Maulānā ‛Abd al-Halīm Ganj

Murādābādī

He is the son of the grand-daughter of Hadrat

Maulānā Shāh Fadl Rahmān Ganj Murādābādī
rahimahullāh. He studied the external and spiritual
sciences from his father, Maulānā ‛Abd al-Karīm
Sāhib rahimahullāh who was a khalīfah of Hadrat
Maulānā Shāh Fadl Rahmān Ganj Murādābādī
rahimahullāh.
He remained in the masjid for fifty years. He used to
sweep the masjid himself and make it suitable for
use. Even when he was old and weak, he declined
the services and assistance of anyone. He would
sometimes experience spiritual ecstasy. When in
this state, he would scold and reprimand anyone
who was nearby – big and small, poor and wealthy.
When he was not in such a state, he would speak in
a soft and affectionate tone. He would occasionally
speak about local and foreign conditions. He wore
patched garments most of the time. He would used
pieces of old garments as hankies and towels. He
would lie on the masjid floor to take a rest. When
washing his feet in wudū’, he would read the
following in a loud tone:
َ َ َٰ ْ َ َ ْ َّ
ْ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫¾اﻃﻚ ا‬ َ
.‫ﻤﺴﺘﻘﻴﻢ‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ H ô‫ﻗﺪ‬
ِ ‫ﺛﺒﺖ‬ ِ Þ‫ا‬
O Allāh! Make firm my feet on Your straight
path.

141
Statements
(1)

Our elders taught us to visit the graveyard

frequently so that we remember death, and to visit
the sick so that we may be inspired to thank Allāh
ta‛ālā for our good health. I see people frequenting
the graveyard, but rarely do they go to visit the sick.
Note: Visiting the sick is one of the rights of
Muslims. We ought to be concerned about fulfilling
this right. The same can be said about offering
condolences to the bereaved. May Allāh ta‛ālā
inspire us to fulfil these rights with sincerity. Āmīn.
(compiler)
(2)
I am not worried about anyone straightening my
face or not straightening it after I die. What I am
particularly worried about is my heart remaining
straight until my last breath.
Note: Glory to Allāh! Look at his concern for a good
death and worry for the uprightness of his heart.
This is obviously a point of piety. (compiler)
(3)

I am grateful to Allāh ta‛ālā that I have gone blind. I

am at least saved from having to look at the faces of
oppressors. A real oppressor is one who
transgresses the limits laid down by Allāh ta‛ālā.
(4)
Why do you people come to me? I myself do not
know whether I will die in a state of īmān or
whether I will die like a dog.

142
Note: This statement demonstrates the extent of his
fear. It is a quality which ought to be in a believer.
May Allāh ta‛ālā bless us with it. Āmīn. (compiler)
(5)
You must certainly not observe the tījā1 and
chālīswā2 after I die.
Note: This demonstrates his strict following of the
Sunnah. Every saint ought to impart this advice – in
fact, write it down – before leaving from this world
so that his followers may observe it. (compiler)
(6)
People would not go to Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‛alayhi
wa sallam for ‛amalīyyāt; they used to go to him for
guidance.
Those who want ta‛wīdh and other related things
should go somewhere else where it has become a
business.
Note: This statement teaches us the fundamental
objective behind going to the saints. People should
not go to them only for ta‛wīdh. They ought to go for
guidance, rectification and tutoring. (compiler)
(7)
You people are always worried about eating and
drinking. Remember! If you eat two curries instead

1 Mourning the death of a person on the third day after

his demise.
2Mourning the death of a person on the 40th day after his
demise.

143
of one, your body may get bigger but your soul will
become weaker.
Note: Glory to Allāh! What a beautiful piece of
advice. May Allāh ta‛ālā inspire us to practise. Āmīn.
(compiler)
(8)
Maulānā rahimahullāh saw a man in prostration
with his fingers spread apart. When he completed
his salāh, he reprimanded the man saying: “You
have been frequenting this place for so long and you
still do not know how to perform salāh correctly!?
You must bring your fingers together when in
prostration.”
Note: Our saints were fastidious about following the
Sunnah and taught the same to their associates.
(compiler)
Demise

Maulānā rahimahullāh passed away on 19 Dhū al-

Hijjah 1403 A.H. He was buried in Ganj Murādābād.
May Allāh ta‛ālā illuminate his resting place.

