Chapter 14

The Martial Arts

فنونِ حرب کی تعلیم

✦

Instruction in the Martial Arts

(Bānōṭ, Laṭṭh, Talwār, and other weapons; Kushtī; and Dāo-Pech)

In the era when Ḥaḍrat's stable at Rukāb Ganj was flourishing, a steady stream of people came to him from the West — children, students, disciples, and those seeking instruction. He used to teach all of them, from the very beginning, the proper use of the bānōṭ (staff-fencing), laṭṭh (lathi), and talwār (sword), and in addition the techniques of dāo-pech (wrestling locks and throws) and their forms of breaking and parrying. When Ḥaḍrat took up residence at Madīna Manzil, he would spend some time each day in the courtyard in front of the house, with the outer courtyard of the house under construction at the time; and inside the house, the government storehouse had been established in those rooms. After that, the disciples used to gather in the rooms at the back of the house. Special wooden planks had been cut for wrestling and dāo-pech practice. For a period, the instruction of kushtī (wrestling) and dāo-pech continued here too, but after some time this routine was discontinued — for by that period Ḥaḍrat's age, health, and strength were no longer equal to the task of personally demonstrating dāo-pech locks.

He used to say that in times when carrying weapons openly is against the law, at least a stick can be kept nearby at all times. And a man versed in the art of bānōṭ can through its means not only defend himself but actually strike an adversary. He used to give encouragement to those who came to learn bānōṭ with these words.

In truth, Ḥaḍrat wished that a Muslim should have no anxiety, no restlessness, and no helplessness — but that his spirit remain ever alert. He wished that their specific disposition should be such as to be shaped toward boldness — so that they could stand up and confront whatever came.

He used to say: To some people, simply standing up to fight is extremely difficult; to complete the fight — to press on through it — is even harder. To get hit, one's blood spills; to get cut, the flesh falls away. But, he said, life and death both belong to God — both roads lead toward God. The Muslim too must become manly. Alas, Muslims themselves have stripped their sons of their courage, and their hearts have grown cold.

Lāṭhī and Bānōṭ Staves

The staves used for lāṭhī and bānōṭ are made of bamboo. These staves are famous for their individual characteristics specific to each locality. In Shālī Hind () the staves of various localities are known by special names. The staves of Shālī Hind bear the names: Muranā Pāṭā, Munga Mīr, Murshidābād, Bīg Godām, and Dakan Mīn Vīlor. Ḥaḍrat was very fond of collecting the bamboo staves that grew in those localities. However, Ḥaḍrat's own staves of the Vīlor kind were not available. For the Vīlor staff is light as air and moves like an arrow — it is the finest in calculation. Ḥaḍrat had several staves made from branches that servants had cut from the heads of those trees. He had come to possess a mastery over bamboo from a young age.

Ḥaḍrat indicated some of the good qualities of a staff. For instance, a staff that is straight — that is, if you drop the staff into water, it should sink and be in that same submerged condition. The weight of the staff should be considerable: it should be heavy, thick, and robust — not crooked and thin. In addition, one should also check the age of the staff. The staff should have such fine qualities that to produce beauty in its grain it should have been rubbed down with a mixture of scented oil and fat; and in order to produce redness of colour in it, it should be rubbed with oil to which red dye has been added. The purpose of keeping the colour was so that the staff together with its tassels should become sticky and firm. In general, Ḥaḍrat used to have all the Vīlor staves brought and placed in an oil-storeroom in this manner so that the smoke of fires in the room could cure them. He used to have the staves rolled about so that the smoke could reach every side. The smoke from the fire would turn the staff black. This smoke could not cure the staff of dampness.

Some staves were turned yellow by the smoke. The purpose for this was to make the staves lighter. To create weight in a staff, it is kept buried in moist earth and watered each morning. By following this routine for several days the weight of the staff increases, and it also becomes firm.

From his youth, Ḥaḍrat had an unlimited passion for weapons of various kinds — for example, bows and arrows, swords, jambiyya (daggers), knives, pesh-qabż (straight-grip daggers), khanjar (curved daggers), guptī (concealed blades), bichhuā (scorpion-daggers), quails , revolvers, and so forth.

The bichhuā (scorpion-dagger): its tip is closed and then opens — like a bud that opens. The guptī (hidden blade): it looks like an ordinary walking-stick from the outside. Inside the stick a sword is concealed. The fruit of the stick is a fruit that pops off — and the moṭh (handle) is attached to the fruit. The moṭh and the stick are thrown off to reveal the place to leap to. For Ḥaḍrat, this hand-technique was exceedingly pleasing and effective. The chhatrā (umbrella): in general, as a frontier weapon it is kept very much in readiness. Its throw is enormously powerful.

The qarolī (a small dagger): it is the smallest of the daggers.

The pesh-qabż: it is a close-following weapon. It is quite narrow and sharp. It is a weapon of the Pathāns. For Ḥaḍrat there were several guns as well, some in pairs — a double-barrelled one, a single-barrelled one. Some had broken springs. Some guns were revolvers of small size, from several of which he could fire many rounds.

