(Report
by Munir Daya, Editor, Federation Samachar)
INNA
LILLAHI WA INNA ILAIHI RAJIUN.
The
sudden and sad demise of Allamah Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi in Dar es Salaam on
Thursday 20th June 2002 (8th Rabi-ul-Aakhar 1423) came as
a shock to the community and Muslims at large, around the world.
Marhum Maulana Rizvi was more like an institution rather than an
individual considering his intense involvement in propagating the Shia faith
around the world.
He
was a scholar, a preacher and a writer. He acquired deep knowledge of religion
as well as of secular subjects and his books have been used by children learning
Islam, adults wanting to know further about our religion and by new converts and
outsiders for who Marhum spent many hours enlightening them on the true concepts
of the Shia faith.
As
a prolific writer he has over 140 titles to his credit some of these have been
translated into twenty two languages. His books and correspondence have been
instrumental in spreading the true Islam from Philippines to Guyana and around
the world. His books on the Elements of Islamic Studies, harmful effects of
music, the ill effects of pork and many others are a household name because they
provide simple and crucial explanations on many issues pertaining to Islam. He
also wrote numerous articles while excerpts from his ‘Your Questions
answered’ editions have been regularly carried in the Federation Samachar. His
writing erudition also extends to the English translation of the profound Tafsir
Al Mizan of Ayatullah Tabatabai.
A
faqih and a muhaddith in his own right, he was also an expert in tafseer
and scholastic theology, a rijali and historian, a poet and a linguist
that all made him one of the greatest Muballighs the Shia World has ever known.
A multitalented communicator, he spoke and wrote in Urdu, English, Arabic,
Persian and Kiswahili while also knowing Hindi and Gujarati.
As
a historian, his last mammoth work, on the History of The Shia Communities, is
in the process of being published. In his tribute, the World Federation
President, Hasnainbhai Walji points out that Allama Rizvi authored the very
first monograph he ever read on the history of the Khoja Shia Ithnaasheris. This
was authored in conjunction with Professor Noel King of Makerere University
about a quarter of a century ago.
The
World Federation Secretary General, Sibtain Panjwani in his condolence message
says,” ….I am reflecting on those momentous and far sighted decisions made
by the Supreme Council of the Africa Federation in 1964 to create the Bilal
Muslim Mission with the support of Allama Syed Akhter Rizvi and others who
remained committed to this substantial task during their lifetime …” He
adds, “…History will record the work of the Bilal Muslim Mission as a legacy
from our community to the indigenous people of Africa.”
Born
in Ushri Bihar, India on 5th January 1927 (Ist Rajab, 1345)
Maulana was first appointed as a resident Alim in Lindi after coming to Tanzania
in 1959. Realising that he could only propagate the true faith by understanding
and speaking the local language he was quick to learn Kiswahili and improved his
English as a result of which he could write the many books that he authored.
As
a man with vision he was thus involved in the establishment of the Bilal Muslim
Mission in Africa. In 1962 he prepared a scheme for tabligh and sent it to Haji
Ebrahim H. Sheriff in Arusha. He then amended and improved the first plan and
when Allama was transferred to Arusha in 1963 a pilot scheme was put into
effect.
Before
the triennial Conference of the Africa Federation in Tanga in 1964, Allamah
Rizvi’s recommendations were circulated as a Secretariat paper and this got a
boost following a resolution of Hussein Nasser Walji (approved in the general
meeting of Dar es Salaam Jamaat) that called upon the Federation to become
involved in tabligh activities among African people.
In his booklet, ‘Outline of Shi’a Ithna-ashari History in East
Africa’, Marhum Mulla Asgharali M.M. Jaffer states, “…the 1964 memorandum
was received with mixed feelings but it got a boost from a resolution sent by
Dar es Salaam Jamaat to do something in this (tabligh) connection.” An
appreciative majority ultimately adopted this scheme as a policy and this is how
a new field of activity appropraitely called the Bilal Muslim Mission came into
being.
In
his same book, Marhum Mulla Asghar mentions, “…the incessant and untiring
efforts and contributions by Maulana Syed Saeed Akhtar Rizvi in this direction
have been decisive and of great importance. His knowledge of Kiswahili and
English enabled him to offer his service without any undue hesitation. He was
appointed Chief Missionary of the Bilal Muslim Mission – an appellation
signifying the new role of an Aalim among the Khoja Shia Ithna Asheris. For the
first time in its history, the community lent its credence to this new
appoitment and realised that the function of an Aalim could be much more
beneficial, varied and discursive.”
