A Beautiful Story with Profound lessons on Self-Correction
A beautiful story with profound lessons on self-correction
When Moulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi Rahimahullah began writing against people who were involved in bid’ah (innovations), they responded by writing abusively against him. Moulana had lost his eyesight by this time.
Moulana Muhammad Yahya Khandelwi Rahimahullah, who was Moulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi’s Rahimahullah special assistant, had the task of reading all letters to Moulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi Rahimahullah and responding to them. Among these letters were also the writings of those who refuted Moulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi’s Rahimahullah writings.
For a period of time, Moulana Yahya Rahimahullah did not read any of these writings to Moulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi Rahimahullah.
Moulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi Rahimahullah asked, “Have our friends forgotten us? We have not received any letters from them for some time.”
Moulana Yahya Rahimahullah replied, “We received their letters, but I could not read them.”
Moulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi Rahimahullah asked, “Why?”
Moulana Yahya Rahimahullah replied, “They are full of vulgarities.”
Moulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi Rahimahullah said, “Can vulgarities from afar ever affect us? You should continue reading them to us. We will listen to them with the intention of accepting anything that is worthy of acceptance, or correcting ourselves if any of our mistakes are correctly pointed out.” (Hadhrat Thanwi Ke Pasandeeda Waaqiaat, p198)
Lessons
1. The Ulama of Deoband were gifted in every field of Islamic learning including that of tazkiya (self-reformation). Moulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi Rahimahullah here taught us how to respond to criticism for the purpose of self-reformation.
2. One who has his own reformation at heart will listen to criticism from even his enemies. Even if the approach is unduly harsh or flawed, there is wisdom in listening to the message.
3. To cut oneself off from criticism simply because the approach of the messenger is incorrect, is to deprive oneself of the opportunity to introspect and self-correct.
