The following is a transcript of Maulana Ahmad Laat’s shocking testimony about the money extortion he experienced in Nizamuddin Markaz. We have translated it to English.
Belows is the full audio of his testimony in Urdu.
Maulana Ahmad Lat: On the 13th of Ramadan, I was going for Taraweeh prayers. There was this person, Saifullah, who had come here (to Nizamuddin). We had very good relations, but we had not meet each other for almost two months. By fate, as I was going, I saw him and greeted him saying, ‘As-Salamu Alaikum Brother! You come and go without letting us know!’ I put some perfume on him and he left. As I reached the Masjid, and not even five minutes had passed, news came out that there was a commotion with sticks and clubs being used in the Masjid. Just a day before I arrived, a colleague of mine met me and started saying, ‘I was at “Noso*. I saw them there.’ I asked what was happening, and he replied, ‘There were such horrible assaults, they were the ones who managed all those sticks and clubs, they had it arranged and distributed.’
*Translators Note: We are not sure what ‘Noso’ means here. It could mean a place or an event
After Ramadan, I went to Dubai for a check-up. A young man met me and said (referring to the incident of 13 Ramadhan in Nizamuddin), ‘Maulvi Sahib, we were told that the place of Haq, the place to do good deeds (voice is unclear here), the place to learn is there (Nizamuddin). Should I go there to learn to fight?’ This is what one of them complained to me. Another person met me and said, ‘You always say about the Masjid being a place of peace. That one should make the Masjid a peaceful place. Now, shall we make it peaceful with sticks and clubs?’. This is what people are saying…
Every time there (in Nizamuddin), a hundred, a hundred and twenty-five, one hundred and fifty people (gangsters) were there. Saifullah and his son, (voice not clear) he’s always there. (There was an incident that) a Maulvi Sahib came from Mewat to meet Maulana Zuhair Sahib. When he was sitting outside, they dragged him down the basement and beat him up, asking him, what was the purpose of you meeting him (Maulana Zuhair)?”
Second person: There were four of them. All of them were taken downstairs and beaten. They were there to meet Maulana Zuhair Sahib, and when they came out, they were confronted with ‘Why are you meeting our enemy?’ After that, they were taken downstairs and beaten, and their heads were smashed. This happened when Maulana Ibrahim Sahib was present there. Maulana (Ibrahim) had just arrived there. This happened on the same day (Maulana Ibrahim arrived).
Third person: No, no, it happened the next day…
Second person: And when Maulana (Ibrahim) asked what was happening, they said there was a thief. They were beating the thief.
Third person: He went there because he had spent time in Jamaat with their younger brother, Maulvi Khabeer, two months ago, along with those four.
*See Maulana Zuhair’s Letter, Proof #2
Maulana Ahmad Lat: In fifty years, I never even imagined such a scene could take place in this Masjid (Nizamuddin). In the villages, in rural areas, if there is even a slight noise in the Masjid, someone will quickly say: ‘Brother, it’s Ramadan, be quiet for the sake of Allah!’. Simple-minded villagers would say something like this. Now, this incident is happening right here in this Masjid (Nizamuddin)!
Just the day before yesterday, Wali Inam asked me, ‘Nothing happened to you that night right?’ I said, ‘Yes, nothing happened to me that night, but it has been 20 years since I have been receiving (threatening) letters which I still have copies of.'”
Someone (Speaking in English): On the same night, two were talking in the… two Meewatis were talking (voice unclear). A doctor from Aligarh had come for personal matters, and he was staying (there in Nizamuddin). (He heard the) Mewatis were saying that now it’s Dr. Sanaullah’s turn. They were talking that the next person to be beaten up was Dr. Sanaullah.
Maulana Ahmad Lat: (Referring to the money extortion letters) They told me to pay five hundred thousand, three hundred thousand, seven hundred thousand (Indian rupees) to a certain place. (They said:) “Don’t ask who you are paying to, or who it is for. Just pay if you want to stay here (in Nizamuddin), otherwise, we will make your life difficult here”. Out of concern, I said, “Brother, all we have is our work of Da’wa and Tabligh. We are here only for this”. The money which I used to pay (to these people) was all borrowed from others. I don’t have much money on my own.
Once, Bhai (Maulana) Nadir (Ali) came to Nizamuddin. I told him that someone was threatening, sending threatening letters, and were also taking money from me. He (Maulana Nadir Ali) said that his nephew (Abdul Qadir) is in the CID (Criminal Investigation Department). He will ask him to meet me and take all the details.