144
 Maulānā Muhammad Ayyūb A‛zamī
Shaykh al-Hadīth Jāmi‛ah Islāmīyyah Ta‛līm ad-Dīn,
Dhābel, Sūrat
Birth
He was most probably born in 1317 A.H./1899 in
the Ma’u district.
His father, Hadrat Maulānā Sufi Muhammad Sābir
Sāhib rahimahullāh was a mujāz-e-suhbat of
Hadrat Maulānā ‛Abd al-Haqq Allāhābādī
rahimahullāh and a mujāz-e- bay‛at of Maulānā Sufi
Walī Muhammad Sāhib Ghausī rahimahullāh. He
used to confer khilāfat in the Naqshbandī Sufi
order. He had a large number of disciples in U.P.,
Bihār, Gujarat, Sindh, Burma, Rangoon, and other
regions. On his return from Sindh, he went to visit
Hadrat Maulānā Ashraf ‛Alī Thānwī Sāhib
rahimahullāh. He had a strong and loving bond wit
him.
Education
His early studies commenced in his house. He then
studied the primary texts under Hadrat Maulānā
‛Abd al-Ghaffār Sāhib ‛Irāqī Mau’ī rahimahullāh who
was one of the distinguished students of Hadrat
Maulānā Rashīd Ahmad Gangohī rahimahullāh.
After studying for some time in Jāmi‛ah Mazhar al-
‛Ulūm Benāres under Maulānā Amānullāh Sāhib
rahimahullāh, he proceeded to Deoband. He studied
there until the penultimate year. He then proceeded
to ‛Alīgarh Mendhū to study philosophy and logic.
He spent four years under Maulānā Mājid ‛Alī
Jaunpūrī rahimahullāh and Maulānā Lutfullāh
rahimahullāh. He then returned to Deoband where

145
he studied Sahīh Bukhārī and Sunan Tirmidhī under
Hadrat Maulānā Anwar Shāh Kashmīrī
rahimahullāh, and the remaining final-year texts
under other ‛ulamā’. He was particularly close to
Hadrat ‛Allāmah Ibrāhīm Balyāwī rahimahullāh. He
most probably graduated in 1337 A.H.
Services in the field of teaching
On completing his studies, he was appointed as the
head teacher in one of the branches of Madrasah
‛Āliyah Calcutta. Within two years, he was
influenced by the non-cooperation movement of
Hadrat Shaykh al-Hind rahimahullāh and therefore
left serving the English government. After a few
months, he was appointed as the head teacher and
Shaykh al-Hadīth of Anjuman Islāmīyyah, Diyūryā.
Within three years, he conducted the Sahīh Bukhārī
lessons to a large group of students. Maulānā
Hidāyatullāh Ma‛rūfī rahimahullāh and Hakīm
Muhammad Mustafā Ghāzīpūrī rahimahullāh were
among his noteworthy students.
On the insistence of the great Hadīth expert, Hadrat
Maulānā Habīb ar-Rahmān Sāhib A‛zamī
rahimahullāh and Maulānā ‛Abd al-Latīf Nu‛mānī
rahimahullāh, he resigned from Anjuman
Islāmīyyah and assumed the post of rector at
Jāmi‛ah Miftāh al-‛Ulūm, Ma’u. The Jāmi‛ah
experienced unprecedented progress under his
stewardship. The progress was largely due to his
sound intention and excellent efforts.
It was during his stewardship that Maulānā Habīb
ar-Rahmān Sāhib A‛zamī rahimahullāh was
appointed as a Member of the Legislative Assembly
(MLA). He was then followed by Maulānā ‛Abd al-
Latīf Sāhib as the MLA. Hadrat Maulānā Ayyūb

146
Sāhib rahimahullāh filled the academic vacuum
which was left by these two scholars. In addition to
the duties of a rector, he taught Sahīh Bukhārī and
Sunan Tirmidhī for seven years.
Maulānā rahimahullāh then decided to leave Miftāh
al-‛Ulūm because of certain personal reasons. He
then served Dār al-‛Ulūm Nadwatul ‛Ulamā’
Lucknow for two years as a Shaykh al-Hadīth.
During this period, he went for hajj for the first
time. While in Makkah, he met Hadrat Maulānā
Qārī Tayyib Sāhib rahimahullāh and the principal of
Jāmi‛ah Islāmīyyah Dhābel. Hadrat Qārī Sāhib
rahimahullāh said to him: “Ta‛līm ad-Dīn Dhābel is
our madrasah. I advise you to go to Dhābel. I will be
greatly pleased if you accept the post of head
teacher.” Maulānā rahimahullāh acceded to the
request while he was in Makkah. On his return from
hajj, he proceeded to Madrasah Ta‛līm ad-Dīn
Dhābel. He remained the Shaykh al-Hadīth of this
institute until the end of his life. All praise is due to
Allāh ta‛ālā alone.
Bay‛at
Hadrat Muslihul Ummat Maulānā Shāh
Wasīyyullāh Sāhib rahimahullāh came to Ma’u
when Maulānā rahimahullāh was the rector of
Jāmi‛ah Miftāh al-‛Ulūm. Maulānā rahimahullāh
pledged bay‛at to him in the Chishtī Sufi order.
Hadrat Muslihul Ummat rahimahullāh conferred
mujāz-e-suhbat to him while he already enjoyed
mujāz-e-bay‛at in the Naqshbandī Sufi order
through his family lineage.
Written works

