9      Whatever I listen I will act upon it and later on convey it to others. In this way, I will be privileged to propagate the call towards righteousness.

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب              صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic sisters! The blessed month of Shawwal-ul-Mukarram is in progress. It is the blessed month in which the great spiritual guide of Sunnis, Imam-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was born. He was born in the Mahallah Jasoli of Bareli (UP, India) on 10 Shawwal-ul-Mukarram corresponding to 14^th June, 1856 AD. (Hayat-e-A’la Hazrat, vol. 1, pp. 58) His birth name is ‘Muhammad’. His mother would call him ‘Amman Miyan’ out of love. His father and other relatives would call him ‘Ahmad Miyan’. His grandfather named him ‘Ahmad Raza’ and his historical name is ‘Al-Mukhtar’, (whereas his Kunyat is Abu Muhammad) and A’la Hadrat would himself write ‘Abdul Mustafa’ before his name. (Tajalliyat-e-Imam Ahmad Raza, pp. 21) At one place of his Na’tiyah collection, ‘Hadaiq-e-Bakhshish’, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated:

خَوف نہ رکھ رضا ذرا، تُو تو ہے ’’عبدِ مصطفٰے‘‘

تیرے لیے اَمان ہے، تیرے لیے اَمان ہے

Since this blessed month of Shawwal is the month of A’la Hadrat’s birth, we will be privileged to listen to one aspect of his blessed life namely, ‘worship and spiritual exercises’ in relation to it. Let’s start the speech with a faith-refreshing parable.

Train kept stationary

Caliph of A’la Hadrat, Sayyid Ayyub Ali Razavi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has said: Once A’la Hadrat was going to Bareilly from Pilibhit by train. On the way, the train stopped at Nawab Ganj Station where train usually stops for two minutes at Maghrib time. As the train stopped, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه started offering Salah after having Takbeer of Iqamat in the train. Probably 5 people were behind him