Akaabir of Deoband.

Hujjatul Islam Hazrat Mawlana Qasim Nanotwi rahmatullahi alayhi 1248AH-1297AH (1833AD- 1880AD)

Hadhrat was Born in Nanota; A town cited between Delhi and Saharanpur, UP, India

His family tree reaches sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq radhiallahu anhu, therefore, he is a Siddiqi.

When we read the biographies of our ulama we see that Many of our akaabir were descendants of sahaba. Hazrat Gangohi was from the progeny of Abu Ayyub Ansari radhiallahu anhu. Sheikhul Hind’s lineage reaches Uthman Ghani Radhiallahu Anhu. Hazrat Mawlana Hussain Ahmad Madani is from the descendants of Rasululllah SAW, therefore He was a Sayyed. May Allah shower his mercy upon all of them.

As far as Hadhrat Nanotwi is cocerned, The best person to describe someone is that person who knew him from his childhood and was closely associated with him for the rest of his life, Hadhrat’s childhood friend Mawlana Yaqoob nanotwi grew up with Hazrat mawlana Qasim nanotwi and then he was very close to Hadhrat throughout his life. Mawlana Yaqoob Sahib has written a brief but beautiful biography of Hazrat Nanotwi Rahmatullahi alayhima. I have taken most of this discourse from his work.

He writes: From childhood, he was very intellegent, good natured, very brave, quick and alert, and very hardworking. He finished Quran at an early age, He was very good at poetry. At times we would play a game and he would compose some poetry for that game.

During those days there was a game called ‘jour/tour’ Only the age old experts of that game could win it. We would always loose. Mawlana learned the core of the game and after that he never lost. At most they could manage a draw with him.

His handwriting was very neat. He was very healthy. He was taken to deoband where his Farsi and Arabic education commenced. Then he was moved to Saharanpur where he stayed with his nana (maternal grandfather) and his education continued there.

During those days, he had a dream that he was standing on rooftop of the ka’bah shareef, and rivers of fresh water were flowing from his ten fingers to the corners of the world. His teachers interpreted this dream, that through you the knowlegde of Deen will spread throughout the world.

Mawlana’s nana passed away and He returned to Nanota. Mawlana Mamlookul Ali naotwi (who is the father of the writer Mawlana Ya’qub Saheb) had just returned from haj and he was going to Dehli. They were closely related so After seeking permission from his parents, he took Mawlana Qasim to Delhi so that he could complete the studies under mawlana mamlook Ali sahib. This was on the 2nd of Muharram 1260AH.

His lessons began with Kaafiya. Then with books of ma’qoolat, eg meer zahid, sadra, shamse baazegha, etc. Mawlana would read the texts as swiftly as a Hafidh would read the Quran. Someone saw this and remarked “What is the point of reading without understanding?” Mawlana Mamluk Ali replied ” A student cannot proceed with me without understanding” He would realise from the manner of reading whether the student has understood or not.
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Mawlana Rasheed Ahmad gangohi had joined him to study under Mawlana Mamlook Ali RA. They used to discuss lessons, and the teachers would enjoy listening to their ilmi debates.

Once Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki came as they were about to study a specific book. They had made repeated requests to the ustadh to teach them that book. However, As he came in, the teacher closed the book and said “Haji Sahib is here, no lesson today” Mowlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi whispered to Mawlana nanotwi “This is a good haji Saheb, for whom our lesson is cancelled” he replied “Don’t say that! He is a big buzrugh”

Mawlana nanotwi was already a mureed of hazrat haji saheb and he encouraged mawlana gangohi to get bay’at to him as well, which he did later on. Later hazrat gangohi would say “Who knew at the time that it would be this same haji sahib who is going to capture our heart”

They both completed their Hadith studies under shah Abdul Ghani mujaddidi dehlawi rahmatullahi alayhi, who was the son of shah abu Saeed and from the progeny of mujaddide alfe Thani sheikh Ahmed as- sarhindi, whose lineage goes all the way to sayyidina umar ibn alkhattab radhiyallahu anhu. Shah Abdul Ghani’s father shah Abu saeed was a student of shah Abdul Aziz muhaddith dehlawi, who was the son of shah waliyyullah rahmatullahi alayhi.

After completing his religious studies, he was enrolled in the Governmental Arabic college. He was very bright and clever. Mawlana Mamlook Ali said to the headteacher “Don’t worry about his mathematics and geometry, I myself will oversee that” Then he gave Hazrat nanotwi Euclid saying “Study it and complete the exercises”.

