A Teacher’s Love...

The intimate teacher-student relationship that Sheikhul Hadeeth (rahmatullahi 'alayh) describes here is surely something to be envied. Teachers are rare gems that are waiting to be discovered, but he who seeks will surely find.

What shall I write concerning the spiritual stature of the Elders of the second era and how shall I write that. My first meeting with my Murshid, my Master and Guide, Hazrat Maulana Khaleel Ahmed Saheb was in Rajab 1328 Hijri. But up to the time of my father's death or up to 1333 Hijri I had very little chance of being in his esteemed company. In spite of that, Hazrat's kindness to me was innumerable. His looking at me with love was something I experienced from the beginning. The result was that which I had described under the section dealing with my studies. It was this which prompted him to advise against my being sent to Maulana Abdul Majid for studying logic. He did not accept, that for a whole year, I should be separated from him.

My direct contact with Hazrat started after the death of my father, when Hazrat showed himself to be a father to me in the true sense of the word. In my description of my first marriage, I had related how I had declined the bringing of my wife from Kandhla, as Kandhla was my hometown. The taking away and the bringing back of a wife with you was a delicate question. Hazrat understood this and said: "Who is there that will refuse. I have come as a father to perform this marriage."

Once on seeing Hazrat's kindness to me and my continuous presence with him, a person asked: "Is this your son?" Hazrat replied: "He is more than a son to me."

...In spite of his very high rank and his magnificent stature, his favours towards me increased all the time, firstly because of the fact I was an orphan and secondly as a result of the work on 'Bazlul Majhood'. Hazrat was very devoted to his research on Bazl and as a result thereof his love for me increased tremendously. Another very important fact is that the work done on Bazl was a great favour to me because as a result of it, Hazrat never took notice of my iniquities and shortcomings.

See Sacredlearning.com à General Talks à Finding a Hidden Gem for Shaykh Husain Abdul Sattar's [db] own account about how he found his teacher.

Respect for Sacred Knowledge

There is an irrefutable link between Sheikhul Hadeeth's رحمة الله عليه utmost respect for the words of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم and his renowned achievements in the science of Hadeeth. Our teachers will often tell us that the more respect one has for knowledge, the more Allah will open up its noor on the seeker of knowledge. Below is an oft-quoted example of such respect.

The two of us had two golden rules during our Daura year, namely that not a single hadeeth with its chain of narrators should be left out without being read. Secondly, never to recite any hadeeth without wudoo. Whenever any one of us had to leave the class to perform wudoo, as we had to attend lessons for five to six hours on end, he would touch the other to inform him of the need for wudoo and quickly leave the class. The seated one of us would then quickly raise some problem for father [who was teaching] to answer. This happened very seldom, perhaps once or twice in a month or two. At that time, our health was quite good. In those days I had the habit of performing Esha with wudoo performed for Zuhr. This carried on for many years. But now and then the need did arise for wudoo in between.

My father understood from the very first time it happened when he saw one of the two friends suddenly getting up, leaving the room to return in haste rolling down his sleeves. From this he understood and was quite pleased.

Once Hasan Ahmad touched me to inform me of his need for wudoo and quickly got up. I immediately asked: "Hazrat, in Fat'hul Qadeer is written....". I said this without having thought and did not even know what Fat'hul Qadeer wrote. But on hearing my mention of Fat'hul Qadeer, my father burst out laughing. Placing a marker in the kitab, he closed it and said: "Let me tell you a story until Hasan Ahmad comes back. Why should I start a fight with you over what Fat'hul Qadeer says?"

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."

True Friends

There is another story which I was not going to write down, but my friends pursuaded me to do so. Hazrat's [i.e. Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madani rahmatullahi 'alayh] favours on me were numerous and as his favours increased, so my ill-mannered ways increased. Once a discussion took place on 'the Elders and Jannat' and I said: "Hazrat, you shall not enter Jannat without me."
Hazrat replied without any hesitation: "Yes, certainly."

About a year or so later, after I had forgotten this conversation, Hazrat came here while I was in Darul Talaba. A man came to call me. While I was still coming, another person took Hazrat away with him to eat mangoes at his house near the Madressa. When I came from the Darul Talaba, I heard that Hazrat had gone there. When I followed him there, I found Hazrat sitting with the mangoes already in cold water waiting for me. I asked: "What was so urgent that Hazrat had to come earlier; I could have come with you."
Hazrat replied: "I did not promise to take you everwhere, the place I promised to take you, there I will take you."

Hearing this, I was very pleased that after a year, Hazrat still remembered. Since then, insha Allah, my spirits have been lifted a lot. Prior to that, the fear exuded by the verse:

"Wamtaazul yawma ayyuhal mujrimun"
"Stand aside today, O you evil doers"

was uppermost in my mind. May Allah grant me a place among the shoes of those Elders. [Aameen!]. This is not a far expectation of His mercy.

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.