Biography of Justice Supreme Court Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari Zia ul Ummat, RA
There are several biographies already available several biographies [bb , cc] about His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari, RA, known as Zia ul Ummat, RA, (Shah in the Indian subcontinent refers to the tribe of Quraysh in the Arabian Peninsula. Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah’s lineage, on this basis, links him to this ancient Arabian tribe, which is the tribe of the Prophet of Islam, the Prophet Muhammad, SAWS. Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah’s ancestry is traced back to Habbar ibn al-Aswad al-Qurashi, RA, who accepted the religion of Islam, after the conquest of Makka, at the hands of Muhammad, SAWS, and thus became a Companion (Sahabi). Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah’s father is Shaykh Muhammad Shah, RA, who was born in Bhera in the year 1890, and his mother’s name is Kaniz Fatima, RA, who is the daughter of Ghulam Muhyuddin Shah, RA). We have preferred the present biography because it is quite concise and very reliable, there is also a second reason to have selected this biography. Infact the General Post Office of Pakistan has issued in April 2004 0.5 million stamps of 2.Rupee each in the size of 34x29mm (size of print 30x25mm with 13C perforation) collected in 20 stamps for each sheet. Along a certain number of stamp the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications supplies also the biography of His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari, RA, known as Zia ul Ummat, RA. Thus we have adopted this biography also to His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari, RA, known as Zia ul Ummat, RA, show that what is written is approved by several personalities in the various Ministry of Pakistan. We will integrate this biography, quoted all along with other data in Italic and at the end we will add our humble impressions because it is not for anyone to have the fortune to accompany with a real Saint. But one issue we would like to bring to the attention of the reader immediately, very few persons who interacted with His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari, RA, known as Zia ul Ummat, RA, had the impression he was a real saint, he, RA, was earning his respect behaving absolutely like anyone else, rather he was somewhat annoyed every time his “superpowers” were requested. Except at the beginning of our association with him – let us say for the first two or three times – we had always the impression that he was simultaneously conscious of his being operating in the three different domains, physical, psychical and spiritual.
His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari, RA, known as Zia ul Ummat, RA, <<was a famous saint of Chishtia order, a learned theologian, a commentator of the Holy Qur'an, a biographer of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him), a jurist, an educationist and justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. His family was honored in the Punjab province due to knowledge and piety. His grandfather HHH Pir Amir Shah, RA, known as Amir-us-Salikeen, RA, (1837AC, 6 December 1927 or 10 Jamadi-ut-Thani 1346AH) was famous Chishti saint. His father HHH Pir Hafiz Muhammad Shah Ghazi, RA, (1890AC, 1957AC) was also a Sufi who took an active part in Pakistan Movement and in jihad for liberation of Kashmir. He was imprisoned to jail by Khizar Government of the Punjab due to his active role in civil disobedience movement against him. The forefathers of Pir Sahib include famous Suhrawardy saints like HH Hadzrat Shaykh-ul-Islam Sadr-ud-Din Arif and HH Hadzrat Ghaus Bahauddin Zakariyya, RA, of Multan.>> The family is Quraish and Hashmi, in other words the family descends from the same tribe of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, SAWS, who was Hashmi, i.e. descendent of Hashim and therefore the family descends from the Prophets Ismail, AS, and Ibrahim, AS. Nowadays modern world disregards the value of family root but blood transmission as also teaches modern medicines means genetic transmission too and it is most likely that genes of a Saint and a Prophet are preserved along the blood line. Arabs and especially the quite rude Quraish did not know genetics but they had knowledge of transmission of specific character features through blood, knowledge perhaps derived from their two Prophets, Ibrahim, AS, and Ismail, AS, to the extent that it was a mark of distinction among them to know the genealogical tree of a person, something which is still alive in many societies of Arabic roots, particularly in Pakistan where the ancient Hindu caste system inserted very well with this art of genealogy to the extent that still today weddings are primarily arranged among the same caste for many reasons.
