An Account of Hudur Tajush Shari ah s 2 nd Blessed Journey to Syria [29 th April 3 rd May 2009] After completing Umrah and Ziyaarah of the Blessed Rawda of the Beloved Messenger of Allah SallAllahu alayhiwasallam, Hadrat Taajush Shariah, Rahbar-e- Tareeqat, Qadi l Qudat, Hadrat Allama Maulana Mufti Muhammad Akhtar Raza Khan al-qadiri al-azhari (May Allah Most High preserve him) once again blessed al- Sham (Syria) with his five-day spiritual, propagational and scholarly journey. This was Hadrat s second journey to Syria; the first journey being last year when Hadrat spent 4 days in total from the 22 nd -26 th August 2008. Wednesday 29 th April 2009 At 10.45am, Hudur Tajush Shari ah arrived at Damascus International Airport in Syria. He was welcomed by representatives of the airport and given a VIP status. Shaykh Umar al- Iraqi (Former Lecturer at Jamiat-ur-Raza University in Bareilly Shareef), Maulana Amir Akhlaaq Siddiqi, Sayyid Amir Ali Shah and Maulana Ijlal Tayyib Akhtar al-qadiri were amongst those present at the airport to welcome Hudur Tajush Shari ah. After the Asr Salaah, numerous students from India and Pakistan studying in Damascus presented themselves to seek blessings from the Legend of this Age - Hudur Tajush Shari ah. After spending valuable time in his holy presence, the students were blessed with having the opportunity of performing Maghrib Salaah behind Hudur Tajush Shari ah. Thereafter, the students respectfully met with him, and were blessed with the opportunity to kiss his holy hands and departed to their respective residences. Hudur Tajush Shari ah then received an invitation from one of the greatest scholars of al-sham, Shaykh Abd al-razzaq al-halabi who is approximately one hundred years old. He is regarded as one of the most knowledgeable scholars not only in Damascus but the whole of Syria and has been given the title al-imam al-a zam at-thaani [The Imam Abu Hanifa of his age] by the learned scholars of Syria. Shaykh Wa il al- Bazm, the son of Shaykh Abd al-fattah al-bazm- the Grand Mufti of Damascus (who last year journeyed from Syria to Bareilly Sharif for the annual Urs of A lahadrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan upon an invitation by Hudur Tajush Shari ah), arrived to escort Hudur Tajush Shari ah to Shaykh Abd al-razzaq al-halabi. On this occasion, Shaykh Abd al-razzaq al-halabi, Shaykh Abd al- Fattah al-bazm and numerous other learned scholars and Masha ikh honoured Hadrat with a grandwelcome. The Mufti of Damascus gave an introduction to Hudur Tajush Shari ah. Mufti-e-Dimashq (The Mufti of Damascus) Shaykh Abd al-fattah al-bazm said When Hudur Tajush Shari ah and Shaykh Abdal-Razzaqal-Halabi embraced each other it seemed as if two souls were meeting [embracing] and as if they had a
very old acquaintance with one another, whereas this was the first time they both had met. This gathering of knowledge and wisdom continued till late into the night. Thursday 30 th April 2009 At approximately 11am, Hudur Tajush Shari ah left for the city of Homs in Syria. On arriving there, Hudur Tajush Shari ah first visited the Qadi l Qudat of Homs, Shaykh Sa id al-kaheel. He welcomed Hudur Tajush Shari ah with great splendour and honour. He embraced and kissed the blessed hands of Hudur Tajush Shari ah. During their meeting, Hudur Tajush Shari ah gifted him a copy of the book al-amnu wa l- Ula li-na iti l Mustafa bi-da fi il Bala written by A lahadrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan RadiAllahu anhu [and translated by Sayyidi Tajush Shari ah into Arabic], and also presented him with the book Qawari ul Qahhar fi Raddi Mujassimatil Kuffar [Originally written by A lahadrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan RadiAllahu anhu and translated into Arabic by Hudur Tajush Shari ah including Hadrat s additional footnotes and commentary to the original work]. Hadrat introduced both the books to him and explained the research behind them and other matters related to these books. He also bestowed books authored by himself Sadr al-mashari and As-Sahabatu Nujumul Ihtida to Shaykh Sa id al-kahil, together with a compilation of his own Arabic Qasidas. In response to receiving these gifts from Hudur Tajush Shari ah, Shaykh Sa id requested Hudur Tajush Shari ah to make du a for him and gave Hudur Tajush Shari ah a few books written by himself. Hudur Tajush Shari ah granted the Shaykh the Ijazah (Permission) of Hadith-narration and also invited him to visit Bareilly Sharif. After this, in the companionship of Shaikh Sa id, Hudur Tajush Shari ah presented himself at the distinguished Jami a Masjid (Grand Mosque) of Homs known as Jami a Sayyidina Khalid Ibn al-walid where Shaykh Sa id is the Imam and Khatib. Hudur Tajush Shari ah performed the ziayarah of the blessed mazaar of Sayfullah Hadrat Khalid Ibn al-walid RadiAllahu anhu, situated inside the Masjid. At the Masjid, Hudur Tajush Shari ah led the Zohr Salaah. During this occasion a large number of people were blessed to meet with Hudur Tajush Shari ah and kiss his holy hands. After this, Hudur Tajush Shari ah went to Maqbarat al-qadeef, one of the most famous cemeteries of Homs. It is well known that there are approximately 800 Sahaba-e-Kiraam resting in this holy cemetery. Whilst at the cemetery, a pious personality from the Naqshbandiyya spiritual order came to meet Hudur Tajush Shari ah. He spoke of how the excellence of the cemetery has been mentioned in the Hadith Sharif, and explained that it stated in the Hadith Sharif that seventy thousand of those resting in this cemetery will enter Paradise (Jannah) without any reckoning (and Allah knows best). Thus ended this visit to Homs full of spiritual uplifment and dissemination of sacred knowledge and from here, Hudur Tajush Shari ah returned to the city of Damascus.
