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This account, that I have written
about Dada Sain's life story is, in essence,
based on heard truths, attempted to be written
accurately. However, just two weeks ago, Haleema
(my brother Ehsan's daughter) told me something
new, which was not within my knowledge: that the
British government had given Dada Manjhi a
letter of āfrīn [souvenir]. Haji, my
brother named after my Dada, recently searched
for and found it, and gave it to Ahsan Ilahi,
who has had it plastic coated and kept it. I
also became curious, so I too requested it, had
it plastic coated myself, and kept it as a
document. This is so that our descendants know
what our mother's family was like, what their
public relations and attitudes towards the
government of the time were, and how they became
renowned through their moral qualities. In
reality, every person has only what they brought
from their True Master. If that Merciful Sain is
pleased, then everything is His. May He always
be pleased. "Rasī na rāṇō ta ghōriyāñ bājh
biyēn jī" [If Rano doesn't reach, I
sacrifice the grace of others].
But it is also true that humans have been sent
into this world, so they also need honour here.
They possessed that. Now, may Allah Sain, in the
Hereafter too, favour them with His mercy from
the shoreless ocean of His forgiveness. Ameen,
Summa Ameen. Dada used to say, "Abā:
Jō dē gayā sō lē gayā,
Jō bōl gayā sō chhōṛ gayā."
[What one gave, that one took with them;
What one spoke, that
one left behind.]
Maternal Grandparents - Sweeter
than Honey, the Beloveds
Now, about the maternal grandparents, I must
give an account of my respected Nani. Throughout
this writing, I haven't mentioned my maternal
relatives. I fel it's necessary, Insha'Allah,
I am writing that account here too. May Allah
grant me the ability and the good fortune to
write the correct facts. Because exaggeration is
bad, so I should write truthfully. My Nani was
the daughter of Suleman Qadwani, who was a very
noble and respected man in Diplo town. His name
was mentioned with honour and respect in every
gathering. Ama used to tell me this. I didn't
exist at that time, but I am writing what I
heard. Nana Suleman knew that the girls
belonging to Chelhar were capable, so he married
from there. Ama's Nani's name was Kunwar Bai.
According to Ama, Nani was very capable.
According to the standards of that time, she was
multi-talented. Very noble and, along with that,
capable. Nana Suleman had three daughters from
her: Veerbai, Nani Hawa, and Nani Samani. My
Nani was the eldest among all sisters. My Dada
also needed a very good family background and a
capable girl for his brother Jan Muhammad. At
that time, people used to look for these
qualities, thinking, the offspring should be
from a respected family; if any difficulty
befalls a person, they will face it. Thinking
this, Dada asked for the match for his younger
brother, Nana Jani. Mukhi Manjhi came himself,
so Nana Suleman didn't refuse either. Dada also
showed great enthusiasm, having jewelry of the
highest quality made. Nani Hawa was married to
her cousin Nana Jamil's son, from whom Nani Hawa
had one son, Mama Haroon, and three daughters:
Sonbai, Izzat alias Ijjan, Rahiman. Nani's
mother passed away, so Nana Suleman married
again. I don't remember that lady's name. From
her, he had one son whose name he kept Muhammad
Mian. The sisters had great affection for their
brother; the brother was also equally good. And
Dada, according to his thinking, had brought
Nani considering her sensible and capable. All
these points were indeed present in my Nani.
Even if the brothers (Dada and Nana) had some
dispute over property, Nani wouldn't speak about
it. She used to recite the Qur’an Sharif with
great interest and heartfelt devotion. She also
knew Gunj-ul-Arsh [a specific prayer] by
heart. She possessed a serious temperament. She
used to mind her own business.
My
Nana’s brother, Nana Moledino, who was Nani
Makan's first husband, passed away at an early
age. From him, she had one daughter whose name
they had kept Rajbai. Nani Makan was the
daughter of Qazi Allahrakhio, who was our Qazi
Sahib's late father. Dada had arranged that
match with great affection, giving his daughter
Sukhbai in exchange for his brother. But
whatever is destined by nature happens - what
is written on the forehead, the pen cannot flow
on neck. So, some time after Nana Moledino's
death, my Nana Jani's nikaah took place
with Nani Makan. The era of peace ended. My Nani,
poor soul, was saintly, soft-spoken, while Nani
Makan was very clever, and children were being
born one after another. Nani was a very patient
lady. I remember Nani used to teach us Qur’an
Sharif; she received a salary of five rupees
from there. Property had already come to Dada,
so Nana's family became poor, but Nani did not
let go of patience and gratitude. She would
write out gaj patterns for women; brought
a sewing machine home and would sew gaj
from it. She didn't shy away from this labour.
Nani gave birth to six sons and seven daughters,
from whom two were Mama Ahmed Ali and the other,
Mama Muhammad Umer. Two daughters were Ama and
Rahiman, who was also engaged but passed away at
the age of fourteen. The rest of the children
passed away at a young age. God knows the
reasons. Nani Makan also had seven sons and six
daughters, from whom two sons, Muhammad Misri
and Ibrahim, survived; two daughters, Masi Sikan
and Rehmat also survived. From all that
offspring, now only Masi Rehmat is still alive,
and is 78 years old; her mind is still sound.
All others have passed away. When Nana had
abandoned his brother Dada Manjhi's property,
they became poor. But anyway, our Qazis’,
meaning Nani Makan's brothers, who were very
influential, took Nana along, went to Darelo
(the place where our Qazi sahib and his
brothers’ lands were situated), opened a shop
for him there. They also took responsibility for
their sister's care. Nana passed away after some
time at the age of fifty. Inna lillahi wa
inna ilayhi raji'un. Nani Makan's brothers
took her in.
My
Nani, holding onto patience, sat down with her
children wrapped around her. Ama had also grown
quite old by then; she too would help Nani with
embroidery etc. There was one goat; they managed
with its milk for lassi [buttermilk
drink]. But they wouldn't stretch their hand
before anyone – doing this, she kept raising her
two sons with prayer. She wouldn't go to
anyone's door to ask. Nani Makan's mother, our
Qazi Sahib's respected mother, was a very
generous and large-hearted lady. She used to
bring a pot of butter and lassi for her
daughter. Sometimes she would tell them, "Veerbai,
take some for Ahmed and Umer too." Nani would
place her hands on her feet and say, "Ama, pray
for me that blessing comes upon my sons, so they
become strong men. Sorrows and hunger, God will
remove, Insha'Allah. I am hopeful at my
Lord's door; the Master Sain will help me and
these children, Insha'Allah." Once, the
story goes, the Siddiqanis, who had become
prosperous then, Haji Talib from among them sent
a word, "If sister Veerbai needs anything, we
will help her." Nani fell at his feet too and
said, "Give my greetings to brother and convey
my request that may Allah protect my children
from that curse of begging. Insha'Allah,
the hardships will pass." Just look at her trust
in God! Indeed, Allah is so Forgiving and
Merciful that He removed those hardships during
Nani's lifetime. She taught her sons tailoring
work. Then Mama and Haroon learned work from
Khatti Darzi [tailor]. My Mamas became so
skilled in that work that they made a name for
themselves. Sewing coats, putting cotton padding
in waistcoats and caps – they made them so well
that people wore them with great fondness in
winter. They earned so much daily that slowly,
slowly, they bought their own machine. After a
short time, they bought another machine too and
became comfortable and well-off. Mama Umer also
had a son, Jan Muhammad, born in 1936. Nani used
to do all the work herself; she wouldn't let Bua
Bhagil work. She loved us very much. In our
maternal grandparents' kurh, there was a
kandi [Prosopis cineraria tree]; its
singar [beans/pods] was very sweet. When its
pods dried, she would clean them, sieve them
through cloth, make flour from it, and make
kulur [dish made from Prosopis flour],
mixing ghee and sugar, and feed us. I
remember that too - she had immense affection
for us.
