The Life of Hakeemul Ummat (43)

ii. Hazrat Moulana Khaleel Ahmad Saheb Saharanpuri
He was the Grand Khaleefah of Hazrat Moulana Rasheed Ahmad Saheb Gangohi and an exalted Saahib-e-Irshaad Buzrug, as mentioned previously. He had love in absentia for Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi. Looking at his excessive attention for Hazrat Thanwi, some jealous ones whom Hazrat would always name: ‘inaayat farmao’ [people doing me a favour], attributed some false reports to Hazrat. This was for his respect and status to fall in the eyes of Buzrugs. He immediately wrote a letter to Moulana Khaleel Ahmad Saheb explaining the true state of affairs. Moulana replied:
“I don’t know what pleasure people get in spreading false reports and hurting the hearts of the righteous. The love and relationship which this non-entity had before is Bihamdillah, intact even now.

آں نيست کہ حافظ را مہرت رود از خاطر
آں وعدہ پيشينيں تا روز پسيں باشد
That it will dispel your love from the heart of Hafiz
It is not of such a nature
It will remain till tomorrow
The promise made earlier

The love in my heart and that which I take to be my provision for the Aakhirat, it will never, Insha Allahu Ta’ala, change. The reports that have reached me are ridiculous.”

Once, he was returning with Moulana on a journey from Bahawalpur. Coincidentally these two illustrious personalities were in one compartment and besides them there was no one else in that compartment. Travelling companions were seated in another compartment. It was Zuhr time and summer season. Hazrat Moulana Thanwi was perspiring profusely. Upon seeing this Moulana very informally and out of pure humility started to fan him. Hazrat Thanwi could not, however, bear this due to sheer respect. Troubled by this he at once grabbed hold of the hand fan. Moulana enquired: “What’s the harm? No one is watching. There is no third person present.”

He replied: “The Being for Whom I respect you is watching.”

Moulana smiled.

Hazrat Thanwi published a treatise about his relationship with Hazrat Moulana entitled, Khaan-e-Khaleel [The Meal of Khaleel]. In it he writes:
“The strange thing is that in spite of me being smaller in all regards; in age, in stage, whilst in Ilm and Amal there is absolutely no comparison – citing a comparison of lesser and greater in this is tantamount to proclaiming Ilm and Amal – yet Moulana’s treatment of equality is certain whilst sometimes he would show such treatment as juniors show to elders.

Ahqar had a difference in some matters of an ijtihaadi [based on reasoning and understanding] and zowqi [based on personal taste and preference] nature pertaining to social life and administration. With this difference I thought that I can only possess rational confidence in Moulana, not natural attraction. But, the state of affairs was that leave alone being in his presence, mere thought [of him] realized so much attraction [to him] that I would be defeated. And perhaps by virtue of this effect whenever I make ziyaarat of him in a dream then it is in the same grand way. This is manifest proof of love. It is not only suspicion of being a lover; it is an open possibility. However, it is my weakness that I move sluggishly [in relations].”