Sabar & Shukur – Remembrance of Our Beloved Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin
04 January 2015
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ *
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ *
'So remember me and I will remember you, and be thankful to me and do not be unthankful.
O you who believe! Seek refuge in sabar (forbearance) and prayer, for Allah is with the sabereen (those who are forbearing).'
(Surat al-Baqara: 152-153)
This article was written by Ra'sul Hududil Mayameen Janab Syedi Aziz Bhaisaheb Qutbuddin in 2015.
Nearly a full year has passed since the wafaat of our beloved father, the 52nd Dai al-Mutlaq, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA. He was the personification of love, piety, humility, sincerity, and compassion. He was part of our consciousness day and night. His voice still echoes in our ears - delivering bayaan, reciting Imam Husain’s shahaadat and doing do’a for us. With our own eyes, we saw the brilliance of Imam-uz-zaman’s noor in his luminescent face. With our own hearts, we felt the awe of his presence, the warmth in his eyes, and the earnestness in his voice. Throughout our lives, it was impossible to imagine a time without him. A year after his wafaat, it is still painful to accept that he is no longer among us.
The Rasa’il Ikhwanus-Safa’ narrates this anecdote about the time when the wise philosopher Socrates was imprisoned and forced to drink poison. Before his death, Socrates’ students gathered around him and wept, they knew that they could not prevent his death. Socrates asked them, “Why do you cry for me when you know that I am leaving your company for the company of great philosophers and noble men?” The students replied, “We know that you will be in Paradise. We do not cry for you, we cry for us. We cry for the benevolent and wise father we are losing. We cry for our loss.”
As we approach Syedna Burhanuddin’s Urus Mubarak, it is the time for Shukur – remembrance of and gratitude for his countless ihsanaat and bounties— and it is also the time for Sabar – fortitude and forbearance.
The two ayat-s quoted above counsel us to offer shukur and to take refuge in sabar. These two ayats are the 152nd and 153rd in Surat-ul-Baqara. As we remember Syedna Burhanuddin RA and offer shukur for his ihsanaat, we are certain that he remembers us mumineen. For we are those who have pledged ourselves to his living legacy, his true successor Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin TUS. Indeed Syedna Burhanuddin RA’s greatest ihsaan upon us is that he left in our midst his successor to guide us and pray for us just as he did. As we seek refuge in sabar and prayer, our pain is eased by the presence of his successor Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin TUS.
It is in this spirit of Shukur and Sabar that we present this special issue of Sijill.
In a section dedicated to shukur (offering gratitude and remembering the ihsanaat of Syedna Burhanuddin), we present a pictorial presentation that highlights some the milestones of Syedna Burhanuddin’s era. The photos are framed in the context of the section on ‘Syedna Burhanuddin’s Era: Monumental Achievements’ (verses 35-50) in the Qasida Me’awiyya, the Qasida written by Syedna Qutbuddin TUS on Syedna Burhanuddin’s 100th Milad. Fatemi Madrasa also presents two riwayat-s narrating Syedna Burhanuddin’s mo’jiza in his trips to Karachi and Yemen. We present this section, in the spirit of all our memories of Syedna Burhanuddin’s ihsanaat. These memories have touched each one of us and we cherish them and are thankful that we will always have them in our hearts.
In a section dedicated to sabar, we present Syedna Qutbuddin’s salaam written after Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s wafaat last year. We also present several marsiyas in Dawat-ni-zaban and Arabic written in remembrance of Syedna Burhanuddin.
As described in the ayat above, sabar is closely connected with prayer. In the days of Urus, we seek solace in prayer, especially tilawat of Qur’an-e-Majeed and do’a. We end this Sijill article with a prayer:
May Allah Ta’ala sanctify Syedna Burhanuddin RA in the highest echelons of Jannat. May we, his mumineen, continue to receive his blessings and nazaraat. May we continue to live our lives in the manner in which he guided us and thus may we continue his legacy. May we channel our grief and loss towards strength and courage to stand beside his true successor. May we one day be with Syedna Burhanuddin once again, because we indeed are followers of his Most Beloved Son, Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin TUS. May Allah Ta’ala by the wasila of panjetan, a’immat and du’at, especially Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA, grant a long and healthy life to Aqamola Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin TUS.
SHUKUR: Recounting & Giving Thanks for the Achievements, Milestones & Ihsanaat of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA
Zikrun-ne’mat is shukrun-ne’mat. This saying means that recounting ne’mats is part of offering gratitude for ne’mats. Syedna Burhanuddin’s ihsanaat and ne’mants are innumerable and we offer gratitude for them by recounting them. As the Dai of Imamuz Zaman, Syedna Burhanuddin RA guided us for 50 years. He gave us the bounty of Aale Muhammad’s ilm. He graced us with his priceless do’a day and night. His achievements in the khidmat of the Imam’s Da’wat are immeasurable. In his Qasida Me’awiyya (100 verse qasida written on the 100th Milad of Syedna Burhanuddin), Syedna Qutbuddin TUS narrated the events celebrating the 100th Milad and also recounted some of the milestones and achievements of Syedna Burhanuddin’s era. Using this qasida as a framework, we are pleased to present an e-book presentation highlighting Syedna Burhanuddin’s ihsanaat.
