“Nau’so warass lagan chale’, ehni zikr Quran ma’
hoveej joiye'”Dr. Seyedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Saheb TUS.
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“Jaha’ lagan d’am ma’ d’am rehay, ek ragh halti rehay,
waha’ lagan Imam uz Zaman ni Khidmat karjo”
Dr. Seyedna Tahir Saifuddin Sahib RA; of revered
memory.
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Nine Centuries of Successive Benevolence,
N ine novel centuries secluded an Imam
by his vicegerent,
recent times depict their rule
as almost a novel reminiscence,
I ntensive intelligible leadership,
benevolent & munificent,
the Dai ul Mutlaq of each era
is etched in resonating reverence,
N umerous nights of solitude
and seeking solace,
bereft of the Imam and his empire,
and Islam’s highest office,
E ngaging every enemy standing guard
at Islam’s palace,
a Dai ul Mutlaq ventured to salvage,
and patiently suffice.
C entury after century would reveal
the most resounding battle,
the sentiments of Islam
and its revelations kept closely secure,
E ntailing, emancipating, endowing
and educating the faithful,
the Dai ul Mutlaq dedicated
their life towards the soul’s cure,
N one necessitated a dedication
seen in the likes of them,
eschewing worldly ambition
bringing fertility to Allah’s final deen,
T antamount to the call to faith
from the Imam’s veritable realm,
the Dai ul Mutlaq stood guard
on duty as none could ever have been,
U nseen and yet endowing endlessly,
the Imam’s hand lay on their shoulder,
the Dai ul Mutlaq pledged to maintain
this office come whatever….
R epeatedly persecuted by
unscrupulous kings of their era,
they saught patience in remembering
the house of sorrows of Ma Fatema,
I ndicted dissidents demanded
deplorable warrants of arrest,
they ventured to erase Hussains name
from the faithful’s chest,
E ndowed by a nine hundred year old office
of sentiment and wisdom,
the Dai ul Mutlaq faught
for righteousness and its freedom,
S priritually and secularly
their work is benevolent and undying,
choosing capable successors
the office never ceased functioning.
O fficiating their duties,
authority and jurisdiction,
a community of believers
turned towards a Dawoodi Bohra tradition,
F orming a community of
steadfast faith and belief,
gathering believers to mourn
thy matchless martyrdom in grief,
S warms of busy bees converged
to soothing sermons,
a clear path to eternal freedom
sprung from Ilmi fountains,
U nilaterally declaring this community
one which doubts not,
a cradle of human beings, rare gems,
secured from Satan’s plot,
C onstantly craving the preambles
of the secrets of creation,
ameliorated and endowed by
the Dai’s “laagni” and benediction,
C reating credible and creditable
enterprises and companies,
the community engaged themselves
in business and its philosophies,
E mbattled by the ways of the world
and who held the stakes,
bohras venturing overseas
came to be known as enterprising sheikhs,
S ervice to the community and mankind
revealed their philanthropy,
astute businessmen generous and kind
to people and community,
S o strengthening sufficiently
a vohra identity of entrepreneurs,
pridefilled they chose to be their beloved Aqa
Maula’s believers,
I ntuitively incumbent
lay memories of the Creator,
mumineen were re addressed to their identity,
value and culture,
V eritably vohras were given verity
addressed as mumineen ni jamaat,
the Dai ul Mutlaq revealed
a destiny to heaven and its one true path,
E nlightened yet enchained in sin,
they sought the mercy of the Almighty,
the Dai ul Mutlaq teached each believer
who to remember in solemnity.
B uilding bonds of goodwill
with rulers and emperors,
the sole aim of the Dai
was temporal peace for his believers,
E nraged enemies foraged
for new ways to trample the mission,
the Dai ul Mutlaq and his ruling rights
they wantonly question,
N ine centuries of gathering wisdom
about the people of this world,
the Dai ul Mutlaq’s immaculate knowledge
and learning was unfurled,
E recting Mausoleums and Mosques
with true Fatimid architecture,
the Dai ul Mutlaq ventured to
lay a strong foundation in each believer,
V alidating with value to velvet
the fabric of this close knit community,
the Dai ul Mutlaq’s task is tiring
and can never be proclaimed easy,
O rdained aamils with oratory wisdom
to spread and inculcate Islam,
the Dai ul Mutlaq commends
their mundane and temporal charisma,
L aying layer upon layer of noorani garb,
sheltering followers from harm,
never forgetting Hussain and his camp
on the burning sands of Karbala,
E nticing eloquently utilising
oratorical powers and insight,
Islamic scriptures and revelations
were mesmerisingly braught to light,
N ominating and preparing each successor
with immaculate care and attention,
the Dai ul Mutlaq paid heed
to their Imam’s secretly given Ilham,
C reating such ambience and joy
amongst their followers to jubilation,
that they are regarded a
Royal family protecting the faith of Islam,
E ven today Kings and Queens fondly remember,
with a Dai ul Mutlaq their brief yet amicable
encounter…
By Huzefa Sh Asgarally.