Hadhrat Sheikh Zakariyyah (rahmatullahi alaihi) – 3

HADHRAT SHEIKH’S HAJJ JOURNIES

Allah Ta’ala bestowed upon Hadhrat Shaikh the wealth of several Hajj. A brief account of the Hajj journeys of Hadhrat Shaikh is being presented here. A detailed account of these journeys have been given by Hadhrat Shaikh himself, in his auto-biography, Aap Beti, Volume 4.

His very first Hajj was in 1338 Hijri in the company of Hadhrat Saharanpْri. The departure was on the 2nd Sha’baan 1338. The following are the names of some of the members of the group: Hadhrat Saharanpْri and his wife, Hadhrat Maulana Manzْr Ahmad Khan, Haji Maqbْl, Haji Anees Ahmad Ambhetwi, Molvi Muhammad Ishaq Barelwi, Maulana Latiefur Rahman Kandhalwi Mutawali Tufail Ahmad and others.

On arrival at Bombay it was learnt that the number of those accompanying Hadhrat was approximately two hundred. This number had increased considerably by the time the ship was set to sail. Hadhrat Saharanpْri had missed two ships because all the companions could not be accommodated on any one of the two, and he wanted the whole group to be together. Finally, the party left on board the ship which sailed on 27th or 28th Sha’baan and arrived safely in Jiddah. After a day’s stay in Jiddah, the party left for Makkah Mukarramah. The month of Ramadhaanul Mubaarak was spent in Makkah.

(The further details of this Hajj as well as of the second and third Hajj which were also in the company of Hadhrat Saharanpْri, are deleted here to avoid repetition. These Hajj journeys have already been described in the section dealing with Hadhrat Maulana Khalil Ahmad Saharanpْri – Translator)

The forth Hajj was undertaken on the insistence of Hadhrat Maulana Muhammad Yusuf. On 6th Thil Qa’dh 1383, on Saturday morning, Hadhrat departed from Sahaaranpْr. On his way he visited Jalalabad, Thaanabovan and Jhanjhaanah. After Maghrib he reached Nizaamuddin and left for Bombay on Thursday 10th Thil Qa’dh. On the 14th Thil Qa’dh, Hadhrat went from Bombay to Jiddah by plane. After Asr, he left with his party which consisted of a large number of associates, for Makkah Mukarramah and arrived after Maghrib. He performed Salaat in Madrasah Saulatiyyah.

In Makkah he stayed at the residence of Hadhrat Haji Imdadullah and Maulana Rahmatullah. On the 27th Thil Hajj he left for Madinah Munawwarah. He performed Zuhr Namaaz at Badr. After Asr, the party went to the graves of the Martyrs of Badr. Maghrib and Isha Namaaz were performed in Musjid Areesh. They reached Madinah Tayyibah on the morning of the 28th Thil Hajj.

In Madinah they stayed in Madrasah Uloom-e-Shariyyah. After a stay of 20 days, the party left for Jiddah on the 1st Safar 1384. Maghrib Namaaz was performed in Musjid Hudaibiyyah. They reached Makkah Mukarramah at the time of Isha.

On the 8th of Safar 1384, Hadhrat Shaikh participated in the Tablighi Ijtimaat held at Taa-if in Musjid-e-Ibn Abbaas and elsewhere. At Jiddah he stayed a day and participated in the Ijtima’ there. On the 19th July 1963, Hadhrat finally reached Kandhlah and at the time of Maghrib he was back in Sahaaranpْr.

In view of his sickness and physical disabilities, Hadhrat Shaikh did not entertain the idea of again having the opportunity of Hajj. Nevertheless, after persistent requests by associates, and performance of several Istikhaarah Namaaz, arrangements for his Hajj journey were made. Considering these arrangements to be divine assistance, Hadhrat Shaikh embarked on his fifth Hajj. On the 10th Thil Qa’dh 1384 he left for Bombay and on the 30th February 1967 he left by air, arriving in Jiddah after Zuhr, by Maghrib, he was in Makkah Mukarramah. He stayed in Madrasah Saulatiyyah. On 21st Thil Hajj, just before Maghrib, he left for Jiddah to participate in the annual Tablighi Ijtima’.

On the 24th Thil Hajj at the time of Ishraaq he left for Madinah Tayyibah. In Madinah, Hadhrat stayed with his khalifah, Sufi Iqbal. On Saturday 11th Muharram, in the morning, he left from Madinah and went to Makkah via Jiddah. He performed an Umrah on behalf of his Shaikh, Hadhrat Saharanpْri. On the 30th April, he reached Sahaaranpْr safely.

His sixth Hajj was the result of Maulana Sayyid Abul Hasan Nadwi’s insistence. Hadhrat Shaikh left Sahaaranpْr with the intention of Umrah on the 5th Safar 1389. On the 13th Thil Qa’dh 1389 he was back in Saharanpْr