User:Axiom292/Zakariya draft 2

Muhammad Zakariya Kandhlawi محمد زکریا کاندھلوی
Title	Shaykh al-Hadith
Personal
Born	(1898-02-02)2 February 1898 Kandhla, North-Western Provinces, British India
Died	24 May 1982(1982-05-24) (aged 84) Medina, Saudi Arabia
Resting place	Jannat al-Baqi` Medina, Saudi Arabia
Nationality	Indian
Denomination	Sunni Islam
Jurisprudence	Hanafi
Movement	Deobandi
Main interest(s)	Hadith studies, Sufism
Notable work(s)	Awjaz al-Masalik Faza'il series
Alma mater	Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur
Tariqa	Chishti (Sabiri-Imdadi)
Occupation	Islamic scholar, Sufi shaykh, Author, Teacher
Senior posting
Disciple of	Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri
Influenced by Muhammad Yahya Kandhlawi Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi Husain Ahmad Madani

Muḥammad Zakarīyā ibn Muḥammad Yaḥyá Ṣiddīqī Kāndhlawī Muhājir Madanī (Urdu: محمد زکریا بن محمد يحيى صدیقی کاندھلوی مہاجر مدنی‎; 2 February 1898 – 24 May 1982), often referred to as Shaykh al-Hadith (Urdu: شیخ الحدیث, Shaik͟hul-Ḥadīs̱), was an Indian Deobandi Islamic scholar and Sufi, particularly known as a scholar of hadith and an influential ideologue of the Tablighi Jamaat, the missionary and reform movement founded by his uncle Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi. Several of his treatises constitute the group's basic reading material in the form of the book Fazail-e-Amaal. A prolific writer, his Urdu and Arabic works number over one hundred, many remaining unpublished. His magnum opus is Awjaz al-Masalik, a multivolume Arabic commentary on the Muwatta of Imam Malik.

Zakariya was born at Kandhla in 1898. His father Muhammad Yahya was a prominent student of Rashid Ahmad Gangohi. Zakariya spent ten years in Gangoh, where he memorized the Qur'an with his father and received his early education from Muhammad Ilyas. In 1910, he moved to Saharanpur to study at Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur, a madrasah closely affiliated with Darul Uloom Deoband, the birthplace of the Deobandi Islamic revivalist movement. He studied the books of hadith first with his father and then a second time with Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri. After graduating in 1915, he secured a position as a teacher at the school.

Zakariya was also a prominent Sufi shaykh of the Sabiri-Imdadi branch of the Chishti order. He was a khalifah (spiritual successor) of Saharanpuri, who initiated him in the Sufi path in 1915 and gave him permission to initiate others in the four major tariqas (Chishtiyah, Naqshbandiyah, Suhrawardiyah, and Qadiriyah) in 1925.

He taught at Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur from 1916 to 1969, becoming well known by the title "Shaykh al-Hadith", a title given to him by Saharanpuri for his extensive knowledge in the field of hadith. After he stopped teaching due to developing cataracts, he focused on the spiritual training of his numerous disciples. In 1973, he permanently migrated to Medina, Saudi Arabia, where he died in 1982.

Early life and education

Zakariya was born at 11 pm on Thursday, 11 Ramadan 1315 AH (Wednesday, 2 February 1898) in Kandhla, Saharanpur district, North-Western Provinces, British India (in present-day Shamli district, Uttar Pradesh, India). He was given two names, Muhammad Musa and Muhammad Zakariya, and became known by the second name.

He was the only son of Muhammad Yahya Kandhlawi, a close disciple of Rashid Ahmad Gangohi and his student in hadith. Yahya was the older brother of Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi, who would later found the Tablighi Jamaat. The family belonged to a Siddiqi clan of Islamic scholars and Sufis connected to the Waliyullahi tradition. They traced their lineage to Maulawi Hakim Muhammad Ashraf Jhanjhanawi, whose descendants settled in the towns of Kandhla and Jhanjhana.

