His hatred for the Saints and their mausoleums had reached to such an extent, that he hated even their Urs. The mausoleum of one of the famous Chishti Saints Hazrat Maulana Abdul Quddoos Gangohi is also in the same Gangoh, which happens to be the native place of Maulvi Rasheed Ahmed. The hatred in his heart for the great saint, and for the celebration of the saints’ “Urs” can be gauged from the following extract from the book of Maulvi Zakaria – the Shaykh-ul-Hadith of Saharanpur. He writes in his book “Tareekhe Mashaikhe Chisht – page 294” (The History of Chishti Shuyukh) as follows:

“The Urs of Hazrat Maulana Abdul Quddoos Gangohi which Maulvi Rasheed Ahmed was powerless to stop, distressed him so much that it was almost impossible for him to bear it. At first, he used to leave Gangoh and stay in Rampur in those days, but in the last few years of his life he was compelled to bear this anguish and had to spend the time of the Urs in his Khankah (house). During the days of Urs, he also detested his disciples coming to Gangoh to such an extent that he often showed his anger and even avoided speaking to them. One of his Caliphs and disciples, Maulvi Mohammed Saleh Jalandhari set off for Gangoh in order to have the privilege of seeing Maulvi Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi. Incidentally, the Urs was in full swing. Although Maulvi Mohammed Saleh did not have the faintest idea of the Urs, Maulvi Rasheed Ahmed instead of replying to his greetings, did not even bother to ask him whether he had taken his meal, or even ask him the reason of his arrival.”

“Two days passed away in the same stalemate. Seeing Maulvi Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi’s face turned away from him, and purposely ignoring his presence was unbearable for Maulvi Mohammed Saleh. At last he approached Maulvi Rasheed Ahmed, and with tears in his eyes he asked Maulvi Rasheed as to what had he done, for which he was being punished so severely. As an apology he further said, ‘Hazrat, Allah knows that from the very beginning, I have no interest in things like Urs. I swear that I have not come to Gangoh for the sake of attending the Urs. I did not know that the Urs was being held in these days.’ Imam Rabbani said, ‘Although your intention was not of attending the Urs, but on the way through which two men were coming to attend the Urs, you were the third !!’ ”.

Readers must now decide with justice - can there be fanaticism more intense than this ?? His disciple had not come to Gangoh for the sake of attending the Urs, but had come to meet his Shaykh. But as he had made the terrible mistake of coming at the time of Urs, he was punished severely, as if he had committed a heinous crime !!

Now the question arises that if Maulvi Rasheed Ahmed had so much hatred for the Urs of Maulana Abdul Quddoos Gangohi, then why did he ever become a disciple in the Chishti Sabri order of saints ?? And whereas the fact is that in this order, right from Hazrat Khawaja Moeenuddin Chishti, to Khawaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, Baba Fareeduddin Ganj Shakr, Meboob-e-Ilahi Hazrat Nizamuddin Awliya, Hazrat Sabir Pak, Hazrat Chirag Delhi, Hazrat Banda Nawaz Gaysu Daraz, Hazrat Turk Panipati, Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Haq Radolvi, Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Quddoos Gangohi, Hazrat Shaykh Jalaluddin Thanesri, Hazrat Akhi Siraj, Hazrat Alauddin Pindvi and Hazrat Sultan Ashraf Jehangir Samnani – among them there is not a single saint who has not held the Urs of his Shuyukh.

It is quite strange to note that only because of the fact that his disciple had come during the time of Urs, Maulvi Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi turned his face away from him. Whereas all the Shuyukh of the Chishti order who have kept the tradition of Urs alive, believe him (Shaykh Abdul Quddoos) to be their Dastageer (aide). Now the question which swings like a sword above the head of Maulvi Rasheed Ahmed is – how can someone who (according to the beliefs of Maulvi Rasheed Ahmed) is himself involved in “Moharrimat wa Bidaat” (forbidden acts and innovations), take someone else close to Allah ??

