aware of my curiosity and addressed me, saying, ‘This is Abu Hanifah and he is your Imam.’

After relating this dream, Sayyiduna Data Ali Hajweri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states: From this, I came to know that Imam-e-A’zam Abu Hanifah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه is from among those people whose qualities are established like the rulings of the Shari’ah are established, which is why the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم loves him so much. (Kashf-ul-Mahjoob, p. 101, slightly amended with amendments)

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                                  صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic brothers! Just as we come to know of the excellence and greatness of Imam-e-A’zam رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه from this account, we also learn that the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is aware of the states of the hearts, with the permission of Allah Almighty. Hence, he
صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم answered the question that arose in the heart of Data Ganj Bakhsh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه and he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘This is Abu Hanifah and he is your Imam.’ This occurred in a dream, but there were many occasions when he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave news from the unseen during his physical life also.

We also learn that visiting the shrines of righteous people رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه is a practice of our pious predecessors, just as Sayyiduna Data Ali Hajweri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه visited the resting place of Sayyiduna Bilal رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. However, it is necessary to observe all Shar’i requirements in this regard. Furthermore, we come to know that righteous and pious Muslims see the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم teaches them in the dream also.

Moreover, we learn that matters of the dream are interpreted differently, just as Sayyiduna Data Ali Hujweri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه saw Imam-e-A’zam رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه in the lap of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in the dream, and interpreted it as his remaining firm upon the Shari’ah