Introduction to the Founder of the Institute

Family Background

Hazrat Rahimahullah's family is a branch of the Punjabi Saudagaran (Punjabi Merchants) of Delhi. The Punjabi Saudagaran originally hailed from the Bhera district of Punjab and were historically Hindus. According to Hazrat Sayyid Nafees al-Husseini Shah Sahib (Rahimahullah), Hazrat Shah Shams Sabzwari (Rahimahullah) of Multan preached to them and brought them into the fold of Islam. Whichever Hindu embraced Islam at his blessed hands, Hazrat Sabzwari considered him a member of the new Muslim brotherhood, to the extent that the very identity of this community became established as "Shamsi" in attribution to Hazrat Shams (Rahimahullah). Hazrat Sabzwari gave this community a special prayer of divine blessing in commercial trade.

Note: Hazrat Sayyid Nafees al-Husseini Shah Sahib (Rahimahullah) used to emphasize with insistence that the aforementioned saint was firmly of Ahlus Sunnah creed; attributing him to the Shi'a tradition is entirely mistaken.

This family of new Muslims settled in various regions of the subcontinent, especially in Delhi, where due to their Punjab origin they came to be renowned as the Punjabi Saudagaran. The sole identity and unifying bond of this family was Islam; therefore, despite the relentless passage of time, this family has always retained profound love and attachment to Islam. (However, due to a lack of sound scholarly guidance or leadership occasionally falling into misguided hands, this enthusiasm led some individuals astray, far from the straight path of truth).

Since Hazrat Dr. Sahib (Rahimahullah) was born in 1950 after the Partition of the subcontinent, it is appropriate to recount some historical details of this community and Hazrat's lineage prior to Partition.

Before Partition, the Punjabi Saudagaran community held deep devotion towards two towering spiritual elders of Delhi whose names alone suffice to reflect their stature and scholarly service: (1) Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Sahib (Rahimahullah) of Basti Nizamuddin, and (2) Hazrat Mufti Kifayatullah Sahib Dehlawi (Rahimahullah). In comparison to his paternal relatives, Hazrat Dr. Sahib's maternal family maintained even greater devotion to these eminent elders. Hazrat's maternal grandfather, Shaykh Abdul Jabbar Fazl-e-Ilahi Sahib (Rahimahullah), was not only among the intimate companions of Maulana Ilyas Sahib (Rahimahullah), but after Partition was also counted among the prominent elders of the Tablighi effort in Karachi. Similarly, his two sons, Ibrahim Abdul Jabbar Sahib (Rahimahullah) and Hafiz Khalil Abdul Jabbar Sahib (may his shadow lengthen), are also counted among the renowned elders of the Tablighi movement.

Hazrat Dr. Sahib's paternal family, while not having a notable direct attribution to the aforementioned elders, was widely renowned for its inherent nobility, honesty, and decency. Prior to Partition, Hazrat's paternal grandfather, Shaykh Abdul Wahhab (late), opened a shop in Anarkali, Lahore, alongside his business in Delhi, and also built a home in the "Paisa Akhbar" locality of Lahore. He resided six months in Lahore and six months in Delhi. Since most members of the family lived in Delhi, his enterprise in Lahore earned him the designation of "Lahore-wala" (The Gentleman from Lahore) among relatives in Delhi. Gradually, this identity became so entrenched that in Delhi, not only was their residence famously called the "Lahore-wala House," but the lane itself became known as "Lahore-wali Gali."

Hazrat's Respected Parents

Hazrat's paternal home was a conventional commercial merchant household, where while there was no impiety, neither was there deep academic religious scholarship. Nevertheless, it was fully endowed with the genuine righteousness, integrity, and piety that was generally prevalent among upright people of that era. After Partition, Hazrat's father initially resided for a short period in Karachi, where Hazrat was born. Subsequently, the family relocated permanently to their home in Lahore and took over the pre-existing family business in Anarkali.

Since Hazrat's respected mother belonged to an esteemed Tablighi household, she actively maintained her connection with Da'wah and Tabligh after moving to Lahore. In her own home, she established a weekly educational gathering (Ta'leem) for women, which according to several senior elders was the very first organized effort in Lahore for women's weekly Ta'leem under the auspices of the Tablighi Jamaat.

Events Surrounding His Birth

A well-known tradition preserved in the family recounts that Hazrat's paternal grandmother was an extraordinarily pious woman, strictly steadfast in her prayers and fasts, and in her later years her true, verified dreams gained renown throughout the family. One day, while resting in a seated posture, she drifted into slumber; upon waking, she announced: "I was told in a dream: 'This grandson who is about to be born to you shall attain a very lofty spiritual and academic station, and his name must be kept Abdul Wahid.'"

My grandmother used to remark: "This child (Hazrat Dr. Sahib) never troubled me in the slightest." It was as though from his very earliest days, his nature was inherently fashioned upon uprightness, serenity, and wholesome virtue.

Childhood and Youth

From earliest childhood, Hazrat was gentle, quiet, and reserved, consistently distancing himself from frivolous games, sports, and quarreling. He was so passionately devoted to reading and studying that the school principal summoned his father and asked: "Does this child suffer from some psychological problem? Or is he enduring domestic distress? He remains silent all the time and keeps studying incessantly." His father answered: "No, there is no problem whatsoever." The principal inquired: "Then why does he not participate in games and sports like other boys?" His father replied: "If a child neglects his studies and remains absorbed in play, that constitutes a valid complaint; but if a child remains absorbed in studies and does not indulge in sports, surely that cannot be grounds for complaint!"

Because Hazrat's family was immersed in mercantile trade, and merchant families typically prioritize commerce over higher education (though nowadays some inclination towards religious or secular higher education has emerged), in Hazrat's youth it was exceedingly rare for anyone to pursue higher academic degrees. Boys would enter the family business after completing merely a few elementary grades.

The house adjacent to Hazrat belonged to his paternal uncle. His uncle's sons, like typical youths of the community, showed little interest in academic studies; their father would reprimand them sharply: "You never study; go look at him (Hazrat Dr. Sahib)—you will find him sitting with his books studying intently!"

Arduous Diligence & Study Routine

Hazrat (Rahimahullah) used to recount: "In natural academic ability I was an average student, but Allah Almighty blessed me with the wealth of knowledge entirely through continuous, unremitting hard work."

As an illustration of his relentless labor and the intense focus he placed on studies, Hazrat related that after concluding his final MBBS examinations at King Edward Medical College (an institution widely reputed for its rigorous difficulty), for several consecutive days even in his dreams he felt as though he was still seated in the examination hall. His academic concentration had thoroughly gripped his nervous system.

The entire duration of Hazrat's academic career—whether secular or religious—was such that studying uninterruptedly until 1:00 AM every night was his fixed daily habit. When guests visited the house, he would meet them only during meal times, and immediately upon finishing his meal, he would return straight to his academic desk.

Studying and writing until 1:00 or 1:30 AM remained his unbroken nightly routine right up until the onset of Parkinsonian tremors, which afflicted Hazrat at the age of 58. Thus, he faithfully maintained this rigorous routine for nearly half a century. Even before his terminal illness, the moment conversation with family members or visitors concluded, without wasting a single second, he would immediately resume reading and writing.

Contemporary Secular Education

Driven by natural intellectual thirst, upon entering school Hazrat began studying with utmost devotion. His father enrolled him in "The Cathedral School," the foremost educational institution in academic standards in Lahore at that time. He studied there from the elementary classes up to Matriculation. In Matric, he was initially enrolled in the Arts group; however, after some time, upon the sound counsel of his maternal uncle Ibrahim Abdul Jabbar Sahib, he approached the principal to switch to the Science group. The principal pointed out that very little time remained before the board examinations and that switching from Arts to Science at this late stage was inadvisable. Nevertheless, the inner yearning to complete his Matriculation in Science had become intensely strong in Hazrat's heart. The principal summoned Hazrat's father and explained the difficulty. His father firmly supported Hazrat, saying: "If the boy possesses this desire, please permit him to change the group." Ultimately, the principal granted permission, and Hazrat completed his Matriculation in Science with flying colors.

When the juncture arrived to pursue F.Sc (Pre-Medical), Hazrat mentioned that The Cathedral School had introduced classes up to F.A. and F.Sc that very same year. Consequently, he did not need to run about seeking admission elsewhere; by virtue of being a continuing student, he gained admission into F.Sc with ease.

Following the successful completion of his F.Sc, he was admitted to Lahore's premier medical institution, King Edward Medical College, from where he completed his MBBS degree in 1973.

Not many details have been preserved regarding his medical college days, except that Hazrat mentioned he had already embarked upon the pursuit of formal Islamic sciences alongside his medical college studies.

Inception of Religious Education

The school where Hazrat received his foundational education (The Cathedral School) is a Christian missionary institution. In this school, there was a designated period for Bible studies in which Muslim pupils were strictly prohibited from sitting; only Christian students were permitted to attend. Seeing the meticulous care and seriousness accorded to religious education among Christian youths, an ardent desire was kindled in Hazrat's heart from that very early age to learn the teachings of his own faith. However, a suitable academic environment for classical Islamic learning was not accessible at the time.

During his years at medical college, he developed an acquaintance with Dr. Israr Ahmed Sahib, who was himself an MBBS doctor and used to deliver regular Quranic lectures (Dars-e-Quran) at Masjid Khadra in Samanabad, Hazrat's residential neighborhood. Hazrat completed several short introductory modular courses organized by Dr. Israr's institute; however, following this, his inner yearning to acquire complete, comprehensive, and classical Islamic scholarship grew even more intense. Recognizing Hazrat's genuine determination for complete religious mastery, Dr. Israr Sahib advised him to approach Hazrat Maulana Sayyid Hamid Mian Sahib (Rahimahullah) (Distinguished Graduate of Darul Uloom Deoband and Authorized Spiritual Successor / Khalifah of Hazrat Maulana Sayyid Husain Ahmad Madani Rahimahullah).

Hazrat Maulana Sayyid Hamid Mian Sahib (Rahimahullah) had previously visited Masjid Khadra in Samanabad on several occasions to deliver public lectures at Dr. Israr's invitation; hence, Maulana Hamid Mian's personality was already familiar to Hazrat.

During his medical studies, the profound aspiration to memorize the Holy Quran (Hifz) also took root in his heart. Alongside his demanding medical curricula, he embarked on memorizing the Quran. This undertaking spanned an extended period, but Allah Almighty granted him the divine facilitation (tawfeeq) to complete the memorization of the entire Quran. In later years, he had the privilege of reciting the complete Quran in Tarawih prayers twice in the mosque and numerous times at home. (However, owing to memorizing at a mature age, despite lifelong exertion his memorization was never as effortlessly fluid as that of someone who memorizes in early childhood).

During his medical college days, he also began taking part in the activities of the Tablighi Jamaat, which expanded over time. But upon graduating from medical college, a critical crossroads presented itself: should he spend four months in Tabligh, or enter a traditional madrasah for rigorous classical scholarship? Hazrat laid the yearning of his heart before his companions—that his true calling was formal religious scholarship. He then formally began attending Jamia Madnia under Hazrat Maulana Sayyid Hamid Mian (Rahimahullah), enrolling from the very elementary level and studying systematically all the way to graduation.