(Later on) his nephew came. He advised me that if anyone calls, write down their number. If they ask for money, just give them this address and send them to me (indicating that I will pay the money to them).
The next sum of money they asked for was two hundred and fifty thousand (Indian Rupees). They came to extort the money from me. So I said, ‘Brother, I don’t have such an amount of money. However, I have a friend that will arrange it for me. This is his number.”
So they went there. One of them was (surprisingly)….. Maulvi Abdul Rashid’s nephew. He was Maulana Fazlullah’s grandson, a Mufti, who used to recite the Qur’an with me at night two years ago. Therefore, I treated him as Maulana Fazlullah’s kin. (Upon finding out) Abdul Qadir (the CID officer), who was Maulana Nadir Ali’s nephew, slapped him saying, “This cap and this beard? Do you have no shame doing this?”
Upon further investigation (by the officer) , it was found that everything was happening from there (referring to Nizamuddin, under the instructions of Maulana Saad). They were the ones doing it. It reached Maulana Saad Sahib (Maulana Saad). First, he said to tell Ahmad Lat that if he wants to file a case, don’t do it here, go home and do it there. This means they want me to go and let them do whatever (evil) they are doing there. The good thing is that I was about to go to America. Me and my wife were given first-class tickets (*See Translator’s Note). Ibrahim Maniyar was called from Hyderabad to somehow postpone this trip and settle this case (which is now under CID’s radar) once and for all. They made some preparations. Bilal Bhai had come back from Mecca.
I finally met them all. They said, “Brother, let’s settle this once and for all. I had come all the way by plane to Nizamuddin”. Brother (Hj) Farooq, Maulana Ibrahim, and this Maulvi Sahib (Possibly referring to Maulvi Abdul Rashid’s nephew), all three were also called by Maulana Saad Sahid and were told to resolve this case once and for all. I told them that I had given twenty million rupees, bit by bit. Twenty million rupees (I stressed). After that, they said, “Brother, leave it. Money is nothing. Alright, brother, everything is settled today.”
*Translators Note: Some parties have taken this part of the Audio out of contex to criticize our elders for being lavish in travelling First Class. Maulana Ahmad Laat has indicated that this is an extraordinary arrangement. His point was there were people who were still concerned about him despite the difficulties he was facing in Nizamuddin. The brothers from USA thought that since he was travelling with his wife, they wanted to make it convenient for elderly couples to travel. Having the money to do so, they purchased first class flight tickets for him and his wife. Maulana Ahmad did not demand this arrangement nor was this the norm for him or our elders to travel.
This humble translator would also like to testify that he has witnessed many senior elders travelling in standard/economy class.
One day Maulvi Ishaq Sahib, who knew everything, a letter had also come, I had it read to him. He told me that today he heard and read an interesting news in the paper. I said, “What happened?” He said, “Two families were going together on a boat. Both were playing with a small child. They threw, the other caught. They threw, the other caught. Suddenly, one boat moved ahead due to the wave and the child was (accidentally) thrown into the sea! Now, who will go and retrieve this child?. (I believe) your money also went like that”. I thus accepted my fate (that all the money I paid had dissappeared).
This CID officer, Abdul Qadir’s boss was a non-Muslim. He said: “Brother, you guys should resolve this amongst yourselves.” Abdul Rashid said that our decision would be made by Maulvi Ishaq Sahib. He is our responsible elder. (Abdul Qadir’s) Boss was a Hindu. Ironically, the boss said, “We have heard that Muslims do not support the oppressor but support the oppressed.” (How is it that these oppressors claim that) they are being oppressed and decide on the matter? Sadly, the money I paid was lost. They (Nizamuddin) never admonished him (Abdul Rashid’s nephew). Rather gave him more encouragement (to do what he was doing).
The CID officers and some others told us to just file a case (make a report and they will do the rest). However, I said, “Brother, this whole world, the fasting, Salat, and whatever (good that) is happening all over the world is because of the blessings of this place (Nizamuddin)”. I will be so unlucky that because of me this place (Nizamuddin) gets locked (and closed down) and everything ends. I would rather that as I go or come from the Masjid, someone just shoot sme down, so that I will be martyred and all these issues will stop and will end there. This was my reply to them. I kept it this way.
(…Voice unclear… ) Regarding the son-in-law, it was said that the last five hundred thousand he took was used for his business. One day, he was coming from somewhere, and on the way, a man beat him so much, that he became unconscious, fell, and all the money was stolen. The last five hundred thousand he took from me was used for his business. Well, my property (at Nizamuddin) is now gone.