For the cleaning of these weapons, Ḥaḍrat had appointed a special person whose function it was to clean them whenever they came in. However, all the weapons that were the property of better-armed persons came in time to be deposited with the police. Ḥaḍrat was grieved by this, as these weapons were, he said, "like a black sleep." He used to demonstrate marksmanship with these weapons, making signs, so that every weapon would remain correctly calibrated.

Swords

The older weapons are mentioned here, and those that will be narrated going forward. But the focus of what concerns us here is Ḥaḍrat's own engagements and his passion for the various dimensions of his life — yet presenting all of these is beyond the scope of this work, so there is no purpose in enumerating them fully.

Ḥaḍrat possessed some swords, some of which were sīdhī (straight-bladed) and some tham-dār (with a grip).

The sīdhī talwār (straight sword) is of a special shape and is what they call a ḍhob (). Ḥaḍrat used the straight sword to strike from a greater distance and to slash more frequently and with force. Altogether, the straight swords are superior. The genuine sword is identifiable by bulāqī (the pattern of the blade) — because the iron from which it is made is of such quality that when good iron appears on it, the sword looks as if it has not been made of iron. A certain kind of gem shines within it — what they call the johar (damascened pattern) of the sword. They say that the johar of the sword is auspicious.

Regarding khamīr (the tempering of the blade) he said: the khamīr talwār (tempered sword) is both wide at the bottom and narrow at the top. The identification of the iron's bulāqī is that the iron is of a silver-like uniformity in colour and complexion, and the real sword can be recognised by further indicators — namely, if the sword is struck by both sides it will spring back and return to its original form. The real sword's temper is very soft. The real sword is exceedingly hard to bend.

Ḥaḍrat used to show several types of genuine swords, and he used to have their meaning explained as well.

One type of genuine sword is called janūb (southern): this is a straight, dark, and pleasing sword — its identifying mark is that it has two channels (nālīān) running through it. The special characteristic of this sword, by its bulāqī, is that it is cut so finely that its edge becomes quite curved.

The second type of genuine sword is called maghrib (western): this is a dark straight sword — it is not commonly available. However, it is extremely good and of great size. He said: this sword is better than the southern sword.

The third type of genuine sword is called ṭalab: this runs between south and west. It is polished and clear like a mirror. It does not have khamīr.

All these types of genuine swords were available with Ḥaḍrat.

Ḥaḍrat very much liked the throwing of swords. Before throwing a sword, he had a special technique with it — a salute with the sword before throwing; going forward with great joy to greet it; and giving a military-style reply to the greeting. Sayyid Jaʿfar Ṣādiq Ḥusaynī, known as Ṣādiq Pāshā Ṣāḥib, used to be permanently appointed as a target-board in the Kālā Kamān room. Ḥaḍrat was so pleased with his wedding that whenever the carriages of the grandchildren came near the motor-car in front of it, he would throw the sword toward the motor and demonstrate his sword-throwing skill with his own hand. Ṣādiq Pāshā Ṣāḥib was among Ḥaḍrat's elder uncles and the pīr-murshid (spiritual guide). After this, several grandchildren in turn staged demonstrations of sword-throwing.

The Jambiyya

Ḥusaynī Pāshā Ṣāḥib, smiling, threw it with a very special and beautiful manner, and all were greatly pleased and cried "Bravo!"

On one occasion, there was a sīdhī talwār (straight sword) at the hands of Ḥaḍrat — an excellent weapon, always kept sharp. He was fond of it and used always to keep the jambiyya (dagger) engaged in his hand. Ḥaḍrat said to him: "Good, come — good dagger, come and ward off!" But the dagger in his hand was at that moment still in his hand when Ḥaḍrat gave the sword a sudden start, but the sword touched the tips of his fingers and swept across the back of his hand. The owner was astonished beyond measure, and the hand and sword were used thereafter without effect.

At Rukāb Ganj, Ḥaḍrat's stable near the house of Dawlat Khāna was close by. He was a fanāʾ-e-ḥarb (a master of martial arts) — the jambiyya was his art, which he mastered and kept in a state of perfect readiness. On one occasion, he expressed the wish to Ḥaḍrat to have them fight, and Ḥaḍrat kindly allowed them to do so. Seeing this, both jambiyyas collided, like two lightning-bolts. Some observers began to feel uneasy — the two were breathing their last — and some, tense, remained still. Ḥaḍrat then came to recognise that Ḥabīb was a real Arab who was the grandson of Ḥaḍrat ʿAlī al-Murtaḍā (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) and ʿAlī al-Murtaḍā's weapon was in his hand — and he (Ḥabīb) had learned to throw it in the manner of his ancestors. Ḥaḍrat, smiling, said: "We two are complete friends — and in this contest, since every blow of Ḥabīb was hitting me personally, and the duel, despite its fierceness, showed no trace of hidden anger or spite from either side — the next day Ḥaḍrat went to Dawlat Khāna and said, approaching him to apologise: 'I have never at any time wished to engage in a contest with you.'"

On one occasion, Ḥaḍrat remarked that the jambiyya keeps its holder supple in the ribs. It is indeed a good weapon, but getting iron close to the jambiyya is not possible. It has the shape of a khanjar (curved dagger). It is a Khurasānī weapon — it came with the ʿAbbāsids. It is bitter like bitter aloe — the jambiyya opens like a blossom in the side and closes when you look inside it.

