"That which had passed never returns": Appreciating our Scholars

...there is one very important fact to which I wish to draw attention.

When the Elders passed away many people desired to see those special qualities which were part of the Sheikh (in those that succeeded them). But it is clear that all those who follow the Elders and in their footsteps will be less gifted than the Sheikh except in some cases, as Allah pleases.

Those people who, because they do not see the qualities of the Elder in his followers, turn away from that Sheikh's line of Tasawwuf, are only doing themselves great harm. I began to see this very clearly since the time of Hazrat Gangohi. During the time of the most prominent Khalifas of Hazrat, I saw many of their contemporaries, who were also attached to Hazrat through Bay'at, saw that now some of the special qualities which Hazrat had were no longer present in the Khalifas. They then declined to return to these Khalifas for spiritual guidance. This caused me a lot of pain and sorrow because the Khalifas were near in relationship (with Allah Ta'ala) and men of 'Nisbat'. If indeed these people had become connected to one of the Khalifas, they would have progressed greatly.

Similarly I have seen many in the third generation of Khilafat who did the same thing. I did my utmost to explain to them the wrong of their actions. After the death of my uncle, Hazrat Ilyas رحمة الله عليه , I have heard many people say that this 'Hazrat-ji' was not nearly in the same class as Maulana Ilyas Dehlawy.

To those people I replied: "You have spoken the truth. But in Hazrat Dehlawy we did not see those special qualities which we saw in Hazrat Saharanpuri."...

...Now it is the era of Maulana Inaamul Hasan and very often we hear the complaint that it is not the same as in the time of Maulana Yusuf. Then I tell them: "My friends, after him you will not find even those qualities which are in him. That which had passed never returns."

Dispute Over Pay (2)

Hazrat Thanwy was also one of the trustees and supervisors of the madressa. I told him and Maulana Zafar Ahmad Thanwy, the Mufti of Thanabavan with whom I was most informal, "If any application concerning my salary from the madressa should come to Hazrat Thanwy, please let it be rejected."

I do not kno what he told Hazrat Thanwy. A letter of application was sent to Hazrat Thanwy for one and a half years leave of absence. Mohtamim Saheb also wrote: "He has some salary left with us. Kindly give permission for it to be paid to him."

Hazrat Thanwy approved the leave of absence and with regard to the salary, he wrote: "If the salary had not been received by him, then why is the permission of the trustees required? If there is any other doubts regarding the salary, then please explain it so that we may ponder over it."

Another trustee was Maulana Aashiq Ilahi and I also told him: "You are also a trustee. That salary is not permissible for me. Disapprove it."

However, after Hazrat had approved it, Maulana Thanwy could still disapprove, but what right had any of Hazrat's attendents to do so? I had done all these contemptable things as I always do.First of all, Maulana Ashiq Ilahi debated the issue with me and when, like in the case of Nazim Saheb he could not convince me, he wrote on my application: "Leave of absence for one and a years is approved. And just as in the case of of his leave of absence his application regarding his salary should also be accepted, that is, that his salary should also be granted by the madressa."

When Hazrat saw Maulana Meeruty's [ie Maulana Aashiq Ilahi's] note, he knew I had also had a debate with him. Thereafter Hazrat told me with great sympathy: "Bazal is not my own work. It belongs to the madressa. If I should take you with me in service of the madressa, and apart from going and living there, I let your expenses come from the madressa, then what do you have to say?"

I replied: "Then I will say: That is permissible. I have no hesitation."

Hazrat said: "The salary of your's which is in the madressa will be less than what the madressa will now give you."

I replied: "That is true."

Hazrat said: "This is what you should understand."

Dispute Over Pay

Here Sheikhul Hadeeth رحمة الله عليه relates the argument that took place over his salary.

I said: "Hazrat, do not worry, arrangements will be made for my expenses. It will not be permissible for me to take that money." I have always been a bit forward in the presence of the elders.
Hazrat asked: "Why?"

I replied: "In those months when I did not take salary, I taught with the neyat of doing so without salary. Now I am not entitled to take it."

Hazrat asked: "Did you put any application to the madressa when you were hired? The madressa was the hirer. What right did you have of cancelling the contract of hire from your own side unilaterally until such a time that we accepted your application?"

I replied: "But Hazrat, this has nothing to do with a hiring contract. If a person of his own self does a job for the sake of Allah, what right has he afterwards of receiving renumeration?"

At that time, Hazrat Nazim Saheb was also seated there. He said to Hazrat, "Leave him, I will explain the matter to him."

Hazrat became happy and I also, because in Hazrat's presence I spoke with fear, while with Nazim Saheb an open and lively debate took place and in the end he told Hazrat: "He does not want to budge from his view."