These where our Elders: Anecdotes from the lives of the Akabirin

**afriki_haqq** · 06-12-2012, 08:20 AM

Since when is my maktubat worthy of studying?

Shaykh al-Islam once went for a jalsah to Azamgharh. I (Mufti Mahmud al-Hasan Gangohi رحمة الله عليه ) was also present. When I mentioned to Hadhrat رحمة الله عليه that I was studying his maktubat, he replied, “Since when is my maktubat worthy of studying? Some of it I wrote during my time in jail and some I wrote whilst travelling in the train.” I then asked him, “Whose maktubat should I then study?” He replied, “The maktubat of Mujaddid al-Alf al-Thani رحمة الله عليه and the maktubat of Mawlana Rashid Ahmad al-Gangohi رحمة الله عليه."

(Malfuzat Faqih al-Ummah, 2:420-1)

**ahamed_sharif** · 06-12-2012, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by afriki_haqq

Since when is my maktubat worthy of studying?

Shaykh al-Islam once went for a jalsah to Azamgharh. I (Mufti Mahmud al-Hasan Gangohi رحمة الله عليه ) was also present. When I mentioned to Hadhrat رحمة الله عليه that I was studying his maktubat, he
replied, “Since when is my maktubat worthy of studying? Some of it I wrote during my time in jail and some I wrote whilst travelling in the train.” I then asked him, “Whose maktubat should I then study?” He replied, “The maktubat of Mujaddid al-Alf al-Thani رحمة الله عليه and the maktubat of Mawlana Rashid Ahmad al-Gangohi حمة الله
”.عليه

(Malfuzat Faqih al-Ummah, 2:420-1)

Subhanallah!!!!!!

**ahamed_sharif** · 12-12-2012, 10:52 AM

Assalamu alaykum

This is about Moulana Inamul Hasan RA, the third Hadrath Jee of Tableeghi jamaat. I recall somewhere in nineties, some 2 years before his death, he was seriously ill. He was advised not to concentrate on any thing, even not to stare at anyone. Any deviation would lead to collapse or coma. When saathees visited Nizamuddin Markaz, the door of Hazrath Jee’s room was opened and we were instructed to briskly move, have a quick glance of hazrath jee, one at a time and leave.

Meantime; dates for Bihar Ijtima in GAYA city were nearing. The elders were in a dilemma. Should he participate or not? The senior shoora members told, book the railway ticket of hazrath jee.

When dates of ijtema neared, there was no improvement in health of Hazrath jee. Words like “GAYA THOE GAYA”. (Gaya is gone were heard in Markaz).

The non-muslim consultant Physician to then president of India was in-charge for medical consultations of Hazrath jee. The shoora decided to take his view on his visit to Gaya ijtema.

The physician said “I have a developed a sort of relation with hazrath now, I can read his mind very clearly. His condition will get worsened with physical activity But, I can read Hazrath’s mind. The effect of not attending the ijtema will be worst than his physical activity. So take him".

So from bed, he was taken to Ijtema.

Then onwards there was no looking back. He traveled through the whole India.

Hyderabad, Belgaum, Bangalore, Kerala, Trinalveli, Chennai, Nagpur, Bhopal, Orissa, Gujrat, Delhi, Maharashtra, Rajhasthan, UP etc. I can’t recall how many states did he traveled after that.

There are doctors here, they can have their precious views.

What was driving them. From a very serious health condition to traveling thousands of kilometers by train. Added to that the crowds in Lakhs, dust, food etc. in Ijtema.

I can say, Allah knows best. Humans can’t reply.

**ahamed_sharif** · 12-12-2012, 11:18 AM

The physician also told "Hazrath jee's life itself can't be explained in Medical studies"

I shall delete this post, fearing ghuloo.

