Dealing with Death

Maulana Sayed Ahmed

(رحمة الله عليه)

, the brother of Shaykhul Islam Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madani

(رحمة الله عليه)

, advises Hazrat Shaykh

(رحمة الله عليه)

on how to cope with the death of his father, Maulana Yayha

(رحمة الله عليه).

"بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

To beloved Maulana Zakariyya (May Allah protect him),

from Sayed Ahmed

After sincere Islamic greetings to you, I inform you that I am in sound health, hoping that you together with your family are in good health. You have become a teacher, so how will you still remember us who are far away from you. My relationship with your late father was so close and friendly that even if you should be indifferent to us, we will not be the same to you, that we sit still quietly.

When I read the letter from Hafiz Muhammad Yakoob of the sad demise of your father, only the Knower of the Unseen will know what sorrow passed over my heart. But beloved brother, what is there that one can do except say: "Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi Raaji-oon" From this I have the hope of receiving the reward of "Salaawaatum min Rabbihim."

Now it is your turn to show that you are a true substitute for him as he was with his academic and moral qualities.

"The real young hero is he who says: 'Here am I"',

Not the one who says: 'My father was like this and that.'"

....

... Now listen Bhai Zakariyya, if you do not reply my letter, I will become offended and displeased. Thereafter, no matter how hard you try to please me, I will not be pleased. I herby conclude my letter without saying anything else.

From Sayed Ahmad

26 Jamadil Awwal 1337 Hijri

Aap Beti, Page 379-380

Death Comes at Its Own Fixed Time

Hazrat Shaykh (نور الله مرقده) describes a near death experience from his younger days. The incident occurred during a tour of Punjab with his father, Maulana Yayha (نور الله مرقده) and Maulana Shah Abdur Raheem Raipuri (نور الله مرقده).

On this journey at Raipur-Gujran, my father performed the nikah of Maulana Ahmeduddin Saheb. Near Raipur-Gujran there is a river which we had to cross by boat. The carts and wagons from this side had to be left there. From Raipur-Gujran, thousands of people on foot and about fifty well decorated horses came along. Seeing these, I felt a great urge to ride on of the horses although I did not really know how to ride a horse. One beautiful horse was brought and I was placed on it. As I sat down, I gave the horse a slap on its hind-quarter and immediately she started to run in the direction of the river. I laid flat on it filled with fear. But immediately twenty or so young men jumped on their horses after me to head us off and bring her to a stop. they grabbed the reins and brought her to a stop. Some of them, in order to cut me off even rode their horses right into the river.

Fortunately Allah had previously determined that I should live, otherwise I would surely have drowned. I later came to know that this horse was a pedigree type. People said to me that that horse had never before had its buttocks slapped.

Anyway, the sight of those young men on horse-back will always be with me. They were real experts. They did not chase my horse, otherwise she would have gone even faster. They raced on both sides of the horse, preventing it from going to the river. Then they came from both sides and closed in on her. they then grabbed the reins and brought her to a halt. I had done practically all that was needed to die, but Allah saved me. Death was not to come to me there. It comes at its own fixed time.

Aap Beti, Page 340

"In the Will of Allah no one has a say..."

There is another letter from Ala Hazrat on the occasion of my father's death:

"From Abdul Raheem to brother Moulvy Zakariyya Saheb."
Assalamu Alaykum Warahmatullah.

A telegram was brought to me from Bahut addressed to Shah Saheb and reached me at 20 minutes after eleven, at the hands of Haji Ghulam Muhammad Saheb. From it I came to know of the sudden demise of Maulana Yahya Saheb. It is such a shock and brought me much sorrow, which I am unable to describe in words.

In the Will of Allah no one has a say. He is the Master who does as He pleases in what is His. Kindly inform us quickly about his illness. We are all struck with grief and I would have come there immediately but because of my condition I am unable to do so. What else is there that one can write at this moment?


Abdul Raheem from Raipur.
Saturday 11.20am"

"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."

Death Of Maulana Yusuf (rah): Part 3

During that day there was such a lot of activity that there was hardly any time for talking. On the second day, Maulana Inamul Hasan said to me: "It was through your advice that the body was brought here. During the argument over Hazrat Raipuri's janaza, as to where he should be buried, Maulana Yusuf Saheb always used to tell me on various occasions: Do not remove my corpse to any place. If I should die on the train, then take me off at the next station and bury me there. Do not even move me to the place where I had purchased a ticket."

