Tazkiratur Rasheed - Biography of Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi r.a.

From amongst these great luminaries of Deoband, in the frontline was Hadhrat Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi Shb رحمه اللہ . Hadhrat Maulana’s birthplace is Gangoh. Gangoh is an old village situated approximately 16 miles from Saharanpur, which has been the birthplace of many a devout Saint (Awliyāh Allah). Maulana Rasheed Ahmad shb رحمه اللہ was born on the sixth of Dhul Qa’dah 1244 A.H.( 10 May 1829) Hadhrat Maulana is of the lineage of Hadhrat Ayyūb Ansari رضي الله عنه .

He obtained his initial education in Gangoh, after which he travelled to Delhi to quench his thirst of knowledge. Together with Hadhrat Ml Qāsim Nānotwi رحمه اللہ  he presented himself at the service of Hadhrat Ml Mamlūk Ali shb رحمه اللہ . From thereon, these two illustrious pinnacles of virtue and knowledge remained companions until death (Hadhrat Ml Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi P and Ml Qasim Nanotwi رحمه اللہ  were the original visionaries of Darul Uloom Deoband). Ml Rasheed Ahmad shb was so diligent and engrossed in the acquisition of knowledge, that if someone took the food that was placed next to him away, he would not even realize it. Many a times, it so happened that whilst perusing through his books at night, he fell asleep and only in the morning he would realize that he did not partake of his supper which was right next to him. Maulana acquired the science of Hadith under Shah Abdul Ghani Muhaddith Dehlawi رحمه اللہ . At the age of twenty-one, Hadhrat Maulana رحمه اللہ had completed all his academic e