A Wake Up Call Intime

Wont it be nice to get your wake up call while there is still time to make amends? Here at Ashrafia  we have one such example.

The New Amir-ul-Hind

Maulana Qari Syed Muhammed Usman Mansoorpuri chosen as Amir-ul-Hind

New Delhi (SNB) In the representatives election session of the Amarat-e-Sharia Hind held at the Madni hall at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi. Maulana Qari Syed Muhammed Usman Mansoorpuri, President Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Hind and teacher of Hadis at Dar-ul-Uloom, Deoband was selected Amir-ul-Hind in the presence of more than a thousand scholars (ulama) from all over the country. According to the constitution of Amarat-e-Shariah 19 names were decided whose separate meeting was held in Kifayatullah Hall. The selected members choose the name of Maulana Mansoorpuri by majority opinion whose formal announcement was done by Maulana Abdul Aziz, Andhra Pradesh, Member, Advisory Board (Majlis-e-Shoora), Dar-ul-Uloom, Deoband. After that the participants took a Pledge at the hands of Amir-ul-Hind.

A condolence message was read in the session for late Maulana Marghoob-ur-Rehman. Maulana Salman Bijnori, teacher Dar-ul-Uloom shed light on his life and called it worth following for the coming generation. Shedding light on the importance and necessity of Amarat-e-Shariah Mufti Salman Mansoorpuri said that for the success of collective system a central power dominant on all others is a must and we get its verification in the idea of monotheism of Islam. He said that a person taking his matters to worldly courts looses even if he wins on the contrary a person taking his matters to Shariah Courts wins both in victory as well as defeat because he had submitted himself to the Doctrine.

 Mufti Abdul Qasim Numani said in his address that this is not a formality but today’s election carries importance for our complete doctrinal guidance and collective life of Muslims. Newly selected Amir-ul-Hind Maulana Qari Syed Muhammed Usman Mansoorpuri said that it was not even my dreams that such an important responsibility will be imposed on me. But now that you have shown such a good faith in me then, respecting your wishes, I shall try to dispose my responsibilities in the best possible manner. After that the session ended with supplications by Maulana Azhar, Caliph Shaikh-ul-Islam Madani. The compering of the representatives session were done by Maulana Matin-ul-Haq Usama Kanpuri.

Roznama Rashtriya Sahara (Urdu), New Delhi Edition, 01-01-2011, p.9

Painful Every Time

The initial phase of Islam, the pre-Migration (Hijrah) period, is painful in the extreme. It is painful every time you go through it. And one should go through it if not daily or weekly then at least monthly. Brother Ahmed at Haq Islam has a very succinct presentation of the events in a post there. This can be used with profit for our regular refreshing of the events. May we add a wish that it would have been nice if the first martyr of Islam Hazrat Sumaiyya (RA) was mentioned with name.

The Preaching of Islam

The Preaching of Islam is a book by T.W. Arnold and it is a must read. Here is some background on it.
First Edition :    Aligarh, 1896
Second Edition :    London, 1913
Here are the Chapter titles :

Muhammed (PBUH) As A Preacher of Islam
Spread of Islam Among Christian Nations of Western Asia
Spread of Islam Among Christian Nations of Africa.
Spread of Islam Among Christian of Spain
Spread of Islam Among Christian Nations of Europe Under The Turks
Spread of Islam in Persia and Central Asia
Spread of Islam Among the Mongols and Taters
Spread of Islam in India
Spread of Islam in China
Spread of Islam in Africa.
Spread of Islam in Malay Archipelago

To write it he benefited from libraries all over the world and particularly the personal libraries of the Nawabs. The references include books in more than a dozen languages including English, French, German, Russian, Greek. Though the author says that this is not a book about the conquests and battles but anyway he ends up thoroughly demolishing the popular belief that Islam was spread with the power of the sword. For every region in which Islam is found the only mode of spread is either preaching by the pious or the character and the way of life of Muslim traders. The Theory of sword is dead, for long. Only if we new it!

