Unparalleled Hospitality
Hazrat Maulana Shams-ul-Haq Sahab Afghani, who was the Sheikh-ut-Tafsir of Darul Uloom Deoband, narrates that once he went to Deoband. There, he was a guest at the house of Hazrat Maulana Hussain Ahmed Madani. Hazrat Madani himself was not at home. He slept in a room at night. When he turned over, he opened his eyes and saw Maulana Madani lying on a mat very close to his cot. He had a brick under his head. He felt very ashamed. He thought it was not appropriate to wake Hazrat up now. After a while, he saw Hazrat Madani engaged in Nafl prayers. In the morning, he asked, "Hazrat, what is this injustice? Why did you start resting down there? Why didn't you wake me up?" He replied, "This is Ikram-e-Zaif (honoring the guest). Haven't you read this Hadith: مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَہ Whoever believes in Allah and the Hereafter must honor his guest."
Then he said, "Look! Today, Maulvis study but do not act upon it." He had brought about a 'Munn' (approx. 40 kg) of excellent grapes from Quetta with him. Hazrat distributed them among those present in the gathering. A maid came from the house and said, "I heard that Afghani Sahab has brought grapes. Give some for the house too." He said, "You have come now, they have already been distributed." Then, when it was time for the meal, he himself picked up the jug to wash his hands. He said, "Hazrat! What are you doing? I will wash them myself," but he insisted on washing them. He then said, "Sir, what is the benefit of this fight? My mood is upset, there is a burden on my mind. Is this Ikram-e-Zaif? Ikram-e-Zaif is that there should be no burden." He replied, "If there is a burden in the Sharia (Islamic law) order, let it be. The Sharia order is Ikram, I will fulfill it in any case, whether there is a burden or not." Then he said, "Hazrat did not rest at all last night." He replied, "Not just tonight, I have not been able to sleep for a moment in the last nine nights."
✍️ Al-Azami