A glowing tribute
Sri Lanka is an island of 25,000 square miles close to the
southernmost tip of India. The population is 11-12 million of whom 7 percent are
Muslims (figures of 1970). Many Saints (Pirs) especially from neighbouring India
have come intermittently to spread the beautiful teachings of Islam. Majority of
the Mosques, orphanages and Madressas in Sri Lanka were built through their
influence, inspiration and blessings. Adam’s Peak is believed to be the place
where Hazrat Adam (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him and his lineage) asked pardon from God and has proven to be a magnet for
many Arabian mystics visiting Sri Lanka during the past few centuries.
Sri Lanka
retains affectionate memories of Imamul Aroos of KeelaKarai (South India) and
Maulana Abdul Aleem Siddiqui Qadiri (may Allah be pleased with them).
In the latter part of 1963 Sri Lanka had the good fortune of
Almighy Allah’s blessing to receive one of the leading scholars of the
Indo-Pak subcontinent, His Eminence, Fakhrul Islam Allama al-Hajj Hafiz Maulana
Muhammad Ibrahim Khushtar Siddiqui Qadiri Razvi. He arrived as the Khateeb
(lecturer) of the Colombo Memon Hanafi Mosque. Although Maulana Khushtar has been with us for only a short time (latter
part of 1963 to 29th April 1964) he is still affectionately
remembered and discussed by many people. Numerous people from Sri Lanka still
correspond with him. What is the reason for this indissoluble link with a person
whom we knew only for a very short time?
Being true to the tradition His Eminence was humble every minute
of his life serving and living Islam. The rich and the poor were evaluated
according to their pious deeds, and he never flinched from fighting materially
powerful men for the sake of Truth. Always forgiving and praying for those who
wronged and vilified him publicly and secretly.
From personal experiences we know it is a very difficult thing
indeed because of our egos. Although many of us pray and publicize piety, there
are moments when we tend to welcome our animal self. His Eminence showed us
through his personal life what heights a human being could attain if he breathed
and lived in the Divine. His Eminence went out of his way to inconvenience
himself with the object of serving Islam. After congregational prayers he would
invite some of those who greeted him to come up to his room and see him. And
sometimes some of them went to his room and kept on firing absurd questions, but
he never lost his patience. Once I was in the room when a person was asking him
a string of questions on the ritual of salaat (prayer). Others in the room
fidgeted but His Eminence answered all his questions without even a trace of
impatience or impoliteness, let alone anger.
Maulana's room was open to all visitors daily and nightly until
about 11pm except when he had a nap after lunch. His room was filled with people
of all social classes. I remember a dockyard worker who used to visit him daily.
Maulana Khushtar has a special affinity to the poor and needy of this world. I
saw him many times escorting the dockyard worker up to his room with his hand on
his shoulders, comforting him. When spiritual light emanates it lightens all the
burdens that a man has and makes his life smooth like floating on an ocean. He
maintained dignity without being pompous. To him every man was a creature
created by Almighty Allah.
His Eminence never refused an invitation to a house. My
grandparents are rich however I am not wealthy and live in a small house in an
unfashionable part of Colombo. He came to my house about six times. An aunt of
mine was shocked when she heard that Maulana came to my humble abode. The reason
was not far to seek. Many of the so-called Pirs and Maulana's used to visit the
houses of the very rich only. They use to keep away from the poor like avoiding
the plague. Once I remember His Eminence visiting a house where there was not
even a chair. He stayed there for a very long time seated on the floor, which
was covered by a small mat and piece of cloth. But Maulana never avoided the
wealthy. He kept company with them on equal terms, and made them respect him by
the dignity of his behavior.
Every Jummah night there was Halqa Zikr at the Colombo Memon
Hanafi Mosque where previously there was none. The Qadiriyya Zikr circle
expanded rapidly. Every 11th of the Islamic Month there was Igyarween Shareef in remembrance of Hazrat Ghaus-ul-Azam
(may Allah be pleased with him). He visited
houses for Halqa Zikr. The zikr for Igyarween Shareef, which
His Eminence started, is still being continued. On Friday Jummah prayers mats
had to be put on the roads to accommodate the overflow of people.
His Eminence used to explain to us the Masnavi Shareef of
Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (may Allah be pleased with him), a book we had never heard of before. He used to
give up invitations after Esha Prayers in order to explain the Masnavi Shareef
to those who went there every day. He would interpret the narration of Masnavi
with suitable pieces of Hadiths and anecdotes of the Sufi Saints. Jalaluddin
Rumi revealed in his Masnavi a mystery of profound significance. For ages the
Poets of Persia and India have left a wonderful treasure of thought for
humanity. Maulana Rumi’s writings have illuminated countless souls. In the
East his works are considered as sacred as Holy Scriptures and the study of his
writings can be considered to belong to the highest standard of culture.