<<Muhammad Karam Shah was born on 1st July 1918 A.D./Ramadan 21, 1336 A.H. (dates in Sub Continent should be taken with a bit of precaution because there is no compulsion to denounce the birth of a new baby since the Government Officer visits periodically towns and villages to collect data and normally the birth date is that of the official registration, anyhow for sure HHH Zia ul Ummat, RA, born in the auspicious and Holy month of Ramadzan-ul-Mubarek, which eventually underlines the spiritual attitudes of the new born) and in famous town Bhera (Distt. Sargodha) which in the past was attacked by Mughal emperor Zahir-ud-Din Babur and was mentioned by him in his memoir. A beautiful mosque was built by Sher Shah Suri in this town. After study of the Holy Qur'an, he was admitted in Mohammadia Ghausia Primary School in 1925 established by his father. Later on, he got admission in Government High School Bhera and did his matriculation in 1936. He learnt Persian and Arabic grammar from Maulana Muhammad Qasim Balakoti and Maulana Abdul Hameed. He also studied lslamic learning from Maulana Muhammad Din Budhwi and Maulana Ghulam Mahmood of Piplan (Mianwali). In 1941, he got admission in Oriental College Lahore and passed examination of Fazal-e-Arabi (He, RA, passed this examination in first division with a score of 512/600 and took the first position in the entire province of Punjab). Here he had the honor to be the student of famous teachers of Arabic language like Shaykh Muhammad Arabi, Rasul Khan and Maulana Nur-ul-Haq.
It should also be noticed that as a child, Shaykh Muhammad Shah, RA, had Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah, RA, make the bay‘at (spiritual allegiance of complete obedience) to his Shaykh, Shaykh Ziya’ ad-Din as-Siyalwi, RA, in the Chishti Nizami Sufi Order. Later on, the son of Shaykh Ziya’ ad-Din, RA, Khawaja Shaykh Qamar ad-Din as-Siyalwi, RA, became his khalifa (spiritual viceroy). Subsequently, Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah, RA, renewed his bay‘at at the hands of Shaykh Qamar ad-Din as-Siyalwi, RA, who then gave Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah, RA, permission to acquire the bay‘at of others as his khalifa (spiritual viceroy).
On the advice of Shaykh-ul-Islam Khawaja Qamar-ud-Din Siyalwi, he reached Muradabad (now in India) in 1942 for the study of Hadith from Sayyed Muhammad Naeem-ud-Din Muradabadi who has written commentary "Khaza'inul- Irfan" on the Urdu translation of the Holy Oura'an “Kanzul-lman” written by Maulana Shah Ahmad Raza Khan Barailwi. Though Maulana Sadr-ul-Afazal Muradabadi was busy in the struggle for Pakistan wholeheartedly but he spared time to teach Hadith to Pir Muhammad Karam Shah who completed Dorah-e-Hadith in 1943 and got Dastar-e-Fazilat by Hazrat Diwan Sahib All-e-Rasul Sayyed Ajmiri. On this occasion Maulana Muradabadi said, “I am satisfied today that I had conveyed the trust of religious knowledge and Hadith to the most suitable person”.
He passed B.A. examination from “the Punjab University” in 1945 and then proceeded to Egypt for higher education in 1951 where he got admission in al Azhar University. He got M.A. Honors in Islamic Law securing 2nd position in the University. He started M. Phil in the same University. He undertook research for the thesis entitled "al-Hadud fi'l-Islam" under the supervision of Dr. Ayub Ali who belonged to East Pakistan for the degree of M. Phil but he could not submit this thesis due to the illness of his father and returned to his homeland in 1954. He had very friendly relation with his teachers like Muhammad Mustafa Shalbi, Muhammad Abu Zuhrah and Ahmad Zaki who granted him appraisal certificates on his departure.