Zakariya's paternal lineage is as follows: Muḥammad Zakarīyā ibn Muḥammad Yaḥyá ibn Muḥammad Ismā‘īl ibn G͟hulām Ḥusain ibn Karīm Bak͟hsh ibn G͟hulām Muḥīyuddīn ibn Muḥammad Sājid ibn Muḥammad Faiẓ ibn Muḥammad Sharīf ibn Muḥammad Ashraf. His maternal and paternal lineages meet in his second-great-grandfather: His mother was the daughter of Muḥammad Yūsuf ibn Muḥammad ‘Abdullāh ibn Muḥammad Ṣābir ibn Ghulām Ḥasan ibn Karīm Bak͟hsh.

He was Muhammad Zakariya ibn Muhammad Yahya ibn Muhammad Ismail. His name is usually mentioned with one or more nisbats (attributive adjectives), the most common being Kandhlawi, or al-Kandahlawi in Arabic, in reference to his birthplace of Kandhla. He later lived in Gangoh and Saharanpur, and therefore in one of his writings refers to himself as, "Muhammad Zakariya Kandhlawi, then al-Gangohi, then as-Saharanpuri." Later he settled in Medina, acquiring the nisbat Madani. The appellation Muhajir Madani, or al-Muhajir al-Madani, is common as well, indicating his hijrah (immigration) to the holy city. Al-Marashli writes, "Muhammad Zakariya ibn Muhammad Yahya ibn Muhammad Ismail, as-Siddiqi al-Bakri, al-Kandahlawi, then al-Madani, al-Hanafi." Siddiqi and Bakri denote descent from Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, the first Caliph and a companion of Muhammad. In Arabic sources the nisbat al-Hindi (the Indian) is also used.

When Zakariya was two years old he moved with his mother to Gangoh, where Yahya and Ilyas lived in the company of Rashid Ahmad Gangohi. Gangoh was a gathering place for many scholars wanting to study hadith with Rashid Ahmad, as well as seekers of the Sufi path seeking Rashid Ahmad's guidance. For ten years Zakariya grew up in the environment of Rashid Ahmad's khanqah. He writes in his autobiography of how as a child he enjoyed the love and attention of Rashid Ahmad himself, as well as his successors and associates. After Rashid Ahmad's death in August 1905, Yahya took over the khanqah and taught there until 1910.

Zakariya began his education at the age of seven or eight with the Qa'idah Baghdadi, a common primer for learning Arabic script. Afterwards he completed hifz (memorization of the Qur'an) under his father. In 1325 AH (1907/1908) he began Persian studies. He read Urdu religious works such as Bahishti Zewar as well the Persian and introductory Arabic books mostly with his uncle Ilyas. In Rajab 1328 AH (1910) he moved to Saharanpur, where Yahya had been summoned by Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri to take a permanent position teaching hadith at Mazahir Uloom Saharanpur.

He formally began Arabic studies with his father in Ramadan 1328 AH (1910). As a special student of his father, he was taught according to a customized curriculum. He also did not receive Ramadan vacations, and instead continued his studies year-round. In the traditional sciences (`ulum an-naqliyah) such as Arabic, fiqh, hadith, and tafsir, Yahya was adamant that Zakariya should not have any other teacher besides him. Thus, besides some introductory texts which he read with Ilyas, he completed his education in the traditional sciences solely under his father.

In the rational sciences (`ulum al-`aqliyah) – mantiq (logic) and falsafah (philosophy) – Zakariya had three teachers. He first read the elementary books with Ilyas and then some books with Abdul Wahid Sanbhali. He completed all the further books of the rational sciences with Maulana Abdul Latif, the madrasah's nazim.

From the age of seven to 17 Zakariya was brought up under very strict rules. He states that with the exception of two or three people, he was not allowed to speak to anyone, nor was he allowed to go anywhere unless accompanied by his father or uncle. At Mazahir Uloom he was not allowed to take lessons from other teachers, nor was he allowed to attend the gatherings of Khalil Ahmad except in the company of his father or uncle, due to the fear that he might converse with a classmate or with someone around him. He was only allowed to attend congregational prayers under close supervision. Physical beating was a regular part of his disciplining. Zakariya writes that when his father stopped disciplining him, he told him, "Oversight by elders is required only as long as ta`alluq ma`a Allah (connection with Allah) is not achieved. Once that is achieved, it is no longer necessary. Thanks be to Allah, you have achieved it. Now I am not needed."