People flocked to him because of his spirituality. Some Pirs and
Sheikhs use to divide Muslims and compartmentalize them into various groups and
ethnic sects. Some of them regarded the members of other Tariqas as if they were
enemies. This was not the type of behavior from His Eminence; in an earlier era
there had been an undercurrent of hostility among the members of various Tariqas.
In His Eminence room we saw members of all other Tariqas (Sufi brotherhoods). He
freely offered advice when asked. He prayed for the sick and never questioned
whether or not they requested his prayers. The one who learns to tread the
Spiritual Path must become as empty as a cup in order that the Divine Music of
Love and Harmony may be passed down into his heart.
He never frowned at disciples of other Tariqas. Once there were
two people in his room, they had come for advice (Naseehath). His Eminence kept
them for some time. Although they did not tell him why they came, he knew their
reasons. He finally told them "Maulana so and so had given you such and
such a thing to be recited, keep reciting them". Whenever a minor came for
advice (Naseehath) he gave him Naseehath only after he had inquired if he had
parental permission. This indeed was a sense of high priority with some Pirs
when they canvassed for disciples (mureeds), as if they were recruiting for a
political party
Once a friend of mine was seated in Maulana’s room when
Maulana was speaking to another person. Suddenly my friend felt sorry for
himself for he was not an Aalim. He was thinking that he could be a better
Muslim that does service for Islam, if he knew his religion well. At this time
His Eminence stopped his conversation and told him, my friend, ‘piety with
little knowledge was better than knowledge without piety’.
Before we close this short review of his stay we must relate
another incident prior to His Eminence’s departure on 29 April 1964 to
Pakistan. A friend of ours arranged a grand final, a fitting public farewell for
His Eminence. For two weeks this young man had run from pillar to post to
arrange for this grand final. Police authorization, loudspeakers, permits,
chairs, newspaper advertisements, and many things had been done. However on the
day of the final farewell at 5:30pm my friend was panic-stricken for it was
clear that a rainstorm was pending. So this young man ran up to His Eminence and
told him that the rain clouds were threatening to ruin the farewell, to which
Maulana gave a very good answer. He said, "Haji Ahmed, aap aap ka kaam karo!
Rab Rab us ka kaam karaiga."(Haji Ahmed, you do your work, the Lord will do
His).
From this time onwards the room was closed to visitors and
Maulana was humbly supplicating to Almighty Allah and Almighty Allah heard his
prayers. The farewell was a grand success and it started raining only after we
had reached our homes. After the main speech His Eminence touched on this point.
He said that the organizer of the farewell went to him and complained that it
looked as if the fortnight’s preparations might go to waste because of the
threatening rain. His Eminence then explained that once Hazrat Ghaus-ul-Azam
Sayyiduna Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah be pleased with him) had complained to Almighty Allah that whereas
he had gathered Muslims to propagate His Religion, Allah dispersed them. So he
Maulana explained to those at the meeting that those who walk on the Path of
Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (Allah bless him and give him peace) and Hazrat
Ghaus-ul-Azam (may Allah be pleased with him) would be accorded
similar treatment by Almighty Allah.
His Eminence made several visits to Sri Lanka and his fifth
visit was on 24th November-3rd December 1998 and disciples
arranged a very tight schedule for him. The very next day His Eminence held a
Halqa Zikr and a very large gathering partook in this spiritual exercise. Prior
to the Halqa Zikr, His Eminence mentioned that he was physically weak but
spiritually strong and many new followers took bayat (allegiance). During those
10 days His Eminence accepted invitations to may prominent personalities,
Islamic Centers, committee members, disciples and was invited by a respected
Muslim leader of Sri Lanka, a Parliamentarian and Minister and Speaker of the
Opposition. Other invitations and visits to prominent personalities such as
founder member of the World Muslim League (Rabita Al Alam Al Islamic) and
representative of the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah, Ministers of local
government and provincial councils, etc. On the morning of his departure, he
recited the Qaseedat al Burdah (Mantle of the Prophet) with seven Mureeds and on
every day during his stay, he emphasized on these three matters: Faith,
Intention and Action
His Eminence distributed great books and articles, which he
published in Mauritius on the Qadiri Tradition, on the great Islamic genius and
scholar, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (may Allah be pleased with him) and other great Saints and mystics of Islam.
We the Qadiri brethren in Tariqat of the Sunni Razvi Society International
dedicate this humble effort of ours to our beloved Spiritual Master and hope it
is good enough to be published. We hope the day comes when we can meet him again
personally and listen to the wonderful words of wisdom that springs from his
holy lips.
We humbly thank Almighty Allah for giving us this great and good
fortune to have been inspired by this noble servant of Allah. We have vowed to
devote a part of our lives to the noblest cause of all, the cause of serving
Allah and his beloved Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (Allah bless him and give him
peace). We pray we would be strong
and courageous for this work.
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