Grand UK Conference 2005, Central Manchester Mosque

by Jawed Iqbal Tahiri

Over View:

Alhamdu Lillah the conference entitled Miraj-un-Nabi Conference, was a great success. The organisers are very happy with how it went. The mosque was full to its capacity with the public turnout beating the mosques records for conferences. Scholars from across the UK attended including many senior, famous and renowned scholars of the UK.

Promotion:

The success of a conference depends upon the turnout from the public which hinges upon the publicity, promotion and advertisement of the program. The conference organisation team headed by Mr Asif Habeeb Malik with his team from MQI Gt. Manchester left no stone unturned in ensuring that the conference was properly publicised so that the general Muslim population of the UK were made aware of the conference. They did this primarily through placing posters in all mosques and public places in all towns and cities, announcements on Friday prayers, sending invitation cards to scholars and other dignitaries, followed up by Television advertisements at prime time on ARY and PTV Prime for over a week and advertisements in Urdu newspapers. The result was phenomenal, which will always be the case when Shaykh-ul-Islam is addressing any conference as long as the publicity is up to scratch.

Venue:

The Victoria Jami Mosque which is known as the Manchester Central Mosque is seen as one of the central Mosques of the mainstream Sunni community in the UK. It is famous for its annual International Naat Conference which features many internationally renowned naat khawans mainly from Pakistan and from the UK.

Turnout:

The official capacity of the Manchester Central Mosque is 3000 people for a congregational prayer. At the Asar prayer which was at the end of the conference, the Mosque Halls were full with hundreds of people standing out side. So it is safe to say that the turn out for the conference was over 3000 people, including males and females.

Program:

The conference began immediately after Zuhr prayer. There were lectures of the invited guest scholars and naats before the lecture of Shaykh-ul-Islam. After Zuhr prayer the Khateeb of Jami Masjid Gamgol Sharif, Birmingham, Allama Hafiz Niaz Ahmed Siddiqi did an electrifying speech on Miraj-un-Nabbi SAW. His speech was followed by a lecture by Allama Mufti Ansar-ul-Qadri, Khateeb of Halifax on the topic of the conference. Allama Shah Jehaan Madni, Jami Masjid Gamgol Sharif, Manchester then delivered a speech. The next lecture was by Allama Arshad Misbahi, Khateeb Victoria Mosque, Manchester, on the topic in English. Many other scholars were present but did not come to deliver lectures but to listen to Shaykh-ul-Islam.

Scholars:

Due to the great amount of people packed into the mosque it was difficult to determine the exact number of scholars and their names. The names of the scholars which we were familiar with and were able to determine their names are below:

1. Allama Mufti Muneer-uz-Zaman Chisti, Jamia Chistia, Roachdale
2. Allama Mufti Ansar-ul-Qadri, Halifax
3. Allama Mufti Luqman Farooqi, Jamia Jalalia, Rochdale
4. Allama Shah Jehaan Madni, Jami Masjid Gamgol Sharif, Manchester
5. Allama Hafiz Niaz Ahmed Siddiqi, Jami Masjid Gamgol Sharif, Birmingham
6. Maulana Azam Chisti, Jamia Chistia, Roachdale
7. Maulana Hafiz Noor Muhammad, Suneri Jami Masjid, Rochdale,
8. Allama Muhammad Sadiq Kauther, Jaimia Haidriya Choora Sharif Rochdale
9. Maulana Hafiz Muhammad Ishaq, Bilal Mosque, Rochdale
10. Maulana Muhammad Iqbal, Bilal Mosque, Rochdale
11. Allama Sultan Muhammad, Masjid-e-Quba, Rochdale
12. Allama Abd-us-Saeed, Birmingham
13. Allama Shahid Baber, Glasgow
14. Allama Anwar-ul-Mustafa Hamdami, Bradford
15. Allama Ghulam Rasool, Oldham Central Mosque, Green gate, Oldham
16. Allama Muhammad Shakoor, Oldham Central Mosque, Green gate ,Oldham
17. Allama Sayyad Shah Sb, Gainsborogh Mosque, Oldham
18. Maulana Muhammad Idrees, Manchester
19. Allama Hafiz Jameel Ahmad Rizvi, Manchester
20. Allama Maulana Muhammad Haneef Rizvi, Senior Scholar, UK
21. Maulana Sayyad Munawwar Shah, Blackburn
22. Maulana Sayyed Bahar Shah, Blackburn
23. Maulana Arshad Misbahi, Central Mosque, Manchester
24. Allama Qari Nazir Ahmed, Jamia Ghosia, Stoke on Trent
25. Allam Qari Muhammad Hanif, Gulzar-e-Madinah Mosque, Leicester
26. Allama Qari Muhammad Ishaq, Jami Mosque, Bristol

