The life of Hadhrat Abul Hasanaat Syed Abdullah Shah Naqshbandi Mujaddidi Qadri (May Allah shower His Mercy on him)
The life of
Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan Abul Hasanaat Syed Abdullah Shah
Naqshbandi Mujaddidi Qadri
(May Allah shower His Mercy on him)
As cool breeze foretells rain, in the same way the arrival of the Lovers of Allah Most High is also foretold. The personality of Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan was to clear vagueness, to spread the light of guidance, to guide those who desired proximity of Allah Most High; so before his arrival as well, according to the law of Allah Most High tidings were given.
The introductory education of Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) was under his own father. He studied the logical sciences from Maulana Mansoor Ali Khan (May Allah shower His Mercy on him). He studied Sharh Jami, Tafseer and other sciences under Shaykh Ul Islam Imam Muhammad Anwarullah Farooqui (May Allah shower His Mercy on him), the founder of Jamia Nizamia. He studied Hadith and literature under Maulana Hakeem Abdur Rahman Saharanpuri (May Allah shower His Mercy on him). All these teachers were considered masters in their respective fields. Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) completed his education and through his inherent ability and wide reading, came to be recognized as an erudite scholar of Hyderabad.
His pious father was a disciple and Caliph (i.e. authorized representative) of Hadhrat Miskin Shah Sahib (May Allah shower His Mercy on him). Because of this, Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) also gave his allegiance to Hadhrat Miskin Shah (May Allah shower His Mercy on him). But because of educational responsibilities, Hadhrat could not fully benefit himself from the divine blessings of Hadhrat Miskin Shah (May Allah shower His Mercy on him). After finishing his education, he turned his complete attention towards traversing the path (Sulook) to Allah Most High. By that time, Hadhrat Miskin Shah (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) had passed away into the presence of Allah Most High. Those days were illumined with the radiance of Hadhrat Syed Muhammad Badshah Bukhari (May Allah shower His Mercy on him). What else need be said about him except that if his disciple was like this, then what about the master? Hadhrat entered his circle of disciples and traversed the path to divine love and approval. The details of the striving and worship of those days, though not revealed by Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) himself, those who saw him during those days say that apart from the necessary activities, the Shaykh would spend his entire time in remembrance of Allah Most High (Dhikr). He would always be seen engaged in meditation (Muraqaba).
The Shaykh would offer Salaat Ul Fajr in the mosque of his master and sometimes in the mosque of Chowk and then he would walk 4 miles daily to the mosque of his master. After Fajr, he would remain busy in remembrance of Allah and gaining his master’s blessings, etc. From there, he would return at about 10 o’clock after offering Salaat Ul Ishraaq and Chaasht. Till Salaat Ul Zuhr, he would be busy in meditation. Then he would return from the mosque after Maghrib. After having dinner, he would go to the mosque and remain there busy in remembrance of Allah, meditation, etc. till midnight. He would return to his house and rest. He would again get up at 2:00 and offer Salaat Ul Tahajjud, recite the Holy Quran and spend the night in praying and crying before Allah. Just before Fajr, he would rest for sometime and then go to his master’s mosque to offer Salaat Ul Fajr. For 20 years, irrespective of season and situation, he used to be present in his master’s mosque in Fajr.
Hadhrat Bukhari Shah (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) had innumerable disciples, but he would prefer Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan (May Allah shower His Mercy on him). Seeing his firmness on Shariah, following of the Holy Prophet’s (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) Sunnah and his striving in the path of Allah Most High, Hadhrat Bukhari (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) made him His Caliph (i.e. he authorized him to take disciples and teach/instruct them). He gave him his robe and headdress too, because of which, Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) was overwhelmed with love and ecstasy of Allah Most High and slowly normalized with the divine attention of his master.
Every aspect of the life of Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan was molded by the rules of the Holy Quran and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). Each year, he would remain in Itikaaf (seclusion) for the last 10 days of Ramadhan. In those days, he would offer Tahajjud Salaat with Jamaat, in which at least 1 complete recitation of the Holy Quran would be recited. In these days, angelic qualities of Hadhrat would be unveiled. Once while ill, he was offering Salaat normally. He was requested to sit and offer Salaat. Hadhrat smiled and recited a Persian couplet, which meant:
Even though I have become old, weak-hearted and weak-bodied,
Whenever I hear the mention of my Beloved, I become fresh again.
He was a very great personality, an erudite scholar and a great saint. In spite of all this, he spent his whole life in the service of the creation. His whole life is a model of the commandments of Allah Most High and His Beloved Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).
He passed away on Thursday, 18th Rabee’ Thaani, 1384 Hijri, 1964 AD at 8 AM.
Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center 