BISMILLAHIR-RAHMAANIR-RAHEEM
Preface
All praises are due unto Allah, Most High, who says in the Holy Qur’aan:
“Verily, Allah’s Auliya (Special friends), nor is there any fear upon them nor grief.” (Surah Yunus v.62)
Salutations upon Nabi Muhammed Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam who made Du’aa: “O Allah, make me a means for the defence of your Auliya and a warrior against your enemies.”
Such is the love which Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam had for the Auliya!
Just imagine the Noble Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam asking and pleading unto Allah Ta’aala to be given an opportunity to defend the illustrious souls of the Auliya. But who are the Auliya, these extraordinary persons, one may ask? The answer lies in the Holy Quraan:
“None other than the Muttaqeen are the Auliya of Allah Ta’aala but many people do not know”. (Surah Anfaal v. 34)
South Africans are no strangers to Auliya. We are indeed fortunate to have been blessed with regular visits by these special friends of Allah Ta’aala, especially from the Indo-Pak subcontinent. Amongst the stars of Auliya which graced our land and from whom many thirsty persons quenched their spiritual thirst, Hadhrat Moulana Maseehullah Rahmatullahi Alayh enjoys a huge degree of prominence. This is due to his repeated visits as well as his excellent disposition which attracted people like moths to him.
After his demise in 1992, the world was emptied from the physical presence of this great source of Blessings. There is a saying: “The Mashaaikh pass on but their advice lives on”. Thus it has always been the norm of this Ummah to record the history of the Friends of Allah Azza Wajal. Unlike the biographies of others, the recording of the episodes, occurrences, experiences and practices of the Auliya, is meant to draw one closer unto Allah Ta’aala. Much inspiration and encouragement is found in treading their path which they strode.
Upon the express instructions of certain Khulafa (representatives) of Moulana Maseehullah Rahmatullahi Alayh, both local and foreign, these few humble thoughts and memories have been put to pen. And yes, there then was an explicit instruction:
One day, Hadhrat unexpectedly looked at this writer and suddenly handed his black felt-pen to him. With a voice brimming with affection, he said: “Jo dil me aa-e, oes ko likhaa karo”. (What comes to your heart, write it). He then remained silent.
A few simple words strung together, perhaps. However, those who were acquainted with Hadhrat, will bear testimony that every word, every gesture, in fact, even the very silence of this Faithful Wali of Allah, brimmed with meaning and was filled with implications. Ignoring it completely was akin to disrespect.
Though almost three decades have passed since that fateful day, the words keep on ringing in the ears. The natural fear of incompetence and the possibility of the calamity of an evil gaze upon the writer’s intentions are but the least of concerns; the apprehension that the Nafs may wish to have a free ride for fame in Hadhrat’s stagecoach is much more worrisome. Just as there are many who live under “Guda ka Naam, apna kaam” (Allah’s Name is used in order to camouflage one’s own Nafsaani objectives), so too are there those who shelter under “Peer ka Naam, apna Kaam” (Take the peers name and get your job done).
May Allah Ta’aala save this writer from utilising Hadhrat’s name for any Nafsaani motives. (Ameen).
A rivulet cannot explain the power of an ocean; nor a faltering candle the awesome light of the sun. A cat cannot imitate the roar of a mighty lion, nor can a beggar display the majesty of a king. The mere thought of writing a few words about the life and times of a Wali such as Moulana Maseehullah Rahmatullahi Alayh, is in itself, overwhelming.
This booklet is based upon a personal experience which took place in September 1986 when Allah Ta’aala blessed this writer with the immense Ni’mat of being in his service whilst travelling to Pakistan. Though thirty long years have passed, yet, the memories of those days are as fresh as a daisy. Three decades have not diminished the lessons which could be derived from that epic journey.
Not only will the journey be presented once a week or as time permits Insha-Allah, but also, with Hadhrat’s barkat any other aspect of Hadhrat’s life which comes to mind. Readers are requested to bear with patience the many shortcomings which may occur in this chronicle. Insha-Allah, they will be amply rewarded by Allah Most High.
Duaa’s are humbly requested for its acceptance in the Court of Allah Most High. (Ameen)
INTRODUCTION
Just as a blind person’s sense of joy is enhanced by the description of a sweet smelling flower, so too will a brief description of Hadhrat Moulana Maseehullah Rahmatullah Alayh undeniably increase the adoration of those who had the good fortune to meet him.
Envisage in the eye of your mind an extremely handsome person of about seventy years of age (this was at the time when this writer commenced his studies in Jalalabad). Fair in complexion, medium in height, light as a feather in weight without being skeletal, piercing grey-brown eyes with a tinge of a constant smile, a prominent slight-bridged nose, an average forehead which glittered with Nur, a full, well-kept white beard and a mouth from which the deliciousness of the sweetness of Allah Ta’aala’s Thikr continuously seemed to drip.
Add to the above the spectacle of a man who never allowed circumstances to overpower him, nor awe of anyone to overwhelm him. His was in engagement with the affairs of the creation, yet he remained in constant meditation of his Creator. Once he remarked to this writer:
“Alhamdulillah, even whilst asleep my heart is engrossed with Thikrullah.” Allahu Akbar!