Since Ḥaḍrat was proficient in the martial arts, he gave full importance to the martial arts — and he sought for a long time to find a real master of the martial arts. Among the general public, as a master and teacher of the martial arts, he was of real standing.

On one occasion, a dear disciple of Ḥaḍrat named ʿAlī Ṣāḥib came to serve in his presence, together with his bānōṭ (staff), and he brought a young man whose name was Ḥasan. Ḥaḍrat said: "We shall salute them." Then truly both became very fond of each other. The lāṭhs began. All the spectators gathered around with eagerness. The gaze of Muḥyī al-Dīn Pāshā Ṣāḥib fell on Ḥasan; and then the gaze of Ḥasan fell on Muḥyī al-Dīn Pāshā Ṣāḥib's gaze — he saw that the water in Muḥyī al-Dīn Pāshā Ṣāḥib's eyes had filled with water. Muḥyī al-Dīn Pāshā Ṣāḥib was furious and fierce. Thereupon the hands began to show off the sword's cleanness. Now, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes one way, then another — Ḥasan became an expert in the sword. The instructor concluded the contest, and Muḥyī al-Dīn Pāshā Ṣāḥib went away without delay, saying: "It does not seem proper to me at all." Muḥyī al-Dīn Pāshā Ṣāḥib said: "Muḥammad Pāshā Ṣāḥib, it does not seem proper to me." He said: "Do you not think the matter through?" In his youth, these people were only a hill-fort — they had uprooted a cannon by their very youthfulness.

The Battle of Khandaq and Ḥaḍrat ʿAlī (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu)

During the Battle of Khandaq (the Trench), the Messenger of God ﷺ summoned Ḥaḍrat ʿAlī (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) — when the opponents called for single combat in the open field. The Prophet ﷺ himself granted permission with his blessed hand and with his own sword. He prayed to God the Most High, saying: "O God, preserve them." The companions also prayed. Then Ḥaḍrat ʿAlī (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu), in the manner of a lion at a well, was set before the eyes of the world — so that they saw ʿAmr ibn ʿAbdawad before him, the pile of whose corpse had been made there.

The beloved ʿAlī Ṣāḥib came back a second time to serve Ḥaḍrat. He struck at them and asked: "To whom did you teach this?" Ḥaḍrat replied: "God." When Maḥbūb ʿAlī Ṣāḥib heard this, he said: "You cannot hide anything from God."

Teaching Lāṭhī and Sword

Ḥaḍrat used to have the work of lāṭhī and sword cleaned from the very beginning with various kinds of footwork. For instance, first moving forward, then moving backward — when it reaches its destination, it can move forward again and backward and keep going. And after this, he used to drill the practice of moving backward again, step by step — walking forward on the right side and in a circle on the left side, step by step, and circling on the right with the feet so that on the left side the feet circled.

Standing on the feet, Ḥaḍrat's son Abū al-Qāsim Muḥammad Ṣāḥib, known as Muḥammad Pāshā Ṣāḥib, had no answer. His method, seeing it in action, was as easy as it was practically very difficult to implement. People tried to imitate him, but when they tried to imitate him they became wounded. Muḥammad Pāshā Ṣāḥib used to throw the bānōṭ excellently — he used to throw four times a day. Ḥaḍrat said regarding him: "Truly — so many people have learned the bānōṭ but Muḥammad Pāshā Ṣāḥib completed the full art — so he gave it." Thereupon Ḥaḍrat used to hold, as a bānōṭ stick in the hand, not only the actual staff but also the sīdhī talwār (straight sword) in Maḥbūb ʿAlī Pāshā Ṣāḥib's hand — along with the hand, the straight sword too was with Ḥaḍrat. In addition to these, Ḥaḍrat used to give, as his own disciple in bānōṭ, to the disciple Muḥammad Ḥusayn Ṣāḥib, who was tasked with teaching the stick in the school — he himself used to give them khalāfat (authorisation) as a bānōṭ-holder's walking-stick. The disciple of Ḥaḍrat, a master with the staff and bānōṭ, was a pupil named Sayyid Mīr Ṣāḥib, one of whose names Ḥaḍrat had kept as "al-Shayāṭīn" — meaning his best technique of fighting was that in return for his hand's staff he used to give khalāfat (permission to teach).

The Footwork of Lāṭhī

In the work of lāṭhī, from the very beginning, all are taught to hold the lāṭhī and the technique of saluting. The lāṭhī is held with a large, high mound on one end. Some people hold up to the forehead and some up to the ear.

The salutation: left tang, right tang, left kālā, right kālā, turn left kālā; and the practice of this is as follows. After the practice of this, seven blows of the wār are taken and further additions made.

Seven blows of the wār: salute — four-hand blow; right side — sar, muser ki rok, ā ni ki rok, bāyāñ kālā, rotation of left kālā.

Seven blows of another wār: salute — four-hand blow; sar, muser ki rok, ā ni ki rok, bāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ kur ki rok, dāyāñ kur ki rok, bāyāñ kālā, rotation of kālā.

Thirteen blows of the wār: salute — four-hand blow; sar, muser, sar ki rok, ā ni ki rok, bāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ kur ki rok, dāyāñ kur ki rok bāyāñ kālā, rotation of kālā.