I said to him: "My dear man, when the deceased had given you this 'wasiyat' why did you not act upon it? Why did you not carry it out?"

Maulana Inamul Hasan replied: "The situation was so fraught with excitement and riot and the possibility was such that a tremendous disturbance could be caused. But when your name was mentioned all became quiet. The people of Lahore were adamant that Maulana should be buried in the graveyard of Maulana Ahmad Ali. The tableeghi brothers wanted him buried in Raiwind. And the Mewatis and Indian brothers insisted that he should be brought back to Delhi, because they felt if that was not done, we would have a riot here in Delhi. When your name was mentioned, all three parties remained silent. Hafiz Siddeeq said that they would never be able to act contrary to your order."

I said: "But then, the least you should have done was to inform me of Maulana Yusuf's 'wasiyat' by phone. I did not know of that. Had I known, I would never have called for the janaza to be brought here."

In these seventy four years of mine, I have seen a lot, heard a lot. A long story can still be told with lots of warning and lessons.

It set me thinking deeply about the wonders created by Allah.

Death Of Maulana Yusuf (rah): Part 2

As I went out of the house towards the madressa, the crowd was very dense. In a crying voice I said to them: "I have to go and sit down to recite something which is very necessary. You people can sit down here in the masjd. Sit here, sit in the madressa and have a nice conversation! When are you to get such free time again?"

They heard and they understood my meaning and dispersed. I went to sit down in the masjid, but even the voices of those talking outside reached me. About half an hour after Asr, Talha came along and informed me of another telephone call. They said there was a big argument over where Maulana Yusuf was to be buried. Hafiz Siddeeq, the Indian brothers and the Mewatis were adamant that Hazrat-ji's body should be brought to Delhi for burial. On the other hand, the local brothers (in Lahore) wanted him to buried there. The final verdict was left to me to decide. I did not have any idea as to how his corpse and coffin were to reach Delhi. At the time of the death of Maulana Raipuri in Pakistan, I had been made to believe that there was no way of bringing the corpse to Raipur. And yet Hazrat had expressed his desire to be buried in Raipur, and had taken a promise to that effect from his attendents, especially from his nephew, Maulana Abdul Jaleel. He had said, in front of all, that his burial in Raipur should not be prevented.

Later when I asked those attendents and mureeds why Hazrat's request was not carried out, and why he was buried in Pakistan, they told me that there was no way of bringing the body back.

In very clear terms, and with much conviction they wrote back to me that for the following reasons it would not be possible:

a) It would be necessary to acquire the permission of the relevant authorities (of both India and Pakistan);
b) It would require the permission of doctors and health authorities;
c) It would be necessary before transporting the body, to inject a special chemical substance into the brain, the shoulders, the two sides of the neck, the breast and thighs, after making the necessary openings.
d) In spite of all these precautions it will not be possible for the body to reach Raipur without giving off a smell.

At that time I considered all these reports to be true. I knew that among Hazrat's attendents there were numerous men of influence, counsellers, officers and doctors who would know the situation. Moreover, they all knew of Hazrat's desire of where he wanted to be buried. And yet his janaza could not be transported! I had no idea of its being possible and in the case of Maulana Yusuf, too, I had no idea that it could be done.

I thereupon sent a message to Hafiz Sideeq, against my own opinion, that: "If there is any possibility of the corpse being brought to Nizamuddin, then by all means that will be preferable, otherwise bury him in the madressa at Raiwind."

Great indeed was my surprise when at eight o'clock that evening, a third telephone call came through informing us that the funeral bier was ready to be transported to Delhi by air. It would leave Lahore at 11 pm and arrive in Delhi at 1am. At that time, I stopped thinking about Maulana Yusuf and was immersed in pondering over Maulana Raipuri's affair, that in spite of his intense desire, in spite of his attendents' love and devotion, they still failed to do the same thing for him.

As promised, I went home after Esha and found Haroon and Babu Ayaz having arrived by car. In Nizamuddin they had only received scanty news of the death with no further details at Asr time.

