Shortly after his marriage he was obliged to go to the town of Gangoh to his in-laws. During that period urscelebration [the bid’ah anniversary celebration] of Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Quddoos Gangohi was in progress. People there insisted on him giving a lecture. He thus acceded to their plea and spoke on the virtues of the Awliya Ullah, considering the occasion. Simultaneously, he passionately refuted bid’aat in a wonderful way and he also explained the harms of the customary sama’ [singing sessions of neo-soofis].
In this wa’z big Peer Zaadahs [hereditary gurus] were in attendance. Although much of what was said was in refutation of their practices, but they were happy at the way it was delivered. They never took offence. They listened to everything at leisure and attentively. Hazrat Thanwi performed the Maghrib Namaaz there. Many, undeterred by the difference in dogma, read behind him.
One peerji however did not read behind him under the pretext that Hazrat Thanwi “reviles the Buzrugs.” Everyone was astounded at the peerji and asked him: “Which Buzrug does he revile? He spoke on the virtues of the Buzrugs!” The reply from the Peerji was: “The tom-tom.” People asked: “Is the tom-tom your Buzrug?”“Yes! The tom-tom is my Buzrug,” the peerji said bluntly. People burst out in laughter. Wildly excited the peerji blurted out: “Even if Jibraeel (Alaihis Salaam) comes and says something else I will not accept. Thank goodness he did not take the blessed name of Huzoor (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam).” Upon this the gathering rebuked the peerji and the Peer Zaadahs there who had some intelligence explained to him: “These are the Venerable Ulama. They have the right to tell us the Laws of the Shariat. The Soofiyah have always maintained respect for the Shariat. They bowed their heads before the Ahkaam of the Shariat. Never did they stage an opposition.”
When he saw that his fellow Peer Zaadahs were speaking for Hazrat and in his defence, he came to his senses and asked: “Did he make ziyaarat of the Jubbah Shareef [Holy Mantle]?” People replied happily: “Yes! Hazrat did make ziyaarat of it.” Thereupon the peerji became embarrassed and he went to Thanabawan to apologize to Hazrat Thanwi.
Relating this incident afterwards Hazrat would comment: “The Peer Zaadahs of former times were also a boon, because they were people who would engage in, ‘Allah, Allah’, although they were caught up in error [over their innovations and customary practices]. However, they had the barkat of taking the name of Allah Ta’ala [i.e. making zikr]. Nowadays the majority are frauds.”
