Simple Weddings!

Below is an extract about Sheikhul Hadeeth's (rahmatullahi 'alayh) second marriage, after his first wife had died. The 'Hazrat Madani' referred to here is Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madani (rahmatullahi 'alayh) and 'Hazrat Raipuri' is Maulana Abdul Qadir Raipuri (rahmatullahi 'alayh).

"This Hazrat is getting married." [said Hazrat Raipuri, referring to Sheikhul Hadeeth.]

In a scolding voice Hazrat Madani said, "And he did not even inform me?"

Hazrat Raipuri said, "Hazrat, he did not even inform me. I am forcing my way with him. In fact, he refused point blank to take me with him. I had to put a spy in his place to inform me of when Hazrat Dehlawy's [his uncle] letter arrives. Last night I received the report from my spy and early this morning I arrived."

Hazrat Madani gave Hazrat Raipuri a message to give to Maulana Ilyas, "Tell Maulana Ilyas that this nikah will be performed by me. Without me there will be no nikah. I would have travelled with you on this train, but the ladies are with me as well as some luggage. I shall put them off at home and come to Delhi with the very next train."

Initially I declined the offer: "Hazrat, do not take this trouble."

He immediately answered in a threatening voice, "I am not talking to you. I am sending a message for Muhammad Ilyas that I am going to perform this nikah."

I answered, "In that case Hazrat should not cast yourself into such into such difficulty. Come along when it suits you. Hazrat Raipuri will experience no hard ship in waiting for you. I will also await your arrival.

Hazrat said, "There will be no need for that. I will come later in the afternoon."

This is how I remember the incident. In my diary the story is told with a bit of a difference, but about this there is no difference: up to deoband we travelled in the company of Maulana Madani. Hazrat got off there and the two of us continued straight to Delhi. My diary also says that from Meerut, Maulana Meeruty [aka: Aashiq Elahi] also boarded the train to Delhi.

From Saharanpur to Delhi, Maulana Madani talked with us in a very happy and carefree manner. He took a small bottle of atar from the pocket of his waistcoat and spread the contents on his palm and applied it to my dirty khaddar kurta. During his life, out of fear of him, I always wore khaddar kurta. It was in his kindness to me that whenever he saw a kurta other than the khaddar on me he used to tear it off my body .

I asked him, " Why waste such precious atar on my dirty kurta?"

He replied "Atar smells nice on khaddar"

I said " Just like the pearls were wasted on the neck of khalisa?"

He laughed and continued to apply atar to his hands and from there onto my clothes saying, " The barbar also gets the smell of the clothes of the bridegroom."

He used the whole bottle on me. Hazrat arrived the next day in Delhi by the evening train. Due to some misunderstanding all of us went to stay in the Masjid Abdul Rab and from there we went to Nizamuddin the next day which was Friday. Hazrat peformed the nikah for a mahr amounting to the Fatimimahr.

I said, "Hazrat the fatimi mahr is an ambiguous term - not clear and there is a difference of opinion on it. It should be fixed the current measure and value."

Hazrat smiled and said loudly, "The bridegroom is normally very shy and embarresed. Keep quiet."

I said, "In matters of deen, there is no permission for shyness. This is a matter for mas'ala."

Hazrat said, "Five hundred dirhams."

I said, "This is also a disputed term not clearly defined. What will that be in present currency?"

He said, "Approximently 130 rupees."

This question and answer series was related by Khwaja Nizami in one of his periodicals which appeared in those days, and gave the full details.

Below there is also a link to Maulana Yusuf Motala's article: 'The Need for Simple Weddings':

http://www.inter-islam.org/RightsDuties/WEDDINGS.html

Spending in the way of Allah

Maulana Yahya (rahmatullahi 'alayh), as Sheikhul Hadeeth's (rahmatullahi 'alayh) father, was his main source of Tarbiyah (upbringing according to the Sunnah). He was entirely devoted, as we shall see, in his efforts to mould his character into one that would serve the Deen as he did.

My father took special care that I should never have any money on me. For me to borrow or accept any money from another was completely out of the question, but even to accept any food or drink from another was impossible. If it did so happen, deep investigations would take place if ever there was any doubt involved (as will be seen in a following story).

However he always had a habit of giving me some money but together with this was his desire that money should not remain in my possesstion. Thus whenever he intended to give me something, he first informed my mother thereof. Thereupon my mother (may Allah bless her with high rank in paradise) who loved me intensely, would impress upon me the great reward in giving to others, as well as great benefits thereof in the hereafter together with the non-beneficial nature of spending it on wordly things. Then she would say to me: "If you have any money, then give it away. You will be rewarded."

Thus I learnt to give, mostly because of my mother's love and also to an extent for the sake of reward. In this manner the picture of that hadeeth was before my eyes at that early age without having studied hadeeth:

"Whoever is called to account, is surely punished."

I looked upon giving away whatever money I had as being a deed of righteousness. The effect of it was that even up to this day I have not got the habit of keeping money on me. Allah has been kind indeed by granting me such friends who are at all times prepared to see to my needs, and send the bill to me after a couple of days.

Ibrahim Memon's talk on Sheikhul Hadeeth [ra]

A brilliant talk on a brilliant servant of Allah (subhanahu wata'aala). Listen attentively and take benefit.

http://www.direct.za.org/Audio/audio.html

[note: This link will lead you to an external site where you will be able to listen to the audio.]

Sheikhul Hadith Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya (ra)

Sheikhul Hadith Maulana Zakariyya (rahmatullahi 'alayh) needs no introduction. The light of his teachings have illuminated the entire world, with students spreading love for Allah (subhaanahu wata'ala) and his beloved Rasool (sallalaahu 'alayhi wasallam) to all four corners of the world. Inshaa allah, here I intend to post parts of Hadhrat's (rahmatullahi 'alayh) autobiography, an immensely inspiring book that opens the window to the lives of our only very recent 'Awliyaa. May Allah (subhaanahu wata'ala) allow us to take lessons from His friends. Ameen.