Sometimes his silence would be worth volumes of unspoken words, and at other times his gestures, especially when conducting his Majlis (discourse), would seem as if he was summoning some celestial creation. Hard to believe, but his words were measured, weighed according to the scale of the listener’s intelligence, evaluated according to the occasion and spoken carefully with simplicity and clarity. Thus, his advice would leave a lasting impression!
If he observed Istiqaamat (steadfastness) in even the most seemingly trivial of actions such as making certain that his pen was in its appropriate place for as long as anyone could remember, then what must the condition of his Istiqaamat upon the Shariah and the Sunnah have been? From the age of twelve, he NEVER missed a single Tahajjud until his demise at the ripe old age of eighty-four! Nor did the piercing cold nights deter him from waking him up, nor the tiredness of lengthy travels, nor the grief upon the demise of his six sons.
Kindness and compassion for the errant and the sinful was his trademark. Like a mother lamb who fearfully and desperately cries out for her little lost lamb somewhere in a valley teeming with wolves, so would he, in a heart wrenching tone cry out to his audience: “Ar-e bacho, bacho…” (O, children, save yourselves…).
At other, times, out of sheer desperation at the seemingly hopeless situation of this fallen Ummah, he would sorrowfully and frantically lament:
“Kyaa kahu, kiss se kahoo, koyi sunne wala be to ho?” (What shall I say…to whom shall I speak to…is there even anyone out their listening.?)
Like the ocean, he would allow people to tap into his boundless kindness. Not only humankind, but even cats and cows, buffaloes and horses would graze from his gracious shores. The rights of the much abused dogs of the village were unscrupulously fulfilled in no less than that of others. Insha Allah specific incidents will be narrated at a later stage. On the Day of Qiyamah in the Divine Court of Allah Azza Wajal these animals will indeed bear witness to the Insaaniyat of the Saint of Jalalabad.
And then, there was the Hindu pundit who administered a temple. O yes, he had problems and worries. Who else did he turn to other than to the Saint of Jalalabad! He would heave away his sorrow to an ear which was ever willing to listen to his complaints and the mistreatment meted out to him by his community. The cold was killing him. He was an old man. He did not even possess a jersey. He was hungry. “Here is some money. Go buy something to keep yourself warm!” This is Islam – the True Islam. This is the Sunnah of Rahmatul Aalameen (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) – the True Sunnah. This was practical Daawah. So little was said, so much was done. Whether he accepted Islam or not it is not known. What is known is that the day the Janaazah of the Saint of Jalalabad was passing by, the Hindu pundit was seen sitting on the high boundary walls of his temple crying. Crying for the lost compassion and crying for a lost friend.
Indeed, Hadhrat’s stated policy of “No one comes to the door of this Faqeer crying and leaves accept laughing” was honoured until his very last days.
Every oppressed could approach him and find a willing shoulder to lean upon. Errant husbands were warned by their wives’ dare that they would inform Hadhrajee. This was enough to bring the husband to heel and to subdue the Shaytaan which overwhelmed him.
Sincerity was his guide and his strength. Tolerance was his weapon by which many a foe was won over. Yes, when anyone attempted to temper with the Shariah, then he indeed would be as firm as a mountain. Tolerance would be displaced by a raging fire of Allah’s Love. There were occasions where he would simply walk alone in issues where the Shariah was violated. He cared not for the criticism of the sceptic, or the mockery of the cynic. And why should he care when he knew that he had His Allah on his side? And why should he care when he had totally annihilated himself in the Divine Love of Allah?
Being from the family of Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam merely drove him to a higher degree of observing intricate Sunnats. The Sunnah was his cloak and his mantle. Again, the numerous mind boggling adherence to the Sunnah of Sayyidina Muhammed Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam will be narrated elsewhere, Insha Allah. For now, suffice to know that time and again he was blessed with the vision of Rasoollullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam in his dreams. On a certain occasion, a person wrote to the Saint stating that that Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam had advised him in a dream to take bay’at at the hands of Moulana Maseehullah Rahmatullahi Alayh.
His mere smooth touch was electrifying, his smile was endearing and his sense of humour exhilarating. The more those who thought they knew him, the more they understood that they did not know him. A faithful friend to strangers and a sincere relative to travellers he was. Amongst the Mashaaikh of the time he was the Sheikh Abdul-Qadir Jilani, and amongst the Aabideen the Junaid Baghdadi. When with Ulama, he turned into a Ghazaali who easily spilled treasures of pearls of knowledge. His crown was his humble independence and his throne a treasured rug. He could relate to anyone at any given time – child or adult, rich or poor, ignorant or learned, politician or postmen. Like a glass of sweet water he was, transparent yet so very apparent.
“Was this Hadhrat Moulana Maseehullah Rahmatullahi Alayh not Allah’s gift unto us and The Ummah?”
“Yes”, would those who knew him reply unhesitatingly.
“Is there not a lesson for us in the compassion he had for one and all, even for non-Muslims? Is that life not much more worth living, which revolves around pleasing Allah and His Rasool Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam?”