There was a risk to life, and in such situations, it’s a person’s duty to save their life. How can we go there in such a state? (One example is that) If anyone (even) greets Maulvi Zuhair with a handshake, his head will be smashed. (While I was about to leave) someone stepped out the door and asked me where and why I was going. (I replied) Oh, brother, it’s been fifty years for us, the salt (of Nizamuddin) is in our veins! We are what we are today due to the blessings of this place. We are shedding tears of blood now! Do you think it is easy for us to leave like this? Nizamuddin was the centre of the whole world…(Maulana became emotional and teary here). You can never understand what we are going through. (People say,) Let’s go to Nizamuddin! let’s go like this? Is this how you say to go?
Second person: Look, it’s not a matter of personality; this work is a trust, and it’s our responsibility to protect this work. We haven’t left Nizamuddin because we want to form a party
Maulana Ahmad Lat: (Saying in an emotional and teary state) After hearing what I have said, if anyone among you has a heart in their chest and believes in Allah, then place your hand on your chest and ask, what should have we done in these circumstances !? I remember the day, right after the demise of Hazrat Ji, may Allah have mercy on him, there was a trip to America, Australia, and all those places. Even at that time (in 1995), I know the people who were plotting and I know the people who were told to plot, and they were saying that now they have to take control of all key positions (in Nizamuddin). They will not let any of Maulana Inamul Hasan’s people come forward. Maulana Umar, may Allah have mercy on him, was with me on the journey through Australia, and there was a time when his (voice unclear) happened. This is not something new today. You only hear the external parts that is apparent now (but many things have been happening in the background for a long time)…
Well… Allah is great.
Today, after all seeing the things that have happened in Nizamuddin, we asked Allah, ‘O Allah, how can we stay in this situation?’ Many have advised me to leave. It’s prohibited in a Hadith for a group leader to tell his group to jump into the fire. Should I go there to have my head broken, to have my neck cut off? I ask Allah, ‘O Allah, grant me martyrdom in Your cause and let my death be in the city of Your Prophet.’ But to die like this, to be humiliated like this?
Once, I was advised when Nizamuddin’s market was being built. (I am referring to) those shops that are there now. I adopted a son named Abdul Qayyum. I called him back saying that I cannot manage his education and upbringing, as I live here in Nizamuddin. People then advised me, ‘Maulvi Sahib, the market is being built, take a shop and bring him here, you can then have a house here. You can continue your work (in Nizamuddin) and they will stay there (in the house)’. I said, ‘I came to this Masjid purely for the effort of Deen. If one has to earn, Surat is a big city, and Gujarat is big. He can earn however he wants there. I cannot engage in any business for him. Maulana Ilyas Sahib, may Allah have mercy on him, had cursed that whoever stays in this Masjid (Nizamuddin) for worldly purpose or for business. Allah SWT should not bless their business, their life, or their wealth.’
Second person: Supporting the wrong cannot be justified under any circumstances. To end this work with our own hands is to support the wrong.
Maulana Ahmad Lat: I went to the grand mosque there, and effigies of Hazrat Isa (Jesus) and Hazrat Maryam (Mary) were hanging from the pillars. The siren continued for an hour and a half. When we visited Granada and the Royal Palace, I saw that one (… voice unclear…) of the queen and one (… voice unclear…) of the caliph, they bathed there for eight hours daily, with a book in hand, reading. When I read this text, my immediate reaction was that what we saw there was precisely what should have happened; the result was visible to our eyes. This is because Allah has no kinship with anyone; we are all His servants. We have our principles of work, its methodology, and its foundations. Maulana Ismail Sahib, may Allah have mercy on him, the father of Maulana Ilyas, had much larger properties in Jhanjhana. As he moved to Nizamuddin, he gave it all up. People would come and say, ‘Hazrat Ji! That house, so-and-so Patwari has… so and so….. Oh!! You are worried about the house, the land… Don’t you see (… voice unclear…) what it is? He no longer considered his home in Jhanjhana. A man came from Meerut, I have his statement of the 19th Ramadan, 1963. In it, a man came, he said, ‘Hazratji (Maulana Yusuf), you don’t have to do anything, just go to the Meerut court and say that you are the son of Maulana Ilyas. All these lands and houses are yours. And we will handle the rest of the proceedings.’ Maulana Ilyas, may Allah have mercy on him, warned, ‘Today you have said, but I am following in the footsteps of my ancestors, I am not here for that, Allah has given me a much greater task.’
