He was born on the 5th of Jumaadal Ukhra 1280 AH on a Wednesday at the time of Subh Sadiq at his maternal grandfather’s home, which is situated in the Khail neighbourhood in the town of Thanabawan. According to the directive of that Majzoob his name was kept Ashraf Ali. Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi would therefore say: “Sometimes the funny things I say are the effect of the spiritual gaze of that Majzoob Saheb through whose du’aa I was born. Since my tab’iat [nature] is free like Majzoobs I cannot stand problematic things.”
In accordance to the glad tidings he became a Hafiz, Qaari, Moulana, Mu’allim, Mutakallim, Faqeeh, Mufassir, Muhaddith and Muslih. His younger brother, Munshi Akbar Ali Marhoom became the secretary of Bareilli Municipality.
3.7 A Magnificent Grace
Just as the Du’aa of Khaleelullah [the Friend of Allah Ta’ala, title of Ibraheem (Alaihis Salaam)] was a cause of Rahmatullil Aalameen [the Mercy of the universe, title of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam)] coming, similarly by virtue of the Du’aa of that Majzoob Karam-e-Azeem came. The historical root of the year in which he was born turns out to be Karam-e-Azeem[1] which in every aspect is a magnificent grace. The magnificent grace of Allah Jalla Shaanuhu upon him is that he left behind a precious and magnificent practical and academic treasure which can serve as directions for the Road [to Allah Ta’ala] for centuries to come.
[1] This is a system of codifying numbers in the Urdu Language. The code name derived from the year Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi was born is ‘Karam-e-Azeem’ which means: magnificent grace.
