Ashraf Ali Thanwi

Who was Ashraf Ali Thanwi?

Maulana Ashraf 'Ali Thanwi was a prominent Indian scholar of the Deobandi school. Ashraf Ali was from the first wedlock of Abdul Haq Sahib. From his first wife, Abdul Haq had three children. The eldest one was Ashraf Ali Thanvi himself, followed by Akber Ali Sahib Thanvi and a daughter. From the second wife Abdul Haq had three sons and a daughter. Thus Thanvi had seven immediate siblings and four step siblings.

Ashraf Ali Thanvi himself wed twice. From the first wife he had no children. However, he took his nephew Maulana Shabbir Ali Sahib Thanvi from his brother and took responsibility of his upbringing. Many few know that Shabbir Ali Thanvi served as secretary to Thanvi and was most closest associate of Thanvi in his private and official matters .It was Maulana Shabbir Ali Sahib Thanvi who used to meet Mr. Jinnah during Pakistan movement on behalf of Thanvi when there was a need be. The Maulana Shabbir Ali and all the family members of Akber Ali Thanvi later migrated to Pakistan where he died in 1968 and laid to rest in Karachi, leaving two sons Mushir Ali and Munir Ali, both of whom have now died. Three of the grandsons of Akbar Ali Thanvi from his sons who are alive are Usman Farooqui, Ishrat Farooqui and Farhat Farooqui whereas only grandson of Akbar Ali Thanvi from his daughters is Khalid Farooqi.