In 1331-1332 AH he studied Mishkat al-Masabih and over half of Tahawi's Sharh Ma`ani al-athar with his father. The next year, 1332-1333 AH, was devoted mainly to the higher books of mantiq, including Mir Zahid, Hamd Allah, Shams-i bazighah, and Uqlaydis (Euclid). He also read Muwatta Imam Muhammad and some of Sharh Ma`ani al-athar with Khalil Ahmad, and he gave the exam for Muwatta Imam Malik without having read it.

In Shawwal 1333 (1915) Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri was planning to leave India for a long stay in the Hejaz and many people were coming to him for bay`ah (oath of allegiance). Zakariya did bay`ah with him and was thus initiated in the Chishti Sufi tariqah. Khalil Ahmad was a principal successor of Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, and had also become the new shaykh of Zakariya's father and uncle after Rashid Ahmad's death.

In 1333-1334 AH he did dawrah of hadith - the final part of the Dars-i Nizami curriculum, involving intensive study of the major hadith collections. He read Sunan Abu Dawud, Sahih al-Bukhari, Jami' at-Tirmidhi, and Sunan an-Nasa'i that year with his father, with the intention to study Bukhari and Tirmidhi a second time with Khalil Ahmad when he returned from the Hejaz. He did not study the two remaining books of the Kutub as-Sittah - Sahih Muslim and Sunan Ibn Majah - as they were then being taught by other teachers, and Yahya had dictated that he not study hadith with anyone besides himself or Khalil Ahmad.

After dawrah, Zakariya continued studying other texts his father. On 10 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1334, Yahya died.

Khalil Ahmad returned to Saharanpur in late Dhu al-Hijjah 1334 AH and resumed teaching hadith. He requested Zakariya to now study Bukhari and Tirmidhi with him, but Zakariya was no longer had the desire to do so after his father's death he . but he finally agreed after Khalil Ahmad's insistence. In 1335 AH he read Bukhari and Tirmidhi with Khalil Ahmad. Then from 1335 AH to 1336 AH he read Sunan Abu Dawud. After that from 1336 AH to 1337 AH he read Sahih Muslim and Sunan an-Nasa'i. He was not able to study Sunan Ibn Majah with either his father or Khalil Ahmad. In Medina in 1345 AH, after the completion of Badhl al-Majhud, they began Ibn Majah, but after a few lessons the month of Ramadan began and Khalil Ahmad's health deteriorated, so it could not be completed. Other books studied with Khalil Ahmad included Muwatta Malik, Muwatta Muhammad, and at-Tahawi's Ma`ani al-athar.

Work on Badhl al-Majhud

In Rabi al-Awwal 1335 AH he began assisting Khalil Ahmad with the writing of Badhl al-majhud fi hall Sunan Abi Dawud, a twenty volume commentary on Sunan Abu Dawud.

Hadith studies

His studies in the field of hadith began in 1332 AH with Mishkat al-Masabih. The following year, in 1333 AH, he completed dawrah of hadith - study of the major books of hadith - with his father. Then in 1334 AH he completed dawrah of hadith a second time with Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri.

In 1335 AH he began work on Badhl al-Majhud with Saharanpuri. The work was completed in 1345 AH. He then began writing Awjaz al-Masalik, which was completed in 1375 AH. At the same time he authored several other smaller works in the field of hadith.

He began teaching hadith in 1341 AH and continued teaching until 1388 AH when his eyesight deteriorated.

Teaching career

After completing his academic studies, Muhammad Zakariya was appointed as a teacher at Mazahir Uloom on 1 Muharram 1335 AH (c. 29 October 1916). At the age of 18, he was one of the youngest members of the staff. He was initially assigned to teach books on Arabic grammar, morphology, and literature, as well as some primary texts of Islamic jurisprudence. He later advanced to teaching books of hadith and other daurah books.

