Moulana Qaasim Saheb’s Name and Fame & The Independence of the Ulama

It was the habit of Moulana [Qaasim Saheb Nanotwi] that he would prefer to remain anonymous in his travels. He would even forbid his associates to divulge his name. If someone had to ask him what his name was, he would reply: “Khurshid Husain”. His name from his date of birth read ‘Khurshid Husain’. [In other words, the numbers of his date of birth represented, as letters, the words ‘Khurshid Husain’. This is called the Abjad count and such a name is referred to as Taareekhi Naam which literally means ‘historical name’.] However, he was not known with this name and hence no one would realize that this was Moulana Muhammad Qaasim Saheb.

And if someone had to enquire about his hometown, he would reply: “Ilahabad”. He would not take the name of Nanota. Some associates would say: “Hazrat! How is Ilahabad your hometown?” In other words, it was fictitious. He would reply: “Nanota is also a town populated by Allah.  Thus, literally every town is Ilahabad.” In other words, this is not fictitious; it is open to two interpretations.

Regardless of such care to conceal himself he, still, would not remain hidden. Allah Ta’ala would make him shine out. The honour of the illustrious Ahlullah is so great that they are not in need of external paraphernalia of fame and glory. External paraphernalia are adopted by those who do not have true glory. They resort to external means and agencies to get name and fame.

The Independence of the Ulama

The Ulama should be independent and inebriated by their poverty. They should never cast a gaze on the wealth of worldly-minded people. This is not make-believe. The Ahlullah, as a matter of fact, have demonstrated this.

A king went to visit a Buzrug. He reached the door of the Khaanqah [the sanctuary and retreat of the Awliya of Allah]. Here the doorkeeper prevented him from entering pending permission from the Shaikh. The king was deeply offended by this action of the doorkeeper, but chose silence as he had come with some honour in his heart for the Buzrug.

The doorkeeper informed the Shaikh that His Majesty, the King wished to meet the Shaikh. Permission was granted.

The king was all heated up. Immediately upon entering he said: “There shouldn’t be a doorkeeper at the door of the Awliya!” The Buzrug spontaneously responded: “There should be, to keep out the dogs of the dunya.”