In between his studies, due to the compulsory military conscription law enacted at that time for newly graduated doctors, he was required to serve as a Captain in the Pakistan Army Medical Corps for two years. During this period, while posted to various regions, on the explicit advice of Maulana Hamid Mian (Rahimahullah) he utilized his evening hours to study classical religious texts under the tutelage of teachers at nearby madrasahs.

Acquisition of Complete Religious Sciences

Hazrat (Rahimahullah) not only completed the classical Dars-e-Nizami curriculum in its entirety, but also pursued formal studies in the Seven and Ten variant Quranic recitations (Qira'at Sab'ah and 'Asharah), and read advanced texts in specialization (Takmeel and Takhassus). In that era, he studied virtually all classical textbooks prevalent in Dars-e-Nizami; he even completed formal studies in classical Eastern medicine (Tibb-e-Yunani). Furthermore, he studied the specialized science of Hadith terminology and critique under the celebrated Hadith master Hazrat Maulana Abdul Rasheed Nomani Sahib (Rahimahullah).

At one stage, the Egyptian government deputed official Egyptian scholars to Pakistani madrasahs to train Pakistani students in Arabic composition, syntax, and spoken fluency. During his teaching career, Hazrat dedicated a full year, setting aside an hour daily, to study under the Egyptian scholar Shaykh Mamduh al-Misri, who was stationed at Jamia Madnia, in order to perfect his spoken Arabic diction and conversational fluency.

Hazrat's formal period of Islamic education spanned from 1973 to approximately 1982.

In short, Hazrat did not merely skim through an abridged crash course, nor did he simply learn basic Arabic to attempt independent interpretation of the Quran and Hadith; rather, he acquired comprehensive, rigorous, and deep classical scholarship according to the authentic pedagogical disciplines of traditional Islamic learning.

Eminent Spiritual and Academic Masters

During the era in which Hazrat pursued his religious studies, most teachers across the major madrasahs were illustrious graduates of Darul Uloom Deoband and men of profound spiritual stature. Most of Hazrat's teachers hailed from this very distinguished garden. Among his prominent teachers were:

1. Hazrat Maulana Sayyid Hamid Mian Sahib (Rahimahullah): Graduate of Darul Uloom Deoband, worthy son of Hazrat Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Mian Sahib (Rahimahullah), and authorized Khalifah of Hazrat Shaykh-ul-Islam Maulana Sayyid Husain Ahmad Madani (Rahimahullah).
2. Hazrat Maulana Mufti Abdul Hameed Sahib Sitapuri (Rahimahullah): Graduate of Darul Uloom Deoband and Chief Mufti of Jamia Madnia, Lahore.
3. Hazrat Maulana Zahoor-ul-Haq Sahib (may his noble shadow lengthen): Graduate of Darul Uloom Deoband.
4. Hazrat Maulana Sayyid Mirza Gul Sahib (Rahimahullah).
5. Hazrat Maulana Abdul Rasheed Nomani Sahib (Rahimahullah): Graduate of Nadwat-ul-Ulama, Lucknow, and master of Hadith sciences.

Upon completing Dars-e-Nizami, Hazrat appeared in the centralized examination under the Wifaq-ul-Madaris Al-Arabia Pakistan. At that time, the Wifaq conducted examinations exclusively for Dawrah-e-Hadith (the final graduation year). The Wifaq did not supply a standardized central syllabus; individual madrasahs followed their own integrated curricula.

The era of Hazrat's religious education was one in which teachers administered strict physical discipline and reprimand to students. Some of Hazrat's teachers, particularly Qari Abdul Rasheed Sahib (Rahimahullah) and Mufti Abdul Hameed Sahib (Rahimahullah), were widely renowned for their uncompromising strictness. Nevertheless, all teachers showed great consideration for Hazrat, being an educated MBBS doctor. Hazrat, on his part, never took undue advantage of this gracious indulgence; rather, he took every precaution to ensure that no occasion for reprimand would ever arise.

Confidence of His Teachers

Because Hazrat's student days were an open book before his esteemed teachers, upon the completion of his studies, his teachers not only expressed immense confidence in his scholarly integrity, but also entrusted him with weighty responsibilities:

• After completing his specialization (Takhassus) in Fiqh, Hazrat Maulana Sayyid Hamid Mian Sahib (Rahimahullah), upon reviewing several practice fatwas written by Hazrat, formally appointed him as Mufti at Jamia Madnia.

• After one year of practical training, Hazrat Mufti Abdul Hameed Sitapuri Sahib (Rahimahullah), in view of his own declining health, placed the entire responsibility of Dar-ul-Iftaa upon Hazrat's shoulders.

• When doctrinal errors in Dr. Israr Ahmed Sahib's writings came to light, Hazrat Maulana Qari Abdul Rasheed Sahib (Rahimahullah) instructed Hazrat: "Since you have personal experience with Dr. Israr Sahib, write a treatise regarding his views." Thereafter, taking Hazrat with him, he held multiple personal meetings with Dr. Israr Sahib, but Dr. Israr was not prepared to retract his errors. Ultimately, Hazrat authored a comprehensive book entitled "Dr. Israr Ahmed Ke Afkar-o-Nazariyat Tanqeed Ke Meezan Mein" (The Thoughts and Theories of Dr. Israr Ahmed in the Balance of Criticism). In this work, he critiqued Dr. Israr Sahib's religious philosophy and doctrinal errors, and also demonstrated—regarding Dr. Israr Sahib, who regarded his primary calling to be Quranic lectures rather than medical practice—the flawed premises of the modern sources from whom Dr. Israr derived his interpretations of the Quran, and where he faltered by following them.

This was Hazrat's very first endeavor in the realm of authorship, yet it earned widespread acclaim for its analytical depth and research acumen. To appreciate its academic caliber, it suffices to mention that when this treatise reached Hazrat Maulana Abdul Rasheed Nomani Sahib (Rahimahullah), he penned the following in a letter:

"Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. Two copies of your esteemed treatise 'A Critical Review of Dr. Israr Ahmed's Theories' were received. As soon as the book arrived, I read it through from beginning to end. Jazakumullahu Ta'ala Khair al-Jaza; may Allah Almighty accept it and make it of widespread benefit. Ameen. The book is scholarly and weighty; I too derived immense benefit from it. I had no prior knowledge of Dr. Rafi's theory of evolution; reading your book acquainted me with his thoughts. In any case, it is a highly successful and beneficial endeavor. I should have replied immediately and acknowledged receipt, but I remain as busy here as I was during my stay in Lahore, with scarcely any free time; the matter kept getting postponed day after day, and months passed."

Thus, his teachers expressed immense confidence in his ability to issue legal rulings and dispel religious misconceptions while he was still at a young age. Hazrat made this trust of his teachers his lifelong compass, discharging this delicate juristic and critical responsibility with such distinction that he became an enviable model for his contemporaries and an exemplary guide for his successors and disciples.

Spiritual Allegiance and Path of Sulook

Knowledge pursued merely for intellectual curiosity or academic data is not the ultimate objective of the Shariah. If an individual possesses vast outward knowledge of the Shariah, yet lacks the spirit of righteous action and praiseworthy character in his heart, our elders—in the words of Hazrat Sayyid Nafees al-Husseini Shah (Rahimahullah)—likened such a person to an almond shell: when you crack it open expecting an almond, it turns out completely hollow inside. Therefore, the sacred heritage of our elders is that knowledge wherein intellectual depth is wedded to steadfast practice, for profound groundedness in knowledge (Rusookh fil-'Ilm) cannot occur without practice. It is related from the Salaf:

Hence, to cultivate righteous action alongside sacred knowledge, our elders have for centuries adopted the time-tested path of Sulook (spiritual wayfaring).

From the early stages of his religious studies, Hazrat set out on this path by taking the spiritual pledge (Bay'ah) at the hands of Maulana Hamid Mian Sahib (Rahimahullah). Following the demise of Hazrat Maulana Sayyid Hamid Mian (Rahimahullah), he renewed his Bay'ah at the hands of Hazrat Sayyid Nafees al-Husseini Shah Sahib (Noorullah Marqadahu) (Authorized Spiritual Successor of Hazrat Maulana Shah Abdul Qadir Raipuri Rahimahullah).

Allah Almighty had blessed Hazrat Maulana Shah Abdul Qadir Raipuri (Rahimahullah) with an ijtihadi stature in the realm of Sulook. Taking into account the prevailing circumstances of his era, he introduced many revolutionary measures. Among them was that whichever spiritual seeker (salik) was engaged with sincerity and devotion in any religious service, should consider that very service as his primary spiritual litany (wazeefah), performing it in such a manner that this religious service itself becomes the means of traversing the stations of Sulook and reaching Allah. Therefore, Hazrat Raipuri did not overburden such individuals with excessive verbal chants (adhkar) that might hinder their religious service. Hazrat Shah Sahib (Rahimahullah) adopted this same principle of Hazrat Raipuri. He guided Hazrat through the stations of Sulook along this very route, continually exhorting him to carry out the work of issuing fatwas and countering misconceptions of deviants with complete sincerity and devotion to Allah. After some time and a brief period of prescribed dhikr, Hazrat Shah Sahib not only granted Hazrat authorization (ijazah) in the four major spiritual orders (Chishtiyyah, Naqshbandiyyah, Qadiriyyah, Suhrawardiyyah), but also conferred upon him ijazah in the spiritual lineage of Hazrat Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed (Rahimahullah), wherein Bay'ah is taken upon striving in Allah's cause (Jihad) and special emphasis is placed on the revival of the Sunnah.

Marriage

Hazrat's marriage was arranged within the community with the in-laws of his younger paternal aunt. His father-in-law, Haji Muhammad Rafi Sahib, hailed from Ambala, India before Partition, and after Partition resided in Rawalpindi. Haji Muhammad Rafi was a prominent cloth merchant in Raja Bazaar, Rawalpindi. Alongside commerce, he was actively involved in Tabligh. Haji Muhammad Rafi had passed away while Hazrat's respected wife was still a young child. His elder brother, Bhai Amin Sahib (Rahimahullah), served as the Ameer of Tablighi Jamaat at the Markaz in Karachi (he passed away some time ago).

Although Hazrat's marital alliance was in a Tablighi household, following the father-in-law's demise, other family members were not as active in Tabligh. Thus, the religious environment of that household was not vastly different from Hazrat's own home. Hazrat was married in 1977 during the early part of his religious education. Hazrat mentioned that at that time he did not yet possess the inner assertiveness to prevent people from un-Islamic practices. During the wedding, a younger brother-in-law brought a camera and began continuously taking photographs. Meanwhile, Hazrat's elder maternal uncle Ibrahim Abdul Jabbar Sahib (Rahimahullah)—who, as mentioned earlier, was very active in Tabligh and regularly attended consultations in Raiwind—scolded him and told him to stop taking photos. Shortly after, when he resumed photographing, Ibrahim Sahib scolded him firmly, saying: "I am the bridegroom's maternal uncle; shall I take the wedding procession back right now?!" At this, everyone intervened and stopped him from taking photos.