After my birth, Ama used to get pain in her
nerves, which would nearly kill her. Nani, being
the mother, was skilled with her hands; she
would massage, and Ama would get relief. Baba
used to be happy that she was serving Wasu;
after all, she was the mother. But even on that,
Ada Ehsan would sometimes make a big fuss. Poor
Nani would quietly leave. She would never
confront him. Although my Nani was in such a
condition, she wouldn't turn away a beggar
empty-handed. Despite such a humble nature, Nani
Makan used to trouble her greatly. My Nani
didn't know how to quarrel at all, but once Nani
Makan troubled Nani a lot, then she finally
cursed, saying, "Makan sister, I cannot contest
with you, but may your tongue stutter." Indeed,
it happened that way; Nani Makan's tongue
naturally became such that, like cuts on fish
pieces, marks appeared on her tongue, which we
saw with our own eyes. Nani's tongue was also
like a blessed pen; whomever she prayed for, its
effect was clearly visible. She tried not to
curse anyone if possible, because she was very
pure-hearted. She wouldn't abandon prayer,
reading the Qur’an Sharif, remembrance [of God],
and the Gunj-ul-Arsh prayer. Mama Umer
used to have stones in his kidney; he always had
trouble urinating. The infection eventually got
so bad that everyone said, take him to Hyderabad
for treatment. At that time, people also had
great sympathy. From here, Ada Abdullah, my
brother-in-law, Mama Ahmed, and some other
person were together. Mama Haroon, Nani's
nephew, and Nani herself went to Badin. From
there, a train used to run; by that route, they
went to Hyderabad. Nani stayed in Badin; the
rest took Mama to Hyderabad. The doctor said he
shall have to be operated upon but there was no
guarantee of success. For that, the guardian's
permission was needed. That was his mother, who
was in Badin. Then what happened? Nani read the
Gunj-ul-Arsh prayer, pleaded with Allah
Sain, and fell asleep. According to Nani, she
saw a man in white clothes with a dervish-like
appearance. He said, "Veero, don't put your son
under the knife." When she woke from sleep, no
one was there. She fell asleep again. Again, she
saw the same thing. She sat up and pleaded with
Allah Pak, "Lord, now You help. Who is here?
Whom should I tell? You help, become my
support." Barely had the sun risen when Ada
Abdullah arrived. He told her the whole story.
Nani said, "Son, may Allah Sain bless you. Bring
back my son. Now the Lord will help me and save
my child. He is Merciful and Kind." Then she
recited this verse:
"Holding onto Your hem, I have
come, O Dastagir,
I have fallen into the
abyss; rescue me, O Dastagir!"
The next day, they brought Mama back. Reaching
the village, she remembered God and gave thanks.
Then Ama had a dream that feeding Umer harir
[myrobalan] and jowar [sorghum] porridge
would make him perfectly fine. Ama came and told
Nani. Mama Umer was pampered; he argued fiercely
with Nani, so he didn't agree. Ama brought
harir and jowar porridge, saying,
"Today I will soak and feed Umer myself; where
will he go?" This was done, and in forty days,
he became perfectly fine. Where did the pain go,
where did the stones go? That was the fruit of
prayer. That is Allah Sain, when He decides to
remove hardship, there is no delay with Him.
Then, after a short while, Nani contracted
pneumonia. Within six days, talking, giving
advice, she departed. During that illness, she
told Ibrahim, "Aba Ibu [Ibrahim’s loving
nickname], Allah willing, you will become a
subedar [police officer]." She told Mama
Misri, "You will become a teacher." At that
time, being a teacher was also a big deal. Then
she told Ibrahim, "Aba, do one thing for mother;
she will bless you immensely. Take four pieces
of paper; write the Kalima on them.
Attach one to the ceiling, two to the sides, and
one to the opposite wall, so that whenever I
turn over or face forward, the Kalima Sharif
is visible to me. And write Qul Huwallah
[Surah Ikhlas] nearby too." Ibrahim followed the
advice. Nani was like "Departing beloveds,
talk of leaving." Ama had applied cow dung
plaster in the house at that time, so she was
fully occupied with that plastering work. Then
Nani called her and said, "Ama Wasi, won't you
sit with mother? I am leaving now. Then it's you
and Gul's house. Fill water for the beloved;
mother won't be found." That day Ama became
free, and Nani also made efforts to leave.
Around noon prayer time, she told Nani Makan,
"Sister, forgive me if I made any mistakes. I
have also forgiven you; you also forgive me. We
were co-wives. Alhamdulillah, now the
house in paradise is built and ready. By the
blessing of Qul Huwallah, I will reach
there." Ama went and told Dada. It was the month
of Chait [Sindhi month, approx. April].
Nani's cot was placed outside on the platform. I
remember that time as if it were today. I was
also standing there. Dada came, gently touched
Nani's face. Nani immediately tried to pull down
her veil. Then Dada, with tears in his eyes,
said, "Oh, my dear little sister - even while
passing, the beloveds won’t abandon their
practice.” Such was the adherence to
pardah [veil] of my Nani! At that moment,
the Maghrib Azan sounded. While Dada was
sitting, Nani recited the Kalima Sharif,
took everyone's testimony, and gave up her soul.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. She
instructed her sons, "Recite Durood Sharif
at night." Hamid Doctor, Ada Ismail Mithwani,
and one or two other contemporaries recited
Durood all night. In the morning, Allah Sain's
trust reached Him. May Allah Sain grant her a
place in the best garden of Jannat-ul-Firdous.
May the Leader of the Messengers be her
intercessor on the Day of Judgment. May she be
blessed with the sight of Hazrat
Khatoon-e-Jannat RA.
Remembering Nani, I forgot to mention Mama
Ahmed. This was recalled while dining with
Shahid. I will recount it here. Mama Ahmed was
the eldest among his brother Mama Umer and Ama.
He had immense love and affection for Ama and
Hoor too. His wife passed away when young. A
little daughter was born; she too passed away.
He remained alone. He had no personal
diversions. He asked Nani Makan for a match. My
Nani also pleaded with Nani Makan, "Please give
Rehmi (my Masi Rehmat) to Ahmed; open the door
for my son." She didn’t agree nor she denied.
Sensing denial, the poor man became dejected and
sat down. His voice was so sweet that people
would stop on the road to listen to him. After
my birth, Ama used to get a type of nerve pain
that would nearly kill her. Nani, being the
mother, poor soul, would keep hovering around
day and night. But when leaving, she said, "Ama
Wasi, I pray for you; this pain will never
return. I am asking Allah to pull out the roots
of your pains." And so it happened. Ama got an
indication that there is a dai [midwife]
in Badin; she lives in Vadero Saindad's house
and gives very good treatment. There, Baba took
us. He took two camels and two dhanars
[herdsmen] along with him. Baba was fond of
music and song; the journeys were also long. He
told Mama Ahmed, "Dost (friend) Ahmed, hum
something so this journey passes." Mama just
needed prompting. He started this song: "In
the name of the Unseen, steer my boat; I am
helpless and humble; there is no support of
anyone; I have recourse to You alone." On
the way, a caravan of Kolhis [a Hindu caste] was
passing. They actually stopped on the road,
saying, "What a voice the boy has!" They kept
listening until our camels disappeared from
their sight. The brothers had great affection
for Ama. They kept calling ‘Adi, Adi’,
especially Mama Ahmed. Perhaps he had expressed
that affection before departing. In those days,
the trend of gramophones had just started. So
first, in our neighbourhood, a 'phono' came to
the Qazis' house. Ada Abdullah brought it. Great
gatherings used to take place. In it, there was
one Na’at (poem praising the Prophet PBUH],
that used to play. Qazi Sahib's respected mother
liked it very much. She willed her sons, "When
my days are over and Maula Pak calls me, play
this phono along with the funeral procession and
let me hear it, so I keep blessing you. That
time has to arrive". So it came, Wallahu
Ghalibun 'ala amrihi [And Allah has full
power and control over His Affairs]. Then her
sons said, "Mother's will must be fulfilled."
But Chacha Maulvi Sahib, who always used to tell
his nephews and advise them, "Don't make too
much show. People will envy you”, suggested
doing it this way: "Sister's will shall also be
fulfilled, and you'll remain safe from people's
eyes too. Have Ahmed recite the Na’at."
My Mama Ahmed recited that Na’at. That
Na’at is written in Qazi's book, but I don't
remember it. I like it too, so I am writing two
or three words here as an example:"Who is better
than the moon? Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi
Wasallam [Blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him] - Who is the shining sun? Muhammad
Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Aalihi Wasallam".