As stated above HHH Pir Sahib, RA, was spiritual disciple (murid) of HHH Khawaja Qamar-ud-Din Siyalwi, RA, under whose guidance he completed his spiritual training. He was granted Khilafat in Chishtia order by HHH Khawaja Qamar-ud-Din Siyalwi, RA, and his august father, RA. He, RA, became Sajjadah Nashin of Darbar Pir Amir Shah after the demise of his father in 1957. Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah, RA, then formally became the head of his father’s institution ‘Dar al-‘Ulum al-Muhammadiyya al-Ghawthiyya (DMG) Bhera’. Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah, RA, modernised the system of this institution, its syllabus and structure. He refined it to such an extent that today he himself is considered to be the founder of the institution and 1957 is referred to as the year of the Nash’a Thaniyya, the new beginning.
Thousands of people took oath (bay’at) at his hand and repented of sinful life. He bestowed Khilafat to seven personalities including his eldest son Sababzada Amin-ul-Hasanat Shah and an Arab of Madinah Tayyabah.
This great Sufi was not a traditional Pir and Sajadah Nashin but a great scholar of Islam. He is the author of many books. He wrote on Qur'an, Hadith, and Sirah (i.e. history fo the life of the Holy prophet, SAWS). He completed his first book “Sunnat Khayr-al-Anam” while he was the student of al-Azhar University. In this book, he refuted Ghulam Ahmad Pervaiz's views regarding Prophetic traditions. Being a pupil of Sadr-ul-Afazal, he pondered over the Our'anic verses and completed his famous exegesis of the Holy Qur'an entitled “Zia-ul-Qur'an” in Urdu language (recently translated into Arabic by one of his beloved students) in five volumes in 19 years. His Urdu translation “Jamal-ul-Qur'an” has also been separately published in Urdu and English. He wrote detailed biography of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) entitled “Zia-un-Nabi” in seven volumes. His lectures and articles have been published under the title “Maqalat Zia-ul-Ummat” in two volumes and speeches delivered by him to the prisoners of Sargodha jail (HHH Zia ul Ummat, RA, was imprisoned by the Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto regime because of his stand against the attempt of Bhutto to transform Pakistan in a secular state opposing the implementation os Shariah) have been published by Gul Muhammad Faizi in “Abr-e-Karam”. He also translated Waza'if of Silsilah Chishtia and Dala'il al-Khayrat into Urdu language. He started a monthly journal "Zia-e-Haram" in 1970 and remained Editor-in-Chief of this journal for about 28 years. The editorial was written by himself under the title “Sirr-e-Dilbaran” (the secret of the leaders) that was specially admired by its readers.
Pir Sahib was also (we prefer to say above all rather than also, the reason will be evident below) an educationist and a very kind teacher. He re-organized “Dar-ul-ulum Muhammadia Ghausia” established by his father in Bhera. He brought revolutionary changes in the syllabi of religious education. He thought it necessary to give modern education along with religious education. A beautiful building of main campus was erected near the Khanqah Amir-us-Salikeen. Afterward al-Qamar Campus was built which is beautifully designed. The degree granted by this institution is equivalent to M.A. (Arabic & Islamic studies). This institution possesses a unique position among the religious institutions of the country. A number of alumni of Darul 'Ulum Muhammadia Ghausia are serving the nation as Lecturers and Professors (Arabic and Islamic Studies) in government as well as private institutions. A number of religious scholars are working as Khatib in Auqaf and Pakistan Armed Forces after completing their education from such a prestigious institution. The services rendered by this institution have been acknowledged by Islamic scholars. A thesis has been presented in Islamic Studies Department, University of the Punjab Lahore, for the Degree of MA. (Islamic Studies) regarding Darul 'Ulum Muhammadia Ghausia and another thesis about Pir Sahib for M.A. (Arabic) degree.
