Shaykh AbdurRahman Ferawai wrote in the introduction of the book “Al-Islah” of Hafiz Gondalwi, p 95 and after:

“The Salafis of India’s links with other schools of thoughts (Masalik)

The links of Ahl e Hadith from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh with all school of thoughts has been in general of closeness and cooperation, and this because it upholds a positive Da’wah whose aim is to make the true teaching of the religion reach people and fill the world with beliefs and actions based on authentic proofs. Hence when we have a glance at the religious, educational and political history of the India subcontinent, what appears clearly is that Ahl e Hadith kept links with general national, religious and religious parties, based on religious Maqasid and real benefits. The detail of these links is below:

1) The greatest stage in the religious, scholarly and Dawah related works is the movement of Shahidayn (Sayid Ahmad Brelwi and Sayid Ismaeel Dehlwi) in which Ahl e Hadith scholars played a pivotal role, from the beginning and from leadership level to workers’ level, and up to the end, they did Ishtirak e Amal (acted in partnership) with this noble group, which reached the level of consensus and Tawatur (among Ahl e Hadith).

2) The history of freedom of India will be defective without the mention of Ahl e Hadith scholars, but one matter should be made clear, and it is that when Ahl e Hadith scholars put their steps in politics, they disliked to make someone or become someone’s opponent, as their Da’wah is for general reform, and through their reformative, educational, religious and Da’wah related efforts, they were not only advising Muslims but also the people of the Book, disbelievers and polytheists.

Hence they did not find it appropriate to put weight in politics through their Da’wah related platform, meaning the All India Ahl e Hadith Conference and its sub-organisations, rather looking at the condition of their time, sometimes they opted for the platform of Congress to make their common enemy run away, and according to condition they opted for the Muslim League, as the aim of these parties was to expel the British from India, and this aim was reached through the platform of these two groups.

Afterwards when harshness in political scene lead to the partition of the country, elders taking into consideration the condition applied their Ijtihad and put their political weight according to their convictions and the names of Shaykh Abul Kalam Azad, Shaykh Dawood Ghaznawi, Shaykh Muhammad Ishaq Bhatti, Shaykh AbdulQayum Bastawi, Shaykh Muhammad Ismaeel Salafi, the Qasuri family are preserved in the pages of history.

3) In the educational and reformative domain, Ahl e Hadith scholars had a leadership role in the organisations Jamiat Al-Ulama and Tahreek Nadwatul Ullama established in India. The names of Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim Aarwi, Shaykh Sanaullah Amritsari, Shaykh AbdulWahab Aarwi, Shaykh Far Qalit are written in history, and it is a known matter for those who are aware of history.

4) A personality raised in a Hanafi Sufi family, I mean Shaykh Abul Ala Mawdudi, established before the intensity in the movement of independence of India, an Islamic movement upon the way given by Shaykh Abul Kalam Azad, and in 1941 he established a group called Jamate Islami whose aim was to establish the religion (Iqamat e Din). Despite the founder of this group, the members and accepted leadership’s majority policy and aims of this movement being non-Taqleedi and being away from rigid Deobandism, it remained in Furu’ acting on the Hanafi Madhab. A great number of Ahl e Hadith joined this group from the beginning for the purpose of Iqamat e Din, and members of Ahl e Hadith Jama’at supported this group for its call named upon Islam, until that some even left their Maslaki Tashakhus (identity as Ahl e Hadith).

5) The common Milli forums and Milli issues of India, in general Ahl e Hadith Jama’at and its individuals gave support those these groups, for Milli unity and Ijtima’iyat. According to my knowledge, their cooperation always remained positive. The Muslim Majlis Mushawarat and Muslim Personal Law Board and others are true witness of this.

6) The Markazi Ahl e Hadith institution established in 1966, the Markazi Dar Al-Ulum now known under the name Jamiyah Salafiyah, this institution has produced very beneficial achievements, among which we count holding many great religious, Dawah related and educational conferences, in which it was always given attention to give a representation to famous school of thoughts and religious institutions, so that people from all school of thoughts and leaders could be given the opportunity to give their point of view on the stage of the Jamiayh (Salafiyah Banaras).

I will bear witness that in many gatherings during my studies, my time of teaching and my time being abroad, it was seen always on the stage people attributed to Markazi Jamat Islami Hind, Dar Ulum Nadwah Al-Ulama, Jamiyah Al-Falah, Dar Ulum Deoband, Muslim University Aligarh, and afterwards their papers would find space with open heart in the published reports.

I saw in Jamiyah Salafiyah Qari Muhammad Tayib, Molana As’ad Madni, Molana Ali Mian Nadwi, Molana Abul Irfan Nadwi, Molana Muhammad Yusuf Ameer Jamat e Islami Hind, Molana Muhammad Raabi Nadwi, and others and I had the honour of meeting them.

This is a proof that Ahl e Hadith by gathering leaders of different Masalik and groups gave a practical lesson of Ittihad and agreement.

Afterwards the participation of scholars of different school of thoughts, thinkers and teachers of universities in many conferences and seminars organised by Ahl e Hadith institutes was a matter of routine. All these examples are evidences that by gathering on their stage scholars and leaders of different school of thoughts and groups, Ahl e Hadith gave a practical lesson of Ittihad and agreement, and they gave an example of Taqreeb baynal Muslimin, and Al-Hamdulillah the results of such proved to be good.

7) Nowadays as well in Ahl e Hadith Madaris, from beginning levels to top levels, in Fiqh and Usul Al-Fiqh, all fundamentals books of the Hanafi Madhab are taught. I myself studied Quduri, Sharh Wiqayah, Hidayah, Nur Al-Nawar, Usul Shashi in the curriculum of Jamiyah Rehmaniyah and Jamiyah Salafiyah Banaras. Likewise all the course of Nadwah regarding Arabic language and literature is present in the curriculum of Ahl e Hadith Madaris. At the beginning level, different books from the curriculum of Jamate Islami are taught in Ahl e Hadith Madaris.

8) In Pakistan, Jama’at Ahl e Hadith in the elections fought on the name of establishing Shari’ah supported Jamate Islami and similar forums. What is intriguing is that from the time when Paksitan was not separate to the establishment of Bangladesh, the members of parliament of Jamat e Islami were elected in Ahl e Hadith areas and were dependent of votes from Ahl e Hadith individuals.

End of quote from Shaykh Feraway

Note: Laymen are preserved from mistakes when scholars of other Masalik are invited as our scholars will correct and clarify the issue if a matter is against the Book and Sunnah