The `Ashara w`aaz of Mawaali Kiraam have always been in
accordance with a particular format. This format is that in the first of the 9 days of
w`aaz the zikr of five of the principal anbiyah (prophets)– namely; Adam, Nuh,
Ibrahim, Musa and Eesa takes place. Then, the final five days are concentrated on the
remembrance of khamsate athaar beginning with the zikr of the final nabi, Mohammed
Rasulallah (s.a.).
Moharram-ul-haraam gives us the barakat of the remembrance of
these supreme figures of Allah’s d`awat. In the context of remembering Husain and the
ideals for which he sacrificed his life we are reminded of the lives and events of the
prophets, imams and du`aat mutlaqeen in order for us too remain true to the heritage they
have created for us.
Today was the zikr of Nuh (a.s.) and the safiina (ark)
which symbolises his prophecy. The safiinah was built by Nuh nabi to save those on board
from the floods that were about to engulf them, about which he had been forewarned. He
urged the people to join him but they did not believe him and instead mocked his working
to build the ship. Ultimately the floods did come and only those on board the ship
survived. Even those who sought refuge on high ground were drowned such as Nuh’s own
son who refused to accompany Nuh on board.
This story is of-course one that is told by peoples of all
faiths; but for the true readers of the Qur’an such a story contains the lessons of
history and news of the future. It is said that history repeats itself and this is nowhere
more true than in the history of D`awat-ul-Haq. Indeed this repetition is central to
Allah’s scheme of things and the fact that the faiths of history appear outwardly
different should not detract from the truth that in essence they are all the same. Some
people today use this argument to suggest that no one way of belief is necessarily more
right than any other but what it actually shows is that there should only be one
incarnation of the absolute truth in any given age. The faiths of each of the prophets
were, in their time, that incarnation and it is now incarnate in the deen of Mohammed,
which is the last and final incarnation of that truth before Qayamat.
Thus, we are told, that the safiinah of Mohammed is his
progeny, the ahlul-bayt (a.s.), and just as those that boarded Nuh’s ship were saved
so too will those who affiliate themselves with the ahlul-bayt be saved from drowning in
the morass of material life.
The enemy would mock Rasulallah with regards to his ship just
as the people of Nuh’s time made fun of his. When one of them happened to come upon
Rasulallah with Hassan and Husain aloft on his shoulders. By his own admission his
jealousy surfaced and he attempted to make fun of Rasulallah by saying to the two young
imams that they had an excellent mount. Rasulallah replied in kind, saying that the two riders
are exceptional!
Imam Mehdi (a.s.) was taken prisoner before he had declared
himself as the Imam Mehdi. Inside the jail he asked the other prisoners who would
like to be freed. No one believed he could free them at first and there were those who
poked fun at the idea. Imam Mehdi took down one of the jail doors and with some coal drew
the image of a ship. He invited them once again to join him and they all did so except
one. Then, as the door rose to fly, the remaining man made to climb on board but he lost
his grip and fell breaking his ankles whilst the Imam and the other prisoners flew out
across the Nile.
Similarly history repeats itself in the way that the ship of
Nuh and that of Rasulallah both had to face many stormy waves. In Rasulallah’s time
the storm broke from the moment he passed away when until the most devastating wave that
struck at Karbala. The ahlul bayt negotiated these waves as big as mountains that were
intended to wipe them out. Although Husain was slain the enemies of Allah were unable to
slay Imam Zainulabedin (a.s.). This despite being made to walk barefoot from Iraq to
Syria; the reigns of the camels of his family all placed his hands yet not allowed even to
remove the thorns that entered his feet. With him survived the succession of A’immat
Tahereen from the progeny of Rasulallah that is today’s ship of salvation for
Mumineen.
The captain and navigator of that ship today is Aqa
Burhanuddin Mola. He guides it through the often-tempestuous waves of twenty-first century
life, finding the route of safety in the storm that might destroy it. As long as he
remains at its helm we can sit secure in the knowledge that it will not be destroyed.
May Allah t`aala preserve him at this helm to ensure safe
passage to the shores of redemption for all Mumineen to come until Qayamat.
