TheRamadanOfShaykhAl-hadithMuhammadZakariyyaKandhelviAndOurEldersByShaykhDrMuhammadIsmailMemonMadani

Chapter EightThis is precisely why our elders and shaikhs put much emphasison this month. It is something one will find in the book Akābir kāRamađān. There are still hundreds of people alive who have seenthe spirit and liveliness of this month with Ĥađrat Thānwī, Shaikhal-Islām Shaikh Ĥusain Aĥmad Madanī, and Shaikh Raipūrī.Hundreds of dhākirīn gathered in the khanqā of these elders,devoting their whole month in a blessed environment of recitationof Qur’an, ashgāl (meditative devotions), and isolation in order togain closeness to Allah u.For some time, it has been the routine of Quţb al-Aqţāb (pole ofguidance), Barakāt al-‘Aśr (Blessing of the Age), Ĥađrat al-Shaikhal-Ĥājj al-Ĥāfiż Muĥammad Zakariyyā Kandhelwī Madanī [whoincorporated the nisba (spiritual closeness to Allah u) of allthe shaikhs of his time] to perform i‘tikāf the whole month ofRamadan. Many devotees who wish to maximize the blessingsof this month and avail themselves of Ĥađrat’s blessed companygather together around him at his abode. In the foreword of Irshādal-Mulūk, Ĥađrat writes:For some thirty years, people have been coming here for thismonth, though these numbers have increased dramatically inthe last two to three years. Last year, more than two hundredpeople sat in i‘tikāf.Since Ĥađrat spent most of his Ramadan in India, most of thePakistani brethren were unable to benefit from this great blessing.But this year, Pakistan itself was honored to sponsor and becomethe venue for this beautiful blessing. This year, as the signsindicated, Ĥađrat decided to spend his Ramadan in Faisalabad andreignite the love of the Blessed Prophet s in the hearts of thepeople and rejoin them with their Creator. He left from Madinaon Thursday, July 3rd, at 9:30 a.m. by Saudi Airlines. After a onehour stop in Riyadh, he reached Karachi at 4:30 p.m. and stayedin Makkī Masjid. On the 7th of July, Ĥađrat flew from Karachiat 8:30 a.m. [the plane stopped off in Multan for one hour] and47