The Lady: Fatema bai Mulla Karim bhai Abadani

The lady who has lived her life. My grand mother, a lady who recited the Holy Quran most of the time during her old age days and was particular about it during her youth. She is the lady I have known to be most particular about taharat and namaaz. Once she told my wife that she never took her children in the morning before reciting at least 1/4th of a Sipara from the Quran. I have known her to complete the Quran 52 times more then I can remember.

Her will power, I cannot imagine how-to describe it accept that we have inherited a little part of it from her. It would not be a boast if she were to be describe as the iron-lady, the daughter of Gulam Husain Abadani, brother of my great grand father Mulla Abdul Husain Abadani. People of Mandvi, Kutch would indeed know the Abadanis well. She is the mother of 4 Children and an angel for us all.

What more could be said about her. The lady has 10 Grand children out of whom 4 are married and 5 great grand children all of whom have had the luck to get her duas and the warmth of her motherly lap. She is now in the most painful stage of her life. Being hospitalized since 10 days, as of today, her health is degrading day by day. Her body parts including the tongue has stopped responding but she hears and understands all that is said to her. Her brain has stopped working partly and we all cannot see the pain she is in. She has prayed for our prosperity and health throughout her life and now we pray for her peace and comfort.

May Allah bless her with the dua of Aqmoula (TUS) and ease her pain and suffering which we feel in our hearts.

Maturity

Maturity is the ability to control anger and settle the difference without violence or destruction. maturity is the patience, ability to complete a project in spite of opposition and setbacks. Maturity is the capacity to tale unpleasantness, frustration and discomfort without complaint. Maturity is humility, being big enough to say "I was wrong" and knowing when not to say "I told you so". Maturity is dependability keeping one's head high in times of crisis. Maturity is the art of living with oneself with what we cannot change and the courage to change that we which should be changed and the wisdom to know the difference.

Sight Seeing in Srilanka

Sigiriya - Ancient City, 1600 years old rock fortress, 210 mtr above sea.
Dambulla - Golden Temple.
Matale - Spice Garden.
kandy - Night stay at Thilanka Hotel.
Peradeniya - Botanical Garden.
Ramboda Falls.
Lambookellie - Mackwoods Tea. Center, 1700 mtr above sea level, 12 km from Nuwara Eliya, lunch in Kikiliyamana.
Nuwara Eliya - night stay at a nice and cosy hotel.
Hatton - waterfall, Devon Falls 97 mtr, St. Clair Tea Center.
Kithulgala - White Water's Edge (water rafting) Kwai river.

Colombo Ashara

My instinct was telling me long that Colombo would be the one this time, though I neglected that feeling knowing that all logical aspects were against my thinking and one fine day father called me up to let me know that the venue of Ashara was Colombo. I could not belive it nor could anyone else. Soon we came to know that a lot of infrastructure and management had not been in proper place for the event. Waliullah and the Dai of Imam Husain knowing the best arrived in Sarendeeb announcing in the arrival address that it was necessary for him to come to Colombo. Soon the hurdles seem to pass away and when I reached the venue it seemed that everything was a mess. That night was Gurratus Shehr. Huzurala (TUS) was jalwanuma in the majlis till 9:35 PM, 2 hours and thousands of Mumineen blessed with qadambosi sharaf.

The next day I came to know that I was no longer involved in Reflections after 4 years. Whatever that was, I know, that the wrong doers will pay. On the other hand I went on to the Hawaij dept. to serve my days and it was a relaxing job after all had happened. The experience was enhancing for all my longings for offering khidmat of Imam Husain (AS) and Aqamaula (TUS). As usual Moula (tus) knows the best how I got the sharaf qadambosi on Ashura night. I stood there in front of Moula for a couple of minutes while refreshment was served and then did qadambosi as if I were in a ziyafat. Salaam, qadambosi and a sharaf to do khidmat of Huzurala's qadam mubarak. It was all but a tashreef of the little things I did not worthy of any counting.

After Ashara, we all, father, mother, Nuruddin, Jamila, Mustafa, Moiz, Munira and kaki went to a little sight seeing. Sigriya was our first stop and then a night's stay at Kandy, for whihc I have a dreadful experience. The next day we headed to Perediniya (Botanical Garden), Ramboda Falls, a tea estate and nights stay at Nuwara Eliya. Next day we returned to Colombo having the fun to rafting on the way, in the Kwai river.

I returned on Saturday the 3rd of Feb after a 18 day journey. A long life awaits as I return.

Barakaat and saadat is what will remain forever. May Allah bless Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin a long life. Ameen

The rain made our day.

It has been sometime since I have been blogging. There have been many events during the past few months which has kept me busy and busy. I have been observing a lot during these days and studying different prospects which I think will change my lifestyle in the comming days.

Well, here is the latest. It was 2nd of December the National Day of UAE and we had arranged a picnic for the IT Committee. We folks have been knowing each other since sometime and have been offering our khidmat to the community, that's what had brought all of us together, apart for the love for microchips.

Well the picnic was arranged but just a few attended and it was a family picnic on the whole. We had prepared ourselves for the Mushrif Park in Dubai and we were in for a surprise when I woke in the morning. It was pouring cats and dogs and it was certain that the streets had been flooded. Finally, it was courtious of Yusuf bhai Sandalwala to take the lead and call the gathering at his place. Most of us were lucky enough to reach till noon as a result of the flooding streets.

We had lunch and just gossiped the whole day. We kept talking on various topics and the hotest of all was traffic and rents. Well, atleast thats the most discussed topic anywhere in the UAE.