Brothers and Sisters

Hazrat had 10 siblings: six brothers and four sisters. Hazrat was the second among them. The eldest brother passed away approximately 4 years before Hazrat. One brother, Maulana Aftab Sahib (Rahimahullah), had deep love for Tabligh. He studied Dars-e-Nizami at Raiwind and completed Dawrah-e-Hadith from Jamia Rashidia, Sahiwal. After finishing his education, he dedicated his life to Tabligh, living there in reliance upon Allah. His wife and children lived in Lahore. He would visit home only two nights a week, and even during that time, much of his hours were spent actively engaged in Tablighi affairs. Among the brothers, he was the first to pass away (in 2001).

Children and Descendants

Allah Almighty blessed Hazrat with two sons and four daughters. With the exception of one son, all of his children are Huffaz of the Quran. That son also, during his memorization, faced various obstacles and could not complete it despite earnest desire and effort.

By the grace of Allah, all children are married. In arranging marriages for his children, Hazrat placed primary consideration on religion. Even if there was some apparent shortcoming in practice, he made sure to observe whether genuine love for the religion existed in the heart or not. For when love for the religion resides in the heart, eliminating shortcomings in outward practice is not difficult; whereas if love for the religion is absent, then despite outward practice, a person drifts further away from religion in life. Thus, on one occasion, when a marriage proposal for his daughter arrived from a family, Hazrat made it a prerequisite for acceptance that the young man first spend four months in Tabligh. Despite insistence on less than four months, Hazrat remained unyielding, stating: "To bring about a genuine transformation of temperament, less than four months is not effective."

Earning a Livelihood and Professional Life

Hazrat completed medical education in 1974. Not much time had passed since the 1971 Indo-Pak war. At that time, the Pakistan Armed Forces had no medical colleges of their own, resulting in manpower shortages in the medical corps. Therefore, the government made a two-year service in the Army Medical Corps mandatory for every newly graduated doctor, after which they were free to remain or leave. Due to this compulsory service law, Hazrat had to serve for two years as a Captain in the army. However, in his heart he was never happy with this employment. In informal moments, he would say: "In the army, the rule is simply not to use your own brain, whereas our own brain would keep running!" Hence, as soon as the two years ended, he bid farewell to this service.

Approximately twenty years after leaving, when a young acquaintance who visited casually learned that Hazrat had started his career as a Captain in the army, the youth exclaimed spontaneously: "If you were still in the army today, what a high rank you would hold, with a whole motorcade escorting you!" Because Hazrat had consciously renounced all of this with clear insight, keeping before him the lofty objective of acquiring and spreading religious knowledge—which, though having material frugality, possesses nothing comparable in the Hereafter—Hazrat remarked with consummate detachment and complete simplicity: "What is there in this [protocol and worldly wealth]?!"

It is also essential to mention that Hazrat, explaining the importance and benefit of Istikharah on one occasion, related: "When I resolved to leave the army service in accordance with my heart's inclination, I wrote a letter to Hazrat Maulana Sayyid Hamid Mian Sahib (Rahimahullah) informing him of my intention. Hazrat replied: 'Perform Istikharah.' I wrote back: 'When I have already firmly resolved to leave, what is the benefit of Istikharah?' But Hazrat Mian Sahib wrote again: 'Perform Istikharah.' In compliance with his instruction, I performed Istikharah, and it aligned with my intention. But its lasting benefit was that no matter what circumstances arose in my future life, I never felt regret or sorrow over my decision. I witnessed this immense benefit of Istikharah: that even when a decision is already made, performing Istikharah brings mercy and goodness into the matter, and one never regrets one's decision."

After military service ended, Hazrat studied in the madrasah during the morning hours. Therefore, to earn a livelihood, he opened a private clinic near his home during the evening. Hazrat's younger brother related that Hazrat always prioritized genuine goodwill towards people. Therefore, for a patient with fever, he would initially prescribe only Panadol. This did not satisfy patients, because elsewhere patients with common ailments were prescribed a myriad of elaborate medicines. Furthermore, whether someone paid after taking medicine or not, Hazrat, out of modesty and graciousness, would never ask people for money. As a result, the clinic did not prove financially viable.

Meanwhile, Hazrat went to Karachi to visit his maternal grandmother. In his absence, such torrential rain occurred that water flooded the clinic, damaging medicines and equipment. Ultimately, upon returning from Karachi, Hazrat closed the clinic permanently.

Some time later, Allah Almighty facilitated an appointment in a government hospital operating under the Punjab Auqaf Department, located near the shrine of Hazrat Ali Hujweri (Data Darbar, Rahimahullah). This employment proved immensely beneficial for his future religious objectives for several reasons:

1. The department had only one hospital, so there was no issue of transfers to other cities.
2. Generally, other doctors were unwilling to work evening shifts, whereas due to morning madrasah classes, the evening shift was convenient and even preferable for Hazrat.
3. The evening shift did not have the heavy rush of morning hours, allowing teaching and studying to proceed smoothly alongside duties. Hazrat would continue his scholarly work and also summon students there.
4. The hospital was a 10-minute walk from the madrasah, providing great convenience not only for Hazrat, but also for students who wished to study additional texts outside madrasah hours. Thus, religious instruction continued at the hospital almost constantly, with some student always studying under him. If there was no student, due to the nearby bazaar, someone would often be sitting with Hazrat asking religious rulings. Hence, patients used to say: "The Doctor has opened a madrasah here too!"

Up to the age of 60, this employment was Hazrat's sole source of livelihood. Beyond this, he never ran a private clinic, never accepted any salary for teaching at the madrasah or working in Dar-ul-Iftaa, never accepted remuneration for his writing and authorship, and never thought of profiting by publishing his books.

As a fruit of this sacrifice for sacred knowledge, Allah Almighty bestowed upon him: (1) The immense wealth of contentment (qana'ah). His own personal needs and those of his family were far more modest than others, allowing him to save a portion of his earnings. (2) Whenever a necessity arose, Allah never withheld it even for a short trial, but fulfilled every need promptly—whether for children's marriages or for Hajj and Umrah journeys.

Despite having no other source of income, Hazrat viewed his government job merely as a helper for his scholarly work, regarding religious teaching and learning as his true mission. Therefore, when employment once posed an obstacle to his religious teaching, Hazrat wrote out his resignation and kept it in his bag. By Allah's grace, the need to submit it did not arise. The details: Hazrat taught classes in the morning at Jamia Madnia, including Dawrah-e-Hadith and other grades, which could not be shifted to evening due to madrasah administration. About eight years before retirement, the department closed the evening shift and ordered Hazrat to report for morning duty (8:00 AM to 1:30 PM), exactly conflicting with madrasah hours. Hazrat faced two options: either abandon teaching classes and only handle fatwas in the evening, or resign from the job. The order arrived at the start of Rajab. Hazrat took leave from the hospital to complete the semester's teaching, and after classes ended, began attending morning hospital duty. Realizing the department was unwilling to reopen the evening shift, Hazrat wrote his resignation and placed it in his bag, resolving to submit it if the evening shift was not restored after Ramadan when madrasah classes resumed. Hospital staff, knowing his devotion to religious education and the financial importance of the evening shift, tried to dissuade him, warning that resigning so close to retirement would forfeit all retirement pensions and benefits.

I remember that from mid-Rajab to Shawwal, every day hospital officers down to the watchman discussed this with Hazrat. Yet Hazrat's resolve never wavered. Allah Almighty showed mercy: local residents who could not visit during mornings due to their own jobs were distressed by the evening closure. Some consulted lawyers and filed a court case against the department. After 15th Shawwal, when the madrasah reopened, the court ruled against the department and ordered the evening shift reopened! Thus, Allah resolved the crisis without putting Hazrat's resolve to further trial.

Another incident related to morning duty demonstrates Hazrat's willingness to endure personal hardship for the comfort of others: One year before retirement, his Parkinson's tremor had become severe, making travel difficult and disrupting his sleep, often keeping him awake all night until Fajr. A morning doctor approached Hazrat wishing to attend a one-year professional course held in the morning, asking Hazrat to switch to morning shift so he could take evenings. Hospital administration agreed to the switch only if Hazrat consented voluntarily. Out of concern for that doctor's wish, Hazrat consented. When Hazrat informed me, I pleaded with him considering his frail health, but Hazrat simply kept saying: "It does not matter, it does not matter." In truth, turning away anyone in genuine need was never easy for Hazrat; I never saw him dismiss anyone. However, as Allah willed, that doctor's name did not appear on the course selection list that year, so the shift change was not needed.

From Jamia Madnia to Jamia Dar-ul-Taqwa

Hazrat's religious education commenced at Jamia Madnia following his connection with Hazrat Maulana Hamid Mian Sahib (Rahimahullah). He studied there, and upon completing his specialization (Takhassus), began working in its Dar-ul-Iftaa. An attachment and devotion to one's teachers and Alma Mater is entirely natural. Consequently, Hazrat had never contemplated parting from it, especially since all of Hazrat's academic contributions—from teaching advanced classes to directing the Dar-ul-Iftaa and supervising Takhassus—were rendered entirely without any financial remuneration.

Hazrat repeatedly endeavored and deeply desired to establish an expansive and robust system for Takhassus and Dar-ul-Iftaa at Jamia Madnia, but for an extended period, the necessary administrative circumstances could not be assembled. Even though he individually prepared numerous talented and determined graduates, upon embarking on Takhassus, those students would drop out midway due to various personal impediments. The matter continued in this manner until an incident occurred after which teaching Takhassus classes at Jamia Madnia was no longer feasible.

The details of this incident are as follows: As in previous years, Hazrat encouraged capable students to pursue Takhassus. When admissions commenced, out of the talented candidates only one student enrolled, while the remaining applicants were academically weaker. Upon the persistent pleading of these weaker students, and observing that in other grades of the madrasah weaker students were routinely granted admission, Hazrat admitted these weaker students into Takhassus as well. However, he laid down the strict condition: until they demonstrated genuine academic competence and were awarded a formal certificate, they would neither style themselves as "Mufti" nor append "Mufti" to their names; rather, they should consider themselves enrolled in a course on "Fiqhiyyat" (Jurisprudential Studies), rather than a formal "Takhassus fil-Fiqh".

As divine decree would have it, when that single talented student departed for the Eid-ul-Adha recess, he never returned. Hazrat sent multiple messages urging him to return, but he was unwilling to resume his seat in the class. Now a formidable dilemma arose: how could advanced, intricate Arabic treatises such as Hujjatullah al-Balighah, Usool al-Bazdawi, Musallam al-Thuboot, and Al-Muwafaqat be taught to these weaker students? Hazrat told these students: "These texts are far beyond your comprehension and capacity; therefore, these classes cannot proceed. You must make other arrangements." The students implored him: "We did not come to you to become celebrated Muftis; rather, we set aside our time purely to benefit from your scholarship. Whatever you teach us, we will accept with wholehearted gratitude."

