An Exemplary Teacher of Hadeeth: Mufti Saeed Ahmad Palanpuri
(Rahimahulllah)
By:
Khursheed Alam
Dawood Qasmi
Email:
qasmikhursheed@yahoo.co.in
In the blessed
month of Ramadhan, a renowned exemplary teacher of Hadeeth and towering scholar
of Islamic jurisprudence, Mufti Saeed Ahmad Palanpuri (May Allah have mercy on
him and grant him Jannah!) passed away. From the time we started learning from
him, we realised and understood his great personality and the value and
significance of his teaching. As the scholars from the world expressed their
pain and grief over his sad demise, it added more importance and worth to our
hearts than ever before. He spent his noble and beautiful life in studying,
teaching, lecturing, addressing the gathering of masses and authoring and
compiling precious books on several topics of Islamic sciences. He rendered his
services within the country and abroad like European and African countries, the
USA and Canada etc. Keeping his works in mind, it can be admitted that such
personalities are born after a long time.
The Teaching Services:
There are numerous prominent aspects of Mufti Sahib’s
services to be covered. He was an able teacher, favourite lecturer, orator, acclaimed
author, famous publisher and a businessman too. I am blessed and honoured to
say that the Almighty Allah gave me a golden chance to learn two books of
Hadeeth: SunanTirmidhi and SharhuMaa’ni Al-Aathar from him. So, for me, he was
a great, respected and exemplary teacher and mentor. In this piece of writing,
therefore, I would like to highlight his teaching services and characteristics of
teaching briefly, In Shaa Allah. He was an ideal teacher with his unique style
and typical teaching methodology. One and all appreciated and acknowledged his this
quality. The student always desired to emulate him in his teaching methodology,
if they were to get a chance for teaching in order to get their students
satisfied with their lessons.
Mufti Sahib
(Rahimahullah) began his teaching while he was a learner. When he was a student
of Iftaa Course at DarulUloom Deoband, in 1382 AH, he started teaching “Hifz
Al-Quran Al-Kareem” to his younger brother, Mufti Muhammad Ameen Palanpuri
(Hafizahullah). Mufti Ameen Sahib writes: “He (Mufti Saeed Ahmad) took me to
Deoband in 1382 AH along with him. He got this humble person (Mufti Ameen) enrolled
in the Hifz class of Qari Kamil Sahib Doebandi. I could not benefit from Qari
Sahib. Then he took the full responsibility of teaching me Hifz of the Holy
Quran. He made me Haafiz within one and a half year.” (Al-Khair Al-Kathir, P:
48)
Teaching Service in Darul Uloom
Ashrafiyah, Rander:
Following the
completion of Iftaa Course, Mufti Sahib remained as an Assistant Mufti for some
period of time at Darul Uloom Deoband. Later, at the recommendation of Allamah
Muhammad Ibrahim Baliavi (RA), he was appointed as a teacher in Darul Uloom Ashrafiyah,
Rander, Surat, Gujarat in 1384 AH. Over the time of almost nine years, he
served in Ashrafiyah as a teacher from Dul-Qa’adah 1384 AH till Shaban 1393 AH.
During this period, he taught several books of higher level like: Sunan Tirmidhi,
Sunan Abi-Dawood, Tahawi, Muwattein, Sunan Nasa’aee, Sunan Ibn-Majah, Mishkat,
Jalalein, Al-Fauz Al-Kabeer, Translation of the Qura’an, Hidayah, Sharh Aqaaid,
Husaami etc. (Al-Khair Al-Kathir, P.: 50)
Appointment at DarulUloom
Deoband:
Very few people are
blessed with such instructive and teaching capability as that of Mufti Sahib.
Not only his students, but also his teachers bear witness to this fact. In 1393 AH, when there was a vacancy
for teacher in Darul Uloom Deoband, his teacher Sheikh Hashim Bukhari (Rahimahullah),
then the teacher of Darul Uloom Deoband, asked him to apply for the said post
and he did so. In the month of Shaban of the same year, his application was
accepted in the meeting of the governing body of Darul Uloom Deoband and he was
informed about his appointment at Darul Uloom Deoband. Then in Shawwal in 1393
AH, he joined Darul Uloom Deoband as a respected teacher. Since then the journey
started in 1393 AH in Darul Uloom Deoband, continued till he breathed his last
on 19 May 2020.
He served in Darul Uloom
Deoband nearly 48 years. The management also appreciated and acknowledged his
teaching ability and expertise of the books assigned to him and the academic
council continued promoting him. The books that he taught are Sullamul Uloom,
Mullah Hasan, Hadyah Saeediyyah, Mebzi, Hidayah, Husami, Musallam Al-Thubut,
Al-Fauz Al-Kabeer, Talkhis Al-Itqaan, Sharh Aqaaid, Siraji, Rashidiyah,
Musaamrah, Hujjatullahi Al-Balighah, Diwan Al-Mutanabbi, Diwaan Al-Hamasah,
Saba’ah Muallaqah, Jalalein, Tafseer Baidhavi, Tafseer Mazhari, Tafseer Madaarik,
Nukhbah Al-Fikr, Muqaddamah Ibn Salaah, Mishkaat, Tahawi, Muwatta Imam Malik,
Muwatta Imam Muhammad, Sunan Ibn Majah, Sunan Nasa’aee, Sunan Tirmidhi, Sunan Abi-Dawood,
Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari. Presently he held the posts of Sheikhul Hadeeth
and Head-Teacher.