Fifteen blows of the wār: salute — four-hand blow; sar, bāyāñ chimpār, ā ni ki rok, bāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ kur, dāyāñ kur, bāyāñ kur ki rok, dāyāñ kur ki rok, bāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ guhnā (dāyāñ ḥamlat-e-ḥaydarī — meaning both hands together from the right, so as to leap from the right with both hands), bāyāñ ḍhigrī, bāyāñ ḍhigrī (yāʿnī iltī ḥamlat-e-ḥaydarī) bāyāñ kālā — rotation.

Twenty-five blows of the wār: salute — four-hand blow; sar, ā ni ki rok, bāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ chimpār ki rok, dāyāñ chimpār ki rok, bāyāñ kur, dāyāñ kur, bāyāñ kur ki rok, dāyāñ kur ki rok, bāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ chimpār ki rok, dāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ ḍhigrī, bāyāñ ḍhigrī, dāyāñ ḍhigrī — ḥamlat-e-ḥaydarī, dāyāñ guhnā, bāyāñ baṭlī, bāyāñ baṭlī, bāyāñ kālā — rotation.

Thirty-one blows of the wār: salute — four-hand blow; sar, ā ni ki rok, bāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ chimpār ki rok, dāyāñ chimpār ki rok, bāyāñ kur, dāyāñ kur, bāyāñ kur ki rok, dāyāñ kur ki rok, bāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ ḍhigrī, bāyāñ ḍhigrī, dāyāñ ḍhigrī — ḥamlat-e-ḥaydarī, dāyāñ guhnā, bāyāñ guhnā, bāyāñ ḍhigrī, bāyāñ ḥamlat-e-ḥaydarī, bāyāñ ḍhigrī, bāyāñ ḥamlat-e-ḥaydarī dāyāñ kur, bāyāñ baṭlī, dāyāñ baṭlī, bāyāñ kālā — rotation.

Thirty-five blows of the wār: salute — four-hand blow; sar, ā ni ki rok, bāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ chimpār ki rok, dāyāñ chimpār ki rok, bāyāñ kur, dāyāñ kur, bāyāñ kur ki rok, dāyāñ kur ki rok, dāyāñ ḍhigrī, dāyāñ guhnā, bāyāñ ḍhigrī, bāyāñ ḥamlat-e-ḥaydarī, bāyāñ ḍhigrī, dāyāñ ḥamlat-e-ḥaydarī, dāyāñ kur, dāyāñ baṭlī, dāyāñ baṭlī, bāyāñ kālā — rotation.

These are the blows of seven, nine, thirteen, fifteen, and seventeen for training the student, guarding against an adversary who has arrived ahead of time, and to which the answer is a counter-blow of the wār.

The blows of lāṭhī mentioned in the above sequence become well-practised when combined with the footwork of moving forward and backward. Ḥaḍrat used to teach the work of the sword through these footwork patterns, using wooden staves in place of swords.

In the initial instruction of the sword's larat (), from the very beginning, a four-hand salute is taught: left bāyāñ ṭāng, right dāyāñ ṭāng, left kālā, right kālā. After seven blows of the wār, the practice of larat is taken and further additions made.

Seven blows of the larat: salute — four-hand blow; sar, bāyāñ chimpār, ā ni.

Seven blows of another larat: salute — four-hand blow; sar, ā ni, bāyāñ chimpār.

Seven blows of yet another larat: salute — four-hand blow; sar, bāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ kur.

Ten blows of larat: salute — four-hand blow; sar, ā ni, bāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ kur, dāyāñ ḥamlat, ā ni, dāyāñ phānk, ā ni.

Twelve blows of larat: salute — four-hand blow; sar, bāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ kur, dāyāñ ḥamlat, ā ni, dāyāñ phānk, ā ni, dāyāñ gurdhan, bāyāñ pāliṭ.

Twelve blows of larat with repeated sar: salute — four-hand blow; sar, sar, bāyāñ kur, dāyāñ chimpār, sar, dāyāñ kur, sar, bāyāñ kur, sar, ā ni, dāyāñ kur, dāyāñ ḥamlat, ā ni, dāyāñ phānk, ā ni, dāyāñ gurdhan, ā ni, dāyāñ pāliṭ, ā ni.

Twelve blows of larat with repeated bāyāñ chimpār: salute — four-hand blow; bāyāñ chimpār, sar, bāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ kur, dāyāñ chimpār, sar, bāyāñ kur, dāyāñ ḥamlat, dāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ ḥamlat, bāyāñ chimpār, ā ni, dāyāñ ḥamlat, bāyāñ phānk, bāyāñ gurdhan, dāyāñ phānk, bāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ pāliṭ, bāyāñ chimpār.

When these blows were well-practised, the throwing (phaintak) of the sword would begin. For throwing, the rule is that after every blow a change of direction is made — the sword's edge must not be facing downward. Whichever ā ni it is thrown to, the throw is reckoned by a sīdhī talwār.

Phaintak 1: sar, dāyāñ chimpār, ā ni, bāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ ḥamlat, bāyāñ phānk, dāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ gurdhan, bāyāñ pāliṭ, dāyāñ pāliṭ.