So, when my Mamas' earnings increased, Mama
Ahmed felt the desire, "I should also get a
phono." And he brought a phono too. He got very
good records, and along with that, he got a
harmonium too. The phono he got was so good and
large, it seemed like it fulfilled the desires
for today's TV. Along with it, a loudspeaker.
Then, during the rainy season, Hoor and he
together, playing records of Mai Jeevni and
Master Chandar on the phono, would sing so well
that Baba, sitting on the cot, would keep
exclaiming "Wah, wah! Be happy!"
Mama Ahmed would come tired from the shop in the
evening and entertain himself like this to
relieve fatigue. He loved Jani [Jan Muhammad],
my cousin brother, very much, so much so that he
considered him above his own life. Once, the
story goes, he came for the afternoon meal. His
routine was to call Jan Muhammad immediately
upon arrival, seat him in his lap, and then eat.
He went inside and saw Jani sleeping. Calling
"Son, son," he tried to wake him. He didn't wake
up. Touching him, he found he had fever, but
what a fever! He said, "Bhagbai [Mama Umer's
wife], this son has fever, but very high." Mami
said, "Brother, you always cause concerns among
us. Just now I bathed and put him to sleep."
That didn't satisfy him. He called Nani Makan.
She came. "Makan, see how much fever this son
has. Bhagbai doesn't believe me." There Nani
Makan came. She said, "Indeed, very high fever."
Ama came running. Food remained untouched. In
the neighbourhood, Doctor Ramchand lived; he
brought him. What did he see? 107 degrees fever!
The boy was completely unconscious. He neither
hesitated nor thought, spread a prayer mat in
the shed of the maternal grandparents' place and
said, "O God, You are pure; I am a sinful
servant. I request that whatever remaining life
I have, I give it to this Jan Muhammad, but save
him. May a hot wind not touch him." Finally, the
doctor also treated him, applied cold
compresses, etc. The boy regained consciousness.
After a day or two, he got well, but poor Mama
had, as if, truly sacrificed himself for him. He
had fever for a few days – it didn't subside.
Eventually, it turned into TB. Suffering pain,
in 1942, poor Mama departed and went to meet his
Rab Pak. When Naheed was born, he himself named
her. At the time of naming, he said, "Sister
arrived, uncle left. You stay put." Ultimately,
it's a transient world. Everyone has to go. But
some deaths are very painful. He used to sing a
folk song with Hoor, we called Doro. When
a Hindu girl got married and went abroad, those
women used to sing that doro. I don't
remember it completely. Masi Rehmat remembers
it; Insha'Allah, if I recall sometime, I
will get it written down here. That is a memento
of my sister and Mama's memory, as both used to
sing together.
Social Work
These stories will continue as long as life
exists; they will keep running alongside it.
Furthermore, I want to write that the desire I
had in childhood – that I might be useful to
someone – I kept pleading to the Pure Lord at
every moment, "My Merciful Sain, grant me such
favour that I become capable of doing something
in my life, and provide such opportunities."
That Sain has always remained merciful to His
servants. And may He still always remain
merciful. Whatever opportunity I got, I tried to
help some poor person.
One day, what happened was that all the children
had gone to school. I was cleaning the house. A
small booklet caught my eye. I picked it up and
saw it. That was Bhutto Sahib's [Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto] era. I read it; Begum Nusrat Bhutto had
addressed some convention in Hyderabad city. The
account of it was very good and heartwarming.
Her speech also appealed to me greatly. They had
become very kind towards the poor. In that text,
one bait by Shah greatly pleased me, so
much so that I remember it to this day, and it
is etched on my heart:
“The stinking baskets, and the
winnowers soiled;
Touching their skirts causes
shame;
Lord Samo liberally grants them
prizes and presents.”
–
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai
I
thought, "Wow, what an era this is! One should
take advantage of it." Dropping all other work,
I sat down to write a letter. I had also heard
that Begum Nusrat Bhutto paid close attention to
private letters written to her and acted upon
them promptly. So, with great enthusiasm, I
wrote a letter that spanned eight pages. The
main requests I made in it were these:
l
That our Diplo town's Middle
School (girls) be upgraded to High School.
l
Scholarships be given to poor
(girl) students.
l
Some grant and sewing machines be
given to poor women.
l
An APWA [All Pakistan Women's
Association] school be opened to provide a
source of livelihood for poor women.
l
A generator be provided for the
town so that proper lighting arrangements can be
made here.
The exact words of the letter, much time has
passed now, I don't remember. But the gist was
what I have written. I wrote that letter,
registered it, posted it, and sent it. Whether
the respected lady received the letter or not,
Allah knows, but Allah Sain was inclined to
bestow favour at that moment. He heard all those
things and prepared His servants to act upon
them. After a short while, Bhutto Sahib's
government changed.
The peacocks died away, not a
single swan remained,
In their nests, the owls sat perched upon
them,
The homeland became
again, the domain of the crafty snipes.
–
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai
Some time passed, and indeed, a High School was
approved for Diplo. Although Ada Qazi Sahib got
it approved, whose Head Mistress also became
Rehmu, my daughter. In that short period, Manzar
Akbar became the DC of Tharparkar district. His
wife, Razia, came on a tour of Mithi and Diplo
and visited the school. Rehmu welcomed her very
warmly. She told Rehmu, "We need to open an APWA
school here. For that, please invite some
respected ladies of the city so we can select
our staff from among them and start the school's
work." Right then and there, Rehmu called me. I,
in turn, advised, "Invite other good ladies of
the town too, including Haji Bhaledino's wife
Sona, Siddiqani Sona, Dr. Shafi's wife Haliman,
Haji Ramzan's wife Adi Janan – in short, one
woman came from every neighbourhood. Now the
selection had to be done. After talking with
everyone and exchanging pleasantries, she said,
"We will make Adi Fatima the Chairperson. The
rest of the positions, you can decide among
yourselves according to your wishes." All that
was done. The school duly opened, machines also
arrived, three teachers were appointed: one was
Dr. Shafi's sister-in-law Mumtaz, one was Master
Muhammad Khatti's daughter, and one other lady
was appointed. The work began. Regular meetings
were held every month. When the work progressed
very well, and quite a lot of embroidered
clothes etc., were collected, a Mīnā Bāzār
[lit. 'ladies' market'; a fair with stalls often
run by women] was held in Mirpurkhas. I took the
goods. Our items were very well-liked. This
continued for quite some time. During this time,
General Zia's era was ongoing, local council
elections were held, women got the opportunity
to become Town Councillors, so Ada Tahirani, Dr.
Shafi, everyone put pressure on me. They
approached Qazi Sahib. Qazi Sahib happily
accepted that proposal too. I say this from the
depths of my heart and with prayer, that finding
a person as affectionate and kind, empathetic
and like-minded as Qazi Sahib was a gift from
Nature, for which however much thanks are given,
they are too few.
The favours upon me in Thar by
the Maru people are many,
O Umer, counting them,
how can I shed my blanket [of obligation]?
–
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai
Then we moved to Hyderabad. My
councillorship remained active from there too,
as the brothers would do all my work, get
signatures properly, and take them from me.
Then, a convocation took place in which General
S.M. Abbasi (Governor Sindh) was the chief
guest. We received an invitation, and I went
along with Apa Mrs. Shaikh. There, I made all
these demands. I got an appointment date to meet
the Governor, which was later communicated
through Commissioner Hyderabad Ada Abdullah
Memon. I took Mashhood and came to Karachi.
Twenty minutes were allocated for the meeting.
In it, I discussed all these matters with the
Governor. All requests were approved. The
generator was also received. A grant for women
was also received. Machines were also received,
which I distributed among the poor women with my
own hands. All these works were due to that
Generous, Merciful Master, by whose grace all
opportunities kept arising, and guidance and
leadership continued for this humble sinner.
That is the Lord, who is the Giver of the day
and the Merciful Master who fulfills the
servant's desire.
Then, in Hyderabad, the United Memon Jamaat was
established. In it, Dr. Allah Warayo Sahib
proposed my name. His idea was to make me the
President among the women, but the members who
were there proposed Apa Khursheed Memon's name.
I was happy with that too. I became the Vice
President. That work also proceeded very well.
Camps were held sometimes here, sometimes there.
We used to go. The children were grown up.
Everyone was busy with their own engagements.
Qazi Sahib's permission was there. We were happy
too. I managed the house well too. Then I also
became a member of the Sindh Memon Jamaat.