The initial books he was assigned were ‘Ilm aṣ-ṣīghah, Mi’at ‘āmil manẓum, Sharḥ mi’at ‘āmil, Khulāṣah naḥw mīr, Nafḥat al-yaman, Munyat al-muṣallī, *Uṣūl ash-Shāshī, and Qāla aqūl. The next term, from Shawwal 1335 AH (1917), he taught Mirqāt, Qudūrī, Sharḥ Tahdhīb, Kāfiyah, Nūr al-iḍāḥ, Uṣūl ash-Shāshī, Sharḥ Jāmī, Baḥth fa‘l, Baḥth ism, ‘Ajab al-‘ujāb, and Nafḥat al-yaman. In Shawwal 1336 AH (1918) there was further promotion; he was given higher books including Maqāmāt, Sab‘ah mu‘allaqah, Quṭbī, Mīr Qutbī, and Kanz ad-daqā’iq. In Shawwal 1337 AH (1919) he was given Ḥamāsah and Hidāyah awwalīn. At the end of term in Shaban 1338 AH (1920), Zakariya traveled with Khalil Ahmad to the Hejaz and performed his first Hajj. He returned to Saharanpur in Safar 1339 AH (1920).

The books Zakariya taught in each of the next few years are not recorded in detail, but he writes that he was given Quṭbī, Mīr Qutbī, Tahdhīb, and Sharḥ Tahdhīb nearly every year, as the more senior teachers disliked teaching mantiq (logic). He also taught Hidāyah awwalīn a total of three times, and Nūr al-anwār followed by Husāmī three times.

Beginning in 1341 AH (1923) he was given books of hadith to teach. On the instruction of Maulana Khalil Ahmad, in Rajab 1341 AH (1923) three sections of Sahih al-Bukhari were transferred to Zakariya from Maulana Abdul Latif, the madrasah's nazim (administrator/principal). In the next three terms, from Shawwal 1341 to Shaban 1344 AH (1923–1926), he taught Mishkat al-Masabih. In Shawwal 1344 AH (1926) he traveled once again to the Hejaz, this time staying there for over a year. After performing Hajj, he arrived in Medina in Muharram 1345 AH (1926). During his stay there he taught Sunan Abu Dawud at Madrasah al-`Ulum ash-Shar`iyah.

Upon Zakariya's return to Saharanpur in Safar 1346 AH (1927), Sunan Abu Dawud was transferred to him from Maulana Abdul Latif. In this year he also taught Sunan an-Nasa'i, Muwatta Malik in the transmission of ash-Shaybani, and parts 12 to 16 of Sahih al-Bukhari. After Eid al-Adha the first volume of Sahih al-Bukhari was transferred to Zakariya, while the second volume remained with Maulana Abdul Latif. From Safar 1346 AH onward Zakariya also taught Jami' at-Tirmidhi, Sahih Muslim, and other daurah books when teachers were unavailable due to sickness or travel.

In 1373 AH (1954) Maulana Abdul Latif was unavailable due to travel, so Zakariya was given both volumes of Bukhari to teach in addition to his usual assignment of Abu Dawud. The same arrangement was made in 1374 AH (1955) when Abdul Latif was ill. In 1375 AH (1956), after the death of Maulana Abdul Latif, Sunan Abu Dawud was transferred to Maulana As'adullah, and Sahih al-Bukhari was transferred to Maulana Zakariya.

Zakariya continued teach until 1388 AH (1968), when he developed cataracts. In total, he taught half of Sahih al-Bukhari 25 times, the complete work 16 times, and Sunan Abi Dawud 30 times.

His students include:

• Maulana Akbar Ali Saharanpuri, then Karachawi
• Mufti Mahmud Hasan Gangohi
• Maulana Amir Ahmad Kandhlawi
• Maulana Muhammad Isma'il Burmawi, then Muhajir Madani
• Maulana Abdul-Jabbar A'zami
• Maulana Abdus-Sattar A'zami
• Maulana Habibur-Rahman Khairabadi
• Maulana Muhammad Ibrahim Palanpuri
• Mufti Muhammad Wajih
• Maulana Ihtishamul-Hasan Kandhlawi
• Maulana Izharul-Hasan Kandhlawi
• Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Kandhlawi
• Maulana Muhammad In'amul-Hasan Kandhlawi

Death

Muhammad Zakariya fell in on Sunday 16 May 1982 in the blessed city of Medina, Saudi Arabia. His condition deteriorated a week later resulting in serious breathing problems on Monday 24 May 1982. His final words were "Allah, Allah." and he died at 5:40 pm, exactly an hour and a half before the day's sunset prayers (maghrib). The shaykh's body was prepared for burial through washing before the Sunset prayers and burial took place after the night prayer (Isha) on the same day.