Phaintak 2: sar, dāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ qadm par sar, bāyāñ chimpār, dāyāñ kur, bāyāñ kur, dāyāñ chimpār ki rok, bāyāñ ḥamlat, dāyāñ ḥamlat, bāyāñ phānk, bāyāñ ḥamlat, bāyāñ gurdhan, dāyāñ pāliṭ.

Note: from the ā ni onwards it is a counter-blow of the sīdhī talwār.

Phaintak 3: sar, dāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ kur, dāyāñ kur, dāyāñ ḥamlat, bāyāñ phānk, dāyāñ ḥamlat, bāyāñ ḥamlat, dāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ gurdhan, bāyāñ pāliṭ, dāyāñ pāliṭ, dāyāñ jānib anīāñ.

Phaintak 4: sar, dāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ qadm par sar, dāyāñ jānib anīāñ, bāyāñ kur, dāyāñ kur, dāyāñ chimpār, bāyāñ kur, dāyāñ ḥamlat, bāyāñ phānk, bāyāñ ḥamlat, dāyāñ ḥamlat, bāyāñ kur, dāyāñ kur, bāyāñ gurdhan, bāyāñ pāliṭ, dāyāñ pāliṭ, dāyāñ jānib anīāñ.

After all the blows are practised, the students are drilled on every wār simultaneously, with agility — ʿAlī Pāshā Ṣāḥib was such a practitioner that no one could touch his ā ni in any wār.

The Ḥitkī (Head-Blow) Exercise

Ḥaḍrat kept the name of the ḥitkī (head-blow exercise, ) as "Shalālā" — and it produces a combined assembly of spinning rotations on both sides. He called these technical terms "Bāzam al-Aḥzāb" (), and thus referred to Imam Ḥusayn (ʿalayhi al-salām), writing in his own hand the couplet used in this context:

بے ادب لے جب حضرت سے وار کیا ✦ ہاتھ شلالہ سے کٹ کر گر گیا

When one attacked Ḥaḍrat with disrespect — the hand fell off, cut by the Shalālā.

بازم الاعزاب تھا سرگرم کار ✦ جب امام پاک پر نزلہ ہوا

The Bāzam al-Aḥzāb was engaged in action — when the calamity fell upon the pure Imam.

By the first verse, Ḥaḍrat is pointing out that when someone struck disrespectfully and the Imam cut his hand with the ḥitkī-blow — and here a factual error is possible. Because the references to the events of Karbalāʾ — the Imam's cutting of the hand, and so forth — are not mentioned. However, the manner of the hand technique makes it clear what is meant.

In the second verse, Ḥaḍrat is indicating that because the enemies sometimes brought the Imam to near-death and took him close — at that point you took both spinning rotations together, with which to produce the combined assembly and gather them for total destruction.

From the very end, all lāṭhī-holders strike each other with each type of blow and are struck in return by every type — nails break, ankles become wounded, rings and fingers break, scratches form. A certain kind of total seriousness develops — one dagger or the other kind of total seriousness comes. There is a total purpose for Ḥaḍrat in this lāṭhī form. That is: it trains the student to keep his gaze on the lāṭhī or sword during the contest. But Ḥaḍrat's instruction in teaching was that one should keep the gaze on the enemy's face — for from the face and the movement of the eye, the enemy's intention becomes known about what blow he intends to deliver.

Ḥaḍrat's Fame in Bānōṭ

Ḥaḍrat had great renown for the bānōṭ, and a skilled student of his came and presented himself to Ḥaḍrat. He praised Ḥaḍrat and expressed the wish to proceed with the bānōṭ. This young man's name was Ḥasan. Ḥaḍrat said: "We shall greet them." Truly, both became very well-matched. The lāṭhī contest started. All the people gathered around with eagerness — the contest was truly difficult to watch. People were trying to imitate him. When they tried to touch him, they would become wounded. Muḥammad Pāshā Ṣāḥib used to throw the bānōṭ excellently — he used to throw it four times a day.

Also, Ḥaḍrat, in his teaching of bānōṭ from before, used to give Maḥbūb ʿAlī Pāshā Ṣāḥib (Nawāb Mīrī Maḥbūb ʿAlī Khān Āṣaf Jāh )'s hand not only the stick but the straight sword as well, and in addition this Ṣādiq ʿAlī Ṣāḥib, Abū al-Turāb's son, was also given the same. And to his own disciple, the bānōṭ-holder — a student at the school who was tasked with teaching the stick — Muḥammad Ḥusayn Ṣāḥib, he would himself give khalāfat. Ḥaḍrat's student, a master with the staff and bānōṭ, was a pupil named Sayyid Mīr Ṣāḥib, one of whose names Ḥaḍrat had kept as "al-Shayāṭīn" — meaning his best technique of fighting was that in return for his walking-stick he would give khalāfat.

The Ḥitkī Name and the Shalālā

Ḥaḍrat named the ḥitkī-blow "Shalālā" and would produce a combined spin of both rotations together, to which he gave the name in terms of the conventional terminology "Bāzam al-Aḥzāb," invoking Imam Ḥusayn (ʿalayhi al-salām) in those terms as he used it, writing this couplet in his own hand:

بے ادب لے جب حضرت سے وار کیا ✦ ہاتھ شلالہ سے کٹ کر گر گیا

When one struck disrespectfully against Ḥaḍrat — the hand fell, cut by the Shalālā.

