Rang-o-Noor (BY SA'DI)

IN THE COMPANY OF SYED AHMAD SHAHEED

May Allah make all of us true Muslims and bless us with complete Belief! Let us continue mentioning Syed Ahmad Shaheed in today's sitting also but before that, a cursory glance at the latest news. 1. Eighteenth amendment bill has been approved in Pakistan. This is a common incident because the constitution of the country is a toy with the rulers. They keep playing with it as they like. If someone else comes into power, he will get the 19th amendment bill passed. 2. When a volcano in Europe emitted smoke, the entire Europe was paralysed. No plane took off from several countries for seven days. Millions of people were stranded on the airports. This is the progress and might of Europe. These people cannot face even an inferior creature of Allah but they claim of Divinity. 3. America and Iran pose of fighting each other apparently whereas both have similar objectives. When popularity of Iran begins to decrease in the Muslim world, America clamours against her so vehemently that Iran becomes a conqueror hero again. America and Iran are shoulder to shoulder in Afghanistan and Iraq rather America has scored success in Iraq due to cooperation from Iran. The famous elderly leader of Kashmir Syed Ali Gilaani went to Taharr Jail and had a sitting with Muhammad Afzal Goru. May Allah grant him good reward at this good deed! Addressing a public meeting, he has said, "My belief has refreshed and revived after meeting Afzal Goru and my passions for Belief have progressed as Afzal Goru is pleased, satisfied and firm to his ideas about Belief." The readers of the Al-Qalam know Muhammad Afzal Goru. He is a brave and gallant youngman of Kashmir locked up in the death-sentence ward of Taharr-Jail Dehli. He is the man sitting in the mouth of death but is distributing hopes and lights to those who come to visit him and is distributing passions of love for Allah.

It is Allah's grace that He showers upon anyone He wills. Let us now move to the actual topic. Allah be thanked that mentioning of Allah is benefitting me as well as the readers. It was Allah's special grace upon Hazrat Syed Ahmad. A religious scholar from Bukhara used to come to Hazrat Shah Abdul- Aziz for his correction and training. Hazrat Shah Abdul-Aziz ordered him to wait until Hazrat Syed Ahmad Shaheed came to him again and he handed over that scholar to him. Seeing Jihaad bearing of Hazrat Syed Ahmad, the Bukhari Scholar thought that he seemed a Mujaahid. What he would teach him about spiritual and hidden education. Then he began to ask Hazrat Syed Ahmad which books he had read. Hazrat Shah Abdul-Aziz interrupted and said, "What do you mean by such talk? Just perceive, what you will gain from us in twelve years, you will gain that in ten days if you remain with him." (Waqaai' P:93)

We are also talking of Hazrat Syed Ahmad Shaheed because there was Allah's grace upon him. It is a fact that numerous bounties are gained by mentioning those upon whom there is Allah's grace. Let us go to the sitting of Hazrat Syed Ahmad Shaheed and learn the secrets of success.

Stressive Persuasion to Prayer

Hazrat Syed Ahmad used to persuade to prayer very stressively. It is written in Ashghaal,

"Establishing prayers five times a day is obligatory and forsaking it is Kufr. Hence, it is obligatory to every Muslim to abide by this dictate of Allah heart and soul," (Ashghaal, Ruhaani Rishtay)

Every Muslim should have this same belief and idea about prayer. The venerable Sahaabah had this same belief and view about prayers. Hence every Muslim should follow it as obligatory and make his children, relatives and subordinates establish prayer and regard giving up prayer as the job of the Pagans.

Respect For Masaajid

The scholar of Bukhara mentioned above remained with Hazrat Syed Ahmad Shaheed for a few days and achieved his target. He was blessed with a very high degree of recognition of Allah. One day Hazrat Syed Ahmad was teaching him that he vomited all of a sudden. In order to save the Masjid from filth, Hazrat Syed Ahmad placed an earthen basin before him but it was small. He put the rest of it in his skirt and came out of the Masjid with Bukhari Mulla. Coming out he washed his hands and clothes. After approx seven days of this incident he said, "Owing to the vomiting that I carried in my hands that day in order to save the Masjid from filth, Allah was greatly pleased with me. Allah has blessed me with so great bounty that I cannot offer thanks to Him for it." Allah said at it, "You have respected Our Masjid. We have given you this prize." (Waqaai' P:95)

Given below is another incident of this chain "Hazrat Syed Ahmad would stay at the Masjid of Hazrat Shah Abdul-Qaadir. Hazrat Shah Abdul-Qaadir had composed his famous Tafseer named Muzih-ul-Quran in that Masjid. Hazrat Syed saw a saint saying to him in dream that the roof of the said Masjid had not been cleaned of the dung of the pigeons and swallows. On waking up in the morning, when he investigated, it came to be known that the roof had not been cleaned for a long time. The roof of the Masjid was very high. He ordered Hazrat Shah Ismail Shaheed to join a number of staircases and make a tall staircase. Then he himself climbed up the roof of the Masjid and cleaned and washed the Masjid well with the help of several other people. After several days of this incident, Hazrat Syed Ahmad said, "Allah blessed me with so big blessing for cleaning the roof that I cannot offer thanks to Him." (Waqaai' P:104)

