Sacrifices of a True Talib

In this excerpt, there lies a lesson for all those who are seeking knowledge today. The actions of our elders were not mere formalities; rather, their actions were a reflection of the purity of their hearts.

During his student days, my father was deeply engrossed in his studies. Once the doctors warned him about becoming afflicted by blindness through an eye disease (nuzool-e-ab); and that he should read less, especially at night. He says: "Thereafter for quite a few months I read books profusely, with this in mind that my eyes were going away. And whatever there was to look up should be looked up then while i still had them."

My father used to stay in Nizamuddin and used to study in Madressa Hussain Baksh. He says that he used to come to the Madressa in the mornings after Fajr, and in the afternoons, after classes, he went back to Nizamuddin. Thereafter he used to come back after Zuhr and returned after Asr – a total of fourteen miles daily, because each journey was about three and a half miles long...

...In Nizamuddin he stayed in Maulana Yusuf's room on the western side of the masjid. Now the room has been very fine. In those days it was very dilapidated with a very low roof. The door is still where it was in those days, but where today the window of the ladies section is, there used to be a door. Today, where the ladies section is situated, there used to be so many trees that it was difficult to walk there. I have seen it in this condition that there used to be a little canal of dirty water flowing through it with an endless stream of mosquitoes.

This was where my father stayed. My grandfather had two students, who had to fill two lotas with water and bring it to this door leading to the bush at every Azaan time. They would also receive their meals from there. My father says that on finishing his sunnat salaahs, he used to remain in the closed room studying until the time for takbeer. Then he opened and joined the Jamaat. On finishing his salah he again entered the room and performed his sunnats there. He says, "During that time a telegram arrived which told of my proposal of marriage. The people of Nizamuddin sent it back, saying that for quite a few months, I was not there. Perhaps I would be at the home of my father." But this telegram was in fact sent by his father (my grandfather).

My father further said, "Within a period of six months I studied Bukhari, Seerat Ibn Hisham, Tahawy, Hidaya and Fathul Qadeer, so thoroughly that the examiners were surprised. Maulana Khaleel Ahmed examined me in Bukhari, Sheikhul Hind examined me in Tirmizi and Maulana Ahmed Hasan and others did the other kitabs. At the time of eating these Elders were all together. Hazrat Maulana Khaleel Ahmed told my father, "Your son wrote such replies which even some experienced teachers are incapable of giving."

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?"

Respecting our Teachers

The hadeeth kitabs which were taught in the madressa by other teachers were always accompanied by long lectures. Whenever I saw these lectures being held, my mouth used to water to attend. I sought my father's permission to be allowed to listen to these lessons held by someone else, but he always refused permission most emphatically and every time he used to say:

"You are unmannered. You only repsect me because of the shoes with which I beat you and you honour Hazrat [ie. Hazrat Khalid Mahmood Saharanpuri رحمة الله عليه] by heart."

This is reference to a specific incident to which he referred to on many occasions saying: "You do not even go on to the roof of Hazrat's house (out of respect for him) but you are prepared to climb on my head."

The story is this: My father's room was the western-most room of the library, which is now included into the library. The outside area of it was empty (as already mentioned in connection with the reading of Sharah Tahzeeb). When one wished to come along the stairs to my father's room, one had to walk over the roof of Hazrat's room. To come to his room instead of crossing over Hazrat's roof I climbed over the wall alongside his roof. Actually this was done for show because I am not even in possession of good manners upto this day. This is the reason why my fahter said: "You are unmannered. If you should act unmannerly to a falsafa or mantiq teacher, that knowledge will leave you and it will be a calamity for me. But if you should act unmannerly to any hadeeth teacher, this will be completely unbearable and unacceptable to me because you will then be deprived of the blessings of hadeeth."

In this he was right. I have not been able to show due respect to my Ustads and in spite of my ill-manners, my Ustads have treated me with great love, sympathy and goodwill. May Allah grant them all high ranks. Except for Hazrat Saheb, all the rest of my teachers treated me as an equal as if I was their contemporary or class-mate.

A most pertinent talk on this topic can also be found on the Sacredlearning website [see links] titled 'Debt to our Teachers'.

Flattery and Humility

A very short extract, but it just struck me how those connected with Allah responded to flattery with, not pride, but humility!

One such story was told about the 'Babul Istihaadhah'. Once on my visit to Deoband, Hazrat Madani said to me: "You have in Kitabul-Haj of Owjaz written a very nice thing, which pleased me very much. Many of Imam Bukhari's objections have been removed through your commentary."