The funeral prayers were led by the Imam of the Prophet's Mosque, Shaykh Abdullah al-Zahim, and the body was taken for burial in the nearby Jannatul Baqi graveyard. Muhammad Zakariya's wish was to be buried close to the Prophet's family members (ahl al-bayt) and as per his wish, his grave was dug just outside their enclosure.

Sufism

In 1333 AH (1914 or 1915 CE), Muhammad Zakariya gave bay'ah at the hands of Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, taking him as his spiritual guide.

During his second journey to Hijaz with Khalil Ahmad, his sheikh conferred upon him khilafah in four silsilas (Chistiyya, Suhrawardiyya, Qadiriyya and Naqshbandiyya).

Household

Muhammad Zakariya married twice. He first married the daughter of Shaikh Ra'uf ul Hasan in Kandhla. She bore him eight children: three sons and five daughters. She died on the 5th of Dhu l-Hijja, 1355 AH (16 FEB 1937). He then married his first cousin, the daughter of Muhammad Ilyas, in 1356 AH (1938 A.D.). She bore him three children: one son and two daughters.

Written works

Muhammad Zakariya authored works both in Arabic and Urdu. A number of them treat specialized subjects intended for scholars and the rest have been written for the general public.

His first written work was a three-volume commentary of Alfiyah Ibn Malik, which he wrote as a student when he was only thirteen.

His work, Fadha'il-e-Qur'an has been translated into eleven languages, Fadha'il-e-Ramadan into twelve languages, and Fadha'il-e-Salaah into fifteen languages.

According to Wali ad-Din Nadwi, Muhammad Zakariya wrote 4 books on tafsir and tajwid, 44 books on hadith and its related sciences, 6 books on fiqh and its related sciences, 24 historical and biographical books, 4 books on aqidah, 12 books on zuhd (abstinence) and riqaq (heart-softening accounts), 3 books on Arabic grammar and logic, and 6 books on modern-day groups and movements.

According to Muhammad Shahid Saharanpuri (Muhammad Zakariya's maternal grandson), his written works amount to 103, of which 42 have been published and 61 remain unpublished. He wrote 2 books on tafsir, 60 books on hadith, 4 books on fiqh and usul al-fiqh, 22 books on tarikh and sirah, 2 books on tajwid and qira'ah, 3 books on Arabic grammar, classical logic, and geometry, 3 books on suluk and ihsan, 4 books in defense of Islam, and 3 books on miscellaneous subjects.

Arabic works

• Awjaz al-Masalik ila Muwatta' Malik (Arabic: أوجز المسالك إلى موطأ مالك, Awjaz al-Masālik ilá Muwaṭṭa’ Mālik)
• Lami` ad-Darari `ala Jami` al-Bukhari (Arabic: لامع الدراري على جامع البخاري)
• Al-Kawkab ad-Durri `ala Jami` at-Tirmidhi (Arabic: الكوكب الدري على جامع الترمذي, al-Kawkab ad-Durrī ‘alá Jāmi‘ at-Tirmidhi)
• Al-Abwab wa at-Tarajim li Sahih al-Bukhari (Arabic: الابواب والتراجم لصحيح البخاري, al-Abwāb wa at-Tarājim li-Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
• Juz' Hajjat al-Wida` wa `Umrat an-Nabi (Arabic: جزء حجة الوداع وعمرات النبي, Juz' Ḥajjat al-Widā‘ wa ‘Umrāt an-Nabī)