**afriki_haqq** · 13-12-2012, 07:31 AM

The Humility of Shaykh al-Islam and answering question during dars of hadith

Fazal Karim Khan Husayn (Assam,India) was a student at Dar al-'Ulum Deoband during the year in which Shaykh al-Islam Husayn Ahmad Madani (Allah have mercy on him) passed away and studied some of the lessons from Shaykh al-Islam, himself.

Fazal Kareem Khan Hussain narrates that Shaykh al-Islam used to pleasantly and happily answers all the questions which were posed during his lesson, no matter how absurd or irrelevant the questions were Shaykh al-Islam never got angry or showed disdain towards the students.

Last year a student started asking too many questions to the extent that the other students felt the excessive questioning and tried to rebuke him but Shaykh al-Islam reprimanded all the students and told the one asking the question, “You may ask and I shall answer”.

Students came up with another tactic to stem the flow of excessive questions from their fellow student. They knew the love of Shaykh al-Islam Husayn Ahmad Madani for his beloved teacher Shaykh al-Hind Mawlana Mahmud al-Hasan Deobandi (Allah have mercy on him) and his desire to imitate him so they replied, “...but Shaykh al-Hind used to reprimand students on these sorts of questions?”

Shaykh al-Islam replied, “Shaykh al-Hind ’s lecture (of hadith) was so thorough and encompassing that there was no need for further questions as all the doubts were removed during the lecture. Who am I and where is my knowledge (in comparison)? So how can I show anger or displeasure (at asking questions)?”

(al-Jami'at, Shaykh al-Islam Number)

**Adil Faiyaz** · 13-12-2012, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by afriki_haqq

The Humility of Shaykh al-Islam and answering question during dars of hadith

Fazal Karim Khan Husayn (Assam,India) was a student at Dar al-'Ulum Deoband during the year in which Shaykh al-Islam Husayn Ahmad Madani (Allah have mercy on him) passed away and studied some of the lessons from Shaykh al-Islam, himself.

Fazal Kareem Khan Hussain narrates that Shaykh al-Islam used to pleasantly and happily answers all the questions which were posed during his lesson, no matter how absurd or irrelevant the questions were Shaykh al-Islam never got angry or showed disdain towards the students.

Last year a student started asking too many questions to the extent that the other students felt the excessive questioning and tried to rebuke him but Shaykh al-Islam reprimanded all the students and told the one asking the question, “You may ask and I shall answer”.

Students came up with another tactic to stem the flow of excessive questions from their fellow student. They knew the love of Shaykh al-Islam Husayn Ahmad Madani for his beloved teacher Shaykh al-Hind Mawlana Mahmud al-Hasan Deobandi (Allah have mercy on him) and his desire to imitate him so they replied, “...but Shaykh al-Hind used to reprimand students on these sorts of questions?”

Shaykh al-Islam replied, “Shaykh al-Hind ’s lecture (of hadith) was so thorough and encompassing that there was no need for further questions as all the doubts were removed during the lecture. Who am I and where is my knowledge (in comparison)? So how can I show anger or displeasure (at asking questions)?”

(al-Jami'at, Shaykh al-Islam Number)

**afriki_haqq** · 14-12-2012, 07:06 AM

The Hospitality of Shaykh al-Islam

Dr Muhammad Ashraf, the infamous leader of Indian Communist Party recalls, “In 1946 when the Muslim League advocated a separate state (in the name of Pakistan), the communist party had to research this question and its historical context and I was appointed for the job. I arrived at Deoband, in fact became Shaykh al-Islam Husayn Ahmad Madani's (Allah have mercy on him) personal guest at his own insistence.

I had seen scenes of devotion in collective acts of worship before but this was the first time I was given an opportunity to witness “private acts of worship”. After the end of Second World War, inflation and shortages were at an all time high but it made no dents to Shaykh al-Islam’s hospitality. If Shaykh al-Islam can invite an unknown “Non-Religionist” like me to be his personal guest and insist on hosting me you can imagine how he treated others!

