The story of a dayee with a smiling face and sparkling eyes!

This post is about Br Abdul Muheeth Siddiqui.
I have known Abdul Muheeth for the past twenty years. He is from Nizamabad and was attached with SIO there.

He used to visit Jamaat Office way back in late 1980s when I was serving as Office Secretary. He was doing some business and used to make frequent trips to Srivilliputhur. On his way to Srivilliputhur, he would always make it a point to stay in Jamaat Office (Chennai) for a day or two.

He was a very soft spoken youth and always remained calm and composed. But I distinctly remember the spark in his eyes. He was very passionate in doing Islamic Dawah and his passion reflected in his sparkling eyes. He would always bring some brothers, friends with him.

As days rolled on, his visits became less frequent and due to various developments the chance of meeting him got dimmer and dimmer. But, time and again, in a flash, his smiling face would emerge from nowhere in my mind and I used to cherish his fond memories. And I used to inquire about him whenever I meet some tahreeki brother from Andhra Pradesh.

Br. Muheeth, as it turned up, was very active in Jamaat activities. His circle of friends was very wide. He had just two motives. One, to reform the Muslim Youth and mould them into good Da'ees. Two, to convey the message of Islam to non-Muslim Youth.

Then one Thursday evening came a shocker. I was browsing the Sehroza Dawat when my eyes captured the headings and I could not believe it.

It was an obituary on Br. Abdul Muheeth!
Inna lillahi va inna ilaihi rajeewoon.

The obituary was written by a SIO friend. He has shed light on some aspects of the deceased brother. They are worth sharing:

Br. Abdul Muheeth had the knack of making friendships easily; He was seen invariably amidst a bunch of friends and well-wishers.

He had a tender heart which would melt in no time. The Prophet of Islam has taught us a beautiful way to win others: Give Gifts, Say Salam. Br. Muqeeth didn't stop himself with mentioning this beautiful gem of an advice in his speeches. He practised it.

Feeding the hungry is his favourite amal-e-salih. During Ramazan his house would become a hostel. More than ten to twelve students would be staying in his house. And his mother would never get tired making elaborate arrangements of Sahr and Iftar for these youth of various backgrounds.
He used to give scholarships to many students.

Abdul Muheeth Siddiqui is no more today. He passed away few months back when he was returning from Hyderabad in a car accident.
Thousands of well wishders and friends thronged to attend his Janaza prayer. Hundreds of non-Muslims came with a heavy heart and gazed the proceedings.

May Allah forgive him and grant him exalted place in Jannat.

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Khair-e-Ummah and the black belt!!

Last Sunday when I was working in my office, an young lad came to see me. He was bubbling with enthusiasm, vigour and passion. His face showed it all. "I've applied for the Rukunniyat - membership of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. I hope that I would join the Iyakkam - movement formally by the end of the year." I looked at him intently and tried to find something which was missing.
Then I narrated him the story of the black belt. It was a story which should be told million times. The story goes like this:
Once there was a martial artist. He got trained in Karate from a guru. After many years of rigorous training and practise , he approached his guru with a fond hope that the Guru would award him a Black Belt. But he was told that he had to pass one more test.
"What is the significance of the Black Belt?" asked the Guru. "If you can answer this question correctly, I shall give you the Black Belt."
The young martial artist smiled confidently and replied. "It's the reward for my hard work!"
To his surprise, the Guru shook his head disapprovingly and said, "You are not ready for the Black Belt. You may return after one year."
A year later, the martial artist approached his Guru. Guru asked the same question. Though the artist was puzzled, he answered, "It's a symbol of distinction..... the highest achievement in our art"
The Guru didn't give him the Black Belt. He told him to come with the correct answer next year.
The following year the young artist returned to the Guru. As usual the Guru asked, "Have you understood the importance of the Black Belt?"
"Yes, Master," replied the artist. "I've realized that it is not the end but the beginning of a never-ending journey of discipline, hardwork and the pursuit of excellence"
"Here's your Black Belt" said the Guru, smiling happily. "You have finally understood its true significance."
Similar is the case of Rukunniyat - membership in the Jamaat. Rukunniyat is not an honour. It is the beginning of a never-ending journey of discipline, hardwork, commitment and the pursuit of excellence. Similarly the responsibilities of Ameer-e-Muqami, Nazim-e-Ilaqa, Ameer-e-Halqa are not symbol of honour. Rather they are the beginning of a never-ending journey of discipline, hardwork and the pursuit of excellence.
That is the reason, why posts, offices are not celebrated in the Jamaat circles. I distinctly remember the day when Mr X broke and started crying profusely when he was informed that he was the one who was chosen for the job. Our history is replete with full of such instances. Moulana Naeem Siddiqui in his "Tahreek-e-Islami ki ibtitaayi daur" has grasped the spirit more vividly.
Tail piece : Have you noticed it? The Khair-e-Ummah thought is being put forward by everybody. Tablighi people, Tariqa parties, Muslim leaguers and everybody quote the verse and declare tha the Muslim Ummah is the Khair-e-Ummah. Nobody talks about the tag attached to it. The immense responsibility of enjoining virtues and forbidding evils. Does the message of the black belt story fit here?
Also read : Mutton, eggs and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind!
: A memorable evening with Moulana Farooq Khan Sahib!