The abyaat in the Qasida recount Syedna Burhanuddin’s long and auspicious era. It also recounts the renovation of the Jamea Anwar and the construction of many other masjids in towns and cities where mumineen reside, particularly the renovation of Jame’ Kufa and the reconstruction of Masjid-e-Mu’azzam in Surat. The qasida also recounts Syedna Burhanuddin’s construction of Zarihs and particularly the mihrab of Amirul Mumineen in Kufa. It recounts Syedna Burhanuddin’s tireless travels to cities and towns where mumineen resided. It recounts Syedna Burhauddin’s construction of madrasas and schools for education of our children. The qasida recounts Syedna Burhanuddin’s pilgrimages with thousands of mumineen to Baitullah and for ziarat of Awliyaa’ kiraam. The qasida recounts Syedna Burhauddin’s practice of hosting a meal for all mumineen around the world twice a year. It recounts Syedna Burhanuddin’s reconstruction of Saify Hospital, which became a landmark in the city of Mumbai. The qasida recounts Syedna Burhanuddin’s construction and recent renovation of Rozat Tahera. The qasida recounts Syedna Burhanuddin’s efforts for the upliftment of Mumineen.
These abyaat are presented in an e-book format with accompanying photographs. Some of these photos are being published for the very first time and have been taken by Shz. Dr. Aziz Bhaisaheb, who was fortunate to travel often with Syedna Burhanuddin and also fortunate to have the opportunity to capture close, personal and religiously significant memories from Syedna Burhanuddin RA’s era. This presentation is on Fatemidawat.com.
SABAR: With Niyyat of Ziarat - Marsiya & Salaam Composed by Syedna Qutbuddin TUS in Remembrance of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA
We pray salaam on our mawali tahereen and say ‘wa ‘alayna salaamuhum’ (their salaam on us). Rasulullah SA stated that, “one who cannot come for my ziarat, he should send me his salaam, for it reaches me.” Today though we are physically far from Rozat Tahera, we send our salaam to Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA with full confidence that our salaam will reach him and he will respond to it from jannatul-khuld. Imam Ja’farus-Sadiq traveled to Baghdad but was unable to proceed to Karbala due to the political circumstances and serious safety concerns. Syedna Taher Saifuddin wrote the beautiful salaam ‘Naseemas-saba yammem zara Hatimil jadwa’ to Syedna Hatim RA as he was unable to visit Yemen. In that same tradition, Syedna Qutbuddin writes in his salaam to Syedna Burhanuddin RA, naseemas-saba balligh khudu’an salaamana * ila qabri da’il-laahi burhaanedeenena.
After the wafaat of 52nd Dai, his true successor and the 53rd Dai composed a marsiya and salaam in remembrance of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA. He wrote the qasida in the tradition of his predecessors. Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA wrote a salaam in remembrance of Syedna Abdullah Badruddin RA ‘Alayka Salaamul-laahe ya Badradeenena’ and Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA wrote a salaam in remembrance of Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA ‘Alayka Salaamul-laahe daaban mu’abbada’. Syedna Qutbuddin began his salaam in remembrance of Syedna Burahnuddin RA with the verse ‘Alayka salaamul-laahe Burhanadeenena’.
The salaam written by Syedna Qutbuddin is presented with Dawat-ni-zaban fehwa and English translation on Fatemidawat.com:
In this salaam Syedna Qutbuddin TUSprays salaam on Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA recognizing and enabling us to recognize his lofty status and shaan. We urge mumineen to recite this salaam on the occasion of Urus Mubarak with the niyyat Syedna Burhanuddin’s ziarat. Praying this salaam, remembering Syedna Burhanuddin, will strengthen our hearts with sabar.
SABAR: Shehzadi Dr. Tahera baisaheba Dawat-ni-zaban Salaam & Other Marsiya-s & Salaam-s Composed by Family of Syedna Qutbuddin TUS
Shehzadi Dr. Tahera baisaheba has composed many salaams in Dawat-ni-zabaan in the shaan of Du’at Mutlaqeen RA. On the occasion of Syedna Burhanuddin’s first Urus, she has composed an eloquent salaam in which she narrates the shanaat and akhbaar of Syedna Burhanuddin’s era.
Other marsiyahs in remembrance of Syedna Burhanuddin RA have been presented on Fatemidawat.com with audio.
We recite these marsiyah and remember Syedna Burhanuddin RA, they also help us in strengthening our hearts with sabar.
