Description:

In the aftermath of the uprising of 1857, Deoband rose to prominence as a symbol of defiance of British colonialism. Espousing the tradition of the Waliullahi family, today, the prestigious Darul Ulum Deoband seminary boasts thousands of branches within the subcontinent and hundreds of affiliate institutions (Madrasas) worldwide. Many academic works have covered political, ideological, and historical background of the movement but much remains to be unwritten on the personal lives of the fathers who founded the movement and the sons who propagated its rich legacy for later generations. Among the sons of Deoband Shaykh ul Hadith Muhammad Zakariyya is the leading authority on the elders of Deoband. In this private correspondence, he offers a closer look into the personal lives of the elders and how they led their beautiful lives in light of the four pillars of Islam. He suggests that the triumphs of the Deoband thought owes to their piety, taqwa, and selflessness.