There were scores of other scholars, whose names will be added as soon as we get them.

Lecture of Shaykh-ul-Islam:

The lecture of Shaykh-ul-Islam started at 4.30pm and lasted a duration of two and half hours.

The atmosphere during the lecture was electrifying as Shaykh-ul-Islam took the three thousand participants on the Miraj and Isra journey. The lecture was bursting with extreme love and reverence for the Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW. The audience and not least the scholars present were enthralled by the derivations and interpretations which Shaykh-ul-Islam was making.

Many people who had heard Shaykh-ul-Islam for the first time seemed to be in utter shock and amazement during and after the lecture.

As usual words cannot describe the lectures of Shaykh-ul-Islam, you have to be there to appreciate it.

The Asar prayer was lead by Allama Mufti Muneer-uz-Zaman from Roachdale.

Shaykh-ul-Islam made the concluding dua.

Brief Notes of Lecture:

Prepared by a sister who is a graduate from ICIS, taken from here.

• Allah Subhanahu wa Taala begins describing the miracle of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim, i.e. miraj, with the word Subhan, which means paak, pure. This is the azmat of Allah Subhanahu wa Taala, so He begins by mentioning His own azmat, the subject is the miracle of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim but Allah Subhanahu wa Taala mentions His own Greatness, why? Simply to show and state that talking and mentioning the azmat of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim is the same as talking about and mentioning the azmat of Allah Subhanahu wa Taala. Huzoor sallallahu alaihi wa salim ki shaan, shaan-e-khuda hai.
  
• Nobody is like Allah Subhanhu wa Taala, nobody shares the same qualities, the same azmat, so in the same way, nobody has the same azmat of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim.
  
• Even Hadhrat Jibrail AS was not able to see or hear Allah Subhanahu wa Taala but Aqa sallallahu alaih wa salim, this is Subhan.
  
• If Aqa sallahu alaihi wa salim was to tell the people that he ascended passed the heavens to la maqam, the people would question it, saying how can it be possible for a man to do this, so instead of saying this in the Holy Quran, Allah Subhanahu wa Taala does not say Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim went, He says, that I took i.e. Allah Subhanahu wa Taala took Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim. Subhanallazi i.e. look how Great I am. Allah Subhanahu wa Taala Knows that if Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim said I went the people would attack him, so the kalaam was that Allah Subhanahu wa Taala says Subhanallazi and this is not hard to believe because Allah Subhanahu wa Taala is free from all weaknesses, it is possible for Him to do.
  
• Some people deny that the miraj took place physically and only accept it as a dream of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim, but if it was only a dream then what is the purpose of saying Subhan? the word subhan is to show some act of greatness, something beyond normal activities. If it was only a dream and if Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim said it was a dream, then why did the kuffar make it into something big? What was so magnificent, unbelievable and beyond comprehension about a dream? It was obviously attacked because the message was not of a dream but a physical act beyond the average human acts.
  
• Allah Subhanahu wa Taala says, He took Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim, He is free from any weakness, weakness is not being able to take Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim, so denial of this is kufr and acceptance of this means to accept and believe the words of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim.
  