These two incidents bring another delightful and imitable aspect of Hazrat Syed Ahmad i.e. love for Masaajid, service of Masaajid, cleanliness of Masaajid, regards for Masaajid and struggle for Masaajid. Wherever Hazrat Syed Ahmad went, he populated the Masaajid. He got new Masaajid constructed at some places. Many deviated innovators (Bid'ati) repented of their sin. He converted their Imaam Barrahs into Masaajid. He said to a poor man, "If you take over the responsibility of ablution bowls, lighting and water, Allah will multiply in you living." That gentleman took over that responsibility but he was worried how to manage for all that. Trusting in Allah, he started serving the Masjid. Allah multiplied in his living very greatly. Construction of Masjid, its population and service are the traits that invite Allah's grace. All of us should keep the Masjid neat and clean that is under us. We should purchase the new carpet if the old one is torn. We should enter the Masjid very respectfully. We should not raise a voice, nor make a noise nor talk of worldly things. The topic of service of Masjid is very vast. It is sufficient for today.

Ever Preparation For Jihaad

It is written in "Life History" of Hazrat Syed Ahmad Shaheed:

Normally, he kept making preparations for Jihaad along with worship and sanctification but during his stay at Raoy Braily, he paid special attention to it. The feeling for the need of Jihaad kept ever increasing which kept him ever-restless. He thought of it all the time. It was the prevailing business with him. (i.e. preparation for Jihaad) He would often put on weapons so that others might realize it and develop love for it. He persuaded others to it even."

Every Muslim should have such yearning and preparation for Jihaad. This is the requirement of Islam and condition for complete Belief. (Ruhaani Rishtay P:61)
Stress on Observing Veil

Hazrat Syed made arrangements for the reformation of women even. Wherever he would go, he would take an oath of pledge from women besides men and preach and guide them. Women who offered any present from lawful wealth, he would accept it and pray for them but if the present was from unlawful wealth, he refused to accept that. He advised people to avoid unlawful earning very well-wishngly. All the stages of correction of women used to be from behind the veils. Once, on a Hajj journey, a baron invited him to dinner and pledged an oath of allegiance. Then that baron took him home for pledging allegiance of women. Hazrat Syed was of the opinion that the women would be behind the veil. He went with him but the ladies there were sitting openly. He came out at once and stressed on that baron to make the ladies observe veil and said, "Not observing veil is the way out of the Infidels and there are so many wickednesses and evils in it. The biggest sin in it is that there is disobedience to Allah and His Messenger in it."(Waqaai' P:902)

He made them observe lawful veil, then went in and took pledge of allegiance. He himself exposed his head and corrected and prayed for those women very humbly and beseechingly. The reporters say that the supplication was granted and the ladies of that area became very pious and religious.

All of us should make special preparations for veil. The ladies should observe veil regarding it as delight and Din not as a rite or constraint.

Generosity of Hazrat Syed's Daughter

Allah had blessed Hazrat Syed Ahmad with the quality of Twakkul and generosity. Ever since his youth, he did not send any begger empty handed. Once he was staying with his devoted Mujaahideen at "Raaj Dawaari" to set out to Baala Kot. One day, after the Ishraq prayer, he was lying in bed and advising his companions. During address, he said to his companions:

"Sometimes a little deed is granted with Allah that it becomes a source of absolution. Sometimes a big deed that involves great wealth cannot reach that position because Allah is All-Independent because He does not care for little or big. Hence, one day I was sitting in my Masjid in Takiya that a begger called out. I had nothing with me at that time to pay him. I made him stay there, went to my house and asked the ladies if they had any penny with them. They should give that to me. Allah would bless them with paradise. All shook their head. At that time, my daughter Saarah was playing there. When she heard that she said, "I have a few pennies. If paradise is granted in lieu of so few pennies, I will purchase it." I said to myself, "It is Allah's grace to bless with paradise whom He wills. Note, how the little girl has grasped the point. It is all Allah's grace. Then I took those pennies from Saarah, went to the Masjid and gave them to that beggar. (Waqaai' P:2180)
All the Muslims should contribute to generosity and alms and should try to inculcate this practice in their children.

Five Important Obligations of Islam

Ranjit Sigh had a French officer named General Ventora. That General confronted Hazrat Syed Ahmad twice but had to flee. That General was very intelligent and had knowledge of religions. Before the second fight, he had correspondence with Hazrat Syed Ahmad and requested him to send his representative for negotiation. Hazrat Syed Ahmad sent a learned scholar and brave saint Hazrat Maulana Khair-ud-Din Sherkoti to General Ventora for negotiations. Hazrat Maulana Khair-ud-Din Sharkati represented the Muslim Ummah well in that sitting and outbid and outwitted General Ventora. When General Ventora asked Hazrat Maulana, "Hazrat Syed Ahmad enjoys respect and fame in his area why does he not come here? Is it wisdom to come to fight an enemy stronger that one's ownself? Hazrat Maulana answered:

"The reason of Hazrat Syed's arrival, as you know, is that five dictates in Islam hold the position of obligation for whose performance there is stressive persuasion from Allah and they are prayers, Fasting, Zakat, Hajj and Jihaad." (Jabb Emaan Per Bahaar Ai P:167)

This was the creed of Hazrat Syed Ahmad and his people about Jihaad and this is the creed described by the Holy Quran and the Messenger of Allah ö. May Allah keep us alive at this creed and bless us with martyrdom at this creed!

Translated by: Abdullah