Hadhrat Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi (May Allah be well pleased with him) - A benefactor of the Ummah

 Imam Rabbani Mujaddid Alf Thaani Hadhrat Shaykh Ahmed Sirhindi (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) has done a great favor for Muslims in general and for the Muslims of the subcontinent in particular.  He raised the banner of truth in such a time when the customs of Islam were being erased, when mosques and Madarsas were being demolished, when slaughtering of permissible animals was being banned and there was no ban on wine and other prohibited things.  The Shariah was ignored and falsehood was being actively propagated.  It had become compulsory that any person who came to the court must prostrate to the king.  Apostasy and disbelief were having a field day.

 

        It wasn’t far that the light of Islam would have been extinguished in the subcontinent.  Hadhrat Imam Rabbani (May Allah be well pleased with him) spent all his energies in the upholding of truth.  As a result of his efforts, not only that Islam started blooming again, but every tree in the garden of Islam was laden with fruits and every corner became fragrant.

 

The revivalist efforts of Hadhrat Imam Rabbani (May Allah be well pleased with him) are looked upon and admired by one and all in the world.  His accomplished personality and his high status in knowledge and gnosis is accepted and acknowledged by all and sundry.  The Imam is not known only as a caller to Islam but also as a great Sufi and the reviver of the second millennium of Islam.

 

The Imam is not only the guide of those who are following the Shariah, he is also the mentor to those who traverse the path of Haqiqah.

 

These are the words of Mufti Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi Professor, Islamic Law, Jamia Nizamia and Founder-Director Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center in the weekly lecture at Masjid Abul Hasanaat held under the aegis of AHIRC.

 

The revered Mufti said that Holy Quran praises and extols those who guide the creation to Allah and don’t fear any one in conveying the true message.  They don’t fear anyone apart from Allah Most High.  It is mentioned in the Holy Quran:

 

Surah Ahzaab 39

 

Hadhrat Imam Rabbani (May Allah be well pleased with him) is also among those blessed personalities.  He is a 28^th generation descendent of Hadhrat ‘Umar Farooq (May Allah be well pleased with him).  His family is highly distinguished with regard to knowledge and scholarship.

 

The revered Mufti said that before the birth of Hadhrat Imam Rabbani (May Allah be well pleased with him), various glad tidings were being received.

 

There is a Hadith in Kanz Ul ‘Ummaal of Imam Ibn Sa’ad and Imam ‘Ali Muttaqi Hindi:

 

Translation: There will be a person in My Ummah who will be called the Sila (Lit. the bridge who joins the creation to the Creator).  Through his intercession, innumerable people will enter paradise.  (Kanz Ul ‘Ummaal, Hadith No. 34589)

 

Scholars and the commentators of Hadith have clarified that the person mentioned in this Hadith is Imam Rabbani (May Allah be well pleased with him).

 

He showed the path of truth to the creation who had been misled and led them to their destination.  He raised the banner of truth in a time of irreligiousness and disbelief and joined the creation with the Creator.  He granted them the wealth of closeness of Allah Most High.

 

The revered Mufti said that the revivalist efforts of Imam Rabbani (May Allah be well pleased with him) can never be ignored.  He spared no effort in raising the banner of truth.  He gave up himself for the cause of Islam.  He dismantled the Deene Ilaahi dreamed up by Akbar and wiped out all false customs.  He bore difficulties for the sake of propagation of Islam and the reformation of the Ummah.  He busied his caliphs also in this work.  He wrote letters to the nobles of the sultanate.

 

The revered Mufti said that the efforts of Imam Rabbani (May Allah be well pleased with him) are a model for all of us.  He faced the powers of falsehood very courageously.  He was imprisoned.  He continued his mission in the prison as well.  Even when imprisoned, he would offer the Friday Salaat in the grand mosque.  No one would know whither he came and whence he went.

 

The blessings of his efforts and his instruction was that all the imprisoned who were ruffians and thieves and murderers turned into pious saintly folk at the hand of the Imam.

 

The revered Mufti described the benefits and blessings of the company of Imam Rabbani (May Allah be well pleased with him).  He related that once when Hadhrat Ghouse Azam (May Allah be well pleased with him) was engaged in worship and self mortification in the jungles, he saw a great radiance.  The Shaykh said that 500 years after me a saint will appear whose company will be highly beneficial.

 

Once, Hadhrat Imam Rabbani (May Allah be well pleased with him) asked one of his disciples to get some cloves.  He got 6 cloves.  The Imam said:  If you had brought an odd number of cloves, the need would also have been fulfilled and you would have had a chance to follow the Sunnah as well.

 

The session ended with Salaam and Dua.  Maulana Hafidh Syed Ahmed Ghouri, Teacher, Jamia Nizamia, led the proceedings.