Kandhala is a small town in Mewat which is now part of Haryana state. Once it so happened that a piece of land became a bone of contention between two persons. One was a Hindu and another belonged the Muslim community. Efforts were made from the two sides to settle the dispute amicably. Nothing worked. They took the dispute to a court where an Englishman was the judge. As soon as the case was filed in the court of the then British India, the Muslim litigant declared that if he won the case, he would build a mosque on the plot of the land. Not to remain behind, the Hindu gentleman too announced construction of a temple, if the case was settled in his favour. The two announcements set the passion aflame. The fight over a piece of property now became a point of dispute between two communities. Rival claims aroused the sentiment and the administration felt that peace was under grave threat. Looking at the sensitive nature of the dispute, the English judge sought advice from a large number of people from both the communities in the town. Since saner people wanted peace to prevail they briefed the judge about the history of the area and the land under litigation.
The Hindu wisemen of the town asked the judge to consult a Muslim saint whom they trusted. The Muslims too agreed with the proposal and endorsed the choice. But they expected the Muslim divine to support the Muslim side as the Muslim party to the dispute had declared his intention to build a mosque on the piece of land. The judge agreed to call the old saint to the court on the next date of the argument. Meanwhile, there was jubilation in the Muslim camp. The Hindus maintained patience even though a large number of them had fears in their heart. The two sides waited the next phase of the case with bated breath.
A large crowd gathered at the court on the due date. The Muslim saint who knew the area as the back of his hand, appeared on the scene. In the packed court, the judge asked him about the ownership of the plot. The saint declared that he had always known it to be the property of the Hindu gentleman. The English judge wanted to know if the Hindus could build a temple on the piece of the land. The old man said: “It is his (Hindu gentleman's) property and it is up to him to do whatever he wants, construct a temple or his own house.”
The English judge asked the court to issue the title deed of the land in favour of the Hindu gentleman. The judge also wrote his remark: “Though Muslims have lost the case, Islam has won”.
Even as the Muslims were shocked with the verdict, the Hindus came forward and declared their intention to dedicate the piece of land for construction of a mosque with their own funds and to enter the fold of Islam.
The saint was none other than Mufti Elahi Baksh Kandhalvi who was a disciple of great saint Shah Abdul Aziz Dehlavi.
Moral: Truth always triumphs.
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March 2010 |