He studied the book all by himself and within a few days, word spread that he has practiced all arithmetic exercises. Students began to ask him questions and he would very easily answer them. He also answered more tricky questions which the teacher put before him. The headteacher and everyone were amazed.

However, He left the college before the exams. The whole college, including the headteacher, were shocked. Later he gave the reason that he did not want to be labelled a Professor, he wanted to be related to the deen.

Mawlana Mamluk Ali died on 11th dhul hujjaj 1267AH. He was affected by jaundice. He remained sick for a total of 11 days. He remained unconscious for about 4/5 days. During this turbulent time mawlana would sit by his side and using a hand fan, he would fan him throughout the night. Others would fall asleep, but mawlana would be busy with the Khidmat of his ustadh.

When Mawlana Nanotwi returned to Nanota, He took an account of the agricultural land and advised his father to distribute the land among the inheritors according to the shariah guidelines, as it had not been done so for generations and shares were mixed up. He worked it all out himself and helped his father give the rightful owners their due share.

Mowlana Yaqoob Nanotwi writes that Mowlana Qasim did not look like an Alim, he used to do proof reading for the printers to earn his livelihood. In his free time he would teach students for free. There was a time when He was seen with very long hair, he wasn’t very much bothered about food. He would stay alone and for many days survive on baasi (stale) roti.

His family wanted him to get married. However, due to his quite nature which resulted in a special awe, they could not command him. So they approached him through his sheikh, Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki rahmatullahi alayhi. He agreed on one condition that he would not be forced into earning more than what he is already getting at the moment. The condition was accepted and he got married.

His wife was from a wealthy family. He said to her on the 1st night there is only one of two ways for us to live together; either I become wealthy which is not in my hands or you become like me which is easy. Then he explained to her the rights of the wife and the rights of the husband. Thereafter he asked her if I was to instruct you to do something which is good for you will you oblige? She agreed. Then he asked her to donate the expensive jewellery and expensive clothes, which she had brought with her, to the Turkish fund, which was being raised to save the khilafah. She agreed and in the morning he donated it on her behalf.

She herself was also very generous and did lots of Khidmat of her husband. Later on, after the establishing of darul uloom, he would get lots of guests and he would be extremely hospitable to them. He would say to people that this generosity is no big deal on my part, it is all due to umme Ahmed.(the salaf would dislike mentioning their wives’ names in front of others so they would relate to them via kuniyat).

Once hazrat gangohi and a few guests were at hazrat’s house. When they sat down to eat, hazrat nanotwi brought a large container of ghee and and put it on the dastarkhan, hazrat gangohi said “this is too much” then he took some out and sent the rest back inside the house. Once some guests came on horseback. There was no fodder available to feed the horses. Hazrat nanotwi went in the house and brought a sack of kabuli chana and fed it to the horses.

When she would hear the call of Azaan, she would leave everything as if she did not recognise anyone, she would listen and reply to the azaan, perform Wudhu, and pray namaz instantly. This was due to the tarbiyat and influence of hazrat nanotwi rahmatullahi alayhi. (Today we can’t influence our wives let alone others.) This condition is narrated by Aisha radhiyallahu anha regarding Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wasallam that when he would hear Azaan, his codition would become such that as though he doesn’t know anyone.

In the battle of shaamli, 1857AD the Muslims fought the British. There was a mutiny. Haji Imdadullah was the leader of the resistance, Mowlana Qasim Nanotwi was his right hand man and hazrat gangohi was the commander of the Muslim forces. The Muslims were defeated. Many were killed and many had to go in hiding.

Hazrat nanotwi also went into hiding for a few days. Then he came out and after that, his condition was ajeeb, he would remain in the masjid after Isha and people would see him at fajr time. One person wanted to see what he does in the masjid, so one night He hid in one corner of the masjid and secretly watched.

He saw that hazrat nanotwi finished his sunnah and looked back to see if everyone was gone. Then he locked the door from inside, performed fresh wudhu and then He he started his qiyamullayl (salah of the night) and began to recite with a low voice, he kept praying and praying until he finished 15 paras of the Quran in the first rakaat. The person realised what hazrat was doing in the masjid throughout the night; reciting the whole Quran in two rak’ats.

He was so simple people would not recognise he was a mowlana. There was a warrant of arrest for him. The police were looking for him. Someone informed the authorities that he was in such and such masjid. One officer came in the masjid and saw this man who appeared like a farmer, he asked him “Where is Qasim Nanotwi?” he moved a little and said, “He was here just a while ago” it never crossed the officer’s mind that this could be Hazrat nanotwi.

