Sittings of November 1959 — Part I

مجالسِ نومبر ۱۹۵۹ — حصہ اول

3 November 1959 (Saturday / 1 Jumada al-Ula 1379 AH)

Topics 133–134: Rahim Pasha in Hazrat's Presence; Munawalah

The compiler records: Among the most important visitors to Hazrat Qibla's gatherings was Hazrat 'Abd al-Rahim Siddiqui — a great and distinguished figure who used to sit to the right of Hazrat 'Ali Sahib beneath the platform of Hazrat Qibla's throne, extending his right hand in greeting. Hazrat asked him about this, saying: 'Will you not continue?' He replied honestly, in a soft voice. Hazrat's beloved turned toward him immediately and said: 'Yes, Pasha! He has commanded it — so who will care about whom now?' Having heard this, Hazrat said: 'Let it be so! Those who come here will find their place.'

'Munawalah' — the physical transmission of a book: One method of transmission of scholarly texts is to give the student the original book and say, 'Correct and transmit this from me.' This is equivalent in authority to reading aloud (qira'at al-sama'). What is the difference of munawalah? The Prophet, peace be upon him, sent his letters through letters — by way of letters (dihya kal-bi). How did the letters reach them? The government sent them. So the Pasha gave them away — this 'munawalah' is a technical term meaning 'to give, bestow, extend' — a method of conferring with permission — and the same standing of a year.

Topic 135: Sarkas Masah (Wiping the Head in Wudu)

Imam Shafi'i gives great importance to the meaning of 'sarkas' — the full wiping of the head in ablution (wudu). He says that 'sarkas' means to wipe the whole head; this is the sunnah. Imam Malik occasionally required it while sometimes releasing it; Imam Malik would say that one should wipe the head fully — holding the ears, wiping the forehead and passing the hands through it — as the sunnah. This is why the entirety of the head is to be wiped; to wipe only part of it violates the sunnah.

10 November 1959 (Saturday / 8 Jumada al-Ula 1379 AH)

Topic 136: Naskh (Abrogation)

The word 'naskh' originally meant 'to copy' (transcription). When used in early legal discussions, it referred to the cancellation of a ruling. Today, the meaning is: when specific circumstances obtain, then this is nullified (i.e., no longer applicable). Hazrat said: 'I say it myself, writing my initial remarks (preamble to the ruling) — the Makkah verses were then decisive; after that: one and the same thing. I say that the Makkah verses have not been abrogated by the Madinan verses — but if a later time comes and those very verses (i.e., the later revelations) arrive, they would be operative. The verse "Faqtiluhum" is specific — it is for Hyderabad, not for Madinah. The people of Madinah would not accept this verse because "Al-fitnah ashaddu min al-qatl" — fitnah (persecution/civil strife) is also a form of evil.'

12 November 1959 (Tuesday / 10 Jumada al-Ula 1379 AH)

Topic 137: Mishkat al-Sharif — the Dars Begins

Hazrat announced: 'Mishkat al-Sharif' — a book whose translation is available. He gave it for reading. (Al-Din al-dars had been given 2 November and a dars of Mishkat was started from November 1959.)

Topic 138: Wudu and Its Breaking

Wudu (ablution) has two meanings: (1) to purify, (2) to protect. The two conditions are: one is that 'madhy' (pre-seminal fluid) does not come out, and the other is that one wipes hands along the side (of the woman) — the station of madhy coming out (for the woman) is established like that of shunning lust — if contact occurs along the side of a woman, the ablution is broken or not broken. If hands touch (a woman or man) — or a kiss occurs — if done without lust — this is not in the definition (i.e., does not break wudu). Therefore ablution is complete.