Islamabad: The International Centre of Excellence for Sirah Studies at the Islamic Research Institute, part of the International Islamic University Islamabad, recently hosted an extension lecture focusing on the Sufi interpretation of the Sirah of the Holy Prophet as envisioned by Shah Waliullah Dehlvi. This academic event attracted faculty members, researchers, and postgraduate students, who gathered to discuss the intellectual and spiritual dimensions of Sirah studies within the Indo-Muslim scholarly tradition.

According to International Islamic University Islamabad, the lecture was delivered by Prof. Dr. Mufti Saeed Ur Rehman, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Southern Punjab and former Chairman of the Department of Islamic Studies at Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan. Dr. Muhammad Ahmad Munir, Head of the Department of Fiqh & Law at IRI, opened the session by emphasizing the ongoing relevance of classical Muslim scholarship in tackling modern intellectual challenges.

Prof. Dr. Saeed characterized Shah Waliullah Dehlvi as a unifying figure in South Asian religious history whose work synthesized jurisprudence, Hadith, Qur'anic exegesis, Tasawwuf, and socio-political reform. He highlighted Shah Waliullah's view of the Sirah of the Holy Prophet as a model for spiritual purification, moral discipline, and civilizational revival through adherence to Fitrah.

The lecture further explored Shah Waliullah's Sufi perspective, which emphasizes a harmony between strict adherence to Shariah and inward spiritual refinement. This approach, Prof. Dr. Saeed explained, promotes ethical leadership and social cohesion through a unified methodological framework.

Prof. Dr. Saeed also delved into Shah Waliullah's metaphysical thought, detailing his concept of three ontological realms: the world of spirits, the imaginal realm, and the physical realm. This framework, as reflected in Shah Waliullah's Hujjat Allah al-Balighah, offers a theological lens for understanding the Prophetic life as both historically grounded and spiritually significant.

The lecture further examined Shah Waliullah's interpretation of the stages of the Prophet's mission, with a focus on the spiritual transformation during the Makkan period and the institutionalization of socio-legal governance in the Madinan phase. Prof. Dr. Saeed discussed the concept of Prophetic ijtihad through examples from Tibb al-Nabawi, noting that some Prophetic practices mirrored contextual human experiences while being subject to Divine validation.

Moderated by Mr. Azlan Sarwar, Research Assistant at IRI, the session included an interactive discussion where participants raised questions about integrating spirituality into modern research frameworks. The discussion underscored a growing academic interest in connecting classical Islamic scholarship with contemporary intellectual discourse.

Participants concluded the event by stressing the enduring relevance of Shah Waliullah's integrative methodology for contemporary Islamic studies.