Urdu works

• Shama'il Tirmidhi ma` Urdu Sharh Khasa'il Nabawi
• Faza'il-e-Quran (Urdu: فضائلِ قرآن)
• Faza'il-e-Ramadan (Urdu: فضائلِ رمضان)
• Faza'il-e-Tabligh (Urdu: فضائلِ تبلیغ)
• Faza'il-e-Namaaz (Urdu: فضائلِ نماز)
• Faza'il-e-Hajj (Urdu: فضائلِ حج)
• Faza'il-e-Sadaqat (Urdu: فضائلِ صدقات)
• Faza'il-e-Zikr (Urdu: فضائلِ ذکر )
• Faza'il-e-Durood-Sharif (Urdu: فضائلِ درود شریف)
• Faza'il-e-Tijarat (Urdu: فضائلِ تجارت)
• Hikayat-e-Sahabah (Urdu: حکایت صحابہ)
• Al-I`tidal fi Maratib ar-Rijal (Arabic: الإعتدال في مراتب الرجال), also known as Islami Siyasat (Urdu: اسلامی سیاست)
• Dari ka Wujub (Urdu: داڑھی کا وجوب)
• Aap Beti"Part 1"part2 (Urdu: آپ بیتی)
• Shari`at wa Tariqat ka Talazum (Urdu: شریعت و طریقت کا تلازم)
• Um al-Amrad
• Fitna-e-Maududiat (Urdu: فتنہ مودودیت)
• Maut ki Yad (Urdu: موت کی یاد)
• Tarikh Masha'ikh-e-Chisht (Urdu: تاریخ مشائخ چشت)
• Ikhtilaf al-A'immah
• Jama`at-e-Tabligh par I`tarazat ki Jawabat (Urdu: جماعت تبلیغ پر اعتراضات کے جوابات)
• Miswak (Urdu: مسواک)
• Nisbat-o-Ijazat
• Sila' Rahmi
• Akabir ka Suluk o Ihsan
• Namaz ki Ahmiat
• Ulama e Akhirat ki Pehchan
• Akabir ka Ramadan

Sources

• Abul-Ḥasan ‘Alī Ḥasanī Nadwī (2003) [1982]. حضرت شیخ الحدیث مولانا محمد زکریا صاحب / Haẓrat Shaik͟hul-Ḥadīs̱ Maulānā Muḥammad Zakarīyā Ṣāḥib (in Urdu). Lucknow: Maktabah-i Islām.

• Arabic translation: الإمام المحدث الشيخ محمد زكريا الكاندهلوي ومآثره العلمية / al-Imām al-Muḥaddith ash-Shaykh Muḥammad Zakarīyā al-Kāndahlawī wa-ma’āthiruhu al-‘ilmīyah (PDF) (in Arabic). Trans. Ja‘far Mas‘ūd al-Ḥasanī an-Nadwī (1st ed.). Damascus: Dār al-Qalam. 2012.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

• Bashir, Aamir (Jul 2013) [First prepared Dec 2010]. Sharī‘at and Ṭarīqat: A Study of the Deobandī Understanding and Practice of Taṣawwuf (PDF) (Thesis). Dār al-Saʿādah Publications.

• Gaborieau, M. (2002). "Zakariyyā Kāndhalawī Sahāranpūrī". In Bearman, P.J.; Bianquis, Th.; Bosworth, C.E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W.P. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Vol. Vol. XI (W–Z). Leiden: Brill. p. 406. {{cite encyclopedia}}: |volume= has extra text (help)

• Khayr ad-Dīn az-Ziriklī (2002) [1967]. "ابن يحيى / Ibn Yaḥyá". الأعلام: قاموس تراجم لأشهر الرجال والنساء من العرب والمستعربين والمستشرقين / al-A‘lām: Qāmūs tarājim li-ashhar ar-rijāl wa-an-nisā’ min al-‘arab wa-al-musta‘ribīn wa-al-mustashriqīn (in Arabic). Vol. 6 (15th ed.). Beirut: Dār al-‘Ilm lil-Malāyīn. p. 131.

• Muḥammad Akbar Shāh Buk͟hārī (1999). "حضرت مولانا محمد زکریا کاندھلوی / Haẓrat Maulānā Muḥammad Zakarīyā Kāndhlawī". اکابر علماء دیوبند / Akābir ‘Ulamā’-i Deoband (in Urdu). Lahore: Idārah-yi Islāmiyāt. pp. 27–32.

• Muḥammad Khayr Ramaḍān Yūsuf (1997). "محمد زكريا الكاندهلوي / Muḥammad Zakarīyā al-Kāndahlawī". تكملة معجم المؤلفين / Takmilah Mu‘jam al-mu‘allifīn (in Arabic) (1st ed.). Beirut: Dār Ibn Ḥazm. pp. 483–484.