Later, we shifted to Jamshoro. Qazi Sahib's
health didn't remain well. I reduced those
engagements of mine. Meaning, the request I had
made to the Pure Lord, that through my hands
Allah Sain benefit someone, that desire the
Master Sain fulfilled. May it be accepted. I
worked without greed; the reward is with the
Pure Lord. He alone will give it.
The Merciful Master has bestowed great favours
and kindness upon me; He gave honour, peace,
security; granted virtuous and righteous
offspring; and also, a life partner like Qazi
Sahib, noble-natured, empathetic and confidante.
These are all favours of that Generous One;
otherwise, a human being, poor soul, is weak and
made of weak clay, what can he do! Alhamdulillah,
all favours have been received, and may they
continue to be received. And those kindnesses
too are beyond counting, like having a servant
like Arab – who shouldn't even be called a
servant, it's justified to consider him a son.
Forty-eight years have passed, and this person
has never mentioned leaving. In every situation,
he is with us like our own breath. These are all
favours of Allah Sain. If I do not lift my head
from prostration in gratitude to that Pure Lord,
it is justified. That Sain has kept His mercies
and favours established and constant upon me in
every way, Alhamdulillah.
In terms of offspring, all the
daughters, each one calls out "Ami, Ami" from
the heart. May Allah Sain grant them all a great
reward! If there are two sons, then I can only
say this: how did the Master bestow this favour
upon this lowly one, to receive such righteous
and virtuous sons, whose names, when mentioned,
a voice comes from the heart saying,
Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah. With what heart
and with what tongue can I acknowledge the
kindnesses of that Sain! That Merciful Master
has removed all my shortcomings. Shukr
Alhamdulillah. All the children, whose names if
I write, then too from every single vein of the
body the same voice comes, that may all the
daughters remain prosperous, settled, and
established with their own families and
households. And may Shahid Bachay Shaal and
sweet, dear Mashan be happy and settled with
their families. May all of you sisters, whom I
consider sisters or offspring, and both
brothers, who are my brothers too, love me more
than a father, and also all my grandchildren and
great-grandchildren – among them Farhan,
Masha’Allah, is big now, equating Shahid and
Mashan. Whose name should I write? Saleh,
Shanila, Ambreen, Asif, Naeem Khan, Amanullah
Mustafa, Afsheen, Murtaza, Sikandar, Shafia,
Aiza, and the little ones of Shahid, Mashan, and
Khalida – Farhan, Ali Muhammad, Rija, Raza
Muhammad, Shahzad Gul, Hadiya, Abdul Basit and
my little Aeman - everyone loves so much that
out of sheer gratitude, I cannot lift my head,
Alhamdulillah. Whatever kindnesses are in this,
whatever favours, they are all from that
Generous and Resourceful One, such that they
cannot be counted, Alhamdulillah.
Ami Roshan, the "Kāsh" [wish - if only I was a
doctor] she expressed in her young age, from
that small feeling, Allah Pak has given her the
reward in such a way that it is before all of
you today. And the service she rendered during
Hajj, or the concern she shows with heart and
soul whenever the need for treatment arises now
– its great reward is indeed with Allah Pak,
Insha'Allah. But the service she rendered during
Hajj, at that time I prayed for her before the
Ka'batullah, "O Allah Sain, this child,
outwardly she is performing one Hajj, but in
Your Preserved Tablet, write down seven Hajj for
her." Insha'Allah Ta'ala, there is no deficiency
of reward with that Master. May you all say
Ameen.
May Allah Sain keep my sweet little Khaloori
[Khalida] happy and settled, Insha'Allah. May
her Abdul Basit and Aeman grow big and become
the best support for their sweet mother and
their dear father, Insha'Allah, Ameen, Summa
Ameen. And also, all you children, whatever
service you have rendered to me, for that, may
Allah Sain favour you all in every way with His
grace, favour, kindnesses, and rewards,
Insha'Allah, Ameen. May you, for your entire
lives, with your entire families, remain forever
and ever settled and established, Insha'Allah.
There is no exaggeration in this. Allah Sain
knows, and I am grateful from the depths of my
heart to that Lord, that Merciful Master who
made the children so loyal, Alhamdulillah.
If
viewed realistically, in the world, a person has
two main confidants and sympathizers, for whom
there is absolutely no substitute. One is the
mother, in whose lap the child grows, and the
other, after marriage, is her husband. In this,
it must be said again that these two should be
loyal to each other. It's not necessary that all
men be so loyal, nor is it necessary that every
wife be so loyal to her husband, because the
condition of mutual cooperation exists therein.
But the mother, whom Nature has sent giving her
His own form, for her, the command given to the
offspring is that your Paradise lies beneath her
feet. For the husband too, the command is that
he is your metaphorical god. Allah Ta'ala
granted me both these blessings too with His
complete grace, such that I say from the depths
of my heart that a mother is indeed a mother,
but the love Shahid's father gave me, the
appreciation he showed me, the way he endured my
stubbornness – there is no parallel to it. For
that, I will only and only say this: Shukr
Alhamdulillah. May Allah establish and keep him
in the highest rank of Paradise, Insha'Allah.
That is my heartfelt prayer, that may Jannat
ul-Firdaus be his destiny.
On
12-09-1987, Farhan Bachay Shaal was born. We who
yearned for the name of a son, upon us the Pure
Lord bestowed such grace that Shahid Bachay
Shaal's son was born, that too during Qazi
Sahib's lifetime – well, how worthy of praise is
that Pure Being, who, when He comes to remove
hardship, there is no delay with Him. It rained
when the rain clouds gathered. Qazi Sahib became
extremely happy. His face shone like the
fourteenth-night moon, and saying Alhamdulillah,
he offered thanks to the Master Sain. And we
offer this gratitude, that Farhan's name was
given by his grandfather. We came home from
hospital after nine days. The beloved came
quickly, soaking the parched land. Promptly,
as per Qazi Sahib's command, performed the
little one's aqīqo. May his mother be
blessed. We combined the celebration (sīro)
for dear Farhan's arrival and the aqīqo.
His maternal relatives and paternal aunts all
came too, Alhamdulillah.
But what to do, that happiness did not suit us
for long. When Farhan was twenty-two days old,
his grandfather suffered a fracture, and we
immediately rushed to the hospital. It was the
mother's first child, so we sent them to
Sanghar. We ourselves established a path between
the hospital and home. After five months of
difficulty, we could not turn back Allah's
command. Before our very eyes, our priceless
jewel slipped from our hands.
I employed all
medications – my beloved did not return.
I am a rudderless
boat – the reins, O Master, are in Your control.
If You make me move,
I move – If You stop me, I stop, O Master.
-
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai
No
remedy worked for Qazi. From us and from these
children of ours, such an affectionate, kind,
empathetic father left us orphaned and went
away. Only these two words came out of the
mouth, and shedding tears from the eyes,
enduring the Ruler's command with patience, we
sat down. I thought, alas, who will look upon
our faces now? Those who used to look upon our
happy and sad faces, they have reached their
destination. Now, to whom will we address our
laments?
From here some
beloveds passed – how will they return?
The ascetics, the companion of the
helpless one – From here some beloveds passed.
Let me cut my flesh
for friends – soul of the Jogi, my liver,
My companion, friend of the helpless
one – From here some beloveds passed.
Days have passed
since I saw them – who knows what kind of
beloveds they are,
Like vines, I entwined myself – with
the tree of the beloved's sorrow.
That night passed
away – which was spent without the beloved,
Such close companions – how did you
sleep through the night?
-
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai
I
want to write this: after Shahid's father
departed, I thought, these are children of this
era, will they now respect my status or not? But
the way the children have kept me happy is
unparalleled. The figures who were
unforgettable, the children made me forget even
them. Aba, Allah Sain will give you, my
children, such a reward that you will remain
prosperous and smile in both worlds, Insha'Allah.
