Shaykh ‘Abd al-Ḥamīd Maḥmūd Ṭahmāz (1937–2010 CE) reports about his teacher Shaykh Muḥammad al-Ḥāmid (1910–1969 CE), one of the major Ḥanafī scholars and righteous Ṣūfīs from Ḥamāh, Syria:

“In the year 1356 AH (1938 CE), he travelled to Egypt, thinking that Egyptian society would not differ much from the societies of Aleppo and Ḥamāh. But he was surprised by a great difference: Egypt had preceded other Arab countries in being influenced by Western ideas and customs. Unveiling and mixing between men and women had become widespread, especially in Cairo and Alexandria. The shaykh, may Allāh have mercy on him, could not bear to witness munkarāt (evils), nor could he remain silent about them. Even in al-Azhar, he did not find the righteous environment he had experienced in Aleppo and Ḥamāh.

“In one of his letters to his shaykh [Shaykh Muḥammad Abū ‘l-Naṣr Khalaf al-Ḥimṣī al-Shāfi‘ī al-Naqshbandī (1875–1949 CE)], he wrote: ‘What hope does a true seeker of knowledge have in Egypt, when he sees forbidden things before him, behind him, to his right and to his left? He learns from people who do not act upon the Sunnah and who possess no spirituality, and he studies alongside students who shave their beards and moustaches, many of whom do not pray. They are disruptive during lessons, reading newspapers out of lack of interest in knowledge and little desire for it…They are seekers of certificates, not seekers of knowledge, for they read only part of what is required (in the syllabus) and are off most of the year. Some people from Ḥamāh wrote to me, telling me to stay in my room and not go out, as if they thought Egypt was like Ḥamāh. They forgot that on my way to the madrasah, I pass by a thousand munkarāt and forbidden things. I used to read more in my land than I do in Egypt and benefited more than the benefit I am gaining now. Allāh has bestowed many blessings upon me, but the soul was not content with that until it left the good for evil. To Allāh belongs the command before and after.’

“He, may Allāh have mercy on him, could not witness the munkarāt, so just a few days after his arrival, he returned to Ḥamāh.” (al-‘Allāmah al-Mujāhid al-Shaykh Muḥammad al-Ḥāmid [Dar al-Qalam], pp.28–9)

(Translated by: Mufti Zameelur Rahman)