Mufti Sanaullah Huda Qasmi: A beacon of encouragement for the youth

Sajid Hasan Rahmani
Research Scholar: Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

When we study the personality who has performed remarkable deeds in every field, from the academic and literary arena to trade, agriculture, and industry, it becomes clear that behind their remarkable achievements, one of the important and notable elements is the encouragement and patronage of elders and juniors. When someone starts shining like the sun and moon in the world of knowledge and literature, and people consider them a source of light in their various academic, literary, national, sectarian, and social fields, and start praising them excessively, and become their followers, it is generally observed that the words and actions of such personalities reveal that they consider themselves beyond the creatures of this world.

That's why, in general, you won't see a prominent academic, literary, or social figure encouraging the young, but some of them are also duty-bound and think that just as the encouragement of elders and juniors has brought us to the pinnacle of honor and fame, it is also our moral duty to encourage our young people and inspire their aspirations, so that every new entrant in the academic, literary, political, social, and reform fields can easily reach where we have reached. Therefore, they make the encouragement of their young people their motto, which is why they are sometimes criticized by those who are unaware of the importance of encouragement and patronage.

Among them is a prominent and notable name, Mufti Muhammad Sanaullah Qasmi, Vice Chancellor of Imarat-e-Sharia, Patna.

There is no doubt that Mufti Muhammad Sanaullah Qasmi is a man of versatile and unparalleled talent. He is a distinguished author, jurist, and orator, as well as a unique critic, researcher, organizer, and journalist of his time. After witnessing his remarkable role in the aforementioned fields, his personality, which is full of various qualities, commands respect and awe, but when you meet him and sit in his gathering, and get a chance to listen to his informal conversation and witness his good manners and charming behavior, you feel happy and delighted, and at the same time, you are also surprised to see that your preconceived notions about him are proved wrong.

Two years ago, in the month of Ramadan in 2024, I called Mufti Sahib after Tarawih to seek his advice on my Ph.D. topic. He received the call, and after exchanging greetings and asking about each other's well-being, he asked about my activities. Then he told me about his schedule during Ramadan and, in the course of conversation, when the topic turned to writing and reading, he said that 66 of his books have been published so far. But what will surprise you is that even today, Mufti Sahib has the same passion for writing, reading, and publishing his writings in various newspapers and magazines as a new writer has.

Whenever his article is published in a newspaper or magazine, he feels the same joy that a new writer feels when his article is published. Almost every week, at least two or three of Mufti Sahib's articles are published in some newspaper or the other. After graduating from Darul Uloom Deoband, whenever I met him, he would show me the photo of his article published in that day's newspaper on his mobile phone or mention that his article had been published in a particular newspaper.

This unique behavior of his makes me feel that by publishing his articles in various newspapers and mentioning them to others, he not only encourages others but also boosts his own morale and feels an indescribable spiritual and psychological joy. This is the reason why, despite spending most of his time traveling and attending various academic, literary, and social programs, he has been able to make a name for himself as a prolific writer.

Mufti Sahib is a one-man organization due to his versatile services, and he wants every individual, social worker, and literary figure to engage in great services in their respective fields. That's why he encourages everyone, even if they perform a minor task, and considers it his responsibility to encourage them. I have personally experienced his encouragement many times. For instance, when my two articles were published in newspapers before Ramadan this year, I sent their photos to Mufti Sahib on WhatsApp. He read them and wrote a brief comment, which was not only encouraging but also a glad tiding for a person like me who is devoid of knowledge and writing skills.

He wrote, "I have read your articles carefully. You have written well. If Naqib (a weekly magazine) published articles on living persons, I would have published yours." This brief paragraph will testify to the truth of my aforementioned statements. But Mufti Sahib did not stop there; a few days later, when he met my father in Muzaffarpur, he told him that Sajid has acquired the skill of writing and writes excellent articles.

Similarly, when I, along with my friend Mufti Muhammad Musa Qasmi, compiled articles on the life and services of late Maulana Muhammad Wali Rahmani and requested Mufti Sahib to write a preface, he gladly accepted our request and wrote a comprehensive and meaningful preface, in which he also praised my abilities, which was beyond my deserving. This preface was also published in the weekly magazine "Naqib" of Imarat-e-Sharia, Patna.

When I wrote an article on Mufti Zafiruddin Sahib, Mufti Sahib read it and praised it, saying, "You have written well, Masha Allah." On several occasions, he has encouraged me, and I hope he will continue to do so in the future. The encouragement of Mufti Sahib and a few other selfless teachers and friends has taught me how to hold a pen.

What I have mentioned is just a brief account of Mufti Sahib's encouragement towards me. Besides me, he has encouraged hundreds of scholars, intellectuals, and students, praising them beyond their deserving, just to boost their morale. If you want to see his uniqueness in the field of encouragement, read the introductory, appreciative, and reflective articles he has written for dozens of books, which are now available in book form under the title "Harf-e-Agahi aur Awaz-e-Lafz-o-Bayan".

In the field of encouragement, Mufti Sahib's nature and instinct overcome his intellect, and he does his job without any discrimination based on caste, creed, or sect. Whether it is a person from any caste, any intellectual group, or any sect or religion, if they do something commendable and Mufti Sahib comes to know about it, he will encourage and patronize them, which is why he is invited to various programs of different sects, organizations, and institutions, and his participation is seen in abundance.

Mufti Sahib is a man of versatile personality, and every aspect of his life is brilliant, radiant, and exemplary. Therefore, a lengthy article can be written on every aspect of his life. However, in this article, I have only shared my thoughts on one aspect of his life, i.e., his encouragement, and have left out other aspects due to the limited scope of this article. Maybe someday, I will try to write about another shining aspect of his life.