ISLAAH
THE CONCERN OF HADRAT SHEIKH R.A.

Hadrat Maulana Ayub Surti Saheb of Bartley met me and narrated an incident. He then took a pledge from me that I will narrate this incident to the Ulema that I meet. Hadrat Maulana Zakariyya Saheb R.A. was returning from Nizaam-ud-Deen Markaz to Saharanpur by road. On the way they were passing Jalalabaad, so they decided to meet Hadratjee Maulana Maseehullah Saheb R.A.. When they stopped, Hadrat Sheikh R.A. enquired first whether Hadratjee was engrossed in some work. Students will always be students, so they said that Hadrat is resting. Hadrat Sheikh R.A. said, “Come on, Come on, Lets go! We shouldn’t cause inconvenience to anyone. The next day Hadratjee r found out that Hadrat Sheikh R.A. had come to visit, so he reprimanded the students. He said, “I wasn’t resting and even if I was resting then too you should have awoken me as Hadrat Sheikh r had come. The following day Hadratjee visited Hadrat Sheikh R.A. and met him. Hadrat Sheikh R.A. then asked all those that were in his room to leave. Finally, only Hadrat Sheikh and Maulana Maseehullah R.A remained. Hadrat Sheikh then cried for at least fifteen to twenty minutes. In between Maulana Maseehullah R.A. tried to say a few words but was unable to do so due to the excessive crying of Hadrat Sheikh R.A..

When he calmed down, Hadratjee asked, “What is the problem?” Is there a domestic problem that you are unable to discuss with anyone? We are at your service. If you require financial assistance we will organize whatever amount you require without any person coming to know. Hadrat Sheikh r then said, “In previous times when students would graduate, they would make their Islaah and then work in the Ummat.” Nowadays they start serving the Ummat without paying any attention to their Islaah. What will the condition of the Ummat be when Ulema are unconcerned of their Islaah, whereas they are the leaders of the Ummah?

 NO CONCERN FOR ONE’S ISLAAH

Maulana Akhlad Saheb of Muraadabaad who is the principal of Shaahee Madrasah and the grandson of Hadrat Madni R.A. had come to South Africa. He mentioned that in previous times the students as well as the teachers understood the importance of Islaah. Nowadays, a large number of students are involved in worldly activities and employment. This is not Haraam but the actual work of the Ulema is teaching in the Madrasah. The remainder either take up an Imaamat post, or teach in a Maktab, or Muslim school, or even take up a post at the Radio station. The Ulema at the Madaris are also not concerned of making Islaah of the people. The thought doesn’t even cross their minds that Islaah of the Nafs is the actual thing.

Maulana Yunus Poona said with great pain in the heart, “Think a little, we have reached the age of fifty or sixty, have we even made the Islaah of a single person?” Hadrat Madni R.A, Hadrat Maulana Ilyaas R.A. were always restless being concerned of the Islaah of the people. They would sometimes be Harsh, sometimes affectionate, sometimes give someone a Hadya, sometimes accept a Hadya, etc. all in the concern of Islaah. They will accept a Hadya so that the person will become pleased and then accept what will be said. Let us ponder, we are Imaams of Masajid and perhaps we are leading the community for the last fifty years, did we ever think of the fact that the Mutawalli doesn’t have a beard, in fact telling him of his beard is something farfetched. Did we even make mention of it in the Bayaan, did we tell an associate of his to inform him? In most of our Masaajid the Adhaan is pronounced incorrectly. Did we ever consider correcting the Muazzin? Perhaps we fear the Mutawalli, what is the need to fear the Muazzin? This is the consequence of not making one’s own Islaah.

WHAT IS ISLAAH?

Islaah is to think and ponder how one’s life can be in conformity with Deen. Think, did we make Tilaawat of the Quraan Sharif today which is a basic requirement. The Huffaz only recite in Ramdaan and cover up for the entire year. How important is Durood, did we recite a single Durood Sharif or not? The favours of Allah and His Rasul upon us are enumerable. This is one way of saying Jazakallah to Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam. A dog that receives a piece of bread at your door is so loyal. We are so disloyal that we cannot say Jazakallah even once whereas we don’t even have to spend a single cent in recitation of Durood. It is necessary to express love as well. A person says that he loves his wife, but does not pay the rental, nor the light bill, nor does he purchase the groceries, etc. Is this love? Certainly not! We should make an effort to bring Sunnats into our lives and the lives of people. These are important aspects for which we should be concerned. We have heard from Mufti Mahmood Saheb r on several occasions that in the previous times a person would graduate and make his Islaah, then the Sheikh would send him to serve the people of a certain place.

How did Deen reach Hindustan? Khwaja Nizaam-ud-Deen Chisti R.A and others were sent by their Mashaaikh to make an effort and correct others. This was their concern, that how can the Islaah of the people be made? This should be our concern as well. Nowadays, work takes place on a computer in an office. The actual way of propagating Deen is by mixing and developing a relationship with people.

Hadrat Shah Ismail Shaheed R.A. had been to an area filled with evil women. Outwardly, what a terrible scenario! What was in his heart that led him to this! How didn’t he make the Islaah of the people! May Allah Ta'ala make us understand the importance of this aspect of Deen.