1.13 Dress
His normal dress was a kurta which covered his knees, a Shar’i trouser [i.e. loose fitting and above the ankles], a topi and Saleem Shahi shoes. Underneath his kurta he would wear a vest.
In winter he would wear an achkin [an Indian coat with buttons on the upper side]. This was his normal practice, and it is the dress of the nobility in this region. The achkin furthermore was worn solely for protection against the cold. Otherwise, he would suffice with a kurta and light izaar [Shar’i trouser made of lightweight fabric].
In winter he would wear an amaamah [turban]. In summer, however, he could not endure wearing the amaamah due to his hot temperament. Thus, his general clothing consisted only of a topi, a kurta and a light trouser (izaar). He would go in this way to even the biggest of gatherings.
In winter he would also wear socks.
He never wore a big and baggy trouser, shirt-like kurta, cloak and gown. He would rather dress in the manner of his predecessors [his Asaatizah and Shaikh]. He was neither in the habit of donning an achkin, nor obsessed with gowns, like the practice of many scholars.
Looking at his dress he would be taken to be an ordinary pious Muslim, not an Aalim or a Shaikh. In fact, sometimes he would be mistaken to be a layperson. However:
مردِحقانی کی پیشانی کا نور
کب چھپا رہتا ہے پیشِ ذی شعور؟
On the forehead of a Man of Allah is a celestial light,
That can never be obscure to a man of insight.
The celestial light on the forehead revealed everything. In spite of him concealing himself as much as he could, but he could not be concealed. The more he humbled himself, the higher Allah Ta’ala raised his stature. Nowadays we do not see such simplicity in dress. Perhaps people in these times consider the dress of our seniors to be unimpressive. However, whoever saw him [Hazrat Thanwi Rahmatullahi alaih] was bound to acknowledge that of all adorable people the eyes are transfixed only on him.