C) ANOTHER OBJECTION BY THE DEOBANDI SCHOLARS – AND ITS ANSWER.

The people against whom Ala Hazrat Imam Ahmed Raza (of Bareilly) used his pen could not bear their wounds, and kept moaning all their life. Revenge is a basic instinct of every wounded person - and naturally, when a person cannot restrict his enemies, he resorts to hurling abuses. The same thing happened with Ala Hazrat. The people who could not defend the charge of insulting the Holy Prophet () through knowledge and proper arguments, concluded that the only way of satisfying their lust for revenge was to tarnish the image of Ala Hazrat – by any means, fair or foul.

When they could not find anything objectionable in the dignity and personality of Ala Hazrat, they concocted the false charge that Ala Hazrat has revived various innovations instead of reviving the Sunnah – whereas as a Renewer of Islam, the greatest accomplishment of Ala Hazrat is his differentiation and segregation of right from wrong, and truth from falsehood - innumerable examples of these are spread over huge volumes of his decrees (fatawas).

The name of Shaykhe Deoband Husain Ahmed Madani, tops the list of those who raised such accusations against Ala Hazrat. In his book entitled “Al Shihab–ul-Saqib”, he has hurled about 600 abuses on Ala Hazrat, among which is “The Renewer of Innovations” – which is a scar on the page of his book.

But at this stage, I wish to salute the character and dignity of Ala Hazrat again and again that despite the Deobandis’ grave enmity, the accusers have not yet been able to prove him as a pioneer of innovations.

The difference in the meaning of “Pioneer” and “Renewer” is well known to every learned person. Those who called Ala Hazrat the “Renewer” of innovations must now prove who is the “Pioneer” of the “innovations” which supposedly Ala Hazrat has revived. And they will also have to give account, as to how many times have they abused the “Pioneers” of such innovations.

Although it is not the main topic, I do have a long list of innovations - the “pioneers” of which are none other than the Deobandi scholars themselves !! Though I do not have ample time, but to prove my objection and in relevancy with the occasion, I quote only some of the innovations pioneered by the Deobandi scholars, as listed below:

1.       Reading the complete Saheeh Bukhari Shareef (the famous Hadith collection), in order raise money for the Madressah, while giving the excuse that this was done for “repelling calamities & fulfilling needs” - the pioneer of this innovation is none other than the Darul Uloom Deoband itself.

2.       Assigning a specific place for funeral prayers in the courtyard of Darul Uloom Deoband, not on the basis of administrative reasons but on the basis of wrong beliefs – the pioneer of this innovation is none other than the Darul Uloom Deoband itself.

3.       Stipulating that the shroud of a dead Muslim must always be made of Khaddar (a hand spun coarse cloth) – and refusing to lead / offer the funeral prayers in the absence of Khaddar – the pioneer of this innovation is none other than the Shaykh of Deoband, Maulvi Husain Ahmed !!

4.       Holding a large celebration upon completion of 100 years of Deoband Madressah, with huge arrangements and publicity for the sake of conferring certificates to scholars – and inviting a polytheist, “Gair Mahram” (forbidden even to look at) woman on the stage, and giving her the seat of “Chief Guest” – and as if this was not enough, seating all their elderly scholars and students at her footsteps below the stage - the pioneers of these several evil innovations are none other than the scholars of Deoband.

5.       Standing up respectfully on hearing the National Anthem (of India) which contains several polytheistic phrases, and that too in the courtyard of a religious school - the pioneers of this evil innovation are none other than the scholars of Deoband.

6.       Considering that it is a “religious duty” to help a Congress leader to gain victory in elections - the pioneer of this innovation is none other than the Shaykh of Deoband, Maulvi Husain Ahmed !!

