السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
It’s Monday 18th May 2020. My chosen topic today is ‘Ramaḍān and Ḥaḍrat Mawlānā Muḥammad Yūsuf Motālā Ṣāḥib, نور الله مرقده‘.
It has been my practice for many years now to spend one evening in Ramaḍān (ideally the Khatm ul-QurꜤān eve) in my beloved Dārul Uloom Bury, in the company of my beloved Shaykh, Ḥaḍrat Mawlānā Muḥammad Yūsuf Motālā Ṣāḥib, نور الله مرقده. Last Ramaḍān, I had a very special message for our Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده.
Mufti Muḥammad Taqī Us̱mānī, مدظله العالی had been in touch and wanted to visit a doctor, during a visit to Portugal. This particular doctor had been recommended to Mufti Taqī Ṣāḥib by Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده. Mufti Taqī Ṣāḥib had requested me to get the full details from Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده.
Most likely, it was Thursday 30th May (2019), after Tarāwīḥ, when I asked Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده about this doctor. Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده immediately called Mawlānā Yūsuf Kārā and requested him to give me the full details. When I informed Ḥaḍra,t نور الله مرقده that Mufti Taqī Ṣāḥib is visiting the UK after Ramaḍān, he requested Mawlānā to book Mufti Taqī Ṣāḥib’s programme in Dārul Uloom.
The true value of a person can only be realised when that person is not with us anymore. After Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, came to the UK in 1968, he spent a few Ramaḍāns in Sahāranpūr (India) with Shaykh Zakarīyā, نور الله مرقده, and few in the Zakarīyā Masjid in Bolton, until 1974.
The first ever Tarāwīḥ in Dārul Uloom Bury took place in 1975, مَا شَآءَ الله, with Mufti Shabbir Ṣāḥib leading the first 16 Rak’āt on the first night, and Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, leading the last 4. Next day, Mufti Shabbir Ṣāḥib led 16 Rak’āt again, and Mawlānā Ismā’īl Bhutā Ṣāḥib (father of Mawlānā ‘Abdul Matīn Bhutā, Forest Gate London) led the last 4. From the third night, it was Mufti Shabbir Ṣāḥib all the way, with 20 RakꜤāt, مَا شَآءَ الله.
This first Tarāwīḥ took place in the room where Mawlānā Islām ul-Ḥaq Ṣāḥib, نور الله مرقده, was residing. Since then, Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, spent his Ramaḍāns in Dārul Uloom Bury. In the late 70s and early 80s, Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, spent a few Ramaḍāns in South Africa with Shaykh Zakarīyā, نور الله مرقده.
After the passing away of Shaykh Zakarīyā, نور الله مرقده, in Madīnah al-Munawwarah, Ḥaḍrat نور الله مرقده, started spending his Ramaḍāns in the Holy Lands, with a number of teachers and students joining him. Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, would stay for 20 days in Makkah al-Mukarramah and 10 days in Madīnah al-Munawwarah.
Mufti Shabbir Ṣāḥib informed me today that Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, used to walk very fast while performing his ‘Umrah, especially during Sa’ī, so much so that it was virtually impossible to keep up with him. That too after ‘Aṣr, in the scorching heat of Arabia, سُبْحَانَ الله. As the years went by, Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده then spent his Ramaḍāns back in Dārul Uloom Bury, and visited the Ḥaramain outside of Ramaḍān.
Dārul Uloom Bury would be buzzing during the last few days of Ramaḍān. Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده would enrich the attendees with many precious advices. Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, would not waste one second in Ramaḍān. We can go on and on but let’s conclude with 3 points I remember very clearly.
Ḥaḍrat had a very close friend, who was a barrister; a smart man, clean shaven and always wearing a suit. Whenever he would visit Dārul Uloom, Ḥaḍrat would stand this barrister next to him during namāz (Salāh). Once, after the barrister’s visit, Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, told us that, ‘you must be thinking why I ask a clean shaven person in a suit, to stand next to me in namāz?’
Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, explained ‘These are the people we need to work on. مَا شَآءَ الله , all of you are students, and teachers, who are already trying your best to become practising Muslims. We have to show love and affection to all. اِنْ شَاءَ الَّلهُ, by our good character and conduct, all others will also become practising’. What an insight, سُبْحَانَ الله.
Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, had a Saudi friend, who was a very big benefactor for Dārul Uloom. On one occasion, when he visited Dārul Uloom, Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, accompanied him from start to finish. After his departure, Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, said to us, ‘You must be thinking that I am with a Saudi because of his wealth’.
Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, then went on to say ‘By the Grace of Almighty Allāh and the company of Ḥaḍrat Shaykh, نور الله مرقده,, not even a thought of his wealth has ever crossed my mind’. سُبْحَانَ الله, Ḥaḍrat’s piety was second to none.
Finally, one day Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, addressed us and said, ‘All of us should always fear Almighty Allāh. Let it not be that on the Day of Judgement we are brought in front of the people, our hands tied with handcuffs, due to our sins. What face will we show to all those who thought so highly of us?’. These words of Ḥaḍrat always echo in my ears.
Almighty Allāh convert the resting place of our Ḥaḍrat, نور الله مرقده, into a Garden of Jannat ul-Firdaus and forgive his shortcomings, Āmeen.
A photo of the stairwell that led to Ḥaḍrat’s residence on the third floor of Dārul Uloom’s old building.
جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا
Request for Du’ās
وَالسَّلَامُ Hanif Dudhwala