STORIES ABOUT KNOWLEDGE
TAKEN FROM THE LECTURES OF SHAYKH MUHAMMAD SALEEM DHORAT

TRUE TALAB
When understanding of some verses of the Qur’an eluded him, the Scholar Ibn Taymiyyah, would go out in the sun, throw dust in his hair, roll in the sand and make his appearance like that of a begger. Then in a state of humilty he would beg Allah Ta’aalaa in the following manner;

“Yaa Mu’allima Adam wayaa Mu’allima Ibraaheem, ‘Allimnee
Yaa Mufahhima Sulaymaan, fah-himnee”

Oh the One Who granted knowledge to Adam and Ibraaheem, teach me,
Oh the One Who granted understanding to Sulaymaan, grant me understanding

He would continue his begging under the hot sun until Allah ta’aalaa opened up his heart and granted him understanding.

DEVOTION TO STUDYING BOOKS
This is a story of the student days of Shaykh Masihullan Khan Sahib and Shaykh Mufti Mahmood Sahib.

One day Mufti Mahmood found his friend Mawlana Masihullah in a rather anxious state and he enquired as to the reason. Mawlana Masihullah related the following dream which was the cause of his anxiety;

“In the dream I was sitting next to an open window and was deeply emersed in a kitaab and fellow students who passed by the window would say salaam and I would reply without even looking up as is my practice during the day. One more person passed by and said salaam to which I replied, again so deeply engrossed in the kitaab that I didn’t look up. However this time as soon as I replied I realised that it was the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alahi wasallam and full of remorse and regret I jumped up and went to look for him so that I could meet him properly. Unfortunately I could not find him in my dream and now I fear that this may be a sign that Allah subhaanahu wata’alaa is angry with me”.

At this his friend smiled and adviced him not to do it again if the same dream reoccured. This comforted Mawlana Masihullah. The next night he had the same dream and this time when he realised it was the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam passing by, he turned towards him and met him!

INTENTIONS
Madrassah Nizaamiyyah, where Imam Ghazali was a student was financially supported by a king. He decided to visit the Madrassah to see what the state of the students was and dressed as an ordinary person so he would not get recognised, he mixed with the students. He asked one student what his intention was for studying and he replied that his father was an Imam of the local Jami’ah Masjid and he earned a good salary so he decided to study so he too could achieve this. Similar replies came from various other students and disappointed, the king decided to shut the Madrassah as he felt he was wasting his money.

As he was leaving the Madrassah he caught sight of a student, not so well dressed, sitting in a corner, engrossed in study. Deciding to ask him the same question he approached him and asked if he could take up a few minutes of his time. The student refused at first and then obliged as the king persisted. On being asked why he was studying, the student replied thus;

“Allah ta’alaa has sent me in this world for a reason which is that I worship Him i.e. to live as He wishes. In order to know how to do this I decided to study Deen and secondly, I felt that if I myself know then I can guide my family and friends”.

At this reply the king felt that amongst the stones there was indeed a diamond and decided to continue supporting the Madrassah. From this Madrassah graduated Imam Ghazali… (note that I could not make out from the lecture whether or not this boy was Imam Ghazali himself).

TRUE CONCERN FOR PEOPLE
Shaykh Zakariyya Khandalwi’s grandfather, Mawlana Isma’eel Sahib had such concern for the Deeni welfare of people that he would approach poor people on their way to seek emploment in the mornings. He would stop them and ask how much they expected to earn. They would mention the amount i.e. 2 Rupees. He would then invite them to go with him to the Masjid and he would promise to pay them that amount at the end of the day. They would happily accompany him and he would teach them all day after which he would pay them the agreed amount.

A MOTHER’S YEARNING
The mother of Shaykh Hasan ‘Ali Nadwi, the great scholar, once wrote to him while he was studying, advicing him in the following way;

“My dear son, I wish that I had a hundred sons all of whom I would devote to the study of and serving the Deen. Unfortunately I have only one son and therefore you have to work hard enough for a hundred….”

Shaykh concluded that forget a hundred, Shaykh Hasan ‘Ali Nadwi went from this world leaving behind work of hundreds of great men!

A FATHER’S WISH
Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (hafizahullah) relates the following words of his respected father (rahmatullaahi ‘alayhi);

“My son, if I send you to college or university for an academic education, it will not cost me anything and if you achieve a good education it will mean a good salary which would benefit me too. By sending you to a madrassah for a Deeni education I’m paying fees and after you complete your education, leave aside you helping me, I would be supporting you. So why do I still wish a Deeni education for you? The fact of the matter is that my worldly life will end even if I’m in the state of poverty but my Hereafter will be made through you. So promise me that after you qualify from Madrassah and become an ‘Alim you devote yourself to the service of the Deen. If you don’t then I will have lost both the dunya and the aakhirah.”

Shaykh adds that he did as his father wished and he has not been deprived of any of the worldly comforts.

May Allah Subhaanahu wata'alaa elevate Shaykh's father. Through the fadl of Allah his wish became the means for thousands of us to benefit from his son....ummi taalib is indebted, may Allah Subhaanau wata'alaa compensate them for their sacrifices, aameen.