Author: Obaidullah Nimruzi
Allama Sayyed Abul Hasan Nadwi, may Allah have mercy on him (Part 26)
In the presence of kings and rulers, sages and pious people
We stopped for a moment at the tomb of Hakim Sanai, prayed for forgiveness, and recited Surah Fatiha to receive reward. I remembered that in November 1933, Allama Muhammad Iqbal Lahori had come to visit the tomb of Hakim Sanai, stood by his grave, and with tearful eyes recited one of his most remarkable qasidas. We also visited the graves of saints of Allah and righteous people of the nation, such as Sayyed Bahlul Dana, Sayyed Ali Lala, Khwaja Bulghar, and Shamsul Arifin. Finally, we went to visit the grave of the Mujahid King and Conqueror, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, that man who was a capable leader of armies. Just as morning and evening jaunts are easy for young people, he bravely penetrated foreign lands, strengthened Islam in India, and shattered the blind laws that had held India captive for about 8 centuries.
Lessons of the Encounter
We returned from this visit both depressed and confident, believing in the greatness and survival of Allah Almighty while acknowledging the weakness, incapacity, and shortsightedness of man, who is often proud of appearances and manifestations. I have lost confidence in all the great capitals that now boast of their officials and residents, proud of their abundance of buildings, fortifications, construction, and development. Likewise, I have lost confidence in the survival of the great and powerful governments that conduct raids and campaigns, possess huge armies and troops, and own magnificent buildings and large factories. I pondered: Baghdad, Ghazni, Cordoba, Samarkand, and Bukhara, with all their greatness and glory, have disappeared. How will these governments and civilized cities remain?
How beautifully the Arabic poet composed:
اذِا مَا الّدهرًّ جر علی اَناس کَلا کلّه اَناخَ بِآخریِناَ
فقُل لِلشاَمَتیِنَ بِنَا اَفِیقُوا سَیلقیُ الشامَتوُن کَماَ لَقِیناَ
That is: “Time will never remain for people. All of it will remain for others. Tell the ill-wishers to be aware. Soon what we faced will be faced by them.”
And Allah Almighty said the truth when He said: «وَتِلْكَ الْأَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ» That is: We rotate these days [of defeat and victory] among the people [so that they may learn a lesson].
With a backpack full of impressions, information, and observations from this historical tour, we returned and had lunch at the government guesthouse there. After a short rest, we performed the noon prayer. I thought for a moment about the current situation of this city: where is the great city of Ghazni, which has now turned into a small village with no more than a thousand to 15 thousand inhabitants? Allah is pure and holy, and He is the one who changes night and day and alters the era and time.
A Word About Mohammad Zahir Shah and Sardar Daoud Khan
Most of the delegations sent by the “Islamic World League” to the countries they visit are supposed to meet with the presidents and kings of those countries. It was greatly hoped that this delegation would also be able to meet with Mohammad Zahir Shah, but it seemed that the competent authorities and those responsible for the ceremonies were against this. In any case, we were waiting for this meeting until the last day of our stay in Kabul. Later, we heard that Mohammad Zahir Shah had learned of our presence at the last moments of the trip and expressed his curiosity about why he had not been informed at an appropriate time. Mohammad Zahir Shah lives in his palace and is isolated from his people. He rarely leaves the palace and, like some Muslim kings in other lands, he does not have a public face.
The honorable Saudi Ambassador, Shaykh Mohammad Ahmad Shabili, stated that he has only seen him once, that is, when he presented his letter of credence.
I asked some brothers who is the cause and instigator of this detrimental trend of the country towards Western civilization and its deceptive manifestations. Who has caused Afghan women to remove their veils and turn to the armies and military barracks? In response, they said, “Sardar Mohammad Daoud Khan, cousin and son-in-law of Mohammad Zahir Shah.”
When we were in Paghman, they showed us the palace of Mohammad Daoud Khan and said that there used to be a religious school in this place, which the Khan had moved to another location, choosing this place as his residence. It seems that people who are religiously inclined do not show much interest in his laws and actions; they informed us that he is the leader of the National Democratic Party, and most people are interested in this party.
Continues…
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