Hadrat Maulānā rahimahullāh translated

Mukhtasar al-Hadīth of ‛Allāmah Mundhirī
147
rahimahullāh. He wrote a series of articles on
Ramadān in the periodical al-‛Adl – Gujrānwālā. He
also wrote a book against the Barelwī creed.
Countless moral and ethical articles of his were
published in several newspapers and periodicals.
Whenever Maulānā used to travel to or from Dhābel,
he used to take all his writings and manuscripts
with him. While travelling to Dhābel on one
occasion, his box of writings and manuscripts got
mislaid; never to be found again. He was
understandably grieved by this.
Memory
On one occasion, Hadrat Maulānā rahimahullāh
travelled from Calcutta to Ma’u. It was in the month
of Ramadān. There was no hāfiz to lead the
congregation in the tarāwīh salāh. Maulānā
rahimahullāh memorized fifteen pārās over a period
of fifteen days and recited them in the tarāwīh
salāh. His cousin, Hāfiz Muhammad Hasan
memorized the first fifteen pārās in fifteen days and
recited them in the tarāwīh salāh. Subsequently,
Maulānā rahimahullāh completed the hifz of the
whole Qur’ān. He recited the entire Qur’ān for about
thirty three years in the tarāwīh salāh. Maulānā
rahimahullāh read in a melodious tune which
prompted people to constantly request him to recite
the Qur’ān. His beautiful recitation continued until
the end of his life.
Lectures
Hadrat Maulānā rahimahullāh was a superb orator.
People used to listen enthusiastically to his lectures.

148
Love
Hadrat Maulānā rahimahullāh used to come to
Allāhābād frequently because of his spiritual
affiliation with Hadrat Muslihul Ummat
rahimahullāh. I had the opportunity of meeting him
on these occasions. In fact, even after the demise of
Hadrat Muslihul Ummat rahimahullāh, he used to
inform me when he intended to travel to Dhābel. He
would send a message requesting me to reserve a
ticket for him on the Kāshī Express for such and
such date and I used to fulfil his request. He said to
me on one occasion: “The Kāshī Express actually
leaves from Benāres which is closer to Ma’u.
However, I don’t make a reservation from there and
instead have it made from Allāhābād so that I could
meet you.” This demonstrates his special love and
consideration for the children and associates of his
shaykh. It is a sign of genuine sincerity.
A valuable article
We could not obtain any of the statements of Hadrat
Maulānā rahimahullāh. However, his son, Maulānā
Sa‛īd ar-Rahmān Sāhib Nadwī, sent an article which
had been published some time back in Ta‛mīr-e-
Hayāt. The Hadīth and its commentary is extremely
beneficial and enlightening. I am therefore quoting it
here verbatim.

—‫ ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻ‬:‫ﻋﻦ أ• أﻣﺎﻣﺔ ر– اﷲ ﻋﻨﻪ ﻗﺎل‬

‫ رﺳﻮل‬õ‫ﻮ‬# ‫ﺎن‬c‫ ﻣﻦ ﻳﺒﺎﻳﻊ؟ ﻓﻘﺎل ﺛﻮ‬:‫اﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ وﺳﻠﻢ‬
:‫ ﻗﺎل‬.‫ ﺑﺎﻳﻌﻨﺎ ﻳﺎ رﺳﻮل اﷲ‬:‫اﷲ ﺻ— اﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ وﺳﻠﻢ‬

