Memories (Episode 3)
An English translation of “Yadein”, the autobiography of Hadhrat Mawlana Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (dāmat barakātuhum), Vice President, Darul Uloom Karachi. Translation by Kaiser Nizamani.
This discussion would not be complete without mentioning a few more distinctive qualities of Bhai Jān (Hadhrat Muhammad Zaki Kaifi (may Allah have mercy on him)). Particularly notable is the fact that out of all of us brothers, he alone had the good fortune of being in the service and company of, and even giving bayʿah to, Hakīm al-Ummah Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (may Allah have mercy on him). Our respected father (may Allah have mercy on him) would take him along to Thana Bhawan every year and Hadhrat Thanwi (may Allah have mercy on him) was also very fond of him. On numerous occasions, Hadhrat gave him the opportunity to massage his head. Although Hadhrat did not have a habit of consuming pān (betel leaf), he would sometimes eat a plain one, not containing kathā (catechu) or chūnā (slaked lime), after a meal. Bhai Jān would often make well-timed offers of pān to Hadhrat due to which Hadhrat had humorously nicknamed him “Pāni”[1]. Whenever Hadhrat desired to have pān and Bhai Jān was not around, Hadhrat would humorously inquire: “Where has our Pāni gone?” One great blessing that Bhai Jān attained was that one day he requested Hadhrat: “Please teach me Pand Nāmā-e-ʿAṭṭār[2]”. Where would Hadhrat (may Allah have mercy on him) have the time to teach Pand Nāmā to a young boy? However, due to his extraordinary affection and love for Bhai Jān, he did not feel comfortable rejecting this innocent request and thus replied: “I do not have any other time, but I go for a walk after ʿasr. You can accompany me with the book at that time and I will teach you Pand Nāmā in that free time.”
As per the plan, Bhai Jān arrived with the book after ʿasr and the lesson commenced. At that time, senior khulafa (spiritual deputies) of Hadhrat were also present. They felt envious when they received news of this lesson, and also sought permission to attend it themselves, and Hadhrat granted them permission. Consequently, my respected father, Hadhrat Mawlana Mufti Muhammad Hasan, Hadhrat Mawlana Khair Muhammad and Hadhrat Doctor Abdul Hayy (may Allah have mercy on them) also attended these captivating lessons, and the lessons continued throughout Ramadan. Hadhrat Mufti Muhammad Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) would often mention this incident to Bhai Jān and say to him: “You are our class fellow, and it is due to you that we were blessed to have studied the Pand Nāmā by Hadhrat.”
When Bhai Jān learnt how to write in his childhood, our respected father (may Allah have mercy on him) made him write his first letter to Hadhrat Hakīm al-Ummah (may Allah have mercy on him). Hadhrat’s reply to this letter is a lesson in itself, as well as a treasure trove of blessings for Bhai Jān. Hadhrat replied: “Dear son (may Allah protect you). Assalāmu ʿAlaykum with prayers. I was pleased to see your handwriting. I pray for your progress in knowledge and action. Make your handwriting a bit more neat. It will be a source of ease and comfort for the reader, and this intention is also rewarded. See! I am making you a Sufi from your childhood. For headache, wear this amulet on your head. Salam and prayers for your entire household. Ashraf Ali.”
General people would wonder: “What does improving one’s handwriting have to do with tasawwuf?” However, this was the specialty of Hakīm al-Ummah (may Allah have mercy on him); he emphasized the more important dictates of shariʿah and tarīqah[3] to his associates, namely the etiquettes of social life, good character, and clarity of financial dealings, at a time when these branches of dīn were considered outside the realm of Islamic teachings. Furthermore, Hadhrat never reprimanded his associates for laziness in daily recitations/litanies or supererogatory prayers but would take strict action against anyone who lapsed in social behavior, financial dealings or whose conduct caused harm to others.
It was a result of this teaching and training of Hadhrat that Bhai Jān would take extra precaution in not being a source of harm to anyone through any of his actions.
The incident of Bhai Jān pledging allegiance (bayʿah) to Hadhrat Hakīm al-Ummah is also rather intriguing. Bhai Jān had not even reached puberty at the time. One day, inspired by the love and kindness he received from Hadhrat, he requested Hadhrat for bayʿah. Normally, Hadhrat did not accept bayʿah requests from those who had not reached puberty. Hadhrat thus jokingly replied: “Bayʿah isn’t for free. I will only take bayʿah if you bring a guava”. Since it was not guava season, guavas were unavailable in the market. Hadhrat had replied with these words only to gently avert his request, thinking that he would not be able to bring a guava in this season. However, out of nowhere, Bhai Jān found a guava and returned with it. Hadhrat was astonished, but since he had made a promise, he agreed to accept the request for bayʿah. At the same time, who could be more scrupulous than Hadhrat in observing the commandments of Shariah? As Bhai Jān had not yet reached puberty, and since it is not permissible to accept a gift from a minor without their parents’ consent, Hadhrat sent Bhai Jān to seek his parents’ permission to present the guava to Hadhrat as a gift. Once Bhai Jān obtained their permission, Hadhrat did bayʿah.
