Mazahir al-’Uloom, located in Saharanpur India, is among the foremost institutes affiliated to Darul ‘Uloom Deoband. The eminent graduates of this Islamic seminary include the likes of Hadhrat Maulana Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, Shaykh al-Hadith Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya, Hadhrat Maulana Abd ar-Rahman Kamilpuri, Hadhrat Mufti Mahmud al-Hasan Gangohi, may Allah have mercy on them all, Hadhrat Shaykh al-Hadith Maulana Yunus Jaunpuri, Hadhrat Maulana Yusuf Motala and Hadhrat Maulana ‘Abd al-Hafeez Makki, may Allah lengthen their shadow over us.
Hadhrat Maulana Mazhar Nanautwi رضي الله عنه is the founder of this famous Islamic seminary. He was Hadhrat Maulana Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri’s رضي الله عنه principle Ustaadh (teacher) in the sciences of Hadith, Tafsir and Fiqh at Mazahir al-’Uloom
Hadhrat Maulana Mazhar Nanautwi رضي الله عنه was also among those brave, courageous souls who fought alongwith other senior ‘Ulama of India against the british in the Battle of Shamli in 1857.
Hadhrat Mufti Mahmud al-Hasan Ganoghiرضي الله عنه narrated the following story about him,
Hadhrat Maulana Mazhar Nanautwi رضي الله عنه had a habit of licking his upper lip. Someone once asked him the reason for this, but Hadhrat Maulana رضي الله عنه did not inform him. When this person insisted, Hadhrat رضي الله عنه said,
”When the battle against the British took place at Shamli, and the Muslims were being attacked, some of my comrades were dying and my leg was also hit by a bullet (due to which it became paralysed). In this state, I saw Hoors (damsels of Paradise) with glasses in their hands. The glasses were filled with a special type of drink which they were giving to those of my fallen comrades who were dying and had no chance of surviving. As this was happening, one of the Damsels came towards me. She had just placed a glass against my mouth when another Damsel took hold of her hands, pulled them away [from me] and said,
”he is not among those who are to pass away.”
A very small amount of this drink fell on my upper lip, the [sweet] taste of which remains till today. This is why I have this habit [of licking my upper lip.]
Malfuzat Faqeeh al-Ummat, Dar al-Huda, Volume 3, Pages 264-265
