The Life, Virtues, and Services of Mufti Aʿẓam Hind

Respect for Paper

The pride of the Ahl al-Sunnah, the beloved son of Imam Ahl al-Sunnah, Sayyidunā Mawlānā al-Ḥājj Muhammad Muṣṭafā Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, known as "Huzur Mufti A‘ẓam Hind," also used to show reverence for blank paper and individual alphabets (i.e., letters written separately, such as ا،ب،ت etc.) because they are used in writing the holy Quran, Hadith, and matters of Shariah. When he arrived at the annual Dastārbandī (graduation) ceremony of Dār al-‘Ulūm Rabbāniyyah, Banda (India) in 1391 AH, he had walked only a few steps after getting off his carriage when his gaze fell upon a few torn pieces of paper with Urdu writing on them. He immediately picked them up from the ground and stated: "One should respect papers and Arabic alphabets (as all Urdu alphabets, with the exception of a few, are Arabic), because the Glorious Quran, sacred Aḥādīth, and commentaries, etc., are compiled from them." (Mufti A‘ẓam ki Istiqamat-o-Karamat, p. 124, summarised) May Allah Almighty have mercy on him and forgive us by his virtue without accountability!

آمِينْ بِجَاهِ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم

If only we would be granted the fortune of respecting sacred papers by virtue of Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ. Do not step on writing, regardless of the language it is in. Do not keep doormats outside your doors that have "WELCOME" written on them. The fortunate Muslims who, out of respect for writing, see newspapers, sacred papers, and cardboard, etc., on the ground and pick them up to dispose of them respectfully in the middle of the sea or a deep river are worthy of envy. And for those fortunate ones who pick up sacred papers from the ground, here is glad tidings:

The Excellence of Picking Up Sacred Papers

It is narrated from the fourth Caliph of the Muslims, Sayyidunā ‘Alī al-Murtaḍā كَرَّمَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ الْكَرِيم, that the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم stated:

“Whoever picks up a paper from the ground upon which any of the Divine Names of Allah Almighty is written, Allah Almighty will raise the name of that person (the one who picked it up) in ‘illiyyīn (the highest place for souls), and He will reduce the punishment of his parents, even if his parents are non-Muslims.”¹

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ! Dawat-e-Islami, the religious organization of the devotees of the Prophet, is an organization that spreads the love, respect, and spiritual grace of Allah Almighty, His beloved & final Prophet, Muhammad صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم, all the Companions, the noble Ahl al-Bayt عَلَيْهِمُ الرَّضْوَان and the pious predecessors رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِم. One of the departments of Dawat-e-Islami is called the "Sho'ba-e-Tahaffuz-e-Awraq-e-Muqaddasah" (Department for the Protection of Sacred Papers), whose work is to place various boxes and drums, etc., in streets, neighborhoods, and masājid to collect sacred papers and then dispose of them respectfully according to the guidance provided by the noble Muftis.

Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ is a Perfect Spiritual Guide

Mufti Ghulām Muḥammad Khan (Shaykh al-Hadith, Jamia Amjadiyyah, Nagpur) had not become a disciple of anyone before 1953, and he was restless to be connected to a spiritual order. One day, he asked Mufti ‘Abd al-Rashīd (Founder of Jāmi‘ah Amjadiyyah, Nagpur): “Sir! Who should I become a disciple of?” Mufti ‘Abd al-Rashīd replied: “Mawlānā! Where are such people left now who are perfect in both Shariah and Ṭarīqah, except for Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ?”²

References

¹ Majma‘ al-Zawā’id, vol. 4, p. 300, Hadith: 6846

² Mufti-e-Azam Hind Number, Mahnama Istiqamat, p. 558

Characteristics of Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ

 

When Mufti A‘ẓam Hind's uncle, Maulana Ḥasan Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, passed away in 1329 AH, and his elder brother, Mawlānā Ḥāmid Riḍā Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, became the administrator of Madrasah Manẓar al-Islam, Mufti A‘ẓam رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ continued writing fatāwā and teaching. No one ever saw him laughing aloud. He would perform every task or handle things with his right hand. He would not place other books on top of Aḥādīth books. In gatherings of Mawlid, Prophetic odes and odes to the pious predecessors, he would remain seated respectfully until the very end. He would visit the sick, show immense respect to religious scholars, and honour the descendants of the Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم just as a subject shows respect to their king. He would encourage others to keep a beard and wear Islamic clothing.¹

Mufti A‘ẓam Hind’s Love for the ‘imāmah

Once Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ came to Baraon Sharif for the annual graduation ceremony of Dār al-‘Ulūm Fayḍ al-Rasūl. The teachers of Fayḍ al-Rasūl decided to take a lesson of Hadith from Mufti A‘ẓam رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ and receive authorisation in Hadith. With the permission of Hazrat Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ, a spiritual gathering for the lesson of Hadith was held. It was made mandatory for all participants of that gathering to attend while wearing an ‘imāmah. Consequently, all the teachers of Dār al-‘Ulūm participated in that session while wearing ‘imāmahs.²

Dear Islamic brothers! You have witnessed Mufti A‘ẓam Hind’s love for the Sunnah of the Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم, the ‘imāmah. You can gauge his love for the ‘imāmah by the fact that among the various scholars and Muftis to whom he granted spiritual successorship (Khilāfat), he personally tied the ‘imāmah on the heads of many of them with his own hands; he also gifted robes (Jubbah), ‘imāmahs, and skullcaps to many.³

His blessed style was to tie a wide, mostly white or almond-colored ‘imāmah. Mufti ‘Abd al-Mannān al-A‘ẓamī رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ states:

Mufti A‘ẓam Hind رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ used to tie a simple ‘imāmah, but the ‘imāmah would look so beautiful on his blessed head that observers would say that the style of the ‘imāmah was created specifically for his blessed head.⁴

References

¹ Jahan-e-Mufti-e-Azam, p. 65; Tadhkirah Mashā’ikh-e-Qādiriyyah Riḍawiyyah, p. 554

² Mufti-e-Azam aur unke Khulafa, vol. 1, p. 44

³ Tazkirah Mashā’ikh-e-Qādiriyyah Riḍawiyyah, p. 509

⁴ Jahan-e-Mufti-e-Azam, p. 243, summarised