Signs of Allah : The Holy Qur’an - 2

The Holy Qur’an Itself

    Once a non-Muslim friend asked a question which be began with the words this book by Muhammed Sahab, the Qur’an …… (may Peace and Blessing be upon the Holy Prophet).
    Now there is the first rub. The book descended on the blessed heart of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), he did not write or create it. This is Lord’s book. There is no other way to make sense of it.
    Any number of evidences can be given from the book that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is not its writer. Jewish and Christian writers have been hinting for 1432 years that, may Lord forgive us for saying these things, that the Holy Prophet lived among Jewish and Christian people and borrowed from their ideas and beliefs. Present set of posts are not aimed at refuting these claims. The aim of these posts is to present Signs of Allah.
    Verily Lord Most High has said that those who deny (Signs of Lord and hence Lord Himself) it is same whether you warn them or not. Thus when one is writing to refute the Jewish and Christian claims about Islam even then your audience is really Muslim. In the present context we are anyway focusing on those people with an open mind.
    Thus the Holy Quran is not a book written by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) because he said that it is from his Lord-our Lord. It is a book of Lord because that is what Lord Most High says in it. Ergo it is a Sign of Allah.
    It was revealed over a period of 23 years. Humans change continuously. The message of the Holy Qur'an  remained the same in those twenty three years. Thus it can not be human creation.
    And so on. This line of argument can be continued with profit for nearly every Verse of the Holy Qur’an. We shall have a look at few of such things in this series.

   We are talking about faith. Faith is a personal decision for whom a person is responsible in this life and the hereafter. This fact should be kept in mind to profit from Signs of Allah that are being described in this series.

Signs of Allah : The Holy Quran - 1

    Creator is recognized by his creation. Thus this world, everything in it, is a sign of Allah Most High. But things we see around us belong to this world. And this world has the characteristic of making us forget the reality, the hereafter and even our Lord. Thus, as a result, we start taking the world for granted. We have to come out of that and get into the frame of mind in which we ask about the attributes of the Creator of the world. Even in this world we come across such things that can not be taken for granted and we are forced to ask the question as to who created that. Take the parable of a nightly journey in a forest where it is raining. Then you see a straight line about the horizon, during lightening. You’ll conclude that it must be a building, an old fort or some thing. It is not usual. It a sign of its builders. It is not a natural feature it is man made. A sign of man's presence, at least in the past.
    Similarly we come across things that force us to ask questions about their creator, Lord Almighty. They wake us up out of our slumber. As if bringing us out of sleep.
    The Holy Qur’an is one such thing. It is tangible. When you read it there is no other way to make sense of its subject matter accept to think of our Lord Most High.
    Except for those on whose eyes and minds Lord Most High has put a curtain because of their bad deeds. We, anyway, are not talking about them.
    We have talked about Signs of Allah in the context of scientific situations. We shall continue that. Here we are beginning a new series of posts where we shall look at Signs of Allah as mentioned in the Holy Qur'an.

Editorial: Editor's Word (Armughan, Jul-Aug 2005AC)

In the name of Allah, most merciful, most Benevolent.

The towering personality of Muhi-us-Sunnah Hazrat Maulana Shah Abrar-ul-Haq Sahab(RA) was, particularly for Muslims of North India, a shade of mercy and minaret of light, that provided a thick shade to the travelers of the Method and the humanity scorched by the heat of waywardness, his whole life illuminated knowledge and art, thought and action, education and training, mysticism and spirituality, worships and incantations together with many other corners of Islamic affairs. After the adoption of final journey by a large number of high caliber Elders of this area, in last few years like Hazrat Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadawi (RA), Hazrat Qari Siddique Ahmad Bandawi (RA), Mufti Mehmood Hasan Gangohi (RA), Mufti Muzaffar Husain Saharanpuri (RA), one after another, like the beads of a rosary (tasbih) the personality of  Muhi-us -Sunnah had become the last reference and the support in the field of mysticism and method, correction and training where the fans from all over the country used to quench their thirst, both intellectual and spiritual. Regretfully, after his demise, this spiritual support too is lost.

