Punctuality and Rights of the Madressa

Maulana al-Haaj Inayat Ilahi Rahmatullah Alayh was the principal of the Madressa. (May Allah grant him a lofty place in paradise). He was not only the principal but also a Mufti and all the Madressa's legal affairs were entrusted to him. Apart from that he was also respon­sible for collecting funds monthly.

Whenever the collector came to report someone not having given his monthly contributions towards Madressa expen­diture after having already been to him once or twice, he himself would on his way to or from the Madressa to his house, go to that person and request the voluntary pay­ment, explaining that the funds did not yet come in. The manner of soliciting would be so beautiful as to be effec­tive. We cannot go into detail in this short discussion. Anyway, in his office he had two ink-stands and pens, one belonging to the Madressa and the other being his own together with some personal writing paper. Whenever he had to write any personal letters, he used his own pen and paper, not the Madressa's.

He used to come to the office at eight o'clock in the winter and at about seven o'clock in summer, leaving only after Asr. After working the whole afternoon, he visited the houses of contributors towards Madressa funds en route to and from the office.

In spite of that, Hazrat Saharanpuri Rahmatullah Alayh once or twice recommending an increase in salary for the other officials insisted that his increase be withheld, because of his arriving at Madressa late in the morning. I immediately indicated that he worked for more than six hours daily, but Hazrat in spite of recommendations and pleas by others persisted, saying: "Punctuality is of the ut­most importance for Madressa employees."