Huzurala Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Aqa (tus) arrived in Bhendi Bazaar at just past 9.30am where Molana went first for ziyarat in Raudat Tahera. Throngs of Mumineen jostled for deedaar in the streets around Saifee Masjid with the masjid itself already packed full. Molana emerged from the raudat fairly swiftly on a miyana to his waiting car. From here the car took a turn around the side streets to the front entrance to the masjid.

Sometime later the majlis proceedings began with sipara and sadaqallah followed by waaz mubarak. The waaz was yet another astonishing and  spellbinding blend of knowledge and emotion delivered with power and  passion in a way only the true Dai of Imamul Zamaan could possibly do.

The waaz began with an address to the assembled Mumineen as “Shiato Ali”. Many Muslims claim to be the Shiah of Ali and upto a point they have a right to but the true Shiah are those that maintain the allegiance to Molana Ali (as) after him in his progeny.

Huzurala (tus) quoted the aayat from the Quran - “Yaa ayyohal lazeena aamanu-taqullah wa kuunu ma’as sadiqeen.” Imam Jafar-al Sadiq (as) states that the word ’sadiqeen’ (the truthful) refers to them (Aimmat Tahereen) since all the Imams are the genuinely truthful. This is also true of the subsequent Duaat Mutlaqeen. The sign of this ‘truth’ is  their uninterrupted succession.
Huzurala (tus) then spoke of the aayatof the Quran - “Yowma nad’uu kulla unaasin bi imaamihim.” On the Day of Qiyamat every group of people will be called forth according to who their imam (leader) is but certain interpreters of this aayat have provided a very far-fetched and distasteful imterpretation of the word ‘imam’ for this aayat. Because of their disdain for the true imam they interpret the word ‘imam’ as being the plural form of the word ‘umm’ meaning mother. They then go on to suggest that what will happen on the day of Qiyamat is that every person will be called forward by his mother’s name with
the reason being that a person’s father cannot be known with absolute certainty but his/her mother can!

One group of Shiah believe in 6 Imams in accord with us (considering Molana Ali (as) as the first - upto Molana Jafar-ul Sadiq (as)). They then follow a different line of descendents until they come to the imam whom they consider to  be the Mahdi. Their Mahdi is said to be residing in a cave for the last thousand  or so years yet to emerge from seclusion.

For us this belief is not feasible from a physical point of view. Our view is that if such a length of life was possible, or if the water of eternal life could have been found then it would behove Rasulallah (sa)and molana  Ali [as] to have drunk from it and lived on beyond their natural life  till this day and hereafter.

The true adherents of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (as) - whom we all commonly acknowledge - are those that have followed the Imams and Duaat subsequent to him and in succession to this present day. Even in Imam Tayyib’s (as) seclusion we do not hold that the very same Imam Tayyib (as) who entered into seclusion is the one who will emerge from it but his direct descendent whom we also refer to  as Imam Tayyib (as).

Rasulallah (sa) has stated that “A Mumin is not a Mumin until  he moulds a Mumin like himself.” This is most absolute in the case of the Imam and no true Imam will ever pass away without having designated his son as his successor. In an  example from history, when Imam Mahdi passed away his shehzada Imam Qaim (as)  buried his father only after revealing in confidence to Ustaaz Juzar that  his own successor to be was Imam Mansoor (as). This requirement of a  Mumin finding a Mumin like himself is also true of the Duaat Mutlaqeen.

Those who oppose the concept of nas even find an interpretation for the appointment of Molana Ali by Rasulallah (sa) at Ghadeere Khum. Even though Rasulallah (sa) stated clearly amongst seventy thousand people  that  whoever considered him as their ‘Mola’ their Mola was now Ali this is seen by  some as merely having been an effort to restore affection for Molana Ali in the  hearts of the people many of whom would have had relatives slain by Molana Ali  (as). Molana Taher Saifuddin (ra) visited Ghadeer e Khum which is a little  way outside of Makkah. There Molanal Muqaddas asked a local who was well versed  in the history of the place about its history. The man was strongly Sunni,  Wahabi and spoke in accurate detail about the leadup to Ghadeere Khum. On the  18th,
the man  said, Rasulallah (sa) delivered a sermon the like of which he had never delivered in his entire life before and with this the man ended his recollection.Syedna quietly asked him, “What was said in the sermon?” to which the man replied, “Oh no, there is no record of that in any books.”

