Faqeehul-ul-Ummah Hadrat Mufti Mahmood Hasan Ganogohi Saheb رحمة الله عليه
By: Mufti Farooq Meeruti Sahib (daamat barakaatuhum)
Allah Ta`ala had endowed Faqeeh-ul-Ummah Mufti Mahmood Hasan Gangohi رحمة الله عليه with innumerable astounding qualities and features.
Hadhrat’s linage traces back to the honourable host of Nabi r, Hadhrat Abu Ayyub Ansaari t.
Hadhrat’s grandfather, Haji Khaleel Ahmad was a special attendant of Hadhrat Moulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi رحمة الله عليه.
Hadhrat’s father was an outstanding student of Shaikh-ul-Hind Moulana Mahmood-ul-Hasan رحمة الله عليه and a classmate of Moulana Husain Ahmad Madani رحمة الله عليه.
Hadhrat’s bismillah (initiation into primary Islamic studies) was done at the hands of Shaikh-ul-Hind and Moulana Shah Abdur Raheem Raipuri رحمة الله عليه.
He then completed his hifz (memorisation of the Qur’aan) at the maktab of the daughter of Hadhrat Gangohi رحمة الله عليه which was situated in Gangoh.
Hadhrat studied the initial kitaabs of the aalim course under his respected father and Moulana Fakhruddeen Gangohi رحمة الله عليه. He thereafter furthered his studies at Madrasah Mazaahir-ul-Uloom, Saharanpur where he graduated. During his stay at Mazaahir-ul-Uloom, Hadhrat studied under the great luminaries of the time such as:
Moulana As`adullah Sahib
Moulana Abdur Rahman Kemilpuri
Mufti Sa`eed Ahmad – head mufti of Mazaahir-ul-Uloom
Hadhrat Shaikh Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya رحمة الله عليهم
After graduating at Mazaahir-ul-Uloom, Hadhrat went to Darul Uloom Deoband to study the final year again. Here as well, Hadhrat had the opportunity of studying under the great luminaries of Darul Uloom Deoband such as:
Shaikh-ul-Islam Moulana Husain Ahmad Madani
Moulana Mia Asghar Husain
Moulana I`zaaz Ali
Allamah Ebrahim Balyaawi رحمة الله عليهم
As far as sulook and tasawwuf is concerned, Hadhrat Mufti Sahib had taken bay`at at the hands of Hadhrat Shaikh Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya رحمة الله عليه from whom he received khilaafat.
Apart from this, Hadhrat had the great fortune of sitting in the blessed company of Hakeem-ul-Ummat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi, Moulana Shah Abdul Qadir Raipuri and Hadhrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas Sahib رحمة الله عليهم.
Hadhrat Mufti Sahib was a master in every subject of any Islamic science. His immaculate and superb memory would astonish even leading ulama. Hadhrat would be able to read pages over pages of many kitaabs from memory.
Every sitting of Hadhrat seemed to be a gathering of a whole board of intellectuals of various fields, for Hadhrat was able to speak on any topic of any science.
A poet very beautifully sums up this fact in Arabic:
ليس على الله بمستنكر أن يجمع العالم في الواحد
It is not impossible for Allah to gather the whole world within an individual
The tradition of compiling the malfoozaat (anecdotes and statements) of the akaabir (pious elders) has continued for many years. Their writings and statements serve as a substitute for their suhbat (company) and their majaalis (sittings).