Hazrat felt bashful to expel them after having once granted them admission. Therefore, taking into account their modest academic capacity, Hazrat began teaching them Masail Bahishti Zewar in Urdu, alongside foundational Islamic beliefs and legal principles in Urdu. His objective was that these students would at least be able to guide the general public in their respective localities regarding everyday religious requirements—and this foundational material is entirely sufficient and comprehensive for public needs.

To anyone unacquainted with this entire background, it appeared astonishing that Masail Bahishti Zewar was being taught in an advanced Takhassus class! God alone knows who conveyed this matter to Hazrat Mohtamim Maulana Rasheed Mian Sahib, and in what misleading light—alleging that Takhassus was being conducted by teaching Bahishti Zewar. Furthermore, despite clear explanations, Hazrat Mohtamim Sahib was unwilling to accept any perspective. The outcome was that the entire blame was placed upon Hazrat, and Hazrat Mohtamim Sahib placed a ban on conducting Takhassus classes at Jamia Madnia henceforth.

This was a juncture where Hazrat was compelled to relocate Takhassus classes elsewhere; however, arranging student boarding and logistical management was by no means an easy task. At that juncture, a group of scholars affiliated with the Tablighi Jamaat in Lahore—who had been operating Jamia Dar-ul-Taqwa for some time—had laid the foundation of a Dar-ul-Iftaa at their madrasah one year prior to this incident. They had appointed Hazrat Dr. Sahib as the Head of this Dar-ul-Iftaa from day one. These noble scholars seized this opportunity, and Hazrat regarded their dedicated cooperation as an unexpected divine blessing (Ni'mat-e-Ghair Mutawaqqi'ah). Consequently, Takhassus classes commenced at Jamia Dar-ul-Taqwa, even though the institution had not yet expanded beyond the sixth grade (Sadisah).

A prominent member of their Consultative Council (Shoora), Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Usman Sahib (may his high shadow lengthen), Imam of the Tablighi Markaz in Lahore—who had been Hazrat's classmate since student days and a longtime admirer of Hazrat's academic brilliance—made special, dedicated efforts to bring Hazrat to Dar-ul-Taqwa and appoint him Head of Dar-ul-Iftaa.

The dedication of resources, complete confidence, and institutional support provided by the elders of Jamia Dar-ul-Taqwa to operate and expand the Dar-ul-Iftaa and Takhassus system, along with the deep commitment, composure, and responsibility with which Hazrat conducted the work, remain worthy of emulation and praise. Had Hazrat moved there even a few years earlier, the prestigious standing that Dar-ul-Taqwa's Dar-ul-Iftaa and Takhassus department enjoy among contemporary institutions today would have been doubly renowned.

If one compares the academic labor at Jamia Madnia with that at Jamia Dar-ul-Taqwa: at Jamia Madnia, Hazrat worked in isolation in a single small room; whereas at Jamia Dar-ul-Taqwa, Hazrat succeeded in fulfilling his long-cherished desire—namely, that an active, coordinated scholarly team should be cultivated and nurtured.

When Hazrat Maulana Sa'eed Ahmad Jalalpuri Shaheed (Rahimahullah) once visited Hazrat at Jamia Madnia for the first time, seeing Hazrat's humble seat, small room, and modest surroundings, he was utterly astonished and exclaimed: "You sit in this humble corner and accomplish such monumental academic work?!"

From Dar-ul-Taqwa to the Abode of Peace (The Journey to the Hereafter)

Upon moving to Jamia Dar-ul-Taqwa, the Takhassus department became formally and systematically organized. In Dar-ul-Iftaa, Hazrat was joined by a full-time academic colleague, Hazrat Mufti Rafiq Sahib, who, despite not being a formal student of Hazrat in his earlier years, maintained and fulfilled a devotion towards Hazrat surpassing that of formal disciples.

• After arriving at Dar-ul-Taqwa, Hazrat underwent gallbladder surgery, after which the tremors of Parkinson's disease began to manifest.

• In 2010, upon retiring from the Darbar Hospital, Hazrat devoted his remaining hours entirely to his academic and authorial pursuits.

• In 2013, Hazrat entrusted the active responsibility of drafting fatwas to his specialized students under the immediate supervision of Hazrat Mufti Rafiq Sahib.

• In 2016, he handed over the teaching of Takhassus classes as well, focusing himself exclusively on authoring treatises.

• In 2017, he initiated the department of Ikhtisas fi Abwab al-Fiqh (Advanced Specialization in Sub-branches of Jurisprudence). Under his direct supervision, he activated specialized research in Halal Foods & Modern Medicine (Fiqh al-Halal wal-Tibb al-Mu'asir), Commercial Transactions (Fiqh al-Mu'amalat), and Matrimonial & Family Law (Fiqh al-Munakahat).

• Subsequently, Hazrat's physical frailty increased progressively, until the appointed hour arrived, the details of which follow in the forthcoming lines.

The Terminal Illness

Approximately thirteen years prior to his demise, due to severe gallbladder distress, surgeons performed a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal). Immediately following the operation, upon regaining consciousness, tremors commenced in his hands. Initially, it was assumed that this shaking was due to post-operative weakness that would subside within a few days as physical strength returned. However, the tremors showed no abatement; on the contrary, they intensified. When neurological specialists were consulted, it was discovered that the tremors were not due to post-operative weakness, but rather that the natural synthesis of vital proteins in the cervical neural pathways had ceased. This condition is analogous to diabetic patients whose pancreas ceases natural insulin production, or when kidneys lose their function. In the assessment of physicians, there were two possible modes of treatment:

1. Surgical Intervention: This involved neurosurgical intervention in the nerves originating from the brain. However, this procedure was exceptionally hazardous, carrying up to a 40% risk of catastrophic intraoperative or postoperative complications. Consequently, all neurological specialists who held affection for Hazrat unanimously advised against surgery.
2. Pharmacological Management: This involved controlling symptoms through medication. Physicians noted that this did not constitute a cure; rather, it merely mitigated the tremors and muscular rigidity caused by the disease. However, the medications themselves carried severe and debilitating adverse side effects.

It also became evident that when patients develop this affliction before the age of sixty, the disease manifests with greater severity, necessitating higher dosages of medication. Hazrat was stricken with this illness prior to reaching sixty years of age.

Hazrat was always accustomed to treasuring his hours and guarding every moment; but following this affliction, a state of spiritual absorption overtook him. As physical infirmities mounted, Hazrat's resolve and spiritual courage soared higher, even though it was apparent to observers that this morning lamp was drawing near its final flicker.

One year prior to his demise, while on the pilgrimage of Umrah, severe physical exhaustion necessitated two extended hospitalizations. His younger son accompanied him on that journey, and the details reported by him indicated that his condition was departing from the ordinary. Immediately upon returning from Umrah, Hazrat had to travel to Karachi, where I accompanied him. There, I realized firsthand that his health was in severe decline.

Upon returning, Hazrat himself began to realize the gravity of his suffering. Foremost among his symptoms was a sudden and drastic deterioration of his eyesight, which was a source of grave concern. Afflictions converged such that if attention was directed toward one complication, another would spiral out of control. Soon, Hazrat realized that the appointed time was at hand. Consequently, most of his time came to be spent in imparting parting counsels, supplications, meticulous concern for prayers, and the remembrance of the Hereafter.

During his decades of teaching, Hazrat never struck students; with the exception of his own children, hardly anyone ever received physical reprimand from Hazrat. Yet, despite this, during this final period he explicitly sought forgiveness from anyone regarding whom he recalled even the slightest incident. Maulana Ahmad Batla Sahib (may his shadow lengthen) of the Raiwind Tablighi Markaz is Hazrat's first maternal cousin. One day, years ago, his mother brought her young grandson, Molvi Ammar Ahmad, complaining that he was being completely disobedient and causing distress (both of his parents were away in the Tablighi effort at that time). Molvi Ammar Ahmad was very small then. Hazrat scolded him at that time and perhaps gave him a slap. During his terminal illness, Hazrat noticed him after Friday prayer, summoned him, reminded him of that distant incident, and asked for his forgiveness (even though the young man had no memory of the event at all).

Win a Heart, for That Is the Greater Hajj

During this period, just as Hazrat felt an overriding imperative to seek forgiveness from others, he equally refused to harbor the slightest malice or grievance against anyone in his own heart. In those very days, during domestic family consultations, Hazrat instructed that a household matter be executed according to a specific arrangement. A few days later, the outcome turned out to be the exact opposite, causing substantial distress to the entire family. Hazrat expressed sorrow to me, remarking that by Allah's decree the result turned out adversely. Knowing that my respected mother had not fully observed the exact procedure outlined by Hazrat, I gently hinted at the underlying reason in subtle words. Hazrat listened in silence. The next day, he said to me: "Your mother has taken immense, devoted care of me. Therefore, I do not wish to depart at the end carrying any grievance against her in my heart. Hence, in the future, never mention any mistake of hers to me." He then recited the noble Arabic maxim:

The Appointed Hour Draws Near

The degenerative effect upon his nervous system grew progressively steeper, until within a short span, a virulent infection developed in Hazrat's lungs. Its intensity was such that it spread throughout his entire body, causing Hazrat to lapse into semi-consciousness. In this critical situation, doctors set aside other chronic ailments to focus entirely on arresting the infection. A course of antibiotics would suppress the infection, only for it to flare up two days later with even greater virulence. This agonizing cycle persisted for nearly six months. After six months, the infection suddenly cleared entirely, and all clinical laboratory reports returned completely normal. Yet Hazrat's semi-consciousness remained such that he could only barely move a hand at times.

The doctors were hopeful, noting that since his chronological age was not very advanced, his vitality might recover. Seven days prior to his demise, the signs on Hazrat's face indicated that he was experiencing breathing difficulty, followed shortly by fever. The physicians believed it was the effect of the fever, suggesting that if no improvement occurred within two days, he should be hospitalized. Before two days had passed, the respiratory distress became pronounced. He was immediately transferred to Doctors Hospital (the renowned Dr. Haroon Rasool Sahib of Doctors Hospital had personally visited Hazrat's residence six months earlier upon hearing of his illness and had cared for him there for several days).

Within twenty-four hours, Hazrat's condition stabilized so remarkably that we anticipated the doctor would soon discharge him home. However, the doctor kept him an extra day as a precaution. The following morning, breathing suddenly became vastly more labored. A few hours later, the medical staff summoned me to sign emergency consent documents—the first ominous step toward an extraordinary emergency. This was Thursday. Hazrat's breathing became so forcefully labored that news of the crisis spread rapidly throughout the family and among friends. Hazrat was in deep semi-consciousness, but the sound of his breathing was heartbreaking to hear.

On Friday, following the Jumu'ah prayer, physicians administered the final emergency life-saving injections, calling me aside to explain their purpose. Throughout the night, persistent hiccups afflicted Hazrat, while the circle of companions around his bed intensified their recitation of the Quran and prayers. On Saturday morning after 10:00 AM, his blood pressure began to drop, the intensity of the hiccups subsided, beads of perspiration broke out upon his forehead, and feverish warmth radiated from his body. The doctors counseled turning completely to Allah and enduring with patience. Every person present was immersed in fervent supplication before Allah Almighty, imploring for divine gentleness and ease.

