Kaif Raza Khan

Muhammad Kaif Raza Khan (, मुहम्मद कैफ रज़ा ख़ान) (born 25 December 2001), is an Indian Islamic scholar, activist and cleric who belongs to the Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat Movement. Khan is a descendant of Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi. He is the president of Dargah Ustad E Zaman Trust.

Personal life
Raza Khan is the great-grandson of Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi, founder of the Barelvi movement and his younger brother Hassan Raza Khan. He belongs to the Barech tribe of the Pushtuns. He is the nephew of Tauqeer Raza Khan.

Statements and views
In July 2023, Kaif Raza Khan issued a statement calling the government's order canceling the holiday of Muharram as a "Tughlaqi Farmaan" and an end to social and religious harmony. Further said that the cancellation of Muharram holiday in the name of the anniversary of the National Education Policy (NEP) on the day of Muharram is completely wrong. Further, Kaif Raza Khan criticized Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi and said that, "if the Prime Minister is very fond of narrating the speech, then he should go to the Parliament and there all the opposition is waiting for him. Due to his not giving speech, even the Parliament is not able to run and both the time and money of the Parliament are being wasted, so the Parliament needs his speech more than the schools."

Recitation of Salaam in Ajmer Sharif
Khan has expressed his displeasure over Ajmer's Khadim Sarwar Chishti stopping Barelvi Ulema from giving speeches and saluting, distributing literature. Every Sunni Barelvi Muslim has immense respect for Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty. Khan said that on 27 January 2023 all of us will go to Ajmer.

After reaching the Ajmer Sharif Dargah will present the Nazrana of Salat-o-Salam with Adab and Ahtram (respect). Khan also said that Ala Hazrat has taken the education and message of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti to the masses. For decades, Sunni Barelvi Ulema read Naat and Mankabat and Writings of Ala Hazrat in the Dargah premises of Ajmer. Dargah is not anyone's property.

Demanding an apology from Swedish government
On 21 January 2023, Rasmus Paludan was permitted by Swedish police to organise a demonstration in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm and set fire to the Quran with a lighter, Khan said: "We strongly condemn the desecration of Quran and burning of Quran in Sweden.This act of Sweden has hurt the faith of Muslims all over the world and the Muslims are angry against Sweden. We strongly condemn this act of the Swedish government. Our country India is a secular nation which respects all religions, so we demand from you that this act of Swedish government should be strongly condemned on behalf of India. Pressure should be made on the Swedish government to apologize to the Swedish government for allowing the burning of the Quran. On behalf of India, pressure should be made on the Swedish government to punish Rasmus Paludan, a Swedish citizen who burnt the Holy Quran.""

Controversy with Salman Hasan
On 29 January 2023, Salman Hasan Siddiqui, a son-in-law of Asjad Raza Khan met Syed Sarwar Chishti, a Khadim of Ajmer Sharif Dargah. Khan said:

"What was the need for Salman Hasan to meet Sarwar Chishti? Who gave them this permission? Shortly before this meeting, Khadims had beaten up the Barelvis in Garib Nawaz's Urs on Saturday late night. Hasan met the same Khadims and also invites them to come to Bareilly Sharif, how can this be understood. Khan also said that when Tauqeer Raza Khan works for Ittehad, fingers are pointed at him and why is there silence on the issue of Hasan.""

Activism
During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in India, Kaif Raza Khan provided free ration kits to the needy through his organization. Raza Khan also undertook the task of delivering hundreds of free Sehri meals every day to the attendants of the hospitalized people during the month of Ramzan.

On 18 April 2023, Kaif Raza supported proposed protest announced by Ittehad-E-Millat Council chief Tauqeer Raza Khan on issues like deteriorating law and order situation, atrocities on muslims, fake encounters and killings in police custody in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Kaif Raza appealed to the people to participate in the protest. He also said:"The condition of the country and state is not hidden from anyone. In such a situation, to protect the constitution, the protest proposed by Tauqeer Miyan will be held at Islamia Maidan Bareilly on April 19, within the ambit of the constitution. Against the oppression of muslims in India if peace-loving citizens do not come forward in time, dictatorship will be established in our country'."

On 19 April 2023, Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) chief Tauqeer Raza Khan, Kaif Raza Khan and his supporters were not permitted to hold a sit-in at Islamia Maidan Bareilly to protest. Kaif Raza termed the denial of permission to protest as a symbol of dictatorship.

In June 2023, In a press conference Kaif Raza Khan targeted Bageshwar Dham's chief Dhirendra Krishna Shastri and said that, Dhirendra shastri is working to spread hatred against muslims in the country through anti national speech. Further said, Dhirendra Shastri who dreams of a Hindu nation, should know that Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar had said in 1940 that "if Hindu nation becomes a reality, it will be the biggest disaster for the country." Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel also believed in the same thing regarding the Hindu nation. Raza Khan demanded a sedition case be registered against Dhirendra Shastri of radical ideology. After Raza Khan's statement, the office bearers of All India Brahmin Mahasabha organized a meeting at the central office. The statement made by Kaif Raza Khan regarding Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri was condemned in the meeting.

Controversies
On Jan 2023, Salman Hasan Khan, the vice-president of Jama'at Raza-e-Mustafa and son-in-law of Asjad Raza Khan, accused Kaif Raza Khan and said, He does not know any Maulana Kaif Raza, with what relation has Maulana Kaif called himself Asjad Miyan's nephew, this is also beyond understanding.

After the statement of Hasan, Khan released his genealogy and gave a reply to Hasan and said " Hasan has no identity of his own, he is just the son-in-law of Asjad. In order to gain publicity, Hassan goes on doing irresponsible things".

Also, the family members of Ala Hazrat strongly condemned Salman Hasan. Tauqeer Raza, President of Ittehad-e-Millat Council issued a letter revealing Maulana Kaif Raza's relation with Ala Hazrat and also condemned this allegation of Hassan.