After the Maghrib Salah, numerous people arrived to visit Hadrat at his residence, and he blessed all of them with the opportunity to meet him. After the Isha Salah, he went to Jami at-ut-tawbah where he was invited to participate in the Majlis al-wafa. This gathering takes place at the Jami ah on the first Thursday of every Islamic month. The Imam and Khatib of this Jami ah is Shaykh Hisham al-burhani, who was also Hudur Tajush Shari ah s fellow student when studying in al-jami ah al-azhar in Egypt [1963-66]. He gave Hadrat a splendid welcome and honoured Hadrat by asking him to sit on the pulpit (mimbar) there. Shaykh Hisham then presented books as gifts to the students who had qualified in Qirát-e-Hafs and Sab a Ashara (17 canons of recitation) through the blessed hands of Hudur Tajush Shari ah. Hudur Tajush Shari ah also rendered his Arabic Qasidah in that gathering. During this occasion many people were blessed with the good fortune of meeting with Hudur Tajush Shari ah. Friday 1 st May 2009 In the morning, Hudur Tajush Shari ah left to perform Ziyaarah of hallowed places. He first visited Bab as-saghir, which is the holy cemetery of Damascus. It has been mentioned that numerous Sahaba-e-Kiraam and members of the Ahl al-bayt are resting here. Amongst them are the mazaars of Hadrat Bilal al-habashi, Ummul Mu minin Sayyidah Hafsa, Ummul Mu minin Sayyidah Umm-e-Salma, Hadrat Abdullah bin Jaafar Tay yaar, Hadrat Abdullah ibn Umm-e-Maktum, Hadrat Amir-e- Mu awiyah RadiAllahu anhumajma in and many other great personalities rest at this holy place [the authenticity of some of the great personalities resting in this cemetery is subject to research and Allah the Most Exalted knows best]. Afterwards, he went to Jami a Umawi The Grand Umayyad Mosque. This is regarded as one of the oldest mosques in the world. Here is the holy mazaar of Hadrat Yahya bin Zakariyyah (alaihimas Salaatu was Salaam). Hadrat entered the Masjid and then offered two rakaats of Nafl Salaah before presenting himself at the mazaar sharif. Hadrat then went to Mount Qasyun to perform the ziyarah of the blessed mazar sharif of Sultan al-mukashifin Hadrat Shaykh Muhyid Deen ibn al- Arabi (RadiAllahu anhu). After the Maghrib Salah, Hadrat hosted an invitation for the ulama of Damascus. The gathering commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by the recitation of poems in praise of the Chosen one - al-mustafa SallAllahu alayhi wa Sallam. Numerous Ulama and Masha ikh were present in this mehfil; amongst them were: 1. Shaykh Abd al-hadi al-kharsa 2. Shaykh Abd al-fattah al-bazm 3. Shaykh Abd al-jalil al- Ata 4. Shaykh Nidal Aali Dalshi 5. Shaykh Abd al-qadir Tahir 6. Shaykh Abd at-tawwab ar-rozaan 7. Shaykh Ala ad-deen Haa ik
8. Shaykh Muhammad Khair Tarshaan 9. Shaykh Isma il Zabi 10. Dr Abd ar-razzaq Ayman Shiwa During this gathering, Shaykh Ala ad-deen Haa ik and Shaykh Muhammad Khayr Tarshaan, (both of whom visited Bareilly Shareef in 2008 on the occasion of Urs-e- Razvi, on the invitation of Hudur Tajush Shari ah) introduced Hudur Tajush Shari ah and explained Hadrat s services in the field of the sacred knowledge and spiritualism in India. Shaykh Fatih al-kattani also came to meet Hadrat during this mehfil. Shaykh Fatih al-kattani is a Sayyid and is approximately one hundred years old. Regarding Shaykh Fatih al-kattani, Hudur Tajush Shari ah said, I should have been the one to have gone to make his Ziyaarah. The Grand Mufti of Damascus Shaykh Abd al-fattah al-bazm, Shaykh Isma il Zabi and Shaykh Nidal Aali Dalshi delivered lectures during this gathering. During his lecture, the Mufti of Damascus said, By Hudur Tajush Shari ah coming here, our Syria has become bright and radiant [once again]. Whilst explaining his visit to Bareilly Sharif, he further