Concern for Acceptance

Tuesday, 22 May 2012 07:55

Despite their great efforts with sincerity, our elders always had their gaze on their hearts as to whether what they are doing is correct or not and whether it would be accepted in the court of Allah Ta’ala or not (Discourse of Mufti Mahmood Hasan Gangohi rahimahullah).

Caution with regards to Madrasah Property

Monday, 07 May 2012 07:41

Moulana Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri Sahib (rahmatullahi alaih) was seated on the madrasah cushion which is provided for the asaatizah to use whilst teaching. Someone approached him for some personal mashwara. At once he got up and sat at another spot. When he was asked about the reason for his moving, he replied: “The cushion has been provided by the madrasah for teaching and not for personal mashwaras. Through the caution of our Ulama, there was such barkat in their knowledge and their students, that it brightened up the entire world. (Discourse of Mufti Mahmood Hasan Gangohi rahimahullah).

Adherence to the Sunnah

Tuesday, 24 April 2012 07:32

Shaikh Muhammad Rashid Rida (a famous Egyptian scholar) once visited Deoband. He was partaking of some sweetmeats with Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (rahmatullahi alaih). He was eating with a spoon and Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (rahmatullahi alaih) was eating with his fingers. So he asked Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (rahmatullahi alaih): Why don’t you eat with a spoon? Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (rahmatullahi alaih) replied, “This spoon (i.e. the fingers) is much better than that spoon. This spoon can feel the heat of the food whereas that spoon cannot, this spoon can bend whereas that one cannot, this spoon is completely easy on the mouth whereas that spoon is tough and this spoon has got taste whereas that spoon does not.” Thereafter he asked Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (rahmatullahi alaih) that when different ahadith suggest different things, then which one do you follow. Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (rahmatullahi alaih) gave him a very detailed answer in Arabic. When Shaikh Muhammad Rashid Rida returned home, he said: “If I did not see Deoband, my entire journey would have been a wasted effort.” He also said: “The science of hadith had been wiped out from the entire world, May Allah Ta`ala reward our brothers from India who have preserved this science” (Discourse of Mufti Mahmood Hasan Gangohi rahimahullah).

Love and Faith

Thursday, 12 April 2012 08:10

Moulana Abdul Baari Nadwi  (rahmatullahi alayh) was once seated in the gathering of Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullahi alayh). The gathering was such that on Moulana Thanwi’s (rahmatullahi alayh) right the Ulama were seated, on his left were the mashaaikh and in the front of him was the general public. On that occasion Moulana Thanwi (rahmatullahi alayh) spoke on a topic that was very deep and delicate, due to which the entire gathering was struck motionless in astonishment. Moulana Nadwi (rahmatullahi alayh) noticed tears flowing from the eyes of the general public who were common laymen and it could be gauged from their faces that they were not literate.

Thus Moulana Nadwi (rahmatullahi alayh) asked the question: “Hazrat! We have failed to understand this that the topic you discussed was so deep that the Ulama with great difficulty understood it, but these laymen were so affected that tears flowed from their eyes. Today you have eliminated an incorrect perception that I harboured.”

Moulana Thanwi (rahmatullahi alayh) replied: “Man is affected by companionship and friendship. These people have love and faith in me. Thus in my gathering, such effects take place in their hearts that tears begin to flow from their eyes.”

Disrespecting the Ulama due to their Differences is to one’s own Detriment

Tuesday, 14 February 2012 00:00

Hadhrat Shaikh Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya rahmatullahi alaih says: “A very important issue is that the differences of thefuqahaa and muhadditheen are in its place. However, because of this we should never entertain evil thoughts regarding them or display any type of disrespect. This is extremely detrimental. I emphasise and stress on this point in my lessons of hadeeth.

Once, during the lessons of hadeeth of Hadhrat Moulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi rahmatullahi alaih, a hadeeth which apparently opposed the Hanafi view was discussed. Upon hearing the brilliant explanation delivered by Hadhrat Moulana Gangohi rahmatullahi alaih, one of the students exclaimed: ‘If Imaam Shaafi`ee rahmatullahi alaih had heard this explanation, he would have retracted from his view.’ Hadhrat rahmatullahi alaih responded: ‘Toubah, toubah, astaghfirullah! If Imaam Shaafi`ee rahmatullahi alaih had been present then my explanation would not have been anything more than a simple doubt which Imaam Shaafi`ee rahmatullahi alaih would have answered. Since the a’immah-e-mujtahideen are not present, it is only their statements that are before us and we find the statements of Imaam Abu Hanifah rahmatullahi alaih to be closest to the Qur’aan and Hadeeth. Therefore, we support it. Otherwise, if supposing any of the a’immah-e-mujtahideen were present now, there would have been no other option but to follow him.’

Read more: Disrespecting the Ulama due to their Differences is to one’s own Detriment