I asked Haroon: "What are you doing here? The corpse will be arriving in Delhi soon."

But I understood this was Allah's way of sending a car for me to go to Delhi, otherwise there would have been no way in which I could have reached Delhi. I asked Haroon to have something to eat, but he said he had already eaten after Jumua. I told them to first perform Esha salaah and in the meantime tea will be ready. They performed Esha hastily and tea was quickly prepared. We left Saharanpur at 11 o'clock and reached Nizamuddin at 3 am. The road was quite empty and we enjoyed the roar of the car's engine as we sped along. At three places we dound he booms over railway lines closed. At the first one at Rurky, they closed it off well in advance of the train's crossing. We begged the attendant to let us cross as the train was still a long way off but to no avail, with the result that we had to wait almost half an hour.

When we arrived in Delhi, we came to know that the arrival of the corpse had also been delayed somewhat and that it arrived at home in Nizamuddin a little before us. The rest of the details have already been published in booklets and in newspapers. But what I must state is that in spite of the persistant request for people not to come for taziat, a special plea was made by the Markaz people and myself for people to come, that my previous principle in this regard went overboard. But this calling of people for taziat was even more effective and beneficial than my previous principle, because thousands came along daily and they were made into jamaats and sent out in the path of Allah for the esaale sawaab of Maulana Yusuf Saheb.

Death Of Maulana Yusuf (rah)

Sheikhul Hadeeth (rahmatullahi 'alayh) spends a long time discussing the death of his son-in-law. There are many lessons that can be taken from his attitude to the death of a beloved. Inshaa Allah, my intention is to post the entire story over a few posts.

On Friday the 29th Zil Qada 1384 Hijri (2nd April 1965) we received news of the intended arrival of Maulana Yusuf Saheb in Saharanpur. But that very same morning, a telegram arrived telling of his illness. I became very angry with my Pakistani brothers because this is what they continuously do in the case of Maulana Yusuf and especially Hazrat Raipuri. Just at the time when they are expected to arrive, a telegram would arrive to tell us of their illness. This would mean that his return is again postponed and delayed for another week or ten days. And it was nothing for them to delay Hazrat Raipuri for up to eight months.

I did not believe that Maulana Yusuf was indeed sick. Having performed my Jumuah salaah I took my lunch and went to lie down with the intention of sleeping. At four o' clock, Talha came to wake me up with the news that a man sent by Sabri Saheb had brought the news that a telephone call was received from Lahore. Maulana Yusuf had passed away!

For death, there is no specific time and for it to occur is not a surprising thing. I got up, made wudoo and went to sit in the madressa masjid. I started performing salaah. As soon as Talha's news reached me, a large crowd started gathering around. I was always terrified of having to answer useless questions like: "What happened?", "What sickness did he have?", "When did it happen?", "Who brought the news?" etc. I resented having to be asked such questions as this time was a very precious time when a person is cut off from this world and joined in communion with Allah. To perform tilawat, zikr and to meditate at such moments is of great value.

The crowd became bigger and the masjid, madressa and the whole street were filling with people. I did not terminate my salaah right up to the takbeer for the commencement of Asr salaah. Then I went home, but by that time the news had already reached there. (May Allah reward all my children very well. May He guide them to all that pleases Him and protect them against all that displeases). They had all become accustomed to a line of action for such times. At such moments, they all get busy with tilawat or tasbeeh. And when anyone arrived they would either put an extra tasbeeh in front of that person or hand over the one in hand and continue mking tasbeeh without it.

From the door, I said in a stuttering voice: "You have all heard of this great bereavement. Remain busy with you good works. I will come to you after Esha. Up to then, remain busy with whatever ibadat you are making."

Shukoor, Shukoor Shukoor...!

When Allah's Servant becomes ungrateful, Shaytaan's job is done. We often undermine the importance of gratitude in Islam, thus play directly into the hands of our enemy. Know well, that no matter how bad a situation we are faced with, our lives are never void of Allah's blessings. This is a point which Sheikhul Hadeeth (rahmatullahi 'alayh) and those around him not only knew very well, but acted on sincerely. Sheikhul Hadeeth's (rahmatullahi 'alayh) etiquette in dealing with death is indeed an example to be followed.

