Our Shaykh, Hazrat Mawlana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar (DB) mentioned this incident regarding Qasim al-’Uloom Mawlana Muhammad Qasim Nanotwi (RA).  Once in Deoband, Hazrat Nanotwi (RA) noticed a Hindu street cleaner.  He asked the Hindu where he was from.  The Hindu replied by saying that he was from Thanabhawan.  Hazrat Nanotwi (RA) then invited the Hindu to his home and arranged for his meals and for his boarding and lodging.  When people asked Hazrat Nanotwi (RA) as to why he was honoring this Hindu so much, he simply replied by saying, “He is from the city of my Shaykh.” meaning that the Hindu was from Thanabhawan, which is where Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki (RA) was from.

Subhanallah!  That is true love for the Shaykh.  When one of the greatest scholars would go out of his way to look after a Hindu merely because the Hindu was from the same town as his shaykh, how much shouldn’t we honor those who are actually connected to our shaykh?!  Such love and sincerity is a rare commodity today.  When someone honors another person, it is not because of that person them self, but perhaps because of who that person is connected to that they are honored.