بازم الاعزاب تھا سرگرم کار ✦ جب امام پاکؔ پر نزلہ ہوا

The Bāzam al-Aḥzāb was fully at work — when the pure Imam was struck with calamity.

ʿAlī Madd (The Reach of ʿAlī)

Before teaching the bānōṭ, Ḥaḍrat used to teach one ʿAlī madd (the forward extension of ʿAlī) as an aid. This is because this is a good quality. Ḥaḍrat used to stop it at three ā ni, and Ḥaḍrat's own instruction kept the ʿAlī madd under special tutelage. Also, Ḥaḍrat used to hold female students, his grandchildren, and sisters at home in it as well, and there was a specific quality of the ʿAlī madd that developed from them too.

A devoted disciple of Ḥaḍrat, Maulānā Qutb al-Dīn Ḥusaynī Maḥmūdī Ṣāḥib, who was also a brother-in-law and a special student of Ḥaḍrat in the martial arts, used to come from his uncles to serve Ḥaḍrat at times. On one occasion he came to Ḥaḍrat's service and said: "Can I do anything?" Ḥaḍrat said to him: "You cannot hide anything from God." He said: "Where are you?" — The instructor said: "Bring — I'll show you the art of bānōṭ from the front and back." Ḥaḍrat used to keep a complete self-controlled balance in teaching, so that as Maḥmūdī Ṣāḥib joked, lightning played around him and the opponents were soon forgotten. Suddenly a blow came and then the other side — one blow was coming and the other going. Maḥmūdī Ṣāḥib was joking, then laughing, then from the side — a blow came and pierced through, and Maḥmūdī Ṣāḥib's face became pale with pain. Maḥmūdī Ṣāḥib acknowledged: the protection of Ḥaḍrat's students was unlimited.

The Kushtī (Wrestling)

Ḥaḍrat had famous and distinguished wrestlers as his disciples in his era.

Once, a famous wrestler from Ḥaydarābād named Maulā Bakhsh came and asked Ḥaḍrat to teach him wrestling. Ḥaḍrat said: "Your profession is the day-and-night work of mastering wrestling — to wrestle here is your livelihood. But to understand that truly, Maulā Bakhsh was a wrestler with three moves in three blows and he was well-versed in slashing all the moves. Ḥaḍrat continued to insist on him learning wrestling and went ahead and he continually went. Ḥaḍrat gave a spring — pick up, pick up, stand straight. The wrestler Maulā Bakhsh repeated: this is my request to you that he could not break the move. Then Maulā Bakhsh came jumping down — he said: now what have you torn? Ḥaḍrat said: what has been torn I cannot now understand — but it seems to me to be a natural response."

The famous wrestler Rakānah's wish to wrestle was with the Messenger of God ﷺ — and he told him in laughter: God is so compassionate that he remained, so as not to throw him. God's way is also to give compassion through Maulā Bakhsh the wrestler — it is possible that Maulā Bakhsh threw the wrestler, and the move by which he laid him was the move on which the Prophet ﷺ had laid him.

Ḥaḍrat at the Ground of the Masjid of Ḥatb (Hātib) in Rukāb Ganj

In Rukāb Ganj, in the great dangal (open wrestling ground) of the masjid of Ḥatb, Ḥaḍrat was a top wrestler. He used to take his grandchildren with him to the dangal. He used to observe the wrestling there and would show his grandchildren his delight in it. Ḥaḍrat used to give his grandson Muḥammad Pāshā Ṣāḥib the instruction of wrestling, and in those days Maulā Bakhsh Yarnī Pāhlavān Ṣāḥib was teaching at the masjid — and Muḥammad Pāshā Ṣāḥib also used to teach there. Maulā Bakhsh Yarnī Pāhlavān and both were skilled wrestlers.

Professor Ilyās Yarnī Ṣāḥib's Account

Professor Ilyās Yarnī, the former Head of the Department of Economics and former member of Osmania University, writes Ḥaḍrat's profile as follows: A strong, luminous, high-forehead, tall figure, two and a half feet in stature, a fine athletic body with a medium height; strength with good iron quality — the small, iron, stone, and steel in it; very knowledgeable in weapons — the fine art of arrows, sword, knife, dagger, laṭṭh, spear, khanjar; skilled in horse-riding, swimming, aiming, and training; love and kindness — the warmth of a physician; all men young, all become friends; look at your childhood, look at your youth, look at your maturity; we are all equal in youth together. — Look at all of it together, look at the heart; by every colour, in the water it melts. — We are the banner of the advance. Look at the hands — with pain the legs unite; and again also to the clinic, the healthy and strong also go.

(From Ṣirāt al-Ḥamīd, Part One, by Professor Ilyās Yarnī Ṣāḥib)

Professor Sayyid Muḥammad Ṣāḥib writes:

Your blessed hand — the hand that had the grip to break a wrestler with great power — I felt a great precision in my hand. The hand that showed the full power and mastery of your art — this same blessed hand which was many thousands of times applied to the heads of great wrestlers and, stroking their heads with compassion, kept away their pains and aches.

