Love for the Hadith and Sunnah, and Respect in Differences of Opinion

Hazrat Shaykh (نور الله مرقده)'s attitude regarding those who had a different opinion to him is remarkable and one worthy of following. Note: that the Ahlul Hadeeth are a group who do not find it acceptable, in their opinion, to be affliliated to a Madhab. They are also known as Salafis.

During my early days of teaching, a certain Ahl-e-Hadith follower, whose name I have forgotten, came to my room quite often. There must still be quite a number of his own publications such as "Meezaanul-Shariat" lying around somewhere in my room.

Although he was blind, he used to collect all the Hadith from Mishkat which favored the mazhab of the Ahlul-Hadith. He would collect ehm in small booklets with very little commentary. For example one was on "Babul-Wudhoo", one on "Babul-Tayammum", "Babul-Haidh", etc. He wrote them himself and had them printed himself and he sold them himself.

Whenever he came to Saharanpur, he stayed at my place and in Deoband, he was the guest of Maulana Anwar Shah Kahsmiri (rh). He had a habit of going into the classrooms and presenting one copy to the teachers. Because of Hazrat Anwar Shah and me, all the other teachers came to know him quite well. Most teachers after accepting a free copy, still paid him the three annas or more and often encouraged students to also purchase from him.

Many people however used to excuse themselves from buying because the booklets only contained those Hadith which favoured the Ahlul-Hadith. I however, always used to purchase twenty five to thirty copies, while Maulana Anwar Shah used to purchase about a hundred and fifty and we both used to pay him more than the prescribed price. We felt that was our duty in view of his service to Hadith, as well as our duties as his hosts. The booklets were always distributed among the student, telling them that although the booklets favoured the Ahlul-Hadith view, it did after all contain Hadith with translations. We did not however, distribute the booklets in his presence, as it would adversely affect his sales.

There must still be some copies in my own library on which his name and address will be found. He was blind and there always used to be a young boy guiding him around. At night he always sat near me when he made up his accounts. The price of all the booklets were written on the covers, but he never used to tell anyone the price. Whoever wished was allowed to give whatever he wished and whatever was given was given was accepted with pleasure.

When he made up his accounts he used to say: "Two copies at two annas each, three copies at three annas each and eight at "Jazakallah" each."

He was a very simple person and at that time my own relations with the Ahlul-Hadith was good. They very often came to me. In both Deoband and Saharanpur, there were many Ahlul-Hadith students, but they never disclosed their adherence to the Ahlul-Hadith.

I told them not to hide their mazhab from me. They could come to my hosue at any time to discuss their problems. Some students (may Allah reward them) came to me to be connected in bay'at.

Some of them even suggested that should I demand of them, they would stop "raf-ul-yadayn" [raising the hands], "ameen-bil-jahr" [saying ameen loudly], etc., but I told them: You people are doing those things in your earnest desire to implement Rasulullah صلى الله عليه و سلم's commands and practices. How can I ever prohibit you from doing so?"

Aap Beti, Page 556-558