Move with Times? Absurd. - From the Malfoozat of Hazrat Moulana Ashraf 'Ali Thanwi saheb Rahmatullahi 'Alayh

Here's an interesting something I read today in the Malfooz of Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi saheb Rahmatullahi 'Alayhi. It reminded me of something Moulana Yunus Patel saheb mentions a lot in his bayans:

1. Mahawl par parho 'La Hawal'! (Read La Hawl upon environment!)
2. Zamana hum ko badal sake ye zamana mein dum naheen; zamana hum se hain, hum zanana se naheen! ((That) Times have the power to change us, this power times do not have; times are from us, (it is) not that we are from times!)

*****

"Judge Akbar Hussain, who was a very wise man, made a wonderful statement.

He said, 'The statement "We should move with the times" is absurd. The times refer to our collective actions which are under our control.

'How then should we become subservient to these?' "

Taken from Malfoozat (Statements and Anecdotes), page 52

Compiled by Mujlisul Ulama of South Africa