Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi

Infobox_Philosopher
region = Islamic scholar
era = Modern era
color = #B0C4DE

image_caption =

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shabbir_Ahmad_Usmani&action=editEditing Shabbir Ahmad Usmani - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
name = Rashid Ahmad Gangohi
birth = 1826 CE
death = 1905 CE
school_tradition =
main_interests = Aqeedah, Tafsir, Hadith, Fiqh
influences =
influenced =

notable_ideas =

Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi(1244 AH – 1323 AH) (1826 AD – 1905 AD)

Education

Hadhrat Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (May Allah's Mercy be upon him) is a descendant of Hadhrat Abu Ayyub Ansari (Radiyallahu Anhu)who hosted the Prophet (PEace be upon him) on his migration to Madinah.

He was born in 1244 AH (1826) and he passed away on 1323 AH (1905).

Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi acquired education at a very young age. Many of his teacher also taught Maulana Qasim Nanotwi and Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki.

Hadhrat Maulana Mamlook Ali was also very close with him. Maulana Qasim Nanotwi and Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi studied hadith together under Sheikh Abdul Ghani Muhaddith Dehlawi .

At age seven, Hadhrat Maulana lost his father and was raised an orphan. He was raised by his maternal uncles. He married his cousin at the age of 21.

Hadhrat Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi had not memorized the Quraan before marriage but memorised it less than a year after he married. He memorized the Quran in one year and in the following year he performed Taraweeh.

Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, like Hadhrat Maulana Qasim Nanotwi, pledged allegiance on the hands of Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki. When he went to pledge allegiance, his intention was to stay for a very short while but he remained for forty two days during which he became very attached to Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki.

He went with a very sincere quest to gain the recognition of Allah Ta’ala, treading the path of sulook, and on the eighth day Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki made a statement that “Whatever Allah Ta’ala has bestowed upon me, Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) has all of that.”

When Maulana left, Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki instructed him, “If anyone requests to pledge allegiance upon your hands then don’t refuse him.” appointing him as his deputy.

Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi said, “Hadhrat, who will come to me?” Hadhrat Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki told him, “What are you worried about who will come to you? All I am telling you is that when anyone comes to you, you must not refuse him. You don’t worry about who will come to you and who won’t come to you. Do what I am telling you to do.” Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi used to say, “Within myself, I don’t like to give bayat to anyone, but what can I do? Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki told me that I should not refuse anyone.”

His Ilmi Maqaam (status in knowledge):

His depth and insight in Ilm was very great and very high. Maulana Qasim Nanotwi stated that Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi is Abu Hanifa al Athar, (the Abu Hanifa of this time).

Hadhrat Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri was a miracle from the miracles of Allah Ta’ala. He was known as Chalta Pirta Kutub Khana (a rotating library). Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri states that if Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi is not higher that Allamah Shami then he is not lesser either. Any Alim who knows Shaami will know what is the maqaam of Shaami otherwise known as Raddul Muhtar.

Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri’s statement shows the great Ilmi maqaam of Hadhrat Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi. When the Ulama desired clarification on points of Islam, they turned to Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi for assistance. One very great Alim, Maulana Fazlur Rahman Ganj Muraadabaani, said that Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi is such a personality that he has taken in oceans of Ma’rifat (recognition) of Allah but he doesn’t even belch.

One day someone asked Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi “Hadhrat, if during the day if someone had some zikr to make, and he was unable to do that during the day and did it during the night, would he get the same reward as doing it during the day?” Hadhrat Maulana mentions, “Why not?” and recited the verse:

“He (Allah) is the one who has made the night and the day as deputies for he who intends to remember Allah or express gratefulness.”

How apt and adequate is this proof! Allah Ta’ala says that Allah has made the night a deputy of the day. What he forgot to do in the day he can do it in the night for that person who wants to make zikr or for that person who wants to express shukr.

One of his famous compilations is Fataawa Rashidiyyah. Hadhrat Maulana served the line of Fataawa very diligently and responsibly. When anyone asked him a question, he would give him the answer quickly as that person is in need of some guidance in Shariah.

Hadhrat Maulana, Hakeem:

Hadhrat Maulana was not only a very powerful Alim, and a person who reached the heights of spirituality, he was also a hakeem (doctor).

Once a woman from his family fell ill and asked Maulana Gangohi “You are a learned person, I want you to look at some books and see if there is any cure for me.” All the doctors and hakeems had failed.

Hadhrat Maulana searched the books of medicine. One of his uncles was also a hakeem. When Hadhrat Maulana felt that he had diagnosed the sickness and found a cure, he presented his findings to his uncle. His uncle knew the insight and the wittiness of Hadhrat Maulana and said, “Yes this is the cure.” Alhamdulillah, the woman was cured.

This message spread far and wide and people would come to Maulana for cure. His son, Hakeem Masood followed his footsteps and became a renowned hakeem in India as well.

Maulana Gangohi was a close friend of Maulana Qasim Nanotwi. He would assist Maulana Qasim Nanotwi in issues of Darul Uloom Deoband.

He also helped establish Mazaahirul Uloom Saharanpur. Both of these Darul Ulooms were blessed with the guidance of these two great luminaries of Islam. Maulana Qasim Nanotwi died young, leaving Hadhrat Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi the head of Darul Uloom Deoband.

Darul Uloom Deoband and Saharanpur were very close to the heart of Maulana Gangohi and he was always excited to see the success and prosperity of these two Darul Ulooms.

