From the book Islamic Revival in British India: Deoband, 1860-1900 quoting from Tazkiratu’r-Rashid by Muhammad ‘Ashiq Ilahi Mirathi:
He was the true succesor of Shah Waliyu’llah and people came from places like Bengal, Madras, and Punjab to study from him. He would begin his teaching of hadis with Tirmizi and impress on each student the interpretation and meaning of the work in simple words. He was very patient, and often repeated his explanations. For example, he would take a simple word like ‘attarah, perfure’s wife, which I recall him defining three times for an Afghan student, each time in simpler language. He always taught after ablution and required the same of his students. If they got tired he would amuse them with jokes and anecdotes until their stomachs hurt. Then, refreshed, they would be able to go on. He would tell a story so seriously that others laughed the more. Then he would become formal again, maintaining that respect and awe necessary for a teacher. His teaching was unique in that he spoke in accordance with each student’s capacity. . . His memory was so extraordinary that he could cite the page of a relevant hadis in the sahih collections . . . His students became his lovers, but he considered himself nothing.