Chosen Saints of God and the Bigoted Mullas — Page 16
(7) HAZRAT IMAM NISAAEE (born 215 H. died 303 Hijra), once in a gathering described in detail the exalted position of. Hazrat Ali, the son-in-law and the cousin of the Holy Prophet. . He tried to impress upon the listeners that Hazrat Ali held an enviable position among the companions and also in the eyes of the Holy Prophet himself. A section of the congregation got flared up at this. In a great rage they stood up and started beating him, accusing him to be Shia at heart. Shah Abdul. Aziz describing this incident said, "The people attacked him, shouting 'he is a Shia", 'he is a Shia'. " (Bustaan-i-Muhadditheen Ref. Musallifen-i-Sihaah-i-Sitta: p. 67: Naashir Idara-iUloom Asria, Lyallpur) (8) HAZRAT IBN-I-HANNAAN (died 297 Hijra) The weekly "Khursheed" Sandela of 25th February, 1938 wrote, "Hazrat. Ibn-i-Hannaan, a godly saint and a renouned scholar was also denounced as a renegade”. (9) HAZRAT ABUL ABBAAS BIN 'ATAA (died 309 Hijra), was also reported to be a great sage of his time. He found no escape from the bigoted Mullas who declared him to be a renegade and an apostate. (Weekly 'Khursheed' Sandela of 25th. February, 1938) (10) HAZRAT ABUL MOHSIN AL-NOORI (died 295 Hijra), was known in his time to be a very pious Sufi who tried to walk in the true path of Islam. He was, admitted in his time to be a specialised scholar in mysticism and all the people who met him, knew him to be most regular in his mid-night devotions and was held in such high esteem that people very often called him "The Moon of the Sufis". . Ghulam-ul-Khaleel reported to the king about Al-Noori and a few other sufis of his time, such as Abu Hamza, Riqaam,. Shibli and Junaid, that they were all heretics and renegades. If they were not put to the sword and were left free, they would be a very bad influence on the general public whom they would lead astray. The reporter thought that if the matters were not amended soon there was every danger of atheism taking root in the land. The king, therefore, ordered that all these sages be arrested and brought to the court for execution. 16