Following this event, on the 7th of Rabī’ Al-Thānī 1356 AH, our respected father wrote a letter to Hadhrat Hakīm al-Ummah in which he stated:
“Alhamdulillah, the blessings of Muhammad Zaki (may Allah protect him) becoming your disciple have become manifestly evident, as he has become very particular about his prayers. In the past, he would sleep at the time of Isha prayer but now he sits waiting for it.”
In response, Hadhrat Hakīm al-Ummah wrote:
“Mashā Allah! Please pray that I also receive the blessings of this sinless child and gain motivation for righteous deeds, steadfastness and sincerity.”
Several significant decisions related to Bhai Jān’s childhood were decided after seeking counsel from Hadhrat Hakīm al-Ummah. Our respected father wrote to Hadhrat Hakīm al-Ummah in the letter dated 10th Rajab 1355 AH:
“It has been more than a year since we arranged for Muhammad Zaki (may Allah protect him) to commence memorization of the Qur’an. However, he has been unwell for nearly six months. Some relatives are suggesting that he may not be able to bear the demands of memorizing the Qur’an. I find myself in a serious dilemma about what course of action to take.”
Hadhrat responded:
“If Zaki was my son, I would halt his Qur’an memorization for the time being. Later on (even after completing his studies), if he is physically up to it, I would try getting it completed. It would be much easier to manage at that time.”
In this way, Bhai Jān continued to benefit from the guidance and benevolence of Hadhrat Hakīm al-Ummah until the age of eighteen. On one occasion, our respected father wanted to send a letter to Hadhrat Thanwi in Thana Bhawan and wished for it to reach Hadhrat on the same day. However, it was not possible to catch the train from Saharanpur to Thana Bhawan in time. Bhai Jān took it upon himself to accomplish this task. He boarded a train from Deoband to Muzaffarnagar, and then from Muzaffarnagar to Shamli. He had planned to catch the train to Thana Bhawan upon arriving at Shamli, but upon disembarking, he discovered that he had missed that train. Undeterred, Bhai Jān rented a bicycle and covered the considerable distance from Shamli to Thana Bhawan[4] on it and successfully delivered the letter to Hadhrat on time.
Apart from Hadhrat Thanwi, in Deoband Hadhrat Miyan Sahib (Hadhrat Mawlana Sayyid Asghar Husain, may Allah have mercy on them both) would also express much kindness towards Bhai Jān, and Bhai Jān received numerous opportunities to spend time in his service and company as well. From his very childhood, Bhai Jān possessed an innate zeal to benefit from the service and companionship of pious elders. He truly deserved the right to say this couplet:
اس وقت سے میں تیرا پرستار حسن ہوں
دل کو مرے شعور محبت بھی جب نہ تھا
I have been an admirer of your beauty from the time
My heart knew not the feeling of love
And it was a result of this very company of pious elders that his personality seemed to be infused with dīn and a correct understanding of Islamic teachings, to such an extent that he was never affected or awed by any external societal influences, rather he always left a positive impact on others regardless of the environment he found himself in:
رنگیں ہے ہم سے قصہ مہر و وفا کہ ہم
اپنی وفا کا رنگ ترے رخ پر مل گۓ
The story of love and loyalty owes its exuberant hues to me
For it was I who rubbed my faithfulness upon your countenance
The fourth [of my siblings] was our sister Hasība Khatūn[5] (may Allah have mercy on her) whom we used to call “Bibi Jān”, and the fifth one is respected Raqībah Khatūn (may Allah grant her a long life) whom we call Choti Āpa. Both of them were much older than me but were not married at that time. They made us so informal with themselves that despite the big age difference, we enjoyed a friends-like relationship with them. The entire educational world of these two sisters also revolved around the maktab of aunt Amat al-Hannan (about which I will elaborate later Inshā Allah), while at home it was limited to “Bahishti Zewar”. However, owing to the excellent upbringing of our respected father (may Allah have mercy on him), their knowledge and literary taste undoubtedly surpassed women who studied at universities. They were also well-read and not only possessed a profound understanding of literature, but they also composed poems of high caliber themselves. Just to illustrate this point, consider the following poem by the elder sister, the late respected Hasība Khatūn:
ہمیں تو آتا ہے رونا مآلِ گلشن پر
بھلا یہ ہنستے ہیں کیوں گلستاں ، نہیں معلوم
گزر رہی ہیں نشیمن سے بے سلام و پیام
خفا حفا سی ہیں کیوں بجلیاں نہیں معلوم
We weep envisaging what tomorrow holds for the garden
But why do these flowers laugh, O garden! I do not know
They pass by my residence without salam or greetings
Why do the lightning bolts seem so angry? I do not know
And this poem of respected Raqība Khatūn (may Allah grant her a long life):
ضبط غم پر بھی ڈبڈبا ہی گئ
آنکھ دل سے شکست کھا ہی گئ
سنتے سنتے مرا فسانہ غم
چاند تاروں کو نیند آہی گئ
Try as I may to suppress my sorrow, they welled up
The eyes succumbed to defeat from the heart
As they listened to my tale of grief,
Even the moon and stars succumbed to sleep
At that young age, most of my time would be spent in the company of these two sisters of mine; they were assigned all duties related to me, from changing my clothes to tolerating my whims and fancies. Their companionship sowed the seed of literary appreciation in my heart from that young age, which I will later describe in some more detail Inshā Allah.
