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Mawlid A Renaissance The Visionary Awaking A Fatimi Masjid An Expression Of Love Milad |
The first of the "spring" months of the Islamic calendar, Rabi I, has special significance to Muslims all over the world. The birth of the Prophet Muhammad al-Mustafa (SAW) falls on the 12th of the month and is popularly known as Mawlid. To billions, the birth marks the most significant event in the history of humankind, changing forever its course. For the Prophet was and will always remain its benefactor, sent as "Allah's Mercy unto the Worlds". His benevolent concern for all of Allah's creation and his wish to see the fulfilment of divine purpose in each soul knew no bounds. He was and remains an epitome of all value. Fourteen hundred years later, his name evokes refreshing sentiments of love and devotion. Little wonder that Muslims choose to mark his birth anniversary with customary joy and religious merriment, beseeching blessings upon him in the reverence of the words of the Qur'an:
Allah and the angels recite blessings upon the Prophet. O ye who believe, recite likewise and invoke peace and blessings upon him.
Dawoodi Bohras too rejoice on that day which, for them, marks the start of a festive celebration of piety lasting forty days. The forty days are especially auspicious in that two other birth anniversaries also fall within that period, namely, the births of the Imam of the time and that of the Dai al-Mutlaq of the time. Dawoodi Bohras believe that the Prophet was succeeded by his son-in-law, Ali ibn Abi Talib (SA) and that Allah's revelational message was kept alive, made relevant and converted to practical guidance in each age by an Imam from their progeny, who led the community of believers. The Imam's existence is therefore a salvational necessity. The Imams appeared, son after father. They guided and bestowed, some bequething gems of supplication, others creating an effloresence of knowledge, others ruling in ideal justice, all being beacons of truth. However, the 21st Imam, who was born in the 12th century, and all his successors have chosen to exercise their divine right to be secluded from society and continue to guide the faithful from seclusion. The 21st Imam, al-Tayyib (SA), was born on the 4th of Rabi II, and that day is celebrated as the birth of the present Imam in seclusion. It is said that the birth date of the Prophet and that of the Imam of the time were celebrated in a grand yet solemn manner by the Fatimi Imams who ruled over much of the Islamic world in the 10th to 12th centuries. Along with the unflinching application of the principles of Islam, the love of the Prophet and his progeny (the Imams) is essential for the spiritual transformation of the soul. This love and devotion is the essence of the Shariah of Islam and the spirit in each of its precepts. Thus the recognition of the birth dates of those who were the subject of this love was viewed during the Fatimi era as a celebration of Allah's bounty bestowed upon believers and a reaffirmation of their devotion to His religion, in other words, it was a true celebration of piety.
When the Imam chooses to function from seclusion, he sets up a deputising office, that of al-Dai al-Mutlaq, to conduct Allah's mission on his behalf. This office has continued to function for close to nine Islamic centuries. Its present occupant and 52nd incumbent, the vicegerent of the Imam, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS) was born on 20th Rabi II 88 years ago. That day, known popularly in the community as the Milad, marks the end of the forty-day period of a pious festive mood that grips the Dawoodi Bohra community.
The era of Syedna Mohammed has seen a renaissance in the Dawoodi Bohra community. Ever since al-Multaqa al-Fatimi al-Ilmi, a landmark conference in 1979, the community has surged ahead spiritually, returning to the original practices of Islam, adhering ever more strongly to the prescriptions of the Shariah and reaping material benefits along the way. This renaissance was initiated by Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin and has been carefully nurtured by him. The community has risen to the challenges posed by modern living by applying traditional values of Islam to all fields of life. Islam, after all, is a complete way of life. The practices of prayer, fasting, zakat and charity, pilgrimage, offering of loans without interest and maintaining Islamic dress etiquette have all increased manifold. The establishment of institutions of learning and of economic welfare founded upon principles of Islam abounds. It is thus befitting that this period of celebration be made purposeful by the recitation of the Qur'an and prayers, and launching of projects and schemes espoused by Islamic values. The celebrations are almost a microcosm of the renaissance experienced by the community over the last 20 years or so.
The raising of souls of a whole society, as individuals as well as a community is no small task. The challenges of the times were well understood by Syedna Taher Saifuddin (AQ), the illustrious father and predecessor of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS). He foresaw qualities of greatness in his son and prepared him for his onerous task with zeal and vigour. Every opportunity, every event, every meeting and every edict was turned into an educational experience. By so nurturing his successor, he was effectively transforming the future Bohra community. He once said to his heir in a public gathering:
"O young man. Hasten in performing good deeds. Persevere in the face of opposition and difficulties. Supplicate Allah. Gather goodness. Awake sleeping souls and protect the Dawat as a lion does its offspring. The faithful followers of the Dawat, look upon with tenderness."
