TheRamadanOfShaykhAl-hadithMuhammadZakariyyaKandhelviAndOurEldersByShaykhDrMuhammadIsmailMemonMadani

the ramadan of shaikh muĤ ammud zakariyyĀfrom these gatherings] though, the previous Ramadan the book,Nisbat-e-Śūfiā’ [by Shāh Waśī Allāh, successor of Shaikh Ashraf‘Alī Thānwī] was read in this gathering. One of the most beautifulsights is when Ĥađrat accepted people in bai‘a shortly before theadhān time [will be mentioned in detail later]. ‘Ishā śalāt, tarāwīĥand witr take about a 1 ½ hour and one Qur’an is completed everyten days. Maulwī Salmān, who recites clearly and fluently, leadsthe tarāwīĥ for twenty days. Different people have led in the lastten days in various years. Sura Yāsīn and du‘ā is held after witr.Some people who started to memorize Qur’an will recite a portionof Qur’an to Ĥađrat for blessing. In this case, the du‘ā after SuraYāsīn is delayed until after their inauguration. A short gathering isheld after the du‘ā in which Fađā’il-e-Ramađān and Fađā’il-e-Durūdare most often read. Sometimes, only the different readings of theśalāt and salām (peace and blessings upon the Blessed Prophet s)are read from Fađā’il-e-Durūd. After reading session, everyone willeither stand up for voluntary śalāt or recite Qur’an. Most go tosleep at 12 a.m, while a few choose to remain awake for the wholenight.Ramadan of 1394/1974The Ramadan of 1394/1974 was spent in Sahāranpūr also. Wesee the same fervor and devotion [the mark of our Ĥađrat] thisRamadan as in the previous ones. One of the observers of Ĥađrat’sroutine [who was fortunate to spend this Ramadan with Ĥađrat]wrote his observations of Ĥađrat’s daily routine in his diary. Hewrites:The program begins as follows:Everybody wakes up at 3 a.m. for seĥr and guests usuallyfinish eating and drinking tea by 4:30 a.m. It is said that thereare about 650 guests in i‘tikāf this year [this rose to 1200 in thelast ten days].Fajr is prayed in its earliest time and then all guests rest until8:30 or 9 a.m. As the rule was that no one was allowed to wake32