Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Hazrat Moulana Muhammed Yusuf Kaandhelwi (rahimahullah) was born on 25th Jumaadal Oolaa 1335 AH (20th March 1917) in the village of Kaandhlah in India. His father was Hazrat Moulana Muhammed Ilyaas Kaandhlawi (rahimahullah) – the reviver of the effort of Da’wat and Tableegh.
Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) had completed his hifz at the age of ten, and thereafter commenced his studies to become an Aalim at the age of eleven. Allah Ta‘ala had blessed Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) with proficiency in the field of Hadith, and this can be seen in his literary works. Two famous kitaabs authored by him are the Hayaat-us-Sahaabah and Al-Amaanil Ahbaar which is a commentary of Imaam Tahaawi’s (rahimahullah) Sharhu Ma’aanil Aathaar.
Moulana Muhammed Ilyaas (rahimahullah) had passed away in 1944. Before passing away, he handed over the responsibilities of the effort of Da’wat and Tabeegh to Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah). Hence, he is regarded as the second Ameer of the Tableegh Jamaat effort. He thereafter spent the remainder of his life carrying out this effort of Da’wat and Tableegh to spread deen in the world until he eventually passed away in 1965.
Allah Ta‘ala blessed Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) with special qabooliyat (special divine acceptance), and thus under his supervision, the effort of Da’wat and Tableegh spread throughout the world to many countries, and thousands of people’s lives were reformed through this effort. The secret behind his qabooliyat was undoubtedly his firm adherence to the mubaarak sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in all facets of his life.
Moulana Muhammed Thaani (rahimahullah) is an Aalim who enjoyed a close relationship with Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah), and also travelled with him on certain occasions. He wrote the biography of Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah). In this biography, he writes:
Moulana Muhammed Yusuf Kaandhelwi (rahimahullah) possessed deep love for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and strove to uphold every sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in his life. When alone and when in public, when eating or drinking, and when sleeping or awake – whatever department of deen the action may have related to, he made a great effort to ensure that he carried it out in a manner conforming to the mubaarak sunnah.
In specific, he was very particular about reciting the masnoon duas which pertain to specific occasions and actions, and would also mention to others the great importance of reciting these duas.
Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) once mentioned, “Allah Ta‘ala has kept the solution to all our problems – whether relating to this world or the next – in leading our lives according to the blessed way of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). But, in order for his sunnah to come into our lives, an effort is definitely required.”
One of the students and attendants of Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) mentioned:
On one occasion, a few of us were going to the library of Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) for our Abu Dawood Shareef Hadith lesson, when we received the news that Moulana Maseehullah Khan Saheb (rahimahullah) of Jalaalabaad, who was the khalifah of Hazrat Thaanwi (rahimahullah), is about to arrive. Due to his arrival, our lesson was postponed.
When Moulana Maseehullah (rahimahullah) arrived, Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) came out from his room to welcome him and receive him. He thereafter requested Moulana Maseehullah (rahimahullah) to sit in the room with him. They then sat together and spoke for a little while.
During the course of the conversation, Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) mentioned the following incident. He said:
During my childhood, when I was studying the kitaabs “Munsha’ib” and “Meezaan” (the names of two kitaabs that would be taught in the Aalim class), my father, Hazrat Moulana Muhammed Ilyaas (rahimahullah), addressed me and said, “Yusuf! Shall I tell you how one can become a Qutub?”
Being a child, what could I even understand of what a Qutub was, yet I immediately responded saying, “Please tell me how one can become a Qutub!”
Moulana Muhammed Ilyaas (rahimahullah) said to me, “Yusuf! Wherever and whenever you see the blessed sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) being opposed or left out, then without being concerned about where you are and whichever situation you may be in, you should make an effort to uphold the sunnah and revive it. Through this you will be able to be reach the rank of the Qutubs and Abdaals.”
(Sawaanih Hazratjee Moulana Muhammed Yusuf [rahimahullah] pg. 690-692)