Though from the Exalted Being of Allah Most High no period of time remains vacant from the reformers for
guidance of humanity, therefore no doubt the work of correction and training will continue and even after being abandoned by thousands of nightingales this garden will not be deserted but who will bring the personality that is bearer of acceptability (among the people) and affection (for the people), epitome of scholarly dignity, announcer, declarer, demand-er and follower of Sunnah, opponent of deviations and a corrector, full of Prophet (PBUH)'s love, herald of Relation with Allah and countless combined properties like Muhi-us-Sunnah? Particularly after him we will not get any one who had benefited directly from and had the seal of getting the training in the Thanwi-court.

Hazrat’s home place was relatively unknown district Hardoi of the state of Uttar Pradesh (in India). In past innumerable towns of this place have produced many outstanding personalities. Among them  the town of  Bilgram single handedly had lit the lamps of knowledge and blessings, history and literature and a whole series of scholars, intellectuals and writers belongs to this town. Among them a prominent student of Shah Waliullah, writer of Crown of Bride (Taj-ul-Uroos)-a compilation of famous explanation of Imam Ghazali’s book Revival of Religious  Knowledge (Ahya) and a high level scholar of his times, a Traditionist and dictionary compiler Allama Syed Murtaza Zubedi Bilgrami (RA) are specially on the top of the list. About the former the famous author of modern times Hazrat Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Nadwi (RA) used to say that in my knowledge no dictionary has such a detailed explanation the way Crown of Bride is the explanation of Qamoos. This book was weighed in god in the life time of the author and prominent rulers and kings invited him to their countries and got certificates from him. In the same town the writer of tens of books like Subhat-ul-Marjan Ghulam Ali Azad Bilgrami and translator of Gustawli’s famous books Arab Civilization and Indian Civilization Syed Ali BIlgrami too were born. Apart from Bilgram-the locality of pious people, this district has the towns like Sandila, Shahabad and Gopamau to which some important personalities of history have been associated and this area is not barren still.
    But in the immediate past no world level personality of world level actions was born in this whole district. And, like other historical towns, for a long time this whole area remained submerged in religious and intellectual ignominy. And then in the last period when the Generation was in a state of unease Allah Most High gave this glorious land of past the personality of Maulana Shah Abrar-ul-Haq in face of whose achievements the achievements of big people of knowledge and inspiration become dull. And for the first time in history this district got introduced with the name of Hazrat Shah Sahab. So much so that Hardoi that is merely a town and a district became a part of his name. Thus in the religious community of Islam he was remembered as Hazrat Hardoi (RA). Set aside other specialties of Hazrat Shah Sahab (RA) for, from the point of view of capabilities of knowledge he was among the first pass outs of Mazahir-ul-Uloom, Saharanpur and had passed through that hands of the mystical reformer Hazrat Thanwi (RA), the tasks that give him world fame and that introduced him to the continents of Africa, America and Europe, was his revival of Sunnah, that is, reminding Muslims of scores of forgotten Sunnah like correction of several common failings of Prayer Call and  and Prayer, intellectual training of generation through seminaries and schools and training of teachers and its practical demonstration. And criticism of objectionable things with courage and fearless attitude and the same things dominated his life in the context of Self Correction and training.
    These are few clear and main points that became a speciality of this great personality – for which Hazrat-o- WalaJamiat-e-Shah Waliullah and its President Muhtaram Hazrat Maulana Kalim Siddiqui and the way the basic tenants of Waliullahian thought to connect the Generation to Quran, he spent the whole life in struggle it was his right that Armughan should bring out a special number on his personality with a comprehensive introduction. In this connection it is an insignificant tribute to a benefactor of ours. This contains articles by many of his significant caliphs and the people who benefited by his company. This presentation neither encompasses his total specialities nor it is a step in the direction of complete deliverance of that right. But through it a sketch of Hazrat (RA)’s achievements and a map of his greatness can indeed comes to the fore.
    Though less endowed,
        The travelers aren’t lax!
    (Kam Kosh to hain lekin,
                   Bejauq nahin rahi)
Wasi Sulaiman Nadwi,  Armughan, Combined Issue of July –August, 2005 AC

Honourable Wife of Hazrat Muhi-us-Sunnah (RA)