By Dhuhr time, his pulse was extremely faint and hiccups occurred only at distant intervals. Around 2:15 PM, Hazrat took a breath and hiccup—after which the loving companions seated around him waited in vain for another. Physicians were summoned, who confirmed that the pure soul had departed from its earthly cage. Indeed, to Allah we belong, and to Him is our return:

Hospital and governmental procedural formalities occupied approximately one hour; around 3:30 PM, Hazrat's blessed body was conveyed to his residence.

From the very beginning of Hazrat's terminal illness, all students and staff members of the madrasah, without exception, considered serving him in every manner to be an immense blessing and remained alert at all times. Therefore, how could they fall behind at this solemn hour? Hazrat Mohtamim Maulana Owais Sahib (may his shadow lengthen) was traveling abroad with the Tablighi Jamaat. Upon receiving the news, he immediately instructed the members of the Shoora and deputy leadership from abroad to proceed to the residence and take charge of all arrangements with supreme excellence. On that occasion, our role as family was merely to state decisions arrived at through consultation; how the arrangements were executed remained entirely beyond our burden—all responsibilities were carried out flawlessly by the madrasah leadership, students, and devoted admirers. The ritual washing (Ghusl), shroud (Kafan), funeral prayers, and logistical coordination were entirely managed by these dedicated devotees. May Allah reward them on our behalf with the finest reward He bestows upon His righteous servants.

Hazrat's Daily Routine: From 8 AM to 8 AM

It is best to present this subject chronologically, beginning at 8:00 AM and concluding at 8:00 AM the following morning. From early years until the end, Hazrat's regular habit was to awake at 8:00 AM and take breakfast. He would remark that if breakfast was delayed, lunch and dinner would inevitably be delayed as well.

His breakfast generally consisted of a single cup of tea and one slice of bread with an egg or clotted cream (bala'i). After completing breakfast, he prepared to depart for Madrasah Ihya-ul-Uloom, where he taught the classical Hadith text Sahih Muslim. He returned home at 9:30 AM (depending on seasonal schedules, his lesson at Ihya-ul-Uloom was sometimes conducted prior to breakfast). Upon returning home, he perused the daily newspaper Islam and rested for an additional half-hour. (Previously, the newspaper Nawa-i-Waqt came to the house; when Islam began publication, Hazrat remarked that Nawa-i-Waqt published human pictures whereas Islam was free of pictures, so he subscribed to Islam instead). At 10:00 AM, he arose and commenced his scholarly writing and authorial work. Around 11:00 AM, he performed his bath and prepared for Jamia Dar-ul-Taqwa (Al-Hilal Mosque); after bathing, he took a cup of tea while continuing his study, and departed for Jamia Dar-ul-Taqwa at approximately 11:30 AM.

At Dar-ul-Taqwa, Dawrah-e-Hadith lectures, Takhassus classes, and academic gatherings with colleagues were conducted. The scholarly discourses on jurisprudential issues and lively debates on intricate legal nuances were so vibrant that their memories have left indelible imprints on the heart. (A rich sample of these assemblies is preserved in the two-year daily academic diary of Takhassus entitled "Majalis-e-Ilmiyyah" penned by my esteemed colleague Mufti Shuaib Sahib, which we hope, upon final editing, will soon be available to scholars and students of knowledge).

After 1:00 PM, he set out for home and offered Dhuhr prayer with congregation in the mosque at 1:30 PM. Following prayer, he took lunch, which never exceeded two chapatis. Thereafter, he sat down with his writing, editing of treatises, and verification of fatwas. When fatigued by around 3:00 or 3:15 PM, he rested, rising an hour later to resume work. After offering Asr prayer with congregation, pen and paper were once again in his hand. One hour before Maghrib, if it was the scheduled day for the women's exegesis class on Fahm-ul-Quran held for ladies visiting the home, he delivered the lecture; otherwise, forty-five minutes before Maghrib he would take up the Holy Quran and engage in recitation until Maghrib. After Asr prayer, he also took a cup of tea.

The period following Maghrib prayer was designated for receiving general visitors. Until his final few years, no restrictions were placed on anyone; whoever wished to meet Hazrat at any time was not only granted permission, but was received with a radiant, welcoming countenance. However, in his final years, he instructed me to generally permit meetings between Maghrib and Isha. Outside of this, if anyone wished to visit during daytime hours, an appointment was to be scheduled after consulting him; while after Isha, he noted he no longer possessed the physical stamina and asked to be excused. If no visitor arrived between Maghrib and Isha, he never sat idle for a single minute, remaining perpetually absorbed in scholarly work.

Dinner was routinely served at 9:00 PM. If the Isha prayer was early in the season, he dined after Isha; otherwise, he dined before Isha. After finishing dinner, a dedicated time was set aside for attending to domestic affairs, during which the presence of both sons was required to facilitate mutual consultation. Afterward, if it was not his day to visit his respected mother, he went out for a brisk walk. Returning around 10:00 or 10:15 PM, he took up his books again. Around 11:00 PM, he took another cup of tea; further sleep depended upon how much physical stamina remained. In his earlier years, he generally possessed the energy to study until 1:00 or 1:30 AM, after which he would offer two Rak'ahs of Nafl prayer before sleeping, rising in the morning to offer Fajr prayer with congregation.

Later, as physical weakness increased, upon his mother's insistence he significantly curtailed his late-night hours. However, at that stage Hazrat was afflicted with a peculiar condition: whenever a scholarly thought entered his mind, unless he committed it to writing, sleep completely eluded him; yet if he sat down to write, his body became thoroughly exhausted. In this state, it frequently happened that when we checked on him in the middle of the night, he was writing or studying. This condition intensified to the point where Fajr would arrive in this restless struggle, and even after Fajr sleep would not come, compelling him to resort to sleep medication.

Initially, medication induced sleep, but after some time the medication also began losing its efficacy. This was the period during which, alongside Parkinsonian tremors, this sleeplessness inflicted severe toll upon the nervous system of Hazrat's already frail physique.

Visiting His Respected Mother

Among his paramount lifelong habits was the daily visit and audience with his venerable mother. For approximately thirty years until his demise, Hazrat resided in the same household with his mother. Later, through his mother's prayers, Allah Almighty granted a separate home. In that period, upon concluding his hospital duties daily at 8:00 PM, he would proceed directly to visit his mother before returning home, spending half an hour with her, before heading to his home for dinner and other routines.

In his final years, as his physical energy declined, upon his mother's insistence the visiting days were gradually reduced one by one. In the end, he would visit on Sunday after Maghrib, and on Wednesday after dinner or on Thursday, dining in her presence on those days.

The daily schedule described above pertains to the era of Jamia Dar-ul-Taqwa. Prior to this, during the era of Jamia Madnia before his retirement in 2009, the routine differed only in that he arrived at Jamia Madnia at 9:30 AM; on certain days he returned home at 1:00 PM, while on other days he brought his lunch with him, proceeding directly from Jamia Madnia to the hospital at 3:00 PM. The rest of the daily order remained identical to what has been described. The hospital shift spanned from 3:00 to 8:00 PM.

The most striking hallmark across all his daily routines was that no one could ever see him wasting time idly. Hazrat made every single moment of his life profoundly valuable. Without exaggeration, Hazrat was among those sagacious individuals who never squandered even one minute of their fleeting worldly life in vain pursuits.

Maintaining Family Ties

The intensity of this daily discipline did not mean that relatives and kinsfolk were neglected. Hazrat fulfilled all his worldly obligations—including visiting relatives and hosting them at his home—with utmost grace. In fact, his interactions with relatives were far more frequent than with ordinary people, because many relatives frequently came to him to resolve domestic disputes or business differences, while many men and women frequently sought his medical counsel.

Noble Traits and Virtues

Devotion to Worship

Hazrat possessed an intense, uncompromising commitment to offering every prayer within its prescribed time in congregation. Hazrat practiced this steadfastly himself and strictly required it of his children, tolerating no laxity in this regard. His reverence for congregational prayer was so formidable that we were thoroughly convinced that if we showed sluggishness and neglected prayer, Hazrat—despite his advanced age—would literally cast us out of the home! He began preparing for Salah the moment the Adhan was called, reprimanding us if we arrived late after the congregation had already commenced. During Ramadan, if the Iftar meal caused even slight delay in reaching the congregation, he became visibly displeased. In his later years, when he was physically unable to walk to the mosque himself, if he noticed us leaving late, he would express stern disapproval. For Friday prayer, he routinely went to bathe at 12:00 PM, and after bathing, applying perfume, and dressing, he reached the mosque by 12:30 PM, even though the prayer was held at 1:15 PM. If we ever missed the Fajr congregation for two consecutive days, he expressed severe indignation; and if we offered an excuse that late-night work caused delayed sleep, he became even angrier, declaring: "Abandon all work! The prayer must be offered in congregation."

This unwavering dedication to prayer was not confined to residence; it remained identical during travel. On one occasion, returning from a journey to Multan, our host purchased tickets for a Daewoo bus. The Fajr time was expiring and the bus was approaching Pattoki; by the time it would reach Lahore, the prayer would inevitably be missed. Hazrat demanded of the driver that the bus stop for prayer. The driver refused, claiming company policy strictly prohibited unscheduled stops. Hazrat commanded: "Drop me off right here in the wilderness and drive on!" The driver still refused to stop, and the prayer was missed. Hazrat felt such intense anguish over this that for a long time he recounted Daewoo's rigid policy to friends, and subsequently no acquaintance dared even mention traveling by Daewoo in Hazrat's presence.

Until afflicted by Parkinsonian tremors, he offered his prayers with such extraordinary humility, presence of heart (Khushoo'), and devotion that few individuals could be observed praying with comparable reverence. He performed lengthy prayers with meticulous adherence to composure in all postures (Ta'deel al-Arkan), executing every bowing and prostration with complete tranquility. During his illness, a prominent national specialist in movement disorders based in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) visited Pakistan. At the request of Dr. Zafar Niaz Sahib (Hazrat's treating physician), the specialist granted Hazrat a special consultation, spending over half an hour in clinical examination. During the diagnosis, the doctor inquired: "Have you experienced any memory loss or forgetfulness?" Hazrat paused, reflected, and answered: "Nothing of note, except that now occasionally I forget the number of Rak'ahs I have recited" (prior to this, Hazrat never lost count of Rak'ahs). At this, the doctor smiled and remarked: "Why, even I forget that!"

Worldly Detachment and Contentment

During a journey to Madinah Munawwarah, two young resident scholars arranged to visit Hazrat after Asr prayer to benefit from his knowledge. Coming from their home, they brought a thermos of freshly brewed tea for Hazrat. Hazrat accepted it graciously. The next day, they brought tea once again. Hazrat accepted it, but remarked with gentle wisdom:

"Brothers, in this manner we will become your Murid (disciples); let us remain the Murad (the sought), and do not bring tea in the future!"

