TOPTranslation and research is a very vigorous but sacred task; vigorous in a sense that the translator should have a command of the vocabulary and usage of both languages. Sacred in that he/she must faithfully and sincerely reconstruct the essence of what is written and for whom it is written. Firstly Imam Ahmed Raza (May Allah sanctify his secret) personality is encyclopedic and it is a daunting task to gather his vast and scattered academic, religious, poetical, literary, scientific and socio-economic works, etc. Secondly, to translate, edit, compile, print, and publish them. This requires time, energy, and financial resources.
Much work has NOT been done in English on Imam Ahmad Raza and the 'Orientalists' in the West were not much aware of the personality of Imam Ahmad Raza (May Allah sanctify his secret). A few years ago Dr. J.M.S. Baljon, Professor of Islamic Studies, Leiden University (Holland) wrote in a letter to Prof. Dr. Masud Ahmed:
"I confess I am not even aware of the name of Ahmad Raza Khan".
Then he wrote in another letter:
"It is really surprising that W.C. Smith in his book 'Modern Islam in India' and M. Mujib’s book 'The Indian Muslims' do not mention Ahmad Raza Khan anywhere in these books".
Again he wrote in another letter:
"Certainly much research is to be done in this regard. It is regrettable that the advance made with regard to Islam in the sub-continent of Indo-Pak is generally ignored by our scholars and researchers".
Dr. Usha Sanyal has taught at Western Washington University and Rutgers University. As a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for the Study of American Religion, Princeton University, she conducted research on Muslim women at the Islamic Center for North America, which is the American affiliate of the Jamaat-e Islami of Pakistan. Currently she is a freelance editor for the New York University Press. Dr. Usha Sanyal has written a book called Devotional Islam and Politics in British India: Ahmed Riza Khan Barelvi and His Movement, 1870-920.
The bibliography of her book is of great depth as she has description and identification of the editions, dates of issue, authorship, and typography of books or other written material for her research. He bibliography includes the following:
Works in Urdu - Journals and Newspapers
Books and Articles - Works by Ahmad Raza Khan
Other Ahle-e Sunnat Works - Primary and Secondary Sources
Other Urdu Works
Works in English
Unpublished Papers and Dissertations
Interviews [At least 25, covering a broad spectrum of people - Prof. Husain Abrar, Professor of Statistics at a Rawalpindi college, has studied Imam Ahmad Raza's works related to mathematics specifically those in which the Imam rebutted aspects of Newton's and Einstein's theories, 14 November 1986, at Rawalpindi.
Maulana Subhan Raza Khan ("Subhani Miyan"), great-grandson of Imam Ahmad Raza (through descent from Hamid Raza Khan [d.1943], Imam Ahmad Raza's eldest son). Currently Sadr (head) of the Madrasa Manzar al-Islam, Bareilly. 17 April and 16 October 1987, at Bareilly.]