 Talking and Pondering

    On 16 Ramadan-ul-Mubarak, 1430 AH (as counted in Madras, Chennai) accordingly Sunday, September 6, 2009AC wife of our instructor and helper Hazrat Muhi-us-Sunnah Maulana Abrar-ul-Haq Sahab Hardoi, may Allah fill his tomb with light, who the people connected with Muhi-us-Sunnah, may Allah purify his innerself, used to call with the title of Ammi Jaan) passed away from this perishable home and met her real Lord and King. Verily we are for our Lord and unto Him is our return.
    Hazrat Ammi Jaan, may Allah have Mercy on her, belonged to a cultured, high class and rich family. She was decorated with religious and worldly education. Her honourable father belonged to the circle of Hazrat Healer of Generation Ashraf Ali Thanwi, may Allah have Mercy on him. Because of this blessing she had very kind desposition and high character. On Hazrat Thanwi (RA)’s advice her marriage took place with Hazrat Muhi-us-Sunnah (RA). She was very liberal benefactor. She had a rather easy (spending) hand. Many widow and poor women used to come to her, whom she would help with broad heart. With poor and helpless students studying in the seminary too she dealt with love and kindness and used to fulfill their needs. So much so that she used to cajole the hearts of the wives of the seminary teachers also by occasional gifts and presents. Apart from this an appreciable amount of her money was spent on the seminaries attached to the Majlis-e-Dawat-ul-Haq, Hardoi. She was very honouring to the guests and for entertaining the scholars, Shaikhs, Elders visiting the monastery she used to prepare food herself. So much so that she’d get appropriate food for sick visitors. This continued till her last days.
    These are some qualities that we have observed on our own. About her other qualities we have heard this that she was a wholesome and worth quoting model of patience and thankfulness, detachment and control, donation and kindness, supplication and prayers, fear and purity and relation with Allah.
  Hazrat Ammi Jaan, may Allah have Mercy on her, was ill for quite sometime. Treatment was done initially in Lucknow and then in Delhi. Finally, before Ramadan, she was taken to Mumbai. In Mumbai only her preferred time came to pass. The news of her expiry reached all over  India and abroad within a short time. Many of the associates and attached people of Muhi-us-Sunnah (RA) reached Mumbai for Funeral Prayer. Hazrat Aqdas Arifbillah Qari Amir Hasan Sahab, may Allah Most High provide his high shadow, was in confinement (aitikaaf) in Melvisharam (Tamil Nadu). Hearing this news he reached Mumbai by plane and he lead the Funeral Prayer and she was buried in Mumbai only – though neither Mumbai is her native home nor she had relatives their. This was so because Hazrat Muhi-us-Sunnah acted firmly upon the Doctrinal ruling that wherever one expires that person should be buried there. So much so that whenever the situation arose in case of associated scholars or Elders then he arranged to implement this ruling. Thus his son-in-law Physician of the Generation, Arifbillah Hazrat Aqdas Hakim Kalimullah Sahab, may Allah sustain his thick shadow, acting and upholding the tack of  Hazrat Muhi-us-Sunnah (RA) ordered that Ammi Jaan will be buried in Mumbai only.
    May Lord have Mercy on Hazrat Ammi Jaan and provide her continuous progress in His circle of Mercy and a beautiful patience to the grieved people. Ameen. It is a request to the readers that as much as it is feasible make transfer of reward for Ammi Jaan (RA) and supplicate for her high stature. 

Dawat-ul-Haq, October 2009, p. 3

Sayings of the Physician of Generation - 9

Marks of the Alchemical Company of 

Physician of the Generation, Reference of Scholars

Hazrat Shaikh Hakim Muhammed Kalimullah Sahab Damatbarkatuhum

in Service of the Readers of Dawat - ul - Haq 

(Now Readers of Thus Spake Hazrat Shaikh)

(Compiled by Hazrat Mufti Khwaja Masoom Saqib Sahab Zeedmujdahum)