(From Māhnāmah Qādir, 1381 AH)

Young men worthy of wrestling used to come to learn. He would say to them: "I shall now kill one from among you." He was of such venerable age, and his fearsome and reverential personality — no one, because of his character, had the courage to put their hand on his neck or to tightly grip his neck. He would make them put their hand in such a way — then later say: "Now hold my neck like this." Then he would say: "Good — now hold my neck." Then he would say: "Keep your hand on my neck like that — now, properly — do not put your hand here — do not be afraid, do not put your hand on my neck." He would be guiding them as they brought themselves to the proper wrestling position. Then, demonstrating the kushtī technique, he would show how two wrestlers come face-to-face with each other and demonstrate the technique and method of each move. Then the other one would come forward on the same track and teach the moves of every real one and then help them understand the proper twisting and practically work through it.

From one he would say: "Now come — look well at the move, bring the mark to show you and focus the sharpness of its subtlety — and then yourself break the move and learn how to cut it." In this way, showing complete teaching and teaching the student sincerely, the mastery of the art and giving the right to the student — the world and religion would be complete with Ḥaḍrat. Thousands upon thousands of disciples — spiritually rich in worldly renown, including the professor of Osmania University — his presence was like a friend and teacher without self-interest and pride, and through their presence Ḥaḍrat had become a place of the tajallīyāt (divine manifestations) of God and the Prophet ﷺ.

Ḥaḍrat used to say: It is easy to make a wrestler bow in a daṅgal and to teach him, but the musical sound is beyond measure — this is a very difficult valley. In this daṅgal there is a confrontation of temperaments. The large strong men fall on all four sides — and more large men also fall on the roof in distress.

In his era, Ḥaḍrat had as his students the famous and distinguished wrestlers Qar al-Dīn Khān.

Accounts of Ḥaḍrat's Demonstrations of Wrestling

On one occasion Ḥaḍrat was watching seated on a horse. Muḥammad Pāshā Ṣāḥib was teaching wrestling while walking alongside with a small stick and was also teaching those students who were advancing forward. It was believed that Ḥaḍrat, for the sake of rescuing those ahead of him to save and teach them, kept walking from one place to another and kept going. Kab — it seemed as if Ḥaḍrat was walking about in his own place. And in the same place Ḥaḍrat was staying put: "Why are you running?" So he said to Muḥammad Pāshā Ṣāḥib: "Why is he running and why is he so worried?" He replied in this condition by giving a divine answer saying: "think of this former life before saving a soul — and you find nothing." He said a little later: Ḥaḍrat Muḥammad Pāshā Ṣāḥib came picking up the bānōṭ stick — soon it turned out that what was previously a little was not, but faces became red and they began to blossom in warmth. Ḥaḍrat smiled while throwing the bānōṭ and said: "It does not seem proper at all." Ḥaḍrat said: "It does not seem proper, Muḥammad Pāshā Ṣāḥib." He said: "Do you not think it through?" He said: "In my youth I was only a fort — they were only overturning cannons from the earth." The bānōṭ in teaching from gharz (purpose) held fifteen staves of various sizes. The bānōṭ from lāṭhī, in general, the students were in pairs of juries. In general, in pairs of juries — my and Mosī juries since childhood — we had been steadfast as partners until youth together. We have become more than both others — in the match of juries of these two together, howsoever tired Ḥaḍrat and others were — we had seen this — but in the match of the juries both were outpacing in their fine technique in particular, holding and seizing with both hands, and astonishing all in their match.

Enthusiasm for Learning the Bānōṭ

From those watching, there used to develop a zeal for learning the bānōṭ. On one such occasion: "At this very moment — my stick is moving." We were coming and observing Ḥaḍrat's presence and receiving blessings. He was busy at the time. He spoke — "come" — and we heard Ḥaḍrat's voice — music's voice was heard — "come" — and Ḥaḍrat said: "take the stick from the hand of the Mosī men" — and then he said to us: "Now begin, then slow down, then fast, one after another, and attack and then the opponents began to look at others who were coming and going." Ḥaḍrat then remained in his place, and I in the direction of those who were coming and going, to save them, to save those above, came Ḥaḍrat's face — everywhere there came a gaze. Ḥaḍrat, smiling, hit and knocked and said: "come — no hand will strike anyone now." The truth is that Ḥaḍrat was simultaneously looking to one side, in a fixed gaze — and coming, the environment of Ḥaḍrat's face, the neighbourhood of which is also mystic. His blessed face was that of a faqīr (a spiritual mendicant who had nothing). These characteristics are that they live in a sub-conscious awareness. These are engaged in this very thing: those through whom people come to Ḥaḍrat to learn the bānōṭ, the honour of learning the art of bānōṭ, and the fayyāḍ (spiritual spring) of the art too comes together.

خدا کی دین کا موسنی سے پوچھنے احوال
کر آگ لینے کو جامس چیبری لل جاٸے

From those who watch, he used to say: "Truly — these people came only for the purpose of learning the bānōṭ and ended up becoming the elect of the spiritual path and the interior blessings — as exemplified by Muḥammad Ḥusain Qādrī Ṣāḥib who came only for the bānōṭ in the khalāfat of Ḥaḍrat, but through his presence the inner unveiling (kashf-e-bāṭinī) occurred, and thus he became inwardly elevated and a holder of khalāfat."

