TheRamadanOfShaykhAl-hadithMuhammadZakariyyaKandhelviAndOurEldersByShaykhDrMuhammadIsmailMemonMadani

the ramadan of shaikh muĤ ammud zakariyyĀFrom these letters, the reader quickly realizes Ĥađrat Shaikh’swisdom, prudence, insight, sagaciousness, austerity, independenceand faithfulness to his mission.After this letter, Shaikh Yūsuf Tutlā, Ibrāhīm Miāń, and ĤāfiżShākir Desai came to Madina and convinced Ĥađrat until hefinalized his plan and decided to come. During this time, manypeople offered to pay for Ĥađrat’s and his helpers’ tickets and otherexpenses but Ĥađrat refused, paying for them and himself fromhis own account. All the expenses came to two 200,000 rupees[according to that time]. After this, they returned and set aboutpreparing for Ĥađrat’s arrival.Choosing the Venue [Stanger Masjid]The biggest issue facing the organizers [and Ĥađrat also] wasfinding the right place for Ĥađrat for i‘tikāf. Shaikh IbrāhīmMiāń and Muftī Aĥmad Miāń, close confidants of Ĥađrat, insistedthat Ĥađrat stay in Johannesburg and spoke with Ĥađrat for halfan hour over the phone. They presented 32 reasons as to whyĤađrat should perform i‘tikāf in Johannesburg. But since it wascolder in Johannesburg, and the masjid was small, it was markedoff the list. Since South Africa is south of the equator summerin Ĥijāz and India is winter in South Africa. Stanger is south ofJohannesburg, therefore the weather in Stanger is more moderate.The masjid is also spacious and comprises three stories. The thirdstory holds approximately 1200 people while the lower twoabout 1000 each. There is a sufficient number of restrooms andample parking around the masjid for cars. Hot and cold water isavailable [a luxury in many countries] and the surrounding areais peaceful.In addition, some glad tidings were given about this masjid[another main reason the Stanger masjid was favored over othermasjids] Ĥađrat’s special helper, Shaikh Najīb Allāh saw in hisdream that he is in the building where Ĥađrat stayed beforeRamadan in Stanger. The eastern front of this building has alarge minaret that glimmers like the minaret that stands next to92