When the pure light of Islamic literacy and knowledge shadowed by the darkness of so called self-constructed and personal oriented Islam----when the heart and soul of the Muslim Ummah became confused----He one of the most qualified, learned and spiritually strengthened personalities----acted like a guiding star and became the beacon for those who had the thirst to seek the classical knowledge of Islam and for those who wanted to follow the Sirat-i-Mustaqim (the straight path). He is highly respected for his excellent approach and efforts to remove the mask of misconception surrounding the true interpretation of Islam. He is the son of Mufti Shah Muhammad Mazhar Ullah Rahmatullah ‘Alayh, the great Mufti, Khatib and Saint (d. 1966 c. e) of Delhi (India).

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed was born in Delhi in 1930 and acquired his education from his father Mufti Muhammad Mazhar Ullah Rahmatullah ‘Alayh and in Madrassa ‘Alia, Delhi and then Oriental College, Delhi. He migrated from India to Pakistan in 1948. Here in Pakistan he continued his education in different institutions and Colleges, Punjab University (Lahore) and Sindh University, Jamshoro (Hyderabad). Educational and academic career of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed set an example for great achievements. He excelled in all his examinations of M.A. & M.Ed. at Sindh University and was awarded silver and gold medals. He then went on to compile his Ph.D. on the topic of "URDU MAIN QUR’ANI TARAJIM-O-TAFASIR" (Qur’anic translations and exegesis in Urdu) and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from Sindh University, Jamshoro, Hyderabad (Pakistan) in 1971. Prof. Dr. Ghulam Mustafa Khan, who was the guide of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed in his Ph.D. research work, writes:-

"It is my proud privilege to say that he is one of the top-most Research Scholars of the country." (Hyderabad, Feb.1971)

The Government of Pakistan bestowed upon him the "IZAZ-I-FAZILAT" award in 1992. He has also received awards from Imam Ahmed Raza Research Institute, Karachi in 1991 and from Pakistan Intellectual Forum in 1992. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed worked as Lecturer, Professor, and Principal, paper setter, examiner and member of board of studies at Sindh University, Jamshoro; Khairpur University, Khairpur; Punjab University, Lahore etc. He also worked as a paper setter for the Public Service Commission (Sindh); and was also the Guide and Director of Ph.D. students at the University of Karachi and the Khairpur University, Khairpur (Sindh). He retired as Principal Govt. Degree College and Post-Graduate Studies Centre, Sukkur, Sindh (in Grade 20.) in 1992. Performance of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed (as his ACRS shows) remained excellent throughout his service career.

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed started writing Research Papers in 1958 which were then published in leading journals of the sub-continent, thus up-to 1966 he was one of the most read scholars in the sub-Continent in the academic circle as confessed by Khawja Hasan Sani Nizami of Delhi (Monthly Munadi, Delhi, Dec. 1966). Afterwards he started his research on Imam Ahmed Raza--------a neglected Genius of the East. There is no doubt that he removed the shroud of ignorance surrounding the works and personality of Imam Ahmed Raza. He commenced his work on Imam Ahmed Raza in 1970 on a purely research basis and has contributed nearly 30 books on Imam Ahmed Raza, as well as 120 articles, 50 prefaces and numerous introductions of Imam Ahmed Raza up-to 1992. Some important books of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed on Imam Ahmed Raza are listed below: -

· Fazal-i-Bareilwi Aur Tark-i-Muwalat (Lahore, 1971)
· Fazal-i- Bareilvi ‘Ulama-i-Hijaz Ki Nazar Main (Lahore, 1973)
· Neglected Genius of the East (Karachi, Lahore, South Africa, 1978)
· Hayaat-i-Maulana Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Bareilvi (Sialkot, 1981)
(English translation -- The Reformer of the Muslim World) (Tamil nadu, India, 1995)
· Hayaat-i-Imam Ahl-i-Sunnat (Lahore, Karachi, 1981)
· Ikram-i-Imam Ahmed Raza (Lahore, 1981)
· Da’ira-i-Ma‘arif-i-Imam Ahmed Raza (Karachi, 1982)
· Imam Ahmed Raza Aur ‘Alam-i-Islam (Karachi, 1983)
· Rahbar-o-Rehnuma (Lahore, Karachi, 1986)
(English translation -- The Saviour Guide and Guidance)
(Durban, 1989)
· Tanqidat-o-Ta‘aqubat-i-Imam Ahmed Raza (Lahore, 1988)
· A’ina-i-Rizviyyat (three volumes) (Karachi, 1989, 1993, 1996)
· Imam Ahmed Raza Aur ‘Alam-i-Jami‘at (Sadiqabad, 1990)
· Imam Ahmed Raza Aur Uloom-i-Jadida-o-Qadima (Lahore, 1990)
· Muhadith-i-Bareilwi (Karachi, Lahore, 1993)
· Intakhab-i-Hada’iq-i-Bakhshish (Karachi, 1995)
· Khulafa-i-‘Ala Hazrat (Lahore, 1996)

