[RobertLS]

My short meeting with Dr. Allama Khalid Mahmood

In Brussels, Belgium a gathering for the propagation of the finality of the prophethood took place. In this gathering, scholars such as Mufti Abdul Wahhab (of Iqra TV, who graduated from Binnori Town) and others such as Dr. Khalid Mahmud were invited to speak. His talk was beneficial in the sense that he did not give any references from the works of the Qadianis, but made an appeal to our aql saying that we should use our aql in responding to the Qadianis if you do not have the capacity to memorize references from the books of Qadianis. One example he gave was that we are Ahlus Sunnah so if we would become Qadiani, it would mean we would have to break up the ummah that has been going along for 1400 years, and we are not ready for that.

After the talk I was more concerned with Mawlana Khalid Mahmood in observing and staying with him. He is one of the great scholars of Deoband who graduated from Dar al-Ulum Dhabel. He is quite old now, and has become weak. Needs help when he walks. Does not hear the person in front of him properly and you need to talk loudly if you want him to hear you.

He was surrounded by some people and after the gathering was finished, he went to his room. I followed and asked permission to come in and ask him a few questions. He let me come in and a sat in front of him.

He asked who I was and where I came from. I introduced myself and said I affiliate myself with the scholars of Deoband.

I asked him about some issues from his book, in particular the last verse of surat Luqman. I said to him that in your book Mutali’a Barelwiyat, you stated that denying the meaning of this verse, is unbelief, so I straightforwardly asked him the question whether Mawlana Ahmad Raza Khan was an unbeliever for stating the opposite meaning of the verse?

Mawlana Khalid Mahmood replied that first mention what I have literally said in my books. So he asked me first whether you will understand my reply or not. I said I will try to. So he asked what did you understood from the verse. I said that the absolute (kulli) knowledge of those 5 things where known by Allah only. So he said: do you know what kulli means? I said: mufassal? He said that is not the meaning of it. Kulli is a term in logic (mantiq). It is possible that through ilhaam or kashf a person happens to know what is in the womb of a woman. In the meantime, a young mawlana sitting next to us wanted to go and asked permission, but Mawlana Khalid Mahmood didn’t let him, and said: this is important for you as well. Then he narrated the incident of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) stating that a female sister of Sayyida Aisha will be born. Mawlana continued further: to claim Abu Bakr knows what is in the womb of every woman on earth, this is what you call kulli. So this is what I said. As to the point of calling Mawlana Ahmad Raza Khan a kaafir, this is not what I have mentioned. When people ask me about it I say: I am not a Mufti.

Then I stated that a certain Mufti does call him a kaafir. Mawlana replied, yes I know he calls him a kaafir. Then I asked: so what is your opinion then? He said, that will be bad adab when you cite the name of a Mufti and ask my opinion about it. So I said: can not there be difference of opinion on this issue between the scholars? So Mawlana said: yes but are you the only person left who gathers the differences between the scholars?

But then in the end he said: yes, I don’t consider him [Ahmad Raza Khan] a Muslim but that is from a general point of view looking to him as a whole.

Then he starting mentioning some other blameworthy points of view of Mawlana Ahmad Raza Khan, saying he considered the Prophet a part (juz’) of the essence of Allah, and cited the poetry of Ahmad Raza Khan. He went in-depth in mentioning some examples of this.

So I asked him another question about Mamatis. I asked what do you say about Mamatis? He said: I will say they are not ahl as-sunnah. What else will we say? We don’t call them kaafir.

I wanted to ask him some more questions but because of the busy gathering, him being old and the fear of annoying him, and the people surrounding him I didn’t. I asked Mawlana for du’a which he performed for me, shook his hands and left.

A TV crew of ARY news also wanted to join in but Mawlana humbly refused saying we don't give interviews to TV stations.