TheRamadan of Shaykh Al-Hadith Ml ZakariyyaKandelwi by Dr Muhammad Ismail Memon Madani

Chapter Six
The routine and devotions during this Ramadan
The Ramadan of 1385/1966 as narrated by Shaikh Abū al-Ĥasan
‘Alī Nadwī was spiritually lively and inspiring. He reports from
Shaikh Munawwar Ĥusain:
20 to 25 people came from Niżām al-Dīn, the year Shaikh
Yūsuf passed away in 1384/ 1965 and said, “We will perform
our i‘tikāf here.”
Ĥađrat’s routine was:
Ĥađrat was usually praying voluntary śalāt when people woke up
for seĥr. He ate two eggs and drank one cup of tea shortly before
the fast started. He leaned against a pillow and turned towards the
people and guests sitting nearby until people stood up for śalāt.
After śalāt, he rested until about 9 a.m. then woke up, attended
to his personal needs, and prayed voluntary śalāt until noon. He
read and responded to any urgent letters until the adhān of Ẓuhr.
After adhān, he prayed Sunna and then busied himself in recitation
immediately after Ẓuhr until ‘Aśr, during which time guests were
advised to perform the dhikr of Allah u. Therefore, all the
dhākirīn (the murīds with permission to perform dhikr) began dhikr
while others recited Qur’an until ‘Aśr. After ‘Aśr, Ĥađrat recited
the Qur’an loudly while most guests either listened or recited their
own Qur’an. This went on until it was time to break the fast.
A few minutes before ifţār, when recitation of Qur’an ceased and
it was completely silent, everyone went into meditation. Guests
were advised to sit by the long mats laid out in the courtyard for
ifţār while Ĥađrat moved into his private quarters. Ĥađrat broke
his fast with one Madanī date and a cup of Zamzam water. He then
either went into meditation or sat against the wall. After Maghrib,
the guests were given food and Ĥađrat started his voluntary śalāt.
About half an hour before adhān, he ate one or two eggs and drank
a cup of tea. Initially, he refused to eat or drink anything but after
much urging [one week after Ramadan] Ĥađrat agreed to the eggs
and cup of tea but nothing else. Ĥađrat never ate rice or bread or
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