From
Arusha, Marhum Allamah Rizvi was transferred to Dar es Salaam Jamaat. The
expansion of the Mission’s activities in Dar es Salaam necessitated the
formation of an autonomous body and in July 1967 Allamah Rizvi went to Mombasa
and had a meeting with the office-bearers of the Supreme Council in which it was
decided to establish two institutions, the Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania and
the Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya. The former was registered on 16th
April 1968 and the latter in 1971 with Marhum Maulana Rizvi being one of the
founder members and the Chief Missionary. He was also the Tableegh Advisor of
the Late Chairman of the Africa Federation, Late Mohamedali Meghji and to Marhum
Mulla Asghar M.M. Jaffer, Alhaj Mohamed Dhirani and Alhaj Habibbhai Mulji.
Thereafter
with his enthusiastic missionary activities into the interior regions of East
Africa his name became synonymous with the word Tabligh among the indigenous
people of East Africa. In his endeavour to spread Islam, Marhum introduced
correspondence courses in Islamic studies in English and Kiswahili besides
several other courses for Shia students through the Bilal Muslim Mission. These
courses are not only pursued in Africa but throughout the world. He also
traveled widely in Africa, Europe, Canada and the USA where he recited thought
provoking majlises and lectured University students and various other audiences.
While his audiences at some gatherings were intellectuals he always reached out
to new converts and those wishing to know more about religion.
Funeral
The
funeral took place on Saturday 22nd June 2002 (10th
Rabi-ulAakhar 1423) with a very large attendance at the Dar es Salaam Jamaat
Imambara and also at the graveyard. Many indigenous Shia brothers attended and walked
on foot covering the route of the funeral Cortege from the Imambara to the
cemetery in more than half an hour. Normally coffins are taken by a special van to
the graveyard. Two scouts holding two large black flags led the cortege to the
burial site while traffic police stopped the busy Saturday morning traffic in
Dar es Salaam to make way for the cortege.
The
Dar-es-Salaam Jamaat Imambara was thronged with Mumineen, who included the
Africa Federation Chairman Alhaj Zulfikar Khimji, Hon Secretary Alhaj Barkat
Rajani, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Tanzania,
Representatives from Muslim Communities in Dar-e-Salaam, Sayyid Murtadha
Murtadha from Madrastul Akram Nairobi, Alhaj Abbas Nasser Chairman and Alhaj
Fazleabbas Datoo, Hon Secretary of Bilal Muslim Mission Mombasa, the Dar es
Salaam Jamaat Chairman, Asgharbhai Bharwani and the two immediate Past Chairmen
of the Africa Federation, Mohamedbhai Dhirani and Habibbhai Mulji. Alims from
Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Tanga and Zanzibar were also present together with
officials from various regions of Tanzania.
Namaz-e-Mayyat
was led by Hujjatul
Islam Syed Mohamed Rizvi the son of the Marhum. Sheikh
Musi Ridha Resident Alim of Dar-es-Salaam Jamaat gave a brief history of the
Allama followed by a short majlis.
During
the Ziyarat (FatihaKhwani) ceremony held on Sunday 23rd June 2002 (11th
Rabi-ul-Aakhar 1423) five speakers paid tribute to Marhum for his great
contribution towards Islamic enlightenment around the world. The Chairman of the
Africa Federation, Zulfikarbhai Khimji highlighted some of his achievements ever
since the formation of the Bilal Muslim Mission and launched a Memorial Fund in
the name of the Late Allama Syed Saeed Akhtar Rizvi and requested all Jamaats to
keep a desk for collection of funds that would be spent towards tabligh.
The
Chairman of Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya, Abbasbhai Nasser said that Marhum
Maulana Rizvi had played a crucial role in initiating tabligh activities and
said that his first impact on the local community was when he obtained a
distinction pass in Kiswahili that he learnt after arriving in Tanzania. He said
publications like the Light (since March, 1963) and Sauti ya Bilal (since 1965)
are now read throughout the world while some books of Maulana Rizvi have had to
be reprinted because of great public demand. He said Maulana was also involved
in reforming imprisoned convicts and said that few knew the fact that he was
also a good poet.
