Shere Rajab Ul Asab, the 7th Month of the Hijri Calender is an auspicious month in ways more than one. Firstly, this is the month which brings to us the bushra of the birth of Moulana Ali (AS) among other occasions. Secondly, this is month wherein Moulana Ali (AS)'s Dai Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA) left this world for his heavenly abode.

On the occasion of Urs Mubarak of Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA) we are presenting here an Interview of Moulana Muqaddas(RA) (as narrated to and recorded by Mr. ashok Rao), given by Him on the eve of His 75th Birthday. The interview will be presented in few parts in the following days to come. In the opening part of the interview we will see what was Syedna Taher Saifuddin(RA)'s way of work and where he derived the energy for his enormous capacity to work.

PART I - INTRODUCTION

"It was like being in a princely court, but the court of a prince of religion and learning rather than of earthly sovereignty – of simple dignity rather than of pomp and heraldry. The solemn audience hall was sparingly furnished. One entered it by two flights of stairs and out in the balcony, one could get an excellent view of the sea in the west sweeping away to far-off Marve.

Saify Mahal, the residence of His Holiness Dr. Syedna Taher Saifuddin, head of the Dawoodi Bohra community, is a huge sprawling structure, set in the midst of little gardens and tree-studded open spaces on Malabar Hill. Hundreds visit it daily, most of them being followers of His Holiness in quest of advice and guidance. Not a few have been the occasions when eminent dignitaries of India and of neighboring countries have been guest there. It was on the eve of his 75th birthday that I called on His Holiness for this interview. Robed in white and seated on a sofa, he exuded old-world charm and friendliness. Three quarters of a century of an active, crowded life seemed to sit lightly on the frail, venerable figure. He had just gone through the first part of his Day’s rigorous schedule of prayer, study and instruction, and appeared all the more cheerful and fresh for that.

As one sat looking at him, the 51st vicegerent of the Imam in seclusion, one could not help going back in mind and recalling how the Imamat, starting with Imam Ali, son-in-law of Prophet Mohammed, had reigned in glory in West Asia, bringing about a tremendous efflorescence of thought, literature and culture of how the 21st Imam had to seek seclusion owning to political disturbances, and how since then all his powers have come to be best in the Dai-el-Mutlaq; how the Dais, first settling down in Yemen, had reduced the history and philosophical heritage of the Imams to writings, building up a priceless library of rare manuscripts in the process; how circumstances proving unfavorable gain, the Dais came to India round about the middle of the sixteenth century, bringing a rare collection of books with them and how since then they have been guiding their followers to the good life and to prosperity with all their traditional authority from here.

The atmosphere in the audience hall breathed of centuries of history, of heroic conquest of obstacles and courageous construction and of ceaseless quest for knowledge, ever deeper knowledge. And yet His Holiness, Dr. Syedna Taher Saifuddin, who epitomizes in himself the spiritual heritage, culture and the accumulated wisdom of a long and illustrious line of Dais, was so warmly human and so disarmingly simple in his greeting that one felt immediately at ease in his presence.

When he gave the ‘go-ahead’ signal with an inquiring look, the first thought that the naturally leapt to mind was to ask him how he felt entering upon the 75th year of his life. The reply was prompt: “Why, I feel exactly as I was feeling about twenty years ago, particularly in work”.

Some idea of the work that he turns out even at this age may be had from the fact that he still sticks to a daily regimen of duties that may extend from 18 to 20 hours, packed with prayers, interviews, discussions, decision on an incredible variety of problems and issues, classes in Islamic lore for members of the family, visits, receiving of distinguished callers and discourses, interspersed with intense spells of reading and writing. However exacting the day’s demands may be and however crowded the programme and however late he may go to bed, he must be up very early on the morrow to offer prayers at 5:30 am in the mosque in Fort, four miles away from home. And then he would be ready for another dizzy round of activities.

Meeting him, one could not resist asking what the secret of his enormous capacity for work was and how he could talk to so many people about their problems, big and small and not feel tired at all. His Holiness smiled at the question, thought for a while and said, “My concern for the well-being of others is so deep that I never get tired when listening to their problems and trying to solve them. The more work I have, the more happy I feel. The mental satisfaction I get by performing such duties keeps out fatigue. The mind, after all, has tremendous power over the body.”

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

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