False allegations and accusations levelled against the Ulama of Deoband

Q: I am a Sunni Muslim following the Hanafi school of thought and I reside in a small state of India where the population of Muslims is only 8% i.e. approximately 220,000, almost all which identify with the Sunni sect and follow the Hanafi madhab. In matters of spiritual and religious guidance we laymen consult our local imams, most of who acquired their education from other states and almost all of them follow the teachings of Darul Uloom, Deoband, India.

However, after reading some published text materials on religion and many online lectures, I am very confused as these writers and orators claim to be of the Sunni sect, following the teaching of Hajarat Imam Abu Hanifa in case of Fiqh, etc. but differ a lot from what the imams at our local mosque preach. Most of us highly regard the writer of ‘Heavenly Ornament’ Hajarat Asraf Ali Thanwi Mujaddid e Alf thani, along with the ‘Tablighi’ movement, ShahWali Ullah,etc. and condemn the teaching of Abul Ala Maududi, Dr. Zakir Naik, Ahmed Deedat, etc. These scholars however, contradict our imams and condemn Asraf Ali Thanwi Mujaddid e Alf thani and his elk as heretics (innovators) while accepting Maududi. I am very confused on whose words to take as I have no source for authenticating what our local imams preach or what the orators and the published text suggest. Although not much, I do understand that our Nabi (pbuh) declared that the group that holds firmly to his way and the way of the Sahaabah (ra) are the rightly guided ones. However each claims to be this ‘rightly guided ones’ all the while endorsing different and conflicting ideologies.

In light of the above conflicts, I am at a religious dilemma as to which one may be the right one to follow. I shall be highly obliged if you advise me on this matter and help me identify the way of the ‘rightly guided ones’. Kindly intimate me which one Hanafi madhab is the right group?

Suspending a khula

Q: I am separated from my husband for more than 6 months. My husband tries to arrange meeting and reconciliation but I dont want to go to my husband's home. Now my husband sends me notices that if i do not come within a particular date, it will be declared as a khula as I am not interested in any reconciliation done from my husband and he can get married again. If i don't reply or go on that particular date, will the khula take place? What will be the iddat period?

Issuing a divorce in court to dissolve a COP marriage

Q: Unfortunately we grew up in a time when our Islamic knowledge was very limited, hence it lead to a lot of mistakes and sins that we have committed. One being in question is that when we got married we followed the kaafir law of COP not realising and understanding the concept. Today it brings up alot of complications. Living in our country it is very difficult. People have advised us that the only way to rectify this is through an English divorce at the court. I am very afraid of this as the law of talaaq is not a simple issue and I don't want to live in sin and regret. Can Mufti Saheb please advise me on this.