• Among the Prophets there are the panj tan, the five superior Prophets; Hadhrat Nuh AS, Hadhrat Ibrahim AS, Hadhrat Musa As, Hadhrat Isa AS and Hadhrat Mustafa Sallallahu alaihi wa salim, who is the Imam of all Prophets. It is narrated in many ahadith about Hadhrat Musa AS that he was called to Mount Tur and how he arrived there and sat for 30 nights talking to Allah Subhanahu wa Taala. After having a taste of talking to the Almighty, Hadhrat Musa AS wanted to see Allah Subhanahu wa Taala, but Allah Subhanahu wa Taala replied, lan tarani, this is not for you. When it was Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim turn, He didnt even make him sit for a portion of a day, Allah Subhanahu wa Taala took him to His courtyard instantly.
  
• Hadhrat Musa AS arrived at the mountain himself i.e. he went there but Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim was taken to Allah Subhanahu wa Taala, he did not go himself! Hadhrat Musa AS was mureed of Allah Subhanahu wa Taala i.e. he arrived, he went and Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim was murad of Allah Subhanahu wa Taala i.e. he was taken. Allah Subhanahu wa Taala shows the way to some people and to some people He takes them there Himself.
  
• Allah Subhanahu wa Taala does His own dhikr with the dhikr of His Beloved sallallahu alaihi wa salim. He says, Subhanallazi (paak hai who zaat) asra bi abdihi. Allah Subhanahu wa Taala does not mention His own Name and He does not mention the name of His Beloved Sallallahu alaihi wa salim. Alazi refers to any zaat, it is not specific and same with abd it can be anyone, but it says Subhan-alazi i.e. nobody is like Me (Allah) and abd, there is no other abd like Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim. When majoon was asked about what his relationship was with Laila, he said, leave that to aside, whatever the relation is, but people call me abd of Laila, i.e. I am the abd/banda of laila, I am lailas bandah. This was a position of honour for him. In the same way, Allah Subhanahu wa Tala describes many qualities and names of Aqa sallallahu alaih wa salim such as Qasim, Mahmood, Siraj, Muneer etc but the speciality of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim is that he is the exclusive abd of Allah Subhanahu wa Taala.
  
• The height/greatness/kamaal of ibadah is namaz, the kamaal of namaz is tahajjud, which is at the 3rd portion of the night when Allah Subhanahu wa Taala is closest to His beloved people. The kamaal of tahajjud is qurbat and the kamaal of qurbat is miraj. On the day of Judgement, Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim will be granted the station of maqaam-e-mahmood, which is a seat placed on the right side of the Throne of Allah Subhanahu wa Taala. But out of adab, respect, Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim will not sit on it. This is the respect of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim, Allah Subhanahu wa Taala grants Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim a seat next to Him because of love for him and Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim does not sit because of respect. Nowadays, we find people who only look at the act of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim, the acts which he does out of humily, humbleness and respect and they turn a blind eye to what Allah Subhanahu wa Taala has bestowed upon His Beloved Sallallahu alaihi wa salim. What is more great than a seat besides Allah Subhanahu wa Taala? People do not look at this, they only look at the nights when Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim remained awake performing nafl salah and say he was mazallah a man like us, who seeked forgiveness like we do. But they forget that Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salimdid not have to do this, he did so out of respect, love and humility for His Beloved. So Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim got this station of maqaam-e-mahmood through his nafl salah, the question then which Shaykh-ul-Islam put forward is, if this is from the nafl salah of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim, then what can we say about his farz salah? What is the possible exalted position of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim after considering his farz salah which is superior? Indeed, it is way beyond our comprehension.
  
• Einsteins theory of relativity: the speed of light is approximately 186, 282.4 miles per second, if a human manages to travel 90% of this speed and travels for 10 years, it will be equivalent to 5 years on the earth i.e. half the time. If a human manages to travel 100% of this speed then time on earth will be 0% i.e. time would stop. Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim travelled on the buraaq, which is roshani, light and is equivalent to hundreds and thousands of light speed, it is multiple speed of light, so we can imagine, when Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim left the entire universe was at a standstill. The entire universe ceased functioning on its normal accord and when Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim returned it was just as he left it and only then it began to function again.
  