To
such an extent that when Shahid Bachay Shaal
immediately went off to Lahore academy to study,
Mashan took charge of the entire house and also
took care of his brother’s family. He didn't let
him look towards anyone else. As for their
mother – what these two brothers have done for
her, what can I write on this worthless piece of
paper! Those deeds are imprinted on my heart
like golden letters. I will only say this: Aba,
may you be granted a great reward from the court
of Allah Sain. May you always be prosperous with
it. There is no lack of reward with Him. Anyway,
when Shahid returned from the academy, he took
us to Punjab. There too, this child reached for
the sky. He showed us every nook and corner of
Punjab. Expenses etc., he also put into his
mother's hand, so that my mother wouldn't have
to ask even me. Shahid Bachay Shaal is Shahid
anyway, but my elder daughter-in-law, Shahida
Perveen, also spared no effort in comforting me.
Even though the expenses were in my hand, she
carried on gratefully and with grace. A very
long companionship ensued. We lived together in
Punjab. We would go sightseeing together too.
Shahida used to be happy. She understood
Shahid's happiness: whoever keeps mother happy
may well rule his heart. So she too made every
possible effort to keep me happy.
I
had raised Farhan, but she herself raised Ali
and Rija. She raised them well. Before that, in
Jamshoro, we passed the days of poverty too with
dignity. The daughter-in-law walked on our
thirsty courtyard, and our eyes would smile. Her
Ama Wadi, the elder one, used to call her "Sadā
sarahī" [Always happy]. Qazi Sahib used to
look at his daughter-in-law and thank God. I too
sang Allah's praises. When we came to Karachi, I
happily handed over the household expenses to
her. Now she has become mature and sensible. I,
Alhamduilllah, am very comfortable. In this long
association, nothing has ever happened that hurt
the heart. May all the children, my Shahid and
Shahida, remain safe. Then Mashan went to Saudi
Arabia. The thought he kept in his heart was, "I
will pay off Baba's debts, then I will get
married." He fulfilled that duty with complete
love, affection, and true devotion, Shukr
Alhamdulillah. And that too, Alhamdulillah, with
goodness, honour, and peace, Shahid arranged his
younger brother's wedding auspiciously, in the
best possible manner.
Having fulfilled those duties, then, when Roshan
prepared for Hajj, we were in Punjab. Khalil
told her, "Let's fill Ami's form together too,"
but without Shahid and Mashhood's permission, it
wasn't proper. At that time, we were in Shujabad.
I was reading Qur'an Sharīf when suddenly
Roshan's phone call came. She said, "I have had
this thought; your permission and that of both
brothers is needed." I was extremely happy
because the previous year I had seen people
performing Hajj on TV. Then I had pleaded to
Allah Sain, "O Lord, You are Generous. Next
year, open this door of Yours for me." That
Master Sain showed His grace, accepted that
plea, and provided the opportunity. Shahid came,
I told him. He said, "Ami, Alhamdulillah, may
Allah Sain's mercy be upon sister. Allah Sain
will grant her a great reward. Bismillāh, I will
call her now." He immediately called his sister
and gave her many blessings too. Then Mashan,
whose breath is always caught up in us. His
phone call came – it's still our experience even
now that when we remember him, it's as if he
gets a premonition beforehand that "They are
remembering me." It's like a wireless
connection. We spoke to him. He was very happy.
He immediately congratulated Roshan on the phone
and said, "May Allah Sain's mercy be upon you.
Allah Sain will give you the grace of
remembering your mother, and I will send the
ticket money for Ami's Hajj form." Roshan had
already filled the form. The purpose of writing
this is that all the children are so righteous
and virtuous that I consider these praises
belong to my Provider, who made them all so
virtuous, Alhamdulillah. Soon after Hajj, Mashan
called me to Saudi Arabia. There too, he spared
no effort. What didn't he and his wife do! Daily
outings, ice cream, and juices! My
daughter-in-law, Farrukhunda, also did not hold
back in trying to keep me happy. Whether I was
with them in Saudi Arabia or later in Canada.
Meaning, both husband and wife kept me pleased
in every way. Tea, there too, we used to drink
together as per custom. Farrukhunda would also
come and sit. May Allah keep them both happy and
settled with their children. When they come to
Pakistan, piles of gifts! Not just for me, but
for all my descendants! Meaning, Farrukhunda
Rani's desire was, "How can I keep Mashhood
happy?" She saw the way to do that through me. I
appreciate her sentiment with a sincere heart. A
good wife is one who recognizes her husband's
worth and liking. Anyway! What blessings can I
give them, who take every step saying "Ami,
Ami!"? In Saudi Arabia, we performed four or
five Umrahs, and spent Ramzan and
performed Eid there – meaning, broke the fast
facing the Holy Ka'ba in Makkah Sharif, and then
went to Madina Pak. He took fifteen days' leave
so that Ami could easily see those sacred places
and worship her Pure Lord. Acceptance is from
that Merciful Sain, but these children did not
hold back according to their means.
Alhamdulillah, again I offer thanks to that Sain.
Then I requested that Shahid should also come,
and the sisters who could willingly come, let's
invite them to perform Umra together with
us. He called them, they too, Alhamdulillah, all
got ready. Rehmu, Allah Bux, Roshan, Nasim and
Shahid arrived. Everyone performed Umra
and prayed for their brother. Allah fulfilled
that wish of mine too, that Shahid hold my hand
and help me perform Umrah – Shukr
Alhamduillah.
May Allah Sain grant Aziz that good fortune too,
Insha'Allah. That virtuous sister too, Allah
willing, will perform Hajj and Umrah
together with her husband and her children.
Allah Sain is very Merciful. When He wills, then
there is no delay with Him. By Allah Sain's
grace, significant hardships have passed. Now,
Alhamdulillah, they are in a position where
those days are not far when that hope too will
be fulfilled for them, Insha'Allah Ta'ala.
Those children too have served us greatly. And
also Ismail, the sacrifices he made for his
father-in-law – meaning, it can be said that he
served him giving him the status of his own
father. Allah Sain will give him the reward for
that with a very good recompense, and has given
it too, Alhamdulillah. The Master Sain is
Merciful. If any person takes even a step as
small as a mustard seed for good, He does not
let it go waste. You all have served us
countless times. May Allah Sain's mercy be upon
you.
Rehmu and Allah Bux too, the services they have
rendered for us, what can I write? I will only
say this: may Allah Sain bless you with His
bounties of life, wealth, and offspring,
Insha'Allah.
Nasim, who knows what she hasn't done? The
hidden and open burdens of ours she has borne –
they are countless, Alhamdulillah. Allah has
blessed you greatly and will continue to bless
you. May you all remain settled and established
in goodness, peace, and safety. To such an
extent that she has left her innocent, little,
dear Shafia in my care. If we say that the
daughter is ours, Ahmed and Nasim only raised
her and handed her over to Ami. May Allah bless
them with high fortune, Insha'Allah. When we
built the house, the entire responsibility was
Ahmed's. Without any greed, he accomplished this
task. Whom should I speak about? All the sisters
care so much for their younger brothers. Now,
may Allah Sain make them His own and, through
your prayers, make them capable, such that I
only say Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah. Great are
the favours of my Lord, who blessed us, unworthy
ones, and covered our faults. Allah fulfilled
those pleas of my Ama, which she used to make at
midnight, "O Allah Sain, we seven have uncovered
heads, cover our heads and show the sign of Your
grace." Shukr Alhamdulillah, thanks to the
Master.
The support that Roshan is to my heart, there is
no price for it. If I feel slight discomfort, I
say, "Aba Shahid, I am not well, take me, I will
get treatment from Roshan." Shahid laughs and
says, "Ami, people come from Hyderabad to
Karachi for treatment, you go from Karachi to
Hyderabad!" Then I say, "Aba, is the Pir better
or the faith better?” Besides, Roshan is the
pillar of my heart. Just seeing her makes a
hundred pains disappear." Ama Roshu, how many
blessings can I give you? What I say, I am
unable to express to anyone. Just, whatever I
say, whatever prayers come from within, may they
attain the honour of acceptance in that Divine
court and make this child prosperous,
Insha'Allah. May you too, all my sweet children,
say Ameen to that, Insha'Allah.
"I have hope in Allah, my
Guardian will take care,
As I walk, The Beneficent will extend
His benevolence, my Guardian will take care,
The Lord will help my Roshni.
As I walk, The
Beneficent will extend His benevolence, my
Guardian will take care.”