At that moment Hazrat was walking towards his class to go and teach. I bent my head and was so moved that I could not even ask to which part of my writing he was referring to, which caused Imam Bukhari's objections to end. On many occasions I have wanted to ask him, but because of my shyness I could not.

Discussions of the Literate

Below is just a couple of examples of Sheikhul Hadeeth's (rahmatullahi 'alayh) literacy, and beyond that, proficiency, in the science of Hadeeth. Indeed, the title 'Sheikhul Hadeeth' was not for no reason.

I still remember my academic (ilmi) discussions with Hazrat Madani and my academic debates with him. Many such topics have been written and collected by me under the name of 'Ifaa'daat Hussaini' about which I have already written in the chapter on my writings. During the writing and compilation of his 'Khutbaat' which Hazrat use to write to me a lot, he often sent a student with a note asking for the source reference of certain Hadiths. I would then with great diligence look up the Hadith, write it and send the reference to him.

Hazrat Madani was very opposed to hand fans and if anyone got up to wave a hand fan over him, he would scold that person and if I insisted on doing it, he even scolded me too.
Once Hazrat loudly asked: "Is there any reference in the Hadith in support of this fact (the usage of hand fans)?"
I replied: "I could not even find proof in the Hadith to the effect that the electric fan in Hazrat's room is permissible."
Hazrat started laughing. Thereafter I sent him a Hadith wherein is mentioned about Hazrat Bilal waving a fan over the people in a Musjid. Then, when Hazrat visited me again I told one student to fan him when he arrives, because now the use of a fan has been proven. What objection can he have now?

Hazrat said: "You have sent a Hadith from a little known kitab."
I asked: "Do you mean to say that all the Hadith are only to be found in the well known kitabs?"

Similarly, he once asked: "Where is the Shari'at proof for this pressing (massaging) of the body?"
I replied: "It is difficult to find a Hadith which substantiates all the things which are permissible. But I will search for the Hadith and send it to you."
The next day I sent the Hadith at the hands of one student.

Sincerity in Seeking Knowledge

Indeed, Shaykhul Hadeeth (rahmatullahi 'alayh) was blessed through the barakah of his father's prayers. This is surely what is meant by true love; a love that is always linked with Allah (subhaanahu wata'aalaa). The extract below demonstrates this love, and shows just how immersed Maulana Zakariyya (rahmatuallahi 'alayh) was in the world of Hadeeth...

On the 7th Muharram 1332 Hijri after Zuhr salah I started Mishkat Shareef . My father who used to lead salah, led Zuhr salah on that day . After Zuhr he performed ghusl and proceeded to the room upstairs which today is the guest-room . At that time it was the Farsi-khana and other than during madrassa times it was our resting place . There, facing the door leading to the masjid, on the spot where the Farsi teachers sit and where their mats are spread, he spread a musalla and performed two raka'ahs nafal salah. Then turning towards me, he made me recite 'Bismillah" and read the Khutba of Mishkat. Then turning to the Qiblah he made duaa for about fifteen to twenty minutes. I am not aware of what things he prayed for. I know that I only had one prayer in my heart :"The study of hadeeth for me had stated quite late. Ya Allah keep this Knowledge with me till my death." Alhamdu lillah in spite of my weakness and iniquity Allah has accepted this duaa of mine. So that from 1332 Hijri onwards until 1390 Hijri no time passed when I was not busy with some aspect or other of hadeeth studies.

This is so, although at the time I was wondering how this will be attained because , even if I should become a teacher, ten or twelve years will pass by before I will be allowed to teach hadeeth. At that time Maulana Abdul Lateef, who had been appointed as lecturer in 1323 Hijri, had up to then not yet reached the stage of teaching Mishkat.

But of course Allah is the Causer of Causes and when He desires anything, He Himself creates the Cause . In 1332 Hijri I read Mishkat and in 1333 Hijri and 1334 I read Daura, which will be detailed later.

From 1335 Hijri Bazal Majhood was begun , which lasted till 1345 Hijri. Then started the work on Owjaz which was finished in 1375 Hijri and together with it various other works connected with hadeeth, which through Allah's Grace still remains with me.

In 1341 Hijri my period of teaching hadeeth started which lasted till 1388 Hijri, after which through bladder problems (Nuzool Ab) this blessed programme of teaching was terminated. Praise be to Allah that even today in 1390 Hijri I am still involved with writings on hadeeth. We shall continue whether my evil deeds will allow it or not.