We had a good number of great scholars, reformers and thinkers in sub continent, till the early two decades of 15th century Hijrah, who were significant sources of inspiration for humanity. After this period, we faced quite miserably, a sudden absence when this generation of scholars went on their eternal destinations. And a situation came when such noble personalities became rare.
But promise of Allah swt is true, that He shall never leave followers of his beloved prophet (pbuh) unattended. And this came true. No one knows, whose sigh was it, or whose supplications came true, but this nation saw a crescent rose from the city of Jhang in West Punjab and in a very short time it enlightened the whole horizon. Desperation started changing into hope and the thirst of hearts vanished. This landmark in Islamic history is Hazrat Moulana Hafiz Zulfiqar Ahmed Naqshbandi Mujaddadi (May Allah be pleased with him and keep us in his patronage for long)
Birth and Early Childhood:
Our Hazrat Jee born on 1st April 1953 in Jhang (Punjab, Pakistan). His father used to teach Quran recitation for the sake of Allah swt. He was a deeply pious personality. Recitation of 3 to 4 paras (juzz) of Holy Quran was his routine before sunrise. His mother was also a pious woman. Hazrat Jee have written about his mother that; at the age of three years, I sleep on my mothers bed. In later parts of night I dont find her on bed I rise to find her and I find her on praying mat on my head side busy in praying salatul Tahajjud. I held up waiting for the completion of her prayers. She supplicate after prayers in louder sound with tears. ……. I never saw anyone weeping more than my mother in tahajjud. When she uses my name in supplication I became happy and sleep again. In his early education, the role of his elder brother, Mr Malik Ahmed Ali was prominent. It was his strict and loving patronage that saved him from friendship and company of naughty boys.
Connection with Tableeghi Jamaat:
Since his childhood, when he was in class five, he started participating in activities of Tableeghi Jamaat. This relationship grew even stronger. He continued studying Arabic and Persian books besides going to school and college. After completing BSc, he also studied few books of Hadiths. During this period, when he read books like Tazkiratul Oliya, Ghaniyatul Talibeen and Kashful Mahjoob, his urge for acknowledgement of Allah swt, which was already there, became active. He started visiting different Khanqah but in own words; I returned back with empty hands due to deficiency in follow up of path of prophet (pbuh) and regularity in newly created activities (Bidaat). In this condition, a story of Hazrat Sri Saqti (ra) and Jarjani by Sheikhu Hadiths Hazrat Moulana Zakarya (ra) moved him a lot. In this story Jarjani calculated the time spent in chewing bread and states that a man can save this time and use this time to say Subhan Allah seventy times. Therefore Jarjani stopped eating bread and is now surviving only on few grains of parched barley. This story affected Hazrat Jee sensitive nature and he started reciting Subhan Allah day and night in every condition. This significantly reduced the sleeping, eating and talking of Hazrat Jee. For two and half years, this young muslim spent in this condition, whereas for two years, he daily paid salat ul Hajat with his request to Allah(swt) that O My Lord please guide me to the company of a righteous and perfect spiritual instructor.
A sight of Allah’s Mercy:
How is it possible that Allah(swt) refuse such deep heart’s desire. ‘A special thing happened one night in 1971. One night when Hazrat Jee was staying with visiting members of Tableeghi Jamaat in masjid. After completing Tahajjud prayers, one hour was left, so he slept there on praying mat. He saw in dream that Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (razi Allah) put two fingers on Hazrat Jee heart and said Allah…Allah…Allah. He woke up suddenly with vibration in body. Fast but soft heart beats were clearly feltin heart. When it became unbearable, he tighten cloth on his chest. This condition persisted for many days, whenever, he open the chest , heart start beating loudly salat , recitation and commemorations became joyful. He discussed this condition with university fellow, Mr Mohammad Ameen who took him to Hazrat sheikh Wajeehuddin, who further asked Hazrat Jee to write to perfect Waliullah Hazrat Babu jee Abdullah(ra). After a few days, he replied that ‘your heart has become running continuously
You should immediately join some spiritual guide. Allah (swt) shall show hundreds of thousands of people a direction to righteous path through you. If you are not going to join some spiritual guide then devil may trap you in revolt. After discussing this letter with sheikh Wajeehuddin, Hazrat Jee decided to take oath with Hazrat Moulana Syed Zawwar hussain shah sahib(t.a). He send letter to him in Karachi, probably because this was a war time and travelling to Karachi from Lahore would be very difficult. Hazrat Moulana syed Zawwar Hussain shah sb replied that to your firm oath is made in absence . As narrated by Hazrat jee ‘this news gave a new life to me’. Training:- After a little time, Hazrat jee got admission in university of engineering where he spent more time with Hazrat sheikh Wajeehuddin sahib. Hazrat jee says about him:- ‘I was a made human by sheikh sahib otherwise I was animal’.
Efforts and journeys for Rectification and perfection:- After completing final years examination, Hazrat Jee spent 4 months period at khanqah of Hazrat Fazl Ali Qureshi, where he used to spent 7 hours daily in meditation. Then he travelled to Karachi, where he stayed at a friend’s house and daily attended the company of his Sheikh Hazrat Syed Zawwar Husein Shah after asar. After spending few days, he returned back to home where he started job besides completing hifz-e-Quran and learning Arabic and religious subjects. Second Oath: After death of his Sheikh Hazrat Syed Zawwar Husein Shah, the urge of his self rectification brought him to the doors of Hazrat Molana Ghulam Habib (rehmatullah alaih)