Hazrat Nanotwi would not deliver lectures nor would he lead namaz. Once he went to muzaffarnagar. A Huge crowd gathered outside the house of the host. Hazrat completed the work of madressa for which he had come and then he left from the backdoor, making his way to bus stop to catch the bus for Deoband. There was a masjid near the bus stop and it was time for maghrib salah. Hazrat went inside. There were a few old men in the masjid with no imam there. They did not recognise hazrat due to his simplicity. They forced him to lead the salah. He refused saying “I have no experience of imamat” but they did not give him a chance and pushed him ahead. By mistake, he prayed surah An-Nas in 1st rakaat, and Surah al Falaq in 2nd. After Salam, they became angry at him (because reading the surahs against the tarteeb of the Mus’haf is considered makrooh) saying “you have ruined our salah, you prayed the Quran wrong way round” he replied “I told you I can’t lead salah” in the meantime some people arrived looking for him and informed them that this is mowlana qasim. The people felt guilty at insulting such a great aalim, he consoled them that their reaction was understandable so, not to worry.

Hazrat would say:”This nominal knowledge has spoilt me. If it had not, I would have marred my condition to such an extent that none would have known that a man named Qasim was ever born”.

Hazrat had a lot of Tawaadhu’ (humility and humbleness). He had reached the stage of Fana fis sheikh ie. Being dissolved in his Sheikh. Haji saheb once gave him a book for proofreading, he noticed that in one place there should be a ء hamza and not an ع ayn. Out of respect, he did not correct the mistake, but he asked haji saheb “I did not understand this word” so Haji saheb himself corrected it.

Someone asked mawlana ya’qub nanotwi saheb “Mowlana Qasim RA studied the same books as we did, why does he have so much more knowledge? He replied “There are a few factors here. 1) He was medically balanced and a very healthy and intelligent person 2) His teacher was very Kaamil, (Complete and perfect) 3. He himself was a great Muttaqi, aware of Allah/fearful. And 4) His peer was a kaamil ie Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki RA.

Haji sahib once said “People like Mawlana Qasim were born in the previous eras” he also said “If Allah asked me on the day of qiyamat “What have you brought? I will say “Muhammad Qasim and Rasheed Ahmad”

His method of teaching was innovative, He taught in such a way that all the commands of shariah would make sense. He would say: “All of the commandments of the Qur’an and Sunnah are rational; however, the intellect of every person cannot have access there”. Hakim Mansur Ali Khan Muradabadi wrote in his Madhhab-e-Mansur about the peculiarities of his teacher’s lessons and lectures: “Whenever he proved any important or difficult proposition to be contrary to people’s perspective, prominent men of light and learning became amazed and astonished. The commandment always appeared absolutely and perfectly rational after his lecture. Great men of knowledge and learning would not dare to say anything against thearguments put forth by him”.

There was a butcher in deoband by the name of Allah deen. He was quite free with Hazrat Nanotwi, and he would ask a lot of questions. Hazrat would reply according to his level of understanding. He once asked “Why is it a common belief among people that we should try and get buried near pious people, when everyone will be in his/her own grave. And they will be dealt with according to their own deeds?” Hazrat did not answer. It was a hot day and Allah deen took hold of a hand fan and started waving the fan as it got hot. Hazrat asked him “Who are you fanning?” he replied “You of course, hazrat!” Hazrat asked “These other people sitting around us are also feeling the cool air? He said “yes” hazrat said, “Same is the condition of those being buried near pious people. When the cool breeze of Allah’s mercy is showered upon the pious, those around them also derive benefit”

Once Allah deen was walking with hazrat and he asked, “Prophets make prophecies and they occur exactly and on time, whereas Pious people, Walees of Allah, also foretell and they are not as precise. Why is there this difference between them both? Hazrat did not answer, but asked him “What is that building over there? Allah deen said “It looks like the prison” He asked, “How far is it?” he replied “Maybe two furlongs/ half a mile” Hazrat asked “could it be more or even less?” he replied ” yes, it could be” They got close and hazrat asked “How far is it now?” he replied “Oh! Only 10 yards” hazrat said “This is the difference, Prophets see from close and therefore their predictions are precise, whereas walees see from far, and therefore misunderstandings are a possibility” This shows that despite Hadhrat’s vast knowledge and high status, his humbleness was such that he could relate to the general public according their level of understanding.
(To be continued & completed)