7.       Holding a public meeting with invitations, for the sake of condoling the death of their elders and then reciting eulogies based on heresy and apostasies - the pioneer of this innovation is none other than the Darul Uloom Deoband itself.

8.       Compulsorily stopping the people after a predetermined particular Salat (obligatory prayer) and delivering a lecture from the book “Tableeghi Nisaab” - the pioneers of these several innovations are none other than the scholars of Deoband. (This book has now been named “Fazaile Aamal”).

9.       Taking the people out of their homes for “special worship” and on tours around the world in the name of inviting people to recite Kalema and offer Salat - the pioneers of this innovation are none other than the scholars of Deoband.

10.   Ordering all the people present to stand up in respect of the Indian President when he arrived, while the national anthem (of India) was being sung in the courtyard of the Darul Uloom - the pioneers of this innovation are none other than the scholars of Deoband, who were themselves present on the stage. Now they must answer as what kind of innovation this was.

These and countless other innovations have been pioneered by the Deobandi school - but they never get tired of terming Ala Hazrat as an Innovator !!

Scholars of the Deobandi school give the decree of “heresy” without any hesitation on every newly originated action, and by terming it as prohibited, they create new differences and new intrigues among the Muslims.

Take the case of Mawlid as an example. The most important reason given by them to prove that it is “an innovation, haram (prohibited) and a heresy” is that it is a 700-year-old innovation. In its present state, it was neither at the time of the Holy Prophet (), nor in the age of the Companions or Tabayeens. But when it is asked, that if according to you it is a heresy only because of it being a newly invented act, then please point out any of its components which eradicates any Sunnah or comes under the category of forbidden acts – so they have no answer, except to keep silent.

Following are the components of a Mawlid Shareef gathering:

1.       Public announcement

2.       Carpeting, stage, tent, etc.

3.       Illumination

4.       Perfumes and sprinkling of rose water

5.       Distribution of sweets

6.       Gathering of Muslims

7.       Narration of events that took place at the time of birth of the Holy Prophet ()

8.       Remembrance of Allah and His Holy Prophet ()

9.       Standing and recital of Salaam

In the above list, except for the standing and recital of Salaam, there is not a single component that is missing in their gatherings for Seerah, sermon, preaching, or for honouring their scholars. Public announcement, stage, illuminations, gathering of people, speeches by one or more speakers - all these are present – so by their own decree, they should also term these as prohibited.

The only remaining issue is that of Standing and reciting Salaam. This too is not the reason of prohibiting Mawlid Shareef - for according to them, the celebration of Mawlid Shareef is prohibited even without this. (According to the explanation of the decree issued by their famous Maulvi, Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi.)

And if it is asserted that the reason of prohibition is the narration of incorrect traditions in it, then I would like to remind you that Maulvi Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi prohibited the Mawlid Shareef even if the traditions narrated in it are correct !!

In a number of debates I have asked the scholars of the Deobandi school, that when the components of our Mawlid gatherings and that of your various gatherings are one and the same, then why are your gatherings for the purpose of delivering sermons permissible - and at the same time, why are our gatherings for Mawlid impermissible ?? An act cannot be permitted or prohibited just because the reason of our assembly is Mawlid Shareef and your assembly is for delivering a sermon or for seerah.

When they could not come up with any reply, I said that there is only one reason which comes to my mind - and that is – on the occasion of the birth of the Holy Prophet (), when the entire universe was celebrating, only Satan (alongwith his disciples) was mourning and casting dirt upon his head.

Only Satan the outcast was aggrieved at the birth of the Holy Prophet (). Possibly you too feel hurt and follow Satan’s footsteps, because the event of his noble birth has taken place a long time ago, and now only its memories are left. When you people celebrate the “Diamond Jubilee” of Madressah Deoband, Shariah does not stop you - and when we celebrate Mawlid Shareef, the Deobandi school starts screaming !!

Someone has rightly said - that when the heart is envious of someone, it gets enflamed even at the mention of his name !!