Adi Baloori (Khalida), you might say, "Ami, you
have remembered everyone but didn't remember
me." Adi, you are remembered above all others,
but your turn comes when it comes. Adi, you too
are the darling of us all. Who could possibly
forget you? The question doesn't even arise. You
too served me greatly. You showered so much
affection on your "Shahu (loving nickname for
Shahid given by Khalida)." When you were little,
you used to run around him as his bodyguard. We
remember those days too. And now that you are
together with my sweet, dear Mashan in Canada,
it is a matter of great joy that you are all
happy there. And I recently saw you all there
and came back very happy. Alhamdulillah. May you
all remain happy and prosperous, always joyful.
May Abdul Basit and sweet, dear Ama's Aeman all
be happy. May Allah Sain keep you prosperous and
safe. Habu (Habib) also showed much love. May
Allah Sain grant His favours that you remain
extremely happy. May you be healthy and
prosperous in life and in wealth, in every way.
Allah Sain has removed all flaws, Alhamdulillah.
May my sons always remain happy with their
families. And you all, according to your means,
have never let me feel any lacking. May Allah
Sain, the Merciful Master, never let you lack
anything in life. May you remain prosperous
forever, Insha'Allah.
Ahmed’s Passing Away
That incident which truly distressed our hearts
and shattered our beings, neither I nor my pen
have the strength to describe it, nor does this
broken, shattered, fragmented heart have the
power. We just have to drink the cup of
patience, relying on the lesson we have received
from our Master and our true Guide. Drinking
that, we have fallen silent.
On
November 29, 2002, happy and cheerful, I bid
farewell to everyone and departed for Canada. At
that time, I had gone to the Hyderabad house for
two or three days, as whatever was needed for
the children could easily be found in Hyderabad.
In the morning, Nasim, Ahmed, Asif, Shafi,
Shanila, and Umair all gathered to send me off.
Ahmed even placed my luggage in the car with his
own hands and told Asif, "You take Adi." I, Asif,
and Shafi were in one car; my other daughters
came in their own car. Everyone was happy that
Ami would get to meet her children. We had no
idea that life behind us was about to take a
different turn! Barely fifteen days had passed
since my arrival in Canada when news came that
Ahmed had a fever. He was in great distress. We
became very restless. We would inquire daily via
phone or internet. No good news was received.
Suddenly, the utterly heart-wrenching news
arrived. Nasim was constantly crying. O Allah
Sain, how fate has driven me so far from my
beloved ones who need me in this hour of trial!
Where did all those prayers go? Finally, news
came that surgery would happen, and the illness
would only be diagnosed then. We became anxious
and restless. We stayed awake all night.
Thankfully, the surgery was done, but the
illness that was revealed shattered our
foundations. I told Mashhood, "Aba, arrange for
my return. My children are distraught. May Allah
Sain's mercy be upon you and Shahid, but I
cannot stay any longer." I returned after four
months. The next day, I arrived in Hyderabad and
Ahmed seemed fine to me. But the hidden
affliction was within his body; it reappeared
after two months. Allah! What can I write about
what transpired? What days of restlessness
passed. Another surgery took place. That surgery
brought such a message that my hands lack the
courage to write of it, nor does my heart, nor
can my eyes stop shedding tears. So many efforts
were made, so many treatments undertaken.
Numerous doctors, blessings, prayers, medicines
– but alas! O cruel death, you felt no mercy at
all. You snatched from us our loving one, who
cherished us, whose love was both hidden and
manifest, whose eyes always held the same desire
and longing: that Adi and her children, all of
them – Shahid and Mashhood were a big part of
it, but every sister, how could they remain
happy? What could he do so that he could see
their smiling faces? You snatched that beloved
from us. Ada Ahmed, you haven't killed us, but
you have wounded us more grievously than
killing, leaving us utterly broken in the end.
But what can we do? To whom can we cry out? The
One to whom we appeal is the King and Emperor.
Before Him, "No force other than supplication
prevails 0ver beloved."
Had I known that the wanderers
were leaving,
I would have stayed awake all night with
them.
They left the hut behind, they left the hut
behind,
They blended me with
worries while departing.
Even today sit weeping, the
afflicted one, and the mountain,
The sorrows of that
mountain dweller stirred.
But O death, it is not your fault; you too are
subject to Command. We helpless servants are
also subject to His command. The Ruler's command
must be obeyed, and responding 'Labbaik' to it,
one must be patient. What power does the servant
have to disobey the command of the Master of all
master."
It pleased the Foremost thus; therefore, the
helpless had no control."
At dusk, I did not realize that
the camel-drivers would act thus,
They killed the
wretched one and drove away; showed no kindness.
At dusk, I did not realize;
sorrow struck me at dawn,
Familiarizing eyes with sleep, the
camel riders left the place,
I will cry out, "Woe!
The camels left in the middle of the night."
-
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai
What can I do, my children, who had just begun
to hope? Their beloved father was snatched away
from them. Little Umair, whom Ahmed had barely
begun to cherish, had only been saying "Babla,
sweet, sweet" for a few days – he hadn't even
properly seen him before he himself departed. O
Allah, O Allah, what should we do and where
should we go, my child Nasim? It is true that
Ahmed was not exceedingly wealthy, but he
possessed boundless love for my dear child. That
was the longing which was many times greater
than that of thousands of wealthy men. That
wealth held no value for us against which we
could weigh him.
If I weigh them, they cannot be
balanced, even against gold,
Those whose words in conversation glitter
with torsion,
With whom my soul mingled, even if I try to
separate, they do not part,
Those who bloom within
my heart, I have gathered them all in my
breath.”
-Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai
Ada Ahmed, "Forgetting, I cannot forget the
ancestral homeland. Today, O Umer, I
remembered my ancestors." You made us forget
our mother's absence. It never occurred to us
that this was the maternal home or someone
else's home. Indeed, my sweet mother had said to
Nasim's father, "Aba, I have drawn water from
the well of your house with pleated hair. I ask
you for one child in marriage; my brother is
poor, and my nephew is also a poor schoolmaster.
But I pray for you that Allah grants you a great
reward, and my child [Nasim] will sway in
cradles in Umer's house with Ahmed; scores of
servants will earn under her, and her influence
will spread." May Allah Sain grant Qazi Sahib
mercy; he said, "Mami Sahiba, your command is
required. These are all your children." Ama was
overjoyed; she offered prayers too. May Allah
Sain grant Mama Umer a place in Jannat ul
Firdaus; he treated my Nasim with immense
respect.
The kindnesses Ahmed showed are beyond
description. All my children, daughters and sons
alike, even my grandchildren, their highest
centre and maternal home was that house of
Ahmed, where we all used to come for comfort.
But in that comfort, Ada Ahmed – it's not your
fault – now, due to your departure, sadness has
set in. What can I do? You too, a helpless
servant, responded 'Labbaik' to the command of
that Independent Master and left, leaving my
children grief-stricken. "It pleased the
Foremost thus; therefore, the helpless had no
control." We, grieving, pray for you, that
you may be at peace there.
May this prayer be, that your
abode be in Paradise,
May the intercessor for you be the essence of
the Master of the Worlds,
May your salvation from the reckoning of
Judgment Day occur.
"May the mercy of God
be boundless upon you."
This alone is the believer's weapon and support.
"The helpless one has no power." Our Lord
of the Worlds has only counseled us patience.
I thought the guests, the
beloveds, would remain forever,
Leaving the wretched ones, they drove away;
they showed no kindness,
They left behind, the provisions of sorrow,
O friends, last night
the camel riders left me suffering.
-
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai
But Ada, what can we do? That same helpless
servant, bound by command, can only be patient.
But my dear sweet children's innocent eyes
create deep fissures in my heart. But, your
memory is so fresh that every moment, every
instant, every hour does not pass without you
being remembered. When we go to the colony
house, every door, every gate seems to lament
the same tune: "Here
too were some noble ones, my beloveds."
From here, some beloveds
departed; how will the departed return?
My ascetics, near ones
of the helpless,
From here some beloveds departed.
To
whom can we show this sadness, these
deprivations? To whom can we speak? Ada Ahmed,
the more we remember you, the more that thirst
increases. What can we do? "I will cry out,
'Woe!' this mountain
troubles me."
Even knowing the thirst, Sassui
remained thirsty,
She drank with Punhun, yet appetite never
broke from thirst,
A sip from that well,
it itself created the thirst.