Dawat-ul-Haq, October 2009 AC, p. 17

Good deeds of father are useful for children. Similarly decent children are big continuous charity for parents. Similarly errant and spoiled children are a source of pain in this life and source of recurring punishment in the hereafter. If the parents try for education and training of their children upto their capacity and even then the children do not adopt proper ways then probably there might be a way out in presence of Allah (for the parents). But dis-obedient and errant offspring is any way a source of trouble in both worlds. Thus we must pay attention.
    Some people have Permission (for taking up reformation of people who desire self correction) from seniors (akabir). I say that the permission is given for self correction. Reformation of people is indeed very blessed thing but its turn comes after self correction and correction of one’s own children. Hazrat Maulana Shah Wasiullah Sahab, may Allah have Mercy on him, used to love the children of Seniros (akabir) a lot and used to give them special honour. In general too it has been seen to be the habit of elders to give honour to the children of the Elders. Because of this these children should not be proud and should not get involved in any mis-understanding in their own context. If they will not give due regard to the connection because of which they are receiving the regard and if they will not turn to their own reformation then they will ultimately will end up deprived of the benefits of the chair (order, silsila). It is must for everybody to avoid sins but those who are special in someways for them the requirement to avoid this is more necessary. It does not make any difference to the dirtyness of a sin whether a person is somebody’s son, relative or a disciple.
    I say it repeatedly that sins have the character of attracting punishment and good deeds have th character of fetching forgiveness. Today by His Favour and Mercy Allah Most High has brought a strange topic to (my) heart. You see that sins take place-they take place inspite of not wanting to commit them. But look at the pure kindness of Allah Most High that even for sinners of the Generation he provides  four rewards : (1) He does not cut off sustenance of the people inspite of sins. Sinners livelihood continues and sometimes it continues with affluence. (2) Health is not destroyed. Men indulges in revolt and disobedience of Allah using the health given by Allah but Allah does not take away his health and strength. So inspite of sins livelihood continues and the health too remains sound. In fact sometimes a person becomes more strong after commiting sins. (3) Allah hides the negative things of the sinner and Allah Most High saves him from shame and indignity. The shame and indignity that follows a sin-if even a fraction of that becomes apparent in this world than the sinners wont remain hidden and will face ignominy owing to their sins. This will constrain the world on the sinner greatly. But Allah Most High does not disgrace the sinner publicly. Like sustenance and continuous health his cover up too continues. (4) The end result of a sinner is punishment and wrath. It is a strange treatment with a sinner on part of Allah Most High that rather than punishing him and subjecting him to wrath he is given time and opportunity to repent and make amends. Hazrat Rasoolallah, may Peace and Mercy be on him, has given the method to repent and avoid the trouble in this and the next world once a person ends up sinning. Correction and repentance should be of the same type as has been the disobedience of Lord Most High. Holy Prophet (PBUH) also taught the way to deliver the rights of the people and Rights of Allah. This is the benefit of having connection with  the people  of Allah that they suggest appropriate formulae for reformation. In deed, in the first place, by the blessings of their company hatred of sins is produced in hearts. Then if there is some shortcoming and there is a failing in delivering the rights of people or Rights of Allah then these people of Allah suggest simple methods for compensating for them.    
    Satan is very crafty. He tries to get slaves involved in sins and after that he tries to push him into despair by making them suspicious of Allah. Thus nobody is exempted from his self-correction. But you cannot reform yourself on your own. It is necessary to contact a reformer, to hand over one’s self to him and to act upon his advice.

Not a Simple Matter

If a Muslim, having succumbed to his Baser Self and Satan the cursed accepts a proposition against the Nation and the Generation and harms it by his actions then he is a hypocrite by action. Whatever punishment he gets in the hereafter, for selling out Generation, that he shall get but in this world too he will be called J'afar and Sadiq and every Muslim will look at him with disdain :

J’afar in Bengal, Sadiq in Deccan,
Wretched of Generation, Religion and Homeland.

( J’afar az Bengal,  Sadiq az Dakan,
Nang-e-Millat,  Nang-e-Deen,  Nang-e-Qaum.)

Maulana Shams-ul-Haq Nadwi, T’amir-e-Hayat, July 10, 2010 AC, Editiorial

(The original wordings are nang-e-mulk, nang-e-qaun, nang-e-deen.)