Hazrat Mufti sahib’s death has left us all in deep shock. Since yesterday I tried many times to write a brief sketch of his life and personality but couldn’t gather the courage. This time also my hands tremble while penning this down. May Almighty Allah help me to write about his pious life with utmost justice.
Almighty Allah has bestowed Kashmir with a galaxy of god-fearing, towering religious personalities. May it be Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (RA), Mirwaiz Moulana Muhammad Yousuf Kashmiri (RA), Moulana Noor uddin Trali (RA) or any other. This is one of the greatest blessings of Almighty Allah that despite our sins, He is always showering His utmost mercy on us. Mufti Faizul Waheed Sahib (RA) was one among those few ulema who had devoted all his life for the cause of Islam, Muslims and humanity.
Frankly speaking, it is not possible for a man like me to compile a life sketch of a personality like Mufti Faizul Waheed sahib, who had devoted all his life to the cause of Islam. There are many important dimensions of Hazrat’s life which need to be illuminated. Surely that is the work of ulema and they will do it with justice, but what role Mufti sahib had for a common Kashmiri, I would like to elaborate it in a brief way so that we understand the pious life of this great son of the soil.
Hazrat Mufti sahib was a Mufasi-e-Quran (first translator of Quran in his mother tongue, Gojri). He was a Faqih (Islamic jurist), Muhaddith (expert in Hadith), and a bold speaker on various topics in public gatherings. His presence in a public gathering would attract a sea of believers. His way to start his speech with the Quran and ending it with the Quran was his unique way. During the month of Ramadan, he would hold special Quranic duroos in Bathindi, Jammu, for the general public as well as the ulema. He compiled many books like ‘Sirajam Muneera’ (on the Seerat of our beloved Prophet), ‘Ahkam-e-Mayyat’ (The rules of the deceased) and ‘Namaz ke Masa’il Qur’an-o-Hadees ki Roshni mai’ (Issues pertaining to Salah in the light of Quran and Hadees).
Mufti Faizul Waheed sahib had a special connection with Kashmir and Kashmiris had a special place in his heart. Whenever he visited Kashmir, he would call on Kashmiris to uphold the principles of Islam. Even a few months before his death, he was in Kashmir. He spoke at many religious gatherings, visited schools and coaching institutes to make the student community aware of the teachings of Islam. He had the distinction of travelling Kashmir across its length and breadth. Almost every Islamic seminary here used to invite him on its annual convocation. His way to appreciate young Hufaaz was unique. His frequent visits to Kashmir had a message for the people of Jammu region as well, that their religious unification with Kashmir was the need of the hour. When Jammu erupted in communal violence a few years ago, vehicles of Kashmiri sumo drivers and other Kashmiris were burnt. Communal people in Jammu were on the prowl to kill Kashmiri. Mufti Faizul Waheed sahib opened the gates of his Darul ul Uoom at Bathindi for Kashmiris, provided them food and shelter for many days until the communal riots ended. I would call him an ambassador of Kashmiris in Jammu region.
This is perhaps the reason that when the news of his worsening health conditions reached Kashmir, Kashmiris were despondent. Special prayers were held by one and all. I even witnessed many people writing on Twitter (with #sosjk) to arrange some rare medicines for him. Some youngsters left from Srinagar for Jammu to assist doctors with these medicines, which they somehow arranged for Mufti sahib.
In the end, we have to obey the decree of Almighty Allah and have to bear this painful loss. May Almighty Allah elevate his ranks in Jannah. Now the need of the hour is to come out from this grief and take the work of Mufti Faizul Waheed sahib towards its goal. We all must respect our ulema before it is too late. Today we see that the death of Mufti Faizul Waheed sahib is being mourned throughout the world. We have seen ulema paying tributes to Hazrat Mufti sahib from all over India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa and many more countries. He was indeed an internationally acclaimed scholar who is no longer with us. But yes, Alhamdulillah, his counterparts are here with us. Let’s all support them to take the work of Mufti sahib ahead. Let us recognize our ulema during their life span, and derive maximum benefits from their teachings. May Almighty Allah preserve all our ulema and give them long lives. Kashmir needs them always. Aameen.

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Irshad Aziz