Did I forget something, malida, well Mohammed bhai Sherawala was in for a big surprise and I am sure he wont forget it and make a point of coming on time.

The climate was cool and rain kept pouring but in the evening when it calmed a bit we took the opportunity and started the fire. It was time for coal and smoke for filling the not so hungry stomach. But the Kababs were excellent and so was the chicken. That was a great day after all.

Are we the Chosen ones? - By Ali Al-Baghli

Dr. Ali Al-Baghli, Former Minister of Oil, Kuwait, and supporter of the Dawoodi Bohras, once again comes to the rescue of Bohras by expressing his opinion in the column in ARAB TIMES, Kuwait's leading newspaper.

Please click on the URL below to know more...
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/arabtimes/opinion/view.asp?msgID=1330

By Mr. Ali Al-Baghli, Former Minister of Oil, Kuwait.

ONE can only be ashamed of the noise created by some religious extremists in the country over the last few days. The entire hullabaloo was about a building under construction in an ideal housing area — South Surrah (Haiteen). Residents of the area thought that a Husseiniya was being built for the Bohra community in Kuwait. So, where did these citizens go? The answer is well-known — they went to one of the members of the 2006 Parliament who is known for his non-progressive ideas. MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei, who represents Kaifan, took it upon himself to voice the opinion of the residents of Haiteen because his future electoral constituency will include this area. He started issuing some extremist statements and criticized the construction of a “temple” for Bohras. (Al-Tabtabaei used the word ‘temple,’ which is a place of worship for non-Muslims like Buddhists and Hindus).

Bohras are a peaceful community who came to Kuwait decades ago. They supported Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion in 1990. The spiritual leader of Bohras Sultan Mohammed Burhanuddin was a close friend of HH the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and is also close to the current Amir HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. Bohras are Muslims who believe in God and follow the teachings of Islam. Reality dawned when people came to know the building under construction was not a Husseiniya for Bohras but a house. Someone had purchased the building to live with his brothers and their families as he wanted to be close to his family.

I want to ask those who created the racket to put themselves in the place of Bohras and imagine they are living in a foreign country … and if they wanted to construct a house of worship and if people of the neighborhood objected to the construction of their praying place what would they do?

e-mail: albaghlilaw@hotmail.com

Barakaat of Wajebaat in Shehrullah

As Shehrullah approached daddy told me that they were going for wajebat araz to Hasanfeer and Aliasger was to join them. I thought of asking Qusai bs about myself as well. The amount was too small to be counted but karam is the word I would utter as I was told that I could go alone and not join my family. We had prepared to leave on the 1st night itself and the farman arrived that no one come to Hasanfir if their rozas are missed due to hadd al-qasr.

It was on the 9th that Qusai bs called me and said that you should leave immediately. He said that Qutbuddin bhai Virpurwala (Daruwala) was arranging for the tickets. Soon I was told that we were to leave the next day itself in an Indian Airlines flight directly to Ahmedabad.

We reached Ahmedabad on the 11th of Shehruallah, Tuesday. A group of 6 including myslef, Qutub bhai, Abdul Husain bhai, Juzer bhai Kagalwala and his daughter and Idris bhai Janoowala. A car was arranged by Juzer bhai to pick us from the airport. We went to the roza, did ziyarat and left immediately for Hasanfir.

As and when we reached we were in a dilemma weather to return to Ahmedabad or stay at Hasanfir or go somewhere else for the night, Sidhpur perhaps. When we were told that Saylawi was close-by. After completing the wajebat formalities and getting our cards, offering the gongas, as Idris bhai terms it, we all were pretty calm except for him. He was in a fix, as he did not get the cards for he had come without informing Yunus Bs. After offering our first namaz of Shehrullah with Huzurala (TUS) we left for Selavi, we freshened up and dumped our luggage and returned to Hasanfir for Maghrib Isha Namaaz. Idris bhi was in Hasanfir as we made the trip. After namaaz we returned to Selavi. The gonga talk was all over and the name came into existence.

Wednesday, 12th of Shehrullah was the big day. We started early at 7 to reach Hasanfir from Selavi (Mazar of Mowlai Noor Bhai Saheb). We were early and the nizaam was very nice. Within an hour of Maula's arrival we were finished with Qadambodi. Huzurala (TUS) blessed me with nazar and dua as I did Qadambosi and araz was done by Yunus BS that I was a moallim. A Shawl was given in Tashreef by Maula (TUS) and we were all relaxed and calm that our wishes had been fulfilled. After Zohr/Asr Namaaz we returned to Selavi, did ziyarat in Dhinoj en-route to Ahmedabad. On the way we had quails for dinner.

It was scorching in Ahmedabad as we reached late at night. We had to go to a hotel which was not a luxury at all, except for the A/C. The next day we took the domestic flight to Mumbai and we decided to leave for Pune with Qutub bhai. We reached Pune quite late. Had dinner in a restaurant and slept the night at Qutub bhai's inlaws. He was quite a host. We enjoyed every bit of the trip thanks to him.

We returned from Mumbai to Sharjah Int'l Airport on the 6th of October 15th of Shehre Ramadan with barakaat of Qadambosi, dua mubarak of Aqamawla (TUS), namaaz, ziyarat Duat Kiram in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Hudud Fozola in Selavi, Dinoj and Pune.

May Allah bless our beloved Mawla (TUS) with a long life in sehat and afiyat. Ameen