These thought provoking books on Imam Ahmed Raza by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed brought the personality of Imam Ahmed Raza into the lime light on a global level. A doctoral dissertation can be composed on his research work on Imam Ahmed Raza Muhadis-i-Bareilwi. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed is known as a specialist in Rizviyyat throughout the Sunni world. He has advised and guided numerous scholars with their research work on Imam Ahmed Raza, such as Dr. Usha Sanyal [Columbia University (U.S.A.)], Dr. Barbra Metcalf [California University (U.S.A.)], Prof. Ghayas-uddin [Birmingham University (U.K.)], Prof. Dr. Majidullah Qadri [Karachi University, Karachi (Pakistan)], Dr. J.M.S. Baljon [Lieden University (Holland)], Dr. Hazim Muhammad Ahmed ‘Abd al-Rahim [Azhar University, Cairo (Egypt)], Dr. Mumtaz Ahmed Sadidi [Azhar University, Cairo (Egypt)], Dr. Ghulam Jabir Misbahi [Bihar University, Muzaffarpur (India)], Dr. Ghulam Yahya Misbahi [Hindu University, Varanasi (India)], Dr. Hafiz Abdul Bari Siddiqi [Sindh University, Jamshoro (Pakistan)], Dr. Manzoor Ahmed Saeedi [Karachi University, Karachi (Pakistan)].

As mentioned before, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed enlightened the way of Sirat-i-Mustaqim, he satisfied the confused minds of the Muslim Ummah and it is not wrong to say as the Saint of Qadriyya order Dr. Ali Ahmed Qureshi declared in 1991:-

“Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed is the Revivalist of the Fifteenth Century Hijra”
 
This religious status has been accorded by the following chain of ‘Ulema and Masha’ikh: -
· Dr. Muhammad Saeed Ahmed
(Sajjada Nashin of Dargah Khawja Baqi Billah, Delhi (India)
· Dr. Mufti Muhammad Mukarram Ahmed
(Masnad Nashin, Imam-o-Khatib Masjid Fatehpuri, Delhi (India)
·  Maulana Qamar al-Din (Bangladesh)
· Sahibzada Syed Muhammad Tahir Mazhari
(Nazim ‘Ala, Idara-i-Tahqiqat-i-Imam Ahmed Riza, Islamabad)
· Maulana Muhammad Ali Qaudri
(Ex-Office Secretary, Idara-i-Tahqiqat-i-Imam Ahmed Riza, Karachi)
· Maulana Jawaid Iqbal Mazhari
(Founder of Imam-i-Rabbani Foundation, Karachi) etc.
 
The following books (A new International Series) of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed are proof of his great achievements, especially for the Muslim youth of today: -

· Eid of Eids [Festivity above all Festivities]
[(Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore, Khanewal, D.G Khan, Jehlum, Sadiqabad(Pakistan), Delhi, Bareilly, Tamil Nado, Hyderabad(India), Cape Town, Durban, Mauritius(South Africa), France, Holland, U.K, Amman (Jordan), 1993]
Knowledge of The Unseen (Karachi, Delhi, South Africa, 1994 )
Respect and Reverence (Karachi, Delhi, South Africa, 1994)
Spiritual Significance of Affinity (Karachi, Delhi, South Africa, 1994)
The Supreme Festival (Karachi, Bareilly, America, Mauritius,1995)
The Novelties (Karachi, Delhi, South Africa, 1995)
Women and the Veil (Karachi, 1996)
Salutation and Adoration (Karachi, 1996)
Facial Focus (Karachi, 1996)
Sirat-i-Mustaqim (Karachi, 1996)
Ibrahim's Prayer (Karachi, 1997)
Islamic Economic System (Karachi,1998)
Following The Majority (Karachi, 1998)
Tolerance (Karachi, 1999)
The Soul of Islam (New York, 2004) etc.
 The literary works of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed are being translated into various languages such as Arabic, Persian, French, Dutch, English, Pushto, Sindhi, Hindi, Gujrati, and Bengali. These translated books are then distributed throughout the world.

The Professor has Ijaza in Naqshbandiyya as well as Qadriyya orders. He has been spiritually blessed by two great figures of the Naqshbandiyya order, his father Mufti Shah Muhammad Mazhar Ullah Rahmatullah ‘Alayh (Delhi, India) and Mufti Muhammad Mahmood Alwari Rahmatullah ‘Alayh (Hyderabad, Pakistan) and in Qadriyya order from Shaykh Syed Zain Ul-Abidin Shah Qaudri (Nurai Sharif, Sindh, Pakistan). Mufti Shah Muhammad Mazhar Ullah Rahmatullah ‘Alayh was Shahi Khatib of Fatehpuri Mosque, Delhi, India. He has written extensively regards his great father and the following books on Mufti Muhammad Mazhar Ullah Rahmatullah ‘Alayh have been compiled: -