Some Characteristics of
Mufti Sahib in Teaching:
Mufti Sahib was a distinguished
figure due to his matchless teaching methodology. There were many characteristics
and distinctive features in his teaching which are not altogether found generally
in a teacher. Here, I am going to mention few of them as I came across while
learning from him:
He was very much
punctual of attendance. He used to come to the class on time. His lesson
planning was so well that he would teach it within the period and leave the
class as the bell rang.
He used to avoid
going on a long journey during academic year so that it would not disturb the syllabus
to complete during the assigned time.
His lecture carried
on at the same pace, be it in the beginning of the year or at its end until he completed
the syllabus.
The students were
bound to follow his rules and regulations set in the class. The students were
not allowed to enter the class, after he has had arrived in the classroom.
Apart from the lesson,
he used to spend few minutes every day to make the students memorise some
Ahaadith and Asmaaul Husna. He used to advise the students to do the same with
their students so that it will become a continuous charity.
In the beginning of
the year, he used to deliver some introductory lectures on the science of Hadeeth.
During these lectures, he used to cover the topics like: Hadeeth, Tadween Hadeeth,
Wahi, Kinds of Wahi, Hujjiatul Hadeeth, Ijmaa, Qayaas, Taqleed etc. These
lectures were keys to the treasure of knowledge. Now, it is preserved and
recorded in the first volume of “Tohfatul Al-Maee”, Al-Hamdulliah.
He worked hard in
studying the books and did not think to waste his precious time at all. He was
a favourite and perfect teacher. He knew the psychology of the students and
taught them according to their level of understanding. It was, therefore, easy
for the students to grasp the lessons easily to their best satisfaction.
He was blessed with
such teaching talent that whenever a difficult and complicated topic was raised,
he used to cite some examples that even the slow learners used to understand
and comprehend his lesson effortlessly.
Due to his teaching
methodology, he was a beloved celebrated teacher among the students. They loved
him from the bottom of their hearts. They attended his lessons happily with
punctuality.
He delivered his
lecture with such velocity that the students were easily able to note down his
lectures on papers. That is the reason thousands of his students noted down his
lectures on Tirmidhi and well preserved it.
Whenever he
explains the difference of opinions among the different schools of thought in
Fiqh, he avoided giving preference to the opinion of a certain Imam; instead
his focus remained on highlighting the basis and reason of the difference, so
that the students can understand the reason behind the view of each Imam about
the contentious issue.
Every student was
not permitted to read the text of Hadeeth in Sunan Tirmidhi class. Whoever
wished to do so, he had to pass the test. The criteria of passing the test were
reading Ibaarah with proper pause understanding the punctuation, with clear
voice, with average speed and without making a grammatical mistake in the
Arabic text.
At the end of the
year, he divided the graduating students into several categories like: those
who would go for further studies, those who will start teaching, those who will
do business and those who will go in Tablighi Jama’ah. He used to advise them
accordingly.
Mufti Sahib was
expert in several sciences of Islamic studies. He was an exemplary teacher as
well as a renowned Mufti in the world. He issued hundreds of Fataawa which are documented
in the register. He was a good manager too. As a director, he ran
“Majlise Tahaffuze Khatme Nabuwwat” at Darul Uloom Deoband. The Majlis played a
key role in creating awareness among the masses about our beloved prophet and
messenger Muhammad (SAWS) being the last and final prophet and messenger of
Allah as the Majlish also made them aware of the false prophet-hood of Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani. He was a well-known orator and preacher. For this
purpose, he was invited from across the world and he would travel within the country
and abroad. Specially, in the long holiday of Ramadahn, he used to visit
England, USA, Canada and several African countries. The people eagerly gathered
in crowd to listen to his speeches. Little bit, I have tried to highlight his
prominent service as a teacher in this piece of writing only.
Mufti Sahib was about
80 years old. He used to fall sick frequently for last several years and got
recovery. This year too, he fell sick in the month of Rajab. In the last lesson
of Bukhari, he became seriously ill. He reached Mumbai. The treatment started. He
recovered as well and was able to deliver speeches after Tarawih Salaah
regularly. Later on, he fell sick again and was admitted in Sanjeevani Hospital
in Malad (East) where he breathed his last in the morning on 25th Ramadhan
1441 AH =19th May 2020. The news of his death was announced by his
son. His relatives and the students scattered all over the world were saddened following
the news of the demise spread. The social media was abuzz with news of making Duaa,
reading the Qura’an and passing the condolences via letters and video and audio
clips. On the same day, he was buried in Oshiwara Muslim Qabristan of
Jogeshwari (West) in Mumbai. The Janazah Salah was led by his son, Maulana
Ahmad Saeed Sahib. May the Almighty accept his services! May Allah grant him
Jannatul Firdause! Aameen! ***