He belonged to such Ulema (i.e. Islamic Scholars) and Saints who worked for the independence of Pakistan. His teacher of Hadith Maulana Naeem-ud-Din Muradabadi and his Murshid Khawaja Qamar-ud-Din were supporters of Pakistan movement. He himself canvassed for the Pakistan Muslim League in the election of 1946. He had great respect for Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Dr. Sir Muhammad Iqbal (the great poet of the East and Sufi saint too). He had preserved a number of Urdu and Persian verses of Dr. Iqbal in his memory along with many Arabic and Persian Verses of famous poets which he had quoted in his writings and in his speeches.
Pir Sahib also took an active part in the politics of the country. He joined Jamiat Ulama-e-Pakistan and remained senior vice-president of this party. He criticized openly what was un-Islamic in his opinion. He vehemently refuted all man-made systems of Government. He criticized late premier Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto due to his socialistic ideas and this earned him the imprisonment for three months. His stance against Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and his Peoples Party was such that Miss Benazir Bhutto on her last government retired him from the position of Judge of Supreme Court, then at the demise of Benazir’s Government President of the Republic of Pakistan, Farooq Laghari reinstated him in his original position. He took an active role in Tehrik Khatm-e-Nabuwwat in 1974 and stressed the Government in the editorials of Zia-e-Haram that Qadianis (Mirzai) should be declared as non-Muslims. Pir Sahib participated in Tehreek Nizam-e-Mustafa in 1977. He was imprisoned by Bhutto Government and was released on imposition of martial law by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. He asked General Zia for the lslamization of all institutions of the country. General Zia had great respect of this saint and scholar and entrusted to him the implementation of Shariah in the country, but he could not survive to implement it.
More in details we quote here following from the online encyclopedia “wikipedia”.
<<When General Zia-ul-Haq established Federal Shadat Court, Pir Muhammad Karam Shah sworn in as justice of this court being an expert of Islamic law in June 1981. He was elevated to Shariat Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He worked with famous judges of the apex court including Justice Zullah, Nasim Hasan Shah and M. Rafiq Tarar (Ex-President of Pakistan). He wrote some historic decisions during his career. He remained justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan till his demise.
He was a member of the advisory board of Darul Mal Al-Islami which was working for Islamic banking. Once there was controversy on an issue among the members. All members presented their papers but the issue could not be resolved. There was consensus among the members to accept the opinion of Pir Sahib. He also rendered services as member of Ruhet-i-Hilal committee and also remained Chairman of this committee.
He fell ill seriously in January 1998, during the Holy Month of Ramadzan entering a deep coma, and remained under treatment in Islamabad PIMS (Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences) Complex from January 11 to April 7, 1998. As he had completed his mission, therefore he was satisfied with his achievements. He left this world on Dhu'l Hajjah 9, 1418 April 7, 1998, the evening of Eid-ul-Azha. His funeral prayer was led by the present Sajjadah Nasheen of Syyal Sharif HHH Khawaja Hameed-ud-Din Siyalwi and his body was buried in the mausoleum of HH Amir-us-Salikeen, RA, at Bhera. During his terminal illness and at his funeral prayers we witnessed the presence of every personality of the Islamic world, representatives of the Iran embassy and of sects usually critical hostile to the “ Pir-system”.
We personally feel that after having had the first gift from Allah SWT (someone calls it fortune) to embrace Islam the second fortune is to have discovered the everlasting personality of the Holy prophet Muhammad, SAWS, and the third to have been associated with such a great personalities like that of His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari, RA, known as Zia ul Ummat, RA, that of his son His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Muhammad Amin ul-Hasanat Shah Sahab and that of their beloved caliph His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Mukhtar Ahmad Zia, RA. Actually the discovery of the love for the holy Prophet of Islam, SAWS, is the first masterpiece of work His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari, RA, known as Zia ul Ummat, RA, did on us, the second being the love for the Ummat and Pakistan.
