ME AND MAULANA: A PERSONAL RECOLLECTION OF WAHIDUDDIN KHAN - John M. Butt

3. Maulana Wahiduddin Khan Sahib is internationally recognized for his contributions to world peace. 4. The 500 Most Influential Muslims” has named him “Islam’s Spiritual Ambassador of Peace to the World.” It is with great sadness, deep sorrow and profound loss to have read from the news of Hazrat Maulana Wahiduddin Khan’s passing on to Eternity on the 9th of Holy Ramadhan 1442 AH (Islamic calendar) or 2nd April 2021 AD. We pray: “Inna Lillah Wa Inna Ilayhi Rajiun”. “Verily we belong to Allah; and verily to Him do we return” (Holy Qur’an Surah Baqarah: 156). Hazrat Maulana Wahiduddin Khan Sahib (Quddissa Sirruhul Aziz Wa Rahmatullah Taala Alayh [May Allah honour and bless his sacred memory and grant him the best of Allah’s mercies]) lived his earthly life for 96 meaningful years in the service of Islam and humanity. He was an exemplary Islamic spiritual master, saint of peace, prolific author of Islamic books and Muslim aalim (scholar) who preached Islam as the religion of peace and harmony being the mission of his life and as the theme of his vast scholarly Islamic literature and spiritual books. I and my wife Belinda were indeed privileged to have met Hazrat Wahiduddin Khan Sahib in person, kiss his blessed hands and receive his blessings including the gifts of books authored by him when we visited him in his home in New Delhi, India. To remember our sacred encounter with Hazrat Maulana Wahiduddin Khan Sahib, I will narrate at length our blessed visit and more than two hours audience with him in that hot Indian summer of the year 2017.