Hadhrat Shaykh’s Teaching

Hadhrat Shaykhul Hadeeth Mawlana Islamul Haq Sahib RH, before his appointment as a Shaykhul Hadeeth of Bukhari Shareef at Darul Uloom, Holcombe, Bury, UK, taught Mishkaat Shareef at Madresa Ameeniya during the reign of Mufti Kifayatullah Sahib and gave lectures on Hadeeth at Darul Uloom, Rampura and Jamiah Hussainiya, Rander. He devoted his last fifteen years teaching Bukhari Shareef at Darul Uloom, Holcombe, Bury, UK. Despite his various illnesses, he participated in many public gatherings and made speeches at important functions. His vacations in the month of Ramadhan-ul-Mubarak were spent in Makkah Mukarrama and Madinah Munawwara (Al Haramayn Sharifayn), places he loved dearly, and many a times upon his return journey would visit Baitul Maqdis and Egypt.

The journey towards the beloved country.

This year (1996), although he was unwell and weak, he had the same determination and desire to take up the long and tiring journey and spend his holidays in the sacred places. Prior to his departure he was often heard saying, “My health is quiet bad and I have hardly any strength.” Nevertheless, on 18th January 1996, three days before Ramadhan-ul-Mubarak, he left his home in Bolton, U.K. and set off for the blessed journey with his youngest son Mawlana Nurul Haq. He spent a couple of days at his daughters house in London and during his stay managed to deliver a short speech at Balham Mosque, being his farewell speech. On Saturday 20th January 1996, after performing the Maghrib Salah and long Nawaafil, he bid farewell to his friends and relatives and left for Heathrow Airport. At the airport he felt very restless and repeatedly enquired about the sighting of the moon. Upon hearing of the sighting it brought him a lot of joy and then he relaxed. During the flight, although he felt tired and weak, he ate something for Sehri and kept the first fast of Ramadhan-ul-Mubarak.

Arriving at Makkah Mukarramah

After arriving at Makkah Mukarramah Hadhrat sahib joined the party from Darul Uloom who were staying at Darus Salaam Hotel. He was always so keen on performing Umrah that during his stay he would perform one a day and two on Fridays. However, on this occasion he could only manage one Umrah after three days when he felt better. He performed his prayers in Haram Sharif if he felt better, otherwise in his room, but the Taraweeh prayers were always performed in Haram Sharif whilst remaining seated.

In Makkah Mukarramah

In Makkah Mukarramah Hazrat sahib’s health deteriorated and he suffered from severe pains in the chest and had a fever. Doctor Shoaib Wajid of Durban, South Africa (May Allah reward him) was called who came immediately and prescribed some medication which gave him some relief. On the 17th of Ramadhan-ul-Mubarak Hadhrat sahib together with the Darul-Uloom party left Makkah Mukarramah and arrived in Madina Munawwarah (may Allah Ta’ala send his salutations and blessings upon its occupier).

The holy city of the Prophet 

In Madina Munawwarah despite his ill-health, he performed Maghrib,Isha and Fajr Salah in Masjid-e Nabawi and spent his time between Asr and Maghreb salaah in front of the blessed tomb of Hadhrat Mohammed  sending salutations. Again in Madina he suffered from severe pains in the chest which made him restless and was frequently heard saying “May Allah forgive me, Oh my Allah forgive me.” Seeing Hadhrat sahib in this state, the colleagues around him were contemplating to take him to hospital. Overhearing the conversation, Hadhrat sahib grievously and painfully said, “ The hospital staff will only delay my departing time.” It seems as if his instincts had indicated to him that his departure from this world had drawn near.Nevertheless, after the Isha prayer Hadhrat was taken to the hospital for medical check-up. X-rays were taken and after receiving some medicine to stabilize his condition he was discharged.

The last moments of Hadhrat Shaykh RH

The next few days Hadhrat continued his daily routine of going to Masjide Nabawi as and when he could. On the evening of 27th of Ramadhan-ul-Mubarak he returned to the hotel after the Taraweeh prayers and had some light refreshments. He looked fine and with the help of his son (Mawlana Nurul Haq ) packed all the luggage and said, “Nothing now remains to be packed for you except for the clothes that we are to remove on Eid day.” His son offered to massage his head but he refused and said, “ Go and have some rest.” So they both retired to bed at 4:15 a.m. His son immediately fell asleep and was awaken by the telephone call for sehri at 4:45 a.m. He got up, and to his amazement, did not see Hadhrat sahib on his bed. He looked around and saw Hadhrat sahib in the state of prostration (sajdah). He called, “Oh Father! Oh Father!” but to his disbelief he saw no movement nor did he hear any reply. It seems  that he felt some pain in the stomach and sat on the floor as one would sit in qa’dah in salaah which was his usual habit. In this state his rooh (soul) was taken away due to which he fell forth in a position which seemed like a sajdah. Hazrat Aqdas Moulana Yusuf Motala Sahib (May Allah Ta’ala lengthen his life) was called who upon seeing Hazrat sahib declared that the blessed soul had departed and he had reached his beloved friend (Allah).

“ Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raajioon.” ( We belong to Allah and to him we return).

It surely belongs to Allah Ta’ala what ever He takes and surely belongs to Allah Ta’ala what ever He gives. According to Him everything has a specified time. O Allah! Reward us in our calamity. We are pleased in turning towards our Creator. O Allah! Forgive him and shower mercy upon him and reside him in Paradise. Make his grave a Garden of Paradise. O Allah! Wash him with water and cleanse him from sins just as a white cloth is cleaned from dirtiness. O Allah! Keep him away from his sins at a distance of east and west. O Allah! Accept his coming to You and widen his entering place (grave) through Your mercy. O the Most Merciful, the Ever-lasting, the Greatest and the Most Honoured through the honour of our leader Muhammad  O Allah! Do not lead us astray after him and do not deprive us of his reward and save us from falling in to mischief after him. Ameen. Please accept our prayer through the honour of our leader and Intercessor Muhammad .

The funeral

Hadhrat Shaykhul Hadeeth Mawlana Islamul Haq Saheb departed from this world on the 28th of Ramadhan-ul-Mubarak at sehri time after completing 27 days of fasting. The night he passed away, he prayed salutation to the Prophet Muhammad  two times which was against his normal practice of praying once only. His family members, relatives and close friends were notified immediately and within five minutes the news of his death spread like lightening. Special prayers were said, after Fajr Salah, in the mosques in Britain and the rest of the world.

Meanwhile, in Madinah Munawwarah the arrangements for the funeral were being made. Mawlana Nurul Haq, Yunus Bhai, Mawlana Zubair Malik and one of the organizers gave Hadhrat sahib a bath and prepared the body for burial. Just before Dhuhr salah the janazah was brought to Masjid-e-Nabwi and Shaykh ibn Zahim performed Namaze-Janazah after Dhuhr salah. The janazah was then taken to the graveyard (Janatul Baqee) to rest the blessed soul of Hadhrat Shaykhul Hadeeth. His son, Mawlana Nurul Haq stepped in to the grave to lay his body and pay his last respects. In reality Hadhrat rahmatullahi alaihe had much love and affection of both sacred places and a very strong desire to be buried in Janatul Baqee. Allah Ta’ala fulfilled his desire. All praises be to Him for this.

The great loss.

The loss of Hadhrat rahmatullahi alaihe in actual fact is a great calamity for myself, my brothers and sisters, in-laws, friends, relatives and the students and staff of Darul Uloom. We are all deprived of his valuable knowledge, spiritual bounties, beneficial suggestions, supplications, special considerations and not forgetting his limitless kindness. May Allah Ta’ala comfort us with the best of patience and favour us with special reward, as Allah Ta’ala is our real Cherisher and Guardian. My family members and I request all our elders and friends to pray for Hadhrat rahmatullahi alaihe’s  increase of status and may Allah Ta’ala give us the divine strength to spread his knowledge, religious and spiritual bounties, Ameen.
By Mawlana Zia ul Haq

Glad tidings

1. The clothes in which Hadhrat died held a special fragrance. It was not Hadhrat’s habit to use Itr (perfume). Also this smell was throughout the whole Qamees which is an indication that it was from the unseen. If Itr had been applied then the fragrance would have been in that one particular spot. The clothes are still available at Hadhrat’s house and can be observed by yourself. I think that this was an honour for Hadhrat and the barakah of teaching Ahadeeth throughout his entire life. The same is narrated regarding Imam Bukhari rahmatullahi alaihe that his grave produced  such a strong pleasant fragrance that people started taking the soil away which resulted in the Ulama fencing his grave.

2. Various people have seen Hadhrat rahmatullahi alaihe in their dreams after his death.

Mawlana Yusuf Mamoon states that he saw in a dream that Hadhrat is looking like a young person and he is returning home at a great speed from Masjide Ar-Rahmaan, Bolton  with a Tasbeeh in his hand. Mawlana Yusuf  Mamoon asked, “Have you not died?” He replied, “No (I am still alive).”

Mawlana Yusuf Motala Saheb (Muddazillahu) gave an interpretation of this dream and stated that the ulama have said that seeing a person alive after his death means that he has achieved the status of martyrdom. The Quran states that,

“The martyrs are alive.” It should be noted that there are different grades of martyrdom as can be understood from the following Hadeeth:

The Prophet  once asked the sahaba, “What is your understanding of martyrdom?” They replied, “Being killed in the path of Allah.” The prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, “Then the martyrs of my ummah shall be very few. Being killed in the Path of Allah is martyrdom, death through illness in the stomach (and its surroundings) is martyrdom, death in fire is martyrdom, drowning is martyrdom, death due to the collapse of a building is martyrdom, death due to Pleurisy, a woman’s death in labour pains is martyrdom. (Nasai Vol.2 P.66).