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Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) has mentioned in the Hadith, “One who loved for the sake of Allah, hated for the sake of Allah, gave for the sake of Allah and refused for the sake of Allah, has perfected his Imaan.” [Mishkaat Shareef]
According to this Hadith, A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) surrendered himself to the Will of Allah Ta’ala and His Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) unconditionally. He loved the lovers of Allah and His Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and opposed the opponents of Allah and His Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Whosoever made any derogatory remarks against Allah Ta’ala and the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) took them to task, no matter how dear or close they happened to be.
During the time of A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) so-called Muslims were working at the command of the enemies of Islam. It is always difficult to lay hands on such people who hold the banner of Islam but try to destroy it from within. However A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) brought them above board and revealed their reality to the world so that lay people like us can save our Imaan from staying away from such people. During his time, there were five such people who tried to create new fitnas (mischief) in an attempt to mislead the Ummah.
- Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani
- Maulvi Rashid Ahmad Gangohi
- Maulvi Qasim Nanotwi
- Maulvi Khalil Ahmad Ambethwi
- Maulvi Ashraf Ali Thanvi
A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) declared them as Kaafir (Disbelievers). They were declared Kaafir because of derogatory remarks they made against Allah Ta’ala and His Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) through their books. A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) pinpointed such derogatory wording, tried to make them understand and asked them to withdraw such insolent words. He gave them ample time to think about their insults and when they refused to change their stand, A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) condemned them as Kaafir, which was his duty as a grand Mufti of the Muslim Nation.
Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani was condemned as Kaafir because he declared himself a prophet.
Maulvi Rashid Ahmad Gangohi was condemned as Kaafir because he declared that Allah Ta’ala can lie.
Maulvi Qasim Nanotwi was condemned as Kaafir because he declared, “Prophets are superior only in terms of knowledge. As far as action is concerned, apparently the Ummah (followers) sometimes become equal or can even exceed the Prophets.” He also declared, “Suppose any other Prophet takes birth after Hazrat Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), even then it will make no difference in the finality of Hazrat Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).”
Maulvi Khalil Ahmad Ambethwi was condemned as Kaafir because he declared, “As regards Shaitaan and the Angel of Death, the depth of their knowledge stands proven from the definitive verses of the Holy Qur’an but there is nothing as such in the Holy Qur’an to prove the depth of knowledge of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). In other words, the knowledge of Shaitaan is much wider than the knowledge of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).”
Maulvi Ashraf Ali Thanvi was condemned as Kaafir because he declared, “And then, if it is correct to attribute knowledge of the Unseen (Ilm-e-Ghayb) to be possessed by Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), then it remains to be asked, which one the questioner refers to. Is it partial or total knowledge? If he refers to partial, then what is extraordinary about Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) in possessing it? Such knowledge of Unseen is also possessed by all and sundry, even infants, lunatics and all the animals and quadrupeds.”
This action of A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was highly appreciated, and noted Ulama of the world endorsed his Fatwa, which was compiled into a book called Hussaam Al Haramain. A total of 301 Ulama endorsed the Fatwa of A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), 33 from Arabia and 268 from the then undivided India, whereas the opposition could muster nothing in their support. The only thing that they could do was that Maulvi Khalil Ahmad Ambethwi wrote a book Al Mohannid Ala Al Mofannad stating therein that A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) misconstrued their wording on the basis of which he issued a wrong Fatwa.
It is to be noted that his book carried no endorsements from Ulama compared to the 301 received by A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). He therefore believed that one person (himself) was correct and 301 Ulama were wrong. It is to be noted also that Maulvi Ashraf Ali Thanvi was a Mureed of Hazrat Imdadullah Muhaajir Makki (Rahmatullah Alaih), who also endorsed the Fatwa of A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), condemning Ashraf Ali Thanvi as Kaafir. A Mureed ought to obey his Peer-o-Murshid and in doing so, Maulvi Ashraf Ali Thanvi should have withdrawn his derogatory words and repented, but he did not.
After the issuing of this Fatwa, many people became enemies of A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), especially the so-called Muslims who were trying to destroy Islam. But A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was unmindful of such hostilities; he was only mindful of his duty. Nobody wants opposition in vain. Everybody wants to be called good. But when the Prestige of Allah Ta’ala and His Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was being challenged, A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) stood up to defend the truth and protect our Deen, not in the least bothered about how many enemies he would make.
Hazrat Maulana Naeemuddin Muradabadi (Rahmatullah Alaih) once asked A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) the reason for him being so severe upon those who disrespected Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) replied, “O Maulana! I am severe upon those people, because instead of insulting Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), they should rather make me the target for their insults. I do not have any interest in what they are calling me. At least, while they are busy insulting me, my beloved Master Muhammad Mustafa (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is spared from these insults!”
A’la Hazrat’s (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) life and actions, together with the statement above denoted the following, “If you desire my life, I will sacrifice it. If you desire my wealth, I will give it. But, there is one thing that I will never sacrifice, and that is the love and reverence for the Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)!”
We should all remember the following words of A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), which should be the standard of all Muslims in the world: “In whomsoever you find even a bit of insult towards Allah and His Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), separate yourself from him at once no matter how dear to you he may be.”
May Allah Ta’ala grant us the Taufeeq to practice upon the advice of A’la Hazrat (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and to stay away from those wretched people who insult Allah Ta’ala and His Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), Ameen.