149
 ‫ ﻳﺎ‬Z ‫ ﻓﻤﺎ‬:‫ﺎن‬c‫ ﻗﺎل ﺛﻮ‬.‫ﺌﺎ‬Á‫ أن ﻻ ÷ﺴﺌﻠﻮا أﺣﺪا ﺷ‬H
›
.‫اﻟﺦ‬...‫ﺎن‬c‫ ﻓﺒﺎﻳﻌﻪ ﺛﻮ‬:‫ ﻗﺎل‬.‫ﻨﺔ‬ƒ‫ ا‬:‫رﺳﻮل اﷲ؟ ﻗﺎل‬
Hadrat Abū Umāmah radiyallāhu ‛anhu
narrates that Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‛alayhi wa
sallam asked: “Who is going to pledge
allegiance?” Hadrat Thaubān radiyallāhu
‛anhu the freed slave of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu
‛alayhi wa sallam said: “O Rasūlullāh! Accept
my pledge.” Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‛alayhi wa
sallam said: “Take a pledge that you will not
ask anyone for anything.” Hadrat Thaubān
radiyallāhu ‛anhu asked: “What will such a
person receive?” Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‛alayhi
wa sallam replied: “Paradise.” Hadrat Abū
Umāmah radiyallāhu ‛anhu relates: I saw
Thaubān in a crowded place in Makkah while
he was on his animal. If his whip fell down,
and would sometimes fall on someone’s
shoulder, and the person would give it to him
but he would not take it. Instead, he would
dismount and personally pick up the whip.
The Musnad Ahmad, Abū Dāwūd and Nasa’ī narrate
from Hadrat Thaubān radiyallāhu ‛anhu who said
that Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‛alayhi wa sallam said:
“Any person who guarantees me that he will not ask
anyone for anything, then I guarantee him
Paradise.” Hadrat Thaubān radiyallāhu ‛anhu said:
“O Rasūlullāh! I am ready for it.” Subsequently,
Hadrat Thaubān radiyallāhu ‛anhu never asked
anyone for anything, so much so that if his whip fell
down while he was on his horse, he would not ask

.ˆ‰‹‰ :‫ ﺣﺪﻳﺚ‬،† ‫ ج‬:‫ﻤﻊ ا ﺰواﺋﺪ‬Ó) .ø‫ وأﺧﺮﺟﻪ أ ﺪ وأﺑﻮ داؤد واﻟ‡ﺴﺎ‬.e‫ا‬Ò‫رواه اﻟﻄ‬1

150
anyone to pass it to him. Instead, he would
dismount and pick it up.
This Hadīth makes reference to a good end for the
person who does not ask and beg. It means that
such a person will be admitted into Paradise
without any punishment with the first ones to enter
Paradise. However, it should be borne in mind that
if not asking could pose a threat to one’s life, then it
will be necessary to ask. If he passes away without
asking, he will be sinning. This is based on an
accepted principle among the scholars, viz.
necessity legalizes the unlawful.
This Hadīth clearly shows how ready and prepared
the Sahābah radiyallāhu ‛anhum were to implement
the teachings of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‛alayhi wa
sallam. If they had the slightest apprehension of
disobeying Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‛alayhi wa sallam
in the smallest way possible, they considered it
essential to abstain. This is why we see Hadrat
Thaubān radiyallāhu ‛anhu not asking anyone to
pass him his fallen whip. It was solely because it
could entail disobedience to the order of Rasūlullāh
sallallāhu ‛alayhi wa sallam. He did this even
though asking in this way did not fall under the
allegiance which he pledged to Rasūlullāh sallallāhu
‛alayhi wa sallam.
The Sharī‛at tried its utmost to stop anyone from
asking from another without any genuine need. The
scholars state that if a person has one day’s food
and enough clothing to cover his body, then it is
harām for him to beg. If he is an absolute pauper
but he is sound and healthy, and has the strength
to earn, then the correct view is that it is also harām
for him to beg. However, zakāh is permissible for
such a person. But it is still harām for him to beg.

151
In other words, it is one thing to be eligible for
zakāh and another to go around begging. This
shows that a person cannot go around begging even
if he is eligible for zakāh.
The Ahādīth contain severe warnings against
begging. One Hadīth states that if a person opens
the door to begging without suffering poverty, Allāh
ta‛ālā will open to him the door to various types of
needs. In other words, his needs will never be
fulfilled. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‛alayhi wa sallam
said that if a person only realized the extent of
humiliation and harm there is in begging, he will
never go as a beggar to anyone.
Those who acted on the teachings of Rasūlullāh
sallallāhu ‛alayhi wa sallam through the ages,
always safeguarded themselves against the curse of
begging. The story of Hadrat Thaubān radiyallāhu
‛anhu is a sufficient testimony to how knowledge
was coupled with practice.

