Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Hazrat Moulana Muhammed Yusuf Kaandhelwi (rahimahullah) was the cousin of Hazrat Shaikhul Hadith Moulana Muhammed Zakariyya (rahimahullah). He was younger than Hazrat Shaikh (rahimahullah) and was also married to the daughter of Hazrat Shaikh (rahimahullah).
Hazrat Shaikh (rahimahullah) writes regarding Hazrat Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah):
“Moulana Yusuf (rahimahullah) was initially among my juniors, but in the end, due to his great service for Allah Ta‘ala’s deen, he became my senior (Hazrat Shaikh (rahimahullah) mentioned this out of humility). There are so many incidents regarding his istighnaa (self-independence from people’s wealth) that these incidents cannot all be enumerated. I have witnessed many of these incidents with my own eyes.”
Among the incidents which Hazrat Shaikhul Hadith (rahimahullah) thereafter mentioned was the following incident which transpired between Hazrat Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) and Haji Wajeehuddeen Saheb (rahimahullah). Hazrat Shaikhul Hadith (rahimahullah) says:
After my uncle (i.e. Hazrat Moulana Muhammed Ilyaas [rahimahullah]) passed away, I spent a few Ramadhaans in Nizaamuddeen. Some years, I spent the entire month in Nizaamuddeen, and some years, I spent a part of the month.
In those days, the i’tikaaf would take place in a large area close to the room of Hazrat Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah). I would share this area with Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) through the area being divided in half by hanging a sheet in the middle. I would stay in the western half, and he would stay in the eastern half.
Once, after the zuhr salaah, we were both in our respective sections. At that time, I heard the voice of Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah), and on listening carefully and pondering, I realized that the person he was speaking to was Haji Wajeehuddeen Saheb (rahimahullah). Haji Wajeehuddeen (rahimahullah) was trying to give him some money to use for the effort of Da’wat and Tableegh, however Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) was refusing to accept it saying, “We do not want money – we want you!”
After hearing them continue in this manner for a few minutes, I left my i’tikaaf cubicle and entered Moulana Muhammed Yusuf’s (rahimahullah) cubicle. I then took Haji Wajeehuddeen Saheb (rahimahullah) with me into my cubicle, and very humbly and sympathetically, I excused the action of Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) saying, “Moulana does not know who you are! Give this money to me if you wish, I will spend it in Tableegh for you. At some other time, I will give it to Moulana Muhammed Yusuf to use for Tableegh.”
However, Haji Wajeehuddeen (rahimahullah) was very upset and refused to do so. He clearly refused saying, “I am not giving it to you! If he will not accept it, then I also will not insist on giving it.” Haji Saheb (rahimahullah) had spent quite some time arguing with Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah), and I spent double that amount of time trying to make Haji Saheb happy, however he was very affected and unhappy, and in this condition, he woke up and left.
After he left, I went to Moulana Muhammed Yusuf and said to him, “You may speak to your friends in this manner, as you want, however you should not deal in this manner with those people who had contact with our elders. This man is the person for whom your late father, Hazrat Moulana Muhammed Ilyaas (rahimahullah), would bring food and tea from the home of Hazrat Sahaaranpuri (rahimahullah) (as Haji Wajeehuddeen Saheb was among the close people of Hazrat Sahaaranpuri (rahimahullah) and Hazrat Sahaaranpuri (rahimahullah) would show him a lot of respect and love).”
Hearing this, Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) explained that he had not known the man’s high position and close relationship with Hazrat Sahaaranpuri (rahimahullah) – and this was absolutely true, as the incident I had mentioned (of his father bringing food and tea for him from the home of Hazrat Sahaaranpuri [rahimahullah]) had transpired before Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) was born, or during the very early years of his infancy.
Hazrat Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) then said to me, “Why did you not stop me immediately?” I replied, “I considered it inappropriate to intervene at that time as you were fully determined and motivated not to accept the money he was giving you. Nevertheless, it is very important for you to bear this in mind in the future.”
At that time, Hazrat Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) sent two people to look for Haji Wajeehuddeen (rahimahullah) so that he could ask him for forgiveness and try to please his heart by accepting the money he wished to give for deen, but they were unable to find him.
A few months later, I once again travelled to Delhi, and as normal, I found Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) and Moulana In’aamul Hasan (rahimahullah) waiting at the station for me. As soon as I got off the train at the station, I said, “We must first go to Haji Wajeehuddeen Saheb, and you must ask him for forgiveness.” Moulana Muhammed Yusuf (rahimahullah) wholeheartedly and happily accepted and said, “Definitely! Let us go!” Accordingly, the three of us, accompanied by another one or two people, set out.
Haji Saheb’s shop was on the way to Nizaamuddeen, and when we reached it, it was already night time. On knocking at the door, Haji Saheb himself came and opened. As soon as the door opened, I said to him, “Moulana Yusuf has come to ask your forgiveness.” Hearing this, Haji Saheb said to me, “No! There is absolutely no need for that! Rather, I need to ask you for forgiveness. On that day, you spoke to me in such a soft manner, trying to pacify me and explain to me, but at that time, I was very upset, and I did not pay attention to what you were saying to me. For this, I ask your forgiveness.”
Haji Saheb then said, “Actually, the reality of the matter is that Moulana Yusuf’s reprimand on that day had such a deep and positive effect upon my heart which even your kind words did not have upon me. The realisation it brought upon me was such that from that day until today, I have attended every tableeghi jalsah in Mewat. I do not stay for the night, rather in the morning, after eating breakfast, I get into my car and go to the jalsah. Then, after the program and the dua is complete, I immediately return.”
Moulana Muhammed Yusuf Saheb (rahimahullah) confirmed this saying, “Yes! I always saw you at the jalsahs, but whenever I came to see you after the jalsah, I would find that you had already left.”
(Aap Beeti 6/184-185)