When I arrived at Shaykh al-Islam’s residence there were 18 people already there so I also placed my bedding in a corner. I am petrified of the rituals and routines of religious folks but the first 2 days were torture to me, I somehow managed 5 times prayer but almost everybody at Shaykh al-Islam’s place was a “Night Worshipper”.

I had barely slept for an hour after 'Isha that I witnessed people engaged in dhikr, recital of the Qur’an, etc. and the same happened the next night so I went to Shaykh al-Islam and said, “Hazrat, my akhirah may or may not benefit from staying here but my health is sure to suffer”. Hazrat smiled but on the third day I was given a different room where I had the freedom (like my own home) and I worked on gathering the relevant material for my research.

Perhaps it was the 4th night of my stay at Deoband and I was laying in my bed when I realized that someone was massaging my feet and when I realized that it was Shaykh al-Islam, I shot up like a bolt and was deeply embarrassed and tried to stop him with utmost respect and humility.

Shaykh al-Islam replied , “Why do you wish to deprive me of my reward? Am I not even worth serving a guest of your stature?”

I am unable to describe the impact of His words and mannerism upon me...

Today after 12 years I am disclosing this incident (after his death) and if he was still alive I wouldn’t have disclosed it BUT the fact is that this is a small peak into his hospitality, generosity and good morals.

(al-Jami'at, Shaykh al-Islam Number)

**afriki_haqq** · 18-12-2012, 07:27 AM

Seeking forgiveness by virtue of a dog

I (Shaykh Yusuf Motala) related the story of Shaykh Zakariyyā رحمة الله عليه to you. When I used to push his wheelchair from the old student halls after his lectures, he would occasionally urge me to hurry, stating that he needed to relieve himself. I used to push the wheelchair really fast, and dogs used to run after us and bark. The Shaykh would address the dogs, and on occasions with tears in his eyes, say, “O brother! Why do you follow me? I am your brother.” Where did he take this from?

Shaykh Zakariyyā took this from Sayyidunā Hasan al-Basri رحمة الله عليه. It is stated that he was once walking along when he saw a dog. Just like Shaykh Zakariyyā said, “O brother! Why do you bark at me as I am your brother?”, Sayyidunā Hasan al-Basri رحمة الله عليه raised his hands in supplication and prayed, “O Lord! Forgive me by means of this dog.” Sayyidunā Hasan al-Basri supplicated for forgiveness by virtue of a dog just as we supplicated to Allāh to pardon us by virtue of these saints. What absolute humbleness!

(Manifestations of Prophet Muḥammad's Beauty: The Hearts of Allah's Saints, p. 272)

**afriki_haqq** · 18-12-2012, 07:52 AM

Wit, Wisdom & Humour: Cut the long story short

An 'alim used to write very lengthy letters concerning his reformation. Mawlana Ashraf `Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) prohibited him from communicating with him, in the future via letters that were longer than three lines. The 'alim wrote the next letter, just as lengthy, on a piece of paper extended in breadth, in three lines.

“See what he has understood my letter to mean!” Mawlana sighed.

Mawlana Thanawi did not read his letter and wrote back stating that each line should be as long as a nose. An individual who was present at that time, remarked,

“Specify also that it should not be a foot long. I say this because if he writes a letter, which is a foot long, it will still be okay because Mawlana did not affix a length for the nose. Just now he may write a letter with each line as long as an elephant’s nose and this will make the matter more serious.”

(Mawa'iz Faqih al-Ummah, 1:144)

**afriki_haqq** · 21-12-2012, 07:34 AM

I realised my ignorance

'Allamah Sayyid Sulayman al-Nadwi رحمة الله عليه , despite being such a profound 'alim, still came to Thanabhawan and took bay`at at the hands of Mawlana Ashraf `Ali al-Thanawi رحمة الله عليه . Someone asked him, “You are such a powerful, profound 'alim. What was the need for you to come and take bay`at here?” He replied, “By coming here, I came to know how ignorant I really was.”

(Malfuzat Faqih al-Ummah, 2:406)