‫ ”ن رﺳﻮل‬:‫ﻋﻦ اﺑﻦ ﻋﻤﺮ ر– اﷲ ﻋﻨﻪ أن ﻋﻤﺮ ﻗﺎل‬

:‫ ﻓﺄﻗﻮل‬،‫ اﻟﻌﻄﺎء‬z‫اﷲ ﺻ— اﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ وﺳﻠﻢ ﻳﻌﻄﻴ‬
‫ ﺧﺬه إذا ﺟﺎءك‬:‫ ﻓﻘﺎل‬،‫ ﻗﺎل‬،z‫أﻋﻄﻪ ﻣﻦ ﻫﻮ أﻓﻘﺮ إ}ﻪ ﻣ‬
‫ ﻓﺨﺬه‬،‫ف وﻻ ﻣﺎﺋﻞ‬ú# G‫ء وأﻧﺖ ﻏ‬û ‫ﺎل‬M‫ﻣﻦ ﻫﺬا ا‬
‫ وﻣﺎ ﻻ‬،‫ن ﺷﺌﺖ ﺗﺼﺪق ﺑﻪ‬d‫ و‬،‫ﻪ‬ü‫ن ﺷﺌﺖ ﻓ‬d‫ و‬،Z‫وﺗﻤﻮ‬
›
.‫اﻟﺦ‬... ‫ﺒﻌﻪ ﻧﻔﺴﻚ‬Æ‫ﻓﻼ ﺗ‬

.›‹ˆ‰ :‫ ﺣﺪﻳﺚ‬،‫ﺴﻠﻢ‬# ‫ وﺻﺤﻴﺢ‬،›ˆæ† :‫ ﺣﺪﻳﺚ‬،‫ﺻﺤﻴﺢ ا¼ﺨﺎري‬1

152
 Hadrat ‛Abdullāh ibn ‛Umar radiyallāhu ‛anhu
narrates that Hadrat ‛Umar radiyallāhu ‛anhu
said: Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‛alayhi wa sallam
was giving me something, so I said: “Give it
to someone who is more deserving than me.”
Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‛alayhi wa sallam said:
“When this wealth comes to you without
awaiting it nor longing for it, you must take it
and turn it into your wealth. After that, you
may eat it if you want or you can give it in
charity. However, you must not hanker after
any wealth which does not come to you in
this way.”
Sālim relates: It was the practice of Ibn ‛Umar
radiyallāhu ‛anhu to abstain from asking anyone for
anything. And if he received anything without
having asked for it, he would not decline it.
We learn from this Hadīth that if we receive
anything without hankering after it and asking for
it, we must accept it. But if we do not receive it in
this way, we must not hanker after it. In other
words, we must not bear difficulties in its quest.
Some narrations state that if we receive something
without seeking it and asking for it, we must accept
it because declining it and returning it entails
ingratitude to a gift.
There is a well-known story about Imām Ahmad ibn
Hambal rahimahullāh. He bought some items from
the shops and asked a labourer to carry them to his
house. At the time of reaching his house, there was
some bread which was kept aside and which the
labourer saw. Imām Ahmad rahimahullāh said to
his son: “Give one bread to the labourer.” When his
son was handing it over to him, he declined. As the
labourer was leaving and was on his way, Imām

153
Ahmad asked his son again: “Go and give it to him.”
His son went and gave it to the labourer and he
accepted the bread. The son found this strange, so
he asked his father about it. Imām Ahmad
rahimahullāh said: “When the labourer brought the
goods into the house and his eyes fell on the bread,
he developed a longing for it in his heart. That is
why he refused to accept it at that time. But when
he left, he had given up hope of receiving it, and the
longing for it had ended. This is why he accepted it
when you offered it to him a second time.”
Note: A point to reflect here is the spiritual condition
of even ordinary labourers of that time.
Unfortunately, even the learned and pious of today
do not have such a condition. Nowadays, we do not
consider begging and hankering after things to be a
defect. While there were many other wisdoms
behind Rasūlullāh’s prohibition of begging, one was
to create an Islamic society which is totally pure
from something as loathsome as begging. Begging
gives rise to many psychological illnesses in society.
For example, inferiority complex, separation into
upper and lower classes, the absence of a work
ethic, etc.
By the grace of Allāh ta‛ālā, Hadrat Maulānā
provided a beautiful explanation to the Hadīth. It is
worthy of being written in gold. (compiler)
Demise
Maulānā rahimahullāh had fallen critically ill and
became bed-ridden. His condition deteriorated
suddenly one morning and he passed away at the
age of about eighty-six. He passed away on 6
Shawwāl 1404 A.H./6 July 1984. To Allāh we
belong and to Him is our return.

154
A large crowd from the city and surrounding areas
attended his funeral. He was buried in his ancestral
graveyard in Ma’u.
May Allāh ta‛ālā pardon him and admit him into His
spacious gardens. Āmīn.

155