Shaikhul Hadith, Hadhrat Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya Sahib رحمه الله once came to Karachi to visit Hadhrat Mufti Muhammad Shafi Sahib رحمه الله. At that time, Hadhrat Mufti Sahib was very old and weak. He was completely bedridden. He was elated when he received the news of the arrival of Hadhrat Shaikhul Hadith Sahib رحمه الله. He immediately called for another bed and asked Hadhrat Shaikhul Hadeeth Sahib to lie down next to him.
These two great Ulama were both lying down on two separate beds when Hadhrat Mufti Shafi Sahib began complaining about his Madrasah, mentioning various problems from the students, from the government, etc. He explained that nowadays there are some students coming to the Madrasah but their aim is not to study. They come here only to cause mischief.
Hadhrat Mufti Sahib رحمه الله narrated many incidents and some details in this regard. Hadhrat Shaikhul Hadeeth Sahib رحمه الله listened to all these details with great care and then commented:
“These problems are not confined to your Madrasah alone. These problems occur in all Madrasahs with a little bit of difference in some situations. We experienced a major strike over there at home. People actually paid the students to strike against the Madrasah. Hadhrat Shaikh رحمه الله then said with emphasis; “To me, the only cure for these fitnahs is the abundant Zikr of Allah Ta’ala. When there is no one to take the name of Allah Ta’ala, that is when Qiyamah will occur. The Mubarak, pure name of Allah Ta’ala is preserving the entire world, hence we realise that this is the only refuge for our Madrasahs as well.”
Thereafter, when Hadhrat Shaikhul Hadith Sahib رحمه الله reached Makkah Mukarramah, he wrote the same article as a reminder to Hadhrat Mufti Shafi Saahib رحمه الله and Hadhrat Moulana Yusuf Binnori رحمه الله in two separate letters. The common contents in both the letters were as follows:
For many years, it has been coming to my mind regarding the increasing fitnahs in the madrasahs, the students’ lack of interest in Deen and their preoccupation in useless things. The reason for this is that the Zikr of Allah Ta’ala in the Madrasahs is becoming very scarce, in-fact it is becoming non-existent. I have actually seen some people having a hatred for this, which in my opinion is very dangerous.
The famous Madrasahs of India, Darul Uloom Deoband, Mazahirul Uloom Saharanpur, Shahi Moradabad, etc., were founded by our great Akabir. They were Imams in Sulook as well. I have been writing these articles for several years to different Madrasahs. The fitnahs in the Madrasahs are a cause of great pain to me. My opinion is that the only form of protection from these fitnahs is the abundance Zikr of Allah Ta’ala. When there will be no one to take the name of Allah Ta’ala, the entire world will come to an end. When the name of Allah Ta’ala has such strength that the entire world is functioning because of it, then the Madrasahs are like a small droplet compared to the entire world. It is obvious that the blessed name of Allah Ta’ala will become the means of their survival and protection.
In the time of our Akabir we all know how many Zaakireen and Saahib-e-Nisbat buzurgs there were in the Madrasahs, and now also it is clearly visible to us how these numbers have decreased. It is my wish and desire that the number of Zaakireen increase in the Madaaris.
(Madrasah Taleemudeen, Abnaa-e-Qadeem Newsletter, issue #2)