Computing my way through Life!

Narration 250: Taken from the book Arwah-e-Thalatha by Hakim al Ummah, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi rahimatullah alaih.

My Respected, late father said that Maulana Mahmud Hasan rahimatullah alaih used to say that all our elders were like the sun or the moon. Each one was higher and better than the other. However, when their residences were visited, some or the other things from the basic necessities of life used to be found. In the room of Hazrat Gangohi rahimatullah alaih some basic things from the necessities of life were present. In the room of Hazrat Haji Imdad qaddisallahu sirrahu some basic things could be seen, but in the room of the person who was divorced from the creation and who was ascetic of this world [namely Hazrat Maulana Qasim Nanotwi rahimatullah alaih] there were no provisions to be seen. Yes, there used to be a straw mat but it was also broken, as if he used the single mat all through his life. There was no trunk and no clothes. When these elders used to go on travel then, for example, the close companion of Hazrat Gangohi rahimatullah alaih, Hazrat Abdullah Shah used to carry a trunk and clothes. But in the case of Maulana Nanotwi rahimatullah alaih, there was no such formality. If, sometimes, one or two set of clothes were present, they used to be sent to someone else for safe keeping. However, on most occasions, the entire travel used to be completed in the same clothes that he was wearing when he started. Only one blue lungi used to be with him so that when the clothes became dirty, he tied the lungi, removed his clothes and used to wash the clothes himself. Even this single pair of clothes that he had, were nothing but a cloak [achkan] and pajamas.

When it got cold, he sometimes wore a cheap turban [amamah] but mostly a cap covering his ears throughout the winter. Through his life he never had a button stitched on to any of his clothes saying that it is a sign of the Christians. He instead used to use a cord [bandh].

He never kept anything for himself but used to give a lot to others. Even if someone came to him aspiring dunya, he would not go back empty handed. Many gifts used to come to him but they would all be distributed to others. He did not keep anything for himself and used to say that others have the right.

Haashiya by Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi rahimatullah alaih: The goal in tareeq is settling and firming of the heart which for some people happens by leaving off of means and for others by adopting means while both are done for the beloved…

Also, not wearing buttons is from precaution. Other than this, for normal conditions, if buttons would not create doubts in the mind of persons who see them being worn, it would not constitute similarity with non-Muslims [tashabbih].