Due to his views, on many occasions he was heavily criticised by various circles. When he included secular subjects in his curriculum, he was criticised by his contemporaries. When he stood up for fundamental Islamic viewpoints, he was criticised by politicians who wanted scholars to avoid this area and stay within their mosques. He wanted politicians to understand the values and principles of Islam and implement them in Pakistan. Moreover, he wanted Muslim scholars to realise the circumstances and challenges they face in the modern world. On a few occasions, he paid a price for his stance. Due to his strong opposition to Zulfqar Ali Bhutto’s government, he was imprisoned for three months and his monthly journal was placed under the regulations of press censorship.
Following the events of 1977 and the ‘Nizam Mustafa’ movement, General Zia-ul-Haq – Chief of the Pakistani Army – took over the presidency by a military coup and dismissed Bhutto’s government. General Zia-ul-Haq seemed to desire the ‘Islamisation’ of Pakistan. He found the present judicial system inadequate and thus in 1980 founded the Federal Shari‘a Court. Some of the decisions made by the judges in this court caused many outcries and criticisms. For example, when the Federal Shari‘a Court announced that the punishment for adultery – Rajm (stoning to death) – was not an Islamic legal punishment, this verdict was met with immense opposition from the Muslim scholars. It is no surprise that at the forefront of these critics was Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah, who severely criticised this decision in his monthly editorial.
Due to Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah’s scholarly ability and understanding manifested during this academic and theological debate, General Zia-ul-Haq approached him and offered him the membership of the Federal Shari‘a Court. Hence in June 1981, Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah began his judicial career at the Federal Shari‘a Court. Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah worked at this court for one year and three months. On 7th October 1982, he began serving in the Shari‘a Appellant Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah remained at this post till his death. In 1980 Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah was awarded the ‘Star of Distinction’ by General Zia-ul-Haq of Pakistan.
In August 1988, upon the request of General Zia-ul-Haq, Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah travelled to Geneva and defended the position of the government of Pakistan upon the issue raised by the Pakistani Qadiyanis at the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations. The Qadiyanis filed a complaint to the Commission that their human rights were being violated in Pakistan. After three days of continuous deliberations, thirteen out of fifteen judges at the Commission adjudicated in favour of Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah and declared that the rights of the Qadiyanis were in fact not being violated by the Pakistanis or the government of Pakistan. This was a great victory for Islam as the followers of Ghulam Ahmed Qadiyani (who claimed to be a prophet) were declared non-Muslims at the UN Human Rights Commission as a result of Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah’s compelling, convincing and realistic arguments.
In 1990, Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah founded the ‘al-Ghawthiyya Girls College’ in Bhera to cater for the educational and Islamic needs of the Muslim sisters in that part of the world. Since 1990, over four hundred students have graduated from the college and at present there are over five hundred students at the college in Bhera, excluding its branches in other places.
On 6th March 1993, Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah was awarded the ‘Decoration of Honour’ by President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt.>>
Defining him as an educationist is quite restrictive, infact HHH Zia ul Ummat, RA, was more than a father for his students, he was respecting them at the same level of his own sons, making no distinctions. At the ceremony of farewell of HHH Zia ul Ummat, RA, before his departure to Cairo his august father, RA, delivered a speech stating that at the return of his son from Al-Azhar he, RA, would have kissed the land where his beloved son would have walked adding that when he would have returned he would have bought a car to his son with a loudspeaker in order to allow him to move around Pakistan to declare his love for the Holy prophet, SAWS, and bring others to the same love. Thos words impressed tremendously HHH Zia ul Ummat, RA, so much that during his stay in Cairo he thought about them and came to the conclusion that a car and a loudspeaker would have had a limited time and could be exhausted by consumption, so he then decided to train young student to teach Islam each of them becoming a lifelong loudspeaker. This explains his extreme care and devotion to the his students. For seven year he travelled to Al-Azhar in order to have recognized the Bhera degree by them and enable the best students to go for higher studies in Al-Azhar, then when he succeded he was use to visit at least twice a year his pupils in Cario, caring for them.
