The Benefits of Good Company

Good company is something truly to be envied. Here, Sheikhul Hadeeth (rahmatullahi 'alayh) speaks of the company and the spiritual attention he received from his Shaykh, Maulana Khaleel Ahmed Saharanpuri (rahmatullahi 'alayh). Indeed, the golden opportunity to merely be his Shaykh's scribe for his grand work, Bazlul Majhood, allowed Sheikhul Hadeeth (rahmatullahi 'alayh) an insight to the world of hadeeth from early on. May Allah (subhanahu wa ta'aalaa) bless us with company that is better than solitude!

It was Hazrat's habit in Medina as well as in India that when he used to eat, he often used to take out pieces of meat from a kebab with his own hand and give it to me with great kindness. I never imagined that his loving kindness to me could be greater than that. In Medina I used to have both meals with Hazrat. Hazrat Raipuri also sometimes joined us for meals.

Hazrat Raipuri once said: "I envy you indeed, because whenever Hazrat Saharanpuri gives you something to eat, he always casts a thorough gaze at it and then gives it to you. If only he would do the same for me."

After that, I took notice and Hazrat really did look at it thoroughly (as if casting his spiritual attention at it). If only that spiritual attention had had beneficial affects upon this hard-hearted one! In Medina, while writing 'Bazlul Majhood', I used to spend almost six hours from after the early morning tea in Hazrat's company. One day, while I was writing, I do not know what I was thinking of but I became lost in thought.

Hazrat, while dictating said, in a stern but calm voice, "I am busy with you and you are thinking of Amar and Zaid."

Whenever that scene appears before me, I still feel a loud noise in my ears. But as Hazrat said that, I felt myself breaking out in a sweat. My kurta and pants became soaked with my perspiration. At that time, and later, I thought about it, but I just could not remember what I was thinking about.

If these attentions of Hazrat had fallen on some capable one, one wonders how far he would have progressed spiritually. But I have always acted ill-manneredly towards my Elders. My father spoke the truth when he said: "You are ill -mannered and if you should study Hadith by anyone other than Hazrat, your behaviour would be insulting and your knowledge concerning Hadith will come to nothing, which will be a great calamity."