السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
It’s Saturday 22nd January 2022 / 20 Jumādā al-Thānī 1443H.
Today I am starting a very special 7 part series, regarding a very special personality.
The title of this series is ‘My Teacher – My Friend’.
As I entered the gates of Dārul Uloom Bury one August in 1982, a new world opened up to me. Here I was, a 15 year old accompanied by my best friend, in a place which was to be home for the next 8 years. Dārul Uloom Bury was in its prime in the 1980s and words will not do justice to the serene and spiritual atmosphere of this amazing and fascinating institute.
I had heard of the titles, Ḥāfiẓ Ṣāḥib and Mawlānā Ṣāḥib. Dārul Uloom had so many, مَا شَآءَ الله. It was in Dārul Uloom that I came across the title ‘Muftī Ṣāḥib’ and met a Muftī Ṣāḥib for the first time ever in my life.
Little did I know back then in 1982 that I was going to benefit from a Muftī Ṣāḥib, who I would become friends with and still be so close to, some 40 years later. Who was this Muftī Ṣāḥib? Or should I say ‘Ocean of Knowledge’?
If memory serves me correctly, there was only one Muftī Ṣāḥib in Dārul Uloom Bury in 1982. A person with such a prestigious title and with such a degree, he was simply referred to as Muftī Ṣāḥib. No fancy titles before his name, and nothing after.
As 1982 to 1984 were my Ḥāfiẓ Class days, there was not much interaction with Muftī Ṣāḥib. It was very apparent that Muftī Ṣāḥib was the right hand man of our Ḥaḍrat Mawlānā Yūsuf Motālā Ṣāḥib, نور الله مرقده. I don’t think I have heard any other person’s name mentioned by Ḥaḍrat more than Muftī Ṣāḥib’s. He kept Dārul Uloom going like clockwork. He was one of the first to arrive in Dārul Uloom in the morning and one of the last to leave in the evening.
All my teachers in Dārul Uloom have had an effect on me and all have played a major part in taking me out of ignorance, into the world of knowledge. However, some of my teachers are absolute gems and stars. Muftī Ṣāḥib ranks amongst the highest. In this very special 7 part series, I want to introduce Muftī Ṣāḥib to the masses, especially the residents of Blackburn and Lancashire.
Feel free to share far and wide.
جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا
Request for Du’ās
وَالسَّلَامُ Hanif Dudhwala
Graduate of Dārul Uloom Bury (1991)
Part 1 ; Part 2 ; Part 3 ; Part 4 ; Part 5 ; Part 6 ; Part 7