Verifying an Article
It was February 1928 AD when an article was published in a daily paper of Punjab quoting a certain Hazarwi Buzrug, that Moulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi went for Haj. He stayed by his Murshid, Hazrat Haji Imdaadullah Muhaajir-e-Makki. An istifta (question) came to Haji Saheb. The question was: Is it permissible to use a maudhu’ Hadeeth for the purpose of encouragement or as a warning?
[Literally maudhu’ means ‘forged’. In Hadeeth terminology it refers to a narration in which a narrator has been guilty of fabrication in a Hadeeth.]
Haji Saheb gave Fatwa of jawaaz [permissibility] and pressured Moulana [Gangohi] to endorse the Fatwa. Moulana vehemently refused and walked out on Haji Saheb.
At night, in the realm of dreams, Haji Saheb was cautioned. In the morning, he went to his Mureed and submitted his apology.
The account is long. This was the gist of it.
Episodes of such a nature were very interesting to me. On the other hand, I was very much infatuated with Haji Saheb. He was a wonderful Commentator of Mathnawi Shareef, and he was the Murshid of Hakeemul Ummat.
I thought: “Let me verify this report by Moulana [Thanwi]. Those two Buzrugs [Hazrat Haji Saheb and Hazrat Moulana Gangohi] are deceased. However, the third; a token of their remembrance, a lover of them, and Masha Allah, an eminent Muhaqqiq [expert research scholar] in his own right, is alive.”
I sent the letter with the newspaper cutting.
Response from Thanabawan
On the 23rd of February I received the following answer:
“My Honoured
Assalaamu Alaikum Warahmatullah
May Allah Ta’ala keep you protected!
I am pleased that you have adopted caution in the report. In response I submit that Allah Ta’ala declares:
وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِه عِلْمٌ
Do not go along with that which you have no knowledge of.
This proves that it is not permissible to believe, practise on and report a thought or statement which is devoid of sound proof and reliable certification.
The report [you have sent] is of this kind. It has no reliable certification. It is, therefore, impermissible to claim it as proven or believe in it.
Apart from this, the report is flawed in terms of the Principles of the Muhadditheen. The reason for this is that those who are aware of the nature of Hazrat Haji Saheb will never, till Qiyaamat, give credence to it. Hazrat was extremely obedient to the Sunnah and devoted to the Ulama. He was a master in the essential Principles of Deen.
Thus, the story is either a fabrication, or it has been interpolated.
Ashraf Ali”
The Khaanqah-recluse of Thanabawan was not just a Soofi Saheb; he was vigilant, a careful examiner of reports, and a scholar.
The letter served to remind me once again about all that.
