A Wondrous Miracle

The well-known scholar and saint, Mawlana Mushtaq Ahmad Anbethwi relates: 

“I once presented myself at the Prophet’s grave (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) after visiting the House of Allah (the Haram in Makkah). During my stay in Madinah I heard from the mashayikh of the time that a wondrous miracle had recently occurred at the blessed grave of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). When a young Indian man presented himself at the Prophet’s grave (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and recited salat and salam, he was given a response with the loving words, ‘And upon you be peace, my son’. On hearing this, I felt something special in my heart. I was even more pleased that this good fortune had befallen a young Indian man. Feeling overwhelmed, I began searching for him, so that I may see this beloved of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and confirm the story for myself. After investigating, I came to know that this young man was the dear son of Sayyid Habib Allah Muhajir Madani. I went to his home and met him. When we were alone, I disclosed my quest to him. At first he remained silent. However, after I insisted he said, ‘Indeed, what you have heard is correct.’ This young man was Mawlana Husayn Ahmad Madani (may Allah shower His mercy upon him).” 

(Al-Jam’iyyat, Shaykh al-Islam Edition, p.49) 

Akabir-e-Deoband Awr ‘Ishq-e-Rasul (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) (Karachi: Maktabah Arsalan, May 2003) p.220-221

 

Reading The Letters Of The Elders And Masha’ikh

Hadrat Mufti Mahmud Hasan Gangohi (may Allah shower His mercy upon him) relates: 

”Hadrat Shaykh al-Islam Mawlana Husayn Ahmad Madani once attended a jalsa at a Madrasah in Azamgarh. I also attended.  I informed Hadrat , ‘I am [currently] studying your letters (maktubat).‘ He replied, ‘How are my letters worth studying, [when] some were written in prison, others whilst travelling by train.’ I asked, ‘Then whose letters should I read?’ He replied, ‘Read the letters of Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani (Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi)! Read the letters of Hadrat [Mawlana Rashid Ahmad] Gangohi.” [1] 

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 [1] Those who wish to read the maktubat of Imam Rabbani Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (may Allah sanctify his secret) may refer to Makatib-e-Rashidiyyah published by Idara Islamiat (Lahore, Pakistan) (translator)

Malfuzat Faqih al-Ummat (Karachi: Dar al-Huda, September 2005 ed.),  Vol 3, Page 209

 

Those Were Our Forefathers

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful 

As-salamu ‘alaykum,   

Below is a link to a wonderful talk given by Mawlana Nabeel Khan (of www.annoor.wordpress.com) regarding the ‘Ulama and Masha’ikh of Deoband, entitled, ‘Those were our Forefathers’.  The Shaykh gives us a glimpse into the lives of various Masha’ikh affiliated to Dar al-’Ulum Deoband. 

 

Recommended listening for anyone who has a nisbat to this noble group of ‘Ulama and for those who wish to know more about them.   Click here to listen to the talk.

 

 

 

Hadhrat Maulana Mazhar Nanautwi’s (ra) Curious Habit

Mazahir al-‘Uloom, located in Saharanpur India, is among the foremost institutes affiliated to Darul ‘Uloom Deoband. The eminent graduates of this Islamic seminary include the likes of Hadhrat Maulana Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, Shaykh al-Hadith Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya, Hadhrat Maulana Abd ar-Rahman Kamilpuri, Hadhrat Mufti Mahmud al-Hasan Gangohi, may Allah have mercy on them all, Hadhrat Shaykh al-Hadith Maulana Yunus Jaunpuri, Hadhrat Maulana Yusuf Motala and Hadhrat Maulana ‘Abd al-Hafeez Makki, may Allah lengthen their shadow over us.

Hadhrat Maulana Mazhar Nanautwi (ra) is the founder of this famous Islamic seminary. He was a khalifah of Hadhrat Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi and Hadhrat Maulana Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri’s (ra) principle Ustaadh (teacher) in the sciences of Hadith, Tafsir and Fiqh at Mazahir al-‘Uloom.

Hadhrat Maulana Mazhar Nanautwi (ra) was also among those brave, courageous souls who fought alongwith other senior ‘Ulama of India against the british in the Battle of Shamli in 1857.

 Hadhrat Mufti Mahmud al-Hasan Gangohi(ra) narrated the following story about him,

Hadhrat Maulana Mazhar Nanautwi (ra) had a habit of licking his upper lip. Someone once asked him the reason for this, but Hadhrat Maulana (ra) did not inform him. When this person insisted, Hadhrat (ra) said,

”When the battle against the British took place at Shamli, and the Muslims were being attacked, some of my comrades were dying and my leg was also hit by a bullet (due to which it became paralysed). In this state, I saw Hoors (damsels of Paradise) with glasses in their hands. The glasses were filled with a special type of drink which they were giving to those of my fallen comrades who were dying and had no chance of surviving. As this was happening, one of the Damsels came towards me. She had just placed a glass against my mouth when another Damsel took hold of her hands, pulled them away [from me] and said,

”he is not among those who are to pass away.”

A very small amount of this drink fell on my upper lip, the [sweet] taste of which remains till today. This is why I have this habit [of licking my upper lip.]

Malfuzat Faqeeh al-Ummat, Dar al-Huda, Volume 3, Pages 264-265

This story has also been reproduced by Hadhrat Shaykh Dr ‘Abd al-Halim Chisti, with different wording, in his foreward to ‘Hadhrat Maulana Sayyad Manazir Ahsan Gilani’s (ra) Hazar Saal Pehley, Bait al-‘Ilm Karachi, Page 43 (Ref given: ‘Ulama-e-Saharanpur Aur Unki ‘Ilmi Wa Deeni Khidmaat)

 

Shaykh Yusuf Motala And The Scorpion

Hadhrat Shaykh Yusuf Motala, may Allah protect him, writes:

In Madinah during the evenings, Hadhrat [Shaykh al-Hadith Maulana Muhammmad Zakariyya, may Allah have mercy on him] would rest in Masjid-e-Noor and in the daytime Hadhrat would be present in Madrassah Shar’iyyah. Once I had spread my my bedding on the ground near Hadhrat’s bed, outside in the open near the Masjid-e-Noor visitors area. A scorpion bit me. When my eyes opened, the scorpion was still clinging to my finger. I shook my hand, throwing it a far distance. There was a lot pain and inflammation.

I held my hand so as not to disturb Hadhrat’s sleep. When Hadhrat woke up to read his tahajjud salaah, I informed him about the incident. Hadhrat performed his wudhu and returned. he recited something and spread his blessed saliva on the spot where the scorpion had bitten me. Immediately, the pain was relieved and there were no after-effects felt.

Hadhrat Shaykhul-Hadith (Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya rahmatullahi alaihi) & I, Jamea Publication No.27, Page 20