said, When I saw the manner in which those who love him display their love for him [Hudur Tajush Shari ah], then my memory of the love that the Sahaba possessed [for the Messenger of Allah SallAllahu alayhi wa Sallam] became refreshed so much so, that my Imaan says that this is how we should respect our Ustaads (Islamic teachers) and our Masha ikh (Grand Spiritual Masters). The mehfil ended with Hudur Tajush Shari ah rendering the Salaam in Arabic, followed by du a by him. His books were then presented to the Ulama that were present. Saturday 2 nd May 2009 At approximately 11am, a delegation of Ulama from Deruz Zawr (a city of Damascus that is located close to the Iraqi border) arrived to meet with Hadrat. After this the Shaykh, who is also the Chief-editor of the Damascus based Ma had ad-duwali li- Ta limil Lughatil Arabiyyah wash-shari ah, also came to meet Hudur Tajush Shari ah. Numerous religious and scholarly issues were discussed during this meeting. At 4.30pm the son of the Mufti of Damascus, Shaykh Wa il al-bazm, arrived to escort Hudur Tajush Shari ah to a meeting with Shaykh Ramadan Sa id al-buti (regarded as a great Imam in the gatherings of sacred knowledge in Syria). Also during this meeting, many religious issues were discussed and Shaykh Ramadan Sa id al-buti was very pleased to have met with Hudur Tajush Shari ah. Both blessed personalities exchanged books written by one another. After returning to where he was residing, Hudur Tajush Shari ah met individually with students that were waiting in much anticipation to greet him and attain his blessings and dua s. Those students who wished to take Bay at (the oath of
allegiance) at the hands of Hudur Tajush Shari ah were blessed with this as well and they then performed their Isha salaah behind his eminence. After the Isha Salaah, Shaykh Ala ad-deen Haa ik escorted Hadrat to his home for dinner. The Mufti of Damascus was also present at this invitation. After dinner, Hudur Tajush Shari ah went to meet with Shaykh Abu l Huda al-ya qubi at his home. Shaykh Abu l Huda al-ya qubi is a Hasani Sayyid and a very learned scholar of Syria, who holds gatherings to issue ijazah of Hadith-narration and also gives ijazat in the famous collections of Ahadith such as the Siha-Sittah etc. after listening to those requesting. Here too, many religious issues were discussed and they also exchanged books with one another. Shaykh Muhammad al-ya qubi presented to Hadrat a frame which had an Arabic Qasidah in it. As Hadrat was about to leave, Shaykh Abu l Huda al-ya qubi requested Hadrat to make du a for him and his family. Hadrat blessed him with his dua s and recited some holy verses and thence blew on water which was then presented Shaykh al-ya qubi. Sunday 3 rd May 2009 At approximately 12pm, Shaykh Abul-Khayr as-shanaar arrived. He presented his knowledgeable views regarding Hadrat s books and also presented his own books to Hadrat. After this, numerous students arrived and met Hadrat and sought blessings from him. They also requested his autograph, which he gave and also blessed them with his words of advice. Also on this occasion, many students took Bay at at his hands whilst others refreshed their Bay at or became Taalib. This trip of much blessings, spiritual uplifment ended when Hudur Tajush Shari ah, the Majma al-bahrayn [Merging of the Two Oceans of Shari ah and Tariqah], the Legend of this Age Mufti Muhammad Akhtar Raza Khan departed at approximately 3 clock in the afternoon to the airport for another spiritual and scholarly journey to enlighten and bless Egypt and its inhabitants. Originally written in Urdu by: Maulana Muhammad Ijlal Tayyib Akhtar al-qadiri Translated into English with additional notes by: A Humble servant of Sayyidi Tajush Shari ah Muhammad Kalim al-qadiri Bolton - UK