• Muḥammad Khayr Ramaḍān Yūsuf (2002) [1998]. "محمد زكريا الكاندهلوي / Muḥammad Zakarīyā al-Kāndahlawī". تتمة الأعلام للزركلي / Tatimmah al-A‘lām liz-Ziriklī (in Arabic). Vol. 2 (2nd ed.). Beirut: Dār Ibn Ḥazm. pp. 155–157.

• Muḥammad Najīb Qasimī Sanbhalī (n.d.). "شیخ الحدیث مولانا محمد زکریا کاندھلوی / Shaik͟hul-Ḥadīs̱ Maulānā Muḥammad Zakarīyā Kāndhlawī". deeneislam.com (in Urdu).

• Muḥammad Shāhid Sahāranpūrī. "حضرت اقدس شیخ الحدیث مولانا محمد زکریا صاحب / Haẓrat Aqdas Shaik͟hul-Ḥadīs̱ Maulānā Muḥammad Zakarīyā Ṣāḥib". In Muḥammad Zakarīyā Kāndhlawī (1973). تاریخ مشائخ چشت / Tārīk͟h-i Mashā’ik͟h-i Chisht (in Urdu). Karachi: Maktabatush-Shaik͟h. pp. 326–352.

• English translation: "Hazrat Aqdas Shaikhul Hadith Muhammad Zakariyyah". In The Mashaikh of Chisht. Trans. Mujlisul Ulama of South Africa. n.d. pp. 284–296.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

• Muḥammad Zakarīyā Kāndhlawī (n.d.) [1970]. آپ بیتی نمبر ٢ یا یاد ایام نمبر ١ / Āp bītī nambar 2 yā Yād-i ayyām nambar 1 (in Urdu). In آپ بیتی نمبر ١ تا ٥ / Āp bītī nambar 1 tā 5 (2nd ed.). Karachi: Maktabah-yi ‘Umar-i Fārūq. n.d. pp. 51–153.

• Muhammad Zakariya Kandhlawi (n.d.) [Urdu written 1977]. "Preface". Shari’ah and Tariqat: Inseparable and Indivisible (PDF). Trans. Asim Ahmad. Darul Ishaat.

• Nizār Abāẓah; Muḥammad Riyāḍ al-Māliḥ (1999). "al-Kāndahlawī". إتمام الأعلام / Itmām al-A‘lām (in Arabic) (1st ed.). Beirut: Dār Ṣādir. pp. 235–236.

• Walī ad-Dīn an-Nadwī. الإمام المحدث الشيخ محمد زكريا الكاندهلوي وآثاره في علم الحديث الشريف / al-Imām al-Muḥaddith ash-Shaykh Muḥammad Zakarīyā al-Kāndahlawī wa-āthārahu fī ‘ilm al-ḥadīth ash-sharīf (PDF) (in Arabic). Published with an-Nadwī (2012). pp.229–297.

• Yūsuf ‘Abd ar-Raḥmān al-Mar‘ashlī (2002). "زكريا الكاندهلوي / Zakarīyā al-Kāndahlawī". معجم المعاجم والمشيخات والفهارس والبرامج والأثبات / Mu‘jam al-ma‘ājim wa-al-mashyakhāt wa-al-fahāris wa-al-barāmij wa-al-athbāt (in Arabic). Vol. Vol. 3 (1st ed.). Riyadh: Maktabat ar-Rushd. pp. 7–8. {{cite book}}: |volume= has extra text (help)

• Yūsuf Mutālā (2011). "قطب الاقطاب سیدی شیخ الحدیث حضرت مولانا محمد زکریا مہاجر مدنی / Quṭb al-Aqṭāb Sayyidī Shaik͟hul-Ḥadīs̱ Maulānā Muḥammad Zakarīyā Muhājir Madanī". جمال محمدی صل الله علیہ وسلم کی جلوہ گاہیں / Jamāl-i Muḥammadī ṣal Allāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam kī jalwah gāheṉ (in Urdu). London: Azhar Academy. pp. 513–559.

• English translation: Motala, Yusuf (2011). "Quṭb al-Aqṭāb Shaykh al-Ḥadīth Shaykh Muḥammad Zakariyyā Muhājir Madanī". Manifestations of Prophet Muhammad's Beauty: The Hearts of Allah's Saints. Translated by graduates of Darul Uloom al-Arabiya al-Islamiya, Bury (1st ed.). London: Azhar Publications. pp. 607–662.