Interview : Dr M. Rafat on "Islamic Movement in India in Modern Times"

Dr Muhammad Rafat

Recently Dr. Muhammad Rafat, Ameer-e-Halqa of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind JIH Delhi has given an interview to Janab Parvaz Rahmani, Editor Dawat. Dr.Rafat is from Uttar Pradesh and has been attached with the JIH for the past three, four decades. He is also a member of Markazi Majlis-e-Shoora and Markazi Majlis-e-Numaindgan of JIH. He has doctorate in Physics and teaches to engineering students in Jamia Millia Islamiya Delhi. He is very articulate and soft spoken man.

In his aforesaid interview he has shed light on the present scenario of the Islamic Movement in India. The interview is simply superb. It is very crispy, enlightening and thought provoking. I could not resist the temptation to translate in Tamil and share it with my Tamil knowing friends.
I have met him a couple of times. He is very humble, polite and as they say in Tamil he would never அதிர்ந்து பேச மாட்டார்.
He is a very knowledgeble person and well read man. Earlier I had translated one of his beautiful essay on 1857 and the status of Muslims then.
Herewith I have attached the gif images of the same.
Kindly share it with other brothers. Please write me your views and impressions if time permits.

Dawat sehroza! is online!

Alhumdulillah!
All praise be to Allah.

Dawat sehroza is on line. It is pleasing,heartening and amazing to see Dawat on line. I don't know what to say. I am typing these lines with tears in my eyes. This is the long pending dream. This is the happiest day in my life.

Happy to see my favourite khabr-o-Nazr in the net. Jazakallah. I pray for all those who are behind this noble venture. May Allah bestow them with the best in both the worlds. Aameen.

I could not recall when I first came across Dawat. But it became a companion in no time.

In those days, when I was in Tirupattur, a bustling town with dusty streets, Dawat is the window through which I learnt everything. Without any visa or any formalities I visited various countries with the help of Dawat. I got acquainted the names of various luminaries, stalwarts of the Jamaat through Dawat.

How addicted had I become of this bundle of paper..!
I would be frequenting the residence of Janab Muhammad Shafee who was the sole agent of Dawat. I used to procure the copies of Dawat from him.

Shafee bhai is a very busy man. He is a beedi worker as well as an owner of a Beedi company. Besides he was the Nazim of Halqa-e-Karkunan. He had also started an elementary school catering to the needs of the very poor and downtrodden.

Above all he is also a Dayee. He is a man with wheels. He would always be found wandering here and there, with a bag full of magazines, books, pamphlets, stickers and what not!

He had this knack of reading the faces! The karkunan of the Jamaat of those days had this ability. On seeing me he would understand everything. His hands would invariably go into his bag and come out with a copy of Dawat. Sometimes he would blush and mumble something
which would be so incomprehensible that made me think! I would catch the key words and search them in Dawat.

Then God brought me to the city of unknown ie Chennai. That is another story which could be shared some other day.


T Azeez Luthfullah, Chennai