In the pages of Sach, under the heading: Search for a Spiritual Guide, a lengthy article had been written. Now my heart was restless to move my feet more than the pen. The feet were moving for a long while. Now the urge was to move as fast as I could. Revisiting those names in my mind, the two names of the two Buzrugs of Deoband once again surfaced.
In May, I happened to go to Delhi. Mohammed Ali was a confidante in everything. He was a superb and exceptionally sincere counsellor. The issue was brought before him. Without hesitation he voted for Moulana Husain Ahmad Saheb. Although he accepted the academic achievements and merit of Moulana Anwar Shah, but his opinion about him was the same as some senior Hanafi Ulama had of Ibn Taimiyyah; that his knowledge and excellences were beyond his grasp.
In any case, the vote in favour of Moulana Husain Ahmad Saheb brought an end to my hesitation. My heart was inclined there from before.
I spent hours speaking to friends and associates on this topic. From childhood I had a friend and now Moulana, Haji and Shah, Abdul Baari Nadwi. I spoke to him about this continuously.
Around that time, I had the greatest regard for Moulana Thanwi. His buzrugi [saintliness] was accepted to be the greatest. My heart was pulling me the most towards him. However, there was a gulf between me and him on account of our differences. The biggest difference was on the issue of politics. My heart was not prepared to blindly give myself over to him.
Although my regard for Moulana Husain Ahmad was not as high, however, I did not have any major difference with him. In politics we were birds of a feather.
Then my nafs also came into the discussion and subconsciously said that together with the stories of the expertise of the physician, take into account the mind-set of the patient and listen to his affliction. “Hazrat Thanwi is an expert practitioner; his treatment is highly productive and very successful; but who can bear his disciplined treatment and regulatory diet?! Setting aside the competency of the physician, consideration should also be given to the tolerance of the patient.”
Looking at and considering the simple nature, humility, acquiescence of Moulana Deobandi [that is Moulana Madani] I thought to myself that here [by Moulana Madani] there is no severe restrictions. Therefore, I should give my hand over to him. Although there may be a delay in complete benefit, but I will be saved from bitter medication. This was a significant incentive for the patient. [In other words, Moulana Daryabadi’s nafs goaded him to forsake the surgical treatment of Hazrat Thanwi for the mild prescriptions of Moulana Madani.]
My old associate, Molvi Abdul Baari and I decided to travel together to Deoband. Thus, sometime at the end of June 1928 AD we travelled the long journey from Lucknow to Deoband and arrived there in the morning.