After them was respected Muhammad Razi Usmani (may Allah have mercy on him), who was studying in the Persian grade at Dār al-ʿUlūm Deoband at the time. He was innately fond of children, and possessed an instinctive understanding of their psychological intricacies. He had pampered me and would strive to fulfill all my wishes. We three younger brothers would call him “Bhai Razi”. As for me, at that time, I would call him “Bhai Laji” in my lisping tongue. However, should he ever find himself unable to fulfill my wish, I would express my displeasure by removing the word “Bhai” (brother) and angrily proclaim his name: “Laji!”.
Once, he discovered my exhilaration at the sight of pigeons. A friend of his, who was a nephew of ʿAllama Shabbir Ahmad Usmani (may Allah have mercy on him), kept pigeons as pets. Perhaps brother Razi had requested him to bring one for me. He arrived at our doorstep one day, with a pigeon in his hand. With elation, brother Razi took me to the doorstep. The moment I laid eyes on the pigeon and learned that it was meant for me, my happiness knew no bounds. I vividly remember that childhood elation to this day.
May Allah Most High grant brother Razi complete forgiveness. He himself was of a young age at that time. Occasionally, he would sketch various pictures on paper to amuse me. One day, he drew a picture of a guava (“amrūd” in Urdu), lemon (“līmūn”), a bird (“chiryā”), a donkey (“gadhā”) and a crow (“kawwā”). Perhaps I had somehow grasped by then that our father became displeased at drawing pictures of animate beings. Therefore, if ever I became upset with him, I would call out his name and, in my lisping tongue, address him: “Amlūd, Nīmūn, Chilyā, Dadhā, Tawwā”. Perhaps, addressing him with these words carried an implicit threat: “If you do not appease me, I will tell father that you drew pictures of a bird, a donkey and a crow”. Over time, these became my words of frustration; whenever I grew irritated with someone, I would say to them in an angry tone: “Amlūd, Nīmūn, Chilyā, Dadhā, Tawwā”. These were my worst expletives which I would hurl at any child who quarreled with me.
May Allah Most High shower His forgiveness and pleasure upon brother Razi. When our respected father was invited to teach Sahih al-Bukhari at Dār al-ʿUlūm Dabhel (India) to fill the position vacated by Shaykh al-Islam Hadhrat Mawlana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani (may Allah have mercy on him), he took brother Razi along with him to Dabhel. They stayed in Dabhel for several months. Brother Razi’s affection for me was so intense that he deeply missed me throughout this period, and in the article he penned in Al-Balagh upon our respected father’s demise, he wrote:
“In those days, this humble one was learning how to recite the Noble Qur’an and had enrolled in the Qur’an class there. After madrasa classes, I would often remain in a state of silence. Neither did I find interest in eating, nor in other activities. The true reason behind this was none other than today’s Mawlana Muhammad Taqi Usmani, the editor of Al-Balagh. He was only two or two-and-a-half years old then. This humble one had such affection and connection with him that, in Deoband, it would be difficult to stay away from him for even an hour. Consequently, even whilst in Dabhel I would miss him all the time, and being utterly powerless to do anything about it, I would write his name on the walls of the madrasa (Mufti-e-A’zam number 1044:2).