The other daughter, Shakira died on Monday 14th of Rajab 1369 Hijri (1st May 1950). She also suffered from chronic fever after much sorrow. But Allah gave her such ability to suffer with patience that not once did she ever tell any sister of her sorrow and heartsore. At all times did she praise and thank Allah. She was worth her name - Shakira .

During the misfortune that befell her and led to her demise, she started to teach children to recite the Quran and remained busy with it throughout the day . Even while she was sick, she used to lie down and teach the children with great care.

It was a mere coincedence that Maulana Yusuf [her husband, and son of Maulana Ilyas] came to Saharanpur and I went with him to the house. She requested that Surah Yaseen be recited. Maulana Yusuf recited. When he reached the verse:

"peace, a word from the Merciful Lord....."

it seemed as if ecstatic emotion overtook Maulana Yusuf . He repeated the verse three times and as he recited it the third time, my daughter's soul left her body.

I did not not give much importance to the death of this daughter of mine. She was still very young, and she was not really known very well. But I was greatly suprised when within two weeks over two hundred postcards reached me. Although the words were different, the theme and topic was one :

"We have come to know of the death of your daughter from so and so . My heart is very restless to be there with you. But because of knowing your wishes on such occasions, instead of spending so much on trainfare to come there for two days, we have managed to recite so much tilawat. We write this letter to inform you of our having made sadqa and eesaale sawaab on her behalf."

How great is Allah's favour! I was so pleased with the actions of these consolers that the great sorrow at the loss of my child was greatly lessened.

The Last Conversation of Maulana Ilyaas with Maulana Yusuf Saheb

This is an account given by Maulana Ilyaas' (rahmatullahi 'alayh) son, Maulana Yusuf of the last words spoken to him by his father.

On Wednesday near 4 o'clock (at night), Hazrat (Rahmatullah 'Alayh) was lying in his bed with me sitting on his right side. (May Allah grant us perfect mercy in this world and the Hereafter and may He grant us the ability to follow in Hazrat's footsteps properly.) He called me and I went to sit on his left side facing him.

He said: "Where are the other Hazraat?"
I replied: "They are holding consultations in the room of Moulvy Ihtishaam Saheb."
He asked: "Are you not with them in this consultation?"
I replied: "If you so command, I will go there."
He said: "The consultations are about you and you are not with them. Wait till they call you. Then go there."

He continued: " Let not this affair of yours and mine ever beome a plaything, Whatever you receive from the Ahlullah (People of Allah) is true."

He recited a couplet.

Then Maulana Ilyaas said: "Ulama should read the Qasida-e-Burda and the Shiyamul Habeeb with respect and honour, otherwise without respect and longing, it will be of no use. From reading Shiyamul Habeeb, the reality of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam's position and rank becomes evident. And with the Qasida Burdah, attachment (with Rasulullah Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is established."

Thereafter he said: "You should continue to invite people towards reciting the Quran in the latter part of the night and contunie to hope that it becomes a part of your make-up (constitution)."

(By Maulana) Yusuf

Death of Sheikhul Hind (rah)

Then I saw the funeral of Hazrat Sheikhul Hind. Look at Allah's ways. I have only had a few chances of being present in Hazrat Sheikhul Hind's presence and yet I was privileged to have joined in his funeral preparations, kafan and burial. Then there is my great benefactor, Sheikhul Islam Maulana Madani who had been Hazrat's companion everywhere, on travel, at home, in Malta's jail and never left him. Maulana Madani leaves his side for one day and could not be present at his funeral and burial! What a lesson!

A debate had been organised in Amroha between the Sunnis and the Shias. Posters had been put up everywhere and newspapers had already given it a lot of prominence. From Luckhnow, Maulana Abdul Shakoor came and from Saharanpur, my Hazrat. Both were well known for their debating skills on this topic. When the Shias knew of the arrival of these two stalwarts, they tried their utmost to avoid the debate, hoping that it would be put off on request by the Sunnis. Hence they sent a person to Dehli to call Maulana Muhammad Ali Jowar who for 24 hours gave lectures in various gatherings against the holding of the debate, stressing the need for mutual understanding and co-operation.