On
behalf of the African population in Tanzania, Sheikh Ramadhani Kwezi of Bilal
Muslim Mission paid tribute to Maulana who he defined as a great religious
advisor to the local population. He said that prior to Maulana’s arrival in
the country there was not a single African Shia but today there are over 100,000
Shia Africans whose lives have not only been uplifted religiously but also
economically. He said Marhum Rizvi has travelled to over 45 countries for
tabligh and that the local African Shias have been orphaned by his death. He
also referred to the Bilal Charitable Trust opened in India by Marhum.
The
Chairman of the Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania, Pyaralibhai Shivji outlined
the historical involvement of Marhum in tabligh activities since he came to
Tanzania. He said his involvement in rehabilitation of prisoners had led to an
improvement in the moral values of inmates who were reached out to. He also said
that all the community’s Marjas beginning from Ayatullah al-Uzama Sayyid
Muhsin al-Hakeem, Ayatullah al-Uzma Sayyid Abul Qassim Al-Khoui, Ayatullah al-Uzama
Gulapaygani and Ayatullah al-Uzma Seestani entrusted Marhum Maulana Rizvi as
being capable of answering questions on fiqh.
The
Past Chairman of the Africa Federation, Mohamedbhai Dhirani said that in 1959,
when he was the Dar es Salaam Jamaat Honorary Secretary, the Jamaat, then
consisting of about 1800 members, was in need of a resident Maulana. He said
that Maulana Rizvi arrived in a steamer from India at the age of thirty to fill
this position but because Lindi Jamaat also urgently needed a Maulana, Marhum
was instead sent there as a resident Alim. He said Marhum Maulana Rizvi quickly
blended with the local population and learnt Kiswahili fast following which he
addressed gatherings in Kiswahili.
Mohamedbhai
said that the then Chairman of the Africa Federation, Ebrahimbhai Sheriff asked
him to handle tabligh secretariat affairs as a result of which he was
transferred to Arusha. In Arusha he also undertook Islamic propagation at Jamaat
level. In 1964, he said, a resolution was passed to begin tabligh activities
when the Chairmanship was under Marhum Mohamedali Meghji who superseded
Ebrahimbhai Sheriff who passed away.
Mohamedbhai
said that Marhum Maulana Rizvi faced difficulty in tabligh activities sometimes
from members of our own community who blamed him of initiating a situation
conducive to inter-racial marriages. He said that some even complained that it
would be difficult to control our occasions when niaz is served in the presence
of non-Khojas. He said that such complaints proved unrealistic and today the
Bilal Muslim Mission has many Shia Centres, some in very remote areas, where
converts congregate and mark the Shia faith.
He said the fact that today the Bilal Muslim Mission’s activities have
spread far and wide to places as far as Madagascar, Mozambique and South Africa
and other places worldwide including the United States is a testimony of how the
will to spread Islam can prosper if done with a sincere motive.
He
said Marhum has 146 book titles to his credit with 85 of these being in English
and the others in different languages including Kiswahili. He said that Marhum
previously also penned a weekly column in the local Tanganyika Standard
newspaper called ‘Thought of the Week’ which dealt with inter-faith issues
and that he wrote many articles for local newspapers.
He also referred to the ‘Question and Answer’ series carried in the
Federation Samachar.
Mohamedbhai
said that Marhum Maulana Rizvi was a bridge between conservative and modern
Islamic thinking and called on the community to have a constructive vision
following his death. He said it is high time that we focused on individuals to
take further Islamic training so that we have enough manpower to run the affairs
of our institutions, Jamaats and the Bilal Muslim Mission.
A
branch with fruits
On
a personal note I greatly cherish the fact that Marhum allowed us to carry
excerpts from his book ‘Your Questions Answered’ in the Federation Samachar.
I also recollect the time when he penned a special article for the Federation
Samachar special edition marking the 52nd anniversary of the Africa
Federation. He wrote an article on the codification of Shi’a personal law in
Tanzania and Kenya and when he had a few amendments to the article, he
personally visited me in my office despite his very busy schedules. I was indeed
touched by his humility and modesty because he could have simply called me to
his office to collect the amendments. His modest behaviour reminded me of a
parable that my late father taught us about humility saying that when a branch
is full of fruits it bows down but when it has no fruits it remains erect.
Marhum Maulana Rizvi was a perfect example of a branch with fruits on it!
We offer condolences to his bereaved family and pray to Allah (S.W.T.) to give the departed soul a high place in “jawar” of the fourteen Ma’sumeen (A.S.) and to give his family fortitude to bear his sad demise with patience. May Allah (s.w.t.) also grant us all solace to sustain this loss.