Lanuguage fails us miserably when attempting to describe Mufaddal Moula’s waaz. Oratory is being redefined everyday as mumineen gather in hushed silence to catch every word, every gesture, every expression. In three hours, mumineen are taken on what can perhaps be best described as a ‘magical’ journey.
Yesterday, Mufaddal Moula illustrated, amongst a plethora of multi-faceted subjects, the meaning of ‘tamassuk’ and referred to it as ‘adherence’. Every individual, in every era, irrespective of race, region and religion, consciously or unconsciously, adheres to some ‘thing’. It could be a set of moral principles, it could be a way of life, it could be an identity, it could be a belief system. It is in built into our very DNA, that we need to cling to something. Anthropologists describe man as a social animal. He cannot, despite his best efforts refrain from reaching out to something or someone. Unguided, people adhere to what they see fit, even if it is not in their best interests to do so.
Mufaddal Moula elucidated the how, when and why of the principle of adherence. Moulana Abizer was the perfect example of adherence. He clung to Moulana Ali’s zikr and mohabbat despite facing continuous ridicule, impassioned threats and humiliating persecution. He was a man of principle. He stood firm, clinging to the cloth of Baitullah, reaching out to the throngs of pilgrims, urging them to not let go of Ahle Bait. In return, Moulana Ali, Imam Hassan, Imam Hussain and their devoted disciples bid him a sorrowful farewell when the third self proclaimed caliph, banished him and Moulana Ali conveyed to him what every mumin aspires to “You always have been and always will be with us”. He never let go of Ahle Bait and in return, they never abandoned him. His adherence did not die with him, but lived on in the form of his devoted slave, Joon. Abizer’s legacy of adherence was sealed when Imam Hussain, seeing the devotion of Joon to his master on Ashura, wept as he remembered Abizer.
Three days of thirst and hunger, coupled with unbearable heat, can drive a man to the brink of insanity and break the resolve of even the most hardened. Yet, Abbas, whose courage, commitment and principled stance against the enemies of Imam Hussain, set the standard by which a mumin adheres to his Moula. Mufaddal Moula, with the fervour of one who can see the events of Kerbala unravelling before his very eyes, described in vivid detail how Abbas, even as first his right hand and then his left hand was severed, never let go of the vessel of water. Mufaddal Moula paused and forced us to not just think, but visualise, what Abbas was doing. Any mortal man would have first drank from the river as he gathered water for Sakina, but Abbas adhered to the principles which Rasulullah and Moulana Ali had taught him. Imagine the sheer will that Abbas required to not even taste a drop of water? There was nothing to stop him. The soldiers were hidden from view, as they were too terrified to openly attack him. Three days of scorching thirst and the entire Euphrates at his feet. But not A SINGLE DROP did he drink. It might seem to us that it was only sensible and rational that Abbas drink so that he would have the energy and strength to bring water to Sakina. But no. As Mufaddal Moula explained, wafadari, LOYALTY, was the principle by which Abbas stood firm. It was this loyalty and not drinking water that provided Abbas with the will, resolve and herculean strength to reach Sakina.
Even with both hands severed, blood flowing, Abbas grabbed the container of water with his teeth, urging his steed to go on. It was a severe blow to Yazid’s army as they realised Abbas was unstoppable and a resounding statement of intent, that Abbas, come what may, thirst, hunger, fatigue, with or without limbs, he would never ever let go of his Moula.
This is adherence to Moula. Loyalty – that is the principle we must adhere to. When Mufaddal Moula spoke of certain fundamentalists who, because of their arrogant prejudice, reject passports of mumineen who are named ‘Abdul Hussain’, he said “Come what may, they can say and do whatever they want, but we will never ever leave our Moula and we will cling to him till our dying breath’.
As these days of Ashara pass one by one, our loyalty lies in standing firm and adhering to Imam Hussain’s zikr and matam. Even the act of matam is laden with meaning. What happens when we do matam? Our hands rise and reach out above and as we call out ‘Ya Hussain’, we bring are arms to our chests, to where our hearts are. We are reaching out to Imam Hussain and his Dai, to hold our hands, to throw us that lifeline which can save us from this sea of chaos. As a mumin does matam, he feels in his heart, Aqa Moula reaching out to him, holding his hand in his and he knows, with a deep seated conviction, that Moula will never abandon him.
As in matam, when all our focus and energy are concentrated on Imam Hussain, let us, in every moment of our lives, just as Moulana Abizer and Moulana Abbas did, never ever let go of Moula, never every forget him, even when the trials and tribulations of this life overwhelm us. You can always be assured that this Moula will never ever let go of your hand, come what may.
Abde Syedna wa Mansoosehi TUS
Adnan Abidali
Jamea Nairobi
