It is a great pleasure and honour to say that I have spent many days and evenings,
even nights in the presence of Shaykh-ul-Islam. You see a very different human being
when you interact with him behind closed doors. The spirituality factor no doubt
rises up another notch or two. There are many pauses and long periods of silence
when it is just yourself and he in one room. It makes you think is Qibla just looking
me straight in the eyes or is he lost in the streets of Madinah-tul-Munawara.
Though I had been a fan of Shaykh-ul-Islam for many a year as pictures of him
in our family home, his cassettes and audios in many cupboards, I never knew what
all the fuss was about until my first ever interaction with him. It was at Heathrow
airport and some of the MYL members decided to introduce myself and other youth
brothers to Shaykh-ul-Islam on a one to one basis. There stood Shaykh with my eyes
glued to the floor. He began to pat my chest as is done so commonly by him. However
the patting didn’t stop. It went on for hours it felt at the time. Then courageously
I looked up and my perception had changed. Before it was normal, Shaykh-ul-Islam
is smiling, Mash’Allah. Now it was look at the beauty of the smile. Look at his
eloquence. Look at how he treats those who are close to him. Those little things
held neither meaning nor value before. That day changed my life. It was as if all
the dirt within my heart had been pierced out with the blessed hands of Shaykh-ul-Islam
and the love of his beloved had shone through.
The trip to Syria and Turkey in 2005 was a life changing experience for most
however my life changed in a different way. People had gone to view the shrines
of Caliphs and great Walis of their times. My sole purpose was the closeness of
Shaykh-ul-Islam and undoubtedly I achieved that. As is said by Allah SWT that if
you take a step towards me I will take ten steps towards you, If you walk towards
me I will run towards you. I felt something very similar to that when I began to
get close to Huzoor Shaykh-ul-Islam. I wanted to get close to Shaykh-ul-Islam and
it was as if he knew this and he would ask me to do certain things for him which
I would have expected others to get the chance to do, such as ironing his clothes,
cleaning his room, dressing his grandson. These things are not minor things when
you contemplate. You are being asked to assist the mujadid of the time.
There is no doubt in my mind that today is where Shaykh-ul-Islam’s spirituality
is at its Urooj (peak). I am a witness who can testify that Shaykh-ul-Islam stays
awake the whole night and only sleeps after the Fajar Salah in the morning. He is
constantly studying or he is in prayer. Once Shaykh-ul-Islam asked me what my future
plans were to which I replied I want to further my education, Huzoor. Shaykh-ul-Islam
specifically told me that education was very important. He stated that he would
travel over 100 miles per day to seek secular education from his college and universities
and return home every evening to seek religious studies from his father, Dr Fareeduddin
Qadri. Shaykh-ul-Islam explained that he would sleep after Fajar Salah for two to
three hours and then wake up and leave for university which was nearing 50miles
away. He would return from university early in the evening, eat and then start this
studying with his father which was very intensive and would finish at about Salat-ud-
Tahhajud time. This trend would go on for many years and till today is still apparent.
Shaykh-ul-Islam relived out his days for. He said he still studies up to 18 hours
a day, sometimes without a break except for Salah. This trend has been going for
40 years Shaykh-ul-Islam said and highlighted to us a number of times the importance
and value of a good education but not forgetting our Islamic faith in the process
but inter-linking both as he did so well.
I am a great admirer of Shaykh-Asad-as-Saeed-as-Sagarjhi. My family and I had
the great pleasure of accommodating him in our Gareeb Khana last year prior to Al-Hidayah.
In Syria I realised how much his love was for Shaykh-ul-Islam when he said, I see
Islam in Shaykh-ul-Islam’s personality. Whenever we questioned him in the UK about
Shaykh-ul-Islam he would always smile. In the presence of Shaykh-ul-Islam he would
act very shy and timid. On one occasion Shaykh-ul-Islam came to our home with his
family to meet Shaykh Sagarjhi. Shaykh-ul-Islam introduced his family by saying
this is my Ulaad (family) to which Shaykh Sagarjhi replied you stated wrong, I am
also from your Ulaad. Shaykh Sagarjhi had tears in his eyes when leaving the UK
as he said I am leaving the presence of a great individual. It makes you think that
a person who is well renowned himself and has the respect of the Middle East is
in total awe of our Shaykh then what really is the status of Shaykh-ul-Islam.
In closing I would like to say that though we are not capable enough nor deserving
to even call ourselves followers of Shaykh-ul-Islam it is up to us to spread his
name and pierce the light of Ishq-e-Mustafa in the hearts of those who have not
been fortunate enough to experience the wealth of knowledge and spirituality he
possesses. Shaykh-ul-Islam is the Mujadid of the time and it is evident in the day
and night struggle he is doing for the betterment of the Ummah. May Allah give my
life, my wealth, my health and all that I own to Shaykh-ul-Islam as he is my life.
Every successful individual has critics and Shaykh-ul-Islam has more than most.
It is usually people who are jealous or of the wrong faith, but I can say with surety
that they would agree with me, Whether you love him or loathe him, he no doubt IS
ONE OF A KIND.