• The exalted position of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim was clarified by leading the prayer congregation of all the Prophets. This was further clarified when he ascended to the heavens to sidrat-ul-muntaha, where Hadhrat Jibrail AS the angel whose composition is nur/light even stopped, taking one step further would burn him. So the angel of nur stopped or otherwise faced being burnt and the bashar went forward, SubhanAllah! So we accept that Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim is bashar, indeed, we cannot and do not deny this but his nooraniyat is of greater proportion. Our bashariyat is darkness but the bashariyat of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim is noor. When it was the time of creation of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim, Allah Subhanahu wa Taala instructed the angels to collect the dust from the grave of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim. Why? Because Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim has told us in ahadith that from his house to the minaret is jannah, i.e. what we know today as Riyadh-ul-Jannah. This is where the angels collected the dust for the creation of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim physical form. What is jannah? Jannah is noor, everything of jannah is noor, the trees, leaves, stones etc all are noor. So the dust collected from Riyadh-ul-jannah is not ordinary dust, it is noor, which means even the physical composition of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim is noor. The name is bashar but it is infact noor. So Hadhrat Jibrail AS stopped at sidrat-ul-muntaha, this shows that the bashariyat of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim is greater than the light of Hadhrat Jibrail AS.
  
• When Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim reached la maqam he had reached his home place, Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim knew where to go just as one knows his home place. Before this, Hadhrat Jibrail AS was the guide, he was showing him the way.
  
• When Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim was in the courtyard of Allah Subhanahu wa Taala he didnt lose consciousness or look anywhere else other than towards Allah Subhanahu wa Taala. He just looked at Allah Subhanahu wa Taala with adab/respect; this is the lesson for the sahabi, that when they are in the sohbah/company of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim they should adopt the same adab as Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim did with Allah Subhanahu wa Taala. That is to not divert their attention to anything or anyone else other than Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim and to keep their sight on him with respect.
  
• With previous Prophets Allah Subhanahu wa Taala did not send the revelation as though He Himself was speaking, it was Allah does not sleep, Allah does not eat, Allah does not slumber etc. but with Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim Allah Subhanahu wa Taala speaks Himself. For example, when Abu Lahab raised his finger against Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim, Allah Subhanahu wa Taala directly cursed Abu Lahab and his wife. Tabbat yadaaa Abii Laha binw wa tabb! Be perished the two hands of Abu Lahab and he is already perished. And Wamra atuh: hammaa latal hatab. Fii jiidihaa hablummin masad! And his wife, the fire wood carrier. (Will have) In her neck a rope of palm-fiber. Whatever Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim speaks is not from himself, he does not speak with his own desire (Surah An-Najm, 53: 3), he speaks what Allah Subhanahu wa Taala says, and Allah Subhanahu wa Taala directly curses the enemy of His Beloved sallallahu alaihi wa salim.
  
• Summa danaa then he drew near fatadallaa then same closer. Here as Imam Jaffar Saddiq states Allah Subhanahu wa Taala became so close to Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim that there was no distance left. The afaal of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim became fana in the afaal of Allah Subhanahu wa Taala, the sifat of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim became fana in the sifat of Allah Subhanahu wa taala and the zaat-e-Mustafa sallallahu alaihi wa salim became fana in zaat-e-Khuda.
  
• Hadhrat Musa AS had asked Allah Subhanahu wa Taala 9 times to show reveal Himself, so in response to this prayer, Hadhrat Musa AS was granted the vision of the blessed sight of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim 9 times. Aqa sallahu alaihi wa salim was returning after becoming fana in Allah Subhanahu wa Taala, in His afaal, sifat and zaat, so the vision of Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim was the vision of Allah Subhanahu wa Taala, seeing Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim was seeing Allah Subhanahu wa Taala. Allah Subhanahu wa Taala knew that the ummah would not be able to perform more than 5 salah, but the reason was so that Hadhrat Musa AS could see Aqa sallallahu alaihi wa salim, which is seeing Allah Subhanahu wa taala, jalwa-e-Khuda. Wan NAJMI izaa hawaa. Allah Subhanahu wa Taala swears by his coming and going, By the lovely shining star Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa salim, when he descended from the Ascension (Meraj)

These are just some brief points from the lecture, for the details please watch the lecture.