When he reached Cairo and started his coursework he took an empty shoe box and started to pile all the letters he was receiving from Pakistan without opening them in order to do nto be distracted by current event and pay maximum attention to his studies, then when his course work ended he opened the shoe box in order to learn who died, who born and who married meanwhile. What a difference from modern student who attend classes with mobile phones!
Before writing our impression on this now legendary figure of HHH Zia ul-Ummat, RA, we report here following some impressions on him of renown perosnalities (source wikipedia on line).
His teacher at Al-Azhar university:
“The moment I met you, I felt that you possessed great self-esteem, a valued character, and an inclination towards exalted objectives and a feeling of distance from futile pursuits. O my son! You have made me aware that, as the East is the place of the sun’s rising, similarly it is the horizon of the rising of the spirit. As the East is the source of warmth, similarly it is the origin of the dawn of life. Each time I met you, I saw within you Islam luminous and resplendent as the sun and I saw such an Islam within you that is able to stitch together dispersed and broken hearts. I see within you the hope of a bright future. Today as I am saying farewell to you, it seems as though a section of my soul is separating away from me, a part of my spirit is breaking away from me.”
Former president of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Judge of Supreme Court Rafique Tarar:
“The death of Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari was a severe blow to the whole Muslim Ummah. His contribution to Islamic Law will not be forgotten for a long time. He embodied true Islamic knowledge and understanding. Studying and teaching was second nature to him and his research and literary skills were of exemplary standards.”
Former Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif:
“Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari is not just the name of an individual, but the name of a universal movement and a unique personality. He was an outstanding scholar and an immaculate religious guide. When he departed from this world, our country lost a great commentator of the Qur’an and a great religious thinker. He was a symbol of unity in a fragmented environment and he was the pride of the whole Islamic nation. He was a true devotee of the Prophet, a complete Wali, and a Shari’a-adhering scholar. Individuals like him are seldom born.”
Senator ‘Abd as-Sattar Khan Niyazi:
“Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah's unique personality is a radiant lamp for not just the Pakistanis, but the entire Muslim Ummah. I have used the present tense intentionally because personalities such as him live on and give guidance to the people even after their death through their ideas, outstanding and sincere services to Islam, their love for the people and through their sacrifices in the path of Allah. After Imam Ahmad Rada Khan al-Qadiri, Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah is the most outstanding scholar from the Indian Subcontinent.”
His heir HHH Pir Amin uk-Hasanat Shah Sahab:
“From whichever angle I look towards him - as a father, as a teacher, as a spiritual guide, as a political leader, and as a judge - he was an exemplary person. The amazing thing was that there was no divide between his inner and outer self, and he treated his own children just like he dealt with everyone else.
There is one story that I will never forget; when I was young and my father was studying in Egypt, I asked him for a car in a letter. When he heard this he replied saying that don't ask for cars but pray to Allah asking for the love of the Prophet. It was natural for a child of my age to ask for such things, especially since he had been away for so long. But even in such circumstances he still said to his child to ask Allah for the love of His beloved; something after which a person yearns for nothing else. I have seen all aspects of his flawless character which is a source of guidance.”
There are many events that have enforced the idea on everyone that His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari, RA, known as Zia ul Ummat, RA, is a Sufi and a Saint. First of all he, RA, did not have any double standard, whatever he was and behaved in front of the people he would have done it inside his domestic walls. Never in his life had to break Shariah for any reason and this is in itself a very big miracle. There are many witnesses of His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari, RA, known as Zia ul Ummat, RA, having physically met twice the Holy Prophet, SAWS, in the masjid close to his house in Bhera. Similarly HHH Zia ul Ummat, RA, was seen walking and discussing with a mysterious person near the main building of old Dar-ul-Uloom, the same Pir Sahab, RA, admitted that that noble person was the legendary and very blessed personality of Al-Khidzr, AS. Thre is also record real miracles operated in front of many people but narration of these phenomenal facts would not contribute to his fame and dignity, since real Sufi have always regarded to miracles as accidents, trying to avoid publicity of them. What to say of the fact that he was looking at plan of the then new building of Dar ul Uloom surrounded by his students and thinking from where to get the money and then the money arrived all the sudden when a person entered the room searching for him to give him money for the building?
