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Assalam alaiykum !
It started with a neeyat. It began with a car ride. It ended with a memorable train journey. Then on the 4th night of Moharram 1418H, we arrived at our destination -- Surat, India.
It was my first time in India, and moreover my first time with Aka Moula (TUS) during Moharram, so I was particularly nervous before we had even started. I had heard all the stories and rumours of what the event was going to be like, and of what India was supposed to be like, but this still didn't appease my fear... the fear of the unknown.
I am glad to say, however, that India was every bit how I had imagined it. A bit too hot in places, but I'm not complaining, after being exposed to the British Weather system, day in, day out. Mumbai was like it is portrayed in the movies, a city which never seems to sleep - even New York, NY would be pushed to run at such a pace.
Surat however was much more serene. The little roads, which only pedestrians and maddened rickshaw drivers could traverse, reminded me of the nooks and cranies of Misr, Taez and Karbala - teeming with culture, and history. Everyone, who was at all relevant during your stay there, always happened to live on the very top floor of their building, meaning you had to have good stamina if you ever wanted to go and meet them and the vast mumineen population in Surat made the normal Spot The Bohra game a little tedious at times.
Despite not having enough time to see all of it, I immediately fell in love with what little had seen.
Ok, now I sound like a travel writer, so I shall quickly diverge from this topic...
In the midst of the khakis, the browns and greys of Surat, there stood a pink and white oasis - Masjid Al-Moazzam. It was here, that the next few days of my life gained some real substance and my faith was thoroughly enhanced, as Aka Moula (TUS) decided to grace mumineen with the barakat of waez and shahadaat bayaan unique to Moharram.
I think it was was Aziz who summed it up poetically: "All other waezs are like carbohydrates, they only provide you with energy to keep you going, but Aka Moula's (TUS) bayaans are protein - they actually build things !"
The first few days consisted of more or less the same old routine. After a much hurried breakfast, you'd make your way to one of the entrances to the zehen of the masjid, as indicated on your card, to queue with the masses just so that you would get a chance to sit inside. This was around 7:30am. Then once inside, you'd throughly make yourself as comfortable as possible, as if the next few hours, prior to the actual waez, was going to determine your state of health for the coming years. The heat would get to you, and somehow your neighbours always managed to be Engineering students from Bombay University who happened to know why turbulence in viscous systems helped reduce drag, but once 11:30am came around none of this mattered anymore.
For at approx. 11:30am everyday Aka Moula (TUS) would paradify (Sorry, to conjugate Lisan Al-Dawat and English tenses !) and then all eyes, ears and souls would be focused on Him. And thus He would begin. You could sense the concentration level rise, and if you listened very carefully, you could make out the low buzz of thousands of pens dictating.
The atmosphere had built to a crescendo by Ashura nu din... It was awesome, sitting there, listening to Aka Moula (TUS). The breathtaking mehrab behind Him and thousands upon thousands of your fellow mumineen around you. The air was heavy, and you could sense everyone hanging on every word, every syllable, of the shahadaat. Then the moment came -- you all know it by heart. As Aka Moula (TUS) performed sujdo, the entire masjid was graced with the sound of "Ya Hussain !", there was no frantic rush of people to the takat, and all gained a perfect glimpse of Moulana Hussain (SAW) himself !
I don't think such a heart rendering moment like that has ever taken place in my life, or ever will again, and I could never do it justice, in trying to put into words, that feeling of knowing that this was the one sole reason why we may have been born insaan - to be able to perform Aka Hussain's (SAW) matham in the presence of our Dai, and to fully understand just what it was that He had done for us.
And that, very briefly, was my first time with Aka Moula (TUS) during Moharram, and my first time in India. I pray it won't be my last. Moreover I pray that Khuda Tahla keeps our Dai in our presence, both physically and spiritually, FOREVER, now and in the hereafter - Ameen !
As I close my eyes, I can still feel the whole experience lingering in my memory... the sounds of "Bhai, ya jugga nathi !", of Aka Moula's (TUS) sweet voice, as he explained about life's eternal mysteries; and of course the echos of the matham of "Ya Hussien !". They all make me wonder if I was really there... or was it all just a romantic dream ?
Khuda hafiz !
Murtz