When the full jang maṭlūbah (desired battle) was finished, he used to keep a full vigil on each student. At that time he kept an eye on the condition of each person. All around, the combat was in progress. He was cutting every blow of the wār from everywhere. Both spinning rotations were going along with each other. Also with him was a search for a fixed place. If there was any compulsion in a central glance — then the persons who were coming and going were all broken and confused. In the end, a shout of "Bravo!" rose from every side — and the sound of "Bravo!" became loud. At this moment of Ḥaḍrat's face, joy was apparent, and the eyes showed contentment.

On one occasion, such a jang maṭlūbah was held on the occasion of Ḥusaynī Pāshā Ṣāḥib — Ḥusaynī Pāshā Ṣāḥib brought the matter to near-death close to him. However, taking him to the final point of near-death, he was unsuccessful. Then when it was known that his feet were moving in a quick rush, with the thunder of lightning, his face had become like a lion's — not a former gentle disposition any more. Ḥusaynī Pāshā Ṣāḥib later said: "Muḥammad Pāshā Ṣāḥib, this is not at all how it seems." He said: "Does he not think properly — it does not seem proper to me." In his youth alone they had the power of a full hill-fort — they kept fifteen staves of various sizes in the bānōṭ. The bānōṭ in teaching from lāṭhī with staves — in general, lāṭhī students in pairs would go at each other. In general, in pairs — the juries come and go. In general the pairs' juries were we — the companions of Mosī — my and Mosī juries were both from childhood we kept together. We have been equal together till youth. Both equal and more than the others — however one also saw this — however in the match of juries, Ḥaḍrat and others grew tired — but in the match of juries, Ḥaḍrat's technique of seizing with both hands in particular, in the demonstrations, was the best occasion in all their fights, astonishing everyone.

Ḍāktor Sayyid Muḥyī al-Dīn Qādrī Zawar's Account

Ḍāktor Sayyid Muḥyī al-Dīn Qādrī Zawar writes in an article concerning Ḥaḍrat: "I saw once how in the courtyard of the masjid at Rukāb Ganj, among the wrestlers and fighters, there were very big renowned fighters — the youths gave applause and praise for them; and this was the time when Ḥaḍrat was already some fifty years beyond his prime ()

In the human body, some of these points are such that if they are given a blow to their fingers or ankles they become unbearably painful. And of this kind of blow, the enemy at that moment, if he is shocked at these points, cannot keep his own body or weapon separate from it — and the adversary can be brought to the ground in this series of blows. This is Ḥaḍrat's research.

Ḥaḍrat used to describe the vulnerable points as a "Shock" (shāk), as follows:

Eyes
Nose
Below or above the chin
Between both ears from behind
Large bone of the bamboo stave
Shinā — girī (the nape, falling forward)
At the pēshlīōñ kē ūpar (above the ribs) on both sides
Between the ribs
Knee — below on the bone
At the forehead
Knee bone — on the side towards the body
Near the knee — below the bone
Below the knee — near the bone
At the ankle and at the inner ankle-side of the shin
Pouncing at the knee — near the bone below
Fingers and the knuckle of the little finger's side meat
For gaining a counter-blow — in the small joint
Small ribs — at the pounce
In the intestines
Small ribs
Stomach
Langōṭ
Āiṛī (heel) — on the lower part of the ankle on both sides — it is a vital and mortal point
Āiṛī kē dōnōñ jānib phichlē ḥiṣṣah (both sides of the back of the heel)
Near the foot's fingers at the knuckles

Ḥaḍrat also described some precautionary measures, as follows:

When a large person or others come at you in a shape like a servant or young boy — pass in small steps (poets say: move lightly).
In the shape of a large person or others coming from in front of you in such a situation — catch hold of the loin-cloth — the large ones will come in your hands involuntarily.
Always keep the chāṭū (knife) with you and be used to using it.
While walking, keep an eye out and be wakeful — do not be heedless from every side.
Know all the local women in full and have your own women on call so they can be assembled at the opportunity.
Do not go away from the enemy without taking permission — be aware of his intention at all times.
Know the enemy's weakness.
Do not give importance to the body in the fight.
On a bullet — lest it disturb you — tie a blessed string of tasbīḥ (prayer-beads) or some kind of firmly knotted silk or cotton thread around it in your possession always, and it can also be used on the spot at any time.
On every person do not be hasty in trust.
Always keep secrets as secrets.
Women — come with little weaponry — trickery, skill, and so on — come to it.

It is necessary for Ḥaḍrat to always be kept in view of these instructions, which will be narrated above and below in service. He said: "hunger, thirst, and cold — do not give in war work."

He said: "victory and defeat are not only a matter of the body — a small organised group and its brave community can defeat a large army."

He said: "victory, conquest and wisdom, power and wisdom — are inherited."

He said: "prepare weapons and practise their use — this is the sunnah of the Messengers. In this era, flintlock guns and revolvers — horses, elephants, cannons, and rifles — and:

وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُم مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رِّبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ تُرْهِبُونَ بِهِ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ

'And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of God and your enemy' (Sūrat al-Anfāl, 8:60)

— this means: every kind of preparation — it is a means to frighten the enemies — it is a means to stop the ẓālim (oppressors)."