This was the first time in my life that I had seen Maulana Muhammad Ali Jowar. I do not remember seeing him again thereafter. I told him: "For a long time I have been longing to see you."

I hoped that even though he did not know me, he would give me a minute or two of his time. But he was very angry at what Maulana Abdul Shakoor and I had organised. Hence in an angry tone he said: "Call off this thing and we shall meet."

For a whole day the argument continued about the debate. On the second day, 14th Rabbi-ul Awwal 1339 Hijri, my Hazrat sent me a note to Hazrat Sheikhul Hind in which it was written: The situation over here is like this...For the Sunnis it is on no account advisable to postpone the debate or to put it off. Please send me an urgent note saying that the debate must go on and not be postponed.

With this short note I left Amroha for Dehli and when I reached the station, I met a few people who greeted me. I asked them for the reason for their coming to the station and they replied, "Hazrat Sheikul Islam is coming by train enroute to Calcutta. We have come to meet him here at Amroha station."

I had no pencil nor paper with me. I picked up a piece of paper from the station and a piece of coal and wrote a note to my Hazrat: Maulana Madani is arriving enroute to Calcutta. Make him get off there [in Amroha].

I gave this note to those people to give to Hazra Maulana Khaleel and I left for Dehli. Hazrat sent a man to the station requesting Maulana Madani to get off the train. Although Maulana Madani had a ticket for Calcutta, and his luggage was with him, he immediately alighted at Amroha. The manner in which I have seen Maulana Madani answering the requests of Elders, I have not seen in anyone else. No matter how much it was against his own opinions, he always bent his head in front of their orders. In those lectures, he advised both parties that this was not a time for inflaming the emotions of people and for polarisation. At this time it is of utmost necessitty even to have reconcillation and mutual understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims, instead of getting involved in arguments and fights.

I reached Hazrat Sheihul Hind's residence in Dehli near Maghrib time. At that time, Hazrat Sheikhul Hind was seriously ill, so ill that there was no time to present the note to him. He passed away the next morning. Telephone calls were made to all places.

Telegrams addressed to Maulana Madani were sent to various stations around Calcutta, to places where according to the opinion of people, the train must have reached. I told them to send a telegram to Amroha aswell. All of them looked upon me as being a fool for this suggestion. They thought I wanted to send a telegram to Hazrat Saharanpuri using Maulana Madani as an excuse. They wanted to know what connection there was between Maulana Madani and Amroha. I said, "Send a telegram in case he may be there."

Maulana Mufti Kifaayatullah, the president of the Jamiatul Ulema (may Allah grant him very high rank), although I was in opposition to his politics, was very kind to me. He used to treat my views and suggestions with a lot of respect and dignity. In many religious and political questions he used ot quote my views with repect although they differed from his: "Some sincere scholars of this opinion. I believe..." Such kind words were even used in his pamphlets. There are many occasions when he quoted my views respectfully although they opposed his views.

On this occasion, seeing my insistence on a telegram to Amroha and the other people's refusal, he said, "When this man repeatedly asked for a telegram to Amroha aswell, what objection have you got against one more telegram?"

The telegram was sent. I think it was not sent 'urgent' because the senders were against it. The telegram arrived the next day. Hazrat Madani arrived at Sheikhul Hind's house the morning of the third day.

The time of his arrival will always remain indelibly imprinted in my mind. He stepped forward in complete silence, his feet hardly lifting from the ground. He came forward as if at every step he was going to fall down. One or two people came forward to shake his hand. Everyone stood quietly in their places. He went to sit down on the step infront of Sheikhul Hind's house, silent. A few of those who were in the house came to sit down with him.

I stood there thinking of Allah's ways. The man who had been the companion of Sheikhul Hind at all times, even on travel and in exile, has come to his grave one day after his burial. And, the man who had never had the opportunity of being present has the opportunity of accompanying the deceased from Dehli right up to the burial.

"Lord, how wonderful the exhibition of Your Qudrah."

The salatul janaaza for Sheikhul Hind was performed in Dehli by my uncle, Maulana Muhammad Ilyas. Hazrat's own brother, Maulana Muhammad Hussain did not join in the funeral prayers so that the salaah may be performed again with him as the 'wali'. He performed the janaza salaah after arrival in Deoband.