Even the Pious are human...(2): 'Bayt Bazi'

After all, we were all kids at one point...Except the difference is Sheikhul Hadeeth's self described 'foolishness' is linked to his love for Allah, not love for the dunya.

I was not allowed to go anywhere without the company of my father or uncle. My only game was to play 'bayt bazi'. Whenever my companions, Mazhar, Mahfooz and myself found my father out of the way we started playing.

Once the foolishness got hold of me and we started playing 'bayt bazi' with the verses of the Qur'an. One would recite a verse and the other would have to recite a verse starting with the letter with which the last one ended. My two friends were not hafiz's and I was only a hafiz in name. So I do not know how they were supposed to quote verses. After three times of playing this game, it stopped abruptly. The funny paty of it all was that whenever we played the game, that day was one on which for some valid reason I received a hiding. The experience made me repent for this foolishness.

Even the Pious are human...

We often view the Auliyah as those who are so detached from the real world that they are almost not human. The beauty of 'Aap Beti' is that it makes you realise how human those closest to Allah are in reality. I like this next extract as it particularly demonstrates what I mean and gives sinners like us hope to reform with the help of Allah (subhaanahu wata'aala).

I was born at 11o' clock on the evening of 11 Ramadaan 1315 Hijri after Taraweeh...

Up to the age of two and a half years I stayed in Kandhla. I have heard that as a child at that time I was so naughty that my main enjoyment at play was to break and tear things. My grandmother used to give me many pots, buckets and small clay pots, which were made by potter-girls in those days and sold as toys for small children.

The house in which I was born had a high balcony which I still remember quite well. I used to sit on the balcony and throw those cups and pots down from on top. And on seeing them being smashed, I became very happy. And when they did not break into pieces, then I would climb down, pick them up, carry them up again only to throw them down once more.

I heard that whenever my mother scolded me over this, my late grandmother became angry, saying: "If during my lifetime and in my presence you scold my grandchildren, then you must look out for me. If he gets happy when these pots and cups are broken, then it is my desire that he should be happy."

At the age of two and a half years I visited Gangoh and because of my father and the love they had for him, everyone of Hazrat Gangohi's attendents and followers were fondling me and caressing me. I can still remember wuite vividly how Maulana Sayed Ahmad, the elder brother of Sheikhul Islam Sayed Hussain Madani used to carry me on his shoulders for the whole day. I used to sit on the back of his neck with legs hanging over the shoulders for the whole days while he continued to do his work. Only at salaah time did he take me off.

to be continued inshaa Allah...