Maulana Gangohi performed several Hajj. After his third Hajj, Maulana conducted lessons of Sihah Sitta, the six famous books of Hadith. In one year, he would learn all six books and Ulama would participate in this. The last lessons were conducted in 1895 due to him losing his eyesight.

Death

Hazrat Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi died in Gangoh on 1323 AH (1905 AD) on a Friday after the Jumuah Azaan.

Malfoozat (sayings) of Hadhrat Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi

Maulana Gangohi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) mentioned, “Mujaahadaat aur Riyaadhaat key baad agar yi baat haasil ho jaaey key ham ku kuch haasil naa huwa tu bas sab kuch haasil ho gayaa.”

Maulana says that if a person exerts himself in different things, such as nafl salah, tilawat of the Quran Kareem, zikr and exercising taqwa and restraint for the pleasure of Allah, but feels that he didn’t achieve anything, Hadhrat Maulana encourages and says, “Don’t think that you didn’t achieve anything, the fact that you feel negative regarding all your efforts, that alone is a great achievement. Sab kuch haasil ho gayaa." (You achieved everything.)

If one were to perform many salats, make much zikr, tilawat and give a lot of charity or in the case of a student, study hard, and say to oneself, “I have done so much.” This is an expression of pride. The moment a person has pride, he has lost everything. On the contrary if a person exerts himself then says, “I didn’t do anything.” that is an expression of humbleness and humility. Humility is a stepping-stone in attaining the Ma’rifat of Allah Ta’ala.

Hadhrat Maulana also advises “Kisi tahammul set ziyaadah apney zimmey kaam na lo.” One should take only that responsibility which one can manage and which is within one's capacity. A person should not take more than that as they will then be accountable.

Another advice of Hadhrat Maulana is, “Kisi sey kisi qism key tawaqqu mat rako chunanchey muj sey mat rako yay baat deen wa dunya ka gur hey.” (Don’t expect anything from anyone at anytime.)

If you befriend someone solely to fulfill your own need, you ask for dispute. When one looks at so many disputes and problems, they are based upon this.

Hadhrat Maulana advised that when one commits an error and become despondent about it, “Bhai kiyu qissa phelaya, gunnah ho gayaa tobah kar lo.” “You made an error, but do not wail about the error. Make taubah and forget about it.” When one commits a sin and keeps on pondering the sin but do not not make Taubah, they achieve nothing.

Only angels are free of faults. The fact that one is a human being ensures one will have shortcomings. When one does make errors, one should repent and make Taubah and continue with lifee.

Once someone told Maulana about a certain lecturer who was very harsh in speech. Maulana said, “Wo mutashadid bahut hey, is qadir tashadud say islah nahi hu tiy hay.” Some young Ulama condemn issues left, right and center.

One should give targheeb (encouragement), not tarheeb (admonishment). Tarheeb should be done with a lot of hikmah and wisdom. Hadhrat Maulana stated, “Harshness does not make Islah of the people, you have to be soft, loving, compassionate and in a diplomatic way try to make the islah of people.”

People had confidence in Hadhrat Maulana and would contribute due to his recommendations. Maulana would tell them “Why are you following people? If you have to build a masjid or a Madressah, make the walls of the building from mud, not concrete or stone.”

The people said “If we make walls of mud not stone then it will perish.” Maulana would reply and say, “Even the one that is solid is going to perish one day.”

He once said about a Madressah, “Ham ko madressah maqsood nahi.” “Our purpose isn’t the Madressah.” The Madressah is a building but rather, “Radha-I-Haq maqsood hay” meaning, “The purpose of the Madressah is not the Madressah building but rather the ridhwan and pleasure of Allah Ta’ala.”

Once Hadhrat Maulana quoted his ustadh from which he had acquired hadith. He has stated, “Jis qadr apney nafs sey doori hay isi qadr qurb Haqq Ta’ala haasil hey.” meaning that to the extent that a person is far from his nafs, a person is close to Allah.

The closer one is to his nafs, the more distant he will be from Allah. How true are these statements! This can be understood from so many verses of the Quran Kareem, for example, “Don’t follow your desires; you’ll go far away from Allah Ta’ala.”

Hadhrat Maulana used to say, “I don’t want to give bayat to people, it’s not something which I would like to do from within myself, but Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki has emphasized that I shouldn’t refuse anyone.”

He also says “Tamam azkar wa ashghal wa muraqabaat ka khulaasah yeh hay key insaan ko Allah Ta’ala ki huzoori har waqt muyassar rahey.” “What’s the essence of efforts and sacrifices, sulook and tasawwuf, what do we want to achieve from it? All the concern, all the engrossment and all the muraaqabah is to attain the consciousness of Allah Ta’ala all the time.” This is why it is required for a person to make zikr and to exert himself.

These exercises will train people to always think of Allah Ta’ala and to be conscious of the presence of Allah Ta’ala. Once a person has achieved this, then it becomes easy to be straight and upright. A person will commit sins is because he forgets that Allah is watching him.

He knows that Allah Ta’ala is watching but the veils of ghaflah and obliviousness come over a person and only after the sin, he realizes the wrong he has done.

How much energy is wasted speaking ill about the next person when that time and energy could be used in making the zikr of Allah and saying Allah, Allah. The benefit of this is the attainment of the ma’iyyat of Allah; he is conscious of Allah and Allah is also remembering him.

His Books

*"Fatawa e Rasheedia"
*"Hidaaya tush Shia"

Notes