Duas from him. He once said, 'I remember clearly, Moulana Ahmad Ali Lahori feeding me a piece of cake and making Dua for me.'
ALIM STUDIES
After completing Hifzul Qur'an, Moulana Mumtaz along with his elder brother Moulana Mansoorul Haq pursued the 'Aalim course at Darul Uloom Newtown in Karachi, Pakistan. They studied under great Ulama and completed Bukhari Shareef under Allamah Yusuf Binnori. Arabic became second nature to them due to the influence of Arab teachers present at the Darul Uloom. Both brothers had a strong command of Arabic and therefore primarily wrote their notes in the Arabic language.
Throughout their years of study, the two brothers were always in the same class. In the final year of their studies, Moulana Mansoorul Haq took first place in the national Wifaqul Madaris examination whilst Moulana Mumtaz achieved second position. This clearly reflected their academic excellence.
SERVICE AND MIGRATION
In the mid-1970s Moulana Mumtaz ul Haq served as a teacher and Imam in his home town Gujar Khan. His salary was a mere 75 rupees.
Moulana Qasim Sema r, who was also a student of Allamah Binnori r, had just established the first Darul Uloom in South Africa, in a town called Newcastle. He required competent teachers to fulfil the enormours responsibility of teaching the higher books of Fiqh and Hadith Shareef.
Ml Qasim Sema r travelled to Karachi to meet and consult with his beloved Ustad and teacher, Allamah Binnori r. Allamah Binnori r, confidently recommended the two brothers, Moulana Mumtaz ul Haq and Moulana Mansoorul Haq who had recently qualified from Darul Uloom Newtown. It was around 1979, when both brothers began teaching at Darul Uloom Newcastle. Moulana Mumtaz ul Haq initially taught Hifzul Qur'an and later lectured in the higher studies programme.
DARUL ULOOM NEWCASTLE
Teaching students in the Alim programme was their primary passion. With a lot of initial sacrifices, Darul Uloom Newcastle quickly gained popularity in the country. Particular attention was given to the Arabic language. Early graduates referred to the initial years of the institution as 'Khayrul Quroon', the best of times for Darul Uloom Newcastle.
Both brothers realised that learning English would be essential for effectively imparting knowledge. They quickly picked up English and immersed themselves in English literature. Soon they became prolific orators in the English language. This attracted more non-Urdu speaking students to Newcastle. After serving many years at Darul Uloom Newcastle, Moulana settled in Rustenburg. He played a key role in educational initiatives, in the year 1993 he was instrumental in the establishment of a Muslim school.
MIGRATION TO THE USA
Moulana spent one Ramadan in USA, where he performed Taraweeh, and conducted Tafseer sessions. Recognising his calibre and depth of knowledge, the community were eager for Moulana to stay on permanently. Soon thereafter, Moulana received many official invitations from the community to settle in the USA. After some years of careful thought and extensive consultation, he made the decision to make emigrate to the USA for the sole purpose of serving Deen. He joined Masjid Darus Salaam in San Jose, California. There, he played a pivotal role in transforming many lives - including inspiring several youths who later went on to become 'Ulama and serve as Imams in various Masajid across the States. Moulana spent almost a decade in USA before returning to South Africa, where he joined the Jami'ah Uloom al Islamiyyah, an institute of higher learning in Fordsburg, serving as a senior teacher of Bukhari Shareef and other advanced subjects. Moulana would travel daily from his home in Roshnee to the Jami'ah.
SPECIAL QUALITIES AND ATTRIBUTES
Moulana was 'Mumtaz' (excellent) in his character and conduct, as his name. One of his senior colleagues referred to him as an 'Adeeb' (one possessing refined qualities). He was gifted with an exceptional memory. In addition to Hadith texts, verses of Urdu, Arabic, and Persian poetry flowed effortlessly from his tongue. Moulana Mumtaz r was gifted with a beautiful voice as well, he mesmerised people with his Qira'ah especially in Taraweeh Salah. He often preferred performing twenty Rakats himself. His recitation was melodious and captivating. Moulana Mumtaz had a deep love for the Qur'an, he often recited Qur'an whilst driving. His wife shared a story about Moulana having recited Qur'an from Roshnee to Durban. He completed twenty-six Juz during this journey and planned to finish the Khatam that evening. A master in teaching Arabic poetry, he inspired many of his students to also write Arabic poetry. Moulana Mumtaz had also received Khilafah from Hazrat Shah Hakeem Akhtar Saheb.
DEATH AS MARTYR
The Arabic saying fits appropriately on Moulana Mumtaz, “He lived happy and content and died as a martyr.”
A man who lived an honourable, content life and passed away with dignity as a martyr. He possessed a magnetic charm that drew people to him. He expressed affection freely and fearlessly. His profound knowledge enabled him to connect the teachings of the Qur'an and Ahadith to modern-day issues. He was known for his wisdom and unwavering commitment to the truth. Moulana was highly aware of global events and developments around the world, regularly listening to the news in both Urdu and Arabic.
GENEROSITY AND KINDNESS
Moulana Mumtaz ul Haq was known for his generosity. A student was once experiencing financial difficulties and was overcome with grief. Moulana Mumtaz ul Haq gathered something for him and ran barefooted after the student, gifting him an envelope to assist him in his difficulty. His kindness extended to everyone, he once helped a revert Muslim who collapsed at the Masjid's door, personally guiding him to perform ghusl, sharing a meal with him and then driving him to a safe place. The individual was so moved that he gave up intoxicants.
Moulana was approachable to all and Moulana afforded time to everyone whether their issues were minor or complex. In spite of his commitments to the institution, he served in the communities where he lived. Both, as a father and teacher, he was strict, yet caring and loving. He was also a supportive figure for his family including his children and grandchildren, always assisting them with their tasks.
Darul Ihsan Centre