After migrating to Pakistan, all of us brothers were too young to help our respected father in any financial activities, except for him. Consequently, one great sacrifice of Bhai Sahib was that after acquiring basic education, he assumed the management of our respected father’s bookstore, Darul Ishaʿat, and dedicated himself to it. One consequence of this was that he could not continue his formal education. However, due to his love for reading, with the grace of Allah Most High, he continued expanding his knowledge until his last moments. And in practical life too, he was enviable for many in terms of his routine of daily religious practices. He had an intense zeal for visiting the Haramain Sharīfain and would perform either Hajj or Umrah with great fervour almost every year.
At number seven is respected Muhammad Wali Rāzi (may Allah grant him a long life). At that time, he was memorizing the Qur’an at Dār al-ʿUlūm Deoband. Allah Most High has blessed him with qualities of intelligence, wit and humour. Upon venturing into poetry, he acquired a distinguished position in the field. When he stepped into teaching, he changed the lives of many while teaching Islamic Studies at Karachi Grammar School and Karachi University. Upon obtaining his M.A. in English, he applied this skill by translating several Islamic books into English – the books “From the Bible to the Qur’an” and “Qadianism on Trial” were translated into English by him. To this day, Al-Balagh English journal continues to be published under his editorship. The masterpiece of his intelligence and wit, his book “Hādi-e-‘Ālam ﷺ” (“The Guide of the World” ﷺ), has gained worldwide recognition. In this book, he has written the entire Sīrah (biography) of the Noble Messenger ﷺ without employing a single dotted letter. This Sīrah book, spanning almost four hundred pages, is devoid of any dots. This feat is so extraordinary that it would not be incorrect to call it a world record. In the introduction of this book, I have elaborated on the immense challenge of writing a lengthy text in Urdu, especially on the Sīrah of the Noble Messenger ﷺ, without utilizing any dotted letters. Yet, with Allah Most High’s special assistance, he accomplished this feat within a few months and set a record. Several other books and articles authored by him reflect the breadth of his knowledge and his refined academic, religious and literary taste. Allah Most High has endowed him with extraordinary humility and made him an epitome of simplicity. Far removed from name and fame, he continues to serve the Dīn and knowledge of Dīn through his articles to this very day.
At number eight, my elder brother Hadhrat Mawlana Mufti Muhammad Rafiʿ Usmani (may Allah grant him a long life), is seven years older than me, but Allah Most High has bound us together since our childhood, to such an extent that not only within our home, but even in religious and national circles, our names are taken together. Among all my siblings, I have had the honour of sharing the longest companionship with him, from which I have learnt a lot. However, my disorderly demeanour often posed a hindrance in putting into practice what I learnt. He lives a very organized and principled life while I am chaotic and haphĀzard. Every action of his exudes tranquility and dignity whereas I am hasty. From his home to his office, he upholds everything in a meticulous order, while I am untidy. The patience with which he has borne my imprudent behaviours is a testament to his resilience. His forbearance and nobility of character have prevented the disparity of our natures, which largely stems from my disorderly way of life, from becoming a significant source of unpleasantness. It is due to the eminence of his character that Alhamdulillah I got the opportunity to benefit from him, and received his kind treatment, from the time we were studying and then teaching, in issuing fatwa and in national matters. After the passing of Hadhrat Mufti Wali Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him), the scholars conferred upon him the title: “Grand Mufti of Pakistan”. And his Urdu and Arabic writings, fatawa, and his structured, lucid and balanced classroom lectures and his talks serve as a testament to the suitability of this title. Today, when one enlists the names of earnest, balanced, sincere and insightful scholars of Pakistan, Alhamdulillah his name tops the list. The exhaustive physical and mental efforts he has devoted to the construction and advancement of Dār al-ʿUlūm [Karachi] is such that today the structures and walls of Dār al-ʿUlūm and its every corner bear witness to it. It would probably not be an exaggeration if I were to say that each and every building of Dār al-ʿUlūm, save for perhaps one or two, was built under his direct supervision and that he personally put in effort for every brick that was used. May Allah Most High keep his shade of mercy, with complete wellbeing, upon us. He is akin to a kind and benevolent father not only for me but to the entire family and Dār al-ʿUlūm. And his services for the country and Ummah are unforgettable.
(…to be continued)
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
By his good character a believer will attain the degree of one who prays during the night and fasts during the day.
(Abu Dawood: 4798)
[1] Translator: “Pāni” actually means “water” in Urdu but Hadhrat humorously meant “the pān-bearer”.
[2] Translator: Pand Nāmā of Shaykh Fariduddin Attar (may Allah have mercy on him) is an elementary book of Persian language
[3] Translator: Tarīqah: tasawwuf
[4] Translator: About 19km
[5] Upon her demise, I wrote about her in some detail in Al-Balagh, which has also been published in my book “Nuqūsh-e-Raftagān”