By this, Hazrat meant that the anticipation of tea might generate an eager desire in him to meet them, whereas it was they who ought to seek him out for sacred learning. (Nevertheless, thereafter Hazrat personally took care to host them hospitably himself).

Despite repeated urging from family members, Hazrat was long reluctant to install a landline telephone at home. However, when telephone access became widespread and the public's pleas increased—urging him to designate a specific hour during which they could conveniently inquire about legal rulings—Hazrat consented to install a telephone purely for their sake. Exactly the same occurred when mobile phones became ubiquitous: he acquired a mobile phone solely for the convenience of questioners seeking fatwas, never for personal indulgence or luxury.

When the tremors made it difficult to ride as a pillion on a motorcycle, a motorcar was finally procured; prior to that, despite family pleas, he would invariably say: "What is the need?" In those days, his mother often said: "Very well, do not buy it now, but at least make an intention to buy one!" To this as well, he would reply: "What is the need?" His mother used to remark to relatives: "Far from buying, he will not even entertain the intention to buy!"

The reality was that in acquiring worldly provisions, Hazrat strictly adhered to the philosophical principle articulated by Shah Waliullah Dehlawi (Rahimahullah) in Hujjatullah al-Balighah, holding himself strictly accountable to it. Consequently, he agreed to install an air conditioner in his room only two years prior to his demise, when the severity of his illness and physical frailty made heat endurance impossible; never before had he agreed to it.

Another telling incident illustrating his simplicity and contented nature involves a modest waistcoat he possessed, which he had worn during transitional weather for decades. Due to age, its fabric and cut had altered significantly. We purchased a brand-new waistcoat, which Hazrat wore to weddings and formal gatherings for one year. The following year, we quietly removed the old waistcoat and placed the new one in his wardrobe. Yet Hazrat persistently asked for his old waistcoat, and when we explained, he insisted: "How was it misshapen?! You discarded it entirely without reason!"

Sagacity and Resolution of Practical Disputes

Allah Almighty endowed Hazrat with exceptional practical wisdom and human insight; consequently, without leaning toward any party, he would swiftly penetrate to the core of complex interpersonal disputes, resolving them amicably.

A gentleman became embroiled in a bitter commercial dispute with his adult sons. The sons demanded that their father grant them designated shares according to their wishes. The father insisted: "The entire enterprise is mine; I am its sole legal owner under Shariah. Go ask Dr. Sahib for a fatwa if you doubt it (he had already consulted Hazrat). Therefore, accept whatever I grant you out of my pleasure." The sons replied: "If we possess no legal share under Shariah, very well; you retain the house, the business, and everything. We want nothing from you, and we will start anew on our own." The father was unwilling for his sons to abandon him at this advanced age, yet the dispute centered on exact proportions. This painful impasse dragged on for a long time. Eventually, both sides appointed Hazrat as sole arbitrator to decide according to their best interests.

Hazrat inquired of the father: "When you inherited this business from your father, what was its condition?" He admitted: "The business was running at a loss; it grew and prospered later." Hazrat then inquired of both sons: "Since when have you been working in the business?" They answered: "Virtually since the time our father took charge." Establishing that the enterprise had initially been struggling and had grown through the collective, united labor of all three, Hazrat decreed an equal one-third share for each of them. Hazrat's rational, equitable resolution was immediately acceptable to all parties, who embraced it unanimously.

Hazrat's younger brother related that Hazrat's father was likewise deeply convinced of Hazrat's practical sagacity; hence, in all weighty matters he kept Hazrat at his side. Even if on rare occasions he expressed initial disagreement, when the moment of implementation arrived, he invariably acted upon Hazrat's counsel.

Political Insight and Principled Vision

Allah Almighty blessed Hazrat with mature, comprehensive foresight; hence, he never viewed political events through a single dimension, but weighed positive and negative consequences with rigorous balance. In analyzing political affairs, he never allowed partisan emotionalism or blind reverence to cloud his judgment. Therefore, if in any matter the dimension of harm outweighed benefit in his estimation, while avoiding disrespect toward spiritual elders, he would articulate his respectful difference of opinion when asked by colleagues. In discussions with students and relatives, he offered profound analytical commentary on contemporary political developments.

Key Historical Perspectives

• He would observe: "When the United States required a religious persona due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, General Zia-ul-Haq was found; and when the Taliban had to be targeted in Afghanistan, General Musharraf was found. All of this operates upon the sheer leverage of the dollar." After detailing this reality, he would quote the line of Abu Zaid Saruji:

Translation: "Were it not for the fear of God, I would say: Exalted is its sovereign power!"

Followed by the Urdu couplet:

• He noted that during General Zia's era, sectarianism was deliberately stoked. Prior to that, official appointments such as the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee were never contested on sectarian lines; whoever was appointed was accepted without dispute. In Zia's era, every faction was incited to claim that such offices rightfully belonged to them.

• He observed: "When the Soviet Union was defeated and General Zia's utility concluded, the United States had Zia eliminated." He added: "America makes use of everyone—whether Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi, or other rulers—and once their purpose is served, eliminates them."

• Upon the arrival of the Taliban in Afghanistan, Pakistani religious circles rallied wholeheartedly behind them, and virtually no one in Pakistan spoke in favor of Ahmad Shah Massoud. In that period, even certain Sufi hospices (Khanqahs) whose sole historic arena was the inner spiritual purification of the soul became aggressively mobilized in political support of the Taliban. At this, Hazrat remarked interrogatively: "What has happened to them? Even these humble dwellers of ascetic mats have stepped forth into political partisanship?" He observed that prior to the Taliban, our religious circles held Ahmad Shah Massoud in high esteem, while his rival Gulbuddin Hekmatyar was viewed as a partisan of Jamaat-e-Islami. Hazrat raised the critical question: "Why have our circles suddenly severed ties with Ahmad Shah Massoud and mobilized universally behind the Taliban?"

Clarification: Hazrat's intent was never to mock anyone; rather, he was alerting his colleagues: "Could it be that our people, despite their genuine sincerity and good intentions, are being manipulated due to political naivety?" For this reason, Hazrat was deeply pained by the fratricidal warfare between the Taliban and Massoud. He urged: "Both of these parties belong to us and have historical ties to our madrasahs; hence, a strategy must be devised to prevent war between them."

When Arab operatives disguised as journalists assassinated Ahmad Shah Massoud in a suicide bombing, Hazrat stated: "This is a monumental blunder by the Arabs. For whatever his faults, Massoud historically stood with the people of truth and possessed a substantial constituency in Afghanistan; every effort should have been made to reconcile with him."

• A few days after Massoud's assassination, the September 11 World Trade Center attacks occurred in the United States. That morning, widespread excitement gripped various circles. When Hazrat arrived at the madrasah, he had not yet heard of the event. A crowd of students gathered in Hazrat's room to break the news, and one student even brought sweets to celebrate. Contrary to the expectations of all the students, Hazrat expressed profound sorrow and declared: "If this act was carried out by Arabs as is being reported, it is a catastrophic blunder on their part. They should have first consolidated the Taliban government; once stability was firmly established in Afghanistan, only then looked outward. If through their haste the Taliban government itself is destroyed—from whom good was expected—then from whom will good be expected thereafter?"

While Hazrat regarded the Taliban as pious individuals, he considered it perilous for any religious movement to allow itself to be instrumentalized by external forces. Therefore, Hazrat advised that the Taliban should advance independently without reliance on external agendas, citing General Naseerullah Khan Babar's famous remark:

"The Taliban Are Our Children"

Hazrat's critique of the Taliban and other contemporary movements was an internal critique motivated by sincere desire for reform—a duty that devolves upon senior scholarly leaders. (It is for this reason that despite his critical insights, Hazrat was never viewed as an adversary of these movements; rather, leaders of all movements regarded Hazrat as their revered elder and viewed his keen insights as a guiding torch).

Because Hazrat's nuanced perspective did not reflect the emotionalism of the majority, some colleagues raised the objection: "Is it not our duty simply to exert our utmost effort and leave the outcomes to Allah?"

To this, Hazrat cited the historical precedent of Hazrat Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed (Rahimahullah). When Sayyid Sahib resolved to migrate to the independent tribal areas to launch Jihad, local supporters in mainland India argued: "The people here know you and your noble household, and hold you in deep reverence; hence, mobilizing manpower and financial resources here is readily feasible. Conversely, the tribal people in the frontier beyond British jurisdiction do not even know you." Sayyid Sahib (Rahimahullah) replied:

"How many people advised that we wage Jihad here in this land (India), promising that whatever wealth, treasuries, and weaponry were needed, they would provide. But I did not consent, because Jihad must conform strictly to the Sunnah; instigating civil strife and rioting is not our intent." (Tarikh Da'wat-o-'Azeemat, 6/426)

Hazrat added: "Embarking on rash actions with total disregard for realistic consequences was never the methodology of our pious elders."

He also pointed out that when the British consolidated complete dominance over India in 1857, and our elders realized that direct armed confrontation held no realistic prospect of success, they redirected their energies toward establishing educational institutions such as Darul Uloom Deoband to safeguard the faith and iman of Indian Muslims.

Concern for Educating Societal Elites

On one occasion, Hazrat remarked: "Generally, the religious efforts blessed by Allah are those that germinate and rise from the grassroots among the common people. However, this is not an immutable divine law. Therefore, efforts must also be made to convey the message of Islam to those who hold the levers of governance. For who knows—perhaps Allah will cause these efforts to bear fruit, and in accordance with the principle that 'people follow the religion of their rulers' (الناس على دين ملوكهم), if they embrace the call, the message of Islam will spread throughout the world."

Hazrat discussed this thought during a meeting with Hazrat Maulana Ihsan-ul-Haq Sahib (may his blessings endure) of Raiwind, emphasizing: "My view is that a dedicated group should be formed for this mission, even if operating outside the conventional format of the Tablighi effort."

Self-Reliance and Concealment of Inner States

A prominent trait of Hazrat was his dignified self-reliance (khud-dari). This quality became completely unshakable over the years as he observed the mindset and psychology of people who brought their disputes and grievances to him. Combined with this were supreme detachment (istighna) and the concealment of his inner states (ikhfa-e-haal), such that hardly any person could claim that Hazrat's life was an open book to them. If someone appreciated his academic stature, they knew nothing of his spiritual devotion in worship; if they knew of his worship, they were ignorant of his political sagacity; and if they recognized his acumen, they knew nothing of his patient endurance under trials and ailments. Hazrat was so reserved that those unacquainted with a particular virtue of his would unhesitatingly deny it, simply because they had never heard Hazrat speak of it. In my estimation, one consequence of this concealment is that writing a biography of Hazrat is an exceptionally challenging endeavor. Hazrat kept several of his affairs concealed even from me until the end; some came to light only after his demise, and countless others may never be known. Among his concealments was that family relatives were kept completely unaware of the full gravity of his illnesses. On one occasion, Hazrat strictly commanded me: "Whatever I choose to tell anyone about myself, I will tell them myself; you are not permitted to disclose it even if you know." Consequently, when relatives later discovered the severity of an affliction, they would reproach me: "The problem was so grave, yet knowing it, you never told us!" In such situations, even if I wished to justify myself, how could I?