In His Infinite bounty Allah SWT has given us a relatively short period to enjoy the company and association with His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari, RA, known as Zia ul Ummat, RA, but those four years (14 February 1994, 7 April 1998) have been so intense and beautiful that we cannot forget for ever being something thinking that we were dreaming and not witnessing reality. One of the early days of our staying in Pakistan our beloved Pir Bhai (brother in tasawwuf) Eng. Asif Raza Mirza told His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari, RA, known as Zia ul Ummat, RA, that we were seldom crying during the prayer, His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari, RA, known as Zia ul Ummat, RA, smiling answered to him with the Punjabi verses from the dramatic love story of Ranje and Her (a Subcontinent version of the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet): “Dasso ghiaro milghe Ranje kiu ghuzari…”, the poet to narrate the intensity of the love of Ranje for Her wrote that Ranje in looking at Her started to cry in thinking at all the time she remained separated from him because he was yet unknown to her. We declare here that still we feel crying in thinking at all the time we wasted in Europe indulging in a useless life which prevented us to stay in company of the above three personalities and our beloved brothers in Tasawwuf).
Narrating all the events and facts of those short four years of affiliation with such a personality would be beyond the scope of this chapter but we want just to pinpoint few key issues and facts that may enlighten the reader. Some facts we witnessed in first person, others we have come to know from very reliable source.
We requested His Holiness, RA, to give us the privilege of washing his dead body, at this request, as many times it happened, he, RA, remained silent. We could not wash his dead body simply because he did not want us to do this job, but we had the unique privilege to carry on our head the bed hosting his mortal spoils from his house to the place of the funeral prayer and from the place of the funeral prayer to the mausoleum hosting his tomb. In this long path we could witness the freshness of his body, his relaxed beautiful and full of light face and listening that he, RA, before entering his resting place he, RA, opened his eyes upon verbal request of HHH Syed Pir Zahid Siddiqui Bukhari Shah Sahab as a proof of his acquired immortality and intimate union with Allah SWT and perennial presence in the court of the Holy Prophet of Islam, SAWS.
We landed for the first time in Pakistan in the early morning hours of 4th February 1994, it was a Jummah day. We arrived in Pakistan with 2000Rupee equivalent in our pocket, with a return ticket donated to us, then changed into one way ticket since we never came back until this writing, a visa regularly issued after office hours because of the heavy snow storm on Manchester area on 3rd February 1994, and luckily boarding the aircraft because we arrived at the gate ten minutes before departure of an international flight but due to bad weather conditions we could check-in since the flight was delayed two hours and half. We were told of this travel to Pakistan on 2nd of February and considered it very skeptically because we were without money and visa. When we landed in Islamabad we met for the first time Eng. Asif Raza Mirza who received us embracing us and telling us “You are my brother”, ten days later meeting His Holiness Hadzrat Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari, RA, known as Zia ul Ummat, RA, he, RA, embraced us and told us “You are my brother”, later we realized that it was not casual that he, RA, used the same wordings used by one of his most beloved murids, that it was to make us understanding that he, RA, guided us to him well before the time we met him.
One day at sunset in Bhera it happened that we were next to HHH Zia ul Ummat, RA, who was at our left side while we offering the congregational prayer of Maghrib. At the last sajidah (when kneeling the head is bowed down to the earth) beside the recitation of the corresponding formula made by the lips we requested particular favors to Allah SWT. When we turned our head giving salaam towards left we met his sight, he was smiling in a very pleased manner and he, RA, moved his head showing nodding positively, in the moment we understood that he, RA, knew exactly our request to Allah Almighty and that he, RA, supported the same in the mean time.
Figure 9. His Holiness Hadzrat Justice Pir (Shaykh) Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari, RA (1918-1998)