The more you come to mind, the more the
agitations arise. Hiding from people, we somehow
pass the days. We must remain content with God's
will, and should remain so.
"Allah is pleased with them, and
they are pleased with Him – this is the
foundation for the Ascetics,
Giving their lives as penalty, the seekers,
met the Master,
Hearing, verily, those who believe and do
righteous deeds, they found peace.
Where they drank the
cup, the seekers met the Master.”
Testament for the Children
Today, April 6th, 2006, the thought suddenly
came to my heart that in just five days, it is
the blessed day of 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal, and
coincidentally, it is falling on April 11th,
which is my birthday. So, why not give my
children such a gift that proves to be the most
valuable asset of their lives? Upon reflection,
the thought came that the advice given by the
children's affectionate father in his book,
"Safar Zindagi Jo", why not present them to the
offspring in book form? The few advices that I
too have written according to my understanding,
let me publish them together for the betterment
of the children and give it to them as a gift. I
felt that for our obedient and appreciative
offspring, both these gifts would feel like the
greatest achievements of their lives.
My
prayer is that Allah, Glorious is His Majesty,
blesses all of you and your future generations
with His mercy, grace, favour, and bounties. May
He make your destiny good; may He elevate your
fortune; may He grant you abundant sustenance;
may He bestow upon you all the goodness and
blessings of faith and the world; may He make
you successful and honourable in this world and
the next; may He maintain love and sincerity
among you and increase it day by day. May He
accept your spoken and unspoken prayers through
His grace. May the Creator and Master of the
universe accept the prayers your parents have
made for you. Ameen.
Your Mother,
Fatima Zahra Qazi
06-04-2006
Advice for Children and Relatives
My
dear sons and virtuous daughters,
May the Pure Lord always be pleased with you,
and may He keep you safe from the evils and
tribulations of the world. Having spent a long
portion of my life, I have now entered the final
stage of my life. But by the grace of the Pure
Lord, you are still young. May the Pure Lord
keep your fortune high and grant you the ability
to do good, so that you may complete the journey
of your lives with a good name and honour,
exactly according to the pleasure of the Pure
Lord. May the help of the Pure Lord always
remain with you:
1.
First of all, imprint this matter
on your minds and keep it fresh in your thoughts
at all times: our true guide, true companion,
and helper at every moment is only God the Pure,
Glorious is His Majesty. The existence of every
goodness in the world is solely due to the grace
of God the Pure. And whatever goodness reaches
us, even if it apparently comes through any
person, hold the conviction that it is from God
the Pure, and it is by His will and through some
means that it has reached us. Therefore, true
praise is deserved only by the Pure Lord. Keep
thanking Him at all times and keep asking for
His help. The journey of time is very arduous.
In it, true guidance, companionship, and help
can only be provided by the Pure Master. With
complete trust and true conviction, remain
seekers of His help. It is hoped that Allah Sain
will surely continue to guide you. Ameen.
2.
In any worldly affair or on any
occasion, hold the conviction about God the Pure
that He is watching us, and none of our affairs
are hidden from Him. Therefore, always perform
acts of goodness under His command and try to
refrain from sins. Because accountability for
every tiny matter will occur, and the Day of
Reckoning is surely coming.
3.
When you make goodness your way
and habit, then practise that goodness
selflessly. Do not hold any desire for reward,
praise, or recompense from any person for it.
Perform goodness solely with the intention that
it is better; it is our moral and human duty. In
this state, you will be able to please your
Cherisher, and your heart will attain immense
peace. Consider the attainment of this peace a
sign of God's pleasure.
4.
If you perform any good deed with
the intention that the world should do good to
you and sing praises of your virtues, then I
must say with regret that this hope too is
futile. To sing praises and genuinely
acknowledge goodness in the world is almost
impossible. Therefore, whatever good work you
do, do it solely for the sake of pleasing God
the Pure. And know for sure that God the Pure is
very pleased with whatever goodness occurs
through His servants. The world cannot give
recompense, but the Merciful God absolutely
gives its reward openly, and His hidden powers
remain involved with the person doing good at
every moment and occasion.
5.
You should acquire knowledge.
Increase knowledge, and even after attaining it
to any extent, understand that you have only
acquired a small portion from the ocean of
knowledge. Always continue the effort to
increase knowledge. There is no end to
knowledge. Therefore, even after completing your
education, maintain the spirit that you still
need more knowledge. Knowledge teaches you
morals and humanity. It prevents you from futile
and frivolous activities. Therefore, after
acquiring knowledge, acting upon it is
essential, because that knowledge upon which
action is not taken is such a harmful poison for
which there is no cure.
6.
When you acquire knowledge and
God the Pure elevates you to some high position,
then remember, now the favours of the Pure Lord
have begun, and along with the favours, the
period of His testing also commences
simultaneously. Remember, never be arrogant
about apparent status or authority; rather,
adopt the habit of morality and humility. Always
look upon those below you with an eye of mercy,
because they are all servants of God the Pure,
and this is the kindness of that Master, Who
chose you from among His so many servants and
made you capable of serving someone. If you do
not become arrogant and make service your habit
with morality and humility, then you will
certainly gain honour not only in this world,
but you will also be able to achieve success in
every way in the Hereafter. Remember! ‘He who
serves becomes the makhdūm [the one who
is served]’
7.
Respect relatives and neighbours.
This is your moral duty. If, by the grace of God
the Pure, you achieve success, envy may arise
among relatives and neighbours; this is quite
possible. Because it is often human nature that
people are not happy with someone better than
themselves. These matters have come into my
experience, and the history of the world sheds
much light on this issue. But you should not be
affected by it. You should absolutely continue
to respect everyone with conviction and
sincerity, and on any occasion, whatever service
to them you deem necessary, perform it without
worry. You should absolutely not care that they
remain displeased with you! You should continue
doing good. In fact, every person can do good to
a grateful person, but doing good to an
ungrateful person is a high form of nobility and
among human qualities, it is a supreme quality.
You will attain great peace, and whenever you do
good, you will feel great comfort, happiness,
and joy in your heart. Shah Sahib has stated:
‘The good perform goodness; the
bad deeds, for bad ones.
Those whose nature is
intertwined with a habit, they perform that same
habit.’
8.
Never feel regret or envy towards
someone of a higher rank than yourself – whether
they hold a high office, prove smarter or wiser
than you, or people praise them more. Because
envy is a fire that first burns the envier
himself. Envy is an extremely reprehensible and
evil trait. Do not let it arise within you at
all. And if someone proves superior to you,
acknowledge it with great generosity. But along
with that, hold the desire and hope, and
continue the effort, that God the Pure may
elevate you too and bring you to their level.
Indeed, that Merciful Master can even elevate
you beyond them. When this is possible, then why
remain afflicted with the filthy habit of envy,
burning your own insides and causing distress to
others? Keep striving with good character to
elevate yourself and prove yourself good.
Insha'Allah, the help of God the Pure can
descend upon you soon.
9.
Do not do wrong to anyone, nor
feel happiness at anyone's loss. Try to maintain
good conduct and good intentions towards every
person. It is not necessary that even with
continuous goodness, people will remain fully
satisfied with you. Because such things happen.
It is my personal experience that from childhood
until today, I have always desired that people
remain happy with me. For this, on many
occasions, I had to endure great hardship. If
you read this book of mine attentively, you may
come across many such instances where I
tolerated loss to please someone. But if they
were not meant to be pleased, they did not
remain pleased. Such happening are not
impossible. But do not worry about it at all.
Our conscience becomes happy because of
goodness. We attain solace from it, and even if
people cannot show appreciation, the help of the
Merciful Master certainly remains close to that
servant.
10.
Do not cultivate the habit of
anger, nor remain overwhelmed by emotions. In
anger, a person's intellect is killed, and in
anger, a person speaks very wrongly. The
subsequent result appears in the form of deep
regret. And a person victimized by emotions also
remains greatly mistaken. They simply cannot
make the right decision. I have seen and
experienced many such incidents in my life, and
the decisions made while swept away by emotions
or under the sway of anger have always yielded
dangerous results. I advise again and again:
kill anger and gain control over emotions. When
this becomes your habit, then Insha'Allah Ta'ala,
you will remain very happy, and God the Pure
will make all your actions and decisions
fruitful.
11.
