السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
It’s Wednesday 16th February 2022 / 16 Rajab 1443H.
Let me tell you about ‘The first teacher I met in Dārul Uloom Bury’.
When I entered the gates of Dārul Uloom Bury in August 1982, I was accompanied by my best friend, his father, and my elder brother. My friend’s father knew one of the teachers at Dārul Uloom, so we made our way to the class where he was teaching.
This was the first teacher I met in Dārul Uloom. It has been 40 years now since that first meeting with this particular teacher who turned out to be an absolute gem.
Dārul Uloom Bury opened in 1975. Together with Ḥaḍrat Mawlānā Yūsuf Motālā Ṣāḥib, نور الله مرقده, and my father-in-law (Qāri Ismā’īl Samniwālā, نور الله مرقده), this ustād was also a founding trustee and remains a trustee to this day.
When the time came to sacrifice virtually every single comfort of life for the sake of spreading our beautiful religion here in the UK, this teacher of mine left the comforts and luxury of his home town of Bolton and came to live in Ramsbottom, an all-white locality.
Just walking into Ramsbottom in broad daylight was a mission in our early Dārul Uloom days. We used to get all sorts of comments and abuse. Just imagine living in a small terraced house with a wife and young children in such an environment.
This was the ultimate sacrifice, because of which today this teacher has hundreds of students and disciples all over the globe, especially in Batley. Very softly spoken, as humble as can be, hardly ever seen losing his temper, always remaining engaged in Zikr and ‘Ibādat, this Khalifah of Ḥaḍrat Shaikh Zakarīyā, نور الله مرقده, stood shoulder to shoulder with our Ḥaḍrat and Qāri Ismā’īl Samniwālā, رَحْمَةُ الله عليهما, during Dārul Uloom’s toughest years.
During my ‘Ālim class days, I got more and more closer to this Saint of Almighty Allāh, and was also blessed to be taught by him. During the 5th year, I had the privilege of studying Jalālayn part 2, and in the final year, we prayed Abū Dāwūd Sharīf.
Our class was also blessed with visiting this teacher’s house in Ramsbottom every weekday during our 4pm to 6pm break, where the daily Majlis would take place, and Khālā would make sure she provided us with fruit everyday.
It was these special Majālis and the one to one connection with these giants of knowledge and piety that made Dārul Uloom Bury unique, and different to other Dārul Ulooms. Knowledge, Tasawwuf and self-rectification went hand in hand in Dārul Uloom Bury.
This teacher of ours is now in his 80s and not in the best of health. A humble request for Du’ā please. He has two sons, both graduates of Dārul Uloom Bury teaching at Dārul Uloom, and two daughters, both of whom are ‘Ālimāts, married to graduates of Dārul Uloom Bury.
May Almighty Allāh lengthen the shadow of Ḥaḍrat Mawlānā Hāshim Jogwāri Ṣāḥib upon the Ummah and ease the circumstances upon him, Āmeen.
May The Almighty accept all of Mawlānā Hāshim Ṣāḥib’s sacrifices and reward him and his family in abundance in the Hereafter in return for all their sacrifices in this world, Āmeen.
جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا
Request for Du’ās
وَالسَّلَامُ Hanif Dudhwala