Dealing with Differences of Opinion (3)

This is an extract from when Sheikhul Hadeeth, his uncle Maulana Ilyas [founder of the Tabligh movement] and Hazrat Raipuri (rahmatullahi 'alayh) made a visit to Maulana Meeruty enroute to Saharanpur. Sheikhul Hadeeth was against the idea, for reasons we shall soon see...

It was summer. Under his house, Maulana Meeruty, who knew a lot about building houses, had a basement room which was very cool. It had two flights of stairs leading to it, one from the ladies' side and one from the men's side. If it was to be used by the women at any time, all that needed to be done was for the door to be closed and the male stairway would be sealed. Maulana sprinkled the floor with water, organised beds and cool grass carpets in it.

After having had lunch, we went down to the basment and wanted to lie down but Maulana Meeruty told my uncle: "Maulana, for a ling time I have been wanting to discuss something with you, but you never came this way and for a long time I have not been to visit you. Now, at this moment, these Elders are also present so I would like to trouble you all for a short while."

We were seated, Hazrat Raipuri and myself on one side sitting side by side, facing Hazrat Meerity and my uncle who sat side by side. Hazrat Meeruty started speaking: "Hazrat, Tableegh is something which we can accept with open arms, heart and soul. And no one can deny the need for it and the benefits in it. But the fanatcism you have attached to it is completely against the ways of our Elders. You have made even our dressing and lying down a part of Tableegh. You do not show any importance for the Madressas nor the Khanqahs."

My Uncle became enraged, and said: "When you yourself consider it as necessary, why don't you yourself take part in it? And why does no one do it? I have to give everyone's share of the Fardh Kifaaya."

The two elders flew at each other and the words became stronger and harsher. Hazra Raipuri and I remained silent. He felt tremendous anguish and distress at the argument before him. While the argument was going on, I softly said to Hazrat Raipuri so that the others could not hear: "Meerut utrenge, Meerut utrenge (we should get off at Meerut, we should get off at Meerut)".

I softly repeated these words quite a few times. When later the force of the argument had died down, and all of them became silent, I said: "May I say something?"
All three of them said, "Certainly, go ahead."
Hazrat Raipuri said: "You have sat down silently for such a long time. Why did you not speak earlier?"

I said to Hazrat Meeruty: "You are quite aware of the fact that in all those objections, I am with you and agree with you."

Hearing this, my uncle became very angry but said nothing. Then I continued: "Whether something is being done for Deen or for Dunya, it is done for some objective. All work that is done with the company of others is only attained by following it and taking part in it."
Hazrat Raipuri agreed with me: "Very true."
I said, "Wait a bit."

At some time in the past, Hazrat Saharanpur had reprimanded and rebuked Hazrat Meeruty. Only Hazrat Meeruty and I knew about it. "Do you not remember Hazrat Saharanpuri's statement: 'To have contact with me means contact with the Madressa. And as much as is the concern of anyone for the Madressa, so much is his concern for me.' Now tell me, is there no other Madressa in this world except Mazaahirul Uloom?"

I told him a few more stories of where the person became so absorbed in his work, for example the death of Imam Muslim and a few others, wherein the person completely identifies himself with his life's task.

Then I said: "My uncle in this field is 'Maghloob' (overwhelmed). You know it and we know it. Moreover, no work ever gets done without self identification of the doer (ghalba-i-haal) and subjection to his own 'colour'."

Suddenly Hazrat Meeruty stated laughing. I do not know why. My uncle also started to laugh. They both were only too keen to put an end to the unpleasantness.

Hazrat Raipuri said: "You see, this is why I always want to take you with me at all times, because we need you."

Then he said to Hazrat Meeruty: "You have fed us to such an extent that we can hardly sit up. Now leave us and allow us to take a rest."

Hazrat Meeruty left immediately and as soon as he had left I said to them: "This is the reason why I requested you to go straight through."
Hazrat Raipuri said, "It is true, if we had listened to you it would have been better."

My uncle said: "No, what happened was very good. I have finally also found the opportunity of speaking out clearly and straight. I have waited for this chance and I would never have got a better chance. That is why I insisted upon your coming with us."

After Zuhr, the same feeling of pleasure and joy was prevalant. In the afternoon at tea, it was the same and even Hazrat himself said at the time we parted: "It was very nice that the conversation took place in your presence. If the argument had terminated on a bad note, I would have been greatly disturbed and distressed, but because of your speech it ended well."