From at-Talib 

The sharif, the sayyid, Anwar ul-Husayn bin al-Sayyid Ashraf ‘Ali, better known as Nafis Shah, has left this world, today, Tuesday the 26th of Muharram, 1429 (02/05/2008) at around 0500, in Lahore, Pakistan. Verily it is to Allah that we belong, and it is to Him that we shall inevitably return.

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It is sad to know that a Hadhrat Hashmat Ali passed away tonight in Karachi, Pakistan.

Hadhrat was a murid of Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi, who placed him under the supervision of Hadhrat Khawaja Aziz al-Hassan majzoob (may Allah have mercy on them) for his spiritual training (islah).

Hadhrat Hashmat ‘Ali migrated to the blessed city of Medinah in 1960s and stayed there till few years back when due to extreme old age and wife’s illness he had to return to Karachi for her treatment. In Prophet’s mosque it was remarkable to see Hadhrat sitting directly in front of blessed rawdha (mawajah sharif) amidst the crowd of pilgrims. Guards, known for their rudeness, seldom bothered him.

It is interesting to note that after Hakim al-Umma’s death in order to complete his sulook he had reaffirmed his pledge (baya) with Hadhrat Mawlana Abdul-Ghafur Madani Naqshbandi-mujaddidi (may Allah have mercy on him).  Most probably he was given permission to initiate others also but seldom did so.

It is fascinating to know that Hadhrat’s initial pledge was also with a Naqshbandi shaykh in India. However, when it was evident that this was not the perfect selection he left him immediately. On a question regarding this he told that Mawlana Essa Illahabadi (may Allah have mercy on him, author of Infas e Essa), a senior khalifa of Hakim al-Umma was his teacher. He was aware of his extreme yearning and search for a Shaykh, when he found out that I have already selected one, he very gently told me in private that the person I selected was a pious man indeed but he lacked the essentials needed to be a Shaykh and guide others. To be pious is different from being a guide.

Answering to a question that why did he change his tariqa (that is, from being a Chishti he became a Naqshbandi) he said that the goal in this journey (tareeq and sulook) was to attain Allah’s pleasure by whatever established way (tariqa) it was within one’s means. Placing undue importance on a particular tariqa wass grossly inappropriate.

Passing away of pious elders like Hadhrat Hashmat Ali is a reminder to all of us to benefit from similar sources as soon as possible.

May Allah shower His special mercy, kindness and blessings on the departed soul and give exemplary patience to the family and friends. Ameen!

Please try to make some esal e thawab. JazakAllah! 

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) told us,

“Once I was visiting the blessed city of Makkah. It was a very brief and private trip. No one was informed that I was here. It was the day of ‘ashura (10th Moharram)  and after dhur salah as I was leaving the haram shareef a person approached me and said that his Shaykh (a famous hadith scholar originally from Jawa, Indonesia, who had settled in haram) had sent him to bring me along to his residence. Being surprised at this unusual call I accompanied him to the Shaykh’s house. I already knew him and had recieved the permission (ijaza) to narrate hadith from him previously.

Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) greeted me with his usual affection and humbleness. After the introductory salutations I inquired that how did he come to know that I was visiting Makkah. He similed and told me that it was unnecessary to know this, however, more important was the reason he had called me.  He wanted to give me ijaza of a specific hadith, musalsal bil-‘ashura. A hadith whose permission is traditionally given by the scholars to their students on the day of the ‘ashura, as our master Prophet of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) told his companion this thing on the day of ‘ashura.

I was overjoyed to recieve this precious gift.”