· Mawa‘iz-i-Mazhari (Karachi, 1969)
· Fatawa-i-Mazhari (Karachi, 1970)
· Hayat-i-Mazhari (Karachi, 1974)
· Makatib-i-Mazhari (Vol.1, Karachi, 1969----Vol.1&2, Karachi, 1999)
 Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed also wrote on the great Saint of the Naqshbandiyya order Shaykh Ahmed Sirhindi Mujaddid Alf-i-Thani Rahmatullah ‘Alayh: -

 · Seerat-i-Mujaddid Alf-i-Thani (Karachi, 1976)
· Hazrat Mujaddid Alf-i-Thani Haalat-o-Afkar-o-Khidmat (Karachi, 1995)
· The Influence of Shaykh Mujaddid Alf-i-Thani on Dr. Muhammad Iqbal (Karachi, 1996)
· Mujaddidi-i-Hazara-i-Doam (Karachi, 1997)

A huge collection of research papers/articles on Hazrat Mujaddid Alf-i-Thani is being compiled in supervision of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed under the auspices of Imam-i-Rabbani Foundation, Karachi with the title of “Jahan-i-Imam-i-Rabbani Mujaddid Alf-i-Thani” in six volumes which will be completed in 2004 Insha-Allah.

The respected Professor has also written on a diverse range of topics concerning Islamic ideology, some of his great works are:
· Hazrat Shah Muhammad Ghaus Gawaliyari (Mirpurkhas, 1964)
· Mauj-i-Khayal (Karachi, Bombay, 1977)
· Tahrik-i-Azadi-i-Hind Aur Al-Sawad Al-Azam (Lahore, 1979)
· Muhabat Ki Nishani (Karachi, Allahabad, 1980)
· Adab-aur-Bey Adabi (Karachi, Lahore, 1984)
· Aakhiri Paigham (Karachi, Peshawar, 1986)
· Jashan-i-Baharan (Karachi, Lahore, 1988)
· Jan-i-Janan (Karachi, 1989)
· Jan-i-Iman (Lahore, 1989)
· Murad-i-Rasul (Lahore, 1992)
· Qayamat (Karachi, 1992)
· Jan-i-Jaan (Karachi, 1993)
· Maktubat-i-Qazi Ahmed (Karachi, 1997)
· Tasawwar-i-Pakistan (Karachi, 1999).

Many scholars of international fame have paid homage to Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed and expressed excellent views about his academic and spiritual career. Yes! He is the personality on which separate research work is required. Al-Hamd-u-Lillah Dr. Ijaz Anjum Latifi of Manzar-i-Islam, Bareilly has completed his doctoral thesis on Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed from Bihar University (India) and was awarded his Ph.D. degree. The thesis has been published from Karachi (Pakistan) in 2003. Also Prof. Nabila Ishaq Choudry (Dept. of Urdu, Jami’ ‘Ayn al-Shams, Cairo) wrote an article on Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed, which was published from Cairo in 1999. Prof. Dr. Hazim Muhammad Ahmed Al-Mahfooz Al-Misry (Dept. of Urdu languages and translations, Al-Azhar University, Cairo) has started compiling a series of four books on the life and achievements of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed in the memory of the completion of seventy years of his age. The following scholars and writers have written biographies on him, which have been published: -

· Prof. Dr. Syed Muhammad Arif, Tazkar-i-Mas‘ud [Appendix of Seerat-i-Mujaddid Alf-i-Thani (Karachi,1976, p.429-472)]
· R.B. Mazhari, Jahan-i-Mas‘ud (Karachi, 1985)
· Muhammad Abdul Sattar Tahir, Manzil-ba-Manzil (Hyderabad, 1991)
· Ibid, Takhasusat-i-Mas‘udi-i-Millat (Lahore, 1994)
· Ibid, Mas‘ud-i-Millat Aur Rizwiyyat (Karachi, 1994)
· Dr. Ijaz Anjum Latifi, Dr. Mas‘ud Ahmed Hayat Aur Ilmi Aur Adabi Khidmat [(Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, India, 1997) (Karachi, 2002)]
· Muhammad Masroor Ahmed, Masood-i-Millat Kay Athar-i-Ilmiyya (Karachi, 1997)
· Prof. Nabila Ishaq Choudry, Imam Ahmed Riza Aur Mas‘ud-i-Millat
(Cairo, Egypt, 1999)
· Muhammad Abdul Sattar Tahir, Tizkar-i-Mas‘ud-i-Millat (Lahore, 1999)
· Dr. Abdul Naeem Azizi, Dr. Muhammad Mas‘ud Ahmed Ki Urdu Nasr Khidmat (Karachi, 2000)
· Muhammad Abdul Sattar Tahir, Maktubat-i-Mas‘udi (Letters of Condolence), (Karachi, 2002)
· Dr. Mufti Muhammad Mukarram Ahmed, Fazila al-Daktur Muhammad Masood Ahmed, Lamhat ‘An Hayatihi Wa Atharihi (Arabic)
 (Delhi, 2003)
· Muhammad Abdul Sattar Tahir, Maktubat-i-Mas‘udi, Two volumes (Karachi, 2004)