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin succeeded his father in November 1965 and immediately went about doing exactly that. Sleeping souls were indeed woken. Woken and raised so much that the state of stupor that each Dawoodi Bohra can remember in himself is barely recognisable 34 years on. It has been the work of a visionary.
To understand a visionary is tantamount to having a vision oneself. A visionary often acts beyond, or contrary to, common expectation. He perceives and acts according to his vision even when none can see its value. As the vision gradually unfolds over time, as the results become noticeable, as truth of the intuition becomes gradually clear, the observer begins to appreciate the depth of understanding that had been required to perceive the original vision with such clarity. Thus, when in 1979, Syedna asked of his followers to adhere to the Shariah with such strength of purpose as to abandon even the largest of businesses based on interest, the critic wondered at the sense of doing so in a world economy immersed in interest. But the vision persevered and those with the courage of following his prescriptions found material returns in an interest-free business that far exceeded their expectations. Similarly, the sharp identity fostered by the Islamic dress etiquette seemed, to some, a backward step in a modern world. Contrary to expectations, the dress code soon became a cause of respect.
The Dawoodi Bohras are fondly attached to the times of the Fatimi Imams, who once ruled over vast lands from their capital in Cairo. The 14th Imam, al-Muiz (SA), built the university-mosque of al-Azhar, which survived through the changes in rule to retain its position as the foremost Islamic University in the Middle East. But many of the other architecturally unique places of worship and institutes of learning reached the 20th century in a state of disrepair, victims of the vicissitudes of time. To renovate these relics and restore to them their original purpose and glory was a costly exercise, one that would exceed anything done by the community before. The visionary, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin decided to embark on the project nevertheless. Al-Jame al-Anwar, the huge masjid of the 16th Imam, al-Hakim (SA) had been subject to utter neglect. It was impossible even to envisage its original eminence. In 1980, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin completed its restoration, converting a disused structure into a vibrant masjid, an oasis of heavenly peace in a desert of uncontrolled commotion, an island of radiant beauty in surrounding filth. Those with reservations in the spending of fortunes on a masjid that had apparently no direct benefit to the community were confounded by yet another successful vision. The sleeping soul of a magnificent Fatimi masjid was awoken to fulfil its real purpose and epitomised the revolution that the soul of each believer would experience in its wake. Looking back seventeen years, the vision has been wholly vindicated. The visionary had once again been right. Along with the transformation of souls, the community's material wealth, far from being depleted, has grown to unprecedented heights. That act of devotion was followed by many more and in the meantime, Dawoodi Bohra masjids spring up today in all corners of the world.
The sacrifices made by the Prophet (SAW) and his holy family, particularly the great martyrdom of the Prophet's grandson, Imam Husayn (SA) find permanent life within the hearts of their followers. Strong devotion and love need to find an expression. Grieving and performing rites of remembrance for Imam Husayn (SA) have over the centuries become the principle way of expressing this love. The first ten days of the first Islamic month, Muharram, have been reserved for this purpose; for on the 10th of Muharram, called Ashura, Imam Husayn and his 71 loyal men braved the hordes of anti-Islamic forces on the plains of Karbala and laid down their lives for Islam. But some questioned the value of what they perceived to be an outdated form of grieving, a passion play, in a world of scientific realism. Once again, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, as the representative of Imam Husayn (SA) had a different vision. He saw the need for giving even greater expression for the love and devotion that is latent within the very being of each of his follower. He raised the mourning rites to new heights. Sermon gatherings (majalis) describing the sacrificial events of Karbala, had become, over the hundreds of years, an essential part of the religious tradition of the Dawoodi Bohras. These majalis, already great sources of learning and spiritual elevation, were now re-enlivened by him to become a potent force in spiritual transformation and ascendancy - an entire season of spiritual blessing. Each year the faithful gather in their local centres to attend majalis of Imam Husayn (SA) in an unprecedented assertion of their faith and love as tens, even hundreds of thousands others from all over the world make their way to hear Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin himself elucidate the meaning of the great martyrdom and its relevance to today's life. His exposition touches every heart and the exuberance of spirituality of his majalis pours into each soul, each home and each family transforming the entire community as one.
These blessings are counted during the celebration of piety between mawlid and milad and as the forty-day season ends, the believer cannot help but look back and reflect upon his spiritual and material progress under the benign leadership of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin - even since his birth 88 years ago. There can be no greater pleasure in finding that the visionary has indeed guided his flock amicably to the grace and bounty ushered into the world by Allah fourteen hundred years ago through the birth of His noble Messenger.
May this grace of Allah surround him on his milad and always.