Hadhrat Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi)

When Hadhrat Maulana was 21 years of age, he married his cousin. Generally it is noticed that when a person gets married, his life before marriage is different from his life after marriage.
Hadhrat Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) was not a Hafiz before marriage but surprisingly soon after marriage within a period of one year Hadhrat Maulana became a Hafiz all by himself. Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) memorized the Quran in approximately one year and in the following year, he performed Taraweeh.
Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) like Hadhrat Maulana Qasim Nanotwi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) took bayat on the hands of Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki (Rahmatullahi Alayhi). When he went to take bayat, his intention was to stay for a very short while but he remained there for forty-two days. He became very attached to Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki (Rahmatullahi Alayhi).

His depth and insight in Ilm was very great and very high. Maulana Qasim Nanotwi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) stated that Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) is Abu Hanifa al Athar, (the Abu Hanifa of this time).
Hadhrat Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) was a miracle from the miracles of Allah Ta’ala. He was known as Chalta Pirta Kutub Khana (a rotating library). Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) states that if Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) is not higher that Allamah Shami then he is not lesser either. Any Alim who knows Shaami will know what is the maqaam of Shaami otherwise known as Raddul Muhtar.
Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri’s statement shows the great Ilmi maqaam of Hadhrat Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi). Whenever the Ulama were stranded and had any Ilmi ishkaals (questions), they would present it to Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi). He would give them such answers that would satisfy them. One very great Alim, Maulana Fazlur Rahman Ganj Muraadabaani (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) said that Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) is such a personality that he has taken in oceans of Ma’rifat (recognition) of Allah but he doesn’t even belch.

Maulana Gangohi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) mentioned, “Mujaahadaat aur Riyaadhaat key baad agar yi baat haasil ho jaaey key ham ku kuch haasil naa huwa tu bas sab kuch haasil ho gayaa.”
Maulana says that after effort and sacrifices, a person exerts himself in different things such as nafl salah, tilawat of the Quran Kareem, zikr and exercising taqwa and restraint. If after doing all this for the pleasure of Allah, he feels that he didn’t achieve anything, Hadhrat Maulana encourages and says, “Don’t think that you didn’t achieve anything, the fact that you feel negative regarding all your efforts, that alone is a great achievement hence he says, “Sab kuch haasil ho gayaa." (You achieved everything.)

One of Hadhrat Maulana’s advices is, “Kisi tahammul set ziyaadah apney zimmey kaam na lo.” If one is given a responsibility then he should take only that which he can manage and which is within his capacity. A person should not take that which is not within his responsibility as he will then be accountable.

Another advice of Hadhrat Maulana is, “Kisi sey kisi qism key tawaqqu mat rako chunanchey muj sey mat rako yay baat deen wa dunya ka gur hey.” He says that don’t expect anything from anyone at anytime.

Once someone told Maulana about a certain lecturer who was very harsh in speech. Maulana said, “Wo mutashadid bahut hey, is qadir tashadud say islah nahi hu tiy hay.” Some young Ulama who have josh condemn issues left, right and center.
This era is of targheeb (encouragement). This is not an era of tarheeb (admonishment). Tarheeb should be done with a lot of hikmah and wisdom. Hadhrat Maulana stated, “In that way you cannot make Islah of the people, you have to be soft, loving, compassionate and in a diplomatic way try to make the islah of people.”

Once Hadhrat Maulana quoted his ustadh from which he had acquired hadith. He has stated, “Jis qadr apney nafs sey doori hay isi qadr qurb Haqq Ta’ala haasil hey.” meaning that to the extent that a person is far from his nafs, a person is close to Allah.
The closer one is to his nafs, the more distant he will be from Allah. How true are these statements! This can be understood from so many verses of the Quran Kareem, for example, “Don’t follow your desires; you’ll go far away from Allah Ta’ala.”

In another instance he mentions, “Tamam azkar wa ashghal wa muraqabaat ka khulaasah yeh hay key insaan ko Allah Ta’ala ki huzoori har waqt muyassar rahey.” “What’s the essence of all these efforts and sacrifices in the line of sulook and tasawwuf, what do we want to achieve from it? So Maulana says, “All the concern, all the engrossment and all the muraaqabah is that a person attains the consciousness of Allah Ta’ala all the time.” This is why it is required for a person to make zikr and to exert himself.