Selflessness and Absence of Ego

During his years of government employment, Hazrat never burdened the office messenger (Naib Qasid) with personal chores; indeed, he performed many routine tasks himself. In particular, whenever the administration assigned a female attendant to his office, he would never call upon her for any task whatsoever, whereas in typical government offices messengers are given no respite. A female attendant frequently lamented to colleagues in the hospital office: "The Doctor never calls me for any work at all; I wonder whether my salary is even halal!"

Such was Hazrat's humility, servitude to Allah, and aversion to protocol that the attendant would depart for home early, while Hazrat himself would lock the office upon concluding duties at 8:00 PM. Likewise, in the morning, if the attendant had stepped away, Hazrat would unlock the office himself and take his seat.

Single-Minded Focus on Scholarly Research

Hazrat's temperament was purely scholarly and investigative. Scholars engaged in deep academic research cannot produce substantial intellectual output unless they maintain complete, undivided focus away from distractions. For this reason, Hazrat did not travel out for extended tours with the Tablighi Jamaat. Prior to immersing himself in deep scholarship, Hazrat used to travel in Tabligh; however, later, for the sake of academic focus, he explained to his companions:

"Consider me as assigned to support services (khidmat). Just as brothers assigned to logistics and khidmat cannot participate in all general collective activities due to the collective needs of the Jamaat itself, likewise you should understand that the scholarly work in which I am engaged cannot be accomplished without undivided focus. And that work is equally an urgent necessity for the Ummah. For the spiritual fervor and potential awakened in the Ummah through the effort of Da'wah will require sound scholarly guidance; if some individuals do not dedicate themselves completely to sacred scholarship, timely guidance cannot be provided, resulting in monumental loss."

Hazrat thoroughly disliked performing any religious or worldly task merely as a superficial formality. He would say: "Whatever work you do, perform it with such excellence that your contribution is clearly visible." On one occasion, I had increased my participation in Tablighi activities significantly, then reduced it arbitrarily—sometimes joining the weekly rounds (gasht) and sometimes not. One day Hazrat reprimanded me: "What manner is this—sometimes going on gasht and sometimes not?! Whatever work a person undertakes, he must perform it properly."

Hazrat practiced this principle himself, remaining steadfastly devoted to scholarly work with complete single-mindedness. This focus was not only in relation to Tabligh, but applied to all non-academic distractions. Apart from domestic or kinship obligations, traveling simply to visit elders or listen to speeches was not his custom; though if an opportunity arose, he treasured seeing spiritual elders. He unfailingly attended official madrasah functions where attendance was mandatory, and regularly visited his spiritual mentor Hazrat Sayyid Nafees al-Husseini Shah (Rahimahullah).

However, he possessed an ardent yearning to meet genuine scholarly and technical academic figures. A friend from Islamabad mentioned to me over the phone that the celebrated Syrian jurist and encyclopedic author Dr. Wahbah Zuhayli had just concluded a two-day visit to Islamabad and departed the previous day. When I casually mentioned this to Hazrat, he remarked with genuine regret: "SubhanAllah! Had we known earlier, we would have traveled to Islamabad specifically to meet him."

When Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (Rahimahullah) visited Lahore for the last time, Hazrat made special arrangements to attend his lecture to see him. On every visit to Karachi, he made every effort to meet Hazrat Maulana Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (may his blessings endure) and Hazrat Maulana Dr. Abdul Haleem Chishti (may his blessings endure). Whenever Dr. Chishti visited Lahore, Hazrat would visit him at his residence and invite him to his home and madrasah. He considered presenting gifts to elders on such visits a great blessing. Whenever he visited Rawalpindi, he arranged to meet Mufti Rizwan Sahib (Idara Ghufran). These scholarly meetings were held to nourish academic insight, for every meeting yielded fresh perspectives. As the noble saying states:

Awe-Inspiring Demeanor and Pedagogical Gentleness

Allah Almighty endowed Hazrat with great awe and dignified presence. In conversation with visitors—whether students or the general public—he spoke with kindness, warmth, and intellectual depth, completely free of sarcasm. In inquiring about people's professions, he asked such insightful questions that bystanders benefited and visitors were impressed that the questions were not simplistic, but reflected deep prior reflection. Yet, despite his wit, his conversation never lacked gravitas. If someone engaged in frivolous talk, he observed absolute silence; if he could advise them, he did so, otherwise remaining quietly reserved.

Such was Hazrat's dignity that any madrasah student who had never attended his class felt awed seeing him from afar; but once a student attended his lectures, he immediately experienced Hazrat's paternal kindness and felt at ease visiting him. Despite his imposing presence, Hazrat never subjected students to harsh interrogation during studies; consequently, some negligent students would skip classes for other pursuits. Hazrat remarked: "When they display indifference, why should I chase after them? If I ever have to chase people, instead of chasing madrasah students for non-obligatory (Mustahabb) studies, I would rather chase the general public alongside the Tablighi Jamaat for fundamental obligatory (Fard) knowledge—the Kalimah and Salah!"

Vindication of Truth and Confronting Deviation

Upon completing his religious studies, Hazrat saw a true dream which he related to Hazrat Sayyid Nafees al-Husseini Shah (Noorullah Marqadahu): a heated battlefield where the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his noble Companions (Radiyallahu Anhum) were engaged in combat; feeling initial trepidation, Hazrat summoned his resolve and entered the fray. (The full details of this dream are preserved in the biographical memoir on Hazrat Shah Sahib).

In interpreting this dream, Hazrat Shah Sahib instructed him to wage scholarly struggle with his pen, granting him authorization in the spiritual lineage of Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed (Rahimahullah). Thereafter, Hazrat Dr. Sahib proved to be an unsheathed sword against falsehood. He stood miles apart from religious compromise (mudahanah) and concealing the truth (kitman al-haqq). Yet his virtue was that he never used his pen to humiliate an opponent; rather, his methodology was that whenever he noticed someone deviating from the path of Ahlus Sunnah, he would personally visit them repeatedly to explain. If written correspondence was needed, he did not hesitate. But if the individual persisted in error, Hazrat authored and published academic refutations to protect the Ummah from deviation. His criticism was never for personal amusement, but solely for the vindication of truth and sincere goodwill toward the Ummah—and indeed toward the misguided individual himself.

Allah Almighty had unveiled the realities before him and granted him such clarity of heart that he would analyze the opponent's thesis in a purely academic style, demonstrating its irreconcilable contradiction with the Quran and Sunnah so decisively that the opponent was left without defense. Even if an opponent subsequently wrote a rejoinder, for any fair-minded reader, re-reading Hazrat's original treatise was entirely sufficient to see through the response; no doubt remained regarding the opponent's deviation. Rarely did an opponent raise a valid scholarly objection that required a counter-reply from Hazrat.

Defending Islamic creed is by no means an easy task. For when someone—no matter how close a friend or relative—succumbs to doctrinal deviation, turning a blind eye constitutes reprehensible compromise (mudahanah). If a close associate refuses to heed counsel and persists in deviation, a grave trial begins for the scholar: if he remains silent, religion is compromised; if he speaks, relationships are severed. Hazrat always guarded himself against compromise, faithfully discharging his sacred scholarly responsibilities.

The owner of Riazuddin Shopping Mall in Anarkali succumbed to the heresy of Hadith-rejection (Inkar-e-Hadith) and began disseminating anti-Hadith literature within our family and community. Hazrat visited him repeatedly to counsel him and remove his misgivings. However, despite agreed appointments, the gentleman avoided meeting Hazrat. Hazrat then held meetings with community members to explain the issue, presenting his treatise "Understand the Quran According to What the Quran Itself Says". Simultaneously, he impressed upon community leaders that our brotherhood is founded exclusively upon Islam: non-Muslims who accepted Islam were united into a single community solely on the basis of faith, despite differing racial origins. Therefore, if an individual abandons the core tenets of faith, he can no longer remain part of our brotherhood; hence, his name should be expunged from the annual community directory. When leaders hesitated despite repeated requests, Hazrat declared: "Then remove my name first! For I cannot tolerate that when our relationship is founded on Islam, a person who abandons Islam should be called my relative." (Regrettably, under pressure, when the committee printed the new directory, they removed that gentleman's name, but also removed Hazrat's name as well!).

Utmost Caution in Earning Halal

Upon his retirement, Hazrat received his pension funds from the government department, which included mandatory monthly salary deductions alongside an increment designated by the government as interest. Although Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Shafi Sahib (Rahimahullah) authored a detailed treatise establishing that such mandatory statutory deductions and increments, despite the label of interest, do not constitute Shariah-prohibited usury and are permissible to receive—a treatise endorsed by numerous senior scholars—Hazrat returned the interest increment back to the hospital. He cited two reasons: First, Mufti Shafi (Rahimahullah) had noted that if someone abstains from taking that increment due to the problematic nomenclature, it is better; second, if during his duty hours he had ever stepped out or arrived late, this money would serve as compensation for any unintentional shortcomings.

Because Hazrat's employment was in the Auqaf Department, and a significant portion of Auqaf revenues derives from shrine donation boxes, Hazrat experienced deep internal reservations when the job was initially offered regarding whether the salary would be halal. He gathered detailed administrative information, which revealed that although the hospital operated under the Auqaf Department, the hospital's independent revenue from patient fees, surgeries, and diagnostics was so substantial that it received no funding from the Auqaf shrine account. Even then, Hazrat did not rely solely on this information to deem the income lawful; rather, he engaged in thorough consultation with his teachers—especially Hazrat Mufti Abdul Hameed Sitapuri, Hazrat Qari Abdul Rasheed, and Hazrat Maulana Sayyid Hamid Mian (may Allah have mercy upon them)—and only accepted the position after their formal approval.

Scrutinizing one's own affairs and independently investigating the lawful and unlawful is an exquisite hallmark of our pious elders: keeping watch over one's own soul rather than judging others.

Education and Moral Training

Educational Approach and Temperament

Hazrat achieved the highest levels in both secular and religious education; however, he did not pursue both educations concurrently, but rather immersed himself exclusively in religious education after concluding his secular studies. When he dedicated himself to religious learning, adhering to the demands of sacred scholarship, he maintained undivided focus. Consequently, even though his name was selected for post-graduate medical specialization after MBBS, he did not pursue two educations at once. To those who expressed astonishment at his contentment with an MBBS degree without medical specialization, he would reply: "For specialization, I have chosen this path [the classical Islamic sciences]."

Therefore, Hazrat's opinion on this subject is not merely the theoretical opinion of a sage (Hakeem), but also the empirical verdict of an experienced practitioner (Mujarrib). Anyone differing with Hazrat's stance should recognize that they are disagreeing not merely with a thinker, but with someone who possessed direct personal experience in both arenas.