Never tell a lie. If, due to
human nature, you happen to make a mistake, do
not try to hide it with a lie; because to prove
one lie true, you will have to fabricate ten
others, but in the end, a lie always gets
exposed. Then one has to face shame. Therefore,
always admit your mistake with generosity and
apologize for it, saying that indeed, you erred.
By making this admission, the other party can be
so impressed that they may overlook your
mistake, and moreover, respect for you will grow
in their heart. Insha'Allah and you will be
able to avoid making mistakes in the future. By
hiding and embellishing one mistake, the habit
of making mistakes can take root in you, and
then you will always have to suffer its bad
consequences, and your honour and dignity will
continue to be damaged.
12.
Keep a feeling of goodwill in
your heart for every relative, close person, and
indeed, every common and specific person. Do not
be happy seeing anyone's loss, even if they are
your enemy. If you wish for goodness and
well-being for the creation of God the Pure,
then the Master of creation will also wish well
for you and will be pleased with you.
‘If you do good, then good will
happen to you,
The Lord will give you
the reward for goodness.’
Pray to God the Pure that Allah Sain gives you
the strength so that you can benefit people. A
person who brings benefit has been called ‘Khair
ul-Nās’ [Best among people], meaning,
the best person among people.
13.
If any relative does wrong to you
or speaks ill of you with sheer bad intention,
do not be offended; rather, be patient and
forgive them. Do not entertain the thought of
taking revenge for the wrongdoing. Although
taking revenge is not an unwarranted sin,
forgiving has been called much better. Who knows
if the sin for which we wish to take revenge
from someone is definitely proven, that they are
truly guilty? It is possible that we received
incorrect information or that we misunderstood.
Therefore, forgiving is much better. None of our
actions can conform as much to the actions of
God the Pure as this: ‘that we overlook and
forgive one another.’ Forgiving is a divine
attribute, and among divine attributes, we can
feel ease in acting only upon this one
attribute. Therefore, I say again, forgive them
in such matters and cultivate the habit of
forgiveness. Insha'Allah, you will remain
successful.
14.
Avoid greed, covetousness, and
temptation. Do not try to earn wealth through
illicit means. Earn lawful sustenance and
practise contentment with it. Spend according to
your means. Do not spend unnecessarily on name,
fame, and show. Because there is no real benefit
in it. If you spend beyond your means on some
occasion merely for name and fame, it will never
receive true praise. Rather, realistic people
will consider it futile. Even if some
superficial people praise you with false hearts,
deep down they too will feel that you have
shouldered a burden beyond your capacity.
However, it is essential that you do not prove
to be stingy. Even if your means are limited,
always be generous in matters like children's
education or essential household expenditures or
hospitality towards guests. God the Pure has
prescribed these as duties for us. And if we,
with a sincere heart, considering it our duty,
treat our children or household generously, then
God the Pure will surely help us. Just like my
current situation (in 1976). You feel happy in
it. I also remain happy and keep this hope in my
heart that the Merciful Master will surely grant
me abundant sustenance through His aid. Ameen.
15.
Seek lawful sustenance. Whoever
seeks the lawful, God the Pure grants them
lawful provision. If the nightingale remains
desirous of flowers, the Master connects it with
a garden. If the crow is thirsty for carrion, it
finds only carrion from somewhere or other.
Therefore, always desire abundant, lawful
provision. There is no shortage with God the
Pure. Keep this matter fully realized.
16.
Do not betray anyone's trust, nor
keep what rightfully belongs to another. The
rightful due must reach the entitled person. Pay
back debts if you have taken any from anyone. I,
the writer of these lines, am currently caught
in debt, and it is all recorded in the book. I
hope that I will clear this debt with my own
hands, Insha'Allah Ta'ala. But if, by chance,
some remains, then it is obligatory upon my
righteous children that this debt be paid as
soon as possible. Because a person in debt
remains humbled and helpless in God's court. I
am leaving this testament (wasiyat) here
in this discussion, considering it the opportune
moment. It is incumbent upon my children that
they must make this effort to save themselves
from the punishment of God the Pure. God the
Pure will keep you happy.
17.
Always remain sincere and true to
your home, your children, or your parents. If
you remain true to one another, you will remain
very content and happy. Serving your mother and
father is your duty. In childhood, when you were
weak and needed help, they served you
selflessly, without any expectation. They always
felt happiness in that service. You too should
serve them. And if and when they enter that
stage of old age where they become helpless
without your support in every way, then support
them with heart and soul and console them.
Remember that when they prove weak and helpless,
then one sweet word from you will become the
water of life for them, and your affectionate
and loving treatment will prove to be a balm for
their wounded hearts. Insha'Allah, you will not
see difficult days, and a great benefit you will
also receive is that eventually, someday, you
too will reach the same stage. At that time, if
you have served your parents, God the Pure will
grant your children such strength that they too
will perform such service for you with
happiness. Along with mother and father, the
mother-in-law and father-in-law are also
deserving of this same respect. In fact, every
close relative, neighbour, and every person of
the community is entitled to be treated with
your good manners. By fulfilling these rights,
you can offer the best gratitude for the
blessings of God the Pure.
18.
If you are travelling, treat your
companion well, or if you happen to live in a
guesthouse, or a hostel, always interact with
your companions with kindness, goodness, and
morality. In this, your dignity will increase,
and you will continue to receive the result of
goodness from nature. A good outcome for good
intentions is definitely received. This is also
my experience.
19.
Avoid suspicion and malice.
Suspicion is such a disease that has destroyed
entire families. No matter how loving a home may
be, if any suspicion enters it, the whole
picture immediately gets distorted, and love
turns into hatred. Remember, this is also an old
bad habit of the times, that some people
fabricate false truths and spew the poison of
hatred onto another's heart. At that moment, it
is the duty of the wise and good person not to
believe everything heard and not to be easily
swayed. If you do this with good intentions,
then even if the other party, God forbid, is
genuinely at fault, they will correct their
mistake themselves. In fact, ashamed of the
mistake, they will apologize. After that, the
love will become even greater than before. This
is my personal experience.
20.
Keep respect in your heart for
every person. Approach them with respect.
Respect elders and love youngsters. Remember
everyone with prayers. In our religion, saying 'Assalam
u Alaikum' has been declared a necessary duty,
the meaning of which itself is 'May peace be
upon you.' This proves that we should remain
prayerful for each other at every moment and
every time. Not just with the tongue, but with
the heart, remain prayerful for one another. You
will surely always live with honour and in a
state of peace. You will lead an extremely happy
and contented life. Insha'Allah Ta'ala.
21.
You brothers should live together
with great love and affection. It is the duty of
the younger to respect the elder and remain
obedient, and it is the duty of the elder to
always remember his younger brother with
sincerity and love. And always being true
companions to each other, continue to gain fame
and goodness on the slate of the world. Great
blessings and goodness from God the Pure are
placed in love and unity. This is a blessing
from God; always preserve it and always strive
for it. Similarly, maintain love and empathy
with sisters too. God the Pure will always be
pleased with you. Amin.
22.
Continue to value and appreciate
every honourable person. Whoever treats you
well, express gratitude for it, and never let
the appreciation of their goodness fade from
your heart. If someone does even a little good
for you, consider it great and maintain feelings
of gratitude for it. But however much good you
do for someone, try to forget it and keep the
feeling in your heart that you fulfilled your
duty. Do not be unappreciative or unfeeling at
all. View your family, your dear friends, and
community members with respect and esteem. Hope
for goodness in every person and hold good
assumptions about everyone. Do not draw wrong or
bad conclusions about anything, but try to view
every matter with an eye for goodness. Then it
is hoped that you will mostly encounter
goodness, and Allah Sain will grant you a good
and virtuous reward for your good intentions and
good assumptions. Insha'Allah Ta'ala.
23.
In any difficulty, ask God the
Pure for help with a sincere heart. God the Pure
is the Hearer and Knower of prayers. If you call
upon God with a sincere heart, comfort will come
to your heart. The difficulty will be resolved,
Insha'Allah Ta'ala. In many difficult times,
when I saw no hope of help arriving from
anywhere and helplessly called upon God, His
mercy carried me across. And now, this is my
conviction: ‘The help of Allah Sain is always
near.’
Your Loving Father,
Qazi Ali Muhammad
(April 1, 1976) |