In the time of Syedna Abdul Qadir Najmuddin (ra) one highly esteemed Shaikh allowed it to be suggested to him that Syedna Mohammed Badruddin (ra) had not conferred nas. This Shaikh eventually uttered that Syedna Badruddin had been careless. A few days after having said this he had a dream in which he did qadambosi of a succession of resplendent people[. Eventually he came to Syedna Badruddin who did not allow him his hand. Turning to Syedna Zainuddin before him, Syedna Badruddin says, "Saheb, this man makes a grave allegation against me, that I have not conferred nas." The Shaikh asked forgiveness and this was accepted by Syedna Badruddin  (ra).

On this day - the Urs Mubarak of Syedna Taher Saifuddin (ra) Huzurala (tus) spoke in great detail of the passing away of Molana-l-Muqaddas. That evening in  Matheran Molana Taher Saifuddin (as) chose that night’s qasida himself and in it  came the verse, “Fawatehona khayral fawatehe asbahat, Bihim wa bihim nad’uu lekhayril khwateme ”
Our beginnings were the best beginnings ,by them (Aale Mohammed (as) And because of them we pray our endings will be the  best.

Molana had this bayt (verse) repeated - an indication of his impending departure but one that no one could have realised. As Molana Taher Saifuddin (ra) retired to his room that night  he instructed for Nazrul Maqaam (as), tasbeeh of La Howla and called for  khaake shifa. When Huzurala (tus) entered the room at Nisful Layl he found that  his beloved father having taken out Nazrul Maqam had reached the Aala maqam .The  realm of Imam ul Zamaan. How does a son find fortitude in the face of the passing of his  father? Molana could not but had to for the sake of everyone else. As  the night ended Huzurala (tus) lead fajr namaaz and in the first rakat  recited “Alam nashrah” because it was a time of great turmoil. In this grave  hour Huzurala (tus) recalled that Molana Saifuddin (ra) had once told  a man who was greatly troubled to recite the tasbeeh, “Rabbishrah lee  sadree…..”

The first decision to be made was where to bury Molana and with the  divine guidance of Imamul Zamaan Molana decided it should be the place where  Molana Saifuddin had spent much of his 53 years of Daiship - Mumbai and from  Matheran the janaaza was taken to Saifee Mahal where Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin  (ra) had tutored the young Syedna Saifuddin (ra). The Dai who began life in the womb with the ziyarat of Karbala and Najaf  was to be buried in Qasre Husaini (where the zarih of Imam Husain (as) had  been prepared).

Huzurala (tus) performed the ghusul of Molana-l-Muqaddas, shrouding him in a kafan washed in Zamzam and touched against the Kaaba and the zarih’s of Najaf  and Karbala Moalla.

From Saifee Mahal the janaaza was taken to Ghurratul Masajid (Saifee  Masjid) - a son taking the janaaza of his father. Molana recalled how it was  here, in this very masjid that the janaaza namaaz took place. When praying that namaaz Molana (tus) remembered how for years he had prayed saying ‘mutammam bil imame’ behind Syedna Saifuddin.

Molana could barely imagine that he was about to bury the light of his beloved father, the tears streamed as he descended into the grave - they fall  even now.
It had been Huzurala’s habit to go everyday before  Molana-l-Muqaddas, do sajda and salaam and qadambosi. Who’s hand would he kiss  now? At this thought Molana resolved that just as he had always done throughout  his life so he would continue to come to Molana’s qabr and do sajda and  qadambosi. In the qabr mubarak itself Molana felt light all around from every angle - it was a garden from amongst the gardens of paradise.

The zikr of Syedna Taher Saifuddin’s (ra) wafaat highlighted this magnificent waaz mubarak which also included mention of the problems in Surat  and elsewhere with the flooding. Molana prayed that the glory of Surat would  return in even greater brightness after the flood and already it seems that  the initial severe problems have been alleviated. The students of Jamea will see  out the remainder of the academic year in Burhanpur and Molana’s call for assistance to the city has been met with both financial pledges  and with personnel. Huzurala (tus) pledged over 14 crore rupees in  aid.

The Waaz Mubrak also included the zikr of Umme Dawood and Ayyamul Beedh  (13, 14 and 15th Rajab). The waaz ended well into the afternoon, past 4pm with the zikr of shahadat of Imam Husain a zikr which Molana repeated and which  was received with purjosh matam.

May Allah t’aala preserve our beloved Aqa and mola, Syedna Taher  Saifuddin’s son, successor and the Mumin he brought up in his own  likeness for every generation of Mumineen to come - taa Qiyamat baa  salamat. Ameen

Abde Syedna-l-Minaam (tus),
Mustafa Sh. Dawood Feeroz.
Mumbai