THE SAINT OF JALALABAD – Part 6
THE KARAAMAAT
All supernatural acts are of three types:
1) Those that are performed by the Ambiya with the permission of Allah Subhanahu Wata’aala. These are known as Mu’jizaat.
2) Those that are performed by the Kuffaar and the Faasiqeen etc with the assistance of Shaytaan. These are known as ‘Istidraaj.
3) Those that are performed by the Auliya with the permission of Allah Subhaanahu Wata’aala. The Auliya are the accepted pious servants of Allah Rabbul Izzat. Their piety is due to their deep and vast Taqwa.
Says Allah Ta’aala:
“And His friends are none other than those who Fear Him…”
With Istiqaamat (Steadfastness) they remain firm on the Shariah. The constant changing circumstances of health, wealth, weather, human emotions, personal needs and politics etc., does not in the least sway them from the path of The Shariah and The Sacred Sunnah. Due to this firmness and determination to please Allah at any and at all costs, they are honoured by Allah Ta’aala by displaying supernatural actions and deeds at times. Some Karaamaat are intentional others are inadvertent and involuntary. It is the Aqeedah of the Ahlus-sunnah wal Jamaa’at that the Karaamaat (Supernatural acts) of the Auliya is Haq (Sharah Aqaa-id Nasafi)
Karaamaat are further classified into two different categories:
- a) Karaamaat-e-Hissi (A visible, discernible miracle) and (b) Karaamaate-Ma’anawi (A miracle which is invisible to the eye).
Both the above types of Karaamaat have been narrated concerning the Sahaabah Radiallahu anhum as well as the Auliyaa of the Ummah. Both the above Karaamaat have been narrated concerning Hadhrat Moulana Maseehullah Rahmatullahi alayh as well.
The journey to Delhi was always an exciting one. From Saharanpur the bus would depart for the approximate 150 km trip to Delhi on the “highway”. Jalalabad is about twenty-five kilometres from Saharanpur. This highway was a single road, patchy at places. Buses would madly race one another in order to be first to load passengers.
The first bus would arrive before sunrise. It all depended on the mood of the driver. If he decided that he was not going to stop to pick up two or three passengers, well – that was that. He simply would “fly” by with another bus behind him in hot pursuit. The result: A wait of another two hours or so!
In the cold darkness of that early winter morning, the sound of the bus approaching could be heard from afar. With a thumping heart one would hope upon hope that the driver would stop. With every passing minute, the screams of the engine would pierce the silence. The bus lights announced the imminent arrival.
Around the bend the bus would hurl. There was no way that the bus would stop completely to allow passengers to board – for not far behind was another speeding bus hunting for passengers. The bus would slow down somewhat, a door would be flung open and a conductor stretching his hand out would haul up passengers, and all the while screaming his head of “chalo, chalo, chalo…” (Move, move move…).
With one leg and half a body on board and another half suspended outside, the bus would speed off. The danger was negated by the sheer excitement of having succeeded in getting on board in the first place.
Amongst the Karaamaat narrated is that on one particular day, a few students came to Hadhrat after Fajr and requested permission to go to Delhi. Hadhrat inquired from them whether they wished to leave immediately. When they replied in the affirmative, Hadhrat advised them to first go and have breakfast and thereafter to leave. Accordingly, they departed late and missed the first bus.
Lo and behold…That very first bus which they intended to leave with was seen capsized on the road. It had met up in a severe accident in which many people lost their lives!
Another Karamaat was narrated by our kind Ustaad Mufti Naseer Saheb Rahmatullahi alayh. Hadhrat was travelling in a bus. It was the time for Maghrib Salaah. Hadhrat requested his travelling companions to request the bus driver to stop for three minutes so that Maghrieb Salaah could be performed. The bus driver rudely refused to do so. Hadhrat silently made Du’aa for Allah’s assistance. Suddenly the bus jerked and came to a stop. The bus driver and the conductor opened the engine to inspect what was wrong. In the meantime, Hadhrat and his companions disembarked and performed their Salaah comfortably. Hadhrat told his companions to even read their two Sunnats. The moment they completed and boarded the bus, did the bus start again.
Seeing this, the drivers heart was gripped with an unexplainable fear. He profusely apologised to Hadhrat for being rude. We need to be EXTREMELY careful not to invite the Divine Wrath of Allah by hurting or falsely accuse or slandering the True Friends of Allah Ta’aala.
Did Nabi Salallahu alayhi wasallam not warn us that Allah Ta’aala says ‘whosoever bothers my wali, has prepared himself for war against me.’ In a different narration the words of Allah Ta’aala are, ‘whoever ridicules My wali, challenges Me.’ (Fath-ul-Bari)
How true was Nabi Salallahu alayhi wasallam not when he said that those who become Allah’s, Allah Most High becomes theirs!
And then there was the tale of a South African student who narrated his personal unbelievable experience to this writer. This incident happened as follows in his words:
“I embarked on a ship named “Karnja”. I was returning to Jalalabad after a brief holiday in South Africa. During the journey, there were various activities taking place on the ship. There was a competition which I entered and won. A white young girl congratulated me. I struck up a friendship with her. It was clear to me that she was lonely. After some time, I invited her to my personal cabin. She accepted my invitation and followed me. The passage leading to the cabin was extremely narrow. She was walking behind me. My intention was to commit Zina with her. When I came to my cabin and opened the door, I saw Hadhrat Rahmatullahi alayh standing in the cabin and looking very angrily at me. He lifted his hand and flipped his palm as if saying “Ye kya ho raha he” (What’s happening here?)
I was shocked. From behind me, the girl whispered “What’s wrong”. I looked at her silently and looked again into the cabin. Hadhrat repeated the same motion. All in all, this happened thrice. After the third time, I told the girl that I had a headache. I, thereafter spent most of time in my cabin.
When I eventually reached Jalalabad, I met Hadhrat as he was returning from the Masjid. Whilst he embraced me, he whispered into my ear: “Is baar to bach ga-e, aa-in-da baar khiyaal rakna” (This time you were saved, next time be careful)
Indeed, Hadhrat Moulana Maseehullah Rahmatullahi alayh was a Wali-e-Kaamil of Allah Ta’aala. At the age of eighty he once remarked to this writer that “Alhamdulillah, I have not missed a SINGLE TAHAJJUD SALAAH from the age of twelve despite being severely sick and travelling long, long distances. Shukr, Allah’s Fadl (grace) has always been with me.”
These were the true Ulama of Deoband. Those who really saw them will attest that the Imaan would get stronger by their mere sight. Those who really knew them will confirm that when they spoke, one’s knowledge of Allah and The Aakhirah increased. This is what made the Ulama of the Haramain comment: ‘These are the true inheritors of the Ambiya and stars of Islam”
(Insha’Allah the “Karaamaat” will be continued)
