Some personalities I missed.
Shaykh (Maulana) Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA):
I obviously never saw Shaykh (Maulana) Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA) but I have spent time with Shaykh Saleem Bahauddin (HA) who spent time in Hazat (RA)’s household as a child and later became Khaleefa of Shaykh (Maulana) Abrarul-Haq (RA). I also know a lot about Shaykh (Mufti) Zubair Dudha (HA) who is Khaleefa of Shaykh (Maulana) Hakeem Akhtar Saheb (RA) and how he runs the Khanqah.
Based on assessment and experience with these Ulamah, I must say that I would have LOVED Shaykh (Maulana) Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA) and his discipline, attention to detail and straightforwardness.
I keep saying that in UK those who have simply read about Shaykh (Maulana) Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA) and how he ran his affairs should visit and see Khanqah Ashraffiya-Akhtariyya (Dewsbury), it truly gives a glimpse into the methods of Shaykh (Maulana) Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA).
I have NEVER SEEN a Khanqah which runs like a well-oiled machine anywhere in the world!
Shaykh (Maulana) Hussain Ahmed Madani (RA:
I have also never seen Shaykh (Maulana) Hussain Ahmed Madani (RA) but we have seen Shaykh (Maulana) Hasan Tai (HA) and the way he constructs his language. Hazrat (HA) can barely talk but every statement is backed by Qur’aan and Hadeeth (in Arabic) and in his age and physical condition is truly remarkable. Shaykh (Maulana) Hasan Tai (HA) gifted his books to me and reading the matters of his teacher i.e. Shaykh (Maulana) Hussain Ahmed Madani (RA) its remarkable how similar they are...Its like he makes a deliberate attempt to articulate his points like Hazrat Madni (RA) but I know that he is not trying to make it up because he has always spoken like this
Those who have never seen Shaykh (Maulana) Hussain Ahmed Madani (RA) should sit at a distant and observe Shaykh (Maulana) Hasan Tai (HA), the way he walks, stands, prays, talks and answers your questions.
Love for the Shaykh 1:
Those who have never seen love for the Shaykh should experience Shaykh (Maulana) Syed Bahauddin Naqshbandi-Mujaddid (HA), once we went there he was in pain (he has a broken back due to an accident), with fever and flu and I asked him something about Shaykh (Peer) Ghulam Habib (RA) the same ill Maulana (HA) perked up, sat upright and started about talking about his Shaykh like nothing happened and spoke for almost an hour!
We came out and a brother said, “You did this deliberately didn’t you? You knew he would perk up straight away and get excited and forget about his illness” I didn’t but it was an experience to see a person with a borken back, fever and flu sit upright with face brightening up like that...
Love for the Shaykh 2:
When Shaykhul-Hadeeth (Maulana) Zakariyya Kandhalwi (RA) came to UK he was giving a talk and within his talk he started talking about Sayyidina Yusuf (AS) and as soon as he said the word “Yusuf”, Shaykh (Maulana) Yusuf Motala (HA) immediately said, “Jee Hazrat!”
He was so focused that his brain blocked out the talk and everything else and just homed in on his Shaykh calling his name.
This is remarkable. I heard this story by one chain in the middle and it stuck in my head for years...Shaykh (Maulana) Yusuf Motala (HA) was sitting in the front (physically) and apparently listening but in front of the whole Mosque he interrupted and responded to the word "Yusuf" from his Shaykh!