Hazrat acquired advanced secular education in the country's finest academic institutions, following which he received an appointment in the military, with ample avenues for career advancement. Yet his discerning vision perceived that all of this belonged to the realm of materialism; and no matter how much one toils for material advancement, one receives only what has been divinely decreed—often with human exertion ending in disappointment. In contrast, exertion and sacrifice for spiritual growth and sacred knowledge yield guaranteed divine returns. Hazrat would say: "However much you exert yourself for sacred knowledge, that much you will receive; there is no danger of your effort going to waste." For this reason, Hazrat chose this latter path for his own children from the outset, investing tremendous effort in their religious education and moral upbringing.

Prioritizing religious scholarship and spirituality did not mean neglecting essential worldly knowledge. Hazrat was fully cognizant of the practical worldly knowledge an Islamic scholar requires to function effectively in society. Therefore, he personally imparted to all his children (including his daughters) essential English literacy, mathematics, and general knowledge, while dispensing with formal secular board examinations.

To those madrasah students who attempted to pursue secular degrees simultaneously with religious studies, he would remark: "Pursuing secular education is by no means prohibited; but generally, attempting to run both systems concurrently means a student passes exams, yet achieves mastery neither in secular fields nor in religious scholarship."

Perspective on Contemporary Secular Education

Hazrat would advise those pursuing worldly education:

"If you must pursue worldly education, pursue it with such distinction that your exceptional excellence becomes evident."

He expressed disapproval toward madrasah students who pursued secular degrees concurrently alongside their religious studies, emphasizing: "Pursuing secular education is not unlawful; it is a useful necessity for the nation and community. But whatever work you undertake, perform it with such dedication that your accomplishment stands out. Whereas generally, students who attempt to run both concurrently achieve neither distinction in religious scholarship nor eminence in secular disciplines." On this basis, Hazrat regarded simultaneous dual enrollment as an inefficient dispersion of energy, particularly discouraging students dedicated to religious scholarship from dual enrollment. He explained: "Because society requires doctors, engineers, and specialists, we do not say that every person must undergo an eight-year formal madrasah curriculum while simultaneously becoming a doctor or engineer. Rather, if someone wishes to become a doctor or engineer and pursue that professional career, he should do so while becoming a devout, practicing Muslim who possesses sound knowledge of his daily religious duties—whether concerning beliefs, worship, transactions, or ethics—so that he can live his life in obedience to Islam. Meanwhile, whoever aspires to become a reference authority in sacred Islamic sciences must avoid distracting preoccupations."

On one occasion, Hazrat Maulana Saleemullah Khan Sahib (Rahimahullah), President of Wifaq-ul-Madaris Al-Arabia Pakistan, visited Lahore and stayed at our residence, where the two elders engaged in lengthy consultation. At that time, Maulana Saleemullah Khan had recently returned from a visit to Afghanistan during the Taliban governance. Following meetings with top Taliban leadership, Maulana realized that the administration faced acute challenges in governing the modern state apparatus due to a shortage of professionally trained secular specialists. Maulana Saleemullah Khan arrived with the proposal that our madrasah students should pursue studies in medicine, engineering, and diverse modern fields so that religious scholars would encounter no difficulty in administering a state. When Maulana presented this view, Hazrat Dr. Sahib paused in silence for a moment, and then submitted with deep insight:

"Instead of turning madrasah students into doctors and engineers, why not turn doctors and engineers into practicing Muslims?!"

Hazrat's perspective was that, first of all, the number of madrasah students is exceedingly small compared to the general population. If all madrasah students study with complete dedication and enter the field, the religious needs of the masses still cannot be fully met, let alone when their numbers are small to begin with. Furthermore, among students entering madrasahs, those who possess genuine academic passion and intellectual drive are even fewer. If we take those graduating students from whom we hope authoritative scholarship will emerge—who could accomplish monumental religious services—and divert them into worldly, secular education to be absorbed into mundane professions, this defies sound wisdom.

While agreeing with the practical administrative difficulties faced by the Taliban, Hazrat Dr. Sahib proposed that efforts be directed toward existing doctors and engineers so that they cultivate genuine concern for faith, awaken Islamic consciousness, understand the demands of Shariah, and contribute significantly to building an upright society.

On this foundation, we can rightfully say that Hazrat—who was himself an accomplished scholar in secular medicine and achieved the pinnacle of classical Islamic sciences—offered a definitive, authoritative judgment on this subject: that students of religious madrasahs should not pursue two parallel educational tracks simultaneously.

Another noteworthy incident involves a young scholar who mentioned that while in the final stages of completing his MBBS, he felt an overwhelming desire to acquire religious knowledge, and consequently abandoned his MBBS without completing the degree. Hazrat strongly disapproved of this, stating: "When after so much labor you had reached the finish line of a professional qualification, you ought to have completed it. Your qualification would have been securely accomplished, after which you could have pursued religious studies. For circumstances in life never remain static; it is not guaranteed that because a person makes a sacrifice today, he will always remain immune to regret. God forbid, if future financial hardships arise, he might come to regret abandoning his medical degree for religious studies—which would be a tragic spiritual deprivation. Furthermore, abandoning an enterprise unfinished without severe necessity is not an admirable character trait; when a task is begun, it should be brought to completion."

"Then Learn to Patch Punctures Too!"

As mentioned earlier, Hazrat disapproved of attempting two educations simultaneously. In this regard, two further incidents serve as guiding beacons for students of Islamic sciences.

The first incident occurred when I developed a keen desire to purchase a computer. From the beginning, Hazrat's policy with me was that he gave me very modest pocket money; his instruction was that whatever was genuinely needed, I should specify its cost and take the money—even if it was merely adding air to a bicycle tire, I was to specify the cost. When I expressed my desire to buy a computer, Hazrat immediately asked his characteristic question: "What is the need?" (This was his standard question, for he deeply disliked acquiring worldly gadgets or undertaking tasks without purposeful necessity). I had already prepared my justification, intending to argue: "It will be useful; I want to learn composing, and composing might be needed in the future as Islamic books are being composed digitally."

I submitted: "I want to learn composing." Hazrat asked: "What necessity has arisen to learn composing?" I answered: "It will be useful in the future." At this, Hazrat remarked spontaneously:

"Then learn to patch bicycle punctures too, for that will be useful in the future as well!"

(Hazrat purchased a computer for me some time later, but) in that moment he untangled a profound intellectual knot: If worldly arts and skills are to be acquired simply on the pretext that 'they might be useful in the future,' then one should learn every conceivable craft! Why differentiate between becoming a doctor, an engineer, and learning every trade on earth? The fundamental lesson was that an individual must first define his primary life objective; thereafter, whatever is genuinely beneficial and supportive of that objective, he should adopt; and whatever is superfluous, he should discard—no matter how intrinsically useful it might be. Pursuing every useful thing in existence is not wisdom.

Reliance on Allah

The second incident occurred when the government provided considerable exemptions for studying homeopathy, allowing even individuals without a Matriculation degree to enroll. It was my year of Mauqoof 'Alayh (the year preceding graduation). My respected friend Dr. Amjad Sahib (son-in-law of Hazrat Qari Abdul Rasheed Sahib Rahimahullah) mentioned to me that a new law was about to be enacted requiring an F.Sc in Science to study homeopathy. He advised: "You should quickly read a few Urdu texts with me and sit for two years of homeopathic exams right now; later you can pause or take remaining exams gradually. In this way, you will acquire a recognized medical skill, so that after completing Dawrah-e-Hadith and Takhassus, you will face fewer financial difficulties and hold a practical trade in your hands."

I examined the textbooks; they were not difficult. I requested permission from Hazrat. Hazrat refused permission for two reasons: First, as noted earlier, Hazrat disliked undertaking any worldly craft merely as a superficial formality; second, he said: "When I have assumed full responsibility for your livelihood today and am equally concerned for your future, what need is there for you to worry about livelihood right now? And who says that for someone pursuing sacred knowledge, livelihood can only come through a single worldly channel? Can his economic needs not be fulfilled through other means? Must a religious scholar rely solely on a government job or a specific business? When this person has relied upon Allah until today, he should continue relying upon Allah in the future. If parents take responsibility for a student's present needs while he pursues religious knowledge, the student must not abandon reliance on Allah; and parents should seek avenues where the time and resources invested in their child's religious scholarship bear fruitful spiritual results, while their future livelihood is honorably provided."

Discipline and Moral Correction

In disciplining children during education, Hazrat believed solely in mild correction (Ta'deeb) that does not involve severe striking, and only when the child is a minor. Otherwise, Hazrat would say: "Is becoming a scholar an absolute divine obligation that a person should be beaten for it?" Consequently, with the exception of the author, hardly any student ever received physical punishment from Hazrat.

During my Quran memorization days, I received plenty of reprimands from Hazrat, yet I have no memory of lasting pain or bruises. Hazrat's reprimands carried great vocal awe that inspired reverence, but caused no physical injury. On one occasion during discipline, Hazrat intended to administer a light tap to my back; as I flinched, the blow landed on my ribs instead. There was no real pain, but involuntarily I let out a loud cry. Hazrat immediately began gently rubbing my side, repeating with profound concern: "Ay haye, ay haye!" with genuine anguish visible on his face. Seeing him so distressed, on subsequent occasions I made efforts to evade his aim; later, when I succeeded, I would intentionally exaggerate my cries. Following this, Hazrat curtailed physical discipline altogether.

Establishing Regular Family Religious Gatherings

Regarding education, it is essential to mention that during his terminal illness, Hazrat imparted several emphatic directives upon which he laid repeated stress. One directive, which he emphasized earlier but stressed with intense urgency during his illness, was:

"Establish a regular circle of daily religious learning (Ta'leem) at home for the children. Read with them an appropriate book suited to their level—whether from the Fahm-e-Deen course, Fazail-e-A'maal, or any text that awakens within their hearts the love, reverence, and enthusiasm for the religion. Uphold this gathering with utmost regularity."

Hazrat would inquire from me periodically: "Are you conducting the home Ta'leem or not?"

Educate Your Children Personally

The second vital directive Hazrat emphasized was:

"In the future, if you desire that your children receive genuine education, you cannot rely upon others. Understand that whatever education and character training you wish to impart, you must provide it yourself! Do not merely leave them to an external institution—thinking that because you enrolled them in a school or madrasah, you can now be free of concern. That is no longer the case."

Hazrat laid immense stress upon the reality that parents must personally arrange and supervise their children's education, perhaps perceiving that sincere, hardworking, and methodologically skilled teachers are becoming exceedingly rare.

Strictness in Moral Ethics, Leniency in Academic Performance

Regarding the religious upbringing of children, Hazrat also advised:

"Keep checking on them continuously; inquire from them repeatedly about what they are learning. Furthermore, observe this golden principle: when disciplining children, never tolerate insolence or bad manners (bad-tameezi). But never punish them harshly over academic reading. If they struggle in studies or show academic shortcomings, do not reprimand them harshly; leave them be. But never permit insolence, and correct them strictly for bad manners. Regarding other matters—particularly not reading fast enough, taking leave, or arriving late—do not be harsh."