Mufti Faizul Waheed’s Kashmir connection
By: Irshad Aziz
Hazrat Mufti sahib’s death has left us all in deep shock and while I have been trying to jolt down a few points with regards to the pious life of this great scholars, my hands tremble and words fall short in my attempt to draw brief sketch of his life. I pray to Almighty Allah to help me in presenting the pious life of this great personality with utmost justice.
Almighty Allah has bestowed Kashmir with a galaxy of towering religious personalities including Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (RA), Mirwaiz Moulana Muhammad Yousuf Kashmiri (RA), Moulana Noor uddin Trali (RA) and many more. This is one of the greatest blessings of Almighty Allah that, despite our sins, we have been receiving utmost Mercy and blessings (bestowing a region with God fearing Islamic scholars is an indication of Allah’s Mercy and taking back these Ulema from us is an indication of Allah’s wrath- May Almighty Allah protect us all from His wrath). And undoubtedly Mufti Faizul Waheed Sahib (RA) was one among those few ulema (scholars) who devoted all his life for the cause of Islam, Muslims and humanity.
Hazrat Mufti sahib was a Mufasi-e-Quran (First translator of Quran in his mother tongue, Gojri), He was a Faqih (An Islamic Jurist), A muhaddith (expert in hadith), A bold speaker on various topics in public gatherings. His presence in a public gathering would attract a sea of believers. His way to start his speech with Quran, elaborating it with Quran and ending it with Quran was his unique way which is currently unparalleled. His contribution is unmatched, during the month of Ramadan, he would hold special Quranic duroos in Bathindi Jammu for general public and ulema as well. He compiled many books including Sirajam Muneera (A book on the Seerat of our Beloved Prophet ﷺ). “Ahkam-e-Mayyat” (The rules of the Deceased) and “Namaz ke Masa’il, Qur’an-o-Hadees ki Roshni mai” (The issues pertaining to Salah in the light of Quran and Hadees).
Mufti sahib had a special connection with Kashmir and Kashmiri people had a special place in his heart. Whenever he visited Kashmir, he would call on people with sympathetic approach to uphold the principles of Islam and to encourage better understanding of religious concept. Just a few months before his death, he was in Kashmir and spoke at many religious gatherings, visited schools and coaching institutes to make student community and others aware about the teachings of Islam. He had the distinction of travelling Kashmir in length and breadth and every Islamic seminary here used to invite him on the annual convocation and otherwise. His way to appreciate young hufaaz was unique.
His frequent visits to Kashmir had a message for the people of Jammu region, that their religious unification with Kashmir is the need of hour. When Jammu erupted in communal violence a few years ago and many were targeted, he opened the gates of his Darul uloom at Bathindi for Kashmir and managed them food and shelter for many days, until the communal tensions were put to rest. I would call him an ambassador of Kashmir is in Jammu region.
This is perhaps the reason that when the news of his worsening health conditions reached Kashmir, people were dismayed and left in lurch. Special prayers were held by one and all. Many expressed their concern on social media platforms and initiated a campaign (with #sosjk) to arrange some rare medicines for him which otherwise was not possible. Some youngsters left from Srinagar, reached Jammu to assist the doctors with these medicines, which they somehow arranged for Mufti sahib.
In the end, we have to obey the decree of Almighty Allah and bear this painful loss. May Almighty Allah elevate his ranks in Jannah. We, and all those people who loved him must now reconcile with the loss and take the work of Mufti Faizul Waheed sahib towards its goal. We all must respect our ulema before it is too late. Today we see, the passing away of Mufti Faizul Waheed sahib is being mourned throughout the world and ulema paying tributes from all over India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa and many more countries. He was indeed an internationally acclaimed scholar who is no longer with us. But yes, Alhamdulillah his companions and students are here with us, let’s all support them to take the work of Mufti sahib ahead. Let we recognize our ulema during their life span and derive maximum benefits from their teachings. May Almighty Allah preserve all our ulema and give them long lasting lives. Kashmir needs them always and so does the Muslim Umma in general.
