Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Shafi (rahimahullahu ta`ala), sometimes
wittily used to say 'Maulvi is a censured group’.
Why did Hazrat Mufti Sahib termed Maulvi a censured group,
we shall later discuss the reasons. Let us know at first who
was the founder of this Malaamti (censured) group? When did
it come to existence? What were its distinctive teachings
and why was it called censured or much criticized?
History shows that first of all Malaamti was a name given
to Muslim Sufis born at Neeshapur in the second half of the
3rd century and beginning of the 4th century after Hijra.
Two most notable names among them are Sheikh Abu Hafs Haddaad
and Sheikh Hamdoon Qassaar. Before them there was not any
organized group of Malaamtiya in Neeshapur. However similar
beliefs were found about other sufies too.
Malaamtiya has been derived from the world ‘Malam’
or ‘Malamta’ that means to denounce, censure or
reprehend’. But generally this word is used in a sense
of self-denouncing or willing to be denounced by other people.
This view might be taken from the verses in Surah Maida in
which Allah Ta`ala described the signs of his particular people.
Two of the signs are: "They wage jihad in the way of
Allah and do not care for any criticism"
Reprehension or censure is the integral part of the teachings
of this group. They consider ‘censure’ essential
for their spiritual chastity. Three kinds of censure are described.
1) Those people who censure themselves.
2) Those who deliberately talk such things that other people
censure them for.
3) Those who censure the world and people. But the third sense
is against the aim and spirit of Malaamtiya group. Thus the
first two meanings should be kept in mind.
A Malaamti considers ‘censure’ a good thing because:
1) It is an effective way to overcome one’s insurgent
inner-self.
2) He wants that his real condition whether it is good or
bad be hidden from people and known only to Allah, with Whom
he wants to make real contact. A Malaamati person is claimant
of nothing; Neither of knowledge and deeds, nor of piety,
experience, observance and reactions. People malign him but
he is happy in the heart of hearts that this scolding and
censure is rectifying his actions, he is getting rid of conceit
and pride thus gaining promixity to Allah. In the eyes of
a Malaamity, the most important thing is Allah’s pleasure
and wrath. He determines his destination or way of life not
keeping in view the wishes of worldly people but Allah’s
pleasure and wrath. When he hears about the annoyance of people
and being condemned by them, he replies with great enthusiasm
and passion.
Be all the world angry with me, I care not The approval of
my Lord is all that I seek What to say about the people, they
never become happy with anyone. Insane are those who determine
their way of life and destination keeping in view the wishes
and comments of people. These people are in a habit of finding
faults with others and especially in the case of Maulvi they
do not like to spare him on any account.
Hazrat Sayyed `Ataullah Shah Bukhari had cured one such lawyer.
When he questioned Shah Sahib, “You, Maulvis are expert
in trumping up elucidation. Tell me any interpretation that
a man can eat and drink without causing harm to his saum (fast).
The great orator of Asia replied, “It is quite easy.
Ask anyone to strike your head with his shoe and then swallow
your anger, it will not break your fast. (Note: For overcoming
ones anger, the word we used idiomatically in Urdu is ‘peena’
which means ‘to drink’, as he said.
Hazrat Mufti Shafi had termed Maulvi a ‘censured group’
in the same sense that whatever a Maulvi does, people find
out one or the other point of objection in their action. Thus
Mufti Sahib’s spiritual successor and his son Maulana
Taqi Usmani has explained the saying of his father: “If
Maulvi is leading a secluded life, reciting ‘Allah’,
‘Allah’, delivering lessons of ‘Qaalallah
and Qaal-ur-Rasool (what Allah and his Prophet said) then
their objection is that this Maulvi is totally unaware of
the world that has advanced quite a lot. What a progress the
world has made in every field! The Americans have landed on
moon! But the Maulvis do not bother to come out of their shell!
The same out-moded talks, offer prayers! keep fast! keep your
shalwar above your ankles, grow beards in size, do not watch
TV, make your women observe hijab (viel)....on the other hand,
they say, look at the prevailing conditions of the country.
The poor are dying of starvation, common people are victims
of oppression and injustices, the rulers have become dictators
but despite all this Maulvi is sitting in his chamber.
On hearing such talks, if the Maulvi comes out of his closet,
raise a voice of Haq (truth) before the rulers, endeavours
to rectify political system, establishes a welfare organization
for the impecunious Muslims, criticises USA and Russia for
their overt hooliganism, then the same people raise objection,
‘What are these Maulvis up for? They ought not to do
this. They should only lead prayers in mosques, teach in madaris
or recite the name of Allah while sitting any secluded place.
Why do they interfere in state affairs, national and international
politics.
If the Maulvi is financially weak due to lack of resources
and living hand to mouth than these people say, “What
a hell of life it is! They have no proper house, no proper
dress to wear, no vehicle even a motorcycle, no bank balance.
These impecunious people can do nothing but maligning. They
are living on our leftovers. That is why we do not make our
children Maulvi. Where would they go after their graduating
from madrasah? Where would they get bread to eat? Who would
allow their daughters to marry the Maulvis?”
If Allah Almighty has blessed some Maulvi with prosperity,
even then the same people do not spare him. They utter immediately,
“What sort of these Maulvis are! Do they really deserve
to be called Maulvi and to be respected while they move about
in cars, wear precious clothes, live in splendid, luxurious
houses. On the other hand the condition of the true lovers
of Allah is that they eat meal of one time and look towards
the door of mosque for the other time.”
Maulvis were subjected to criticism when they were away from
schools and colleges, and now when they began establishing
schools and colleges under their supervision, they are still
maligned. If the Maulvi opposed drawing and publishing pictures
and helplessly read newspapers containing pictures, they were
ridiculed. Now when they have geared up to publish their own
newspaper free of pictures of living beings, it is again unbearable
for this sort of people........O fortunate members of censured,
maligned group! When these western-minded people are on no
account ready to spare you from poisonous spears of their
tongues, then is it not appropriate to neglect them at all,
becoming an example of the verse in Surah Maida.
"They wage jihad in the way of Allah and do not care
for any criticism."
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